All the Stars - Moon Knight: Marc Spector / Steven Grant

III

Something extremely peculiar was going on in the mind of Steven Grant. He used to simply push it away and play it off as dreams. He chained his ankle to his bed and surrounded the bed with sand to see if he sleepwalked seeing as he always woke up sore. Today, he felt sore in a particular area on his cheek. It didn't make sense to him, why he dreamed of the girl from the museum. He sat up and felt his cheeks as they warmed at the thought of her.

He sighed, sat up, and unchained his ankle. "Chocolates for breakfast," he mumbled to himself on the way to the bathroom, since he had no one to give them to the night prior. The moment Steven looked in his little round mirror, he let out a gasp, and his hand ran to his cheek. "What in the...?"

Something extremely peculiar was going on in the mind of Steven Grant; and he was about to find out what, or who.

----

It had been an eventful day for Steven, having being hunted by Ammit's followers, chased by a Jackal, finding out he has another personality with superpowers, and of course, losing his job.

"Hello, stranger," a familiar voice caught Steven from behind as he exited the Museum for the last time. "Ready to reconsider the offer of my kinship yet?" Xia walked around the man to face him. She was wearing an "I told you so" smile, beaming with ambition.

Steven was not in the mood. He rolled his eyes, ignored her, and continued walking back to his apartment. Xia, being relentless, caught up with him and continued to walk beside him. She spoke up again, "you look softer than before. Except for that bruise," she chuckled.

"Look," Steven finally said, "I'm really not in the mood for your mind-bogglers, okay? I just lost my job and I am seriously freaked out right now."

"Oh its this persona today, is it?" Xia questioned. "Good. I like him better," she smiled.

Something about her smile sent her over the edge. It was warm. Welcoming. "Okay," he shrugged. "Things couldn't possibly get any worse," he mumbled, then turned to her with a proposition. "You seem to know some things I don't. I need help."

"Really? Just like that?" She asked, surprised at his sudden change of heart.

He shrugged. "Why not?" Xia smiled and glanced at Bastet, who seemed skeptical about the entire situation.

"Be on guard, something isn't right," Bastet advised.

Xia nodded, but deep down felt a sense of pride for finally accomplishing the goal her goddess had set for her. "Sorry about your cheek, by the way," She said, smiling.

"That was you?!" He asked, shocked, causing Xia to be just as confused.

"Yeah... but this was when you were acting weird like some stone cold army guy," Xia explained.

"That wasn't me!" Steven exclaimed. "I think there's some weird American man living inside of my head, named Marc. Marc Spector," he tried to explain, wide-eyed. Xia just looked at him in pity, thinking there was something not quite right with him. "No, listen. I've been having these dreams, okay? Where I am like fighting and whatnot and some evil guy with a moving tattoo is coming after me and trying to end the world, and I keep blacking out, and --"

"Steven." Xia interrupted, putting her hand to his chest to stop him from walking. "Is this your flat?" She asked pointing at the building they were standing in front of, completely ignoring his psychotic rant.

"Yes," he stated. "How did you know?" He asked, skeptically.

"I have my ways," she simply replied with a slight smirk.

"Well, that's highly unsettling," he replied, leading her upstairs.

She took a look around, analyzing everything about his apartment. "When's the last time you cleaned?" She asked, picking up the old box of chocolates from a few nights ago.