"Egon!"

"Janine!"

Winston hopped down from the ledge overlooking the lake. He met up with the other two at the base.

"Anything?" he asked. Both men shook their heads.

"How much longer do we have?" Peter asked. Ray checked his watch.

"An hour, fifteen minutes."

"Okay, let's check around the lake," Winston suggested. "If they've been here awhile, they've probably set a camp up near there."

Egon shifted uncomfortably, his eyes on Janine. She was truly worried. Unbidden, thoughts of her entered his mind. Since dropping her mental walls, she'd been resigned to the fact that they were trapped here until the powers that be decided to release them. But there was always a small glimmer of hope that they'd be gone the next day. That glimmer of had grown stronger ever since they'd heard Peter's voice the first time. But something else had gone. He couldn't figure out what until this moment.

She cared for him. Ever since she'd dropped her defenses, he'd been living with the fact that she cared deeply about him. Everything they did, and everything that had happened of late was a result of something Janine had done to put them both at ease. Now that was gone. And he didn't like it.

She'd been the strong one, she was the one who'd put her thoughts and emotions on display for that last week or so, knowing how he'd react. And he'd done exactly what she knew he'd do... he'd retreated.

Big Ghostbuster, scared of anything not ectoplasmic or supernatural. He thought rather disgusted at himself. If she could do it, it wouldn't kill him to drop his shields...well maybe not all of them.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he dropped part of his defenses. His mind screamed out to her... mostly because he'd moved the wrong way and scraped his already raw back on the rock he was leaned up against. Janine raced back to him, sopping shirt still in her hands.

"What did you do?" she asked, pulling him away from the rock gently. Already the dried blood had been replaced by new blood seeping down his back.

"Sorry," he bit out. "Not paying attention." He held back a yelp as she applied the cold cloth in his back. Oddly enough, it felt comforting. He relaxed slightly, letting her gently wipe off his back.

She shook her head. "You're hurt too bad not to pay attention to what you're doing. Was what were you thinking about so much more important than not paying attention to your back?" she asked rhetorically.

He smiled to himself. She still cared about him. You'd probably be surprised if I said I was thinking about you. he thought. Suddenly, all motion behind him stopped. No movement, no thought... silence. Then he realized what he'd done.

Oh shit.

The first thing he felt was the hurt. He knew he'd screwed up somehow. Then came the anger.

"Ow! Janine!"

The three Ghostbusters were walking around the lake when Peter stopped. The other two stopped behind him.

"Did you hear that?" Peter asked.

Ray nodded. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"It didn't sound like an actual voice," Winston said. "It sounded like it was in my head."

"But that was definitely Egon's voice," Ray said. "It may have something to do with this dimension."

"If reading each other's thoughts is involved where Janine and Egon are, I think we'd better find them fast," Peter joked. "God only knows what they could be doing by now."

"That's hurts! Stop it!"

"Of all the cruel, hurtful, disgusting things...I thought better of you Dr. Spengler."

"That isn't what I meant. Please let go of the arm."

Janine looked down where her hand was gripping his left arm, and let go. He rubbed it gingerly, as she stood up pacing.

"I'd expect something like that from Dr. Venkman or someone else, but not you. I can't believe that you would..."

"Janine, please, listen to me. I didn't mean it like that. I didn't even mean for that to come out..."

"Listen to you? After that? You'll be lucky if I ever listen to a word you have to say ever again after that..."

"Hold on...Janine..." He reached out to her, and winced as a pain shot through his right side. He sat back frustrated. "Oh forget it," he mumbled. "I can't even begin to explain..."

Janine stopped in mid-pace, giving him an odd look. What he couldn't put into words, his unguarded emotions and thought were doing for him. She dropped to her knees in front of him, startling him. He looked up at her.

"Janine..."

"You mean it?"

"What?"

"You were projecting. Do you mean it?"

He looked at her, feeling like a trapped animal. It was do or die. Hesitantly, he nodded.

A wave of emotions washed over him. Most he figured couldn't be coming from him. Three weeks in this dimension did what years of working together couldn't accomplish, ripped open his defenses. Nervously, he reached out with his good hand, gently touching her face. He didn't have to say anything. It was already there. She leaned in closer to him, carefully avoiding his back. Each leaned in, their lips barely touching...

"Janine!"

"Egon!"

Aarrgghh!
The exact thought came from both people. Janine pulled back quickly, looking around.

"That's Peter and Ray," she said, avoiding what almost happened. Egon sat back, visibly shaken and feeling confused.

Janine got up, shouting in her best secretary voice. "Guys! We're over here!"

The sound of bushes being trampled overcame the stillness, then like a vision, the three burst into the clearing. Janine squealed, running up to them and hugging them all in turn.
"I'm so glad to see you guys. We have to get out of here, Egon's hurt."

Peter glanced over at Egon sitting on the ground, naked from the waist up, then grinned back at the secretary.

"Janine, what have you been doing to him out here?"

She hit him on the arm. "Quit trying to be funny and tell us how to get out of here."

Ray and Winston where already over at their injured friend, looking at his wounds.

"My God, Egon, what happened?"

"A very large tree during a sudden storm," he answered. "Could we please leave before anything else happens?"

Peter went over to Egon and he and Winston helped him up, careful of his injuries. Ray checked the watch.

"There's only about 45 minutes left before the portal closes. We have to get back there before then," he said

"Can we make it?" Janine asked, casting a glance at Egon, who looked pale. Ray nodded.

"There shouldn't be any problem."