Hey ya'll! Hope this chapter doesn't seem to jumbled, I've worked on it and worked on it for the past 2 weeks trying to get it to sound right. I got a little emotional with this part too, so I hope that helps add to the effect. ;) Please, as always, give me some feedback! Thanks for sticking with me so far! :D 3
Nikki stifled a yawn as she stood leaning against the stove, stirring through a small mass of yellow bubbling eggs in her pan. The smell of sausage cooking wafted over from Shawn's corner of the kitchen. Nikki grimaced at the dull headache that still lingered from her first full night out drinking, and she heard Shawn groan quietly as if in response.
"You know…I don't think they expected you to really go for it and drink as much as you did," He commented lightly. Nikki winced apologetically and continued to steadily trail her spatula through the scrambled eggs.
"Sorry…there were just so many choices. I blame Peter, he's definitely a pusher."
Nikki heard Shawn cut the griddle off and plate the small pile of sausage patties before she heard him turn and felt his warm breath on the back of her neck. She tilted her head to the side patiently and he obliged her with a light peck on her cheek.
"Was it worth it though?"
"The party? Of course it was! I really did enjoy myself. Slept like a baby last night – which is a rarity for me." Nikki smirked at him ironically, referencing the many nights she was plagued by nightmares and/or visions of things to come. Shawn set the plate of sausages on the counter by the stove and retrieved another plate for Nikki who was nearly done scrambling her eggs. As she scooped them out of the pan, Nikki could feel Shawn's expectant gaze on her face. He had been extremely patient with her when they had gotten home the night before, though she knew he was worried about her and what she'd seen during her first karaoke song with Peter. She had truly been exhausted though, and her headache had been nearing the turning point of being a migraine by the time she'd showered and slipped on her pajamas. She felt like she owed her courteous boyfriend an explanation and status report. She picked up the two plates of food and followed Shawn to the counter where he was pouring two glasses of milk for the both of them.
"So what's the plan for today?" He surprised her by asking. "You really feel up to calling that new friend of yours? This combined hangover of ours I'm feeling is pretty rough…I can only imagine how cruddy you're feeling alone. How's a Cross-Over gonna feel on top of this?"
Nikki hoisted herself up onto the barstool and downed a few swigs of the cold milk before reaching for her fork to scoop half of the eggs onto her plate. Shawn considered the eggs and sausage for a moment and then grabbed a box of cereal from the cabinet over the griddle. He pulled down two bowls and slid one by Nikki's elbow as she finished taking two pieces of sausage to go with her eggs. She sighed wearily as she watched Shawn pour a healthy dose of cereal in his bowl and chase it with a small splash of milk. She knew he sensed her hesitation because he glanced up at her knowingly as he closed the milk carton and plunged his spoon into the cereal bowl.
"I'm sure she'd understand, I mean, how often do we Ghostbusters really follow a set schedule?" He added. Nikki nodded in agreement and rubbed absently at her pulsating temple.
"Yeah…I'm kinda reconsidering it. This isn't any fun…" She groaned, forcing herself to lift a forkful of eggs to her mouth. The warmth of the freshly cooked eggs actually did help to ease her twisting stomach and she quickly downed another bite.
"Just an extra, lingering birthday gift." Shawn chuckled through a mouthful of colorful cereal. He reached for one of his sausage patties and took a bite of it before swallowing his cereal. Nikki smirked and rolled her eyes, switching into her tender, heartfelt serious mode.
"Shawn, I saw the cult last night." She felt her stomach lurch as soon as the words left her mouth and she set her jaw to keep from allowing the icy fear to subdue her. Shawn's gaze flicked up to her face darkly and he dropped his spoon into his half-empty bowl in his hurry to rise up from his seat on the barstool. He was in the process of reaching up for the phone hanging on the wall before Nikki hastily stopped him. "Shawn, wait. That was the wrong way to start, I'm sorry."
"Why didn't you tell me last night Nikki, as soon as you saw it?! What happened – did they hurt you?" Shawn grabbed the phone anyway and punched in the first few numbers of the Ghostbusters' hotline before Nikki's fierce insistent mood reached him and caused him to pause and look at her hurriedly. "Why didn't you tell the guys?!"
"Because it was a vision, Shawn. They weren't really there…much as it felt like they were." Nikki relented softly. Shawn regarded her carefully before he seemed convinced and he slowly replaced the phone on its receiver and stepped back over to sit back on his stool.
"You're sure?" He asked her, unblinkingly. She nodded and he finally seemed to loosen up a bit. "What does this mean…are they coming back? Can they come back? You crossed them over, didn't you? That huge burst of psychic energy you absorbed sent them all away, I felt it…"
Shawn trailed off thoughtfully, stirring his cereal agitatedly. Nikki shook her head and tried to center herself so that she wouldn't get caught up in his hysterics.
"I don't know…it just had me on edge all night. That's another reason I kept pushing down drinks. That smothered the fear a little bit, surprisingly. And then the random run-in with another ghost-seer afterward got me skeptical. If I'm feeling up to it, I might try and call her later to chat about that."
"This Ally person can see ghosts too?! Nikki…I don't wanna critique what information you withhold because as your boyfriend I like to respect your privacy…to a point. But…come on. What else interesting happened last night?!" Shawn shook his head, his eyebrows pinched together tightly and Nikki felt her own headache responding to her building stress.
"That's about it." She replied quietly. Shawn regarded her carefully for a moment and then scooped up a bite of eggs, shoving them into his mouth while keeping his accusstory stare trained on her face.
"Mmkay, as long as we've got that established." He said through another large bite. "Lemme ask you this…what are the odds of finding another psychic like you? In the same week, at that."
Nikki lowered her fork to her plate after another healthy scoop of eggs and propped her head in her hands, rubbing absently at her temples as Shawn's worry continued to build up her own. She shook her head and blinked up at him absently.
"I don't really know. But please Shawn…don't take away this hope for me. Maybe this can be a way to bond and try to better figure out my gifts. You know I've always been full of questions about how and why I'm able to interact so personally with ghosts."
Shawn looked up at Nikki sadly, his large eyes shining emotionally. She offered him a weak smile and reached across the counter to touch the top of his hand lovingly. He released his hold on his spoon and flipped his hand over on the counter, taking her hand in his. She ran her fingers over the back of his knuckles and he squeezed her hand gently in response.
"I just worry for you, Nikki. You know I do." He whispered. She looked away from where she had lazily been watching their entwined fingers and gave him a teasing look.
"For good reason," Nikki replied. She squeezed his hand abruptly and took her hand out of his so she could pick up a piece of sausage and take a hungry bite out of it. "I'm not too big to admit that. Just…this newfound knowledge that I'm not the only freak in the world is really exciting."
"You're not a freak, Nikki." Shawn grumbled reproachfully. He raised his eyebrows and abandoned his cereal for another scoop of scrambled eggs. "You know my parents and their colleagues worshipped people like you. Abilities like yours are special, though not necessarily uncommon."
Nikki tried not to visibly stiffen at the almost casual mention of Shawn's parents and the nightmarish cult that they had participated in, even after their deaths. She lowered the half-eaten sausage patty to her plate and picked up her glass of milk with a grimace. As she was chugging the last third of her drink, the phone rang, startling the young couple into silence. On the third ring, Shawn finally got up and retrieved it, clicking the receiver on as he swallowed his mouthful of scrambled eggs.
"Hello?" He answered, though he and Nikki both knew that the only ones ever to call them at their apartment was one of the Ghostbusters. Nikki watched his features carefully, trying to ignore her pounding headache at the guesstimate that they would most likely be going in to work today. "Oh…it did? Gee…is Egon alright? Yeah we're both up…not too terrible. No, she doesn't have to work at the bookshop today. Sure, I'll talk it over with Nikki – hang on."
"Tell them yes, we'll be there within the hour." Nikki said quickly as Shawn's gaze trailed over to her and he lowered the phone to his shoulder. He smiled at her eagerness and then repeated her answer into the phone while Nikki scrambled to finish her breakfast before he completed his conversation.
"Egon and your dad took shifts checking on the Elemental Spirit every hour throughout the night. Your dad said that around 3:30 this morning, just a few hours ago, Egon didn't come back from his shift, and when Ray went down for his turn, he found Egon in an exhausted panic trying to keep up with controlling the enclosure against the feisty ghost." Shawn explained to Nikki quickly on their cab ride over to the firehouse.
"She was trying to get out?" Nikki asked warily. Shawn nodded.
"Yeah, it took both your dad and Egon to get the holding tank stabilized, and even then they said the ghost was screaming at them and causing a miniature hurricane in there. Ray sounded really confused about it over the phone…she was pretty docile all through the night and then he said Egon came down and at the sight of him she just went psycho. That's why he wants you to see if you can figure out what's wrong with her. If you can maybe calm her down or something."
Nikki stared at the buildings whizzing past the cab window as they sped down the few blocks to the firehouse. Her heart sank with the knowledge of the poor ghost's desperation and the fact that they had to keep her so tightly contained for observation. She silently hoped she had enough energy in her to help the super-powered woman to cross over if the need arose, and that the Ghostbusters would be willing to part with such a strong spirit if Nikki made that call.
"I just want to help her…" Nikki murmured thoughtfully, wincing at the twinge of aching pain in her head.
As they stopped at the corner just adjacent to the Ghostbusters' headquarters, Nikki and Shawn both slid out the right-hand back door of the cab, after Shawn slipped the driver his fare. Nikki led the way hurriedly into the firehouse, the morning sun just beginning to peep over the façade of the building. As she passed the Ecto-1, she noticed Peter and Winston standing guard by the basement staircase, both fully clad in their proton packs and gear. At the sight of the young couple's hasty entrance, Peter eagerly waved them after him as he descended to the lower level of the firehouse.
"Good, you made great time. Ray and Egon have been down there for the past few hours trying to hold this thing. Maybe you can talk to her?!" Peter shouted frantically over the building charges of electricity that grew louder and louder the further they drifted down the stairs.
"Kinda hard to talk to her when she's locked up behind industrially thick glass and metal…" Nikki muttered under her breath tensely. Winston followed right after Nikki and Shawn and though he may not have understood the intense dynamics that even the scientists of the group were still trying to figure out with this class five spirit, he was definitely every bit on-edge as the rest of them.
"Sorry to get you both so riled up after our long night last night, but it's pretty rough down here." Winston halfway apologized as they reached the bottom floor. He drew his thrower for emphasis and both he and Peter split up and flanked both sides of the tank where the spirit was clearly in turmoil inside its cramped containment tank.
"They're here! Where do you want her?!" Peter shouted over the interior crashes and bumps and countering protonic blasts from the holding grid. Ray and Egon both stood at the controls, both wearing their protective goggles as they kept their eyes trained on what they could see of the ghost fighting inside the tank. Ray turned and caught sight of his daughter and hastily fumbled with another pair of goggles as he waved her forward.
"Nikki! See if you can communicate with her – she's already fried through one of the generators trying to get outta here. She seemed compliant until just a little while ago…" Ray fumbled to explain. Nikki shrugged off the goggles he offered her and he muttered something under his breath about her stubbornness causing her to go blind one day before he offered the pair to Shawn who took them to placate him. Nikki positioned herself between her father and Egon, looking over their shoulders through the small viewing window brightly lit with the protonic forcefield. Even through the continuous bursts of different sparks of electricity, Nikki could see the distinct figure of the woman flailing around and screaming incoherently through the destruction going on inside the poor ghost's containment tank.
Nikki gently pushed through Egon and Ray so that she could be more visible to the ghost fighting inside. Egon's hand flew across the buttons and dials on the board in front of him as the hurricane melted into an inferno. Steam exploded in response to the ghost's hit as Egon responded with a torrent of water from the building's diverted sprinkler system. Nikki put a hand over Egon's and stared at him pleadingly.
"Turn the grid down," She said softly, flashing a look at the viewing window and then back at Egon. Nikki couldn't see through his blacked-out goggles but she knew his eyes had to be as wide as his glasses underneath. His mouth opened in dumbfounded surprise and he leaned past her to look wonderingly at Ray. Nikki turned to give him to same instructive look and nodded to the cell in front of them once more as the class-five spirit let out another pained yell after a shock of electricity hit her on top of the water still dripping from the walls of the tank. She heard two proton throwers switch on with a charged up hum and she could hear Shawn somewhere just behind her fumbling to pull his own proton pack on as well for extra backup.
"Nikki, if she gets out…" Egon started to warn her. Nikki held up her hand to quiet him firmly and gestured for him to switch down the laser grid's intensity. Nikki turned back to the viewing glass and after another brief moment of Egon's hesitation, the buzzing electric field lessened and the ghost woman's figure lit up with her furious glow. Nikki reached forward and knocked gently on the surface of the window to get the ghost's attention and when the woman's head whipped to glare straight at the girl who dared to direct her full fixation on herself, the lights in the basement flickered with the power surge.
"Down, down!" Nikki said through her gritted teeth. Egon made a worried groan and Nikki felt Ray's hand reach protectively out for her arm. "Turn it all the way down!"
Egon complied and switched the dial even further to the left and the hum of the protonic fields separating the ghost from the wall of the tank lessened even more. The woman's blue-eyed stare and her pale complexion was clearly reflected through the glass of the viewing window and her shoulders raised and lowered from her ragged, heaving breaths. Nikki felt a pang of sadness at seeing the woman so harrowed after battling against the Ghostbusters' containment beams. She took another step closer to the holding tank, pressed up as close as she could to the motherboard of the unit's precautionary controls. She lifted her hand to where the woman could see it and fixed a calming look on her face.
"I'm not going to let them hurt you," Nikki said genuinely. The woman's stare didn't falter and she seemed to float in the center of the holding tank watching Nikki carefully.
"Leveling off…" Ray murmured quietly, eyeing the grid's stats in the control board. The steady hum of the proton packs all around her made Nikki a little wary for all of their safety. If the ghost did attempt to escape through the diminished laser field, would the Ghostbusters really stupidly choose to shoot at it in this cramped, almost nuclear-powered basement?
"What's gotten you so stirred up?" Nikki tried to ask. The woman drifted slightly closer to the window, her eyes blinking repeatedly as if in confusion. She moved to raise her hand to the glass like she had during their first meeting and Nikki hastily removed hers, not wanting to cause another spur-of-the-moment vision to take her down. The ghost woman hesitated in her motion, seeing that her approaching hand had startled the girl and she lowered it back to her side with a strained look on her face. Nikki winced and felt the need to apologize, rubbing at her head where her headache still lingered. "I'm sorry…I just don't think I can take another vision right now."
The ghost woman shook her head, tilting it to the side as if not understanding her. Nikki nodded sheepishly and knocked gently on the window once more. Egon and Ray remained stiffly observant on either side of her though they clearly did not approve of her so nonchalantly touching their high-tech equipment. Nikki continued to ignore them and pointed to her ear and shrugged.
"I know it's hard to hear in there. Maybe we can make an intercom system or something?" Nikki asked, glancing hurriedly up at Egon who didn't take his goggled stare off the viewing window in front of him. Nikki looked back at the woman's face and noticed the growing look of pain in the woman's eyes. Nikki regarded the woman mournfully and then once more lifted her hand to the surface of the window. "They're afraid of what you'll do if we let you out right now. You're so strong…it's dangerous. But we're going to figure out some way to help you…I promise."
The woman looked around at the interior of her enclosure and Nikki knew she was testing the stability of the laser grid. She shifted her hand slowly on the window and the woman looked up at Nikki distractedly.
"Nikki…" Ray murmured worriedly, sensing the woman's intentions. Nikki shook her head and gently nudged his hand away from her shoulder. She closed her eyes and forced her energy into her palm, trying to show the ghost woman her abilities through the glass. After a moment, a familiar warmth spread through her palm and Nikki felt the glass warm under her hand as well. She opened her eyes and could see a splotch of light shining through the window onto the ghost woman's face which was screwed into an expression of awed surprise.
"Nikki, please don't damage the equipment…" Egon softly encouraged her. At his warning, Nikki hastily removed her hand from the window and clasped it together with her other one to stifle the already waning light. She glanced up apologetically at Egon whose mouth twitched with a slightly amused smirk. When Nikki glanced back at the woman in the tank, she was surprised to see that she had raised her hand upward, but instead of pressing it against the glass like Nikki had, she just held it aloft by her shoulder. Within seconds, her pale hand lit up similarly to Nikki's had, though a crackle of electricity and then flames hovered around the light she had conjured. The trio standing before the frame of the window all frozen in anticipation of the ghost's flex of power and Nikki heard the three armed Ghostbusters switch their throwers into an even high charge in preparation of her attack.
"Wait –!" Nikki cried out, raising both of her hands like in surrender to prevent the ghost from turning hostile again like they all feared she would. But the woman's gaze remained stoic and she lifted her other hand to her chest, pumping her fist there rhythmically like demonstrating a heartbeat. Nikki lowered her own hands and watched the woman's movements thoughtfully as she drummed out a few more heartbeats and then pointed at Nikki.
"What's she doing?" Peter broke in, his thrower still humming readily in his grasp. Nikki narrowed her gaze at the ghost woman wonderingly and continued to watch as the woman gestured at her uplifted hand fizzling with ghostly energy and then pointed at Nikki once again. Ray squeezed Nikki's forearm from where he had been clinging to her for shared sight and he cleared his throat with bewildered surprise.
"She's amazed you can do the same sort of thing she can…and you're still alive." He translated. Nikki's heart skipped a beat at that realization and choked out a surprised laugh as the woman too, smiled in warm realization. Nikki raised her hands palm-up and concentrated just long enough the cause a brief flicker of warmth to shine from her hands before she clenched them closed and nodded at the woman through the window.
"Yes…yes it's…something." Nikki said embarrassed by the ghost's awareness at their similar abilities. Ray took his hand off of Nikki's arm and stepped back, and Nikki noticed that he seemed to have gestured for Shawn, Winston and Peter to shut down their throwers because the basement was suddenly quiet. Nikki placed a hand over her heart, demonstrating the genuine promise she was making. "I'm going to help you. We're going to figure out why you're here."
Egon moved towards the controls as the ghost lowered her fizzling hand and moved closer to the glass. Nikki shot him a warning look and then fixed the ghost woman with a pleadingly expression.
"It's going to take some time…but please, be patient with us. All of us." She swept her gaze around the room full of Ghostbusters who all shifted uncomfortably under the youngest girl's scrutiny. The ghost woman seemed to understand though and she nodded, backing up into the center of the tank obediently. Nikki smiled at her wearily, keeping her hand pressed to her chest as she nodded at the woman. "Thank you."
Egon took that moment to gently turn the dial up just a smidge to the right, the laser grid flickering into view and cutting through the view of the woman's silhouette. She didn't move however, Nikki's presence and cautionary talk having somehow calmed the ghost down for the moment.
"Nikki…"Ray commented, removing his blacked-out goggles and wrapping an arm around his daughter proudly. "That was amazing. We thought for sure we'd have to evacuate the building…the whole place was threatening to blow!"
"Yeah, in case the fact of seeing the pair of you still in your pajamas didn't tell her anything." Winston deadpanned. Nikki finally got a good look at the two scientists manning the elemental tank's controls and she laughed, wondering how she'd managed to miss that when she'd come in. Her father stood in an off-white t shirt and striped navy and white pajama pants and Egon had on a long-sleeved button up brown flannel top with matching pants.
"Glad you didn't choose last night to sleep in your underwear." Peter joked half-heartedly, still on edge about the ghost's previous hostilities. Ray rolled his eyes and steered Nikki back towards the desk they had in the corner of the basement room.
"You need to sit down, honey? You're looking a little green in the face." He said observantly. She shook her head and Shawn grabbed her other hand knowingly as he answered for her.
"Just a case of your regular, totally normal hangover. The day after a twenty-first birthday is always the worst, you know."
"Karaoke will do that to ya," Peter said with a chuckle, slapping the girl fondly on her shoulder as Shawn steered her back towards the stairs. Nikki smirked.
"That Beach Boys rendition was definitely one for the books. We'll have to go back and do that again…only this time with a video camera." Nikki shot back. Peter raised his gaze to the ceiling knowingly and reholstered his neutrona wand. Winston followed suit after another wary glance at the holding tank containing the elemental ghost who was for the moment behaving herself at Nikki's request.
"Janine's on her way in, she offered to pick up coffee and doughnuts for everybody since we had to call you both in on emergency. We didn't intend to, honest." Ray apologized quickly. Nikki stopped at the foot of the basement stairs and looked back at the viewing window, seeing the dim outline of the woman's silhouette through the laser grid. She fixed a condescending look at her father and then eased it off a bit when his head ducked over to face Egon still at the controls readily.
"Dad, my only regret is that we didn't get here sooner. Why didn't you call us as soon as things started looking bad?"
"Why didn't you tell them about the cult ghosts paying you a visit last night?" Shawn muttered under his breath, causing Nikki to stiffen and snap her mouth closed. Ray didn't appear to have heard the boy's comment though and he rubbed at the back of his neck tiredly.
"Well, it's not like we have a landline down here. We had to wait for Winston and Peter to get up…we were down there fighting with her for an hour and a half before Winston finally heard us." Ray explained sheepishly. Nikki shot a look at Egon when he glanced over his shoulder with a confirming nod.
"Wire a phone down here – that's on today's to-do list." She said with an ordering tone. Winston raised his hand as if asking for permission to speak. Her face broke into a good-humored grin.
"I'll take care of it – it'll take no time. I think these two boys have already managed to put in a full day's work down here and it's not even 8am yet." Winston gestured once more to Ray and Egon's haggard appearance and dress. Ray had moved back to join Egon at the control board and he lifted his hand to high five the other scientist. Egon, distracted by skeptically watching the steady levels of the holding tank missed his motion altogether and Ray was left hanging for several awkward seconds until Peter lurched forward and saved him from further embarrassment by slapping his palm against Ray's.
"Gotcha pal," Peter said with a courteous wink and head bob. He let out a wide, long-winded yawn and pointed towards the stairs. "I'm going up to shower. It's way too early, but I guess it's a good time to start the day."
Ray smiled wanly at his comical colleague before his eyes brightened and he once more jogged away from Egon and the containment tank.
"Oh! Nikki – I have something to show you. Come on, let's go back upstairs." Ray urged the young couple. Nikki and Shawn could hardly move fast enough for the older Ghostbuster's prodding and once they reached the first floor of the building, Ray darted past them and to Janine's desk. He rummaged through the pile of paperwork there for a few seconds, mumbling to himself excitedly as he did so.
"What is it?" Nikki asked halfheartedly, her headache coming back full force after the adrenaline that had blocked it out while she calmed down the Elemental spirit. Ray whirled around with a bright yellow sticky note, a phone number hastily scrawled across it with the name 'Mark Russell' underlined right above it. She lifted her wide-eyed gaze to meet her father's excitement. "He called?"
"Last night!" He nodded. "There was a voicemail on the machine when we got back after the party. He told us he'd met you at the bookshop the other day, and that he was visiting from St. Augustine, Florida. He mentioned just a little bit about having special Sight, but not to the extent that you described the other day of course."
"I guess he didn't want to sound too crazy for the Ghostbusters' first impression of him." Shawn snorted. Nikki elbowed him and nodded hurriedly for Ray to continue. She knew the overeager twinkle in his eyes and that he had apparently found a lot more interesting information to share with her than just the fact that Mark had called.
"So, just out of curiosity, and because I needed something to keep me busy in between shifts checking up on the Elemental Spirit, I did some research on Sight and how common it can be in certain areas. You're not gonna believe what I found…come on!" Ray gave his hand a little flick and the sticky note fluttered back down to the desktop. He turned and waved the couple after him as he turned to haul himself up the staircase to the second floor of the firehouse. Nikki glanced at Shawn who raised his eyebrows at her questioningly but she just smiled and darted up the steps after her father.
"You mean to tell me you found something deeper than what we've already read about my abilities before? You know I've been trying to research it on my own almost all my life…" Nikki said conversationally, huffing as she tried to keep up with Ray's excitement. As she reached the top of the stairs, she found that he was already typing frantically at his computer. She paused in the doorway and waited for Shawn to climb the stairs, equally winded. "You and Egon have been scouring the internet for the past three years…what made you think you could find something different now?"
"Since we found out the extent of your abilities, yes we've been researching on the side to no avail about why you're able to do what you can, crossing ghosts over and all. But your description of the similarities you and this other young man share and the way you say you felt a familiar connection when you met him, it had me wondering. If you each share the same abilities to communicate with the supernatural beings that are only partially known to every other person, maybe that means you do have some connection…"
Nikki crossed the room, grabbing Egon's desk chair from the other side of the room as she approached her father at his workstation. She positioned the chair directly beside Ray's and sat down, scooting even closer to him so she could see the screen better. Her eyes scanned the information popping up as Ray typed, and she realized this was more than just a simple question he had researched on the internet search engine – he had somehow found a significant route in his hunt for information and had followed it for hours.
"Dad, did you get any sleep last night?" Nikki chastised him, though the amazement in her voice overlapped her concerned tone.
"A little bit, yeah, that's why I hated that I didn't hear Egon struggling with the ghost at first." Ray shrugged. He clicked on a website that he had bookmarked in his search history and he pointed to direct her attention to a passage he'd discovered. "So anyways, this is what I found…'those with Psychic Sight possess qualities and abilities exceeding but not necessarily limited to, communication with spirits, telekinesis, telepathy, mediumship – calling up spirits from the beyond, astral projection, renewed vitality, hypnosis, stimulated psychosis, and even established links to others who possess said Sight. Brain chemistry is significantly different from an average human's capable mind, it only begs to assume that those with similar developed minds would be linked…"
"Wait…" Nikki said, pressing hand to her forehead where her hangover headache was causing it to be nearly impossible to follow the rapid amount of information Ray was rattling off.
"Sounds like a superhero qualification list." Shawn scoffed from behind her. Ray murmured some wisecracking remark that was lost on Nikki as a flash of images ran through her memories. She felt her stomach turn and she squeezed her eyes briefly closed.
Her own deafening screams rang out through the fuzzy images of a wide open field, a glass of wine in a hand that didn't belong to her, a train window with an even more confusing blur of scenery flying by as the vehicle rushed through what looked to be mountainous terrain…memories that weren't hers, topped with voices aiming questions and infuriated remarks at her as she screamed in pain. That frigid, green glow surrounding it all as Vincent Barlow's influence directed her through them all in his searching…
"Nikki?" Shawn's voice brought her back to reality. Though he'd spoken her name softly, it grounded her and the green glow dissipated in favor of the lab's bright lights and the even brighter screen in front of her where Ray had pulled up yet another window to a different website housing related information. This one was headed 'Psychic Bonds' and an assortment of links ran down the screen beneath it. Nikki blinked at the webpage for a moment, thinking, her head pounding at the realization she'd just uncovered from her buried traumatic memory. She looked at her father sitting beside her, and he glanced at her with concern when he felt her stare on him.
"I think I have experienced that before…" She said, swallowing hard and chancing a glance at Shawn where he was perched on the couch in the corner of the room by the window. His eyes were full of worry, the emotional bond tethering them together having already clued him in to her terror at remembering. Ray took his hand off the computer's mouse as he eagerly waited for her to continue. She took a shaky breath and steeled herself for the hasty explanation she was about to make.
"In that cave under my family's mausoleum." Shawn said for her. Nikki and Ray both froze visibly at Shawn's flat tone and but Nikki kept her gaze trained on her father's face as she nodded.
"Vincent was trying to find others like me. He was somehow able to use and direct my abilities to…connect to others." She pointed at the website's headline. "My psychic bond to them, I guess. It was like I was each of these different people, for just a few seconds at a time. He was cycling through, trying to pinpoint who to target next, I think. It was just…"
"Nikki, don't hurt yourself. It's alright, you're safe." Ray said, wrapping his arms protectively around his daughter. Nikki felt her eyes grow misty as she leaned into him, thankful that he'd been able to see how terrified she was as the memory of that night resurfaced. "It's amazing…it – it really must be true then, that you are somehow deeply in tune with others like you. It's a shame that something like that cult ghost – I mean, Shawn's father, had to be the one to dig it up but that just proves that it exists."
Nikki opened her eyes to glance over at Shawn apologetically at Ray's semi-insensitive way of referring to his father but Shawn was looking out the window instead. He stood up and cleared his throat, heading back across the room.
"Janine's at the corner with an armload of coffees and it looks like a huge box from the bakery. I'm gonna run down and help her." He said lightly. Nikki closed her eyes in a wince, knowing how defensive Shawn was about his roots. He'd used Janine's appearance as a scapegoat, wanting to leave the room and the automatic ties to the cult ghosts that had almost killed Nikki those few years prior. She sniffed and straightened up from the embrace, as Ray released her with a final emotional squeeze.
"Sorry I brought it up." He apologized quietly, turning back to minimize out the numerous webpages he'd reopened to show her. Nikki shook her head, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen from her bun back behind her ear.
"No, it's amazing to think about. I just…I'd just pushed it down, not wanting to think about that night…little did I know how many clues it could be holding. Maybe when I feel better, we can see what else I remember that might help with that connection." Nikki rubbed at her right temple and listened to Shawn's hurried footsteps descending to the first floor of the firehouse. She cleared her throat and then offered up an excited smile to her father, hoping to pick back up with the enthusiasm from moments before. "So do you think I'll be to do any of those other things on that list? Become a real superhero?"
"You might get there one day, who knows?" Ray chuckled.
"I thought we'd already established that – Little Stantz is a sidekick name. Not quite a superhero like us infamous Ghostbusters." Peter drawled as he came out of the bedroom, his hair wet and a towel thrown over his shoulder.
"Hey, if I master that telepathy stuff that you joked about when you first found out about my abilities, you won't be able to deny me that superhero title." Nikki said defensively. She stood up from the desk chair and crossed the room to the window, watching as Shawn stepped out onto the sidewalk below her, holding the door open. Sure enough, there was Janine across the street, her thin frame blocked by a huge bakery box and two drink trays full of large coffees piled on top of the box. All that was visible of the small, fiery secretary was her bright purple leggings and lavender heels completing her ensemble. Nikki could only imagine how many other shades of purple she had mixed into her outfit for the day and she smiled as she squinted to try and see past the coffees to catch a glimpse of the woman's top. A bright purple bow that matched Janine's leggings peeked up over the tops of the coffee cups as she began crossing the street.
Then the world stopped.
A car horn blared just as Janine crossed over the middle line, and there was a long shriek as a taxicab flew around the corner just in front of the secretary. The car slammed to a stop with a thud and Janine's high pitched voice erupted into a fit of rage heard all the way through the thick glass of the upstairs window.
" –idiot! Where the hell do you think you've gotta be in such a hurry on this side of town anyway?! You're lucky you didn't kill me, you –"
"Oh my God!" Nikki exclaimed, whirling around from the window and rushing past Peter and Ray on her way to the fire pole for quicker descent.
"What happened?!" Peter and Ray both asked in unison.
"Janine –" Nikki stammered out as she slid down the pole. Winston was just coming up from the basement, completely oblivious to the almost-fiasco outside. When he saw Nikki slam down to the ground floor from the fire pole and run for the front door, he too called after her.
"What's going on?"
As Nikki pushed open the door, fallen shut as Shawn had run to help Janine, the scene of the street was clearer.
The coffees that had been piled up, blocking Janine's view were strewn all across half of the street just in front of the firehouse, puddles of steaming liquid spilling out in a disheartening waste. The bakery box had toppled out of Janine's grasp as well, flinging the huge assortment of doughnuts, danishes, and muffins into mushy piles on the asphalt.
"–you're definitely gonna hear from my lawyer, buddy! Louis Tulley may not look threatening, but we're gonna get you for everything you've got!"
Nikki felt a well of relief at hearing Janine's infuriated threats as she darted for the taxi. She couldn't even hear the cab driver's retort over the spunky secretary's fearful threats. Nikki stopped as soon as she reached the cab, catching a glimpse of purple mixed in with the mushy piles and draining coffee cups around her. She turned her head and looked directly at a scuffed up, bright purple high heel that had been thrown several yards ahead of the vehicle.
"Janine!" Shawn's voice shouted over the sudden eruption of car horns as they ran upon the stopped taxicab and pedestrians in the road.
"Nikki! What's happened?!" Winston shouted as he followed her out of the firehouse. His boot steps thudded loudly as he heard Shawn's pleadings on the other side of the cab and with a sharp intake of breath, Winston darted past Nikki to help. Nikki felt her chest tighten but she tore her gaze away from the lavender shoe to follow Winston and Shawn's persistent voices.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see her in time. The light just turned green, I was starting my route for the day…" The cab driver was the first person she saw once she rounded the front hood of the cab and she noticed his stocky form clad in a thin, dark brown coat and black driving gloves despite the warmth of the morning. He scratched the distinct shadow of stubble on his jaw worriedly as he regarded the mess littering the street.
"You know pedestrians have the right of way!" Janine shrieked in response, her voice wavering as her nerves finally caught up to her. Nikki heard shouts from the other side of the car as Peter and Ray finally made it out of the building. Cars were beginning to try and weave around the stopped cab now, and Peter's voice rang out with a few obscenities to discourage them before he and Ray made it to Nikki's side.
"Janine, easy –" Winston ordered, his voice calm. He murmured something to Shawn and Nikki finally tore her gaze off of the haggard cab driver to stare at the backs of the two men crouched on the street beside the car as if they were hurrying to pick up the fallen confections and discarded coffee cups.
"What do you mean, 'easy'?! I'm not a violent person, but I really wanna punch this guy's face in! I was trying to do something nice for you all, and this bozo goes and makes me waste it all…" Janine complained with a sniffle. Her voice cracked as if she were about to start crying.
"Peter, go call 911!" Ray said hurriedly.
"You go call 'em!" Peter shot back, pushing past Ray and Nikki to force himself in front of Winston and Shawn to hold his hands up against the stopped traffic. Car horns blared and shouts rose up both in question and in heated annoyance. Nikki heard Ray give a worriedly indecisive huff before he took off back around the cab toward the building.
"Geez…no need to make that much of a fuss…I'm fine! Just make sure this idiot doesn't get away!" Janine protested. Nikki finally lifted her gaze from the group of congregated Ghostbusters and studied the secretary where she stood a few feet from the cab, glaring accusingly at the cab driver. "I'm telling you, creep, if you hadn't stopped when you did –"
"Janine." Nikki murmured softly, her voice breaking fearfully. The red haired woman tore her glare off the wary cab driver long enough to flash Nikki an annoyed glance.
"No…" Nikki heard a voice more broken than her own speak up from behind her. "Janine…no…"
Egon didn't run, but he walked briskly past Nikki to his longtime love's side. He knelt down beside his colleagues and Nikki's heart shattered at the sight of the tall, rigid scientist bending down to examine the secretary's limp body. She could've been asleep, had her neck not been lying at an unnatural angle on the pavement. Scrapes had torn through her brightly colored purple leggings, and her one remaining lavender high heel was cracked and halfway hanging off of her foot. Her plum-colored blouse, which Nikki was now able to see on her ghost standing over the Ghostbusters, was streaked with spilled coffee and blood.
"What…?" Janine's crackling voice finally broke over the heavy silence. Nikki kept her gaze trained on Janine where she stood looking confusedly between the group of crouching Ghostbusters and the cab driver where he leaned against his cab door, his head in his hands. When she looked back up at Nikki, her eyes were shining with fearful tears behind her glasses.
"Janine, it's going to be okay…" Nikki started to say softly. Janine shook her head rapidly a few times and glanced back down at her body twisted and unmoving on the ground. Nikki took a step towards the woman as if to try and comfort her but at Nikki's sudden movement, Janine shivered and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Janine, please…" Egon's voice murmured softly. Nikki threw herself to the ground beside Shawn where he had fallen back after helping Winston perform compressions on the hopelessly gone woman. The young couple stared forlornly at Egon where he held Janine's broken body close until the ambulance came.