It was everything Rose could have ever dreamed of.

She was sitting on the temple's hand looking over the sea like she had done so many times usually to be alone with her thoughts. But today she wasn't alone.

Sitting in her lap was her son, her little boy: Steven.

Bringing Steven into this world was far from easy. She had to shapeshift a womb for Steven to grow. It was painful to shapeshift for so long, but she couldn't revert lest she harm the precious being resting within her.

She looked down at her boy. He was admiring the view of the pink sky resting upon the ocean. She, however, couldn't take her eyes off him.

"What are you thinking about?" Rose asked.

"You," Steven answered without looking up.

"Me?"

"I think about you all the time." Steven sounded so innocent, yet his voice carried a wisdom well beyond his years. "You're my mother, but I don't know you. Nobody really does, do they?"

"Trust me, Steven, that's a good thing. If you knew who I really was, the things that I've done, you wouldn't love me."

"Everybody loves you, Mom. The Crystal Gems and Dad adore you."

"And you?" Rose tried to sound as casual as possible, but in truth, she held her breath waiting for Steven's answer.

"Well, I think you're pretty great." Steven looked up resting the back of his head on her chest.

"I think you're pretty great too." Rose kissed his forehead.

"I'll never be like you. You've done so many amazing things."

"I've done many terrible things too. I don't want you to be like me, Steven. I want you to be better. And you will be."

"How do you know?" Steven turned around to face her. Rose was still amazed at how much he looked like Greg. She put her hand under his chin.

"Because you're something extraordinary. You're a human being."

Steven's head tilted to the side, almost comically so. Without warning, he broke into a bubbly laughter: a laughter that sounded so much like her own.

Steven plopped himself into his mother's chest and hugged her. Rose was more than happy to reciprocate as she rested her cheek on top of Steven's head.

Rose resumed stroking her boy's hair. She wanted to hold him closer even though he was as close as physically possible.

She cupped Steven's face with her hands to slowly pull his head up so their eyes met. She hated breaking their connection, but she needed to tell him to his face.

"I love you, Steven."

A big grin came across Steven's face. His eyes were wide with excitement. Rose knew what he was about to say, she was making him say it on purpose. But she needed to hear it from Steven.

"I love-"

"Rose?"

Steven disappeared into a puff of smoke. The scene around her reverted back to her room.

"Rose?" Pearl came peeking into her door. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting?"

"No, Pearl, I'm fine." Rose quickly composed herself after being yanked back to reality so suddenly. "What is it?"

"Greg's here to see you." Pearl couldn't conceal the contempt and resentment she held for Greg. Especially now that Rose was pregnant with his child that Rose will have to give up her physical form to bring into this world.

"Can you tell him I'll be right there?"

Pearl was weary of talking to the human more than she has to. But she reluctantly agreed and left Rose alone.

Rose placed her hand over her stomach, over the precious creature gestating within her. She didn't regret her decision, not even a little. But she was still pained by the knowledge that she will never get to know her son.

She will never get to tell Steven the things she wants to in person. That's why she asked Greg to bring his camera: to record a message to Steven. So whatever things Steven found out about her after she was gone, he could at least know she loved him.

She had many wishes for Steven. But her biggest hope for Steven was that he was nothing like her.