Intimate Stranger (Editing)

Chapter 27: Katie

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The pic is Paget Brewster from Criminal Minds, who I just decided will play Alexandra. And the song is "Cemetary Weather" by Isles and Glaciers. Enjoy the chapter! And make sure to vote before you read so you don't forget (:

Part Twenty-Seven
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Katie

When I realized what was happening I felt the strong urge to scream at the top of my lungs, or faint. Unfortunately, the first I couldn't do because it would alert Steve, and well, the second was obvious.

There in my bathroom, I was staring at not only my own reflection, but that of the supposedly dead Trace, with his hand cupping my mouth and trying desperately to calm me down by making incessant shushing noises. My heart was pounding a million times a second and my legs felt like they were about to give out. "I'm going to remove my hand now, Katie, so we can talk. Are you okay?" He said to me. Oh, God, his voice. I missed his voice. I missed him.

I nodded rapidly and he quickly removed it, clearly wasting no time. I turned around to face him, taking him in. His hair was in disarray, with sweat and blood staining his clothes, but he looked the same. The same and alive. It was a miracle. "Trace," I breathed, "How the hell-"

"I know, I know," he cut me off, "Lilah lied about me being dead. She thought it would give us an advantage against him."

I just gaped at him, trying to absorb everything that was happening. So, that meant Trace was alive the whole time. Suddenly my happiness was overtaken by unexpected anger and I frowned. "How could you let her do that?! How could you let me think you were dead all this time?!" I barked at him while still trying to keep a quiet tone.

"Katie, I'm sorry but I had no control over it," he put both his hands on each of my shoulders and looked me in the eyes, "I swear, if it was up to me I never would have left you. I never want to leave you, ever."

Tears began to well up in my eyes. I couldn't believe he was there! What if I'm imagining him? I asked myself. Just to make sure, I wrapped my arms around him tightly, and he did the same, melting into my hug. Definitely not imagining him.

He broke the hug and stepped back, looking at me. His expression was pained as he looked me up and down. The towel I had around my waist had fallen to the floor and I didn't notice, so the cuts on my body were openly visible to him. It didn't even bother me that he was staring at me in my underwear. "What the hell did he do to you, Katie..."

I looked away from his penetrating gaze, ashamed. He brought his hand to my chin and tilted my face back up to meet his eyes, "You're still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," he whispered, he leaned in to me and I closed my eyes as he pressed his lips softly against mine.

We both jumped and broke apart when we heard Steve shouting, "YOU HEAR THAT KATELYN? You better fucking hurry up!" My eyes went wide with fear. What if he came in here and found Trace?

"Quick, Katie, before you have to go," Trace whispered. Sudden pounding on the door made my blood run cold. What Trace did next was astonishing. To my utter surprise, he pulled a knife from his back pocket and I gaped at it in shock as he held it in front of me. It must have been from a stash of Steve's weapons, "I took this from your parents room. I don't know when I'm going to get the chance to use it, but I have to try."