In one universe, Rose Quartz gave up her physical existence to bring her half-human son into the world. Without her, the Crystal Gems learn to live without her guidance and manage to accomplish great things while learning about themselves.
In this universe, Rose Quartz's gem is divided between her and Steven. She survives the birth and is able to be there to raise her son as one big happy family.
Piece of a Diamond is a Steven Universe fanfic written by Bookwormpride set in a world where Rose Quartz lived to raise her son Steven, and can be read on Archive of Our Own and can be found here
Piece of a Diamond provides examples of:
- Adaptational Angst Downgrade: Since Rose didn't die in this version, Steven, Greg and the Crystal Gems lack a lot of the angst their canon-counterparts were suffering from.
- Adaptational Personality Change: Since Garnet didn't have to fill in as leader for the Crystal Gems, she seems a lot less stoic than her canon counterpart.
- And Then What?: Everyone had come to terms with the fact that Rose would disappear at Steven's birth, so when Rose survives it, she is understandably happy, if not off-put since she had gotten her affairs in order.
- For Want Of A Nail: Since Rose didn't die in this version, some canon events play out differently.
- In "Warp Tour", Steven was the one who first noticed the flask-robonoids in the warp stream. Here, Garnet and Amethyst were the ones who saw it. Also while it doesn't take until "Marble Madness" for Peridot to discover that the Crystal Gems are still active on Earth, here the Crystal Gems attack her the moment she comes in through the Homeworld Warp.
- Internal Reveal: After their first encounter with Peridot, Rose confesses to Greg that she is Pink Diamond, something only Pearl knew about until then.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Steven throws himself at the Centipeedle under the assumption that the urge to protect the gems would summon his shield.
- Like Father, Like Son: When Steven tries involving himself in the Gem's adventures, Rose recognizes how similar he is to her when she wanted to be involved in the Diamond Authority's colonizing.
- Mythology Gag: Chapter 3 starts out with Steven, Rose and Pearl baking cookies, something canon-Steven pictured Rose would do in "Lion 3: Straight to Video".
- Polyamory: After Steven's birth, Greg and Pearl have come to an understanding and basically "share" Rose.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Instead of undoing her entirely, Steven's birth instead splits Rose Quartz's gem between them, allowing Rose to live to raise her son alongside Greg and the rest of the Crystal Gems.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: When Pearl expresses her fears of living in a universe where Rose was no longer around, Rose assures her that complete confidence that the Crystal Gems would have been able to prosper if something would have happened to her. Deconstructed, since a part of this is born from Rose's belief that she is the root cause for the Gem's emotional dependencies on her.Rose: You all are a lot more capable than you believe. You would have surprised yourselves. And either way, I'm here.
