Title: A lesson in Love Author: Susie Owens Rated PG Summary: A family reunion Disclaimers: The Real Ghostbusters is a cartoon by D.I.C. Jean was in the Ghostbusters's book and Myra is my own character. Copyright 2004 Thanks to Sandy for the beta

The reddish blond haired ten-year old girl sat down on the chair staring at her mother. Her once clean blue dress was now torn and spattered with mud. Her long hair was matted with mud as well. Her mother stared at her for a long time before speaking. "Myra, why do you always do this?" she sighed.

"Do what?"

"You know what, young lady! Get into fights."

"I don't know."

"That's not an answer. I'm sorry, Myra, but I have no other choice. I'm going to send you to boarding school."

Myra jumped up from her chair. "Mom, you can't do that!"

"Don't tell me what I can do and can't do, young lady. I can't handle you any more. I just can't."

"I won't go! I'll go stay with Uncle Ray before I go there."

Jean's face turned crimson. "You won't stay with him! I won't allow it! And he's not your uncle!"

Myra quickly sat back down at her mother's outburst. She held back her tears and quietly said, "Just because you hate him doesn't mean I have to."

"Hate him? You can't even begin to know what he did to me!"

"How can I? You never talk about him. I wouldn't have known he was my uncle if I hadn't found proof - but you won't tell me anything."

Jean turned away from her daughter. "When our parents died, a woman took me away. My so-called brother just stood there and let her take me. I cried out for him, but he just stood there. I was only seven, but I remember it like it was yesterday and I hated him for that."

Myra got up and placed her hand on her mother's shoulder. "You were only seven. There must have been a reason."

"No! There wasn't! He didn't care for me and I don't care for him! Now go to your room!"

Myra left her mother to go to her room but she wasn't going to stay or go to boarding school. Instead, she took the money she was saving, packed a small duffel bag and climbed out her window.

Chapter Two: Ray Stantz stood with his thrower ready. He had the bluish tinted ghost right where he wanted him. All day long the ghost had gotten away but now Ray had him in his sights.

"Uh come, on my friend! Why don't we talk this over? I was only having a little fun!" the ghost said.

Ray shook his head. "I'm a nice guy - ask my friends. Maybe we could have been friends but you crossed the line, pal, when you blew up my Dopey Dog doll!"

"Hey, it was a joke!"

"Well this isn't a joke," Ray said as he pressed down on the button and fired at the ghost. His friends quickly joined him and the ghost found itself being sucked into the trap. Ray picked up the trap and stared at it. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"You okay, Ray?"

"Yeah I'm fine, Peter. That ghost will never destroy another child's toy."

"Yeah. Thanks to you, homeboy," said Winston.

"Hey, guys. Now that this is over I'd like to go home to take a shower and get ready for my date."

'That sounds good to me, Peter," Winston agreed.

They all placed their gear in the back along with the trap then got into Ecto and headed for home.

Chapter Three:

Myra got off the plane with a group of children that she had mixed in with. There had been so many children in the group that she was able to blend in unnoticed. Now she had to find a way to leave without being noticed.

As it was, luck was with her. Two of the children were fighting while the people in charge were trying to settle them down, so Myra quietly slipped away. She knew she had had to find out where her uncle lived. She remembered hearing he was a Ghostbuster, so she decided to search a phone book for the address. But what would she look under? She finally decided to look under pest control and sure enough, there it was. She quickly wrote down the address and walked up to a cab. "Could you please help me?

The cab driver stared at her. "What do you want, kid?"

"I need a ride."

"You got money, kid?"

"No, but my uncle will pay you when we get there."

"Sorry, kid. I'm not getting stiffed."

"I promise he'll pay for the ride," Myra pleaded. "Please?"

The cabbie shook his head as he pointed to the seat behind him. "Get in, kid - and he better pay for it or I'll take it out of your hide."

Myra climbed in and told the cab driver where she wanted to go. He stared at her. "You mean to tell me that one of them there Ghostbusters is your uncle?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I'll be!" The cab driver said no more as he drove to the Ghostbusters Headquarters

Chapter Four:

An hour later, the cab pulled up in front of Ghostbusters Headquarters. "Hey! Hurry up and get the money. I don't like to park here! Strange things go down 'round here."

Myra got out of the cab, rolling her eyes. "Okay! Keep your shirt on." She walked inside HQ and saw a woman sitting at a desk. "Hey, I need money for the cab ride. Can you pay him?"

Janine looked up to see a young girl around the age of nine or ten looking at her expectantly. "Uh... Hello - and you are?"

"Myra. Myra Thomson and Ray Stantz is my uncle. I don't have any money. Could you please pay the driver?"

Janine continued staring at the girl, her eyebrow rising up over her eyeglasses. "Listen kid, are you playing a joke?"

"No! I'm telling the truth! Please."

Janine stared at Myra as she got out of her chair, shook her head, sighed, and went outside to pay the driver. "I didn't know Ray had a niece," she said when she returned.

"My mom is his sister."

"I didn't know he had a sister either."

"Well he does. Is he here?"

"Not at the moment. They're on a job, but they should be back anytime now." Janine turned as Ecto came into HQ. "In fact, there they are now." She watched as the men got out of Ecto. "Ray?"

Ray turned around to the sound of his name. "Yeah? What is it, Janine?"

Janine placed her hand on Myra's shoulder. "This young lady claims that you're her uncle."

"He is my uncle. My mother's name is Jean."

Ray stared at the girl, shocked. Finally, he spoke. "You're Jean's daughter?"

"Who's Jean?" asked Peter.

"She's my sister. We were separated when our parents were killed."

Chapter Five:

Peter stared at him. "I didn't know you had a sister."

"Well, he did - and my mom never forgave him for letting those people take her away."

Ray turned sharply to face Myra. "I was only ten and there was nothing I could do. When I was old enough, I searched for her but every clue led to a dead end."

Janine placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Ray."

Egon steadily gazed at Myra. "We have to call her mother. She mostly certainly is worried."

"My mom doesn't care about me."

"Now I don't believe that for a minute," said Winston. "You've got a real nice dress on." Myra looked down at her dress and back at him. "Now how about giving us your phone number?" he asked.

Myra continued looking up at Winston until she nodded. "Okay, but she won't come. My number's 412 –555-5555."

Janine went back to the phone and dialed the number. "Hello, is this Mrs. Thompson?"

"Look! Whoever you are, get off the phone! My daughter's missing." Janine could hear the woman crying as she spoke into the receiver.

"Miss, please listen to me! Your daughter's fine. She's here with us."

"Who are you?"

My name is Janine Melnitz and your daughter is here with the ..."

There was a long sigh into the phone. "Don't tell me - I know. The Ghostbusters. Why is she there?"

"I think you should ask her that," replied Janine as she gave the phone to Myra.

"Mom... I'm all right."

"How did you get to New York?"

"I had saved enough money to get a plane ticket and I mixed in with a group of children. Mom, I've met my Uncle Ray and he tried to look for you."

"Myra, please put the lady back on."

Myra held the receiver out to Janine. "She wants to talk to you again."

Janine took the phone. "Yes?"

"Please send Myra back. I'll send you the money."

"I think you should come and get her - and see your brother again," Janine said quietly.

Jean felt her heart jump. She hadn't seen her brother in so long. "I can't."

"Please," Janine replied. "I think it would be helpful to all of you."

"But what if he doesn't want to see me?"

"Here, let me let you talk to him." Janine looked at Ray. "Here. Talk to your sister."

Ray looked at the others with wide eyes. "Go ahead, Ray. Talk to her," Peter said encouragingly.

With a shaking hand, Ray took the phone from Janine and spoke into the mouthpiece. "Hello?"

Jean was quiet for a few moments then burst into tears

Chapter Six:

Ray looked at Peter in disbelief. "She's crying. What do I do?"

"Just talk to her, Tex."

Ray licked his lips and nodded as he turned back to the phone. "Hey, it's okay," he said soothingly.

Jean managed to calm down a little. "I'm sorry. It's just that it's been a long time."

"Yeah. I know."

"I'm glad Myra's all right. Now could you send her straight home?"

Ray looked over at Myra who was now asleep on the old beaten sofa. "Can she spend the night? She's really tired."

There was a long pause before Jean said, "All right, but put her on the first available plane back to San Diego in the morning."

"Hey! Maybe we can come with her. It'd be good to see you again, Jean."

"You really don't have to do that."

"But I want to. We're seeing you tomorrow."

"Ray, please! Wait! You can't come. Hello? Ray, are you there?" Hearing no answer, Jean hung up the phone.

"Hello? Jean?" Ray turned to his friends. "She must've hung up. Well, we're taking Myra back home to San Diego tomorrow and after twenty years , I'm going to see my sister again. I'm heading for bed."

"I better start making some arrangements. Hand your credit card over, Peter," Janine said, holding her hand out for the piece of plastic.

Grumbling, Peter reached into his wallet and gave her his credit card. She immediately sat down and dialed the airline to make arrangements for tickets for the first available flight out.

"Uh, Ray?" Winston pointed to Myra. "Are we going to leave her down here?"

'It seems safe enough and Slimer can watch her. Right Slimer?"

"Yeah! I'm your ghost."

"Okay, Slimer. Thanks. I'll just go get her a blanket," Ray said as he hurried upstairs and soon returned with a blanket and pillow to make Myra more comfortable. Then he bent down and gave her a small kiss on her cheek. She stirred a little but didn't wake up.

Chapter Seven:

The next morning everyone was up and ready to go. Ray was talking to Myra. "Now, are you sure that you have everything?"

"I got what I brought with me - nothing more. I wish I didn't have to go back."

"Well you do," replied Peter. "You never should've come here in the first place."

"Peter!"

"Don't you 'Peter' me, Ray! That young lady should have never gotten on a plane - more like snuck onto a plane. It was a very stupid and dangerous stunt that she pulled! The plane could have crashed or someone could have hurt her. She was very lucky that nothing happened."

Myra stared at Peter then back at Ray who quietly put her bag into Ecto. "We better get going if we want to beat the morning traffic."

Once everybody was inside, they made their way to the airport. Once they passed through security, they only had to wait for a little while before their flight was called and they were on their way.

Ray sat down next to Myra who was looking out of the window. "Why?" she asked softly.

"What's wrong, Myra?" Ray asked in response.

"That answers a question with a question. Why does your friend hate me?"

"Hate you? No one hates you, Myra," Ray said gently

"He does," she replied as she pointed to Peter, who was talking to Egon.

"Peter doesn't hate you. He just thinks what you did was wrong."

"I believe what he said was stupid."

"Well... Maybe Peter was a little harsh, but Myra, what you did was wrong."

Myra turned away again. Ray just sighed. Hearing the sigh, Egon and Winston looked over at him curiously but he just shook his head. The rest of the trip was quiet.

Once the plane landed in San Diego airport, they had to wait a little bit before they could leave, but once they did, they headed for the airport exit, where Myra spotted her mother. She ran to her and Jean hugged her daughter tightly. "Oh Myra, I'm so glad you're okay," she murmured.

"Mom, this is Uncle Ray," Myra said as she grabbed Ray's hand.

Jean stared at him for a long time. "Thank you for bringing her home, but you really didn't have to."

"I wanted to see you, Jean," he said quietly.

"I see. Well - you saw me, so you can go now." Jean turned away and Ray felt his heart break.

Peter noticed Ray's reaction to the harsh words. "Hey! Now you wait a minute! Stop acting like a child. Ray told us about how you two were separated after your parents died."

Jean sharply turned around to face Peter. "You have no idea what it was like! I cried and cried for him, begged him not to let them take me away but he just stood there."

"Jean, I was only ten years old! There was nothing I could do. I searched for you when I was old enough to, but they were all dead ends. I didn't want to leave you but I had no say in the matter."

Jean stared at Ray. "You searched for me?"

"Yes, I did. Please, Jean. Don't let your anger from the past cloud the good things that can happen here and now."

Jean gazed at Ray for a while before her face softened and she said, "You can stay for the night. Come on. My car's in the parking garage." They all followed her to her car and once everyone was inside, she drove home. That night, after the others had gone to bed, she and Ray had a talk.

"So you bust ghosts for a living?" Jean asked.

"Yeah. It's fun and rewarding. What do you do?"

"I'm a school teacher."

"Wow. What class do you teach?"

"I teach kindergarten."

"Hey, Slimer's around that age! Maybe I should enroll him."

"Uh... Ray, I don't teach ghosts."

"Yeah, I guess not, but Slimer catches on pretty quickly as long as he gets a reward."

Jean laughed and Ray smiled, happy that he had found his sister and they were getting to know each other again.

The End