Carter Part One

[bloodcount]

Fandom: Real Ghostbusters
Rating: All Audiences
Genre: Romance: Winston/June Carter from 'The Bogeyman Cometh'
Synopsis: For Winston's sake, the Ghostbusters bust a marriage.






Third Time's The Charm

"It's Summertime, Summertime! Sum-Sum-Summertime! Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum Summertime!"

"Turn it up!" Winston Zeddemore was having a grand time. He leapt over a chair towards his prey. The shock of the Bogeyman Incident three nights before was finally starting to wear off. Putting that evil creature out of everyone’s misery had been the Ghostbuster’s last capture of Spring and now...

"IT'S SUMMERTIIIIIME!!"

Laughter and dramatic squeals of protest filled the enormous garage/reception area of Ghostbuster Central as the five grown inhabitants and two small guests celebrated the slow, summer season that had come at last.

The prey, scientist Egon Spengler, faked left but Winston wasn't fooled. Luckily, Egon was able to scoop up little Kenny Carter and use him as a giggling human shield. Foiled! Winston stopped. Meanwhile, Kenny's older sister, Meghan Carter, made an impressive standing leap and wrapped her arms around Ray Stantz’s neck in a strangle-hold that would have done Gorgeous George proud. Making appropriate Ack! Gak! noises Ray began to spin her around. Not too fast, he didn't want her to fly off or vomit. Meghan held on for dear life and shrieked.

Yes, Dr. Peter Venkman's first 'Surviving the Bogeyman' group therapy session had wonderfully deteriorated. The Survivors, five year old Kenny, seven year old Meghan and thirty-six year old Egon had been drawn into a wrestling match, billed as the Support Group Grudge Match of the Century, by the Friends Of The Survivors of the Bogeyman, Ray and Winston. The children and the scientist were winning.

"Put the kid DOWN, you coward!"

"Yeah, you coward!" Kenny's wide grin could be seen from the moon.

"I think NOT!" Egon backed a good distance away and almost imperceptibly bobbed Kenny in a tossing motion. Winston subtly nodded then, with a devastating bellow, he charged.

FLING went Kenny through the air. Surprised, his little stomach lurched and he had a thrilling and long moment of hangtime before landing solidly in Winston's arms. He didn't even have time to shout! That was some almighty fun! "THROW ME AGAIN! THROW ME AGAIN!"

Egon took off for the stairs. "He will.” Winston said, putting Kenny down. “But we gotta catch him first." They thundered up the stairs after Egon, war-whooping.

Meanwhile, Ray was turning blue. "Janiiine! Get her offa me!"

"I got my own problems, Ray." Janine Melnitz, the Disappointingly Platonic Pal of the Friends of the Survivors of the Bogeyman, was keeping her desk between herself and Group Leader Peter Venkman. Suddenly he gave a push, bumping her with the desk itself and down she went. He leapt for her and she almost rolled away in time. Almost.

"OH, LORD HELP!!" Winston, doing his best Eddie Murphy imitation, and Kenny were back in a controlled 'fall' down the stairs. It took a great deal of athletic effort and concentration for Winston to roll both himself and Kenny down to ground level without bruising or breaking anything. "OH, LORD HELP ME PLEASE I'M FALLIN' DOWN THE STEPS! OH, JESUS CHRIST LORD HELP!! My shoe! LORD HELP!!" Boom! They hit the floor, laughing wildly.

A flash of light illuminated the firehouse and everyone, startled, looked towards the door. June Carter laughed and took another picture. Oh, her poor kids, their hair was snarled and their eyes were wild. Unused to wrestling with anyone stronger than she was they looked like they'd been playing with thunderbolts.

"Mama!" Kenny staggered up and ran over. "We were running and then Egon had hold of me and Winston came after us both so he threw me across the firehouse and Winston caught me and then we chased him upstairs and we tripped and fell all the way down and it was GREAT!"

"Wow!" She turned to her suddenly prim daughter waiting at the base of the steps for Egon, every hair in place, to rejoin them. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." June could almost see the halo.

"Nothing?!” Ray was outraged. "'Megon' over there tried to kill me!"

"Oh, I did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!" She sprang towards him and battle would have been joined again but Peter interrupted.

"Kids! We, uh, had a very fruitful first session. Run upstairs and grab your things while I give your mom the bill." Meghan and Kenny were on the verge of complaining loudly but Ray, knowing he'd be filled in later, turned and headed immediately for the stairs. Not wanting to miss a thing, they forgot their protests and shot to his side as if magnetized. Children would follow Ray Stantz into Hell.

Peter sat on the edge of Janine's desk and motioned everyone closer. Janine decided not to come too close and turned the radio down a notch. "We did have a great first session." Peter reassured June. "The kids know they can trust us and that makes communication easy. We also tired them out so they'll dream less."

"We tired THEM out?" Winston groused good-naturedly, fanning himself. June, smiling, looked at him. Then she looked again. She jerked her attention back to Peter.

"How are they sleeping?" he asked. June was surprised. She thought she would be dealing with Peter exclusively and alone but, obviously, there was no room for Doctor/Patient confidentiality in the firehouse.

"Not very well." She admitted to the small crowd. "It's been only a little while since that...that THING...has been gone and they're still sleeping with me with the light on. I don't think they'll ever go back to their own room. And, honestly, I don’t want them to, yet." She remembered how lovely, and how futile, Egon's gesture of tucking them into their own beds that first night had been. He remembered it too and smiled ruefully down at her.

"Don't push them to go back too soon."

"I'M not!!!" June bit her lip. She didn’t know if it was the joyful scene she’d walked in on, her own stress, or the sincere concern in everyone’s eyes but suddenly she couldn't stop herself, "It's James. My husband just won't cut them any SLACK! Ever since he's stopped traveling so much its been one long pain in the...” She sighed. “It’s been an adjustment. I'm sorry, Dr. Venkman, you were saying?"

Wow, thought Winston. You're beautiful when you're angry. He quickly looked away before anyone caught him staring.

Peter sympathized with June's frustration. He reached out and grasped her shoulder. "I was saying what a great job you're doing. The kids are healthy, eating well and getting plenty of exercise. The nightmares will fade. They're going to be just fine."

"Remember," Egon added in his deep, soothing voice. "The Bogeyman had access to them, to their fear, for less than a week before they came to us for help. His...hold...on them was never strong. They WILL be fine."

“They will?” The poor woman was desperate.

June was about to lose it, Janine noticed. Time to step in. "They were so cuuuuute!" she cooed. "Coming into the firehouse wearing their jammies and carrying their little blue piggybank to hire us with! Wanting to speak to the Head Ghostbuster. I told them Egon was asleep but they wanted in anyway." Peter shot her a dirty look.

June swallowed hard and smiled at the redhead's strong Brooklyn accent. "Hey, we haven't officially met, have we?"

"No, actually. Janine Melnitz! I run this place." She held out her hand.

"June Daye Carter. Good to meet you!" They shook.

"It occurs to me that you haven't 'officially' met any of us. Beyond throwing us out of the house the first time you saw us and jumping over us to get to your kids the second time." Peter grinned.

June was abashed."Dr. Venkman, please don't remind me."

Egon to the rescue. "Third time's the charm. I'm Doctor Egon Spengler." June gave Egon an extra warm smile as they shook hands. He had been the only person that believed her children when they said they had a monster in the closet. He had defeated the evil thing. Consequently, the kids outwardly, and June inwardly, worshiped the ground he walked on.

Peter seized her hand and kissed it with an overdone romantic sloppiness. "Venkman. DOCTOR Peter Venkman!" Laying on the heavy vanity he leered at her and Janine made a gagging sound.

June played along, "OOH! Not THE Dr. Venkman!!" She drew a hand across her fevered brow and laughed. Then she turned to Winston.

Winston stood just so much taller. To his shock he realized his palms were sweating. "Winston." He held out his hand.

"June." She took it.

"Aaaaaah!" The radio moaned. "Now I don't hardly know her..."

They shook hands. They smiled.

"...but I think I could love her..."

And that, simply, was that.

"KIDS!" June shouted, startling everyone. She let go of Winston and almost stepped into Janine's garbage can as she backed away. "TIME TO GO!"

Meghan, Kenny and Ray came hurtling down the steps. They were gleefully and carefully carrying a choice selection of Ray's rejected Ghostbusting equipment. Meghan was wearing defective Ecto-scopes over her eyes and Kenny was sporting a useless Psionic Monitor on his head.

“The aliens have landed!” June exclaimed and Kenny, laughing, detoured towards the bathroom.

"Soooo," Peter said, eyeing Winston. The man looked struck. He glanced at June. She, too, was flustered. She was twiddling her fingers. It didn’t take a Doctorate in Psychology to figure out what was going on. Peter smiled at her. "What've you and the miserable little monsters got planned for tonight?"

Ray joined them and looked curiously around. Winston and June looked hypnotized. He wordlessly asked Janine what had happened? She raised her index finger into the air. Wait, and I’ll tell you. Ray nodded.

Scraping her composure together June dug through her large purse. Peter had recommended lots of personal attention for the kids and she'd followed through with a vengeance. "Storybooks for Kenny and..." She pulled forth a ziplock bag bulging with clear, faceted beads. They refracted the sunlight shining into the firehouse with a rainbow's brilliance and Meghan oohed. "...and I thought tonight I'd do Megon's...MEGHAN's hair." The little girl brightened with anticipation. June grabbed her by the hand. "Got your stuff? OK, say goodbye to everybody."

"G'bye!"

"Nice meeting everyone! Officially! And thank you." She did not look at Winston. She didn't look at any of them. Just back away slowly, June.

"Bring them back tomorrow," Peter reminded her. He was still smirking.

"OK."

"Bye, June!"

"Bye!"

"See you!" Winston declared, a little too loudly, and winced. Ray realized he didn’t need Janine’s explanation. Ooh! This was interesting.

With a final vague wave June escaped into the bright summer afternoon. Dazzled by the sudden brilliant green of the trees, the flashy storefronts, even the cars passing by, June floated along in delighted shock ...how long had it been since she’d felt so …alive? Winston.

"Mama?"

Even the air seemed mint new, as if she were breathing it on an exotic tropical island instead of Manhattan Island. Her arm was still tingling...good god...Winston Zeddemore. He had such warm hands…a firm grip.

"MAMA!"

"WHAT, baby?"

"What about Kenny?"

June gasped and stupidly looked down and around. Kenny was not there. She covered her burning face with her hands. "Honey, go back to the firehouse and get your brother."

"Aren't you coming?"

"NO! No, it's just three doors down...you can do it...I'll be right here."

"OK!" Meghan turned and skipped back towards the firehouse, the No Ghosts sign shining before her like a beacon. June leaned on, actually she hid behind, a tree, and fought back the laughing hysterics. She almost succeeded. Winston. Winston Zeddemore.


***Amazing Grace***


"Goin' on up to the Spirit in the Skyyyyy...s'where I'm gonna go when I die!! When I die an' they lay me to rest, I'm gonna GO to the place that's the best!!"

The Lord's United Church was celebrating its re-opening under the clean falling sunshine of a Sunday morning. The light filtered down through the deeply colored panes of tinted glass. Gorgeous beams of bright reds, cheery oranges and dramatic indigo blues highlighted and made beautiful the revelers milling around the main floor. The religious icons depicted in the glass were decidedly ethnic. Mary, Jesus, Moses and all the other angels, saints and apostles looked rather Egyptian and were dressed in brilliant flowing robes. The main floor and the pews was sanded wood and the simple cream colors were specifically designed not to detract from the main glory of the windows or the parishioners.

The choir's back-up band was playing more enthusiastically than professionally but no one complained. Everyone felt too good to be back at United, now that the repairs and renovations were finally over, to make too much trouble.

Most everyone.

In the thick of things, in the area of the seventh row pew, were the Ghostbusters, Winston's father, Big Ed Zeddemore, and Janine. Eating cookies and drinking the prerequisite 7-Up, strawberry Kool-Aid and pineapple juice (with floating strawberries) punch, even the less or outright anti-religious among them were having a good time socializing. Big Ed's wife, Winston's Mama, Nellie, stopped by for a moment and Janine enviously admired her graceful clothes.

The bright pastel hues of the church ladies' elegant dresses and elaborate feathered and flowered hats contrasted so wonderfully with their rich brown skin. Janine smoothed her own plain tan dress and wanted to mope. It was the extravagant hats that really did her in, though. She couldn't wear a hat if her life depended on it. She was small and thin and even the most conservative hats made her look like a push-pin. Her skin was pale and freckled. Janine sighed. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman here,” a voice breathed into her ear and she looked up at Ray, startled. Then she smiled and offered him her last cookie. He winked at her and took it.

Thank god for good friends. Oh, well. She grinned at the wild packs of children that were running about, sending up a joyous racket. Best they get all the energy out of their systems before the service started.

"Ed! Winston! Guys!" Everyone looked around and up, way up, at the Reverend Cicero 'Chewbacca' Charles. Easily seven feet tall the effusive and popular reverend was practically bouncing in place. "I've been looking forward to today! We're finally back at United! Oh, it does me good...I'm so glad you could come!"

"This place looks fantastic! We were just talking about what a great job Big Ed did." Janine batted her eyes at the elder Zeddemore and he buffed his nails on his lapel. "I can't believe you got the proton burns out of the woodwork." She continued.

Big Ed ran his hands proudly over the oak pews. "Lots and lots of sandpaper. Right Winston?" Winston cringed and held his arms as if they pained him, still. "The wood damage was easy to fix." Big Ed went on. "The hardest thing was replacing the lead and the glass." He waved at the brilliant windows.

Janine turned to the illuminated scene of the Assumption of Mary. "Was that the one you fell through, Ray?"

"No, I fell through the Exodus. I was THROWN through Mary."

"I thought you were pitched through the Christians and the Lions?" Peter asked.

"That was Egon. You should know, you were there!" Ray exclaimed.

"I was a little distracted, Ray," Peter replied, rubbing at the palms of his hands.

Ray's face fell at the memory. "Oh, yeah, sorry."

The proton burns on the woodwork had been nothing compared to the blood stains on the floor. "BRRR!!!" The Reverend interjected loudly, purposely making everyone jump and breaking the sudden somber mood. "I hate demons. Nasty things!!" He received no disagreement.

"Speakin' of demons," A sweet voice behind them interrupted. A very ancient little woman dressed in her best ivy green dress stepped up. She peered humorously close at Egon, Ray and Peter. "They don't LOOK like Rampaging Pagans, Winston."

Avoiding his teammates’ sudden mock-offended scrutiny Winston jumped up and made hasty introductions while Janine and Big Ed laughed at him. "Miss Evelyn Lorraine, guys, our oldest parishioner. But she's not going to get another day older," he shot her a dramatically dangerous glare.

Miss Evelyn swatted at him. Mischievously pleased with herself, she sat in his seat and made everyone's acquaintance. Egon, especially, interested her. "Look at you! Look at that hair! How nice!" She crooked a finger at him and he politely bent down. Without the slightest self-consciousness she delightedly ran arthritic fingers through Egon's curly platinum-blond hair. "How pretty and soft! And look over here! Two redheads!" Ray and Janine leaned over and received the treatment, too, and they laughed. No one was offended, Miss Evelyn was old and a charming person. She just plain loved hair; from the most elaborate braids to a simple buzz-cut, she was always petting someone's head. Peter made a great show of leaping out of her reach.

He shook his thick dark hair teasingly. "How about some punch Miss Evelyn?"

"Anything you want to bring me, sweetie!"

Peter tipped a lecherous, green-eyed wink at her and headed off for the goodies table. Miss Evelyn watched him go. She had cleaned up his blood, a fact known only to a select few within the congregation, and she felt rather protective of the young man. "That boy's got the devil in him, doesn't he?"

"We've tried exorcism...to no avail."

"EEEEEGON!!!!"

It was Meghan and Kenny Carter heading their way at top speed. They practically gleamed they were so well dressed and scrubbed. June trotted behind them hissing "Slow! Slow! Slow!" Meghan managed to stop in time but Kenny plowed right into Winston.

"OOF!"

"OW!"

"Oh, lord." June reached everybody. "Winston, are you okay?"

Winston picked Kenny up and dusted him off. "Oh, I'm fine, y'know, I...I…” He looked up at June with an overly modest, John Wayne sort of manly stoicism. “I whip gods and demons for a living so Kenny can't do me too much damage."

Peter missed it, Janine thought with no small amount of shock. Winston is bragging and Peter missed it! Big Ed stared at his son in surprise. Reverend Charles stepped back and pantomimed beating his chest. The entire group fought down smirks and giggles. Neither Winston or June noticed. June was practically digging her toe into the carpet like a schoolgirl.

"You fight actual Gods with those proton pack things?" She asked him wonderingly..

"With his teeth!" Ray crowed.

"RAY!" Embarrassed, Winston wanted to crawl under a rock and die. She was lovely. She was married. And they were in the middle of church, no less. He cast around for a topic of conversation. "Uh, since when do the Carter's go to United?"

"Today is our first day." A self-important voice replied. 'He' had arrived. June’s husband was finally making an appearance. The group looked up at the head of the Carter family, weighing him. He was a large, stocky man and he obviously considered smiling to be beneath his dignity. Carter looked around himself as if trying to locate that terrible smell and finally addressed Reverend Charles alone. "I am James Carter. These are my wife and children."

"Do they have names?" the reverend asked pointedly.

"Whatever their names are, anything's gotta be better than Jimmy Carter!" Miss Evelyn proclaimed with a smile, and waited. She’d dealt with Carter’s type before.

Carter glared down at her. "My name is JAMES!"

"JIMMY!!" Carter jumped and whirled around. Peter had returned with Miss Evelyn's punch and if she thought he was devilish before..."How the HELL you been, Jimmy?!" Miss Evelyn decided to allow Peter to be her knight in shining armor and sipped her punch, enjoying herself thoroughly.

Carter flinched back from the Venkman menace. "I'm...fine."

"Sure you are. Hey, June! Hi guys! Are you new here? Okay, this is the Reverend Chewbacca," Meghan and Kenny laughed, "This lovely lady is Miss Evelyn and this is June, Kenneth and Meghan." Carter turned on his heel and left the area. Everyone's eyes went wide. Oh, no, he din't. His family did not follow either physically or mentally and June squared her shoulders.

Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin, Big Ed thought. The writing on the wall was clear, you have been judged and found wanting. That’s cold. But what a pompous ass.

Big Ed noticed his son was glaring at the stocky man's retreating back and became suddenly worried. He turned his attention to June and studied her very, very carefully, trying to disguise his stare by scratching his nose. She was talking rapidly to the Reverend, "We've been in New York for less than a month. I have family here and they recommended United. It’s such a beautiful, beautiful building!"

"And such a fantastic history," Waving goodbye, Charles led June away to show her around. Personally, Charles hoped to god June could sing. United had a weak choir ever since two of his best sopranos moved out of the city. Her husband, though, might be a problematical addition to...anywhere. They were quickly surrounded by the choir director and three members of the Welcoming Committee and disappeared. Winston watched her go and sighed as quietly as he could.

Meghan and Kenny elected to stay behind and sat contentedly on each side of Egon. Meghan was preening her beaded hair. She looked as if she were wearing a crown of diamonds and Miss Evelyn was suitably impressed. Janine amused everyone by wildly professing jealousy and warning her to stay away from Egon, or else!

"What is that damn whitebread doing in a black church? Who do they think they are? They're white!"

I did not just hear that. Winston turned slowly around. I did not hear that. Astonished church-goers were craning their necks in Carter's direction. He had buttonholed a completely uncomfortable gentleman and was loudly holding forth. Winston started for him and was suddenly yanked back by his father.

"Winston, don't. I'll take care of it."

"Dad! After all we've done for him! For his kids!" Winston jerked away from his dad, furious, his face suddenly beaded with sweat.

"Winston, sit down." Egon and Peter both had a hand on him now. Janine and Ray stood, horrified. This wasn’t Winston. Winston never lost his cool, never. "Don't make it any worse. Calm down."

"Calm down?!" People were staring, afraid to approach the Ghostbusters and mortally embarrassed. After all the paranormal team had done for United, to be treated like this by some idiot outsider! Winston didn't notice them. "Calm down?!" he shouted again. He scanned the room for Carter. Aha, he was making tracks to the other side of the room.

"Winston!" Egon looked pointedly down at the children. They were sitting very, very still, eyes huge. Winston was deflated immediately and an expression of deep shame crossed his face. Big Ed went to have a little chat with Carter, who was standing abandoned by the far wall.

"Too much excitement for me!" Miss Evelyn stood. "Winston, let's go see the garden."

"A garden?" Janine asked, a little too thrilled. "I'll come too!"

"Come on, then!" The two women steered Winston away. He kept his head down and quite a few interested eyes watched them go.

"Wait for me!" Ray followed.

Peter hoped word of this didn't get around to June too quickly, she just got here. What a disastrous first day. He looked down at the kids worriedly. Meghan was trying very hard not to cry. "No harm done, Meghan. We've been called much worse, believe me."

"But...but you helped us! It's not fair! And you're not white anyway!"

What? Egon and Peter looked at each other. "We're not?" Egon asked, examining his hand in some confusion.

"No! You’re good people! Whites are...whites are...they're..." she clamped her mouth shut.

Peter bailed her out. She was just a little girl and both men hated to see her struggle with concepts too big for her. "White is an attitude, Egon."

"Ah."

Meghan began to cry. She wanted to declare that both men were great and she loved them but she was suddenly afraid of saying something wrong. Again. Crying was all she could do. Egon put a comforting arm around her and drew her in. She hid her face on his shoulder and Kenny, none too dry-eyed himself, clumsily patted her back as if she were choking. Peter noticed a couple of women gravitating closer, ready to jump in if either man dropped the ball. Peter smiled at them reassuringly.

Since big girls don't cry, Meghan soon forced herself to stop. "Are you mad?" she timidly asked the tall, blond man.

"Of course I am." Egon reassured her. "I'm the original Mad Scientist, remember? I'm mad, you're mad, we're all mad around here." Egon's lips quirked up into a gentle smile, which was as close to a Cheshire Cat grin as he could manage. "Am I angry? No. Not terribly."

"Dad doesn't want us to go to the firehouse anymore but Mama won't listen to him and they yell a lot and I don’t like it." Kenny volunteered. Egon put an arm around him too.

Big Ed Zeddemore came back, stone faced. He walked a few steps beyond them and Peter soon joined him. "Well, he's gone home." the older man growled. "I don't think he's coming back. He took the car. He just…just ditched his family! I told June but it's already all over the church and she knew. She's embarrassed but she's staying. My wife is with her and I think the Reverend Charles is going to ask her to sing, despite everything."

Peter nodded. "She'll sing, too. Right on stage, in front of everybody. That's the kind of woman she is. Her kids'll love it. We'll take them home in Ecto, they're just a few doors down from us."

Big Ed was still mortally offended. "You don’t...treat people that way. Especially not your family...and you are our guests, for God’s sake!"

“We’re fine, Ed. Please, don’t even worry about it.”

Peter looked back at Egon and his fellow survivors. The circling women had landed with punch, cookies and compliments for Meghan's hair. "It took FOUR hours!" Peter heard her say as she patted her braids.

Suddenly Ray, Janine, Winston and Miss Evelyn reappeared and were edging through the crowd towards them. Winston looked subdued but relaxed. Peter noticed the pews were filling rapidly and the band stopped playing. Big Ed and Peter sat down again quickly before they lost their seats. Winston smiled at his friends and his father in mute apology and Big Ed cuffed him on the arm.

Without further ado the choir filed in, looking splendid in their bright green robes with silver trimming. The congregation applauded and cheered. June was among them, head up, spine straight and very conspicuous in her lavender dress. Nellie Zeddemore was right there beside her. June waved at her children and bit her fingernails in exaggerated panic. Meghan and Kenny, Big Ed, Janine and the Ghostbusters frantically waved back and shouted encouragement.

June swallowed and stepped forward, facing them all. The applause became almost deafening for the strong, classy woman. The Reverend Charles motioned for the band to lay aside their instruments for now as June was going a capella. She raised her hands to just below her ribcage and took a deep breath.

"Amaaaziiing Grace..."

The audience gasped and Meghan and Kenny squirmed with pride.

"...how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me...!"

Winston fought down the desire to go up the aisle on his knees, Hallelujah.

"...I once was lost but now I'm found..." She was beautiful in the crystalline light, easily the finest, bravest thing Winston had ever seen. Like an angel. He tried to look everywhere but directly at her. She was married. Married. Married. He studied the floor, the ceiling, his fingernails, the ornate glass...impossible. Guiltily he gazed at June again.

"...was blind but now..." She turned to her children.


"Oh! I see!"




Too soon, the re-opening celebration was over. Ecto-1 was loaded down with treats shoved upon the departing group as a welcome to June and a discreet apology to the Ghostbusters. Even Janine's VW Bug was crammed with cakes, cookies and even a gallon of punch by little old ladies who obviously felt that Janine could stand to gain a few pounds. She honked her horn in goodbye and headed off for Brooklyn while Winston honked back and pealed out of United's parking lot. He hit the siren with a decisive slap. Not to be outdone, June leaned over and cranked the radio up full blast. Between them Meghan and Kenny absolutely quivered at the noise. They were in Ecto-1!! The Ghostmobile!! Cars, trucks, pedestrians, the entire City of New York dove out of their way.

"Winston!" Peter shouted, doing his part for the noise pollution, "You're going to kill us!!" Ray mimicked June's earlier expression and bit his fingernails with exaggerated fear. "We're too young to die! Think of the children!"

"Quiet, THE MAN is driving!" June ordered and the peons in the back screamed. "Don't make me come back there! We'll put you right out on the highway!" Her kids laughed, Meghan had almost forgotten how funny her Mama could be.

Winston was, in fact, obeying the speed limit but Ecto was such a huge and obnoxious vehicle that the Carters had the impression they were on a roller coaster.

"All my doctorates wasted!"

"One more peep from back there and I'll beat you with a well rope! I mean it."

"PEEP!!"

June and Winston snarled.

"Wiiinnnnstonnnn! You missed the turn!" Kenny gleefully pointed out.

Meghan whacked him on the leg. "Hush!"

Winston looked over his shoulder with no great concern."Did I miss the turn? Oh, well. Hey! There's a Gelato place down here, who wants ice cream?"

Eventually, all good things must end.

Winston had managed to make a five minute drive stretch into an hour but he eventually forced himself to take the Carter's home. June had become angry again at the mere sight of her apartment building and she thanked the four men with a locked-jaw smile for the ride and the ice-cream. She had ushered her children onto the sidewalk and they waited for her, wretched and disappointed. Thanks for the time, warden, Winston thought. Back into the lock-up you go. This isn't fair.

Meghan leaned against the back door to say goodbye to Egon. He, Ray and Peter had stayed quiet for the most part, fading into the background to allow the folks up front their fun. Meghan sadly twiddled with her new braids, wanting to jump back into the car and ride off into the sunset so very badly.

Egon, in complete understanding, smiled at her. Face warped with the effort not to cry, again, she gave her braids a sudden, brutal, yank. Reaching through the back seat window she seized Egon's wrist and dropped three prismatic beads onto his palm. Then she dashed for the front door, yanking a surprised Kenny after her. June gave Winston a final wave and slowly followed.

"Pete, you want to drive?"

"Sure." Peter was kindly silent.

Winston scooted over. The front seat was still warm with June's body heat. As the huge car began the two minute trek to the firehouse Winston leaned his head back and forced himself not to scream. An hour just wasn't enough time. An entire day would be inadequate, too. A year would be nothing. As they finally pulled into the garage Winston was thinking in terms of a lifetime.

Egon rolled the beads in his hand before carefully tucking them into his pocket. No one noticed the ice cold expression on his face.





In Smoky Places




Winston flicked on the lights in the dim, cool basement and set to work on anything he could find. Proton Packs, ghost traps, lint traps, rat-traps; any sort of maintenance problem to take his mind off the past three weeks. Winston had a newfound respect for Dr. Venkman's psychology. Most of what he had seen before revolved around Peter convincing stubborn ghosts to give up their earthly existence and stop pestering everybody. Winston was ashamed of his preconception that that was the limit of Peter's abilities as the work he had done with Meghan and Kenny had been phenomenal. The nightmares had lost their hold and they could sleep with the lights out in their own room. There'd be no need for them to continue therapy, soon. No need for June to visit. Damn Peter and his competence anyway.

Winston picked up the remote control to the basement's radio. Maybe some music would help.

"Me and...MRS. JONES! Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones! We got a thiiiiing goin' onnnnnnn!"

Ah, no. Winston hit 'scan' to find a better station. Something ice-cold and wet touched the back of his neck and he spun around with a frantic "YAAH!"

"I'm sorry." It was Egon, looking not at all sorry and bearing a frosty bottled beer for Winston and an iced tea for himself. He was dressed in shorts and a white t-shirt with the sleeves and neck cut off. Winston gratefully accepted the beer and Egon rested himself on a nearby workbench, pulling up the bottom of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat out of his eyes.

"How's the great tanning experiment on the roof going?" Winston asked and turned back to his make-work.

"It's a failure. Janine and I encouraged skin cancer for as long as we could tolerate it, which wasn't long. Janine is already burned. Ray and Peter are browning up nicely and barbequeing dinner. We received a call."

"A call?! In the dead of summer?"

"It was a telemarketer." Egon clarified and Winston snorted with amusement.

Percy Sledge's croon drifted sadly from the radio "At the dark end of the street...that's where we always meet...hiding in shadows where we don't belong! We're living in darkness to hide our wrong."

"When will you be joining us?" Egon nudged.

"Oh, well, when I'm finished with this."

"IT'S A SIN and we know it's wrong but our love keeps comin' on strong," Percy declared defiantly.

Winston grabbed the remote and hit 'scan' again. The dial landed on a gospel station and Elvis Presley had the floor, "One of these days, mark my words, you'll think that brother has gone to work. You'll sneak up and knock on her door and THAT'S ALL, buddy, you'll knock no more!"

Winston rubbed his tired eyes. The King continued, "Lemme tell ya, God Almighty's gonna CUT YOU DOWN!"

A furious 'scan.' A country station.

"Whatever you’re doing can wait, Winston, come up to the roof and have a cheeseburger." Egon finished off his tea and impulsively reached for Winston's beer. Taking a swallow he pulled a face at the bitter taste. At least it was cold and wet.

Meanwhile, Hank Williams had grabbed the mike. "You'll toss and turn and call my name! But sleep won't come, the whole night through, your cheatin' heart will tell on you!"

Winston wound up and threw the remote across the room shattering it against the brick wall. He followed it over and yanked the radio down. Raising it over his head he savagely spiked it onto the concrete floor. Shards of brittle plastic flew everywhere. Hank was still bravely singing so Winston lifted a foot and stomped him out of his cheatin' misery.

Silence.

Ragged breathing.

Egon inspected the beer label dubiously and put the bottle far away from himself. "We have hot dogs, too."

Winston hated to see a grown man cry. He especially hated being that grown man and he was dangerously close. Oh, June. Then he realized something. "Oh, shit, that was Ray's new radio wasn't it?"

"It was, yes."

"I...can't believe I...why...I mean...oh, hell." He sat down beside the oasis of calm that was his friend and reclaimed his beer. "I'm sorry. I'll replace it. I'll do it today. Don't tell Ray."

"I won't." Egon picked a cube of ice out of his tea glass and crunched it in his mouth, waiting.

Winston struggled for the right words, feeling Egon was owed an explanation but realizing that his friend already knew what the problem was. He had to get this out, still. Finally Winston asked a question, "Do you have any...any idea at all of what it feels like to...want someone...want to be with someone so bad and you just can't? It would be...it would be..."

"Unacceptable."

"Yes!"

"Unacceptable to your family, your friends, unacceptable to everyone on earth but especially unacceptable to you. Futile, painful and hopeless." Egon found the floor to be suddenly very interesting.

“And a sin, don’t forget that.”

“I’m not. You are going straight to Hell.”

Winston looked at Egon with disgust. “Thanks.”

“If it’s any consolation, all your friends will be there as well. Certainly, I will be. Along with cavemen, bad dogs and everyone else who has ever loved too much, too unwisely.” Egon’s smile was sad and kind. Winston came out of himself long enough to realize he certainly had no patent on pain.

"This has happened to you, too?" Winston ventured.

"No." Egon snaked out a long arm and popped Winston on the shoulder. "No one that was married, anyway. But I do sympathize."

Winston rolled his eyes. "I'm serious! It's like I don't even know myself anymore! I just want to get over it, but I can’t! I've got it bad."

"And that ain't good."

"Egon!" Despite himself Winston gave a snort of amusement. Just getting his problem out into the open made him feel...not so alone. "I've got to get over it. It's just wrong. So wrong."

Remarkably, Egon began to sing, "If lovin' you is wrong, I don't wanna be right..."

"Egon! Damn! Remember what I did to the radio!" He laughed. His friend’s uncharacteristic behavior was exactly, exactly what he needed.

"I'm sorry, Winston. I've been rather facetious ever since we took down the Bogeyman. I'll stop. I've exhausted my repertoire of popular music, anyway."

"Popular? That one's older than Miss Evelyn!"

"Nothing's that old." Egon denied. He took back and finished Winston's beer.

Winston truly felt better. Mindless violence and a good friend can work miracles. He got up and picked a well-worn broom from behind the washing machine and began to sweep up, ashamed of the mess. Ashamed of himself. Thank God for Egon. Anyone else would have overreacted from shock or quit the basement entirely.

Egon stood. "You ARE coming to the roof."

"Yeah. Yeah I am. I'm doing no good down here, for sure. Be right up. And, ah, thanks.”"

Consulting his bare wrist Egon said "I'm timing you," and left the basement.

Climbing the steps he heard Winston shout "Don't tell Ray!"

"I won't! I promise!"

"Don't tell me what?" Ray was sitting at Janine's desk, searching for her tube of Aloe Extract skin moisturizer. Egon didn't hesitate at all. Winston couldn't hear them.

"He killed your radio."

Ray looked up, startled. "On purpose?" Egon nodded. Ray gave a small, surprised whistle. "Poor guy. He's really upset." He found the skin cream and the two men headed back to the roof.

"Yes, it...it tears him up." Stop doing that, Egon reprimanded himself. They reached the roof and stepped out into the bright sunlight.





Don't Come Around Here No More





Egon and Ray stepped out onto the roof, blinking in the hot July afternoon sun. Peter was manning the grill, flipping hamburgers, hot dogs and barbequed baby-back ribs. There were skewers of chicken that had been marinated in a dill sauce that came out just magnificent. The corn had burned, however, and Peter had sent it over the side of the firehouse to feed the pigeons and the rats in the alleyway. Theirs was not the only grill operating on the various rooftops of this New York neighborhood.

Janine was cowering under an enormous aquamarine beach umbrella set up over the picnic table. Five minutes. She'd been in the sun for exactly five minutes, tending to the great tubs of leafy green plants and trees that she liked to keep on the firehouse roof, and her skin had burned a hot, painful scarlet. Oh, the joys of being a fair-skinned redhead. Ray handed over her aloe skin cream and prided himself on refraining from offering to rub it on for her.

"Thank you, Ray! Thank you, thank you!" She began to smooth the moisturizer onto her arms. Peter, swatting at an annoying fly, set a platter of mouth watering grilled food in the middle of the bags of potato and corn chips and fished a Classic Coke out of a cooler for himself.

He watched Janine nearly come to tears with relief as the lotion soothed her skin. "Why don't you just break the stems of your aloe plants and use that? It would cost less."

She glared at him. "Break them? You're crazy! They’re beautiful."

“They’re medicinal! Break them!”

Janine's aloes were huge, well-proportioned and a healthy green. She was proud of them. She sent Peter an unmistakable look of scorn. No breakage allowed, you Philistine.

Peter shrugged and suddenly settled his ice-cold and dripping coke can between her stinging shoulder blades. Janine gasped. Her first impulse was to scream but the cold felt...suddenly wonderful. "Ah...ooh...thanks, Doctor V."

"Sure." Janine put her head down on her arms and Peter rolled the can back and forth along her neck and shoulders. "Where's Winston?"

"He said he'd be up eventually," Egon began.

"You were supposed to kidnap him! I don't like it when Winston isolates himself."

"I thought it best not to push it. Winston is very, ah..."

"Volatile, right now." Ray finished for him, digging into the spare ribs and fighting an impulse to stick Peter in the head with a fork. Peter sighed and popped open his coke. Janine reached for a chicken skewer and Egon began to load a cheeseburger with the works. Not a healthy dinner but delicious.

"Winston was so funny last month, that time we drove June and the kids home from United. Oh, man," Ray smiled. "We even stopped for ice cream. I can't believe Winston gave little kids melting ice-cream to eat in his beloved car. Speaking of being kidnapped I didn't think he'd ever let them go." Ray was suddenly serious. "I don't think they wanted to be let go."

"They didn't. Did you see the way June was looking at him? At his hands?" Peter wiggled his fingers. "Rowr! Rowr!"

"Winston does have nice hands." Janine confirmed. Ray held his own towards her. She turned his palms up as if to read his fortune and inspected them closely. "Not as nice as yours, Ray," she teased. Satisfied, he bit into a potato chip with a flourish.

Ray sobered, glancing around. "Winston’s getting worse, y'know. He just rang down the curtain on my radio for playing the wrong song."

"Winston?! Christ, you're joking!" Peter was appalled.

"It is fortunate," Egon mused "that we are in the midst of the Summer Doldrums. If Winston were this distracted on a bust it could prove dangerous. Even fatal."

"Well, thank you, Sweet Mary Sunshine!" Peter was worried.

Egon angrily pushed his food away. Peter braced himself. "I am absolutely serious. Winston is miserable. June is miserable. My kids...!" Egon caught himself, "The kids are miserable!" Annoyed at so clearly revealing his possessive streak, Egon stopped talking.

Janine took up the slack. "You should have seen Winston when Carter came by to apologise the next day."

"Some apology," Peter sneered. "He ignores you AND me to go up to Winston and says, 'I guess I owe you an apology.' which doesn't come and then he leaves. Just like when he realized that the monster in his kids' closet was real and we'd saved them. 'I guess I owe you all an apology.' Then he says nothing more! Bastard."

"Yeah, but Winston had such class. He kept his cool the entire time. He...he's just so much bigger than Carter is. Not physically, Carter's a horse, I mean..." Janine shook her head.

"Winston has an inner stature that Carter can't even conceive of, much less aspire to."

"Yes, Egon, that's exactly it. Winston's the best. Even if he does want to beat us with a well rope." Janine sighed. “They’re great together, June and Winston,” she said quietly, as if to herself. “Every time I see them I can tell they just want to go waltzing around the garage. It’s so sad.”

The group fell silent.

Peter swatted at the fly and missed. Damn it, he thought. Everyone's pissed. Everyone's unhappy. Suddenly, devious mental wheels began to turn. No, no. Peter berated himself. Don't go there. Don't do that. Don't. Oh, give it up. He took a preliminary swallow of his coke and cleared his throat. His friends looked up at him expectantly.

"We're very lucky to have a friend as good and decent as Winston and I say," Peter slapped his can down on the table with a great thunk, "That Winston is very lucky to have friends as evil and deceitful as we are. Those two are great together. They really are. I say we do something."

"Short of breaking up the Carter's marriage, there's nothing much we can do," Ray replied reasonably.

“Sounds like a plan to me," Peter decided, grimly.

"Peter!" Janine was shocked. "Be serious!"

"I hate to admit it but I am serious." His voice was cold steel. "That marriage is doomed, anyway. I know it. I can feel it. The only reason its lasted this long is because Carter used to travel for a living. He was never home long enough to really stink up the house. June said so. Now, listen, it should take just one year before June kicks Jimmy the Hutt out on her own but I say a year is way too long to wait."

"Look," Janine turned to Egon and Ray to gauge their reactions. They exhibited some apprehension but not nearly as much as she expected. "Look! Carter is a cowardly jerk and a gas-bag but he's not abusive."

Ray immediately interrupted, "Janine, he may not beat them with a red-hot poker but he is certainly making life unbearable. He embarrasses them and belittles them. In public. That’s abuse and Meghan and Kenny hate to go home.” Ray turned to face her directly and laid a hand on her wrist. “Janine, that's a terrible feeling, having no rest at home. As long as June and Jimmy keep fighting, as long as he treats them all like a terrible inconvenience in his life, then they don't have a real home at all. You’ve seen how happy they are when they come into the firehouse and how they force themselves to leave again. Hell, the firehouse is their real home, almost as much as it is ours."

Egon backed Ray up. "They're picking up bad beliefs, too. Meghan practically told us that we were 'good whites.' She certainly didn't get that notion, that distinction, from June."

"And it most certainly isn't true!" Janine shot back. "Breaking up a marriage is wrong. If June wants to get out then it’s her responsibility to break herself out. She has to do this for herself and her children or what good is she?!"

Peter pointed a finger at her. "Janine, why drag out the inevitable? We know what June is made of and an entire year of escalating strife and bullshit is just going to be traumatic for everybody. Winston's already breaking things. What difference does it make if it ends sooner rather than later?" he argued. "Admit to us that this marriage hasn't a chance in hell of surviving. Admit it!"

Janine took her hand away from Ray and gouged her fingernails into the wood of the picnic table. The three men were staring at her, waiting. They're all for it, she realized. But they won't do anything if I'm against it. We've got to be together on this. ‘Winston's already breaking things.’ What if he broke Carter's head? He could go to jail or at the very least beat himself up over it for days. He's already doing that for pining after a married woman. And the kids, Janine doted on the kids, they were so cuuuuute. What if Carter decided to start breaking things?

"I admit it. I think giving them just a year is being generous." Janine pointed at Peter, "Now, I want you to admit that it's still wrong. Admit to that and I'll fall in with anything you guys want to do."

"Anything, my leetle love cockroach?"

"Peter!"

"Okay! Yes, I admit it. It’s wicked, evil, sly, underhanded, devious and wrong! I love it! I can't wait." Peter twirled the end of an invisible Snidely Whiplash mustache.

Janine turned to Egon. "I can't wait either," he confirmed. “Carter is…a sickness and should be removed immediately for the health of us all.” His blue eyes were almost predatory.

Janine got a chill. "Ray?"

"Technically, its wrong, yeah."

"Ray, we're technically going to get our butts kicked for doing it, you wait and see. Karma, y’know." They nodded, committed to their purpose. Janine surrendered. "Okay. How are we going to get rid of Carter?" Good God, she thought with a dreadful and strangely exciting feeling in her gut. We're plotting. We're actually plotting...evil.

Peter's first suggestion was delivered in a terrible Italian accent. "I say we send Big Gino 'ere to WHACK the dirty bastid!" He pointed at Ray.

"Duuhh, you got it, Boss!" Ray played along.

"That's a little TOO drastic, even for us." Egon disapproved, smiling.

"Ooh, you doity rat. GINO!"

"Duuhh, yeah, Boss?"

"Blondie's arguin' wit' me! Showin’ disrespect to the Godfaddah! Off him, too!!"

"Duuhh, Okay!"

Egon looked down his nose at both of them. "It would be very unwise to 'off' the brains of this operation. I have a much simpler idea and we won’t have to hide a body." They all leaned in, eyes gleaming. "All I have to do is...have a little chat with Carter."

"What? 'Get out of town or I'll neutronize your kneecaps?' that kind of talk?"

"Nothing so violent but just as effective. The man truly is a coward."

The door to the roof opened and Winston finally joined them, dressed in shorts and shades. The conspirators jerked back from each other and smiled their most innocent smiles. Winstop stopped dead where he was. "What are you people up to?"

"Nothing!" they chorused, still grinning. He was not reassured.

The fly landed and Peter killed it with a single blow.



TBC