We Don't Have a Choice (Killing Me Slowly Sequel) Lapidot AU

Chapter 10

It has been 2 weeks so far and I can't even explain how fucking attached we have grown to this little girl. What surprised me the most about the whole situation is that Lapis seems so happy. Her normal serious and grumpy mood has changed heavily...all because of this child. I adore the way Lapis is so protective of Pumpkin, and how much time she spends with her. Not to mention how happy Pumpkin herself has become since we first met her.

I've counted at least five nights that I found Lapis and Pumpkin passed out on the hammock, Pumpkin laying on top of her with her head buried in the crook of Lapis's neck, and Lapis's arms resting on the little girl's back - it was adorable. If Lapis hadn't been kidnapped, and she lived to lead on a more normal life...I'm almost positive that she would've been an amazing mother. But then again...I wouldn't have met her, and we wouldn't be here now.

Pumpkin and I have a particularly close relationship as well, and it feels pretty great to be able to take care of something so vulnerable like a child. It makes me feel...big. Pumpkin is also just a sweet girl. She was shy at first, but as the days advanced, she opened up more to us and accepted us more as a family than just two gay fugitive teenagers keeping her at their broken down barn.

Steven and her get along pretty well too, and he's been visiting us a lot more often to hang out with her. What makes it better for Lapis is that Steven shows up more by himself, rather than bringing the other Crystal Gems with him. So I guess you could say that taking Pumpkin in was just a huge beneficial improvement to our experience as Crystal Gems. However, there was a line behind Pearl who wanted the child as well, but we beat them to it. So here and there, Garnet claims she sees other gang members creeping around, searching for the eight year-old.

Thankfully, the other gangs believe that Pumpkin is at the Temple, rather than our barn. In fact, I don't think anyone even knows people live in this abandoned place. So they automatically choose not to search our barn because of their assumptions. Lapis still gets nervous though, being her paranoid self. I always have to reassure her and let her know that no one is going to search our barn, and if anyone did, that we can take them out no problem. I mean, Lapis did take out over 30 gang members in one night after all. What's the harm in just taking out a few at a time?

10: 37 PM

"Peridot, why can't we use this mannequin for our new Meep-Morp?!" Lapis whined, holding a mall store feminine mannequin under her arm. "Lapis, it's naked. It's making me extremely uncomfortable that it has tits but nothing below the waist. Not to mention she doesn't have a face. And she's bald. And she's pink." I criticized, crossing my arms. Pumpkin was asleep on the hammock in the barn, and Lapis and I were making more Meep-Morps behind the barn. "We could put clothes on Veronica! We could give her face and a wig! It's not that complicated." Lapis explained, holding the mannequin tighter.

"Her name is Veronica now?! It's an object, Lapis! I don't want it standing there staring at us in our sleep! What if it scares Pumpkin?" I argued. "IT'S ART, PERIDOT! And I showed this to Pumpkin earlier today while you were gathering paint and tools. She approved." Lapis justified. "Oh really? Well I don't approve." I replied. "Come onnn, Peridot. Would it help if I taped that potted plant to her stomach? I'll put your ripped leather jacket on her and Pearl's birthday hat on it." Lapis said, looking down at the creepy object.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "Let's rip her head off and attach it to the plant, and it'll give off a symbol of life, ya know?" I suggested. Lapis gave me a wtf face. "Peridot, that's worse than my idea. You're the one who's waiting to scare Pumpki--" Lapis was interrupted by the sound of a loud thump that came from the inside of the barn. We both looked in the direction of the sound, then we looked at each other. Lapis was the first one to dash off around the building, and I quickly followed after her.

We ran into the entrance and found three Rubies hovering over sleeping Pumpkin. Their backs were turned to us, and before I could gasp, Lapis cupped her hand over my mouth. She held a finger to her lips, signaling for me to keep quiet. She slowly walked over to the Meep-Morp with the baseball bat, and she picked the weapon up. I grabbed a rake and walked up behind them along with Lapis. 'On three' Lapis mouthed, and we counted down. One...two...

I stepped on a creaky floorboard, and Lapis and the Rubies perked up. Lapis gave me wide eyes and I trembled with fear. All three of them turned around and yelled at the sight of us. "THREEEE!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, and I swung the rake down on one of their heads. The Ruby yelped in pain, and she looked up at me with an angered expression. Uh-oh. Lapis beat the living shit out of the two other Rubies with her baseball bat. Pumpkin was surprisingly still asleep, and I looked over the Ruby's shoulder to make sure she was okay.

The Ruby then snapped me back to reality as she punched me square in the face and I went spiraling backwards. I growled under my breath and looked up at her. "You're DEAD!!!" I screeched, and I ran at her full speed, jumping onto her and attacking her like a crazed cat. The Ruby screeched and yelped, trying to pry me off of her face, and I just scratched and slapped and held on tighter. "AHHH GOD!!! GET 'ER OFF GET 'ER OFF GET 'ER OOOOFFFF!!!" she yelled repeatedly, running around in circles panic-stricken. Lapis had already knocked one unconscious, and she was still fighting the other Ruby. 

I gasped as I spotted a gun in the Ruby's hand, and she pointed it at Lapis. "LAPIS LOOK OUT!!!" I shouted, and Lapis looked over at me. "Huh?!" BANG! A flash of light emitted from the gun as the Ruby pulled the trigger, and Pumpkin woke up with a startle. "LAPIS!!!" I screeched, letting go of the Ruby, and I fell onto my back. Before I could sit up and check on Lapis, the beefy woman stepped on my chest and held me down with all of her weight. 

"Gotcha ya gremlin!" she smirked, pushing harder. I squeaked and squirmed, trying to escape her elephant-like weight. She pulled out her gun and pointed it down at me. "Game over." she deadpanned, and pulled the trigger.