It was all a blur for Egon as the firefighters escorted him out of the burning hotel through the back stairwell. While on firefighter lead Egon to safety the second had Peter's limp body draped over his shoulders. The thick smoke on the upper floors thinned as the escaping group descended but it didn't make it any either for the weary physicist to breathe. Huffing through his smoke filled lungs Egon let his mind wander as he thought back to how he had been unfairly blaming Peter for what had happened to Winston the night before.
"I'm sorry Venkman... Peter." Egon muttered in a low, bitter tone to himself. "I should've trusted you."
As Egon was lead to safety outside of the hotel the firefighters guided him over to an ambulance that was parked very near Ecto-1. A paramedic sat Egon down on the bumper of the parked ambulance while the firefighter carrying Peter laid the psychologist down on a gurney.
Egon looked past the male paramedic who was monitoring his pulse and using a stethoscope to check his breathing toward Peter. It didn't seem right, or fair to have Peter die at the hands of a ghost over a petty grievance that was decades old and completely irrelevant on that day.
A second paramedic began checking Peter over. She was also checking Peter's pulse and listening to his breathing with her own stethoscope. "We need to start him on 02," she announced in a level voice as she slipped an oxygen mask over Peter's face. "two liters to start with."
"Start him..." Egon was confused by her words. "But he's-"
"Alive." The male paramedic confirmed as he unzipped the top of Egon's jumpsuit and pulled his right arm free of the sleeve. "Your friend is alive."
Egon's eyes widened with a mixture of shock and relief. "But I... I didn't hear a heartbeat."
"Tinnitus." The paramedic responded confidently. He slipped an oxygen mask over Egon's face to assist his breathing until the smoke cleared from his lungs. "With all of the commotion of the fire and crumbling beams all around you your auditory senses are going to overwhelmed. But I can assure you he is alive."
The female paramedic continued her treatment over Peter while the male paramedic tended to Egon.
Egon's head bowed in utmost relief as the information seemed too good to be true.
Peter survived.
It was quiet in the hospital. Ray and Edward kept vigil at Winston's bedside, neither man wanting to leave the room for even a moment.
Ray was beginning to drift off as he sat in the chair beside Winston's bed when Edward stood up and leaned over the bed. It looked like Winston's right hand had moved slightly, his fingers barely flexing and relaxing. There was a change on the monitors attached to the comatose man which drew the attention of Dr. Robinson as well.
"Doc?" Ray rose from his chair and stood beside the bed. He was staring at Winston's face with mounting concern but refused to show how frightened he was in that moment of change. "Is there a problem?"
Dr. Robinson was checking Winston's eyes with a small penlight and taking a close look at the EEG display. "I need you two to step out of the room for a moment." His voice was calm and his posture confident. "I'll update you in a moment."
Edward was hesitant to leave his son's side but Ray patted his shoulder reassuringly. "It'll just be for a moment, come on. Winston will be okay."
Begrudgingly Edward allowed Ray to walk him out of the room just as two nurses joined Dr. Robinson inside the room. The door was shut but the curtains over the window were still opened.
Ray discreetly watched through the window as Dr. Robinson and the two nurses carefully extubated Winston, retracting the breathing tube from down his throat while keeping a close eye on his oxygen levels. The cardiac monitor remained stable throughout the ordeal.
Letting out a small laugh of relief Ray ran his hands over his tired face. "That's a good sign."
Edward saw Ray's lightened disposition and immediately began thanking the Heavens for Winston's recovery. Gratitude was only the beginning.
"Excuse me? Dr. Stantz?" The nurse who had shown him to Winston's room had returned. She had a look of sympathy on her face. "Dr. Spengler and Dr. Venkman have just arrived."
"That's...um..." Ray couldn't understand why the kind nurse looked so upset. "That's normal, isn't it?"
"You should come with me." She urged professionally. "It's a little complicated."
...to be continued...