Rose Quartz blinked, staring down at the tiny creature. "He's so. . . small!"
Greg nodded. "Humans don't start out like Gems. We're born small, and then over the years we grow."
"But shouldn't he be ready for life on Earth?" she asked, seemingly dumbfounded. The pearl on his forehead glinted. "He's so vulnerable."
"Well. . . yeah," the man said, puzzled. "Human babies rely on their parents until they develop. In the meantime, they just sort of. . . sit around. And eat. And sleep."
"Do they use the toilet you you big guys do?" Amethyst asked, poking at the baby. He giggled.
"Uhhh. . . kind of?" Greg replied. "Don't you guys know anything about babies?"
The three Gems stared at him.
"Oh boy, I guess not," he said, rubbing his balding head.
"Hey, baby," Amethyst called to the helpless creature. "What's your favourite food?"
"Uh. . . he can't talk yet," Greg explained, looking baffled.
Amethyst was gobsmacked. "He can't talk? How come you can?"
"We learn. We learn to talk and walk and go to the toilet and all that stuff as we grow up."
"Ohhh," Amethyst said, still looking confused.
"Do you play games with him?" Rose asked, wiggling her fingers over the baby. He laughed and reached out to grab them. She felt something twang in her chest.
"Yeah, when he's not sleeping. He usually just likes to look around."
"And what did you name him, again?" Rose asked, gazing down at the giggling thing.
"Steven."
"Steven," she droned, feeling the name on her tongue. She wondered, would Pearl have liked it?
"Awww, how cuuutee!" Amethyst fawned.
Greg chuckled. "Yeah, I guess."
"'Steven' will soon need a nap," Garnet broke in, adjusting her visor. "We should go back to the Temple."
"Oh no, it's fine, really, you can stay as long as you want," Greg assured.
Almost hesitantly, Rose turned away. "Greg's right. We should give them some time together."
Greg raked a hand through his hair and stood when Steven gave a jaw-cracking yawn, cradling him in both arms. "Alright, sure. I'll see ya! I better go put sleepyhead to bed."
"Is that his other name?" Amethyst asked Garnet.
"No, his other name is 'Cutie-Pie'," Garnet said. Her visor glinted.
○○○
After their near-abduction of the baby, the Gems made a point of visiting almost on a daily basis. Though Rose remained friendly and helpful, playing games with the baby when Greg needed a break, Garnet often caught her gazing at the smooth gemstone against his forehead.
It was midsummer when Greg called on them to babysit Steven so he could take a break.
"You mean, we sit on him? Like birds?" Amethyst asked.
"No," Greg had said, appalled.
He briefed the Gems on babycare on his way out. While Rose listened intently, Garnet by her side, Amethyst was inevitably distracted.
"Can we play with him yet?" Amethyst whined.
Greg only chuckled. "He's still stuck on the keys, I'm afraid. But sometimes I tell him stories about his mom. It helps him get to sleep."
"Thank you, Greg," Rose said, faintly. Pearl would much rather have told him stories herself.
"So. . . don't get too freaked out if he starts crying, okay? If you're really worried, you can call me. On Vidalia's house phone. I've left my number on the notepad on the coffee table."
"A table made of coffee?" Amethyst whispered to Garnet.
Greg sighed. "Oh boy— y'know, I'm starting to think I shouldn't go out tonight."
"You need some time off, Greg," Garnet assured, again adjusting her visor. "Everything will be fine."
He gazed at her for a moment, uncertain, and drew a breath. "I hope so. . . just, don't forget to call me if you can't handle it, okay?"
"We promise," she replied, solemn.
The Gems made their way inside and watched from the window as Greg drove off. Steven was coddled in a crib by the couch, and they gathered around the baby.
He was wide awake. Warm brown eyes stared up at them, and he sneezed, accidentally spitting out his pacifier.
Rose started when it bounced off her chest and landed in her unsuspecting hands. Amethyst snorted. "Awesome catch."
"Hello, Steven," Garnet cooed, kneeling down beside the crib. She let her visor fade away and Steven stared into her three mismatched eyes, giving a delighted cry.
"Aw, he likes you already," Amethyst whined. "That's not fair! I bet he'd like me more." She stepped up to the crib and wiggled her own fingers over his face, making him giggle as he threw his hands up to swat at them.
"Hah," Amethyst said, triumphantly.
Beside them, Rose softened a little, and stepped closer, peering down into the crib. Upon seeing her, Steven gave another delighted cry and held his hands out. Cautiously, Rose moved a little closer and held a finger out, imitating Amethyst, and the baby immediately latched onto it in his strong little hands.
"Oh!" Rose cried, dropping the pacifier, and let out an unexpected giggle.
Amethyst pouted from the other side of the crib.
"That's Rose," Garnet supplied to the baby, voice gentle.
The baby cooed and dropped his hands, interested eyes boring into the Quartz intently. She thought she saw them moved behind her for a moment before he smiled, and, in a brilliant moment of word association, said: "Ma."
Amethyst gasped. "How did you make him do that? Greg said he can't talk yet!"
"It looks like little Steven's learned his first word," Garnet smiled.
Rose was speechless. His first word was. . . her? She took a glance at the smooth pearl fitted below his hairline.
"Aw, what!" Amethyst stuck her face over the side of the crib. "I'm Amethyst! A-meh-thyst."
He gazed at her for a moment, deciding, and then turned back to Rose. "Ma!"
Rose smiled, letting a tiny laugh bubble forth. "He's. . . adorable."
"We should call Greg," Garnet suggested. "I'm sure he'd like to know."
Rose turned, face pinched. "Uh. . . are you sure? Greg said. . . to only call for an emergency."
"This is still important," Garnet replied coolly.
Hesitantly, Rose stepped away from the crib to pad to the phone.
"Ma! Ma!" came the loud call from the blankets. She abruptly turned back.
"Hey. . . Steven," she managed, voice soft.
"Ma!" he said again.
Rose looked conflicted, turning halfway back to the phone. "I'm just going to call Greg—"
"Ma ma ma!"
"I think he wants you," Garnet said. Her expression didn't give anything away.
". . . Me?" Rose pivoted, reaching out, and then withdrew her hand again. "Why?"
Garnet shrugged.
"Maaaaaaa!"
With a sigh, she returned and reached over. "What do you want, Steven?"
"Ma," he said stubbornly. His eyes drifted over her shoulder. "Ma," he said again.
Rose turned. Mounted on the wall behind her was a profile portrait of Pearl, creams and soft blues blended in light brush strokes. That painting had been her idea—"Something to remember you by."—but she hadn't actually expected for Pearl to disappear. Torn, she turned back to the baby, stepping aside.
"Ma," he repeated, eyes on the portrait. He looked at Rose, held out his arms, and whined.
"He wants you to pick him up," Garnet said, and gave her a nudge.
"Wh?—" Rose felt something helpless settle in her chest. She gazed at the baby, forlorn.
"C'mon, Rose!" In a flash, Amethyst grabbed him and strode over, shoving him into her arms. Rose almost dropped him in her surprise.
She gazed down at the creature with wide eyes, waiting for him to do something. After a few seconds of stillness, he reached out and took a hold of her hair, tiny fingers clenching around a strawberry ringlet. On a hunch, she slowly let him go and left him hanging by her hair, giggling.
Garnet stepped up and gently took him into her arms, easing his grip on Rose's hair. "We have to be careful with him," she reminded.
"I've— I've seen Greg do that before," Rose returned, quietly. "I thought it might be alright."
The fusion laid a soft hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. We just want to make sure we keep him safe until Greg gets back." She cradled him for a little, and then smiled. "He's very light. He's even lighter than you, Amethyst."
"That's because I eat proper food," Amethyst scoffed. "He only eats goo!"
In a fit of inspiration, Garnet held him under the arms, and extended her own, showing him to the Gems. "Look! This is your family."
"Don't drop him," Rose cautioned.
Seemingly flustered, Garnet drew him back in again. Rose smiled to think of her components' conflicting interests.
"Garnet Garnet, can I hold him?" Amethyst shuffled a little closer, holding her arms out eagerly.
"Of course," she smiled, and gingerly transferred the baby. Amethyst's eyes blew wide.
"You're right, he is light! He's like, even smaller than the burrito I had the other day!"
Rose rolled her eyes fondly. "I can't believe you fit that whole thing inside you."
"It's a gift," Amethyst informed, and then sniffed, looking down at the baby. "Hey. . . how do we clean this thing?"
○○○
Six months later, and the Gems were at Vidalia's, throwing a party for Steven. Greg planned to move into his van in the coming months, so they decided they should spoil the baby while he still had wriggle-room.
"I can't believe he's a year old already," Garnet gushed.
"We got him keys!" Amethyst declared, handing Greg a large gift box. When he took the lid off, he squinted at the pile inside, reaching almost to the top of the box.
"Uhh, guys, thanks, but I don't think he needs this many keys." Gingerly, he reached inside, plucking out a jingling carabiner and examining the keys on it. "This one says. . . 116, Jervis Road."
"Oh, yeah," Amethyst said dismissively. "There was like, a bunch of free keys in every car in the street!"
"Amethyst!" Greg looked horrified.
"I helped," Rose supplied, unhelpfully.
"Mama!" Steven whined, throwing his arms out to Rose. She gladly scooped him up, an increasingly frequent warmth flaring in her chest, and smiled fondly.
"Hello, Steven."
"Wait. 'Mama'?"
The Gems raised their eyes to Greg. "That's what he calls Rose," Garnet explained. She turned and gestured to Amethyst. "That's 'Amfist'." And then she pressed a hand to her own chest, solemn. "And I am 'Garget'."
Amethyst giggled.
"Mama!" Steven cried, and grabbed onto a tuft of Rose's hair, squealing in delight as she complied and let him dangle.
Greg jumped up, frantic. "Rose!"
"What?" she looked confused. "I see you do it all the time."
"Well—" Greg flushed, a little sheepish. "—I'm not eight feet tall!"
Rose sighed a little and gathered the baby in her arms again, flashing him a little grin. "Greg's no fun, is he?"
"Mama," he agreed, and snuggled into her breast.
"Do you guys know what 'mama' means?" Greg asked, slumping back on the couch and looking drained.
"Of course! It's me."
Greg rubbed at his eyes. "Oh boy."
Unsettled by the commotion, Steven squirmed in their hold, eyes settling on something across the room. He pointed. "Mama."
The Gems followed his eyes to the portrait mounted on the wall. Greg's eyes stayed fixed on the floor.
"That's. . . Mama?" Rose asked, disbelievingly. She felt tears prick at her eyes.
Greg nodded. "That's his mom, alright."
Rose let her gaze drop back down to the pearl shining against Steven's forehead, feeling herself choke up. "You mean—"
"You've officially been adopted," Garnet smiled, and stepped beside them to wrap her arms around them. "I think you make a great mom for baby Steven."
○○○
"Guys! Guys!"
Twelve-year-old Steven raced up the stairs to the beach house, duffel bag slung over his shoulder and pillow tucked under his arm. As soon as he flung the door open he dumped his bags in the entryway and flung himself into Rose's embrace.
"Welcome home, Steven!" Rose cried, and knelt down to squeeze him tight, strawberry locks tumbling over her shoulders.
"Hey, little man!" Amethyst joined, and gave him a quick hug before stepping back and gesturing. "This is like, all yours! The kitchen, the living room—"
"And we built a bedroom for you in the loft!" Rose interrupted again eagerly, pulling back and pointing up the stairs. "It's your own little space!"
"You can still visit Greg, of course," Garnet assured. "We offered for him to move in but he'd rather stay in his van. Here he comes now."
Steven turned, scanning the beach. "Where?" Greg's head appeared above the deck as he climbed the stairs. "Ohhh. There. How'd you know?!"
Garnet smiled. "It's a secret."
"Wow, schtu-ball, look at this place!" Greg stood in the doorway, awed by the sight. His eyes settled on the loft. "Hey, is that your bedroom??"
"Yeah! The Gems made it just for me!"
Greg coughed. "Well, I might've helped a little bit. . ." The air was then promptly knocked out of him as Steven rushed forward and threw his arms around him. Greg laughed, a little breathless. "Aw, it's okay, little man! I'm sure you'll love it here with the Gems."
"I will!" Steven promised. "And I'll miss you! I'll come and visit you every day!"
"Now, don't make promises you can't keep, Steven," Garnet smiled affectionately.
"I know you'll come see me, Steven," Greg chuckled, and leaned down to plant a kiss on his head. "Well, I just came by to check on ya, make sure you settled in. It's a long walk from the carwash!"
"Daaaad, it's only a mile!" Steven whined.
Greg smiled sheepishly, turning for the door. "Well, it's a father's licence to worry. Now, don't you go making trouble for the Gems! I'll see ya!"
"I won't!" Steven promised, running back to this time hug Garnet. She complied happily, sinking to her knees to embrace him proper. Though Steven had ceased calling them by their baby babble nicknames by now, through the window, Garnet could see happy tears sparkling in Greg's eyes as he watched them.
She smiled.