October 1997
"This time it's personal... his words from a scant hour ago rolled in his head as he absorbed the horrific scene before him.
"Your Janine is but a memory..." the enormous cockroach gloated. "Cherish it in the time you have left..."
Normally he would be concentrating on the self-aggrandizing speech Cojilla was giving...his boasts to mate with his new Queen, and birth an entire race of monstrous insect creatures that would then seed themselves into humanity before destroying it.
But all he could do was stare at the actually somewhat lithe and graceful looking creature that was once Janine Melnitz.
How could he be so stupid? Even after the heartache he'd put her through six years before...the lies, the angry breakup...she'd come back to him. She still wanted to be part of his life. And just that day, she'd tried to get him to accompany her to a restauraunt...and all he could do was babble about the lack of sanitation.
She wanted to be with him.
Did she still love him, after all of this?
Because he knew he still loved her...
"So what do you think of her now, Egon?" the Incan diety asked, accenting his name, stressing it with sheer contempt and self-satisfaction.
The female creature blinked. "...eegon?..." it croaked weakly.
Kylie shouted at him. "Egon! Tell her! Tell her how you really feel!"
Egon swallowed hard. The similarities to 1990...when the Lotsabucks had almost destroyed her...were overwhelming him. But at least then...he didn't have an audience. "Um, er...of course." he stammered. "Janine! You have to shake it off!! You're too important to us--we could never find a Client Administrator as capable as you!"
He heard Eduardo mutter something in Spanish. Kylie growled at him..."Not that, Egon--Tell her you love her!"
"Would that be...appropriate?"
This time it's personal
"Janine..." he said, taking a deep breath. "Six years ago, I did the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. Why you came back after that, I don't know..." and then the words came easier. "But it was a miracle--because I still love you!! I never stopped!!"
The creature blinked. "Eeegon?' it said louder, more firmly.
"Now, er, come over here and give me some sugar, Baby!!" Good grief, did I just say that?
And the thing that was once his lover leaned over, and kissed him.
The strange thing was...despite being a giant bug...it was still her...he felt it...the passion welling...
"Step away from them, My Queen. It is time to fulfill your destiny." She blinked, and moved away from Egon, back toward the demon.
"Aw man..." Garrett muttered.
Egon found himself barely supressing a smirk.
"Eat the royal jelly, my Queen, and complete the transformation..." Cojilla purred.
"Eat this." Janine replied flatly, opening her wings...
...To reveal a ghost trap that sucked the insectoid demon, snarling and cursing, into it's innards.
April 1984
Was it really less than a year before that he'd been in an eerily similar position?
"Arm proton packs, maximum force. Remove safety."
It was unfortunate...but a noble sacrifice. By doing this they would ensure the future of every man, woman, and child on the planet Earth.
"Initiate destruct sequence on my mark."
By cutting short their own.
"Mark." he said, voice calm. As always.
Beside him, his three comrades hit the buttons. There was a play of sparks around the emitters of the neutrona wands...and the cyclotrons aquired a new, menacing pitch.
Jeremy Whittington had initiated Ragnarok--the end of the world ("Ragnarok" being, more specifically, the Norse word for the concept)--to avenge the wrongs he percieved directed against him. With his communion with powerful supernatural forces, their own beams would not be enough.
"Well...I guess this is it..." Winston said simply.
Ray nodded. "Yeah...been nice working with you guys..." After a beat he made sure to add. "You too, Peter..."
Venkman shot him the bird. "Hey, ditto. Only next time don't call me, I'll call you, okay?"
He should be resigned to this. Curious, even, about what the Other Side would bring. A meeting with the greatest of minds, perhaps. Newton, Einstein, Rutherford, Maxwell...
A life lost in the sacrifice of others should not bring any regrets...
But it hit Dr. Egon Spengler like being attacked with a 2 by 4.
He suddenly realized, dying now, he had a regret. A powerful regret, something that meant more to him than he realized possible..
And that regret had a name...
"Janine..."
August 1997
Egon arrived slightly late for the lecture, Paranormal Phenomina (101), however, it appeared that it wasn't much of a trouble, his largest class yet, four students sat before him talking quietly. He noted with slight amusement that the sole girl, who appeared the match the general description of the youth culture known as 'goths' was sat next to a considerable pile of occult related books, including his own Spirit Guide.
"...like those ghost blasting things." An African-American said as Egon walked out onto the stage.
"Proton Guns." Egon replied. "Actually to be more accurate, ectoplasmic molecular displacement beams." Egon continued as he reached the podium.
"It's Egon Spengler!" The goth girl said quickly.
"I'm all a twitter." A Latino sat in the same row replied sarcastically. Egon set his briefcase down, opened it and started to go through his notes, he then turned to face the small class, he crossed his arms as he leant against the desk.
"Four people are taking this class?" Egon asked.
"The average student just isn't as enlightened enough to be interested in the paranormal." The goth replied sympathetically.
"Great turnout!" Egon replied, surprising the group. "Double the class size I had last symester." Egon replied.
"Excuse me Professor, am I late?" A female voice shouted.
It was him, allright, it had been more the six years since they'd seen each other, but he was still pretty much the same to her, albeit slightly older and with white showing in the back of his hair. She'd stopped by at the Firehouse earlier, she still had her old door key, and surprise surprise, he'd never gotten around to changing the locks. But her being there only made her feel more inclined to see him again...
No, we were just getting..." He looked up, he couldn't believe it was her, he hadn't seen her in almost a decade, but to him, she'd hardly aged at all.
She was really there, walking down the ramp towards the small class. "Janine?" He asked, stupified.
February 1986
"Whoa..." Winston had said admiringly at the car parked outside Ghostbusters Central. "Dig that limo..."
"Can't be anyone we know..." Ray said next.
"Not unless your Uncle Cyrus is making a surprise visit" Venkman conjectured, poking Egon. The door to the limo got out, and a man with an expensive suit, slicked back hair, beady eyes, and too-perfect teeth got out of the car
"Uncle Cyrus never makes surprise visits, he..." and then Egon's words trailed off as possibly the last thing he could ever have anticipated occured: Janine Melnitz got out the car next, taking the rat-faced mans' hand.
"Janine?!"
He realized later that he was the first one out of the ECTO-1. Ray, Venkman, and Winston exchanged worried looks, and were right behind him.
Janine was beaming. For some reason, that pissed him off. "Hey guys!" the familiar Brooklyn voice purred. "This is Paul Smart, President of Grossjuck Industries..."
Egon recognized the name--a new electronics firm, specializing in some unusual equipment, the kinds that might come in useful in his line of work--if Egon hadn't decided right then and there that he would never condone, sanction, or touch any piece of hardware bearing the Grossjuck logo.
Smart shook hands with Venkman. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you...I've seen you on television, and Janine has told me a thing or two about you..."
Ray responded. "Same here, except,um, she hadn't mentioned you at all."
Smart smiled an oily, toothy smile. "Well...I requested some discretion until I knew her better."
"Grossjuck..." Venkman ruminated as it was his turn to shake hands with Smart. "You're in that new highrise off 40th Street..."
Smart crinkled his eyes with false modesty. "It's nothing fancy, but we call it home."
Smart came next to Egon, extending his right hand as he had the others. The physicist's arms stayed cross. "Then what do you call that?" he sneered, gesturing to the limo. "Your jalopy?"
Smart stepped back. His fake smile seemed to fall just a bit.
"Egon..." Janine snarled, a look of unexpected confusion and hurt in her eyes.
Smart had just finished shaking hands with Winston when the cell phone in the ECTO-1 began to ring. Winston was the closest to the car, so he went off to answer it.
Smart looked back at Egon. Egon was giving him a look that could burrow holes through titanium shielding. Smart tugged his collar self-consciously.
"Egon..." Janine said, in an even firmer voice. "What the hell is up with you?"
"Spengs..." Venkman pleaded, grabbing his arm--Winston was signalling that they needed to come on--they had another job.
Egon shot one more skunk eye at Paul Smart and turned to join his comrades. Like I care...he told himself as he got into the car.
But even then he knew that was a lie.
August 1997
Did I ever really love Louis Tully? she asked herself. He was there for me...when we both needed someone to be there... and it was certainly flattering to feel wanted. But that was all there was.
She was angry at herself for all of it. One of her old colleagues confused lust for love, and she had done something even worse--mistaken loneliness for need. She had been lonely, and let herself lead an innocent, trusting man on just to feel better about herself. There were other causes, including a malevolent force (though she didn't know it was malevolent at the time) egging her on, but ultimately, it was her own fault.
Even more so three years later, after their lives had fallen apart, the company she'd become such an integral part of disbanded in a blaze of acrimony. She'd turned to Louis for comfort once more when...well, with all of the hurt she could face only an outsider--and despite his own time with the company, Louis was still an outsider in her eyes. Hurt and lonely, she sucked him in again.
No...she admitted to herself. I never loved him...I never even lusted for him, really. Hell, I'm not sure I even liked him...I just didn't want to be alone.
So she married him. And about a month later was already sure it had been a mistake.
She'd hung in there for another four long years, stubbornness being a trait that had gotten her into more than one mess...she felt she owed the man who'd shown his love for her as much loyalty as she'd shown...
She shook her head angrily. "Just one ghost, Janine. And it was far too big for me to ever bust."
She took off one blue pump and threw it at the wall. Why COULDN'T I ever make it work!? Why COULDN'T I ever love Louis?! He loved me, he treated me the best he ever could, but...
She already knew the answer.
I could't love him because I was already in love with another man. And Adonai help me...
...I still am.
A rakish psychologist of questionable credential had once told her "Y'know, one of the clinical definitions of insanity is trying the same thing again and again while expecting different results"
Janine Melnitz, freshly minted divorcee, exhaled heavily. "So color me clinically insane, Doctor Venkman..."
February 1986
"Egon, what the Hell is up with you?" Winston said, much sterner than Venkman's casual remark. "I've never even seen you even touch alchohol." Winston drank beer on occasion. Ray and Venkman seemed to live on it. He'd even seen Janine swig the stuff once or twice. But not Egon.
"It'sh an eshperiment to determine the alchohol toleransh of sheshually represhed physhishistsh...sho far I don't think I've been holding the shtuff very well..."
Venkman blinked. He'd known Egon Spengler a lot longer than Winston, but like Zeddemore he'd never seen the taller man even sip an alchoholic drink. Venkman even wondered once if he had one of those rare intolerances to alchohol. And yet here he sat, completely sloshed--so sloshed he was even admitting out loud to being "sexually repressed" I think that hits the nail on the head... Venkman mused to himself, but with no real satisfaction at being right.
"Egon...is this about Janine and Paul Smart?" Venkman asked point-blank. This was the time, he thought. He's drunk. His normally insurmountable emotional defenses were down--it may be the only time I can get a straight answer.
Egon stood straight up with an abrupt energy that took Venkman and Winston both by surprise. "You said her name!!" he shouted, his bloodshot eyes flashing with anger. He didn't even seem to notice that his glasses came off as he stood up and clattered to the ground. "How in Einstein's name can I forget that such a creature existed if you keep saying her name!! Damn you to Hell Peter Venkman!!"
Both other men were thoroughly unnerved by this. He'd turned from Amiable Slurring Drunk to Angry, Semi-Coherent Drunk at the simple mention of that certain name. Egon tugged his tie and turned back to Harvey. "Time to redouble my effortsh..." he said, pulling out another twenty...
Winston scooped up Egon's red-rimmed glasses (he'd started wearing durable polycarbon frames and high-impact plastic lenses years ago; a six foot fall didn't even scratch them)
Harvey said simply. "I think you've had enough, Doctor Spengler..."
Egon looked at him as though he was speaking Martian. "You musht be joking...I'm a paying cushtomer...aren't you shupposhed to lie to me and kish my ash..." Venkman winced at hearing one of his political rants coming out of Egon's mouth.
Egon pushed a finger up his nose as though to adjust the spectacles that weren't there. He didn't seem to notice the difference. "Then, Good Shir, I fear I musht take my buishnesh elshewhere..." he swung around and talked to the air about a foot left of Venkman. "Peter knowsh all the nightshpotsh...perhapsh you could make a recomendashion..."
"Yeah...my recommendation is that you go home and get into bed."
Egon's eyes bulged, and without much more warning he projectile vomited all over Winston. He staggered for another second, then slumped abruptly to the ground, like a puppet with his strings cut. Venkman and Winston caught him.
"...Perhapsh that would be wise..." he agreed weakly before passing out completely.
June 8, 1993
I've got to stop doing this to myself... he chided internally. You got what you always said you wanted--you always said a true scientist could not afford the messy emotional attachments...that all the "normal" things were for people who didn't have as much to accomplish as you do...
He jiggled the mouse to call up the display on his computer. After checking the weather, he noticed an alert...
Alert: Flag for Public Records
Egon grimaced. He'd set his computer to keep track of the public records databases--he just found himself unable to believe his friends would continue to notify him as to weddings, and births...but he unavoidably just had to know Specify target hit? Melnitz, Janine
His blood froze cold. What if something had happened to her? Again?
No. She'd endured enough bad luck for two life times. With him out of her life certainly this must be good news...
He inhaled. And clicked the link
Slimer picked through the remains of the breakfast Egon had dumped on the bed.
He was startled out of his lethargy by a loud crashing.
"YOU BITCH!!" he heard Egon's voice shout, in an anger that unnerved him. Egon was never that angry. He was never angry, period.
There was a feral shout, and more crashing sounds. Glass breaking, electronic devices being smashed...Slimer hid under the bed, and wimpered mournfully.
Egon surveyed the wreckage that had once been his laboratory, his breaths deep and labored. The desk chair he'd sat in had been thrown against one of the book cases full of assorted electronic gear and test tubes. Several more items he'd grabbed and hurled into the wall.
State of New Jersey Marriage License Filed June 6, 1993 Tully, Louis B. Melnitz, Janine
The phone rang. He grabbed it angrily. "WHAT?!"
A few second passed. "Egon? Is something wrong over there?"
Egon inhaled deeply, beating the uncaged beast back into his subconscious. "I..er, sorry about that, Edward...a bit of a lab accident, I'm afraid."
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. Though I lost something rather valuable and irreplaceable..." he found himself admitting out loud.
November 21, 1987
"Hey there..." Janine replied warmly. As someone who'd spent some time trying to contemplate what a Spengler's genetic offspring might look like, she enjoyed the chance to meet one close up.
"You can call me Jen." the girl told her. "My parents and Uncle Cyrus don't, but my friends at school do...are you Uncle Egon's girlfriend?"
Janine made an effort not to appear fazed by the rather blunt question. "That's an awful personal question, Jen..."
Ellis coughed nervously "Jennifer..."
Janine smiled at Jen. "Let's just say...I haven't managed to convince him that that's a good idea yet."
June 14, 1998
"Aunt Jay about ready?" Victor Irwin asked his mother as she, his grandmother, Marie, and Shirl appeared.
"Yep." Doris answered. "We probably better get to our seats soon..."
Marie waved at someone she saw. "Hey! Petey!!"
Peter Venkman saw her wave, and came over. "Well, well, well...Marie Cavendish. Long time no see?" he kissed her cheek.
"Well, Marie Rosenfeld now--that's my husband over there with the two kids." she pointed to a nondescript man near a couple of little girls.
"Congrats." Venkman replied. "I got two anklebiters myself--that's them over there with the gorgeous tall lady. And I promise she's the mother of both of them."
Marie giggled. "I guess this is all our fault, isn't it? If you hadn't told me about that job you had and I hadn't told Janine..."
Venkman nodded. "It's all worked out for the best. Though damn if it didn't take way too long."
Marie rolled her eyes. "No kidding. Hm...I wonder..."
"Wonder what?"
"Wonder if Janine remembers something I made her promise all those years ago..."
"Which is?"
"I can't tell you!!" Marie giggled. "You might squeal!"
"Y'know, as I recall, you were the one who squealed when..."
"Hey! None of that! My husband and your wife are right over there!!" Marie winked at him. "I promise I'll tell you when the time's right. When they have kids."
Venkman found himself regarding the thought for a moment as he moved to rejoin his family. Kids, huh? Oh boy...with his brains and her loud mouth that could be a dangerous combination... He smiled to himself. I can't wait to see it
"Who was that?" Dana Barrett Venkman asked her husband as he sat down.
"One of Janine's friends." Peter responded, truthfully
Victor's attention was suddenly drawn by someone...a tall, blonde, female someone he estiimated was around his own age. A tall, blonde, not too bad looking female someone.
He knew the other people here his age--the four new Ghostbusters that Uncle Egon and Aunt Jay had hired last fall--but this person was a mystery. One he was quite intrigued by.
"Hey there." he finally said, going over to her. She regarded him quizzically with some disdain. "Whoa..." he blurted out. "I know that look. You gotta be a Spengler..."
"Jen Spengler." she replied. "Egon is my uncle."
"Whoa...hey, mine too. Well, it won't be official until later today." he extended his hand. "Victor Irwin. Janine's my aunt."
"A pleasure to make your aquaintance, then." she replied. "Technically, it won't make us related, but we will have mutual family. Especially if Uncle Egon and Janine have any children..."
"Yeah. But since we aren't gonna be related, really, there wouldn't be any harm in askin' you out to eat or somethin'..."
"Erm..." she froze. Certainly, the young man was charming. And the certain sense of verisimiltude--especially with their relatives about to marry--was striking. But the most surprising thing of all is that she found herself thinking of her new coworker, Bo Holbrook. "I don't really think this is the time for something like that..."
"Just think about it, okay? I am a Melnitz after all...and we know how great them and Spenglers go together..." he winked, and left her with a lot to think about as she went to the seat where her father was waiting.
June 1992
"Why haven't you called Egon?"
She slammed the wine glass on the table so hard Peter was afraid it was going to break. "Dammit, Doctor Venkman, how am I supposed to forget about him if you keep saying his name?!"
Peter couldn't help but note an eerily similar response he once got in an eerily similar circumstance. "You didn't answer my question..."
"Maybe it's none of your damn business!!" she retorted. "Why the hell haven't you called him--you've know him ten years longer than I have!!"
"Yeah, but I never contemplated making the sign of the double humpback whale with him!!" Venkman counter-retorted.
"You bastard..." she snarled. She just about wanted to tell him just to shut him up for a moment. See the look on his face. But decided effectively guaranteeing a hospital stay for Louis wasn't in her best interest right now. "Maybe I've decided to move on with my life, Peter Venkman. I put up with that man's inabillity to deal with his feelings for eight f--ing years, and I've had it. I'm sorry, Doctor Vee, just because you finally got the dream wedding with the person you love and suffered for doesn't mean everybody else does too!"
Peter shook his head and stood up. "Maybe not...but if there was anyone in the world who might deserve this more than Dana and I, it'd be you and Spengs. I'm just sorry to see you throwing it away like this."
She took another swig of her wine. "Mutual decision."
"And that's what makes it worse." Peter replied. "Promise me two things, as one old friend to another..."
"Depends..."
"Number one, get help. You're clearly sliding into something unpleasant--you need to deal with all that anger. I say that as a friend and a trained psychologist--I don't want you doing something rash you'll regret later. Which leads me to the second thing..."
She didn't look at him, staring at the table. "Which is?"
"For the love of God if you do something stupid and rash, don't do with with an ass-tick like Louis Tully. You drove off that bridge already..."
F-- you... is what she wanted to say. Instead, she nodded weakly, and continued to look at the table.
June 14, 1998
Interlude the First: Ghostbusters Central
The phone rang, disturbing him from his contemplation.
"Ghostbusters New York how may I help you?" Louis Tully droned into the phone.
"Uh huh...okay...sure...we'll have someone out as quick as possible..."
He hung up the phone and dialed another phone number. "Hey, Mister Holbrook? We just got a call...cab going wild at 30th and Lex they say it started to drive itself and bark like a dog and it's chasing some guy up a light post. I know what turning into a dog is like and since when you turn into a dog the Ghostbusters help, well, here we are. Are you sure you'll be all right with just the four of you? I'm all ready to help if you need me..."
Louis was, indeed, wearing his green and purple Ghostbuster flight suit. A Mark 1 proton pack (the new Mark 2's scared him too bad) was sitting close by. Just in case.
"Oh okay...well, now don't forget the special we're running today and be careful because of that time last week Ecto Ernie forgot to get their credit card number and...well okay good bye..." Louis hung up the phone. "Guess Bo was in a big hurry to get going..."
He sighed, and slouched in the seat. Three members of the new Nightsquad team (Jen Spengler being the notable exception) and one of the newest hires of Ghostbusters New York (who didn't have the personal ties to the Spenglers the originals or even the Extreme team did) were serving as backup to allow the rest to attend the wedding.
Louis had been invited. The newlyweds to be had offered him a chance to be there, to show that bygones were indeed bygones...but Louis declined. Granted, he'd been far more in love with Dana Barrett than he'd ever been with Janine Melnitz, but he'd gone to Dana's wedding to Peter Venkman. Because Dana, while she made it clear she didn't have the same feelings and never would, still was his friend, from long before she had even met Peter Venkman. And because...deep down...he knew they shared a bond that noone, not even Venkman or Dana's prior husband, Andre Wallance, could touch: the shared experience as the unwilling minions of Gozer.
Janine? Well...that was different. In the pit of his soul he knew it almost from the first--he had been intruding. Stepping into something that he had no business being part of. As though some malicious god had ordained to use him as the agent of his vengeful quest to keep two souls who belonged together from being happy...if he had gone, he would be nothing but a reminder of the mistakes that both Egon Spengler and Janine Melnitz had made...and this day was about their triumph, not their tragedies.
Because it's also an act of love to let go...when it's the right thing to do.
June 14, 1998
Interlude the Second: Nodus Plaza
The magazine sat open on his desk. Spooks Illustrated, a brief article titled "Ghostbuster Wedding"
How had this gotten to this point? Josiah Nodus wondered to himself. It just doesn't make any sense...Spengler denies his destiny with Sarim-Lar...Melnitz goes back to him...my gambit with Tully and the shard of Anthal-Noge failed...
And now they're married? And for only a second, he found himself hit by a pang of human emotion. Longing. Remembrance of the one he'd left behind after she'd betrayed him. And deep, pure jealousy at what had just transpired.
He suppressed the feeling with force. He had come to far to let human emotion cloud his judgement now.
He looked at the orange glow in it's canister. It had faded over the years despite his best efforts...
If things had not developed as he had anticipated...as he had seen...then there must be a reason. And he would find it.
October 1989
Enough was enough.
It was bad enough she'd given in to a moment of weakness. Had let it get to her...
Things had been going so well. She'd worked at Columbia...took his calls, helped him remember what he needed to do to function in the "real world"...it was almost like being back with the Ghostbusters--except he wasn't going to get called in the middle of the night to go battle demons intending to turn New York into a crispy-fried taco supreme.
But then the Ghostbusters came back.
He tuned her out--he was too busy trying to solve the mystery of the River of Slime. Too busy dealing with criminals from the future. To busy helping Venkman score points by solving Dana Barrett's problem to pay much attention to her...
Louis Tully wasn't exactly her vision of studliness. But dammit...it was so nice to have a man actually pay attention to her...find her interesting...find her desirable...
He had barely said six words to her since Louis blurted all about their New Year's fling...Louis had innocently approached Venkman to ask a question about "girl problems"...Venkman was probably amused at first...
Until Louis told him who was confusing him by shutting him out.
Venkman had exploded.
There had been a lot of shouting.
Egon didn't say a damn thing about it.
And now they were getting ready to fly a zepplin into the Earth's core to fight an evil dinosaur (yeah, how many other people got to say that about their jobs?)
She swallowed hard, and walked up to him as he studied some blueprints, pretending not to notice her walking up to him.
"Egon, I've been waiting for a chance to talk to you, but I haven't seen you in days!!"
He spared one quick look over the edge of the paper. "Unfortuntely, we're attempting to equip a state of the art zepplin, and that tends to be time consuming."
"I know that." she replied, trying to keep her voice under control. "You'll be gone for weeks. Should I just hang an 'On Vacation' sign on the door or what?"
He lowered the blueprints, looking ever so slightly annoyed that she was bothering him. Good. "There won't be anything else you can do." he replied flatly. He looked back down at the papers. "It'll give you more time to spend with Louis. But don't let him drive the Ectomobile. It could be..."
Oh, thank you for bringing that up, Doctor.
"Egon! Can't you see? Louis is sweet, but he's harmless." She stood on her toes to look him in the eye, and grabbed his arm, sticking her left index finger in his face. "He just happened to be there while you were too wrapped up saving the world to pay any attention to anything else!!"
His teeth gritted. "Well, er, that is..." Then his face softened. Can it be? Is that actually...contrition in his eyes? And...hurt?
"Janine, I know what you're saying. I'd like to take you with us, but I'd be too worried about you to concentrate on the mission."
She felt her anger sliding away. He never said things like this. "Worried? About me?"
"We're going to enter a strange and savage domain. I can't unduly risk anyone, particularly someone I..." Adonai, he blushed slightly. "Well...care about..."
Maybe things were going to be all right after all...
"You're worried and you care." she repeated, not being able to help savoring the words. "Coming from you, that's almost as nice as a kiss..."
There was an uncharacteristically mischievous glint in his eye, and a hint of a smile as he replied "Perhaps when I return..."
She hugged him quickly. "I'll hold you to that perhaps, Mister Spengler..."
She strode off quickly. She had a lot to do...
Egon realized that Ray and Winston had seen the end of that little exchange. "Janine is a very enthusiastic young woman..." he noted sheepishly.
The two other Ghostbusters exchanged a look of mutual amusement. "We noticed..." Winston finally said.
November 1991
Egon stood over by the staircase to the basement, he leant on the rail, he didn't want to face Janine and look her in the eye, from what he'd heard from Peter, he was sure she'd be giving him something of a look of betrayal. He wondered what else she may have rediscovered...he'd hate to think what may have happened if she'd forgotten about what had occured with Louis, and then found out. But if that was the case, she wouldn't find out from Peter, Ray or Winston, only Egon knew of what had happened.
"Egon...why did you keep this from me?" Janine pleaded, Egon finally looked up, he had a expression of extreme embarrisment and mixed sorrow for what he'd done.
"I...I didn't want to hurt you." He replied sheepishly.
"But I had a right to know. We'd finally gotten together...I had a right to be told everything that had happened during the bits of memory I lost. ...Is this why Peter's been acting the way he has?" Janine asked. "Is this why he's been so resentful along with the closing of the company?"
"I am willing to conclude that it may have played a part in how he was acting recently." Egon replied.
"I don't believe it...Egon, I expected more from you...I thought we didn't have any secrets..." Janine was starting to break down. "How could you do that to me? To Peter? To Ray and Winston, they're our friends."
"I didn't feel it would be in your best interests to tell you at that stage..." Egon swallowed. "I asked them not to mention it until it was necessary."
"And that's meant to make me feel better? Egon, I'm insulted by that...I'm dissapointed in you...I thought we had something going...I think I'm going to need some time to think this over..." Janine replied, shrugging on her coat and handbag while also managing with her crutch. "See you around Spengler, I guess you never truely know a person..." Janine replied, she then walked over to the door, opened it and stepped out, closing it behind her. As the door clicked closed, Egon's head lolled forward. He'd left the only woman he's really cared about after his mother walk out of his life, probably permanently.
"Peter was right..." Egon muttered, he then stood up and walked over to the staircase, he felt aweful, and he supposed that a sleep could help to start making him recover the past few days. However the weight that he'd caused a woman he deeply cared about to leave and that he'd created heavy friction between his friends would haunt his dreams for many nights to come
June 1991
Janine took Egon's hand as they walked. "What the hell was that about?"
"She was commenting on how well I handle Victor."
"Well...you do..." Janine agreed. They arrived at the VW Beetle.
"Here...you drive..." Janine said, giving him the keys.
"Um...that would seem impractical." he said, getting into the driver's seat anyway. "Since I will be departing at the Firehouse, you would have to change positions to get home..."
She grabbed him, and kissed him full. The passion was obvious. "I got a better idea..." she purred. "Forget the firehouse...just come to my place..."
There was no doubt in his mind what she was proposing.
This would be the final surrender of all base logic to animalistic urge!! the logical part of his brain was yelling desperately. Far more rash and impulsive than anything you've ever done!! I must protest!! In his mind, he could almost see this voice as belonging to Edison Spengler, a manifestation of the strict logic and denial he'd impressed upon Egon. But then there was his mother's words of not too long ago: Son, even Edison Spengler knew that there was more to life than science. Or you woudn't be here. Then, in his mind's eye, Peter Venkman appeared and slapped old Edison into a ghost trap. Don't worry, I'll let him back out in a few hours...now you go and enjoy yourself, Pal...
It's been eight f--ing years, Spengs--you're more than ready for it.
"Yes..." he replied huskily, removing his glasses to kiss her more thoroughly.
To Be Concluded...
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