"Changes"

By GirlX2

Chapter Two (now with Disclaimer!)

I own nothing! And thanks to my reviewer DuranDuranfan4life. :)

Ray and Winston stared at Egon as he finished his explanation.

"So...are you stuck like that?" Winston finially choked out.

"I don't know. I think I can make an antidote." Egon said.

"And you're planning on hiding from Janine the entire time you're stuck like this." Ray said doubtfully.

"It would only worry her needlessly if she knew. Either I'm stuck this way or I'm not, so there's no sense making a fuss."

"Egon, I'm all for staying calm, but this is nuts!" Winston argued. "She's going to know something is wrong when you don't go on today's busts."

Egon sighed. "I guess it would be inadvisable to work in this state. I don't think I could lift a proton pack, much less fire accurately."

"It'll just give you time to work out an antidote." Peter said.

Egon nodded. "If I repeat the experiment, I think I can synthesize one."

Ray paled. "Egon, you can't! If you get splattered with that stuff again there might not be anything left to administer an antidote to!"

Egon sighed, weary with explanations. "I'm just going to re-heat the formula to the boiling point. I don't have to be doused again."

"Oh." Ray turned slightly pink.

"Okay, I'll tell Janine you're sick or something...she ever had chicken pox?" Peter asked slyly.

"I believe not."

"Alright, we're in business." Peter stood. "You sure you can handle things here by yourself?"

"Peter, I've been using equipment similar to this since I could focus my eyes. I could do it in my sleep." Egon rolled his eyes.

"Okay Mr. Know-it-all, we'll just be on our way. C'mon guys."

-

"Chicken pox? Where in the world did he pick that up?"

"Well, the kid at this last job was spotty...I just thought he had bad acne."

"Uh-huh." Janine said skeptically.

"So, you'd just better stay down here. We need you more than him at the moment anyway." Peter winked conspiratorially.

"Dr. V, just go." Janine rolled her eyes.

"Hey, remember who signs your checks Melnitz."

"That would be Ray."

"Um...yeah. See you tonight." Peter said uncomfortably, & left.

Janine clucked her tongue. 'Serves Egon right. I should just leave him up there in itchy misery...'

-

Egon clicked on the tape recorder.

"Initial suspicions regarding Ectoplasm sample have proved correct. When applied to a fern, said plant was reduced to a seedling in approximately 2 hours. I am now taking samples from control plant & test plant to determine what chemical change has taken place."

He clicked the tape off.

"Now lets just see if this fountain of youth doesn't have a leak..."

-

Janine dutifully carried Egon's lunch up the stairs.

'I'll leave it for him. Just because he's a jerk, he doesn't need to die of starvation.'

She approached the lab door.

"Egon? I brought you some soup."

There was a small yelp & a crash from inside the lab.

Janine frowned. "Egon?"

"Leave it. You'll get sick." A hoarse voice growled from inside.

"Egon, you sound terrible."

"I'm fine." The same voice growled strangely.

"You sure? We've got some cough syrup in the-"

"Janine, please, go" The voice growled more harshly.

Janine glared at the door. "I'm going. Just don't expect to see me again any time soon."

She flounced down the stairs angrily.

'Who in the hell does he think he is? It's all about his stupid experiments. Well, lets just see if next time when his sorry ass needs saving I'm busy with a few 'experiments' of my own. Jerk.'

-

Egon slid a small mirror under the door and peered at it. Janine had gone. He sighed & opened the door to retrieve the soup.

'I'll explain this all when I've administered an antidote.' He thought. 'Knowing would only worry her unduly, and that's much worse than having her angry at me.

'Then again, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...'

Egon gulped.

-

Peter Venkman slid into the Ectomobile's driver seat.

"Nothing like a hard day's work." Ray said cheerfully, slipping in besides him.

"Yeah Ray, I hope there's nothing like it again." Peter groaned. "A class five...we really could have used Egon."

Winston climbed into the back. "Well, hopefully by now he's found a cure."

"Amen to that Zedd." Peter nodded & eased the car onto the road. "Lets get home and see how the boy wonder is doing."

Egon glared at the green test tube. He'd tried a number of things on the test seedling, most of them merely causing the plan to shed leaves.

'Maybe Ray will have a helpful insight...'

The familiar wail of the Ecto-1 reached him. He clicked on the recorder.

"No success in counteracting the anti-ageing formula. All tests negative, some causing harm to test subject."

He sighed as the tape wound down.

"Any calls Melnitz?" Peter approached the secretary.

"No." Janine glared at him.

"Ooookay, that's all I wanted thanks." Peter backed away.

"She's still mad at Egon?" Ray asked as the three headed upstairs.

"Madder I think." Peter shook his head. "If looks could kill, I'd be toast."

Winston smirked. "I told Egon to watch out for redheads."

"Hey!" Ray protested as they reached the lab.

"Egon, we're back." Winston knocked.

"Come in." A decidedly childish voice called.

The three busters shared a look of dejection.

"Guess he's still working on it." Peter pushed the door open. "Its a good thing we picked up some clothes for him."

Egon glanced up at them. "How did it go?"

"Fine." Peter set the bag down. "We picked up some stuff for you. Made any progress?"

"I've isolated the chemical that caused my mutation. I've named it 'Leonium'."

"After the Spanish explorer who went looking for the fountain of youth?" Ray asked.

"The very same." Egon climbed onto a stool and retrieved a test tube. "This is it."

"So, if that's what made you mutate, how can we reverse it?" Peter asked.

"I'm not sure it can be reversed." Egon said quietly.

"What?"

"I initially thought this change was a true regression back to youth, but its not." Egon began, "My organs, while smaller, still retain all their wear and tear. The same goes for my skeletal structure. The bone bruise I sustained last week is still there. Only the outer cosmetics have changed. As such, I'm not sure I can do anything to change back."

The four sat quietly.

"Will you have to grow up again?" Winston finially broke the silence.

"There's nothing to grow up to." Egon said quietly. "I'm afraid I'm stuck this way."

-

END OF CHAPTER TWO