Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I last updated...but I'm finally on my vacation. It's been so relaxing to get away from work for a while, I'm not ready to go back yet! I found my way up to the public wifi spot though, and I hastily typed up a little of this chapter. I hope it's okay! Let me know if it's a little weak, I didn't have time to do much editing! Please review! :)

Egon watched as Melanie disappeared into the basement and shook his head angrily, pounding a fist on the Ecto-1's already ruined hood. He leapt on top of the car's hood and ran along it and jumped down on the other side.

"Watch it!" Ray called. He groaned and then climbed over the car as well. He ran after Egon down to the basement, realizing that he didn't have a proton pack. Egon still wore his, which he drew as they reached the bottom of the basement stairs.

They reached the room in time see Death seemingly torturing Melanie in order to get her out of his way to the containment unit. She stubbornly refused to move, taking in all that Death was possessing her with. His hands were glowing with what looked like red and black embers and that seemed to be what he was slowly tearing the poor girl down with. Her knees shook weakly and she slowly started to slump to the ground.

"Melanie!" Egon called to try and rouse her from going unconscious. She turned her head towards his voice and then Death threw her aside where she hit the opposite wall and fell in a crumpled heap to the floor. Egon hastily ran to take her place between Death and the containment unit, being the only one of the two Ghostbusters that was armed with a proton pack. Ray ran to Melanie.

"Hey! Hey – Melanie!" Ray said as he carefully turned her towards him. He was relieved to see that she was still breathing, forcibly, but still breathing. He slid an arm up under her back to lift her up slightly and she cried out in pain.

"Ray, get her out of here!" Egon yelled from across the basement. Death laughed darkly as he enjoyed the show in front of him.

"Melanie…you're okay. Just hold on for me, alright?" Ray said as he took in her injuries. He brushed the tangled curls from her face and could see that a thin stream of blood ran down her temple and her left shoulder seemed to be dislocated. Bruises had already started to show on her neck and arms. One leg splayed out to the side, but as far as Ray could see it wasn't broken.

Ray could hear Death taunting Egon as he toyed with his prey. Egon shifted his gaze to Ray and Melanie, wanting badly to run to her himself but knowing that he needed to defend the containment unit from being unleashed.

"I find it hilarious that you all think you can really prevent this from happening." Death chuckled. Egon charged up the wand in his hand, waiting for Ray to move Melanie out of the room so that he could get a clear shot at Death without worrying about hitting her or his colleague.

"Melanie, you have to stay awake…" Ray said as he gently touched her face. Her eyes fluttered slightly but stayed closed. Ray glanced up at Egon who motioned for him to hurry.

"She's the least of your worries right now, you know." Death said, moving forward. He now stood inches from Egon's outstretched particle thrower.

"I know." Egon said as he planted his feet firmly on the ground. He fired a quick burst of protonic energy which caught the ghostly man off guard. He backed off a few paces and then laughed.

"My turn…" Death growled, a devilish grin spreading across his pale face. He held out his hand and a deep crimson blade melted into view in his hands. Egon straightened up in surprise and then reminded himself that he needed to stay aware of what was going on and not let his curiosity get the better of him. He clicked the particle thrower back to charge it up once more.

"Ray…" Egon warned his friend. Death took another step.

"Melanie...stay with us, please. We need you…" Ray said urgently, tearing his gaze away from his friend who was attempting to stand his ground. Ray stared down at Melanie's pale face worriedly. "…Egon needs you."

Melanie's eyes fluttered open slowly at Egon's name. She whimpered in pain and then slowly started to move. She winced and collapsed back in Ray's arms as he silently cheered in relief.

"Good! Alright, don't move too much…we're going to try to get you out of here…" Ray said as he looked back at Egon. Death was almost upon him now, taking painstakingly slow steps towards the lone Ghostbuster to provoke more fear.

"R-Ray…" Melanie murmured, her voice choked with pain. Ray glanced down at her and shifted his arm to wipe a tear that was rolling down her cheek. She attempted to get up once more but he held her tighter to stop her sudden movements.

"Melanie, your shoulder's dislocated and I think you might have a concussion. Let me help you up, don't try to do it on your own." He said. Her eyes flew open and she glared up at him in frustration.

"Ray, you're a doctor, just pop it back into place or something…" She grumbled. Ray quickly shook his head.

"Not that kind of…"

"I'll do it myself then!" She choked out. She managed to twist her arm partway to the right but then cried out as the pain prevented her from going any further. Ray held her tightly until she'd quieted her cries and then he met her eyes warily. She took a deep breath and then Ray twisted her arm the rest of the way back into place. She screamed in agony and then her eyes slowly started to go unfocused.

"Okay Melanie…we've gotta go now…" Ray said as he lifted her up and started to turn towards the stairs. He hesitated and looked back at his friend.

"RAY!" Egon shouted. Death was raising his weapon, ready to strike Egon aside with it so that he could reach what he so sorely wanted.

Melanie's head whipped towards his voice and she reached towards him with her burning arm. Ray watched in disbelief as a trail of blue energy flew from her outstretched palm and formed into a completely solid wall between Death and Egon. It was as if the structure was made of ice. Death barely had time to react, and when his blade swung against her energy field, the weapon shattered in a burst of blue smoke.

Death whirled around and was suddenly standing over Melanie and Ray. Melanie still lay in Ray's arms, her own injured arm still outstretched toward Egon who stood in bewildered silence staring at the wall in front of him. She faced Death down with a weary anger in her eyes, and there was nothing but pure fury in his own glowing red eyes.

"Wow, Ghost girl! Where'd you learn that new trick?"

Death glared up as Peter and Winston stumbled down the stairs, each equipped with their proton packs.

"Nice to see you too, dude." Winston said as he clicked his particle thrower on and fired at Death who was forced away from Ray and Melanie.

"Careful! Watch the containment unit!" Egon said, firing his own as Death attempted to get back up.

"How'd you guys know where to find us?" Ray asked as Winston and Peter joined him at the foot of the stairs.

"Easy. We just followed the fireworks show to the firehouse and then heard Ghost girl's lovely screams." Peter said, glancing at the half-conscious girl in Ray's arms. "Gee, Melanie…you're not looking too hot."

"Shut up. Ray, put me down." Melanie mumbled. She shifted in Ray's arms and he quickly shook his head.

"I don't think that would be a very good idea, Melanie…" Ray said. She stopped and glared at him once again. When her gaze wouldn't falter he finally relented to put her down.

When he titled her so that she could step to the ground, instead of her bare feet hitting the cement floor, they stopped about an inch from it. She daintily stepped out of his arms and took a few steps, hovering that inch or so above the floor. Ray was dumbfounded.

"Melanie! What are you doing? Get out of here, now!" Egon shouted over the sounds of three proton packs firing. When he saw that she wasn't listening to him he looked to Ray behind her. "Ray, stop her!"

Melanie cast a quick look behind her and Ray stopped in his tracks. He glanced up at Egon and shrugged. Egon silently cursed under his breath.

Melanie slowly limped towards where Winston and Peter were firing randomly at the furious demon in the middle of the basement. They had a system going... the three armed Ghostbusters stood in a large triangle around Death, one firing after another in quick bursts. They were really just distracting him. First, Peter would fire and when Death whirled around to face him, Winston would fire and then Egon. The same thing happened each time. When Death was ready to strike, he would focus his energy on the one lone Ghostbuster and thus make himself vulnerable to the others' proton streams.

Ray stood watching Melanie as she managed to cross the room to reach Egon's side in front of the containment unit. Egon glanced at her wearily and she met his eyes calmly as she stood beside him. Egon fired and Melanie raised her hand towards Death, sending off a weak burst of energy along with his stream. When Death turned to meet Egon's latest burst of protonic energy, he froze in anger. Winston and Peter both fired at once but Death didn't acknowledge them. He simply stared at Melanie.

"What's the safest distance we need to get away from this containment unit of yours so we can finish battling this out?" Melanie murmured to Egon. Egon looked up at the ceiling.

"The roof." He replied. Death narrowed his eyes, unable to hear the hasty plan Egon and Melanie were putting together. Melanie nodded, trying to collect herself. Without warning, she dashed across the basement, ducking as Death swung at her. She stumbled past Ray and towards the stairs, calling over her shoulder.

"Come on, Death. Let's finish this."