Alternative ending to 'Off Colours'

Steven's POV

Steven and the other gems watched in horror and awe as Lars lept astride the robonoid. He yelled and he held on for dear life, being swung madly in all directions, as though the gem detonator was trying to throw him off like a bucking bronko.

"Eat this!" Lars screamed, shoving a large piece of pointed rock into the end of the robonoid.

There was half a second of silence, and then-

Boom!

The explosion that rattled the small cavern created a billowing cloud of choking smoke which filled the entire space. Steven shielded his eyes from the blast, nearly knocked off his feet. He dimly saw a lifeless body crash horribly to the hard, rocky ground, dust and stone swirling around him.

"Lars!" He cried, filled with anguish.

He ran through over to the form as fast as he could, his pink shield dissolving as he knelt down beside Lars. Steven stared down at him- it was a mess.

"That was incredible, Lars!"

"I didn't think we were going to make it."

"That was so great, Lars! You were so brave!"

"...We're winning. We're winning!"

The other gems slowly silenced when they saw that Lars wasn't moving.

Steven's hands shook as reached out to Lars.
His black shirt was torn and bloody. His arms were bent under him and they were covered in deep, raw scratches, and his legs had taken the worse of the blast: they were bare of trouser- it had been burnt away by the heat of the explosion, and the flesh on his legs was blackened. So was the skin on his hands and fingers.

But his head was the worst.

Steven's breath hitched in his throat as he saw the small pool of blood forming slowly around Lars' head. He slowly tried to reach a hand around the back of Lars' head so he could lift him up, and recoiled, terrified, when he felt nothing but hot, wet blood. It now stained his fingertips, too.

Steven looked down at Lars' face with his eyes full of tears.

Lars' eyes were half closed, and strips of white eyeball were all that was visible beneath his slashed eyelids. His face and neck were decorated with bruising and cuts, as though the explosion had smashed it into the wall. His thin lips were parted in a small, perfect little 'oh', and a trickle of something dark ran from the corner of his mouth. His right eye was covered by a flop of his gingery, bloodstained hair.

Slowly, carefully, Steven lowered his ear to Lars' chest. His own heartbeat was hammering so violently that he wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't hear Lars' if he tried... If Lars had one...

Steven strained his ears and shut his eyes, desperate.

He waited.

Nothing.

Lars' POV

His heart was racing in his mouth. He couldn't believe he was going to do this... But he was sick of being a coward! He was sick of being afraid... Always... Too afraid to save himself, let alone anyone else... Too afraid to even try and help Sadie... Too afraid to tell her how he really felt...

But no more. As soon as they got out of this mess, Lars promised himself he would tell Sadie everything. There would be no more fear.

"Okay..." he muttered, breathing heavily. "Okay!"

Lars swallowed hard and made a great leap into the air, receiving gasps from the others, and landed precariously atop the robonoid. He smacked it with the piece of rock, but it swerved madly and flung him about, so he had to told on tightly with both hands to stop himself falling off. Finally, he decided to throw caution to the wind and he screamed,

"Eat this!", shoving the large piece of pointed rock into the end of the robonoid.

There was half a second of silence, and then-

Boom!

Lars was thrown violently in the massive explosion. In the few moments of freefall he experienced, he took into account that his legs felt as though they were on fire; the heat of the blast had scorched them black. But then that moment was over, and Lars' head smashed into the rock behind him.

White lights exploded behind his eyes. The pain felt like his head had been cleaved in two. He could feel hot, wet blood pouring down his neck and over his back. Dimly, he registered the ground rising very quickly... Very quickly indeed-

Wham

Steven's POV

He gasped and put a hand to his mouth. It couldn't be. It couldn't be. Not Lars...

He wasn't even supposed to be here... and now he was gone, and it was all Steven's fault.

The other gems stood behind him respectfully with their heads bowed.

Steven slowly lifted Lars' head, cringing as he felt the sticky blood all over the back of it. He held the limp form close to his chest and simply cried. He couldn't believe something so horrible had happened on his stupid heroic attempt of his to try and save everyone else...  The death of Lars was a clear mark of his failure. Steven knew it, and he sobbed.

What was he going to tell the others at home? How was he going to explain to Lars' family what had happened? The Gems were going to be so disappointed in him...

What would he say to Sadie?

A single tear drop splashed onto Lars' sooty, scratched cheek. Steven closed his eyes.

I'm sorry, he thought. I'm so sorry, Laramie Barriga.

Lars' POV

He was expecting white.

That's what everyone expected, he supposed: bright, light, pure white. Maybe even clouds.

But no... He was surrounded by a soft, golden rosey glow, a very gentle and calm colour, but not what he had been expecting.

Lars knew what had happened... He remembered the ground hurtling towards him, the burning, white hot pain in his legs... He wondered what would happen next; would he face judgement? Would he get a chance to return to some form of the world, where he was a spirit or ghost? Would he move on to purgatory? Heaven? Hell? Lars wasn't sure.

And yet, he wasn't afraid. For the first time ever, properly, he wasn't afraid.

He wasn't in pain anymore. He glanced down at his body- it was unscathed, and he found himself completely naked. This didn't particularly bother him, as he felt sure he was alone.

However, just as he thought it, a soft, rich voice rang out from the swirling corners of Lars' vision.

"Laramie."

Lars leapt out of his skin and looked around, trying to cover himself a little.

"Uh... Yeah?" He asked nervously.

"Do not be afraid," came the voice.

"I...I'm not," Lars said.

"Good."

Suddenly, a huge figure emerged from the swirling, golden pink glow. It was feminine, and easily towered over Lars.
The woman slowly stepped into view. She was barefooted, and her skin was fair, eyes wide, lips full. She was engulfed by masses of rose pink ringlets and she wore a long white dress, not dissimilar to a wedding dress.

She smiled kindly down at Lars as he gaped up at her, blushing with his legs crossed and hands at his groin, trying to cover himself.

"Laramie Barriga," she said. Her voice was soft and light. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Really?" Lars asked, incredulous.

"Oh, yes," she laughed. "Steven thinks very highly of you."

"He does?" Lars was very confused. "Steven? Steven Universe? How do you know Steven?"

The woman laughed again.

"I am very close to Steven, in a number of ways," she returned mysteriously. "Come, sit and talk with me."

She clicked her fingers and Lars found himself wearing a clean cotton white bathing gown.

They sat on an elaborately wood carved bench (that Lars was sure hadn't been there a moment ago), and Lars looked up at the beautiful woman, drinking her in. Suddenly a thought hit him.

"Are you God?" He blurted out, then covered his mouth, feeling rude.

The woman laughed once more, heartily.

"No, dear," she finally said, wiping her eyes. "No. I am not any kind of God. My name is Rose Quartz."

Something deep in Lars' memory stirred.

"Aren't you... Steven's..."

"Mother, that's right," Rose said.

"Wow," Lars sat back on the bench and ran a hand through his hair. "So... Um... What exactly are you doing here? Haven't I just died, or whatever?"

"Well, this is where things become a little muddled," Rose said.

*

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"You're sure about this? You understand this choice is irreversible?"

"I do."

"Then this is where we part."

"Thank you, Rose, for this chance. I promise I won't waste it."

"I know it. Oh, and Lars? Say hello to Steven for me."

Steven's POV

The tear glistened on Lars' cheek.
Suddenly, Steven could see through his closed lids a light beginning to grow. He opened his eyes, wiped his tears away, and stared down at Lars.

From the spot on his cheek where Steven's tear had landed, a rosey pink glow began to grow and encased him. The other gems behind him gasped. Steven didn't dare to believe what was happening.

But then, slowly, the light faded and Lars didn't move.

"Lars?" Steven whispered.

He was motionless.

"Lars?!" Steven shook him gently by the shoulders.

Lars groaned.

"Lars!" Steven cried, pulling him into a rib crushing hug. "You're alive!"

Lars yelled and pushed Steven off him.

"Steven! Get off!"

"Oh, sorry," Steven said, releasing Lars, but keeping a gentle hold on him: he didn't look like he even had the strength to lift himself from the floor. "I can't believe it! You're alive!" He beamed at Lars.

"I... I am..?" Lars looked like he was in great pain. "Steven? Wh-" his breath hitched and he clutched his side. "What happened?"

"D... don't you... You don't remember?" Steven asked, worriedly.

"I..." Lars looked around. Then, a expression of dawning comprehension appearing on his face, he moaned. "Shit!"

Steven grinned.

"I- died!" Lars cried.

"But I brought you back to life with my tears! ...I think," Steven said.

"Oh god," Lars groaned, putting his head in his hands, then yelping in pain again, as his fingers were charred and burned.

"You remember now, huh?" Steven smiled at him.

"Yeah..." Lars sighed. "I... Um... I... Steven, I met your mum."

"What?" Reeled Steven.

"She... She sent me back. I think it was something to do with your gem. Your healing powers."

"Wow," breathed Steven, looking down at his stomach. "Mum..."

"She says 'hi'," Lars told him absent mindedly, now investigating the damage on his arms.

"Wow," Steven said again. "Thanks, Lars. This is amazing!"

"It is pretty great, but... Oh- God!" Lars growled, Having just put a hand to the back of his head and feeling the blood there. "Steven, what are we going to do?"

"I... Don't know," Steven said. "How do you feel? I mean, can you stand?"

"I don't think so, I-" Lars pulled his knees up to his chest, groaning with pain. They trembled before falling flat to the floor again. "I can't even straighten my legs," Lars said, tears leaking down his face. "Oh god! What am I going to do?"

"Alright, Lars, now just calm down," Steven said, trying not to panic. What use was it to save Lars if he couldn't get him home alive?

"I believe I may be able to help you," the Gem Fusion Flourite said.

They looked at her.

"How?" Gasped Lars.

"I've been saving this for thirteen years." Slowly, Flourite took out a long, thin, nobbly, black candle. "This is a Babalon Candle. It's good for one journey back to Earth. Just think of where you want to be, light the candle and you'll arrive there."

Steven took it from her cautiously.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"You need it more than me," said. "Get our saviour home. We have survived here for many years, and we will continue to do so."

"Thank you," Steven and Lars said. "Thank you."

They looked at each other.

"Alright," Steven said, taking a deep breath. "Shall we wish for the Temple?"

"Er- good idea," said Lars. He took Steven's hand, sucking in his breath with the pain of it, and closed his eyes through his slashed lids. Steven did the same, and lit the candle.

Whoosh

"Did it work?"

"I don't know."

Everything was dark. All they knew was each others hands and the wooden floor beneath them.

"What was that?"

"What, Pearl?"

"I heard voices."

"You're being paranoid."

"No, it sounded like Steven, Amethyst!"

"Steven? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Garnet, I'm sure. You think I don't know my own baby's voice?"

Steven blushed in the dark.

"It worked," he grinned at Lars.

A light clicked on and Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet stood over Lars and Steven. They were sat on the floor in the kitchen.

Pearl shrieked.

"Steven! You're here! You're home! And... Lars, is it? Oh my word! What happened? Are you alright? How did you..."

Steven wordlessly held up the last of the Babalon Candle.

"A Babalon Candle!" Garnet knelt down beside them and inspected it. "Amazing." Then, without another word, she gently lifted Lars into her arms.

"Wow, wow, wow, what are you- ah!" Lars cried.

Amethyst let out a low whistle as she saw Lars properly.

"Get that donut kid to a hospital," she said. Then she hugged Steven, after Pearl had finished.

"Are you okay, Steve-o?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's Lars who you need to worry about," Steven said. "He was amazing!"

Lars smiled sheepishly from Garnet's arms.

"Come on," Garnet said. "Let's get you to a hospital. Steven, contact his family. Then I want to know everything that's happened."

Steven smiled. It was all going to be okay.