Steven Universe © Rebecca Sugar/Cartoon Network

Somewhere in the countryside, a worn out looking van was driving along a dirt road.

"OOF!" exclaimed a voice, as the van hit a rock.

"oh!, sorry about that." spoke Greg, who was driving the van.

Greg's passenger, a man with dark shaggy hair, and lightly colored skin breathed out.

"it's..Okay, Mister Universe." spoke Zach. "and, uhh..thanks again for giving me a lift."

Greg smiled. "It's cool. I'll ask Pearl to go have a look at your car."

"You don't need to do that." said Zach. "I'll just call a tow truck.."

"I'm sure Pearl won't mind..AND, she won't charge you, either."

Zach looked at the balding man who somehow still had a long lion's mane of hair.

"oh..okay. If it's okay with her." Zach then resumed staring out at the passing countryside.

"So..you meeting up with Lapis and Peridot?" spoke Greg.

Zach nodded. "Hm-Mm. Lapis wanted to talk to me about something..least that's what Peridot told me."

"Peridot told you? huh..I hope it's nothing serious." said Greg.

"One can never be too sure with Peridot." said Zach. "Once, Lapis nearly stepped on a bug,
And Peridot acted like she was about to step on a live bomb."

Greg chuckled. "that DOES sound like her."

There was a brief silence.

"So.." began Greg again. "You, and Lapis..are you two, like..SERIOUS?"

"We do like a good joke sometimes, But we are both serious people." answered Zach.

"Uhh..No, that isn't what I-"

"Just kidding, Greg." said Zach, with a smile. "Yeah..me and Lapis. We're very close."

"So, how is that going for you two?" asked Greg.

Zach leaned back in his seat. "well..given I was her therapist, we have good communication." began Zach.
"It's remarkable how much we relate to each other. and, that smile..MAN. It's rare, but so beautiful."

Greg blushed as he recounted his own experiences when he dated Rose Quartz.

"yeah..we've both been lucky to have very magical ladies."

Zach smiled warmly. "magical..somehow that doesn't do her justice."

It wasn't long before the barn where Lapis and Peridot lived came into view.
It would be hard to miss, given the barn itself looked downright bizarre.

Greg parked his van near a field, and the two stepped out.

"GREGORY!, ZACHERY!" called a shrill voice.

The two humans were quickly greeted by a short, green 'Gem'
with yellowish hair shaped like a Nacho chip, and wearing a tinted visor.

"Hey, Peri..Where is Lapis?" asked Zach.

Peridot faced the two humans. "At her usual spot..she's expecting you."

"yeah, I know..you told me." said Zach. "Could you give me a hint at what this is about?"

"Can't." answered Peridot. "Lapis didn't tell me anything."

Zach exhaled. "right..I'll go see what this is about, then."

As Zach began to walk away, Greg stepped up. "Do you..need me to come with you?"

Zach stopped, and looked at Greg for a moment..then, chuckled.

"I appreciate the offer..but, I've got this." began Zach.

"I was Lapis' therapist, remember? At worst, she may still have some relapsing stress,
and anxieties that she need me to help get her through."

Greg shrugged. "yeah..I guess so." Greg paused. "well..you let me know if you need my help."

Zach smiled as he waved to Greg before departing.

"Lapis HAS been moody, lately.." spoke Peridot, in a half annoyed tone.

"Isn't that normal for her?" asked Greg, puzzled.

"Yes, but this is different.." began Peridot. "She keeps watching these stupid baby cartoons."

Zach approached the barn, and looked up at the bed of a pickup truck
sticking out of the broadside like someone just threw it into the structure.

While odd looking, Zach had long accepted it as 'normal.'

"LAPIS!" called Zach. "YOU UP THERE!?"

When Zach got no answer, he decided to use a ladder to climb up to the truck bed.
Once uptop, he found an old television set, and a lawn chair..

..but, no Lapis.

"well, now I feel sill-"

*SWOOSH!*

Suddenly, Zach was grabbed by something from above,
and carried off high into the air like a rabbit snatched up by an Hawk.

"WHOA!, WHOA!, WHOOOAA!" exclaimed Zach, alarmed.

a familiar snicker then filled Zach's ears. "sorry if I..SCARED you."

Zach glanced over his shoulder..and, saw Lapis smirking at him.
She was flying in the air with her water wings, carrying him by his arms.

Zach then winced upon seeing how far up he was..and, how far DOWN the ground below him was.

..Zach hoped to God Lapis wasn't mad at him about something.

Fortunately, Lapis began to hover above the roof of a silo,
and gently lowered Zach down onto it, before landing near him herself.

Zach flinched, feeling nervous at still being so high up.

"I t-take it..you want some privacy between us." spoke Zach, finally.

Lapis said nothing as she sat beside Zach, folding her knees within her long, blue dress.

"yes..I wanted us to talk. JUST US." spoke Lapis.

Zach breathed out, trying to relax. "If that was what you wanted..we could've just made an appoint-"

"This is a personal discussion..about US." said Lapis.

Zach grew pale at this. "oh..crap."

"whoa, n-not like that!" exclaimed Lapis, as if reading his mind.

*whew!*

"zach..I've been thinking alot about our relationship." began Lapis.

"you've done..so much for me. I used to hate myself..even fear what I could do.
But, you helped me through it..and, Now, I don't feel so broken anymore."

Zach smiled. "That is what I do, Lapis." spoke Zach.
"of course..it helped that in one way, or another. I've been through what you have."

Lapis looked at Zach. "I know..You're the one person who ever understood me.
Everyone else..they SAY they understand, but you're the one person who truly did understand how I felt."

Zach frowned "You're talking about Jasper, and..Betty. right?"

Lapis frowned as she recalled her encounter with Zach's 'Jasper'
It was a One in a Million chance..and, yet Zach's childhood bully, and former "girlfriend" just appeared one day.

Betty. from the moment Lapis locked eyes with her..she hated her.
She may've been human, but everything about her reminded her of Jasper.

The coldness in her eyes..so devoid of any tenderness.
and, worst. the very audacity of her to demand Zach to return to her.

Lapis could still hear her words..and, they were the same things Jasper told her.

'Things will be different now.'

'I can change.'

'I need you back.'

It took everything for Lapis to resist the urge to fling the woman into the deepest ocean.
She wanted to..SHALE, she wanted to. But, she decided to let Zach have his moment.

and, he didn't disappoint her. Zach proved his strength when he stood up to his former tormentor.

..just as Lapis herself once did when Jasper tried the same thing.

Everything went perfect..UNTIL Betty said those words that cut deep into Lapis.

(("she CAN'T give you children.'"))

Lapis shed a tear, yet tried to hide it.

"Lapis..what's wrong?" asked Zach, concerned.

Lapis wiped her tear away. "you're right. I have been thinking about..HER. about Betty."

"don't. She's gone, now." said Zach. "and, she'll never trouble us again."

"She may be gone, but she still haunts me." said Lapis.
"I know they were only words..yet, they hurt worse than when my gem was cracked."

Zack frowned, now knowing what this was about. "lapis..we discussed this."

"I know..but, I want to-"

"no."

"-have a baby with you." finished Lapis, ignoring Zach's protests.

"Lapis..I hear you. and, don't get me wrong..I would LOVE for us to have a baby together." began Zach.
"But, you and I both know what happened with Greg and Rose Quartz..and, Steven."

Lapis looked down, fresh tears forming in her eyes.

"I love you, Lapis.." continued Zach. "And, I am sure any baby we make would be wonderful.
But, I will not get you pregnant KNOWING that it will only lead to your death. I won't."

Lapis finally cried as Betty's words burned into her.
Zach did all he could do..and, embraced his alien girlfriend.

"It's not FAIR!" sobbed Lapis. "I am a GEM. I am physically superior to humans in every other way.
Yet, THEY can procreate, and LIVE to watch their offspring grow..(shouting) AND, I CAN'T!"

Lapis cried harder..so, Zach held her tighter.

"I don't want to die." spoke Lapis, her face buried in Zach's chest.
"but, I want to be a mother. I want to raise a child..with YOU."

Zach frowned as he continued to hold Lapis, his hand caressing the blue gem on her back.
He could tell that this was something she had thought long, and hard about.

Zach's eyes then squinted as he began to think hard about this as well.

There had to be SOME solution to this problem.

and, THEN...an idea popped in his head.

"umm..we could-, i mean. why don't we...just...Adopt?"

Lapis pulled away, and looked into Zach's eyes. "wa-what?"

Zach looked away for a moment, feeling awkward. "Not..ALL humans are capable of conceiving." began Zach.
"When that happens..they tend to ADOPT a child who (for one reason or another) don't have families of their own."

Lapis stared, dumbfounded at this.

"I realize this isn't what you had in mind, Lapis." continued Zach.

"but..a child doesn't have to come from you for you to love, and cherish it.
I mean, Pearl and Garnet love Steven like he was their son, despite him not being their son."

Lapis looked stunned. "it seems too good to be true..could it REALLY be that easy?!"

"I..can't say for sure." answered Zach. "but, it's worth a try.
Somewhere there HAS to be a child with nothing..who is waiting for a mom like you, Lapis."

Lapis' lips quivered at the very thought that 'her baby' may already exist somewhere,
and was waiting for her to come find, and bring them home.

"and..you?" asked Lapis, looking at Zach.

Zach smiled. "as I said before: I would LOVE for us to have a child together."

Lapis smiled..Then, lunged forward and kissed Zach deeply on his mouth.
and, when she parted..she smiled the warmest smile Zach ever did see. "thank you."

Zach blushed, then touched Lapis' chin. "anything to see you smile, my ocean angel."

Lapis lightly jabbed Zack's shoulder. "flirt."

Zach rubbed his shoulder..then, he sat with Lapis. Overlooking the vast countryside.

"you know.." began Lapis, as she leaned against Zach.
"I've always dreaded what the future may bring. but, for once..I have HOPE."

Zach smiled as he held Lapis with his arm. "It's always darkest before the dawn, Lapis."

Lapis nodded, a smile frozen on her usually grim face. "I can't wait for the morning."

Zach blushed as he reached for something in his pocket. "I think NOW is a good time to ask you this."

Lapis looked at Zach. "what?"

Zach's face grew redder..he then opened the black box he was holding.
Lapis stared at the metal ring inside with held a fragment of a blue colored gem.

"Do you..know what this means?" asked Zach (hoping Lapis wouldn't get offended by this.)

"Yes." answered Lapis, bluntly. "it's that morbid custom you humans have
where you offer dead gem shards to one another as a sign of-OH!"

"Our chances of adopting a child may be better if we are..that is, if you want to-"

"marriage.." spoke Lapis, stunned. "You want us to marry."

"Only if you want to.." said Zach. "I know you'll outlive me..
but, I want to spend my life with you..however 'short' it may be compared to yours.

And, I promise..I'll never let you cry, or feel sad in the slightest.
I'll do everything to make you happy, Lapis. You will ALWAYS smile, and laugh.

So..Lapis Lazuli. will you..m-marry me?"

Lapis smiled warmly..she then, took the ring from the box..and, slid it on her finger.
She then leaned forward..and, kissed her new fiance while clutching his hand tight.

"I do." answered Lapis, softly.

[End of Part 1]

[Author Notes]

While this has similar characters from an older Steven Universe story that I wrote a long time ago,
this is more of a revamp, and (much like the older story) a test story to see
if this concept will work for a bigger one.

The premise was based on a (rhetorical) question that I asked.

What do you do when you are a Gem who wants to raise a child with your human lover,
yet you DO NOT want to "kill yourself" in order to do this?

Apart from a more complicated method that involves an Injector (It's a long story),
This was one alternative that I felt would make a good story: "Lapis Lazuli Adopts"

I decided to make this a multi-parter, as a single page would be too long.

[Notice for SU FANS]

Despite this being a LapisxOC story, I'll still try to make the Lapidot fans happy however I can.

Just..bear with me, here.