One shot requested - @BGNation4ever

Looking over the building and it's ruined state, Zak pulled the adjustment strings to his respirator, not wanting to take any chances when it came to his lungs and black mould.

He was nervous and for the first time, it wasn't about being locked inside a haunted building filled with demonic forces or ghostly activity. He was nervous for the woman stood beside him.

His eyes softened at the pixie cut black hair and deep mahogany eyes. Smiling gently as she twitches and scrunched her nose repetitively.

"You okay sweet pea?" He asks quietly reaching out to take her hand hearing her crack her knuckles.

"Y-yep." Angie replies.

"Sure you don't wanna hang at base with Jay?"

She shakes her head before a hard jolt rocks her body again. Zak watches as she scrunches her nose and flicks her chin out.

"Ghooooulies!" She sang before glancing away from the building and giving him a small apologetic smile.

"Hell yeah there are!" Aaron calls back from hire car making Zak chuckle.

"Zak how can I do proper audio with... Ghooulie ghost balls!" She sighs "With this." She gestures to herself.

"Exactly how I do it. Why would it need to be different?" He asks soothing his thumb over her knuckles.

"Uh because you haven't got to deal with this." She answers before whistling and popping her lips.

Zak smiles at her again and glances back at the building feeling Angie twist, jolt and twinge beside him. "Just take a breath and relax." He advises hoping that getting her calm will help her relax and stop the tics from firing away.

Angie takes a deep breath but before she can release it, she meows making Zak glance at her.

"Sorry.."

"Don't be. I'm just surprised you're meowing. I thought you were a dog person." He winked.

"I am."

"Good, otherwise I'd be inclined to tell Gracie." He teased.

She jerks once more. "Maybe I should just hold a spirit box or something, what do you think? Baked beans!"

"I could eat beans right now." He grumbled.

"You'll be farting all night."

He grins "Windy night for us both."

Angie rolls her eyes with a smile.

"You both ready?" Aaron asks walking over.

"Born ready baldy!" Angie crows before clamping a hand over her mouth as we all laugh.

"Told you." I say as Aaron chuckles.

"Sorry. I can't stop them."

"Don't sweat it." Aaron replies throwing his arm over Angie's shoulder. "Come on pixie. Let's go find some ghooulies."

Zak watches as Aaron leads Angie away, feeling pride well up in his chest as his best friend leads his girlfriend up to the building. Both in conversations about anything and everything.

Aaron was the perfect distraction for Angie and only one of a few people that could relax her enough not to tic so hard. What people didn't know, was Angie had Tourette's and when Zak had met her for date via online dating, he was blown away. Not by her need to shout words out or jerk. But by her gorgeous smile and how funny she actually was.  He'd never met a woman that could make him laugh as much as she could, even if it was unintentionally. Zak could remember their date, sitting in a restaurant waiting for their dinner and seeing Angie struggling across the other side of the table. Concerned he asked what was wrong.

"I... I have Tourette's."

His eyebrows raised slightly "Really?"

She nodded rapidly and placed a hand over her mouth glancing around the room quickly.

"Do it." He said, causing her eyes to flash up at him. "Go on. I don't care. If people look, that's their problem. I don't want you sitting there uncomfortably. Say what you gotta say, or do. Is it physical or vocal?"

"Both." She jerked before whistling and scrunching her face quickly.

A waiter looked at the table but before Zak could explain Angie jumped in.

"T-Tourette's. Bugger off! Nosey!" She ticked.

Zak lowered his head with a smirk. "Was that a tic or you just telling him?"

She gave him a sheepish smile "I'm sorry. If you want to end this, I completely understand. It–"

"End the date? Why? Because you tic?"

She nodded before jutting her chin out.

"No, I'm happy. Unless you want to go some place else?" I ask looking around at the people.

"W-would you mind that? I'm so sorr— happy, happy. Happy."

He placed his napkin down and flagged a waiter to cancel their food. Zak placed a few notes down for their drinks and escorted Angie out the restaurant. All whilst she was whistling the great escape.

He hid his grin, all whilst thinking that this woman was wicked fun.

...

"Zak? You coming or not?" Aaron asked.

"He was last night!"

Zak bit his lip as Angie hid her face in her hands. Groaning to herself as he approached.

"Hey, don't stress this." He spoke rubbing her arm.

"I'm embarrassing you now.." She whispered.

Zak shrugged "The guys have heard worse. For sure. Don't be embarrassed. We have a good sex life, I'm not ashamed of that."

"For sure, for sure. For sure." She replied in an Irish accent before blowing out her cheeks.

"Fingers crossed that you'll have the luck of the Irish with you tonight." Zak replied with a smile before taking her hand and leading Angie into the location.

After an extensive talk on places to go, equipment they were going to use and where each night vision camera was placed, they headed off, all together.

"Angie, come here." Aaron spoke pulling her between himself and Zak. "I wanna know where you are, at all times."

She nods and juts her chin out before snapping her fingers. Through routine, Zak reaches back and takes her hand hoping that his touch will relax her and slow her tics down.

"Sorry."

"Stop apologising." He replies soothing his thumb over her knuckles before leading them on again.

"I don't think my audio will be much good. I can't stop them tonig—" she coughs before scrunching her nose.

Zak pauses before turning to face Angie "Take this."

He gives her the SLS and places her in front of him. His hands laying on her waist guiding her on.

"What if I tic? Drop it?"

"Then I'll get another." He replies simply.

"But—"

"Just make sure you keep an eye on the screen, let things map in properly and concentrate on anything that's stick like." He instructs, smiling to himself when he sees her attention zone into the device.

They had been practising at home and he knew that getting her concentration fixated on something slowed her tics down and helped her.

After a few minutes of silence, he let one of his hands drop from her waist, satisfied that Angie was doing what she had always wanted to do. Take part in the investigation.

Remembering he had a job to do, Zak turned his attention to investigating whilst Angie panned the room with the camera. So engrossed in what they were doing, they didn't notice Angie continue on the path in front of her.

Her eyes shot back and forth across the screen as she mapped in furniture, stairs, doors, windows, and electrical equipment that the crew had brought with them.

It wasn't until a white stick figure appeared that she looked up to tell Zak, only to find that she was alone, in a old prison.

"Oh fudge." She spoke before whistling and snapping her fingers.

Determined to push on and not let it bother her, Angie fumbled around in her pocket and found a recorder. Using the little light she had, she sat down  placed the recorder down in front of her and the SLS camera.

"Angie alone... aloooonnneee." She sang before clearing her throat.

Concentrate. The figure, remember the figure. Get it to move.

She mentally repeated the words Zak had taught her and began focusing back on the stick figure. Seconds later another appeared.

"Hi. My names Angie. What's yours?"

She waited and through a tic, she waved.

Surprise and elation filled her body when the figures waved back.

"Hi! Wow this is amazing. If you can understand me, raise your left leg."

One figure raised its left leg whilst the other lifted the right before changing to the left.

"Awesome. I have a recorder here. If you want to speak, I will be able to hear your voice."

The figures shifted on screen making her wonder if they were talking to her.

"Is there more of you here?" She asks.

A breath later, another appears.

"Mapping in three figures in right now. Could you tell me where we are?" She waits a little longer before grinning.

"Who can raise their leg and their arm at the same time?"

......

Meanwhile, Zak spun his camera around, his smile slowly falling from his face.

"A-Angie? Angie?" He questioned spinning around the room looking at Aaron, Jay and Billy. "Where is she?"

They all shook their heads.

"Fuck!" He cursed rushing to the other end of the room, looking down the corridor.

"Don't panic, let's not panic." Aaron advised.

"She's a woman, in an old male prison, unsupervised! I'm panicking!" Zak snapped back.

"We will find her. She wouldn't have gone far." Billy said looking at Jay for support.

"I will go back to nerve, check all the cameras. Make sure you all have your walkies on you."

"Try her walkie!" Aaron suggested.

"She didn't take one, she was afraid she would drop it." Zak answered pulling at his hair.

"Let's split up, Jay, head back to base, everyone keep their walkies at hand." Billy instructed before they all broke up and began looking for her.

Zak tore down corridors, using his night vision to try and find her in the dark. His pulse racing in his neck as his fear climbed. "Come on sweetie. Come on!" He urged.

"Angie?!" He shouted pausing, waiting to hear her call back. To tic, to make any god damn sound!

But silence met his ears making him rush forward. The walkie cracked on his hip, causing Zak to rip it off and use it.

"Give me something Jay!"

"All clear! But one camera is down."

"What one?" Zak asked.

"Main cell block."

"Meet you all over there!"

He turned and began running back the other way. Hoping that she was there, maybe having pulled the wire out by mistake. Hoping she was safe...

His eyes landed on Billy and Aaron who came in opposite directions, both panting and looking concerned.

Not wasting any time, the three began to walk when Zak stopped them at the sound of clapping.

"That's her! That's one of her tics!" He exclaimed breaking into a run.

As they entered the cell block, Zak ran down the left side and stopped seeing her.

"Angie!" He cried with relief.

Her eyes moved off the SLS screen with a grin. "Zak look! I'm investigating! I got people!"

He went over and pulled her off the floor wrapping his arms around her tightly and kissing her forehead. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"But I was investigating. I'm good at it too! I like the SLS. Hey I got a recorder too!"

"Okay. But seriously. Stay with me okay?." He urged making her nod.

"Okay." She answered before her lips popped and she whistled.

His worry evaporated seeing her excitement and joy at the idea of getting evidence. Holding her tightly, he smiled at her before giving her a kiss.  "Show me what you've captured then."

Zak watches as Angie flew into conversation and commentary about what has been happening since they had parted. How she captured three figures and was having an intelligent conversation with them.

Her tics were flying out from her lips but each one felt like home as Zak gave her his full attention. Realising the things he prevented during lockdown. Was the things he loved them most about her.

"Ghooulies!" She sang making him chuckle beside her as he held her hand.

Yeah, he loved them completely.