After all introductions had been done, I helped Zak, Billy and Aaron carry the cases into Avery's garage. Thankfully, our niche for cleaning had extended to there, as the guys had plenty of room to set up a station, that they called Nerve.

"This is a lot of equipment." I say out loud making Billy look up. 

"Nah, it's not all of it."

My eyes widen "There's more than this?" 

He nods making me whistle "Damn you guys must get one hell of a work out carrying it all."

Aaron laughs. "We have got used to it now, and it's not too bad when biceps here can carry four cases." He says nodding his head in Zak's direction. 

"Well they have certainly come in use." Zak answers before doing an arm curl with one of the cases, just to prove a point or to impress me.  I'm not sure which it is, but I smile anyway. 

"Dude... Didn't you do crafties?" Aaron asks making me turn away from Zak's arm curls to Billy who was wiring up monitors.

A realisation comes over his face. "No... Was I suppose to do that too?"

"I text you about it. You gotta keep checking your messages, Bro." Aaron complains. 

"What's crafties?" I ask. 

"Food." Both Zak and Billy reply. 

"Aaron is a constant picker, like a foraging squirrel or a bear just before hibernation. Don't let his body shape trick you, this guy can eat." Zak says making Aaron laugh. 

"Oh come on dude, we share a lot of food. You eat it too."

"I do, but you're a hamster with the cheeks."

The pair joke around as they open up cases and begin setting out the equipment. Feeling as though I was in the way, I decide to speak up. 

"I will do a crafties run."

"You don't have to-"

"You either accept food or payment for all this." I interrupt Zak making him raise a brow.

"We have hours before we start our investigation. I'll do it after." Zak says waving it off. 

"No you won't. I will." I answer.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. So what's it gonna be?" I challenge.

"Oh I like her." Aaron whispers to Billy from behind me, almost making me smile. 

"Well?" I push waiting for Zak to answer. 

He sighs "Damn it. Do the crafties run, I'm not taking money off you."

I fist pump before turning to both Aaron and Billy. "Tell me what your hearts desire!"

*********

Walking around the grocery store, I feel a little guilty from the contents of my cart. It wasn't a picture of health, from potato chips, candy, crackers, protein bars, fruit cereal bars, and drinks. Although I can confirm that a lot of it was for the twins who decided to give me one heck of a shopping list when I rang Avery. 

I wanted to keep her in the loop, considering it was her house and it affected her children. I also wanted to make sure that they weren't bouncing off the walls... They weren't.

I had split the trolley, making sure that when I got to the cashier that I could separate the items when packed. There was method in my madness when shopping. You'll see.

After consulting with Avery on what men usually eat to keep up their energy, I went around the store again before hitting the check out and heading back to my apartment with a van full of food.

Pushing my head against the doorbell, I left it there until Avery answered. "Jesus Christ, Riley!" She snaps as I fall against my front door. "Don't tell me you've carried all these bags up here so you don't have to go back downstairs!"

"I haven't."

"You're a damn liar, that's what you are. Get in here." She scolds as I pull myself and twelve other bags in. "How much food did you buy?!"

"Enough." I answer pulling myself into the kitchen and dumping them onto the floor. 

The twins appeared, hearing my voice and bulldozed me into the table with their hugs. I squeezed them both before picking up a bag. "Right, I got candy-"

"YAAAY!" They both cheered loudly.

"But, you got to eat some fruit first." I bargain making both Olivia and Grace pout. However, I don't miss Avery's beaming approval from across the room. 

They both settle on an apple and banana cut into slices before picking out which small bag of candy they wanted. Once both plates were clear, I allowed them to have them.

"You're really good with them." Avery says when they shoot back into the lounge to watch another Disney film. 

"It's all about bribery." I joke. 

"I'm serious, if I did that, I'd have tears until sun down. How do you do it?"

I glance over my shoulder. "I'm a witch."

"I'm starting to believe it." She answers picking up the bags to help me pack the food away.
We work ourselves around the kitchen until I find the baking bag. "You're baking?" She asks as I begin setting out the ingredients.

"I am. It's the least I can do. They won't accept money, so what's the easiest way to a man's heart? Food." I tell her. 

"And I wonder whose heart you're looking at?" She teases. 

"I refuse to answer a childish question. We are friends."

"Uh-huh." She replies before bumping me with her hip. "So what are you making?"

"Well.. They need food to keep them full. Only problem is, I don't know if they are allergic to anything." I say making her glance towards her phone. "Don't go Joe stalker on me."

"I can find out.. It will be a matter of minutes." She says stepping closer to it. 

"No. No, it will be fine." I tell her. "I'm making Peanut Butter and Choc Chip cookie bars. Peanut butter is a good filler."

"Show me the recipe." She says when I pull out my phone to start measuring the ingredients out. When I pass my phone over, she hums in approval. "They look amazing. Let's make brownies too, wouldn't want your friend getting hungry."

I bump her with my hip "Shush."

****

Have you ever baked something for someone else and considered eating it all yourself?

No? Then damn I feel for you. Because right now, I am in two minds of pulling over and putting myself into a food coma with all these baked treats.

The van smells amazing and I know it's going to linger for days, making me hungry every time I open the van door. 

I've already had someone honk their horn at me because I've been too fascinated in the baked goods beside me than the change of lights.

Getting back to Avery's, I find the guys sat in the garage behind put up tables, looking at monitors. 

"Hey!" I call making all three heads pop up over the monitors, I laugh at the trio of meerkats before Zak gets up and comes down the driveway. 

"Hey, you okay?" He asks. 

"I'm good. Everything going okay?" I ask him as we both grab the bags and I grab the trays of greatness.

"Yeah, all set up actually, we are just running a few checks to make sure audio levels are correct."

"Right." I answer as we walk up the drive and into the garage. "Okay guys, I got a ton of food and drink for you all."

"Aw sweet." Aaron says hopping up to take the bags from me. 

"I also baked some things, hence the length of time." I say. 

"Home baking? Hot damn this gets even better." A voice speaks making me turn to see a younger man step out of the connecting door to Avery's house. 

"Oh, hello." I smile.

"Hey, I'm Dakota." He smiles extending a hand out. 

I shake it "Riley, nice to meet you."

"Pleasure is mine." He replies. I am slightly surprised to see a large age gap between the crew and Dakota, making me wonder if he is their apprentice.

"Dakota is our newest member of the team." Zak says. "I've known him a long time now."

"Yeah, I'm like the temporary apprentice." Dakota says. 

"Why only temporary?"

"The channel are letting me do my thing soon, right now I'm working with Ghost Adventures to get some experience with the new gadgets they keep receiving." Dakota answers making me glance over to the equipment table. 

"Well good luck with that, I already feel overwhelmed."

"Ah don't worry, I'll explain the equipment to you." He says. 

Zak nods in agreement "I'll also be giving you a crash course, you have nothing to fear."

"Okay. Cool." I answer, taking a breath and looking back to Zak who is watching me carefully. I hand over the trays to Zak before my own self control snaps. "Peanut butter and Choc chip cookie bars, Avery made brownies and I will tell you now, they are amazing."

"We got brownies?" Aaron asks from somewhere making Zak laugh.

"Yeah dude but you got to share." Zak says setting them down. 

"Like you have to share the peanut butter cookie bars. We know what you're like." Billy throws back at Zak making him shrug. 

"I like Peanut Butter."

"We know!" The guys all reply making me laugh. 

I don't miss Zak's smile when he pulls back the foil and takes a look at the bars. I have been doing the same, because they turned out amazingly.

All I had to do now was learn the equipment. It can't be that hard... Right?

**********

Thump.

"God Damn it." I huff lowering the camera to rub my forehead. 

"You okay?" Zak asks before a light is flashed into my eyes. "Let me check your forehead. You walk into a door?"

"As embarrassing as it is? Yes."

For the past 30 minutes, Zak had been guiding me around Avery's house, using only a small LCD screen. When the guys had told me earlier that I would be using my eyes through a tiny screen, I laughed and told them that it wouldn't be a problem, Boy was I wrong?

I've walked into the door, wall, door frame, side table and even bashed my knee against the couch. Zak has been checking on me every time, whether he is concerned for my safety or me damaging something, I don't know. 

"Why can't Ghost's come chat in the day? Why do they have to be idiots and wait in the dark?"

He chuckles "I know right? How much easy my life would be." 

After a check and a slight rub of his thumb, he turns the camera light off before directing me to hold the camera in one hand and use the other hand to feel around. I didn't want to tell him that I had been trying to do that already and failing, spectacularly . It seems that I am no professional in this as Zak glides around with ease. 

It's the first time I had been in the house since the other day and thankfully nothing has happened, Casper the not so friendly ghost has left us well alone, probably mocking my half ass attempts to walk around in the dark. I have asked why I've come straight in, after the original plans of making me come in half way through the night has changed. 

But Zak explained that as the night goes on, activity will increase and whilst that is good for his team, it may not be a good thing for me to be in the home. He wants me to experience what he does, only with a safety net and some protection. 

He was showing his concerned and I was secretly swooning over it.

"What if I walk into something again? This footage isn't going to be much use. Just be me holding my hand out and patting walls." I tell Zak. 

"Well rather that then losing a tooth."

I narrow my eyes "Point taken."

The bleep of the radio on Zak's belt almost makes me throw the camera across the lounge.
"Billy to Zak. Billy to Zak." It crackles.

I catch his arm move in the small LCD screen as he pulls the radio from his belt. "All go for Zak." He says in a serious tone. 

"The ovilus just said the word 'Open'. It's in the girls room. Over."

"Open what?" I ask out loud. 

"Could be the door, portal, window, communication, could be anything." Zak answers before using his walkie. "We will head up there, thanks Bill."

When the radio bleeps off, I grab Zak's arm. "What do you mean? We will go up there?"

"Well there is activity, so we go to the source and try to make contact." He says using his camera to look at me. I have to raise mine to see him entirely just to make sure he was serious. 

"You go to the problem? I thought..."

"Thought what?" He asks.

"Well you kind of just avoid that area for a while..." I admit making him chuckle. 

"Oh sweetie, you have no idea what you are in for, do you?" He asks grabbing my hand and pulling me along behind him. 

"I- Well no. Not really but-"

"I swear I will look after you." He says as we begin climbing the stairs.

"Look after me from what? You can't be serious, we can't just go into a room with a demon. It's a bad guy..." I tell him causing him to stop. 

"A what?"

"It's a bad guy. Usually you run away from the bad guys, not run to them." I explain making him laugh softly. 

"I see your theory, but we are here to sort the problem, not house share. Now I need to go and kick this things ass and you're gonna be with me every step of the way. Got it?"

I gulp. "I don't think I'm qualified. Maybe I should get one of the guys for you?"

Zak smiles at me through the LCD screen "I'd rather hold your hand in the dark than Aaron's." 

My cheeks pink at his comment and I'm about to reply when the radio bleeps. 

"I heard that." Aaron responds making me giggle. 

Zak laughs "Come on."

We begin up the stairs again, making my cheeks heat up and my heart pick up a beat. I'm half way up the staircase when I realise I'm not sure if these sudden changes are from the idea of confronting a demon or if it's because Zak is holding my hand.

Another realisation is that I've turned from an Auntie, to Ghost Hunter Amateur to a baker, to a School Girl all in the space of a few hours because of one particular man.