9Steven loved being a dad. Everything about it. The smiles on his kids' faces, waking them up in the morning, setting them on his shoulders while they held onto his hair, it was all wonderful to him. He truly felt like he had found his life's purpose. To settle down with Connie and have this perfect family with her. Having two young kids filled his heart with his joy, and so did his beautiful wife.
Connie also adored being a mother. Although she never spent as much time with her little munchkins as much as Steven did since he was a stay at home dad, she loved her babies absolutely unconditionally. She kept pictures of her perfect family on her work desk in the mayor's office, and called at least once a day to tell her hubby she loved him and to say hi to her little ones if they weren't sleeping.
Because of their love for parenting, they naturally wanted more children. Six months after Comet was born, they sat down to have a conversation about it.
"Just be honest with me, Steven. We both want more kids but when should we have our third child? I feel like at least one of our kids should be planned." Connie chuckled, holding his hand from across the kitchen table.
"Connie I'm not about to dictate your body. I want us to have our third child when you feel ready for it. Comet is only six months old...has your body even had time to recover yet? I know your pregnancy and birth with him was rougher than Stevie's…" He squeezed his wife's hand with a worried look.
Connie smiled at her husband. He was always thinking of her at every moment. "You're right, my body does need to recover. I don't think we should start trying right now. But I thought...maybe around Comet's first birthday we start trying for our third baby. So conceive sometime in April or May and then I give birth around January or February. That sounds like a good system."
Steven smiled back at his wife, love in his eyes as always. "Sounds perfect to me. Just like how you're absolutely perfect."
Connie couldn't help but laugh. "Steven I'm in a bathrobe with chip dust all over my face."
"And yet you still look as beautiful as the day we met."
Connie blushed at that, getting up and taking his hand to bring him to the couch so they could cuddle together all snug. "You truly are a wonder, Steven Universe."
As the two settled down, sleepily wrapping each other up in a blanket as they rested their heads on each other, a loud wailing came from the nursery upstairs. The two shared a soft smile at each other before Steven kissed his wife's head.
"Duty calls."
…
Connie blinked at the test in her hand as she sat on the edge of the tub. Such a familiar scene yet...so different. She just gawked at it. She had been so sure...she had even felt a little sick. It was the middle of April and they had definitely been trying, she'd even linked up her cycles with her mother's help to predict when she'd be most fertile.
A blue negative sign stared her in the face.
She had to admit, this had never happened before. The two times she'd ever taken a pregnancy test they had both been positive. What was this weird feeling in her chest? It was slightly foreign in this scenario, and she couldn't put her finger on it until it came to her.
Disappointment.
She was disappointed. After chucking the test in the test she just sat there for a moment, but decided not to get upset. It was still early and it was their first try. There would definitely be more opportunities. She would just have to wait a little longer. After getting up and washing her hands, she exited the bathroom, her husband eagerly waiting outside the door.
"So? Are we on baby number three?"
Connie shook her head. "Not yet. Test was negative."
Steven couldn't help but be a little shocked at that. They definitely had a reputation for fertility, having two babies relatively young by complete accident. But when they actually tried it didn't happen? That was a little unexpected.
"Steven, don't fret. It's still early. It's only the end of April. Just give it some time. I bet by the middle or end of May we'll be expecting baby number three." She kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand. "Just give it time…"
"Right...just give it time…"
…
It wasn't until the middle of June that they finally got what they wanted. Six negative pregnancy tests later, Connie beamed as she showed her husband the pink plus sign.
Steven's face lit up with a massive grin, spinning his wife around lovingly. "We're having another baby!"
As the couple laughed, their two children, three year old Stevie and one year old Comet, looked in confusion at their parents.
The confusion was short-lived as Steven plucked Stevie out of her chair to swing her around and Connie lifted Comet up to hold him close, kissing his little face all over.
"You're going to be a big brother, baby boy. Isn't that amazing?"
Comet looked up at his mother with wide and confused eyes, shaking his fluffy head around. "Bwother?"
"Yes baby, a big brother. Mommy is going to have another baby."
Steven tickled Stevie's sides as the young girl giggled loudly, squealing and trying to bat her father away. "Daddy! Tickles!"
"I know it does, baby girl, I'm just so happy! You're having a new sibling! There's going to be another baby in this house!"
Stevie, who was still young enough to not understand babies in general, could at least understand that there would be another child in the house like when Comet came into her life. She grinned up at her father and wrapped her little arms around him, snuggling into her daddy.
Connie gave Steven a look of excitement and joy as they nuzzled each other and shared a kiss, still holding their children.
"Ew!" Comet stuck his tongue out as Stevie smiled.
"Oh hush buddy, someday you won't think kissing is gross."
…
Connie's third pregnancy had not only been rough, but she had suffered a decent amount of pain. She was three months pregnant now, and had not only felt very sick, but her body had just felt so achy and piercing. She had frequent visits at the hospital with her mother, and Steven was there for every single one of them. He was beyond worried for his wife and unborn child, and today they were doing a scan on Connie's uterus to check if the baby was alright.
Steven squeezed his wife's hand as Priyanka came back into the room.
"Well...it's not good."
Both of their hearts dropped. Connie felt tears forming. "Is it going to die…?"
Priyanka gave her daughter a heartbreaking look. "I-I don't know yet, honey. I really don't. All that we know right now is that the baby has a weak heart."
Oh no…
Steven finally spoke up after biting his lip. "What kind of weak heart…?"
Priyanka gathered ultrasound pictures of the baby, pointing at where the heart was. It was more open than a normal heart should be for sure, and it didn't look like it was beating right. "We're almost certain that it has a congenital heart defect."
Connie began to shake slightly. "And...and what does that entail?"
"It means that there's a hole in the baby's heart. It's not developing at a healthy rate as of right now and the heartbeat is very abnormal."
This was devastating. They had been so happy at the news of having a third child...it never occurred to them that this child might not make it.
"There are options that I suggest you both look into. The first is...terminating the pregnancy."
Horror struck the faces of the couple who immediately shook their heads rapidly.
"N-no," Steven protested, "We could never do that. What is the life expectancy of a child with a congenital heart defect?"
"I'd say about four years less than the average human. It can be controlled with medicine sometimes but if this gets any worse the baby may need a heart transplant right after birth."
Connie nodded slowly. "So...it still has a chance of survival. And we can buy the medicine easily or afford the transplant. The baby will be fine...it just needs extra care…"
Priyanka nodded. "You'll need to have more check-ups Connie...to check your health as well as the baby's…" She felt her daughter hug her tightly, and she quickly returned the hug, stroking his daughter's back as she wiped a tear away with one of her hands.
"I'm going to do everything I can, Connie. I promise."
…
With the news of their third child having a heart defect, everyone strived to give Connie an amazing baby shower. Although not as big as Comet's, Connie decided she wanted a smaller baby shower this time around, with only close friends and family.
Sadie smiled widely as Connie opened up the present she had bought for her. A beautiful little white onesie with 'Rockin' Baby' on it in red letters. "I hope you like it, Shep and I picked it out special."
Connie smiled at the onesie, glancing down at the floor where Stevie was playing with two year old Krystal, Sadie and Shep's daughter. They two were playing dolls and heavily into it, giggling and laughing with each other. "They get along so well…"
Shep chuckled. "Yeah, all Krystal babbles about nowadays is Stevie. She can't get enough of her. I think they might be best friends already."
Connie watched the girls with love, giving a soft laugh. "Best friends indeed."
Steven held his wife's hand, recognizing the sadness on her face. They had no idea if their third child would have friends like that or if they could even play certain things. They feared more than anything that their child would have the closest thing to a disability, being unable to be a kid in general. He knew she had been pretty depressed during this pregnancy...
"I think it's time for cake, don't you?"
The couple got the knife ready, about to slice into the white frosting. After a countdown, they opened the cake to discover a pink interior. As everyone cheered, Steven and Connie nuzzled each other lovingly. A baby girl…
As the cheering began to cease and cake was handed out, Connie set a hand on her belly, as did Steven. He kissed his wife's nose, rubbing her belly bump carefully.
"We'll protect you, baby girl...no matter what. We're going to give you the best life we can provide for you. We promise…"
…
It was a cold morning in early February when Connie frantically shook Steven awake.
"Steven. Something's wrong."
There were tears in her eyes and Steven jolted awake before he felt something sticky. He ripped the covers off, eyes widening with fear at the sight of mucus and blood on the sheets.
"No...Connie we have to get you to the hospital. Right now."
They called an ambulance and Greg, begging him to watch the kids as they rushed to the hospital. Connie was in severe pain and Steven could only hold her hand and frantically try to calm her, but he had tears streaming down his face as well. He had never seen her in this much pain.
The staff set her up in a hospital bed, Priyanka rushing to her daughter and getting the ultrasound ready to check the baby. She tried to calm her daughter, but to no avail. She turned on the machine, finding the baby easily. But…
There was only silence, besides Connie's crying.
"M-mom…?"
Priyanka's eyes filled with tears as she stared at the screen. The baby was in plain sight. But there was one major problem.
There was no heartbeat.
"M-mom…? W-where's her heartbeat?"
Priyanka fell silent, her heart feeling heavy as she realized what she had to do. The things her daughter would have to do. "C-connie, honey...there is no heartbeat…"
Steven felt his own heart stop. That could only mean...no…
Connie was immediately in denial. "W-what do you mean there's no heartbeat? S-she was fine yesterday, you can't tell me she's not okay!"
Steven put a shaky hand on his wife's shoulder. "C-connie, honey...s-she's gone…"
Tears streamed down Connie's face at a rapid pace, shoving her hands to her face as she sobbed helplessly into them. The worst possible thing happened.
Their baby had died.
Priyanka wiped her eyes, regretting what she would have to do next. "Honey...the baby needs to come out...you could get a serious infection…"
It was the news Connie didn't want to hear. "Y-you're going to just...cut her out of me…?"
Priyanka was struggling to keep it together for the first time in her medical career. "Y-you have a choice. To do c-section or n-natural birth. And once that's done we can...talk about burial and cremation services…"
Steven and Connie felt broken. That was the only word for it. Their daughter had just died and Connie would still have to make a choice on how to bring their baby into the world. A world she would never see.
"I...I want to give birth."
…
There was no cry when the baby was born.
Priyanka was sobbing silently into Doug's shoulder, the nurse was teary eyed, and Steven was a silent mess as he had watched his wife give birth for a third time.
The cord was cut and the child was laid on a pink blanket, slowly wrapped up in an agonizing irony. This was supposed to be a happy joyous moment. But it was nothing but devastating.
The nurse asked if Connie wanted to hold her. She said yes. And Steven watched his wife absolutely fall apart over the tiny baby in her arms.
Steven noted the features on his child. She had mixed skin, a beautiful color of both his and his wife's skin tones. And the little tuft of her on her head was lighter brown. She was gorgeous.
And she was gone.
Connie shakily stretched out her arms to offer the baby to Steven, who pondered if he even should for a short moment before slowly taking her and pulling her close. Her eyes were shut...and they would never open.
He was shaking so badly that the nurse approached to take the baby away but he quickly blocked her. "No. L-let me hold her...please…"
The room was silent except for soft sobbing from everyone, and Steven finally allowed himself to let out a choking sob, beginning to freely cry over his dead child. Tears streamed from his eyes, holding her close to his as he just allowed himself to completely break.
...that's when a glowing light filled the hospital room.
Eyes quickly darted to Steven, who was still holding the baby but something was different now. A soft pink light was glowing over the little baby girl, and everyone was in shock as they just watched.
As the light faded, the baby in Steven's arms was no longer a soft caramel color. She was dark pink, but a tuft of baby pink hair. And then to everyone's shock, the little girl began to move her arms.
And let out a soft wail.
…
It had taken forever to explain to the hospital staff about Steven's powers and what he had done. But it had been about an hour now and everyone was finally leaving the couple alone.
Steven and Connie laid in a hospital bed together, their sleepy pink baby girl in between them.
"You saved her…"
"I did...are you happy…?"
"You brought our baby back to life...how could I not be happy…?"
"She'll never be a normal child…"
"We'll manage…"
The child laying with them was already precious to them. Born and died and resurrected on February 3rd. They had also already named her, the birth certificate lying on the table nearby.
Jewel Rose Maheswaran-Universe. The third child of Steven and Connie.
Steven stroked Jewel's tiny face carefully. "I may have complicated feelings towards my mother...but I will forever be grateful that her healing tears brought our little girl back to life…"
Connie nodded, kissing Jewel's head carefully. "I love her...no matter what. No matter what life throws at us, we'll protect her. And we'll love her…"
Steven nodded and kissed his wife softly, looking down as Jewel drifted off into sleep, her little chest moving up and down. Steven felt like he couldn't stop looking at her, maybe she would stop breathing again...but she was fine. She would forever be fine. He had saved her…
And he swore nothing bad was ever going to happen to his littlest girl ever again.
...
Wow. Ouch. That hurt. But their little girl is now "alive" and well. Meet Jewel Maheswaran-Universe. The youngest Connverse child. I hope everyone likes her and I have several drawings of her on rosewaterdrawings on Instagram. I bet this was a big shock to you all but I hope it just makes you excited for more readings! So I should probably explain how the oneshots will work from now on. The next chapter will be a Family chapter, meaning it may focus on Steven and Connie or it may focus on the whole family. After the Family chapter, it will be a Stevie chapter. Then a Comet chapter and then a Jewel chapter and so on. It'll be a cycle. So look forward to that. I'll also possibly be taking a new job so these chapters might only come out once a week but I'll try my best! Leave a review and let me know how I'm doing!
- Rosewater
