Lexi's pace is keeping time with the latest Halsey album blasting from her earbuds. She's almost back to her house, having managed a little over three miles. Her instinct had picked up his presence as she reached her second mile this morning, he is dressed like your average early morning jogger, but the black ballcap pulled low over his brow gives him a serial killer vibe.
She knows he's keeping her in sight, so she darts down a side street she normally doesn't take. The other runner takes the street as soon as he reaches it and immediately slows to a stop once he sees it dead ends at a tall wooden privacy fence about a hundred yards in front of him. He slowly begins to turn around when a force tackles him to the ground.
Lexi rips the black ball cap from his head as she stands back up on her feet, "You're getting sloppy."
Ketch winches from the pain associated with his fall to the ground as he slowly stands back up, "Well you're not exactly the easiest person to follow."
"Why are you following me?" she places both hands on her hips as she catches her breath.
"Certain people are worried about you," he explains.
"I don't need a babysitter," she says as she turns to walk away, "Go stalk someone else."
Ketch watches her round the corner towards her home and he reaches down to snatch his ball cap from the ground.
Lexi slips her key into the lock on her side door and quietly enters her house. She takes two steps towards her kitchen bar when she realizes she's not alone. Her whole body tenses up as the shadow from the light blue reading chair in her living room stands up.
"You know," the man begins slowly, "I went out the other evening, just to think…and I found myself standing outside of this dump of a bar. I had no inkling as to why I would end up at a place like that."
Lexi's heart races as he continues to gradually approach her.
"Then I saw you there."
She can feel the sweat sliding down her neck, but her entire body feels like a block of ice, frozen in place.
"The same thing happened last night, except I ended up right out there, at the end of your driveway. Each time I've felt a need for solace, this body brings me to you," he is close enough to touch her now, and he reaches for her arm, but Lexi pulls back and manages to find the strength to take a step back.
"Don't," she says quietly as she looks up at the once familiar face.
He mockingly raises his hand to his chest, "That hurts…him of course, not me, I could care less, I'm just curious."
Michael pushes towards her again, causing Lexi to back up against her kitchen counter.
"This…" he looks as if he's searching for the word as he reaches over to twirl a stray piece of her hair around his index finger, "connection he shares with you, it's quite remarkable."
"What do you want Michael?" she questions through clenched teeth.
A sly smile crosses his face, "What do you want Alexandra?"
Lexi closes her eyes tightly as he places two fingers against her right temple. Lexi's visions flash through Michael's mind as if he's watching bits and pieces of a movie.
"No," Lexi snarls after a moment she grabs his arm, jerking his hand away.
She looks over at her hand clutching his wrist and remembers just who she's dealing with and her defiance falters; he could kill her with a snap of his fingers. She slowly releases her grip as she glances back to stare into the green eyes before her, expecting to see anger, but instead he's smiling.
"You," he begins, "are intriguing."
He begins to bring his hand back to her face and Lexi ducks her head and moves across the kitchen away from him but careful not to turn her back to him
"I'm not going to hurt you," Michael says turning to face her.
"You stabbed me," she snaps.
"If I wanted you dead," he continues, holding his hand up which causes her retreat to stop, Lexi jerks her body trying to move, but realizes she can't, "you would be dead."
"Let me go," she says as she clenches her teeth again.
There's a small knock on the door and the two glance over as the door begins to open.
"Lexi," Ketch calls out as he opens the door and steps into the kitchen area, he stops abruptly as he sees the man standing across from Lexi.
With a fling of his hand, Michael sends Ketch flying across the living room and into Lexi's bookcase. Lexi watches as Ketch's body writhes on the floor in pain. He rolls onto his stomach and makes eye contact with the dark-haired girl and gives her a small quick nod and she looks back at the man across from her.
"Michael," Lexi's voice cracks, "Michael, please."
Michael turns his attention back to the girl and away from the man on the floor.
"Please," she pleads as Michael crosses the room towards her, "Give him back."
She feels the force against her body vanish as he gets closer to her. Lexi reaches up and gently cups the side of his face. Michael closes his eyes for a moment, as if finding the touch comforting, but after a moment he opens his eyes with slight confusion on his features. As if remembering they're not alone, Michael begins to turn to look over at Ketch, but Lexi quickly puts her other hand on that side of his face to stop him. Lexi can feel her heart beating out of her chest. She's holding the face of an archangel in her hands, he's using her best friend as a vessel, and she's hoping like hell she's buying Ketch enough time.
"Please," she says again, eyes brimming with tears.
Michael leans closer and Lexi's whole body tenses up and instinctively she closes her eyes, afraid of what's next, expecting to hear the snap of her own neck, but instead she feels his lips on hers and for a moment everything stops, and she kisses him back. Michael pulls away with a malicious smile, "I do enjoy taking things away from him."
"Lexi," Ketch says from the living room floor, "NOW."
The dark-haired girl steps back quickly as a blinding light engulfs him before he disappears.
Ketch removes his hand from the angel banishing sigil he had drawn on the wall closest to him as Lexi rushes over to help him to his feet.
"Are you okay?" she says as Ketch dusts off.
"Just a scratch, are you alright?" he replies, and Lexi's shoulders drop.
"No, I hate him," she says wiping the tears from her face.