Chapter 8
Author's note: Hello again dear readers and WOW! THANK YOU! *takes a bow* I got A LOT OF POSITIVE REVIEWS about the last chapter and it really made my day! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I felt really happy because I fulfilled many of your expectations for the gems' (especially Pearl's) first meeting with Sam. I hope I can continue making you guys happy with this story and if you have some suggestions with it, then feel free to review or PM me.
Aside from that, who else is excited for the new Steven Universe episodes?! Woo Hoo! I can't wait for Gem Harvest and Three Gems and A Baby! And the new character, of course. It may have been a rough week for some of you after the recent current issues but it'll get better. Have hope. Be strong. Stay positive. You are important. You are valuable and don't let other people tell you otherwise.
To luciayshadow: I was so delighted at your response and decided to put that line, though not exactly in the chapter. Thank you!
To Lady Shadow92: Yeah! She's in for more delightfully shocking surprises. Thank you!
Disclaimer: Nothing in this story belongs to me, except for my oc, Sam. You can thank Rebecca Sugar and her amazing Crewniverse for the others.
Enjoy!
"Another Universe?!"
Pearl looked absolutely horrified. She backed herself into a wall, began hyperventilating and fanned her face with her hand. "This-this cannot be happening. DREAM! A-a bad dream, that's what this is. I-I must've ate one of those foul things and-and fell asleep. Yes, yes!"
Watching her reaction, Amethyst began laughing so hard that she promptly fell onto the floor and clutched on her stomach hard. "Oh, oh! This is priceless! She-AHA-she says she's dreaming! Ah ha ha HA!" Amethyst slapped on her knee and pulled herself into a crawling position. "-Ahahaha- Yeah, P! You`re totally dreaming!" Amethyst's teary eyes opened and darted around the room and coincidentally fell onto a bottle of liquid something that was sitting on top of the hospital bed's side table. She rose to her feet, took the bottle and presented it to the slim gem with excited anticipation. "QUICK, quick- drink this! Maybe it'll make you wake up!"
That was when Garnet had stepped in between them and snatched the bottle from Amethyst before Pearl gets to it. "Amethyst," she chided the purple gem. "No."
"Aw, Garnet, come on!"
Pearl made a desperate grab for Garnet's arm and began to plead. "Please, Garnet; tell me. I'm-I'm dreaming, aren't I? You cannot possibly believe that-that this woman is-is-"
Garnet shook her head and stretched her hand to return the bottle back to the table. "You're not dreaming, Pearl. Sam is Greg's younger sister." She answered and Pearl froze. She fell to her knees and then fell sideways onto the floor with a dull thud. Pearl was trembling as she hugged her knees to her chest and mumbled a mantra repeatedly.
"Pearl?" Steven called aloud in concern and went to kneel next to her when she didn't reply. Greg scrunched his forehead as he leaned in slightly to better assess the situation. "I think we've broke her."
Amethyst still has a wide smile on her face and she nudged for Steven to poke on Pearl's nose. "Do it, Steven!"
"A-are you sure?" Steven asked her and looked up to Garnet for guidance. Garnet shrugged. Then Steven shrugged and held out a finger slowly to poke at Pearl's nose. "Pearl? A-are you okay?" Pearl gave no response, but she went absolutely still and Garnet sighed.
"I'm sorry, I better take her home. This has been quite a shock for her." Garnet picked Pearl up from the floor and cradled her in her arms. She gave a small nod towards Sam and headed out the door. "Amethyst, let's go."
"But Garnet," Amethyst whined. "Why?"
Garnet turned to give the gem a small glance before continuing her exit and Amethyst huffed. "What about Steven?" She asked further and Garnet paused.
"Steven can stay."
Amethyst groaned and Steven gave a small cheer. Amethyst went to Sam's bedside and patted surprisingly gently onto her injured shoulder. "Dude," she whispered. "Get better and let's hang out sometime, okay?"
Sam was still too tongue-tied from everything to answer her but Amethyst nodded anyway and winked at her.
"See ya."
After the last of the gems left the room, the atmosphere dulled again and the silence returned, which was much welcomed by Greg after the chaotic gusto about Sam. Sam was still for a very long time. Steven turned his attention back towards Sam and cleared his throat. "Sorry about that. Pearl… kind of over-reacts sometimes; but she actually very nice! She'll get better, you'll see."
Sam's mouth began to open and close but no words came out. Steven laughed sheepishly and rubbed on the back of his neck.
"I… what just happened?"
Greg laughed awkwardly. "Uh… I guess you just met with the Crystal Gems. They kind of look after Steven when I work and stuff."
"I am really, really confused right now."
Steven laughed again. "That's okay. Everyone thinks that too when they first meet with the Crystal Gems. I promise it gets better when you meet them again."
Sam doesn't know what to reply to that so she just gave a simple nod and swallowed a suffocating lump that was in her throat. "Son." She uttered. She turned her head and glared hotly towards her brother, which made Greg gulp.
"Now Sam, I was really going to-"
"YOU HAVE A SON AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!"
Greg reeled back in fear. "I-I didn't think-"
"You what, Greg? You didn't think what exactly?"
"It-actually- it kind of slipped my mind when we were talking about…" Greg cleared his throat and looked away distractedly. "-talking about Father." He whispered.
Sam's shoulders sagged and she sighed. "Boy, what a day." Then, she turned her attention towards the young boy by her bed and gave a weak, curious smile. "So, Steven. How old are you?"
"People say I look nine but I'm actually 14."
Sam was shocked. "Really? Whoa. And you've been-" she cringed. "You've been living in Greg's van for fourteen years? W-what about school?"
"Oh, sometimes I sleep in the van with dad but mostly I stay with the gems at the temple. My bed's there and everything. And I don't go to school because Pearl says she teaches better than any of the teachers there. She's really smart and even though sometimes I can go to school like my best friend Connie does, I trust her."
Sam was rendered speechless again. "You… don't go to school?"
"Well, I told you that-"
"No, Steven. I'm not talking to you." She turned to Greg. "Why does he not go to school, Greg? Is it because of money? Do you need more money? Oh my God, how regular do you guys eat before this? I hope you didn't starve too badly."
"Sam, relax." Greg assured her. "I got lots of money. One of my songs actually made into a commercial and I'm kind of loaded. The Gems are Steven's caretakers. I guess Pearl teaching him would be better than sending him to regular school. He's not actually a regular kid, Sam."
"I get that whole 'My Kid is Special' trope, Greg, but not sending him to school like other kids is bad parenting! You could get arrested!"
"No, Sam." Greg interrupted her. "You don't understand. Steven is really not like other kids. He's, well, um. How do I say this?"
Steven pulled his shirt up for a bit and revealed the pink gem on his stomach. "I'm half-gem. On my mom's side. Her name was Rose Quartz."
Sam's eyes widened again as she studied the object. "Half-alien?" she inquired in disbelief and Steven lowered his shirt again. "You actually did it!"
"Who?"
"Greg! YOU FUCKED AN ALIEN! AND MADE A BABY!"
Steven's eyes widened and he cupped his mouth. "Bad word!" He cried and Greg narrowed his eyes. "Please refrain from speaking rude words in front of my son."
"Well, it was okay when I used one before when the gems were in the room."
Greg placed his arms on his hips. "It was a heated moment. Steven probably felt bad to interrupt you. Now that that's over, thank God, it's best to go back to talk like polite, responsible adults again." He stressed on certain words so that Sam would get the deeper meaning, and sure enough, she did.
"So when are you coming out of this place? Oh, oh; where are you staying? Can I come and visit you afterwards?"
Sam shrugged. "Well, yeah, sure. There's nothing wrong with that I suppose. Why don't I give you a call when I'm finally out and you can help me with my stuff, alright?"
"Yes!"
Sam laughed. Cute boy. Greg shook his head. "And about the will, I found it hidden in my van's compartment. I brought your car back to the house. And Steven already helped me clean up the storage unit."
"Oh my God, I totally forgot all about my precious baby!"
Steven's eyes lit up again and he grinned. "You have a baby?"
"She's referring to her car, Steven. Right Sam?"
Steven's question caught her off guard. "Yeah. Have you seen it, Steven? My Aston Martin- has my brother shown it to you?" She answered anyway with a smile. Technically, she's not lying. Her car was one of her babies. It's not the proper time to tell Steven about it anyway. She'd planned on telling Greg after their father died. It's not hiding when you're going to tell someone about it anyway, right?
"Uh, no."
Sam rolled her eyes. "Has Greg even showed you the house he's been living in recently?"
"No. I suppose he hasn't." Steven turned his head towards Greg expectantly and the older man threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, fine! I forgot about it, okay? The past few days weren't the best for me, you know?"
Sam shook her head slowly and clicked her tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Shame on you for keeping that from him. Shame on you."
"Yeah dad," Steven continued and shook his head too, like her. "Shame on you."
"Oh no. Is my own son turning against me?" Greg replied in a mocking shocked tone. He made a grab for Steven's stomach, making the boy gasp before he laughed aloud in delight as Greg rubbed on his hair. Sam looked on towards the two affectionately and sighed. This is what she waited her whole life for. Happiness and contentment like her brother; living a carefree life with his son and worrying about nothing.
It's almost there, Sam told herself. Just a couple more weeks and I'll be free.
The end of another chapter, faithful readers. What do you think? Review, comment; feel free to do anything you want.
And by the way, maybe you guys can also check on another one of my stories? It's a Lapidot College/Human!AU fic called Keeping It in The Family. The Gems will be there. Please? Thank you!