Beginning Together

Chapter 1: Time Is Not Our Friend

The steady rumble of technology, beeping and buzzing from specialized equipment, and the two hunched figures of Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler in the basement of the firehouse were working in tandem on some new project. They had meters, gauges, and things no one, unless they had PhDs in the Paranormal or Engineering, would be able to tell you what they were.

"If we reroute the ectomorphioc energies through this tube,"

"Then we would be able to pull any ghost back into our world and contain them in the glass sphere." Ray and Egon chattered enthusiastically about their newest project. Recently they had come in contact with a spirit that used time as its source of protection and life; it had come close to wiping a certain blonde haired Ghostbuster out of existence but his friends captured the ever metamorphing spirit and locked it in the containment unit; with only a couple side effects on Egon that, thankfully, ended a couple days afterwards. Now the two smartest on the team were working on a way to figure out how the creature could control time and if there was any way to harness it in a safe manor for all mankind.

"Hand me that wrench will ya Ray?" Egon was stooped under a larger piece of equipment that, if all worked in their favor, would contain the entity safely and allow for further study in its amazing power.

"Wrench…wrench…I can't seem to find it Egon?" Ray looked up from the line of tools on the table; at that moment a shimmering green form rose from the cloth.

"Tada!" Slimer squeaked, holding the missing wrench in a green fist.

"Oh thank you Slimer." Ray smiled and patted the green blob's head. Slimer cooed and burbled. He floated around the room checking out what the guys were working on now.

"Egon?" Slimer called and the taller man slid out from under the dome-like container.

"What is it Slimer?" He inquired and was answered with quick babbles, bubbles, and squeaks.

"Sorry I asked." Egon slid himself back under the container as Ray knelt to hand him the aforementioned wrench. Suddenly there was the slamming of a door, boots thudding on the metal stairs, and a very ticked off Peter Venkman.

"Slimmmmmmmer! How many times have I told you to keep AWAY from my clothes!" Peter's voice carried in the open space, slime covered baseball jersey shirt clenched in his fist. Slimer shrieked and flew out threw the floor. Peter charged after him but stopped at the spot of goo their live in ghost left behind.

"Come on Peter you know Slimer never means it." Ray consoled.

"Oh yeah? Tell me Ray, how many clothes has Slimer ruined for YOU! Come on just give me a rough estimate and maybe I'll reconsider not turning him into green French fries." The tension in the air grew heavy; luckily Winston came down the stairs at that point.

"Hey, you guys wanna go grab a pizza or something? It's getting a little cramped in here since we haven't had a call in almost two weeks." He suggested. The look Peter flashed in his direction made him come right down.

"Okay Pete, what'd Slimer do this time?" Winton glanced at the goo drenched shirt and got his answer.

"I swear one of these days that little ball of ecto-sludge is gonna go too far!" Peter scrubbed his hands through his hair dropping the stained shirt. As Ray kept trying to reason with the younger man Egon came out from under the machine and started calibrating it. Winston noticed him and the thing that he and Ray had been working in secret all this week.

"Whew, this is some extracurricular activity you guys got goin' on." He whistled and walked around the glass dome.

"Yes it is quite impressive. We're actually running the first test tonight if you'd like to stay around and watch." Egon was watching one of the counters on the sphere's surface. Five minutes later he set his clipboard and electronic calibrator down and grabbed a small metal box with two buttons, a knob, and a small switch.

"Ray I think we're ready, care to flip the switch?"

"Boy would I!" Ray giggled like a kid at Christmas and positioned his thumb on the button.

"5…4…3…2…1!" Ray flipped the switch while Egon turned the knob. The room filled with static before a whooshing sound howled in the containment sphere. A panel slid open and a gelatinous form spewed out quick as lightning until the blobs gathered together and started shifting and morphing into a shape.

"It's…working." Egon gripped the control tighter, eyes shining behind his red rimmed glasses. Lights stayed steady, energy levels began reaching their correct valences, and the ectoplasm in the container soon took on the form of a larva creature. It floated for a second before shrieking and spinning around, it aimed itself for the nearest Ghostbuster, Ray, and slammed into the glass. Ray jumped back and kept staring with those wide, childlike eyes. Peter and Winston got slightly closer to see what the worm ghost would do next. It gave off a howl that would have shaken their eardrums but the glass muffled its voice and caused its agitation to rise. At the same time it started glowing just like it had done at the clock shop.

"Okay we're ready to begin time stream test." Egon jogged to the next piece of equipment, this looking like a futuristic door from Star Trek. He flipped more switches and grabbed a heavy lever.

"Better step back guys." Egon said over his shoulder and his friends obliged, taking shelter behind a bolted down desk. With a grunt Egon managed to lift the lever and a huge gust of wind blew him back. The doors opened with a 'shink' and a pulsing white light temporarily blinded Egon before dimming.

"It's working. It's working! Egon we did it!" Ray jumped up and down, spinning Peter in a circle with him.

"Yo, what did you guys make work?" Winston tapped his foot impatiently.

"What you see here is a time portal. The energy that slug like ghost puts off to change time and stop it is what powers this machine." Egon began explaining.

"With this technology at our fingertips we could find the way to immortality, maybe even cure deadly diseases. It's it exciting you guys?!" Ray beamed and danced around like a two year old.

"Yeeeah, real great Ray. So do you guys plan on sending Slimer through here? Cause if you are can I be the one to push him in?" Peter got a round of glares from his colleagues. He backed away from the glowing vortex as Winston took his place.

"I don't know guys; this seems too dangerous for anything living or dead to go through." The black man had images of being torn to atoms, blown up, and contorted into shapes only Picasso could think up. Egon grabbed a different device off the table; it looked like a cross between the PKE meter and a scanner that airport officials used.

"The energy levels are at maximum stability and there are no anomalies approaching the portal either." He pulled the device away as Ray strolled up beside him.

"Well Egon, ready to see where we go?" He grinned.

"I believe you mean 'when'." Egon corrected and the scientists had a good laugh. Peter rolled his eyes and pointed at his friends.

"They're nuttier than my grandma's fruitcake for attempting this." He murmured.

"I know but if this does work and they don't come back ghost themselves then this'll be the greatest thing of the century." Winston whispered. The men looked on as their companions were choosing who should go through the portal first. It was getting boring very quickly for Peter so he stepped forward.

"Why don't you both step through at the same time? Winston and I will stay behind and monitor everything so you come back in one, flesh and blood, piece?" He presented and watched Ray and Egon move closer to the white light. As Peter turned around he didn't see the puddle of Slimer's slim that he stepped him and his foot fell out from under him.

"PETER!" The guys screamed and ran to catch their sliding friend before he fell into the portal. Winston got there first but when he grabbed Peter's hand both of them were pulled into the gust of wind that continuously flowed in and out.

"Peter, Winston hang on!" Egon grabbed a coil of rope and tossed it to Winston, who stretched his fingers to grasp the thin cord,

"Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh!" Peter shrieked as the vortex's energy pulsed faster and pulled him deeper into its core with Winston going too.

"Ray help me tether the rope!" Egon strained, his boots sliding across the floor. Ray quickly grabbed the end and started pulling back with all the adrenaline he had running through his system now but the force of the time portal was too strong and all four Ghostbusters flew inside it.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"WAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"MOMMY!"

Slimer and Janine heard the screams and reached the door to the basement. Janine noticed the quickly disappearing rope into the flashing portal and the lack of her employers, especially a tall, blonde, and nerdy one.

"Slimer quick we've gotta save them!"

"O-ay!" Slimer sped down and tried grabbing the rope; Janine wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Egon! Ray! Peter! Winston can you hear me?!" She screamed. Slimer shrieked as the energy started pulling the other two inside. They shouted as they were yanked from their world and tossed into another; with Egon, Winston, Ray, and Peter already ahead.

Ray woke up screaming, Stay Puft clutched to his trembling chest as tears threatened to fall from his wide eyes.

"Ray? Ray are you alright? Why did you scream?" The red head whipped around and saw Egon standing at the side of his bed, eyes filled with concern.

"H-Had b-ba' d-dweam…I-I wan' A-Ace!" Ray curled in ball and sniffled while Egon scrambled into Ray's race car bed and gathered the two year old into his arms. He ran his fingers through his little brother's hair and whispered calming words at him. Ray buried his head in Egon's chest as he cried softly, sputtering out incoherent words still left over from his baby days; stuff about a large door, lights, and screaming. The older brother rocked back and forth like their older sister did when he or his brothers were upset.

A small thump followed by quick footsteps had Egon turning to the sound and squinting at the advancer. It was Winston so the older boy lessened his grip on poor Ray. The tot looked at the 3 and a half year old and gave him a sad smile.

"H-Hi Wisty. D-Di' I wake 'ou?" He asked so softly but Winston shook his head.

"No, I want'd ta get up an' go sweep wif sissy." He gave a smile back and started out their bedroom door. A shift of plastic and slight coo alerted the three brothers that their fourth sibling was up now too. Egon huffed, blowing some of his blonde hair out of his eyes.

"Guess we're all going to big sister's room." He assisted Ray in getting down from the bed before hopping off and walking to the crib on the right side of Ray's bed; reaching up on his tiptoes he managed to release the latches holding the front bars up. Peter sat at the edge cooing and flexing his fingers out towards Egon, his way of saying 'please carry me'. Egon carefully lifted the 8 month old out of his bed and carried him with his head over his shoulder, one arm around his waist, and one under his bottom just as Ace had taught him.

Feeling that he was alone Egon turned towards the door and saw his brothers already gone so he took after them, making sure he didn't bounce Peter or risk getting his back splashed in spit up. He arrived at Ace's bedroom door and eased it open and little more with his foot.

Ace was still fast asleep but if Winston was already here then she wouldn't be for much longer. The boy in question had successfully climbed on their sister's bed and was shaking her shoulder and whispering loudly; Ray joining in but gentler.

"Acey? Acey wake up, we wanna sweep here." Winston's harsh whispers and shakes did what they were meant to and with a shuffle of pillows and sheet Ace cracked open one blue eye. She saw Winston's grinning mug, Ray's slightly teary face, and Egon and Peter's approaching forms.

"Boys…?" She opened a bright green eye and viewed her glowing clock.

"It's 1:30 in the morning. Peter doesn't need to be fed for another two hours." She sighed but when her eyes traveled to Ray's reddened cheeks she slowly sat up.

"Ray honey, what's wrong?"

"I-I ha-ha' a ba-ba' d-deam." He hiccupped and crawled into Ace's arms. The teenager hugged him close and rubbed his back just like Egon had done.

"Okay boys, since you're all here you can stay. But no wiggling okay." She pointed a finger at Winston mostly and the child nodded like his head was on a spring before diving under the covers. Peter started getting fussy and reaching towards Ace who motioned Egon to bring the baby so he could get in too. With Ray on her left, Winston and Egon on her right and Peter laid out on her chest Ace laid back down and sighed tiredly.

"Goodnight again kiddos." She yawned.

"Goo'nigh'" Ray snuggled his sister and Stay Puft.

"G'nigh sissy." Winston giggled.

"You should actually be saying good morning as it technically is…Good NIGHT Egon" The five year old's correction was interrupted by everyone before all their eyes closed and they fell asleep once again, Egon included.