Zak pov. 

My eyes feel a burn as they stare at the monitors in front of me, daring me to blink, but I don't. Every second is vital, and the thought of me taking my eyes off the ball and letting her get hurt is unacceptable. 

"How is she doing?" Aaron asks from over my shoulder as he too pulls up a chair to take watch. 

"Okay at the moment." I reply. "She is her usual giddy happy self."

I can hear the smile in his voice when he says "That's what we love about her."

It's been a couple months since Ava joined the team, and tonight was the first time I cut the cords and allowed her to investigate alone. To say that I was nervous was an understatement. Normally, I'd throw anyone in the deep end and allow them to have at it with the spirits. But from the moment Ava joined, I felt complied to keep her safe, maybe it was her gentle nature, or fun loving attitude, whatever it was, I was bound hopeless to keeping her out of harms way. 

"You know, I have a feeling you like this girl." Aaron says making my eye twitch slightly. 

"Not now dude." I tell him. 

"So when? It's not like she can hear us."

"Perhaps when a camera isn't on us?" I suggest, reminding him about the camera we have at nerve base. 

He sighs before falling silent, giving me an opportunity to concentrate further.
Or at least I think he does, until he says "What would you do if she was attacked now?"

I don't reply with the answer of "I'll tear this building down to get to her." I simply reply, "I don't know."

"Okay, so I am going to try spirit box." She says pulling one from her pocket and fumbling around with it until she gets it turned on. The static makes her jump before a nervous laugh sounds out making me smile slightly. 

"You keeping an eye on Billy and Jay?" I ask Aaron.

"Yeah, are you?"

"No." I tell him honestly. 

Since Ava started the show, views have risen and from what I could gather, she had a strong fanbase that was rising daily, from both male and female. She is a likeable character and has a good soul. She's good people and that is enough for me.

"Oh! I think I heard someone!" She says beaming at the camera. 

The excitement from anyone getting their first EVP always makes me proud, but the fact that she didn't come screaming out the room after hearing it only makes me prouder.
This lovely woman is one tough cookie underneath. 

A loud clatter from behind me, makes me tear my eyes from the screen, where I find some of our equipment has fallen over. I look to Aaron who is in a state of shock. 

"Did you see that?" I ask. 

"Only the end of it, but the camera definitely caught it." He says. 

I push up off the chair, giving Ava one last glance, before crossing the room to pick up the equipment and check it for any signs of damage. One speaker is bust, the plastic casing had shattered on impact, leaving sharp pieces of plastic in it's place. A record had a smashed screen but that is nothing to replace that, not compared to the SLS or even a camera. 

"What's up bro?" Billy asks as he comes into base with Jay following behind him. 

"Dude!" Aaron gushes before explaining to him in detail of what had happened. Turns out Aaron had heard scratching, and a whisper, seconds before it all fell to the floor. 

"Hey how come camera 4 is out?" Jay asks approaching the desk and tapping the monitor. 

"It shouldn't be." I say sliding past Aaron and Billy who are talking about the evidence they have collected. 

As soon as I sit, I realise I can't see Ava and immediately grab the walkie talkie. "Ava, this is Zak, come in."

I wait as Jay goes around the back of the monitor to make sure no wires have come lose or that it's been damaged from the door they just entered through. 

"Ava, this is Zak. Can you hear me?"

"She doesn't have her radio." Aaron says making me turn to find him reaching behind the cases and picking it off the floor. I know it's her because of the hair scrunchy wrapped around the clip. 

"Help." It croaked in his hand making my hairs stand on end. 

"Was that her?" Billy asks. 

"It sounded like it!" Aaron replies. 

"But how? All our walkies are here.. How can it come through on it?" Jay asks. 

I wonder that myself, how can her voice come through on a walkie, that she doesn't have? We have all of ours, plus hers. It's impossible. Getting up, I head for the door when Jay says that camera 4 has reconnected, making me look at the monitor instantly. 

"Where is she?" I ask. 

With a few clicks, he brings the small box onto a full screen where we all crowd around looking carefully. "There." Aaron points to the small shoe poking out from a doorway. 

"Do we have audio?" I ask Jay, who within a few clicks has it playing out loud. 

Humming fills the room and whilst it's not been uncommon since Ava started with us, it is uncommon for her to do it during a lockdown, especially when I explained that all vocals need to be clear so that we don't cross contaminate any evidence.

"Is she okay?" Billy asks to no one in particular. 

"Get me an Ovilus." I order. 

Aarons vest scratches as he undoes a pocket and places one into my palm, turning it on, I set it up in dictionary mode before I start my own investigation. 

"Who is with Ava?" I ask out loud. 

"Female."

"Who is it?" 

"Home."

"What is affecting Ava right now?" 

"Murder."
"Pain."
"Woman."

"What woman?" Billy chirps in over my shoulder.

"Demon."
"Help."

"Did that say help? Dude, the walkie talkie said help too!" Aaron points out. 

"What help do you need?"

"Pain."

I look at the monitor whilst the crew begin ask questions, when I realise something.. Ava has stopped humming and is now whispering rapidly. 

"Is Ava in danger?" I ask. 

"Harm."
"Suffer."
"Ground."

"She's on the ground." I tell the guys, pushing the Ovilus into Aaron's hand and rushing out the room. 

"Dude?! What's going on?" Aaron calls after me. 

I don't answer and solely focus on getting into the same room as Ava, who has been on the floor for a while now. 

The location certainly feels a lot larger now that I am rushing to get through it, and on one occasion I make a wrong turn. I'm close to panicking when I fall into the same room as Ava.
Common sense had me using the torch on my phone and after a scan around, I find her lurking in the corner. 

"Ava?"

"Get out."

"Why?" I ask edging my way towards her. 

"It's here..."

"What is here? Why don't you come out with me?" I ask holding my hand out. 

"I SAID LEAVE!" She screams, throwing the spirit box in my direction. I dodge it and try not to get annoyed when I hear it smash into the concrete wall. 

"Not happening." I tell her. 

"I knew you'd come back." She smiles turning her head whilst looking at me. 

"What do you mean?"

"I was here when you were here, the very first time."

I frown hard, knowing full well that Ava wasn't here 8 years ago. Unless...
"Who are you?" I ask carefully.

The smile on her face only widens. "Trouble. I told you not to come back. Now you can never leave.."

"You can't. But I can."

"You're not going anywhere and I am not leaving." She growls. 

I smirk "Wanna bet?"

I'm taking off guard when she lets out a scream and rushes me, my phone almost flies from my hand as she collides with me, leaving me no option but to take us both to the floor. 

We struggle on the floor for a minute, before I am able to stand up and throw Ava over my shoulder. 

"GET OFF ME!" She screams as I head out the room with her fists hitting my back and legs trying to kick. 

"Nope. We are leaving this room and building. Whatever the fuck is attached to you, can stay. It's not welcome." I answer through gritted teeth as Ava tries to pinch and scratch my back. 

The building behind to flood with brightness as lights turn on as I carry her down the corridor.
"Dude I put the lights on. Is she okay?" Aaron calls from down the corridor. 

"Attachment, I need to get her out for a few minutes."

"How do you know?" He asks as I approach.

I pause and turn showing him Ava who has been thumping my back continuously and I think she tried to bite me at one point too from the snarling she has been doing. 

"But how did you know from the session we did?" Aaron asks pulling open the door for me. 

"When does Ava ever stop humming?"

"N-never."

"Exactly. 

She may have only been with us for a few months, but a job on the road makes us all close in a short period of time. Which is how I knew Ava had a problem.

"So you knew because she stopped humming?" 

"Yes, Aaron." I confirm. "That and the fact her attitude has taken a complete 180."

Our fun, happy go lucky team member was now a violent crazed woman hanging off my back.
"You gonna cleanse her?" 

"Yeah, so be prepared for some backlash in there." I say walking towards the SUV. 

"We got it covered G, you sort her out."

I give him a solid nod before he runs back in. "You hanging on in there?" I ask Ava, giving her waist a squeeze.

"I WILL END YOU!"

A part of me wants to laugh, whilst another part of me is solemn. She maybe under the influence, but I would love to see how a 5 foot nothing woman who is hanging over my shoulder right now, plans to end me. 

I give her waist another squeeze "All in good time sweetness. Now let's get this thing off you." I tell her as I plunk her on the hood of the SUV and narrowly avoid a slap that she tries to give.

Pinning her arms to her side, I begin saying the prayer I've been taught and ignore the comments she spits at me. By the time I've finished and done the cleansing ritual properly, Ava is sitting on the car, looking at me glumly. 

"Shit got real huh?" She asks. 

I nod standing between her knees. "But don't worry, I got your back." 

She sighs and leans forward until her face is mashed into my shoulder. "I want a nap and some food."
Chuckling, I rub her back sympathetically. "That is a good idea."

I'm glad she can't see my smile and as dark as I am, I kind of like having someone as light and bubbly on the team as Ava.

 She's the light to my darkness and I think we'd make a good pair.