Jasper was curled up on a bolder like a fat lazy tiger after a good hunt. One eye was cracked open as she watched Peridot work. Kindergarten had been more damaged then either of them had hoped which made Peridot's work all that more difficult. Which meant Jasper was stuck guarding her. Which meant at this moment and time to just lay on the giant rock. What joy.

Still Jasper liked the feeling of the sun on her back and took the long, boring days to just bask and enjoy herself. She was actually thankful for Yellow Diamond pairing her up with Peridot. At least the gem didn't speak unless it was necessary. Jasper wasn't certain she could take much noise after her little breakdown. She did have to move as Peridot went into one of the main control rooms for reactivation.

"Analyzing. Attempting to reactive Kindergarten in three, two, one-" A fuse burst and sparks shot out of a control panel, making Peridot curse and rapidly attempt to fix the problem with her floating fingers. "Fried! The whole thing! Useless piece of old junk!" Still the cursing didn't stop Peridot from trying to repair it again. Jasper had to admit she respected other gem's spunk. But Peridot was young and Jasper wondered if she would keep that attitude as she grew old. Jasper herself remembered that age, when times where simple and her instincts where quieter. She missed those days of just training and gaining strength. Now those days where replaced with a darkness and ache to kill. She had to shake her head a few times to get her mind back to the present. This was no time to day dream.

"This platform is fried. We'll have to find a better one or get other parts." Peridot ordered, gathering her fingers together. When they reached the surface Jasper let out a noise of surprise. The Crystal Gems! With Steven. But most importantly of all, Lapis. With a swollen belly. It was too much too soon. Jasper couldn't remember the battle, but she barely fought at all. Too caught up in a shocked daze. Soon she was chained up again, on the floor again. The only difference was the squirming green gem that occasionally bonked her head against Jasper's side as she struggled. The Crystal Gems took to questioning Peridot a lot more then Jasper. Maybe because their words didn't register and as such Jasper never answered. Her eyes where just glued to Lapis's swollen belly. Lapis looked nervous and tried to cover it up with her shirt. "Stop staring." She muttered, the only thing that got through Japer's mental block. Jasper swallowed and asked with a shaky voice, "Ours?" Lapis bit her lip and nodded slowly. They didn't talk again till later that night, when Steven was sleeping and the Crystal Gems took Peridot to- well Jasper didn't know where but she wasn't worried about that. Lapis dragged her out, still in chains, onto the beach.

There was a long moment of silence before Jasper's water chains melted away, followed by a small voice, "Thank you, for protecting me." Jasper noticed that Lapis didn't apologize and didn't expect her to. After all Jasper deserved a lot of what Lapis had dished out. She was messed up. They were both messed up. But Jasper had to make things right. She had to take another chance. "You're welcome. And I'm sorry for hurting Rose." Lapis curled her legs to her side, "His name is Steven. You should apologize to him." Lapis snapped. Jasper snarled, drawing her face close to Lapis's. It took her a while to see a faint bit of fear still lingering in their depths. Ever so slowly Jasper unbent her pride and pulled back. "I'll do it in the morning." Lapis gave a weak smile.

They both sat there, unsure. They had both hurt each other and they had hurt others in the process. It would be a long time to get the wounds to heal. It would be even longer before Jasper would fully trust Lapis again. But she wanted to be there for the small gem, for the eggs that were slowly growing in Lapis's belly. "Will y-you keep them?" Jasper was surprised at how shaky her voice was. She was scared of the future, of the possibilities that lay before her. Lapis wrapped an arm over her belly. "I knew the risk I took when I slept with you Jasper. I won't kill my own babies." Jasper swallowed and held out a shaky hand, "May I...?" Lapis slapped her hand away. "No you may not. I know what Jasper's do to their young. I know what they do to their mates." Jasper recoiled and looked away. Shit was she crying? She blinked away the tears.

"But..." Lapis looked away, "You saved my life Jasper. Even when you knew I was carrying." Jasper blinked, realizing it was true. At least, her instincts had known. That was part of the reason why she went into the rage frenzy after the corrupted gem attack. "For that I will give you a chance. I... miss you." Lapis admitted. "But if you ever hurt Steven, or the Crystal Gems, or the Earth I won't let you near me or our young ever again. Do you understand?" Jasper nodded slowly. "I-I will make it up to you Lapis." Her voice was so weak. Perhaps she needed to... sleep. As humans put it. Too much stress.

Lapis crawled into her lap and Jasper nuzzled her hair, sighing in relief. "Jasper, you're dangerous. Don't try to deny it. I felt it when we were fused. But I also felt you. You are more then just killer instincts. I felt some good in you." Lapis pressed her hands against Jasper's chest, the swollen belly brushing against Jasper's own. Jasper bit her lip in delight. "We'll make this work. Steven can help us-" Jasper growled but Lapis slapped her hand gently against Jasper's chest. "Stop that, you know we need the help." Jasper grumbled and snuggled Lapis some more.

They talked a bit more but Lapis never let Jasper touch her belly. There was too much of a rick that she would hurt the growing geodes. But still Jasper was happy. In the morning she apologized to Steven, who hugged her happily. She stiffened but fought down the dark urge to bite him again. A month passed and while Lapis's belly was growing bigger, Steven was helping them learn how to be better people. Jasper had a much harder time then Lapis though and she almost slipped up a few times. But the need to get through this for her mate and babies pushed her on. She would doubt the feelings she had for Lapis and if Lapis felt anything for her. If anything she could simply be a good caretaker for the babies and be sure they grew healthy and strong. At this point that was the best she hoped for.

Peridot had joined the Crystal Gems and so did Lapis, both who now had golden stars on their uniforms. Jasper didn't give into that. She kept the yellow diamond on her chest. It just didn't feel right to have a star. She wasn't one of them. She was perfectly okay with staying on the sidelines while they all had good times together. Lapis noticed this and approached Jasper near the end of her geode carrying term. "Jasper." The giant gem nearly jumped out of her skin. "What? Is something wrong? Are the babies okay? Do you need anything?"

"You should join us." Lapis sat next to Jasper, looking out to the ocean. "Lapis, volleyball isn't my thing. Besides, I like just looking at the ocean." Jasper blinked when she heard Lapis giggle, "You really are an old fart." Jasper's eyes widened. "Excuse me? Says you!" Jasper's hurt pride was mended when Lapis leaned up and kissed her gem. Lapis then took Jasper's hand and placed it on her swollen belly. The large orange gem tensed up as she felt the round bumps of the geodes. She was too shocked to count how many there where but it felt like a lot. "You won't hurt anyone Jasper. You've come so far. I know you can do it." The geodes shifted as Lapis spoke and Jasper swallowed, "A-alright." Jasper got up and followed Lapis. They played together for the first time.

A week passed and Lapis gave out a cry. Her body ached and her insides shifted as her super swollen belly cramped up. She felt the geodes slip, being pushed down as her body tried to release them. Jasper was by her side in a second, picking Lapis up and holding her against her large body. The other gems had gone on a very important mission, even dragging Steven and Connie (fused together as Stevonnie) with them. Jasper was grateful for that, cause she wasn't sure she could keep herself from hurting them if they interrupted this. Lapis gave out a cry as the first geode was being pushed down her inner walls. Jasper placed a hand between Lapis's legs to catch the geode but Lapis let out a cry, "Don't hurt her Jasper!" Tears poured down Lapis's eyes as she tried to keep the geode inside of her, away from Jasper's massive, almost clawed hand.

Jasper kissed Lapis's tears, "I won't. Trust me Lapis. Let me help." Jasper had sworn long ago that she wouldn't be like her father. That she would protect her family. She would protect Lapis. "Let it go. I'll catch it." Lapis swallowed and the geode slipped free. Jasper cause the small little thing in her hand and brought it up for Lapis to see. It was a deep ocean blue. Lapis smiled before crying out again she her body worked on freeing the next geode. Jasper caught every geode, one by one and set them aside on the couch, on top of a white towel to keep them clean. Blue. Another blue. And another. All very small. It was almost a relief to not see any orange or red geodes but at the end Lapis cried out in extreme pain as a large geode started working it's way down. It was three times the size of the others and it was a bright orange with blood red stripes. A Jasper. When it made it's way out into the world Jasper highly considered crushing it. It would be a danger to it's siblings. But Lapis smiled at the geode, "Beautiful..." And with that Jasper lost the heart to hurt it. She placed it along side the other eggs, seven Lapis Lazili geodes and one Jasper.

Lapis smiled and was certain she was done. She tried to sit up but something didn't feel right in her body and she shifted against Jasper. "Jasper... I..." She moaned as she felt something very small, smaller then all the others slip out of her body. Jasper caught it. It was the runt of the litter. A Lapis Lazili far too small. It would probably never hatch.

"Oh Jasper..." But Jasper didn't give up. She placed the runt along with the others and allowed Lapis to rest.

Jasper was very protective of the geodes and never let anyone beside herself and Lapis near them. Sometimes she would have to leave when she felt her instincts try to sneak up on her. The ache in her jaws was always a clear indicator that something was not right with her mind so Lapis was never surprised when she left without notice.

Two weeks passed and it was time. The geodes where hatching. Jasper came back just in time to watch. Everyone was circled around the home made nest, and Lapis had the eggs pressed tightly against her body as she felt them wiggle and crack. The Baby Jasper hatched first. Spunky and wild she growled at her parents and the other gems. Jasper wasn't certain she liked that. She picked the Baby Jasper out of the litter before the others hatched. "It's for their own safety." She told Lapis, who nodded sadly.

The Lapis Lazili eggs hatched without a problem and Lapis nuzzled them all, welcoming them to the world. All except the runt. It tried to hatch but when it came out of it's shell it wasn't moving right. It's eyes where glazed over and it was obvious it wasn't going to make it. Lapis tried everything but it wouldn't move. It seemed all hope for the runt was lost till the Baby Jasper bit Mother Jasper, hard, causing the old stripped gem to drop the cub. Lapis wasn't quick enough to stop the cub from going to the runt and picking it up in her jaws. Jasper was certain the cub would kill her sibling but a light filled the room. The two baby gems fused together, to created a small Malachite. Jasper's jaw dropped and the Malachite seemed very pleased with herself, curling up around her sisters to keep them safe.

"See Jasper?" Steven said. "You guys aren't so bad." He petted the babies with Lapis's permission. Lapis looked at Jasper and blushed. "He's right you know. You Jaspers are... amazing. In your own way." Now it was Jasper's turn to blush. It would take her a long time to believe those words, for she didn't feel like she had earned that praise. But she pushed those thoughts out of her head and just enjoyed the moment.

Night came and Jasper curled around Lapis, looking at their pile of gemlings. "Are you happy, Lapis?" The blue gem nodded, "Yes Jasper, happier then I ever thought I could be." She kissed Jasper hotly and Jasper purred. Thankfully gems didn't need to breath. When they pulled back Lapis said the words Jasper had never thought she'd hear, "I love you Jasper. I love you so much." Jasper kissed Lapis again and again, purring happily. "I love you too Lapis." Jasper gathered her courage in that moment and the diamond on her chest turned into a small star.

Against all odds they where happy on this miserable planet. Together.

Added two more chapters to this story. It was a bit more then I wanted to do so I hope you guys enjoyed it!