Chapter 6-It's All My Fault
Peter, Winston, and Janine headed up to the lab. They wanted to know why Egon was acting the way he had been. Peter then barged the door open, and Egon was sitting at his desk.
"We need to talk." Peter said sternly.
"Good morning Peter." Egon said sarcastically, "What do you want?"
"Don't do that!" Peter snapped, "I've got every right to come up and yell at you for your behavior, which I'm tired of!"
"Yeah man." Winston said, "You've been snapping at us for the past two days, and you yelled at us last night!"
"Plus, we've been going to the hospital every day, hoping and praying that Ray wakes up, while you don't seem to give a damn!" Peter yelled.
"You guys really don't think I want Ray to wake up too?" Egon asked, "Or are you two complete idiots?!" he exclaimed.
Peter and Winston were hurt by the remark, but they kept speaking.
"See? You're snapping at us and calling us idiots!" Peter exclaimed.
"Because you are!" Egon yelled, "You, Peter Venkman, are the biggest, nosiest, bossiest person I have ever met! You too Winston!"
Peter and Winston were hurt by the remarks Egon was throwing at them. "We've had enough of this!" Winston exclaimed, "You are coming with us to the hospital to see Ray, whether you like it or not!"
"No." Egon said coldly, "I'm not going anywhere with a bunch of idiots and I'm not going to the hospital."
"You give us one good reason why." Peter demanded.
"BECAUSE IT'S MY FAULT THIS HAPPENED TO RAY!" Egon yelled. He was left in shock. He had never yelled like that before.
Peter, Winston, and Janine were in shock. They had gotten an answer, but it was one that they had not expected.
"Egon, what do you mean it was you're fault?" Janine asked.
"It's my fault Ray got hurt!" Egon confessed, "If I hadn't been so clumsy and stupid and had just watched where I was going, Ray wouldn't be in this mess. Plus, when Ray got stuck and told me to go, I ran out like a coward instead of rescuing him." Egon's eyes began to tear up as he continued speaking. "Ray's the one who saved my life, and that's how I reward him: in a coma with burns. I'm the one who should've been burned, but I'm not. Ray's paying for my carelessness. I'm a danger to this team."
Egon couldn't hold in his emotions any longer. He fell to his knees as he let out a sob. Tears began running down his face, but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything as he let out the emotions he had been holding in.
Peter, Winston, and Janine were shocked. They couldn't believe that Egon blamed himself, and they were shocked that he was crying. Peter and Winston immediately regretted yelling at him. It had probably made him feel worse.
Peter knelt down beside Egon and gently rubbed his shoulder. "Egon, it is so not your fault."
"Yeah man." Winston said as he got down next to his emotionally hurt friend, "If Ray hadn't gone back and saved you, you would've burned to death. You could've died."
"I probably should've." Egon said in between sobs, "I'm a danger to the team."
"No, you're not." Janine said as she knelt beside him, "Besides, the building was being renovated. There was stuff everywhere. I doubt you would've gotten out without getting stuck."
"But I still should've helped free Ray!" Egon said, "After the way he freed me, I should've helped free him. But instead, I ran like a coward. Maybe my father was right."
"Right about what?" Peter asked.
"Maybe...I am a mistake after all." Egon said, still shedding tears.
"Oh Egon, no!" Winston exclaimed as he held Egon in a tight hug, "You are so not a mistake! You're one of the nicest, smartest, bravest people I have ever met in my life."
"Yeah, if it hadn't been for you, I would've never gotten through college." Peter said.
"Yeah, but still." Egon said, "I still hurt Ray, and I yelled at you guys."
"Because you were just overcome with emotion and you tried holding them back." Winston said, "And we forgive you. But holding back your emotions is not always the best thing to do."
"Maybe." Egon said with tears still running down his face, "I want to see Ray so badly, but I don't have the courage to."
"Ohhh, is that another reason why haven't been wanting to come?" Janine asked.
Egon nodded. Janine got some tissues for him to wipe off his face. The emotionally hurt Ghostbuster was beginning to calm down, but tears were still running down his face.
"You feel better?" Peter asked as he rubbed the back of Egon's head.
"A little." Egon replied sniffling a little. "Can...can I try to see Ray?"
"Of course." Winston replied, "Come on, get cleaned up and we'll go."
Egon got cleaned up and changed clothes. The three Ghostbusters, Janine, Jenny, and Kylie then all headed to the hospital. There Peter sat with Ray first, then Winston, the Jenny, then Janine, then Kylie. Finally, it was Egon's turn.
"Are you ready?" Winston asked.
"I guess." Egon replied.
"If it gets too much, you don't have to." Peter said.
Egon then took in a deep breath, and headed down to Ray's room for the first time since the day Ray had been admitted.
To be continued...