Authors Note: Hey guys! Yes, I'm updating sooner than I have been lately, yay!

Two things, first, I've created a manip of the "dead Zak" that I've had Alicia see a few times now. It's not the best thing ever made, but it's just to give you a rough idea. I'm going to go back and add it to the chapters I've written, however, so that you guys don't have to go scrolling back looking for it, I'll stick it into this chapter for you. I hope it looks okay, lol.

Second, on Monday (most likely at least) I have to put my iPad in for repair. My volume up button is stuck and doesn't respond. Obviously not a major thing, but an annoyance nonetheless. So, that means I won't be able to write while it's away. *crying* Lol. Hopefully it won't take to long.

With those two things out of the way, on to the update!

Chapter 104: Let Her Go

Meanwhile...

Zak's Point of View

As we all continued to watch the show, I began to worry about Alicia, wondering what was taking her so long. I once again found myself not wanting to be the over-protective boyfriend, but something just felt off to me. Maybe someone else would speak up about her absence soon.

I looked down at my phone and scrolled over a few of the latest tweets fans had sent. I retweeted some of them, and replied to other ones who were asking questions. One tweet in particular caught my eye:

Cindy GACFabGurl666
zak_bagans where did aliciawilde go? Missing her tweets! #GhostAdventures #AliciaWilde

I noticed I was also receiving other similar tweets, and I smiled to myself that fans seemed to be taking a liking to Alicia rather quickly – not that I had an doubts that they wouldn't.

Just as I finished typing up a response and sent it, Cheryl caught my attention.

"Zak? I think something's up with Gracie..." Cheryl said, in a rather weary tone, causing me to worry instantly.

I looked where Cheryl was looking, and saw Gracie standing at the top of the basement stairs. Her ears and her tail were up - as if on high alert - and she was snarling. She never snarled. Sure, she'd do some playful growling and the usual barking, but I have never seen here like this.

"Grace? What's up?" I questioned, getting up from my seat and walked the short distance to the basement stairs. Normally, Gracie would look at me whenever I said her name, but she continued staring down the basement stairs. She was also now alternating between growling and snarling.

"What's up bro?" Aaron questioned, from his spot on the sofa.

"I don't know...I've never seen her act like this..." I replied, starting to worry something was wrong with Gracie. But then my thoughts drifted back to Alicia, who was still in the basement. "I'm going down to take a look," I added, careful maneuvering around Gracie and started to head down the stairs.

"I'll come with you bro," Aaron said, before he stood up and walked over toward the stairs.

Gracie kept her position at the top of the stairs, and as I neared the bottom, she let out some occasional whimpers – as if she was afraid for me.

Something definitely must be happening down here...I thought, my worry for Alicia increasing.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs and entered the game room, I started to feel a very intense - and very dark - energy all around me.

"Something's down here..." I said, glancing back at Aaron as he appeared behind me.

"I feel it too bro," Aaron replied, as he walked further into the game room. "Hey, where's Ali?" Aaron added, motioning to the bathroom.

I walked further into the game room and noticed that the bathroom was in complete darkness.

"Ali?" I called, as I quickly crossed the game room to reach the bathroom. I reached around the edge of the doorframe and flicked on the bathroom light.

It was empty.

"Where'd she go, bro? Outside maybe?" Aaron questioned, looking toward the set of patio doors that led out onto a small patio.

"I don't know...not like her to not come be tell us first," I replied.

Before Aaron could respond, we both suddenly heard a blood curdling scream coming from inside the dungeon, and immediately knew it was Alicia.

"Ali!" I yelled, rushing toward the bookcase and roughly pulling it open, completely disregarding the books and decorations on it.

Meanwhile...

Cheryl's Point of View

As Zak and Aaron walked down the stairs into the basement, Gracie began whimpering, as if she were afraid for them, and that instantly made me worry – especially knowing Alicia was in the basement.

I got up and walked over to the stairs and looked down them, just in time to see Aaron disappear into the game room. I could just barely make out Zak and Aaron's voices comment on "feeling something".

Suddenly, Billy and Jay slipped past Gracie and I, and proceeded down into the basement as well, while Ashley and Diana came over and leaned against the white, metal railing that allowed you to look down over the stairs.

"I wonder what's going on?" Diana questioned, as all four of us - Gracie included – watched the bottom of the stairs.

"Maybe there's activity going on in the dungeon. It is Hallo-" Ashley started to say, but stopped the second we all heard a faint, blood curdling scream coming from the basement.

Every nerve in my body became electrified with panic.

Just as I was about to call out to Aaron - since Billy and Jay had also disappeared into the game room now - we heard Zak's yell of "Ali!", followed by the sound of things falling to the floor.

Without hesitation, I took off running down the basement stairs – Ashley and Diana right on my heels.

Zak's Point of View

"Ali?!" I called out as I stepped into the dungeon, flicking on a switch to turn on some of the dim, red lighting I had throughout the dungeon, as well as some stain glass pieces I had hanging on the wall that also lit up.

"Go away!" I heard Alicia cry out from inside the cell, her voice full of more fear and panic than I have ever heard come out of her.

"Ali! It's me! I'm coming!" I called back to her, rushing to the cell door, Aaron right on my heels.

I grabbed onto the bars of the metal door and gave a quick yank on it, expecting it to open, but it wouldn't budge.

"What the fuck- help me with this bro," I said, stepping aside a bit so Aaron could move in beside me and get a grip on the door. Once Aaron got himself into position, he got a good grip on the bars of the metal door.

"Ready?" I asked, to which Aaron nodded in response before speaking.

"Three, two, one-" Aaron counted down.

We both pulled on the door as hard as we could, and the door swung open easily, nearly causing Aaron and I to stumble back. It was like the door hadn't been stuck at all.

Quickly regaining my exposure, I leaned down and walked through the small doorframe to find Alicia sitting on the floor, her face buried in her knees, her arms over her head, and she was crying uncontrollably.

"Ali, it's me. Come on, let's get out of here," I said, walking over to her and reached down and gently put my hand on her arm.

She flinched, her head snapping up to look at me, and when her red and swollen eyes focused on me, her expression changed to absolute terror.

"No! Leave me alone!" She cried out in fear, trying to slide herself along the floor to get away from me.

I was in complete shock. In all my years of dealing with the paranormal, I had never seen someone so scared in my entire life.

"Doll...it's just me, it's Zak...whatever you saw or heard down here-" I started softly, but stopped when I saw her eyes suddenly look past me.

"Aaron!" Alicia cried, scrambling to her feet before running past me, and straight to Aaron, throwing her arms around him.

I saw Aaron stumble back against the cell wall, but manage to keep his footing as he "caught" Alicia in his arms, but he looked just as bewildered as a I felt.

"Make him go away! Make him stop!" Alicia cried out through her sobs as she gripped onto Aaron tightly.

Him...?

(Link on my profile for Twitter and Instagram picture)

I stepped back closer to her - noticing she had scratch marks on her back - and gently put my hand on her lower back.

"Ali, it's okay, it's ov-" I started, but was once again cut off.

Alicia let go of Aaron, turned to face me, and pushed at my chest hard enough to cause me to fall back onto the floor. I barely managed to catch myself with my hands.

"Don't touch me! Leave me alone! You're not using me anymore!" Alicia yelled down at me, tears streaming down her face, before she turned and ran out of the cell and out of the dungeon. Almost immediately after, I heard her cry Cheryl's name, and assumed Cheryl was outside in the game room

I sat there, completely at a lost for words, and confused beyond belief. I "wasn't going to use her anymore"? What was she talking about?

What in the hell did she see down here...?

Cheryl's Point of View

I could hear the exchange between Alicia and Zak inside the dungeon, and wanted to run in to help, but Billy and Jay wouldn't let me, Ashley, or Diana inside. With all their experience in the paranormal, they must have been feeling something that indicated it was too dangerous.

When we all heard Alicia cry out Aaron's name - obviously in relief - we all looked at each other, at a loss for words. Why was she more relieved to see Aaron than Zak?

The next thing I knew, Alicia came running out of the dungeon, her face a mess from crying, pale, and she looked absolutely terrified. But the moment she saw me, she let out a sob of relief.

"Cheryl!" Alicia cried, and than ran straight at me, almost knocking me over when she embraced me.

I hugged her back tightly, feeling something damp on her bare back. I lifted a hand up to see some blood on it. Before I could question her about it, I saw Jay make a hand motion to indicate scratches and nodded my head in response.

"Take me home! Please!" Alicia cried into my shoulder, gripping me so tightly I could barely breath.

I gently began stroking her back, trying to get her to calm down.

"Ali...what happened? What did-" I started to ask, but stopped when she cut me off.

"I want to go home...please..." She nearly begged.

What the hell happened to her in there...?

Zak's Point of View

After gathering myself, I got up off the floor with Aaron's help, and we both walked out of the cell and then the dungeon. I saw Cheryl and Alicia embracing each other, and I was sure Cheryl had the same bewildered look on her face as I had on mine.

"Doll...please tell us what happened-" I started, but froze in response to Alicia's reaction to my voice. I saw her entire body tense, and she visibly started shaking as she gripped onto Cheryl tighter. And then when she spoke...my heart shattered.

"He's going to hurt me! I want to go home!" Alicia cried, nearly hysterical now.

Not thinking logically - only thinking with the part of my brain that wanted to take all of her pain away - I stepped forward and put a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Doll, I would never hurt-" I started, but stopped again. I felt - and saw - her cringe under my touch, and she whimpered as if my touch caused her pain.

"Make him go away!" She cried hysterically.

I felt Alicia get pulled away from under my hand, and I realized Cheryl was slowly walking her away from me, and I nearly lost it.

"No, wait!" I cried, suddenly terrified. Terrified I was losing her, terrified I would never talk to her again, never see her again...

"Bro..." Aaron started, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I want to go home...I don't want to be around him anymore!" Alicia whimpered quietly, as she and Cheryl reached the stairs.

Don't want to be around him anymore...

I felt like I suddenly had a gaping hole in my chest.

"I'll take you home," Cheryl said, pulling back enough only to turn so she could wrap an arm around Alicia's waist, and began helping her up the stairs.

Memories flooded my mind. One girlfriend afraid to enter my house. Another girlfriend screaming as her purse was thrown clear across the living room. Another girlfriend running out of the house screaming, never to be heard from again. But none of them mattered now. The only thing that mattered was Alicia, and despite only having been dating her for a week, I couldn't lose her. Not now.

"Ali...please..." I nearly begged - my voice nearly unrecognizable - but before I could take anymore steps, Aaron gripped me firmly by both shoulders.

"Bro...let her go..." Aaron said softly, as Cheryl lead Alicia out of my sight.

I felt my eyes water as I realized, that not only had Cheryl led Alicia out of my sight, she most likely had just led her out of my life.