"Puppies"

By Knights

"Peter, what are you hiding?"

Peter glared at Egon. If looks could kill... "I have noooooo idea what you are talking about there big guy. None, what so ever." Clearing his throat he tried to give Egon 'the look'.

True to form, Egon was oblivious. "Certainly you do. Peter you realize that you're meager attempts at concealing the truth stopped working on me long ago... About a week after we met in college, I believe."

Looking at Ray, who was waiting at the end of the alley, and then back at Egon, Peter sharpened his glare. "Egon!" He hissed, "You're not helping. Get Ray out of here will you."

The soft whimper and a thump could be heard behind Peter.

Egon's Spock-like eyebrow raised and he leaned the upper part of his body to the right so that he could see behind Peter. "Oh."

"Yes, 'oh'! Now will you..."

Too late. "Hey guys, what's the hold up?" Ray was coming down the alley.

"Nothing Raymond." Egon said in too high of a pitch as he spun around to face Ray. "Peter simply... uh..."

"Needed to relieve myself, Ray." Peter said with a light voice but another glare at the back of Egon's head. Egon maybe able to tell when he was stretching the truth but he definitely could not lie on his own.

"In an alley, Peter?" Ray said with a wrinkled nose. "Surely you could have waited..."

Another whimper and soft huff came from behind Peter. Peter closed his eyes. That was it. It was blown. There was no way Ray hadn't heard that.

"Peter, what..." Peter felt Ray rush by him. "Oh my goodness! Puppies! Peter! Egon! Look there are puppies!"

"Don't pick one up, Ray." Peter said.

"Too late," came Egon's heavy bass tones.

"Who would have left these sweet puppies out here? Peter did you see how adorable these are? You know, I bet they were abandoned. People always think it's better to just leave something and forget about it. Makes me mad! They could have at least dropped them off at a shelter or something. Oh my! You are all so cute!"

As Ray chuckled and cuddled two of the three puppies, Peter opened his eyes and turned around. "Now, Ray..."

"We can keep one right?"

"Ray..." That was Egon.

"Oh come on guys it'll be great! Every fire house should have a dog... or three."

"THREE?!" Peter's eyes bulged. "We are not keeping all three puppies, Ray!"

"But Peter..." Ray was giving his best puppy dog eyes. The ones that he knew Peter had a hard time saying no to.

"No! Definitely not! We live in the city. Dogs need to be in the country, where they can run and poop and ..."

"Peter, you do realize that many people have dogs in the city..."

"Not helping, Egon!" Peter said with a growl. Ray wasn't listening though, he was busy trying to contain the three puppies in his arms at the same time.

"Just think, three puppies. The love a dog can bring is like no other. You'll see. It'll be great. We can take them for walks, and they can keep Janine company when we go on calls, and they can sleep at the bottom of our beds..."

"Oh, no! Definitely NOT!" Peter was thinking more along the lines of the cost of vet bills, the hair, and the barking, but it wasn't until Ray mentioned the sleeping arrangements that brought him to a halt. "I already have to deal with Slimer sleeping on my pillow. I will not have a mutt at the other end of the bed hogging the sheets!"

"I don't think they're mutts, Peter." Ray reasoned, "They look like they might be purebreds."

"That's NOT the point!"

"Why would somebody abandon purebred puppies? Don't people usually sell them to make a profit?" That was Egon again. Completely logical and still not helping. Unless...

"Profit?"

Egon shrugged. "Purebreds often go for several hundred dollars each, especially if they come with papers."

"And if they don't?" Peter asked.

"Then perhaps not so much. At least not for a profit's sake. I calculate by the time you pay for food and veterinary bills the amount you could possibly charge would simply be to compensate for what you have already expensed."

Peter made a face. So much for that idea.

"Look Ray, we'll take them to the shelter okay? How about that buddy?"

"But who's to say they'll find them good homes?"

"Who's to say our home is a good home to three puppies? Some days we work from morning to night, and some times that can go for days. Who's going to take care of them then? Janine'll demand a raise and there's no way that's happening!"

"That doesn't happen that often."

"And who is going to clean up after them? And what about Slimer? You think he's going to stick around with three dogs? You need Slimer for science purposes."

"Are you truly using Slimer as a way to avoid the puppies?" There was that eyebrow again.

Peter shrugged, "Better the devil we know!"

Ray sighed, crestfallen. "I didn't think about Slimer."

Peter wrapped his arm around Ray's shoulders and started to lead him out of the alley, all three puppies now in his arms. One of the puppies started to squirm and slide from Ray's arms but Peter's reflexes kicked in and he had it in his arms before he knew it. The puppy was kinda cute. Big brown eyes and a little pink tongue... Almost reminded him of Ray.

Peter sighed. "Tell you what. We'll take these little gems to the shelter and then we'll help to find them good homes. Maybe we can help some of the other animals there too."

A bounce returned to Ray's step. "That's a great idea, Peter! We can help advertise and maybe make some donations for food and toys. On days when we're not busy we can go to volunteer there and help bring some of our publicity to the shelter. I bet if people see that the Ghostbusters care, they will too."

That wasn't quite what Peter had in mind but he was willing to concede. It would make Ray happy and really it wouldn't be that bad. Maybe he could take one for a walk every now and again. Didn't women love a man with a dog?!