Ray shifted his weight in anticipation of hoisting Peter's limp body up from the floor, and ensuring that he could see the clearest possible path to the exit of the mine before it was too late. Winston took a deep breath as he tightened his grip on the solid wood beam that had pinned Peter down for so long, ready to move it at a very slow and controlled pace to keep the tunnel from immediately collapsing and to cause very little pain to Peter in the process of the cumbersome and elaborate escape plan.
"Ready." Ray stated firmly as he mentally steeled himself to make a run for it.
"Ready." Winston confirmed and he planted his feet firmly into the ground. "On the count of three:" Bracing his strong shoulders he began to gently, slowly lift up the beam and slide it to the side of Peter's shoulder. "One, two... three!"
The beam was lifted from Peter's shoulder and the ceiling of the tunnel began to crumble immediately. As it was shifted from its original position and placed just a few inches to the right of Peter's shoulder, still wedged against the wall and the ceiling, the tunnel groaned as it destabilized and began to collapse in on itself.
"Go!" Winston urged as he helped Ray to lift Peter up and took Peter's injured, but now freed, arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. "I got him!"
Ray and Winston worked together as they half carried, half dragged Peter out of the mine and toward the only exit as the thunderous collapse of the tunnel chased them every rushing step of the way!
Large portions of disturbed earth fell from the ceiling created a downfall of dirt and stones. The remaining wooden boards that had buttressed the tunnel for long had finally snapped from pressure showering the fleeing men in a burst of tiny splinters and rusted nails.
Scrambling over larger stones and pushing their bodies through the singular opening to the mine the three men managed to escape the tunnel just seconds before it collapsed entirely under its own massive weight.
Falling to their knees on the grassy terrain outside the mine Ray and Winston carefully laid Peter down on the grass onto his back and studied his current condition. From the bumper of Ecto-2, unable to walk and barely able to see, Egon could only watch as Winston unzipped Peter's jumpsuit and peeled back the fabric to examine his shoulder and upper chest.
"How is he?" Egon asked as Ray walked over to him so he could see the damage to Egon's leg.
"Well, he's alive, and that's what really matters." Ray replied firmly before gently placing a hand to the side of Egon's injured, bleeding leg.
As soon as Egon flinched and attempted to retract his damaged limb from Ray's touch he knew that the bones had been broken. As he flinched he dropped the PKE meter that had been recording the paranormal events surrounding the mine, causing the meter to turn itself off upon impact with the ground.
"Hurts that bad, huh?"
"The pain is excruciating." Egon admitted as he breathed slowly in an attempt to ease the pain. "But right now Peter is more important."
"Winston will take care of him," Ray reminded the worried physicist. "let me help you."
The damage to Peter's shoulder wasn't as serious as they had feared. A deep painful bruise had formed on his skin and surely went deeper into the muscle and bones beneath. It had been dislocated by the sheer force of the lumber pinning him down but it wouldn't require any surgery to remedy. Just like his shoulder a bruise was forming on his upper chest but it wasn't as large or as deep.
"He's bruised up pretty badly." Winston shouted to his friends as he put his hand under Peter's shoulders and lifted him up into a sitting position. Taking Peter's good arm he wrapped it around his own shoulders and hefted the unconscious man up to his feet. "But he's breathing okay and I don't see any sign of internal injuries."
Egon let out a deep sigh of relief and his shoulders sagged as the relief washed over him.
"Ray help me lay Peter down in the back of Ecto-1. Then we'll come back for you Egon." Winston stated as he carried his friend over to the parked hearse.
Ray gave Egon a reassuring glance before joining Winston at the hearse. Opening the rear passenger door Winston was able to lay Peter down across the backseats very carefully.
"Egon will need to keep his leg stretched out to keep the bones steady." Ray informed Winston as he moved equipment around in the back to make space for Egon.
"Is his leg broken?"
"Yeah."
"Bad?"
"Bad enough."
"Damn. Want to drive Ecto-1 or Ecto-2?"
"I'll bring in Ecto-2, you have more experience on driving back roads. You won't give them such a bumpy ride!" Ray joked lightly as he turned toward Egon, who was sitting on the bumper of the truck eager to return to the city. "Think you can pick him up again?"
"Only if he'll let me."
"I don't think he'll put up a fight." Ray arched his brow and put his hands on his hips. "But I do think he's going to be blaming himself for what happened in that mine for... ever."
"We know it was an accident!" Winston defended quickly. "That mine was going to collapse eventually, and we have a responsibility to the city to keep ever square inch of our jurisdiction properly patrolled. And he should know better than anyone else that Peter won't go anywhere or do anything unless it's his idea. He went into that mine under his own free will."
"I know that. I just hope Egon remembers that before he tears himself apart over something that was completely out of his control."
"Yeah." Winston started walking over to Ecto-2. "But only time will tell."
Egon noticed the dropped PKE meter on the grass near the rear of Ecto-1. Reaching down with minor difficulty he retrieved the damaged meter and attempted to turn it on, but the power was drained and the display screen had been cracked. Clipping it to his belt he reached out a hand as Winston approached him.
"Okay Egon," Winston took Egon's hand helped him to limp along the grass to Ecto-1. "your turn."
"Were you or Ray injured in the mine?"
"No, we made it out without a scratch."
"That's good." Egon awkwardly slipped into the back of the hearse and let Winston guide him down to the floor so he could keep his damaged leg as straight as possible. "I think it'd be best if we avoid all mines, caves and other underground structures during all future endeavors."
"You won't get an argument from me!" Winston joked as he and Ray double checked their friends to make sure they were in stable enough condition to be driven back to the city. "I'll have you two at the hospital before you know it. Sit tight."
The door shut and Egon watched Ray through the window walk over to the parked truck and start it up. Winston did the same as he took he seat behind the wheel in the hearse and let the engine roar to life.
Keeping one hand on Peter's arm Egon leaned back against the seat and watched the dusty ruins of the mine get steadily smaller through the rear compartment window as the hearse pulled away from the long forgotten, long neglected site of so much tragedy and pain.
"We're going to be okay Peter." Egon whispered lightly to his friend. "You're safe now."
Fortunately it didn't take long for Winston and Ray to rescue their colleagues and bring them to the nearest hospital. While Egon was getting his leg x-rayed, the two broken bones realigned and his leg set in a cast; Peter was having his shoulder and chest examined for internal trauma or any sign of injury that would require surgical intervention.
Egon was wheeled out into the waiting room, his freshly cast leg propped up and a pair of crutches resting across his lap. The nurse waved over Ray and Winston who happily helped Egon to get up from the wheelchair and balance properly on the crutches.
"How bad?" Winston asked as he kept a hand ready to catch Egon just in case he fell or lost balance.
"Two hairline fractures to the tibia and complete break to the fibula. I'll be on crutches for a minimum of six weeks, possibly eight depending on how well the fracture in the fibula knits." Nodding to his friends to assure them that he wasn't going to fall he changed the subject. "Any word on Peter?"
"I've gotta' couple words for ya'..." The three men turned their focus to the source of the voice and saw Peter himself walking slowly down the hall with a nurse escorting him by the arm. His other arm was resting in a blue sling to compensate for his injured shoulder and upper chest. "I'm tired."
"Peter." Egon was genuinely surprised to see his friend not only conscious but walking around without any difficulty. "You're alright."
"Yeah, I'm fine." Peter stopped and stood with his friends. The nurse stayed with the group but didn't say anything as she observed the two patients for any sign of further injury. "Dislocated shoulder. Popped it back into place, popped a few pain pills and now I'm ready for bed."
"I was certain that... You were having so much difficulty breathing." Egon stated in a confused manner.
"I just got the wind knocked out of me. I've got a really pretty purple bruise on my side thanks to that blow to my chest, but nothing broken."
"That's good. I thought you... well... you know."
Peter nodded once and patted Egon's arm with his good hand. "Are we ready to head back yet? I need a sandwich and a looooooong nap."
"Yeah, let's go home."
Ray stayed at Egon's side while Winston walked beside Peter as they guided their friends through the hospital and back outside to the parking lot.
Ray and Winston took it upon themselves to help their friends with their recovery process. Working in tandem they helped Egon ascend the staircase of the firehouse to the second floor and reach the bunk room to rest. Peter followed sleepily behind and quickly plopped down onto his side on his bed as exhaustion won out.
"You guys need anything?" Winston asked before he and Ray left the bunk room.
"No. Thank you Winston." Egon replied politely as he set his crutches down on the floor beside his bed before laying down flat to rest.
"Peter?"
Peter was barely awake. His answered was a garbled mutter of a word that sounded very close to 'no'.
"Okay, we'll be downstairs taking care of that PKE meter and getting the data for you." Winston motioned with his thumb over his shoulder as he back out of the room. "Yell if you do need anything."
Ray followed behind Winston, the damaged PKE meter was resting in his skilled hands. "Won't take too long to repair. Luckily we have plenty of spare parts."
Sensing that he and Egon were alone Peter rolled from his side to his back and sat upright. "Hey Spengz, you still awake?"
"Yes." Egon sat up as well and looked at his friend who sitting in the bed directly across from his own. "Do you need something? Are you in pain?"
"No." Peter subconsciously rubbed at his shoulder after being asked. "I just wanted to say thanks for staying with me."
"Of course. You are my friend."
"And thanks for... well, listening to me." Peter looked away quickly as he was still unable to maintain eye contact with anyone when talking about his past. "You're the first one I've ever told that story to, and you didn't judge me for it or try to tell me to 'let it go', that I should forgive my father and move on. You just listened. Thank you."
"For what it's worth, Peter," Egon was also grateful for Peter for listening to his own tragic childhood story. "thank you for doing the same. I know that you're a very curious person by nature and had on numerous occasions tried to pry into my personal life, so for you to stop seeking such personal information and to show me enough respect to back away speaks volumes of your own character; especially when compared to your father."
"Same to you, Spengz." Peter smiled a little before laying back down on the bed and closing your eyes. "You're a better man than your father, even if your Ph.D. is in physics and not medicine."
"Thank you Peter." Egon took off his glasses and laid back against the soft pillow on his bed. "And from now on we avoid exploring abandoned mines.
"Best idea you've ever had!"
Free of the mine and free of the crushing weight of their own burdening pasts, the two Ghostbusters had found a new appreciation for not only their lives and all of the success they had found, but for the people in their lives and how the people helped shape their lives for the better.
-The End