Blue couldn't hear, she couldn't see. It was all dark. She could, however, feel light shakes from someone and firm pats on the cheek from someone. This place felt safe, somehow.

She woke up, feeling like something was trying to gouge out the insides she didn't have. She tried to keep her breathing calm and somewhat steady, but oh, it hurt so, so badly. She let out a loud groan that lasted long and ended in her sobbing. She felt lips press against her temple and she felt an arm around her, which had a hand that rubbed her shoulder. "Y-Yellow..?"

"How you managed to remain unconscious through the contractions, I have no idea, Blue." "What? H-How many did I..." Yellow gestured toward another screen, which had a line which went upward, peaked, dropped down, then went back to being perfectly horizontal.

"Each area where the line peaked is a contractions," Chalcedony explained. "You managed to 'sleep' through three. This one—" She pointed to the most recent "peak," "—was the one that woke you." Blue could only groan, "Well, if you were feeling this, you'd awaken, too, wouldn't you?!" She took in a few more breaths, leaning into Yellow's comfort.

"Chalcedony, she's getting lower, she's coming today," she said, wincing. "Oh, and I prayed to the heavens that this was all an awful dream and that her life wasn't on the line.." "My Diamond, you're going to have to ready yourself soon. You're correct; as shown on the ultrasound screen, she's getting very low."

Blue turned to look at Yellow. "Yellow.." "Hm?" "I'm frightened...Every pain I feel weakens me more, and that means she won't get as much energy." "Hold my hand, then look at me." Blue grabbed hold of Yellow's hand, then looked up at her. "You need to focus. Your best is all you can do right now." "'My best' could kill her, Yellow! I'm not losing this child..."

Yellow crouched down a bit, then placed her hand on Blue's stomach. "She'll be trying, too. If she will be trying her best, so will you." She got closer so that their noses touched; she knew Blue liked that. "You're not giving up on her." It was said as if the words hit Blue's lips. "You can't give up on a being that is so small and weak and doesn't even know about her own carrier. At least let the first thing she knows about you is that you're strong."

Blue let her tears come down in fat streams. "I—" Another contraction hit her, but she simply breathed through it. "—I will. I promise, Yellow, I will." More pain arrived and it wasn't going away. Blue tightened her grip on her partner's hand. Chalcedony spoke, "My Diamond, you'll need to push for three seconds, stop for five, then repeat until she's out! Are you ready?" "Y-Y-Yes!" "Alright, push!"

The process Chalcedony described went on for what felt like forever. The burning mixed with the regular labor pains were too much, too much. Blue tried to hold in her screams instead of allowing them to roll out from the back of her throat. She felt so weak, too weak, but she kept going. In that moment, all she knew was a voice repeating, "Push, 2, 3, stop! 2, 3, 4, 5!" and the pain that she physically couldn't forget. Sweat drenched her dress, and her hair was disheveled.

So long, this process went on for such a stars-forsaken long time. All Blue waited for was the scream of a baby and the moment she could relax. She just wanted to sleep and be done. Yellow held onto Blue as she went on and on. Blue wouldn't let her let go for anything. Every part of Blue's body burned now.

Blue broke down in sobs as she felt the empty feeling that she'd only felt a month before. However, something was missing. No screaming child.

She tried to catch her breath, throwing herself backward onto the pillows. "Oh, stars..." She looked around, trying to figure out what was going on around her. "Yellow..? Wha..What's going on? Wh...Where is our baby?" "Blue.." She heard Yellow say. "What is it? What's wrong? Why...Why don't I hear our baby?"

She sat up a bit, seeing Chalcedony patting a tiny green gemling on the back. She heard her say, "Cmon, sweet thing, give your mothers something. Let them hear your voice!"

Five whole minutes went by without any sort of noise coming out of the baby. Blue's eyes kept wanting to shut, but she wouldn't let them. She felt so tired. Sure, she was exhausted, but she felt sleepy, a very powerful kind of sleepy. Her eyes shot wide open when she heard very, very quiet cries. Chalcedony took a look at Blue's energy.

"GE (Gem Energy): 13%"

"She won't make it.." Chalcedony said under her breath. She led Yellow into the hallway. "My Diamond," she said, her head bowed in preemptive respect. "Blue Diamond...needs to allow her physical form to dissipate. Otherwise, she won't make it. I can't talk her into it, but I'm certain you can." "Alright.."

Yellow went over to where Blue rested. "Blue, dear, you must allow your physical form to retreat into your gem. You won't last much longer, you've got to." "But..But I want to see her.." Yellow took note of how pale Blue had gotten. "Blue.." "I...I have to see her. Please, Yellow...It's all I want." Yellow sadly pondered the idea. She brought over the very, very tiny gemling.

Her hair was a bit like Yellow's, but had the texture of Blue's. While you can see her eyes, the two elder Diamonds hadn't yet. Her skin was a light seafoam color, and her hair was even lighter.

Yellow held her close to Blue. "Yellow, she's so beautiful.." "Isn't she?" "All I wanted was to see her...That's...That's all I wanted.." She allowed her eyes to shut as she quietly hummed. "What would a mother not...do for her child...What lengths...would a mother...not go..." She got through the first verse of "After All," then stopped with a smile on her face.

"Yellow..."

"Blue?" Yellow glanced at the monitor. 3%. "Blue, retreat into your gem, please!"

"Thank you..."

1%.

Blue grabbed a shard of glass from who-knows-where, and stabbed herself in the stomach with it. 0.5%. 0%. She poofed. Yellow's tears came down in thick streams. She couldn't hold them in.

"You're...You're welcome..."