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A headache pounded at my temples, my eyes felt gritty and sore and my body felt heavy and sluggish as sleep deprivation crashed down on me.
Days and nights of working overtime to try and earn enough money to help out was catching up to me, and of course it happened on my night.
My headache spiked as high pitched cries broke the silence of the night.
I groaned and stiffly got up from my seat in the corner of the room to go to the crib set against the wall.
"Steven, baby, you're killing me." I murmured as I leaned over the crib railing and carefully picked up the screaming infant.
Beneath his star covered onesie I could make out the faint glow of Rose's gem.
"Another nightmare..." I sighed and cuddled him close to my chest as I sat down on the floor before my legs gave out.
Steven had been the sweetest and most easygoing baby in the weeks after his... birth. At least until the nightmares started.
Greg and I thought it was because in his sleep his gem became more... active than his human side was. So memories of Rose's life became his dreams and little Steven experienced the war and oppression of Rose's time.
We couldn't ask the gems if it was true because they didn't want to have anything to do with him, leaving his care to Greg and myself.
The two of us were constantly tired in between working extra hours to make sure we could provide for Steven and then taking turns in taking care of him. I sighed and looked down at Steven as his cries died down and he settled.
"I miss your mom. You would never cry if you were around her, and if you did she'd just scoop you up and hold you close until you felt better. We all loved her a lot... its why the gems can't be around you just yet, but give them time. They won't be able to resist you and your starry eyes." I smiled and chuckled as he sleepily opened his beautiful big eyes. "Yeah those eyes, you little nugget." I tickled his belly and he squealed happily and wiggled in my arms.
His gem still glowed, but with a different light from when he was having a nightmare. It was softer, more constant. Like the glow that Rose had always emanated when she was happy.
I was broken out of my reminiscing when Steven's pudgy little hands gripped tightly onto my finger.
"You're stronger than you look. Are you stopping me from getting all sad again? No, you're just slobbering over my fingers." I sighed fondly as he started sucking my finger while grinning up at me at the same time.
"At least you're a happy little baby. I think your dad and I wouldn't cope if you weren't yourself."
Steven babbled away, kicking his chubby legs wildly and I couldn't help but smile and laugh and press a kiss to his brow.
He gurgled happily and suddenly the night didn't seem nearly as long and as dark, nor was it so cold and lonely.
I had Steven.
Even though I had lost Rose and the rest of the crystal gems were drowning in their own grief. I knew we would be okay.
I was exhausted and struggling to cope with everything and anything but as I watched Steven start to doze off with my fingers still in his mouth while the familiar pink gem embedded in his bellybutton shone with a comforting and calming rose pink glow, I knew that this little baby would bring my world back together.
"Goodnight, Steven." I murmured softly as I bent down to press a kiss against his gem through his onesie before I drifted into the first peaceful sleep I'd had in weeks.