Mirror, Mirror.
Disclaimer: In case you didn't catch it the first time, this is an AU story. As in, ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, meaning ANY ARTISTIC LICENSE CAN BE TAKEN. Oh yeah, and did I mention that the whole Mary Sue thing DOES NOT APPLY EITHER in an AU story? So I will say this: If you don't like it, then DON'T READ. It's really just that simple when you think about it.
Note: I don't own RGB.
It started out just like any other day for Coast Guard workers Rick Bartel and Dean Carby. They were on a routine patrol out from New York Harbour , when Lana Jordan, their colleague, spotted something floating further out sea. They changed their course to intercept whatever it was she saw. It was a small motorized inflatable raft, marked with the name of one of the sailboats rented out by the local marina. Seeing that someone was unconscious in the raft, Lana was lowered down, and Rick tossed her the chain with the hook so that the little raft could be towed. Lana stayed with the survivor as they were towed alongside the Coast Guard vessel. It was a good thing too, because he was slowly becoming conscious. "Huh-uh, what happened? Where am I?"
"We found you unconscious, floating around out at sea." Lana explained. Next came the most important question. "What is your name?"
"Egon." He replied. "Egon Spengler."
"Hey, you're one of them. The Ghostbusters, I mean. How silly of me to forget. You're quite famous."
"Yes, I suppose I am."
"How did you end up out at sea?" Lana asked.
"Janine and I were spending the day together. We rented a sailboat, and while out at sea, we saw this strange light." Egon explained.
"The National Weather Service didn't say there were to be any storms today."
"Which is why I wanted to investigate this occurrence further. Because I didn't want to put Janine in any danger, I took this small raft that came with the sailboat. Suddenly I found myself too close, but I couldn't back away. I was pulled forward, I felt dizzy, then everything around me faded. I guess I passed out. Then, I woke up here."
"Well, when we came to retrieve your raft, we didn't see any sailboat nearby. Then again, we're not sure how long you've been out there. We were only on a routine patrol when we found you." Lana told him.
"The sailboat was called, "La Luna." Egon said. When they reached the dock, Lana, her two colleagues Rick and Dean, along with Egon went to return the small raft. To their surprise, the sailboat "La Luna", the boat that Egon and Janine had supposedly rented, was already docked. Even more surprising was that the same small raft they were returning, there was an exact same one there too. "I don't understand," Egon stammered. "This is the small raft that goes with this sailboat." What was going on? They went over to the rental office and Egon asked to see the records for the day's rentals. It took a couple of minutes.
"I'm sorry," the clerk replied. "But we have no record of your name, or that you rented the "La Luna" today." It just kept getting weirder. Egon checked his pockets, and was relieved to find that he still had his wallet. In it was enough for a cab.
"Thank you for your assistance." He told Lana and the two men Rick and Dean. "But I must get to headquarters. I believe I have a theory as to what's happening, and they have the resources that'll help." They all shook hands.
"Good luck." Lana told him as he hailed for a cab. Because this was New York City, one came within seconds.
"Ghostbusters Headquarters." Egon told the driver as he got in the car, and they sped off.
It didn't take long to reach GBHQ. "Thank you very much." Egon said to the driver as he paid his fare and tip. He walked into the firehouse, and caught Peter by surprise.
"Egon?"
"Yeah? Peter, it's me. Why do you look like you've just seen a ghost?"
"But you're upstairs. In the lab. With Ray!"
"What? I was just out at the Marina." Egon said.
"The Marina?"
"Yeah."
"But how-how is that possible?" Peter stammered, obviously confused. Finally, it occurred to Egon.
"If I'm upstairs, like you say, then I don't think I'm supposed to be here."
"The heck you aren't. What you saying? C'mon, fill me in here will ya?"
"I think I'm in a different reality. In the reality I'm from, I was investigating this strange light. It must've been some kind of doorway." Egon explained.
"Let's just get upstairs before my head explodes." They both went upstairs to the lab. "I wonder if anyone else will be just as confused as I am." Peter muttered. "Hey guys, uh, I don't know how to say this, " He said when he reached the top of the steps, "But, well, take a look for yourselves." He stepped out of the way, and the other Egon came up the steps. Winston's jaw dropped, Clara fainted, Egon just stared at his exact duplicate, and of course, Ray responded in his usual way, with excitement.
"Wow!" He exclaimed. "Proof that Parallel Universes actually exist! Boy! This is great! This is absolutely fantastic!" Ray was practically jumping up and down.
"Yes Ray, we're all very excited about it." Egon said. He took out the PKE Meter and scanned his counterpart. It flashed and beeped wildly. "It would appear that my counterpart is correct. These readings are consistent with other encounters we've had with dimensional gateways." Egon explained.
"If that's true, how will I get back?"
"I'm unsure as of now. I'll have to analyse these readings more closely. Right now, it looks like you'll be staying in this universe for a while." Egon told his counterpart.
"Make yourself comfortable." Peter said wryly. Winston meanwhile, was tending to Clara, who was still unconscious. Finally she came to.
"Sorry." She sighed. "It was just that, I was shocked to see Egon walk upstairs, even though he was already upstairs."
"We think he came from a Parallel Universe." Winston told her.
"A Parallel Universe? Yes, okay. I've read about the Quantum Parallel Universe Theory, about how every decision made produces thousands of possible outcomes. But, this is the first I've ever encountered an actual person, let alone Egon, from another reality." Clara said.
"Well then, consider yourself lucky." Winston said dryly, helping her up. They joined the others who were in the lab. Egon was analyzing the readings he had taken off his counterpart with the PKE Meter. Ray was asking the duplicate Egon various questions. Turns out, he too was from New York City. But they needed more than just a description of his whereabouts.
"What year is it in your reality?" Egon asked his counterpart.
"What year?"
"Yes, please."
"Well, where I am from, it's 1991. Why?"
"But here, it's 1986." Ray said.
"You're from a future universe?" Peter asked.
"Well, if it's 1986 here, then yes, I'm from the future. Or should I say, a possible future."
"No wonder those readings you took of him looked so strange." Ray said.
"This strange light you saw must've been a rip in the fabric of time, as well as a door to other universes." Egon told his counterpart.
"If so, can the process be re-created so that I can get back to my reality and time?"Parallel Egon asked.
"We could use the Ecto-4 to create an opening, and he could go through the opening. In theory, of course." Ray replied.
"In theory yes. However, we need the exact temporal coordinates in order for that idea to work. If we input even one calculation incorrectly, then who knows what point in time and what reality my counterpart could end up in." Egon told him.
"We'd better take a closer look at those PKE readings." Ray said.
"Guess this means less sleep tonight again eh?" Peter asked. Everyone looked at him strangely. "Just a joke guys."
Both Egons were still in the lab, looking over various readings that were taken when they scannedParallel Egon. "If you don't mind, what is it like in 1991?" Egon asked.
"Not much has changed. Rock music is even worse." Doppleganger Egon replied dryly. "Um, only one thing, though……" His voice trailed off.
"What? What about this, one thing?"
"It's about Janine."
"Janine?"
"Yes. She and I are married."
"You don't sound too excited about that." Egon commented.
"I made a mistake, or should I say, you will, in 1990."
"How?"
"If we're supposedly one in the same, then I assume you have feelings for Clara?" Parallel Egon asked.
"What? No." Egon replied, embarrassed. "Well, maybe. I like Clara, but as a good collegue, and merely on a platonic level."
"Come on, you can't fool me that easily. I may be from another reality, but I'm still you." Egon sighed reluctantly.
"Okay, I admit that it feels like more than friendship for Clara. But what does that have to do with Janine?"
"Well, you should know by now how she, um, likes you."
"I'm aware of that." Egon said, rolling his eyes a little.
"Well, Clara wasn't so forward. So I assumed she didn't like me in the same way. I thought I didn't stand a chance. So I responded to Janine's, um, advances. Eventually we got married. And I thought it was the right thing."
"But?" Egon asked.
"You don't know it now, but inside, Janine is a woman bent on control."
"Her? This Janine? Here?"
"Well, she is the same person, but whatever events happen here, and the choices that Janine makes here, could be different than in my reality, and could result in her turning out completely different. But anyway, it didn't start until after the marriage. She'll insist on being with you when you're with another lady, especially Clara. And anytime you want to be by yourself, Janine has this way of making you feel guilty that you're not with her."Parallel Egon explained.
"Oh, I see. No wonder you're not happy." Egon commented.
"I'm not."
"Can I prevent this future from happening?"
"Yes, you can. However only you can determine for yourself who the right person is. "
"But maybe I don't want that kind of relationship. In fact, I don't think that kind of relationship would work well for me."
"That's fine."
"However, if I do go for Clara, or someone else, or Janine, depending on how events shape her future, won't your universe, cease to exist?"
"I don't see why it shouldn't still exist."Parallel Egon replied.
"Can't you simply, leave Janine? Divorce her?"
"Who knows what'll happen if I did that? Now that we know that Parallel Universes exist, it could simply create more of them. Plus, I don't know why, but when you marry someone, you can't quit just because there's something wrong. Something can be worked out."
"I guess you're right about that. Well, I have some good news. I've been able to isolate the correct temporal coordinates needed to get you back to your reality." Egon told him.
"Great, I guess."
"You may not be happy in that reality, but staying here with only contaminate this timeline and possibly yours."
"You're right about that."Parallel Egon said.
At a remote location, the Ecto-4 was prepared for temporal transport. "You do realize that once you enter the portal and it closes, that's it. You'll have no way of contacting us to say that you're back in your reality." Egon said to his counterpart.
"Guess that's a risk I'll have to take."Parallel Egon replied.
"Good luck man." Winston patted him on the shoulder. "Say hi to my double when you get there."
"Same for the rest of us." Peter added.
"I will." Egon entered the temporal coordinates.
"Powering up the Temporal Field Drive." He announced. A ray of brilliant light shot out ahead. Soon it began to widen. At that moment, Parallel Egon was let out of the Ecto-4. When the portal was big enough, it was time for him to pass through. After he did so, the Temporal Field Drive burned out, and the portal closed, then vanished altogether. "So long." Egon said quietly.
In his reality, Parallel Egon found himself still in New York City. And when he got back to GBHQ, Janine rushed up and hugged him, thinking he'd been gone forever. The one clue that told Egon he was back in his correct reality, was the gleaming gold band on Janine's left ring finger.
The End.