Erin, Abby and Patty stood staring at the faulty proton packs lying on the bench. They had left quickly after the ambulance had arrived as a few paparazzi and press had begun to appear. None of them had felt like defending themselves today.
All of them were so drained after the bust, more than usual. Busts were never easy but the worry of the faulty equipment was eating away at all of them. They had immediately sealed away the ghost and headed to the lab. None of them felt they could relax until this was sorted.
"Did she show you how to make them?" Patty finally asked the two of them.
"I mean…sort of…" Abby mumbled.
"What you mean by that?" Patty sighed.
"I know the theory, but she followed her gut, these are not by the book in any way." Erin explained, going to sit down on a stool, arms folded.
"We could piece together something but it would be nowhere near the same." Abby sighed, too sitting down.
Patty sunk down as well.
The three of them sat quietly, the air filled with the intensity of their thoughts. Abby wondered if they could contact the mayor and get a replacement, they'd never be the same but it could be a start. At the same time, she knew the others would never trust someone the mayor brought in. She also knew that Jillian would not be coming back.
Erin hated herself for immediately thinking perhaps they could track down Hunter make her tell them her secrets, maybe even capture her in a ghost trap, keep her contained but still part of them. She knew in her heart she couldn't hurt her, keep her trapped despite knowing that's what she had done to Jillian. She also knew they could never trust her, but she'd get to see her. Maybe it could be rehabilitative, if that was even possible with ghosts.
All Patty could think was how much she would miss them all if this fell apart, these weirdos had become her family and no matter how they tried things would never be the same if this fell apart. They would all drift into different jobs, different lives.
"Is this it?" Patty asked quietly.
"No." Abby responded immediately. "As long as we all still want to be here?" She looked around, catching Erin's eyes cast down at the floor.
"Erin?" Patty asked, noticing her lack of eye contact too.
"Honestly I don't know if we can do it without her." Erin quietly said, "I get that she lied to us, that she is a bad person, but…. I can't forget how she made all this possible."
The three of them stayed silent for a moment.
"If we can't make this work, we are failing hundreds of people." Abby suddenly angrily said. "I'm not willing to believe that this can't be done without a dead teenage girl."
"I'm with Abby." Patty agreed. "We've come too far, as harsh as it sounds, as much as she meant to us, this is bigger than one person."
Erin rubbed her temple gently.
"No matter how difficult it is, I'm in for the long run." Abby said, putting her hand out.
Patty put her hand down on hers, "I'm in."
The two looked at Erin. She glanced between them tears in her eyes. She couldn't help but feel scared, she wasn't one for taking gambles. Everything she knew had collapsed around her, diving back into this world, this work felt like a massive risk.
She looked into Patty and Abby's eyes. They were her family. She knew this was bigger than any of them. She couldn't lose them, as scary as continuing was, losing these two was scarier still.
"I'm in." Erin nodded, steeling herself, she too put her hand down.
Abby let out a laugh, as the three grown women had their hands together like a bunch of kids.
"What are we starting a secret girls club?" Patty laughed too.
The three pulled their hands apart.
"I'll start on the proton packs tomorrow." Erin smiled.
"And I'll start on ordering dinner." Patty smiled, jumping up.
Erin stared at the floor, she could feel Abby watching her.
She didn't know if this was right, if she could keep going. Part of her wondered if it was best to just go and find Hunter, bust her get it over with, but she knew she would never be able to. She couldn't. A doubt was creeping into her thought, that Patty and Abby would be able to, might even want to.
"What are you thinking?" Abby asked quietly, wringing her hands in her lap.
Erin smiled a weary smile. "I'm just tired Abby." She gently rubbed her head, tears threatening to spring.
"We all are." Abby sighed.
Things weren't as fun as they used to be, it had almost been a game after their defeat of Rowan. They laughed, joked and the catching ghosts didn't feel as dangerous as it once had. Abby hadn't realized how perfect everything truly was. She supposed that was why people only saw things as a golden era after it ended. Things weren't ever going to be the same, she knew that things had been polluted and no amount of cleansing could ever take it back.
Being a ghostbuster had taken its strain on all of them, their bodies ached but they had ignored the aches and pains. Now though the real cost the emotional one was what was crushing them. Their work was invaluable, someone had to keep the city safe.
"Maye it's time to start training the next generation?" Abby asked suddenly.
"What?" Patty interrupted the two of them.
"If we are bringing in someone new anyway, why not bring in a group of…interns. Train them, we can't do this forever. It might help take the strain off." Abby rapidly.
"How long have you been thinking about this?" Erin asked, Abby couldn't tell if she sounded angry or heartbroken.
"I just thought of it the now." Abby sheepishly admitted.
"I think…." Erin paused, mulling over her words. "We should do it."
"Yeah, it's a good idea. I mean my back ain't going to carry that pack around forever." Patty nodded, sitting down beside them.
"We probably won't be able to get them right away, I think we need to bolster our reputation first." Abby added, looking between the two of them.
Erin smiled at Abby reassuringly.
"I think this is for the best, we aren't stopping but we are making plans for the future, taking the pressure off."
A loud knock at the door startled the three of them.
"That was quick." Abby laughed, "I take it you didn't order from Benny?"
"I'll get the plates." Erin jumped up, as Patty headed to the door smiling.
"I'm telling you, you should give Benny chance." Patty teased as she opened the door, as she turned her smile fell.
Standing in the doorway with two suitcases and a bag slung over her shoulder was Jillian Holtzmann. She was wearing a tight pair of light jeans and a long-sleeved olive t-shirt. Her make-up was perfectly done, her hair straightened.
"Hi," she smiled nervously. "Is this a bad time?"
"No, of course not come in." Patty garbled.
"Guys, we have company." She called, as she pulled the door open and picked up one of Jillian's suitcases.
Abby and Erin stared for a second before quickly shaking themselves into action.
"How are you?" Abby gushed, coming forward.
Jillian blushed, "I'm good."
She caught Erin and Abby's stares at her suitcases.
"Oh yeah, the Mercado have a limit on how long guests can stay."
Erin's brow crinkled, she had never thought about it before but then again, she had never stayed in a hotel for any length of time.
"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Patty asked.
Jillian cast her eyes down, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot.
"I was wondering if I could stay here a while?" she quietly asked.
"Of course, sweetie." Patty smiled, putting an arm around her.
Erin forced a smile, "Yeah, of course."
Abby gave a quick smile and a nod.
"I'll help you take your stuff upstairs." Erin smiled, taking the suitcase from Patty. The two of them heading up the stairs to Hunters old room.
Patty looked at Abby both staying silent until they were out of ear reach.
"What you thinking?" Patty whispered.
"I don't know. I didn't expect to see her again. Maybe I'm just overreacting but it seems odd."
"I agree it's odd, we haven't heard from her in over a month, but we just need to sit down and talk with her." Patty replied in a hushed tone.
"Hmm." Abby replied. "You're right, I'm just being silly. We owe her the benefit of the doubt after all she's been through."
Patty smiled, "Yep that's you, the leader of the nut house."
Abby gave her a scowl then laughed.
"We can all talk about this tomorrow. Tonight, I want a bottle of wine and too relax."
"You better be pouring us a glass." Erin smiled, as her and Jillian came down the stairs.
Abby couldn't help but worry that Erin was getting closer to Jillian to fill the gap Hunter had left. She worried Erin wouldn't be able to separate the two of them in her head anymore. Abby scolded herself, Erin was a grown woman she wasn't a child needing protection.
"Of course, and they'll be plenty of dinner for all of us." Abby smiled.
The four of them sat down each with a glass of red wine.
"How have you been?" Patty eventually asked.
Jillian nodded, clenching her jaw.
"Honestly, it's not been easy."
Erin gently put her hand on Jillian's for comfort. Abby couldn't help but stare.
"But I'm doing better." Jillian smiled at Erin, then looked to the others.
"That's why I came back here."