Louis' surprise br
Nov. 28-30 2000 br
The tension between Peter Venkman and Louis Tully was getting worse br as the days went on. Peter had to share his desk space with Louis. He br hated that, for that was the only place were he could be alone and be br peaceful. Not anymore ever since Louis came to work there. Peter got br in bad moods all the time. The guys just thought it was because of lack br of sleep. Janine on the other hand, knew something was bothering him. br He just wasn't telling anyone. She tried to guess many times but he br denied all of them. One day Peter got so irritated with Louis that he br pushed him and was ready to punch him in the face. Egon had to hold br him back. Ray got in the front of Louis. If it weren't for the guys being br there when they were Peter would have beaten the crap out of Louis. br Egon took Peter upstairs and tried to talk to him. He refused that br anything was the matter. The other day Peter sleepily looked at the br calendar while he was waiting for his coffee. He noticed that Louis' br first anniversary was this Friday. "I should do something special for him, br just to keep the peace and reassure the guys that I can get along with br the nerd. I know what I'll do." He said to himself. Louis came in to get br some coffee and Peter, not saying a word left the kitchen. A couple of br hours later, Louis' computer just stopped on him. Louis just stood br looking at the computer screen trying to figure out what went wrong. br Peter came bouncing out of the kitchen with the biggest grin on his face. br
"What did you do this time Peter?" Louis inquired. br
"Me do something? Louis, Louis, Louis you know me." br
"Yeah to well to tell you've been up to something." br
"Won't tell. Oh if the guys ask I went out for awhile and will be br back later." br
Peter got in his truck and speeded away. br
"Good morning Louis," Janine called as she opened the door. br "Was that Dr. Venkman I just saw leave in a hurry?" br
"Good morning, Janine I'm afraid so. He said he would br be back." br
"Didn't tell you why?" br
"Just he would be back later and he had a big grin on his face." br
"That's weird." Janine thought out loud as she sat down at her desk. br
"Yeah it is." Louis responded. The day went by slowly. They br guys went on one bust all morning. Peter never showed up. The guys br were getting worried about him. br
"How long did he say he would be out Louis?" Ray demanded br an answer. br
"Like I said Ray, he didn't give me a certain time. All I know is br he left this morning in a happy mood and said he would be back later." br
The phone rang. Janine answered it the way she always did. She br recognized it was Peter. br
"Where are you?" Janine questioned as the guys piled around br her desk.
"Right now I'm stuck in traffic," he had to lie "I'm almost done br with what I need to do. Tell the guys we need to go out tonight." br
"Sure thing Dr. Venkman. Hurry up and get back here." She br yelled as she hung up with him. br
"Where is he and when is he coming back?" questioned a br concerned Winston. br
"He's in traffic and needs to make one more stop. He should br
be home after that." br
Peter got the cops to block off their basement door from the br
outside with their yellow crime scene tape. It was Louis' first birthday br with the guys and Peter wasn't going to let him forget it. He was br making him a surprise. Well, just cause he felt like it. He felt that it br
was his duty to make him feel like family somewhat, anyway. He br really didn't like Louis that much but wanted to keep the peace in br
the firehouse. br
"Thanks guys." Peter said as he left the back of the house. br
"No problem Dr. Venkman." He looked behind him to make br sure that no one was watching him from the window. br
He made his way to the front of the building. The room was decorated br
with balloons and streamers. He was even ordering a special cake. Peter br wasn't the guy who cared for anniversaries but this one was different he br went all out. It made him feel good to actually do something for br someone else. He walked in the door. Everyone was so glade to see him. br It was like he was gone for years. br
"Hey guys, did you miss me?" br
"Where have you been? We got a little worried about you." br Inquired Ray sounding concerned for his friend. br
"I had some things to take care of. I'll tell you guys later. br
It's a surprise." br
"Oh Dr. Venkman where did you have in mind for br
dinner?" Janine asked him. br
"That's where I was. I made dinner plans. Well you'll see. br
He He He. Oh, one thing please dress up." br
"How dressed up?" Egon looked at his friend. Peter knew he br hated to dress up. br
"Coat and tie kind of thing Spenges." br
"I guess I'll be in my room downstairs if you need me." br
Louis called as he went to the basement stairs. Peter stood in front br
of him blocking his way. br
"Oh no you don't. I…I want you to come with us." br
"You mean it. This is not one of your jokes. Is it?" br
"Joke? I thought you might like to come." br
"I would love too." Louis put on the biggest smile on his br
face that Peter had ever seen. He felt his heart go really soft. It br
was like he was melting inside. He had never felt so good in his life. br Peter went down stairs the back way and got Louis something to wear. br The others didn't seem to notice that he was even gone. One the way to br the restaurant he sat by Louis trying to make him feel special. br
Everyone seems to forget all the work that he actually does. br
He has saved their butts more then once. They went to one of br
the best restaurants in town. br
"When Peter said we needed to dress up he meant it." Egon called br as he got out of the car. The guys all had suits and ties on. After br having a long conversation and dinner the guys were beat. Peter took br Winston aside. br
"Hey buddy let Louis come stay at your place tonight. Please." br
"Why homeboy? What's the deal?" Winston inquired with a weird br look on his face. br
"Well, It's a surprise. I just need him to stay away form the br basement tonight." br
"I'll try my best to convince him." br
"Thanks." Peter gave a big grin and a wink. Winston knew that br he was up to something. br
"Hey Louis do you want to stay with me at my apartment and br watch a movie?" br
"Well, why not. I have nothing better to do." br
"Great." Winston turned towards Peter and gave a thumbs' up. br
"Dr. Venkman why are you acting crazy tonight?" Janine br questioned from behind him. br
"What do you mean?" br
"There still something going on with you but I can't put my br finger on it." br
"Oh well, if you figure it out tell me in the morning. I'm beat. br
I have a big day tomorrow and it's a surprise. Ta Ta for now." He walked br up the stairs to the bedrooms. Ray was watching cartoon on TV br and Egon was reading a book, like always. br
"Night guys." Peter said so happily. Peter feel asleep before br
he even hit the pillow. br
"Egon what's going on? Why is he acting this way? Is this our br Peter or did someone kidnap him?" Ray questioned as he climbed into br his bed. br
"Well, my guess is that he is hiding something but what I don't br know?" br
The alarm went off and Ray jumped up. Egon got dressed slowly. br
"Where's Peter?" Egon called as he looked around. br
He was gone. His bed was even made up. Ray thought that he might be sick. br For Peter never gets up early and never, not once, made his bed up. br They went to the call without Peter again. br
"Peter why did you miss again?" Winston was getting br
really worried about Peter this time. It wasn't like him to miss two br calls in a row. br
"Well guys I can't tell you yet, not till lunch anyway." Egon and br Ray just stood there staring at him. br
"Good morning Louis." Peter called as he went to his desk. br
"It's not so good." Louis had a frown on his face. br
"Not going good? Why?" Janine asked as she hugged him hoping br that that would cheer him up. "Well, I went by the basement stairs br to get in and there were cops all around. They said there was some br break in and a murder. I was glad that wasn't me. The one that got murdered I br mean." He turned to face Winston. "Thank you. I could have been dead br today if you didn't ask me over last night. Oh what a spooky feeling." br
"I'm glade I could be here." He looked confused though. Did Peter br save his life? Did he know something that the others didn't? The br questions kept going over in his mind. Peter wanted to make sure that no br one goes in the basement so Peter was on the phone with the cops br again. "Thanks." He said, as there was a knock on the front door. br
"Cops, we need to block off the other door until we finish cleaning br up your basement." Peter opened the door to let them in. "We are br here to put the tape up." br
"What's this all about?" Asked Louis. br
"We will have to clean up the mess. After that, which may br
be days, you can go back in there." br
"Days?" br
"Yeah we need to make sure that we get all evidence br
out of there." br
Back at Peter desk: "Great Job guys. It's been a pleasure br working with you." Peter said on the phone as he turned the br
corner. Not even noticing Ray and Egon sitting at the table. He hung br up and turned around quickly. "Ahh." He screamed. "You scared me br
to death. Don't do that again." br
"Why are you so jumpy?" Egon asked curiously. br
"You know I totally forgot it was Louis' first anniversary br
with us today." Ray explained as he looked at the calendar. br
"Oh my gosh your right and to make things worse he has br nowhere to stay tonight." Egon called as he got up from the table. br
"Sure he does." Peter jumped in. br
"Where would that be Peter?" Ray gave a glance at Peter. br
"Umm." br
"That's what I thought you don't know." Egon and Ray went br
to see Louis to congratulate him. Peter motioned for Janine to come here. br
"Yes, Dr. Venkman." She yelled in a tone like "what the hell you br want now". br
"I need you to blind fold Louis I have a surprise for him." br
"You? You got to be kidding? You would do something for him. br Ha now that's a joke." br
"Please I beg you. Come on Big J." he gave one of his grinning br looks at her. br
"Ok, I'll see what I can do. There are no promises though." br
It took a lot of convincing but finally he agreed to the plan. All of them br went down to the basement. The cops knowing that it was all right this time. br
"But I thought…." Ray was cut off by Peter's hands over his mouth. br
"Shh. You are going to spoil the surprise Ray." Peter took the tape off br the door. br
"You're going to get us arrested." Winston called. br
"Yeah. What's this all about?" Egon looked at him. br
"I've known you to do stupid things but this. It's breaking br
the law one too many times." Janine gave him a stern face. Ray just br stood there.
"Come in." Peter tried not to blow it. br
"Wow." Janine shouted as she entered the room. br
"What is it? I want to know." Louis tried to get free from Ray. br
"You will see in a minute." Turning to Ray "Please hold him until I br get something." The others put the rest of the presents out. Louis br could have guessed all of them though. br
Peter gave a thumbs' up. "Ok Ray now!" Peter yelled from across br the room. Ray untied Louis' blindfold. He just stood there in shock br not knowing what to say. br
"Surprise!" Peter yelled out. "Thanks for a wonder year. We," br
he looked over at the guys, "really appreciate all the work you have done br for us. I hope you like it." br
"It's…It's.. Wonderful." There was a new desk, computer and br bookshelf set up for him. br
"Welcome to you new office." Peter said as he went towards Louis. br
"I think I'm going to cry guys, thank you." br
"Oh, I moved you up stairs with us. I hope that you don't mind." br
"Really?" he grabbed Peter around the neck to give him a hug. br
"Well, you're one of us now. Part of the family." He smiled. br
"I love it." They ate cake and talked all afternoon remembering the br good old times. The peace was still in the firehouse after all. br
The end
