I stood there for a second in shock. I didn't know what to do. After all these years, there he was. My real Dad. And what was he doing?

Trying to kidnap me.

Suddenly, a surge of anger I had never really felt before boiled up in my stomach. "You abandoned me,"  I whispered. 

Dad's eyes widened. "No, no, no, no, no I didn't-"

"You gave me away," I cried, "Why didn't you want me?"

"Of course I wanted you!" He exclaimed, reaching out for me, "I just-"

"Don't touch me!" I pulled back. "Can't you see I hate you?! Why do you come back for me after all these years right when my life is falling apart?! Why couldn't you have been there when I really needed you to explain what is going on? Why do you show up now, right when I'm almost home with my real Mom and Dad? If you really wanted me, you should have kept me in the first place!" I screamed, tears pouring out of my eyes.

But Dad didn't answer. Instead, he was staring at my hand. Out of pure curiosity, I looked down at my hand to see what was so important. My birthmark-gem thingy was glowing light pink. But before I could do anything, the light shone brighter and brighter until I was completely engulfed in it the light where I couldn't see anything but it. 

And then for the third time this week, the world spun around me until darkness came upon me.

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I jerked awake, sitting straight up. Man, I've got to stop fainting, I thought to myself. But what caused it this time? I wondered.

I finally snapped back into reality and realized I was in a house. It wasn't my house, though. I looked around the room. I was on a bed. A pink bed. I jumped up, gasping. I looked up at the wall. Spelled on the wall was my name in peachish-wooden letters. MORGAN, it said. 

"Wha-?" I started to ask, and the door opened. It was Dad.

"I see you've woken up," He said in a cool, calm voice. "Welcome home, Morganit-I-I mean M-morgan!"

I gave him a stone hard look. "You know," He said, scratching the back of his head, "I'll give you some time alone." He walked out of the room.

I plopped down on the bed. This was not my home. I don't care how he decorated it, put my name on the wall or paint it in my favorite color, it was not my place to be. And he was not my dad. Josh Grace was.

I had to leave. 

Immediately. 

I stood up. But how would I leave without him noticing? As long as he could see me, he wouldn't let me leave. Wait. See me. The words echoed in my mind. 

My thoughts switched back to the barn, with the Crystal Gems. Peridot's words once again returned to me. Hey, hey, hey, being a gem isn't that bad! We get powers, and weapons, and can breathe in space and- And that's when I had cut her off. 

Powers. 

Could she be lying?

Probably.

Maybe.

Maybe....not? 

If she wasn't lying, it could be my last chance. I held onto that last hope and willed myself to do something. Anything. Anything to not be seen. I closed my eyes, took a breath, and clenched my fists. 

Please, I asked, although I had no idea who I was talking to, Let me disappear from the world. I don't want to be seen. I want to be free. 

I suddenly got that light feeling again, like I had when I jumped over the fence, or when I jumped on the roof. Was that feeling really magic? I was beginning to be convinced it was. Maybe Peridot wasn't lying after all.

When I opened my eyes, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Actually, what I wasn't seeing. Me. I was gone. I looked down, and I couldn't see my feet or my hands or anything else. I

I felt my spirits lift. It had worked. Powers were real. Magic was real. I was magic. I was....Special. I was a Gem.

I opened the door, and a rush of air ran into the room. I shuddered. I could see Dad sitting at the kitchen table, going through papers. I walked past the table, and then Dad looked straight at me.

I took a sharp intake of breath, but then he looked away. He can't see me. I thought. I'm invisible.

I slowly walked outside through the screen door that was somehow already open. As I stepped on the porch, I smelt that cool, autumn air again. I smiled. The Lost Gem was free once again.

"I can see you, you know."

The voice scared me so much, I almost stumbled backwards. But I didn't answer. Maybe he was just bluffing, so I would come out. 

"Your gem is floating in midair, Morgan." Dad sighed. "I know you're there."

I glanced up to where my hand should be, and what do you know. The pink birthmark-no, gem, was floating above me. I guess I just never noticed. I sighed in in defeat. 

Somehow, I just popped back into existence. I saw my self become, well, visible again. I guess my power just suddenly stopped working somehow. 

"I see you've learned how to use your powers," Dad said. But I didn't answer.

Dad sighed in exasperation. "Morgan, you can't run from all your problems. What is this, the third time you've tried to run away?"

Finally, I found my voice. "Then what am I supposed to do?! Stay behind and let my emotions just torture me?!" I screamed.

"No," He said. "You're supposed to face them."

I gulped down multiple swears and insults. "And what's that supposed to mean?" I said through gritted teeth.

Dad took a deep breath in. "Morgan, why don't you come inside and have a little talk with me. I can fix you coffee?"

"No," I grunted.

"Tea?"

"No."

"Hot chocolate and cookies?"

I didn't reply right away. Hot chocolate and cookies sounded really good. My stomach growled. "But...but what if I don't want to talk to you? Why can't I just run?"

Dad closed his eyes. "That's-that's exactly what your mother said to me the day I met her. I can't believe it's already been almost fifteen years!" Then he looked at me. "Morgan, please. If you come and talk to me, and I can't change your mind about leaving, you can go. But please just give me a chance to explain things to you. I want to be there for you."

He bent down and put his hand on my shoulder. "Please."

I exhaled, and then looked him up in the eyes. He was right. I needed to face my problems, not run from them.

"Deal."