Peter went into the bunk room with the intent to sleep through the horrible morning and not have to face his friends for hours. Flopping down onto his bed he laid on his stomach and pressed his face firmly into his fluffy pillow and let out a deep sigh as he shut his eyes. Desperate to sleep it seemed as though sleep itself was going to prove itself an elusive mistress.

"Damn it..." Peter murmured to himself as he tried to force his mind to shut down and block out his own thoughts.

"Venkman." Alvis's voice returned to Peter's ears and sent a chill up the seasoned Ghostbuster's spine. "You must go. Tonight."

"No." Peter defied in a shaking voice inside his own mind. "I'm not going to do that."

"You wish for your friend to die?" Alvis taunted wickedly.

"Winston is strong. He'll pull through." Peter hastily replied with his confidence in Winston.

"Indeed he is, but how strong are your other friends? Or the doctors and nurses who tend to his needs? Are they as strong as Winston?"

A wave of hot anger washed over Peter's body. "What do you mean? What're you going to do?!"

"A simple thing it is," Alvis hissed arrogantly. "to plant a suggestion. A single word, a single sound; and your friend could be given the wrong medication. Perhaps the equipment that keeps him alive malfunctions from a clumsy hand."

"NO." Peter angrily snapped back. "Don't do that, don't harm anymore innocent people! I'll... I'll do it."

Ray was exhausted and wanted to rest his tired eyes but he couldn't bear to be in the same room as Peter. Reluctant to approach the stubborn psychologist, unwilling to go back to his apartment above his bookstore and not wanting to set foot inside that hospital again until absolutely necessary Ray resided to laying down on the couch on the first floor in the small office space that Peter used to conduct business.

Janine was trying to be as quiet as possible for Ray's sake, hoping that the phone wouldn't ring and that Peck wouldn't show his face until Winston was discharged from the hospital. Typing away softly at her desk she kept glancing over her shoulder at the dozing figure on the couch.

Ray was laying on his back with one arm draped over his eyes and the other resting over his chest. He was breathing deeply and slowly indicative of the exhaustion that was plaguing his body and mind.

"You better come back to us soon Winston." Janine whispered grimly. "You're the one who keeps us honest and humble. We can't make it without you..."

Egon was escorted to Winston's room by Dr. Robinson who had gone into depth on Winston's condition with the brilliant physicist. Both Egon and Ray had been pre-med in college, befriending each other in the process as Ray wanted to know why Egon changed majors when he too began having doubts about his career choice. What education Egon had received in medicine and the human anatomy had become an unexpectedly invaluable blessing during the bleak moment.

"I understand." Egon nodded once and looked through the large window of the room where Winston was resting. Edward was sitting beside Winston's bed with his hand resting lightly on Winston's arm. "Although your tests have proven accurate over the past I feel as though in this case you will be surprised. Winston will wake up, I know it."

"I hope you're right Dr. Spengler." Dr. Robinson prepared to walk into the room to check in on Winston. "I have seen patients come back from the brink of death before, I'd very much like to see your friend do the same."

Egon watched stoically as the kind doctor walked into the room and spoke to Edward. "Perhaps I should call Ray." Egon thought out loud as he turned on his heels and walked down the corridor to locate a phone. "It might be best for everyone to see Winston."

At the firehouse Janine had gone upstairs into the small kitchen to prepare a pot of tea. It had been almost eight hours since Ray and Peter had returned and neither man showed any sign of waking from their much needed slumber. Disliking so much quiet Janine busied herself with paperwork, filing away previous cases and keeping vigil over the two sleeping Ghostbusters.

With a mug of steaming tea in her hands Janine returned to her desk and resumed her paperwork. The phone rang and she answered the call quickly as to not disturb Ray still asleep on the couch behind her.

"Ghostbusters, how can I help you?" She responded naturally and in a lower tone of voice. The voice on the other end of the line was Egon's. "Oh, Egon. So good to hear from you. What's going..."

Janine listened intently as Egon explained the situation to her. With each word Janine's hand tightened its grip on the phone and she felt herself sinking lower in her chair.

"Okay, I'll tell Ray." She all but whispered. "But, Egon! There's something going on here I think you should know about."

Turning in her chair Janine looked at Ray with heavy, sad eyes. "Ray wanted to run some kind of test on Dr. V but he wouldn't do it. Dr. V's been very quiet and Ray isn't sure what's-"

Egon reply was as firm as it was quick.

"Good idea. I'll let Ray know. See you soon." Janine hung up the phone and reluctantly walked over to the couch where Ray was sleeping. Stooping down she put her hand on his shoulder and shook his gently. "Dr. Stantz? Ray? You need to wake up."

Groggily Ray lifted his arm away from his eyes and tucked it under his head. Opening his eyes he studied Janine's blurry face and let out a deep breath. "Janine? Is there something wrong?"

"Egon called and-"

"What?!" Ray was suddenly wide awake. He sat upright on the couch and locked his gaze onto Janine. "When did he call? How's Winston?"

"Egon called about two minutes ago. He said he wants you to go to the hospital and sit with Winston and his father. He's going to come back here to-" She paused momentarily and thought back to the instructions Egon had given her. "he just needs to rest and get away from the hospital for a few hours."

"I know what he means." Ray ran his hand through his messy hair and looked at his watch. "Okay, I'll take Ecto-1 over and trade places with Egon. Make sure he gets something to eat, will ya' Janine? Egon always forgets to take care of himself when something like this happens."

"Yeah, I'll take care of it." Janine looked away from Ray feeling guilty about having to lie to him, but she Egon would never ask her to do such a thing unless it was absolutely necessary. "Be sure to let Winston know I'm thinking of him."

"I will." Before standing up from the couch Ray gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "He'll be alright, you'll see."

"I hope you're right."

Unable to sleep or quiet his mind Peter had spent the past eight hours contemplating the deal he reluctantly made with Alvis and the consequences on his actions: Winston was hurt; possibly dying, Ray had been pushed away out of pure vindictiveness and Egon was too angry to even speak to Peter.

All Peter had to do was hold onto Winston's hand and he couldn't do it. He let a single fear get between himself and his friends.

Having heard the phone ring downstairs Peter knew that it was Egon calling with information on Winston's condition. When the sound of the garage door opening filled the firehouse and the roar of Ecto-1's engine pulling away followed soon after Peter knew that something big was about to happen, and he himself wasn't wanted.

"I'm so sorry guys." Peter whispered pitifully into the nothingness that surrounded him as he laid alone in the bunk room. "I really am."

...to be continued...