Authors Note: Ugh, I'm so sorry for the delay in updating! I've been struggling a bit again.

This update is a bit of a big one, even though it's only three chapters. You'll understand why.

Hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 86: Psychic Artistry

After the sneak peek and the promo, the guys and I went down to the first level to mingle with some of the other guests – out of politeness, and to see what people were saying about the footage.

Everyone we talked to loved it, and they welcomed me to the show and I received various comments about how great I was in the sneak peek.

And of course, a few people – mainly men – loved the vampire themed promo.

Embarrassing, big time!

Zak introduced me to several people he knew from other shows on the network, and a few other people who were specialists in the paranormal field.

After mingling for about an hour or so, I think Zak sensed I was starting to become uncomfortable, because he was the one who suggested we go back upstairs for a while.

"Thank you for the rescue…" I said as Zak, the guys and I took our seats at the table once again.

Zak smiled at me.

"No problem doll, I figured you were probably starting to feel overwhelmed," Zak replied.

"I was. I'm glad the feedback is positive and all that…but I'm not used to it," I said softly.

"Well, you better get used to it," Zak said, winking at me.

I smiled.

Suddenly, one of the security guards who had been stationed near the stairs, walked up to our table.

"Mr. Bagans? A Michael and Marti Parry are here to see you," The man said.

"Oh, great!" Zak said, as he stood up. "I'll be right back," he added, looking at me.

I smiled in response.

My nerves started kicking in again, unsure of what Michael and Marti would think of me, or my "gift".

"Would you guys un…mind going to mingle again? Or dance? Or something?" Zak asked, looking at the others, laughing slightly at himself.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Ashley replied jokingly.

"They don't have to leave Zak, I don't mind," I said, not wanting to be rude.

Zak hesitated a bit as he looked at me.

"I just thought it might be better if it was just the four us…" Zak said, sounding unsure.

"It's fine Ali, Zak's probably right. It'll be easier to talk with just the four of you," Diana commented.

"Besides, it's about time we got some dancing going on up in here!" Cheryl exclaimed.

Aaron, Billy and Jay all groaned.

The girls and I laughed as they all started to get up from the table and, in pairs, went their separate ways.

"Alright, be right back," Zak said again, lightly rubbing a hand over my back before he started to walk off with the security guard.

I smiled a bit to myself and took a deep breath.

I hope this goes well…

"Oh, wait!" Zak suddenly exclaimed, jogging back a few steps to me. "I haven't told them anything about your parents or Emily…just to see if they pick up on anything," Zak said.

I nodded.

"That's fine," I replied.

Zak smiled and walked off with the security guard again.

Well…this should be interesting…

A few minutes later…

I stood up from the table as Zak returned with Michael and Marti, and Zak did the introductions.

"Michael, Marti, this is Alicia. Ali, Michael and Marti Parry," Zak said.

I shook hands first with Michael, and then with Marti.

"It's wonderful to meet you," Michael said.

"You did a wonderful job in the footage we saw," Marti commented.

I felt my face flush a bit, but smiled as I nodded in thanks.

"It's pleasure to meet both of you. Thank you for coming, it means a lot to me," I said.

Michael and Marti both smiled.

"It's no problem at all. We're very interested in hearing more about your gift," Michael said.

I smiled a bit.

"Let's sit, shall we?" Zak remarked, motioning toward the table.

Zak and I sat in out seats, while Michael and Marti sat across from us.

"Can I get you some drinks?" Zak asked.

"Oh no, we're fine, thank you," Marti said.

"We had some drinks downstairs," Michael added.

"Alright, do you want anything doll?" Zak asked, looking at me.

I smiled a bit.

"I wouldn't mind some water," I replied honestly.

Zak smiled.

"Coming right up, I'll go get it while you three get acquainted," Zak said, standing up again and walking out from our sectioned area once again.

Oh boy…alright, don't be shy, they're here to help…

"So, Zak told us your first episode was before investigating on the 'Queen Mary'?" Marti asked, gently.

I smiled a bit, relieved I didn't have to think of how to start.

"Yes, I was in my hotel room a few hours before the investigation was to start. I enjoy drawing as a hobby, and was drawing in a sketchbook to calm myself before the lockdown," I explained.

Michael and Marti both looked very interested in my story, hanging on my every word.

"What happened next?" Michael asked.

"That's the thing…I don't remember. I woke up and found I had done three full drawings and had ripped them out of my sketchbook. Then Aaron knocked on my hotel room door, and I showed them to him. Then we all went to dinner. It wasn't until we had heard a story from an interviewee that correlated with one of my drawings that I told Zak," I explained.

"Do you have them with you?" Marti asked.

I nodded, picking up my clutch from the empty seat beside me.

"I do. They have been folded a few times though," I replied, opening my clutch and pulling out six pieces of paper all together – the three drawings from the "Queen Mary" investigation, and the three drawings from the Romania investigation.

I handed the first three drawings to them first.

As Michael and Marti carefully unfolded a drawing each, Zak returned with drinks for the two of us.

"Here you go," Zak said, setting a bottle of water and a glass in front of me, before sitting down with his own bottle of water and a glass.

I smiled.

"Thank you…you could of gotten a beer if you wanted," I said softly.

I felt like ever since he had learned that my parents had been killed by a drunk driver, he seemed to avoid drinking alcohol around me.

I didn't drink, but I didn't mind if other people did.

"I'm fine, I don't need it," Zak said softly, smiling at me.

I smiled in return.

"So, where are we?" Zak asked, pouring some water into his glass.

"They're looking at the drawings from the 'Queen Mary' investigation," I said.

Michael and Marti had the three drawings on the table in front of them.

Michael was the first one to look up at me.

"These are very well drawn, you're quite talented, if I may say so," Michael said.

I smiled, my face flushing slightly.

"Thank you…" I replied.

I nearly jumped when I suddenly felt Zak's hand on one of my knees under the table.

What is he doing…?

I then felt his hand move up my thigh a bit, and before I could panic – thinking that maybe he was suddenly having some sort of lack of remembrance to my innocence - I felt Zak gently take one of my hands in his, stroking the top of it with his thumb.

I smiled, both at the sweet gesture, and at the soothing feeling that came over me as his thumb stroked my skin.

"So all three of these drawings ended up matching events that happened on the ship?" Marti asked.

I nodded.

"Yes, we heard stories from interviewees that explained the events that took place, and they match up with each drawing," Zak explained.

"And you have no recollection of drawing them?" Michael asked.

I shook my head.

"No…" I replied.

I felt Zak gently squeeze my hand.

"Can we see the other three drawings?" Marti asked.

I nodded and took the remaining drawings from my clutch and handed them too her.

While Zak and I gave them a minute to look over the drawings, I briefly let go of Zak's hand to pour some water into my glass, taking a sip of it.

I put my hand back in Zak's, as he had left his hand on my lap, with his fingers spread out, as if waiting for my hand to return.

I smiled at him when he squeezed my hand once his fingers wrapped around my hand again.

Zak smiled back at me.

Michael and Marti looked over the drawings, particularly the one with Aaron holding his arm.

"We saw a bit of this in the sneak peek, did we not?" Michael asked.

Zak nodded.

"Yes," He answered.

I also noticed that both Michael and Marti seemed interested in the drawing with Emily in it, but I said nothing.

"If I remember correctly, you saw this episode happen?" Michael asked, looking at Zak.

He nodded.

"I did," he replied softly, as if he didn't want to think about it.

"What happened?" Marti asked gently.

It was my turn to squeeze Zak's hand, and he smiled briefly at me before answering.

"We were sitting beside each other, on the flight to Romania. She was drawing in her sketchbook, and I was just playing around with my phone. She suddenly complained of her vision being blurry. I suggested she try to sleep, that maybe she was just tired. The next thing I knew, she ripped the page she had been drawing on out of her sketchbook, and started sketching incredibly fast," Zak explained.

"Was she doing anything else physically?" Marti asked.

"She was staring straight ahead, unblinking…like she was seeing something the rest of us couldn't. At one point, her friend tried to take the sketchbook from her, and Ali gripped it so tightly her knuckles were white," Zak answered.

He looked pained the entire time he spoke, I felt horrible for causing him this pain.

I squeezed his hand gently.

"And you have no recollection of doing these drawings either?" Michael asked, looking at me.

I shook my head.

"No," I replied softly.

There was silence for a few moments before Marti spoke up.

"It sounds to me like you're having psychic visions of the future, or possibly the past, and for whatever reason, you draw what you're seeing on paper. It would be interesting, the next time you have a lockdown planned, to keep away from your sketchbook. Maybe you'd just have the visions," Marti said.

"Is there anyway to stop them…? I'm worried about having an episode while I'm driving or something…" I said, softly.

Marti looked sympathetic.

"I can understand that fear. But in any cases of psychic gifts we've come across, they generally seem to only happen in safe places. Another mystery to the many of the psychic and paranormal world," Marti replied.

"Your first two episodes happened the day of your lockdown. Worse case scenario, just be mindful you might have an episode and try to stay at home, or at the hotel, or wherever you are that's a safe place," Michael added.

"That makes sense…" I said.

Zak smiled a bit at me.

"A little less scary now?" Zak asked.

I smiled a bit at him.

"A little," I replied.

"Just try to think of it as a gift. It can help you learn more about the history on your investigations, and possible warn you of future danger," Marti said, pointing at the drawing of Aaron.

Before I could respond, Michael suddenly picked up the drawing of Emily in the forest, and looked at it, then at the empty space next to Zak.

Marti suddenly reached into a small backpack she had with her, pulling out a sketch pad and a pencil.

Then Michael turned and looked at me.

"You had a younger sister, didn't you?" Michael asked.

I blinked in shock.

"Yes…she drowned in a river near our house when she I was fourteen. She was twelve-years-old," I replied softly.

I noticed that Marti had started sketching.

"Is this her in the drawing?" Michael asked.

I nodded again.

"She's here with us," Michael said.

I stared at him.

"She is?" I asked.

"Yes, she's standing next to Zak," Michael said, looking at the empty space beside him.

Zak sort of jumped and looked at the spot next to him, then at his free hand that was resting on the table.

"My hand just became cold…" Zak said.

Marti was still sketching away.

Michael nodded in response to Zak.

"She's holding your hand," Michael said, then paused briefly, as if listening to something. "She likes you," Michael added.

I sat there in complete shock.

But I also felt my eyes watering.

She likes Zak…?

Zak seemed equally shocked.

"She likes me…?" Zak questioned quietly, looking at his hand on the table still.

"Yes. She thinks you're very nice, and funny, and she likes how you look after Alicia," Michael said.

I smiled, feeling a few tears escape my eyes, which I quickly and carefully wiped away, not wanting to ruin my makeup.

Zak's face almost became emotional, and he turned and looked at the spot next to him.

"I care about your sister very much…" Zak said softly.

I felt my heart skip a beat.

Michael smiled.

"She's telling me she knows. And she's thankful for it, because…she's saying Alicia used to be sad all the time, but she's happier now," Michael said.

I felt my face flush a tiny bit, but also smiled.

It was the truth.

Zak smiled and looked at the empty space again.

"I'm glad to hear that Emily," Zak said.

Zak suddenly jumped a bit.

"My left side is cold…" Zak said.

Now, even Michael looked a bit emotional.

"She's giving you a hug," Michael said softly.

Zak looked stunned, but looked down at himself a bit, and he adjusted his arm as if he he were hugging a young girl next to him.

"I'm sorry I never got the chance to meet you, you seem like a real sweetheart," Zak said softly.

Oh my god…

I felt tears in my eyes and leaned forward against the table a bit, resting one elbow on top of it and rested my head against my hand.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you…" Michael said softly.

I looked up at him, despite my tears, and shook my head.

"No, it's okay. I'm glad you're telling us this…" I said, giving him a reassuring smile.

Suddenly, Marti carefully tore a page from her sketch pad and handed her sketch to me.

It was a perfect drawing of Emily, and she didn't look like she had been in a river.

She looked normal.

I became even more emotional because the drawing included Zak – Marti had drawn Emily standing next to Zak, holding his hand, like Michael had described.

"Oh…woah…" Zak said, looking at the drawing, and once again seemed to become a bit emotional.

He then suddenly looked at the space next to him again, and then up at Michael.

"She's gone, but she said she'll always come around," Michael said.

I lost it then.

Between hearing that Emily approved of Zak, and seeing Zak act affectionate "toward" her, and now had a drawing of my sister - looking happy and healthy - holding the hand of the most important man in my life…it was too much to take in.

I leaned back in my chair, covering my face with my hands, and started to cry quietly.

Thank god for waterproof makeup…

I moved my hands away slightly when I felt Zak's arms wrapping around me.

"Come here doll…" Zak said softly.

He had turned in his chair so he was facing me, and he gently pulled me into his chest, hugging me tightly.

I snuggled against him and wrapped one arm around him tightly and cried into his chest, doing my best to be quiet – not wanting to draw attention, and also a bit embarrassed with Michael and Marti sitting across the table.

Oh Emily…I miss you so much…