By Ghostdiva and Fritz Baugh

In 1983, three unemployed scientists started up the world's first agency of professional paranormal investigators and eliminators. Now, forty-one years later, Dr. Johnathan Spengler, Dr. Eden Spengler, Eric Stantz, Marie Lupin, and TJ Anderson hunt strange things in the neighborhood, weird things that don't look good, things running through people's head, and invisible men sleeping in beds as the newest generation of Ghostbusters.

Eden recently met and started dating pediatric oncologist Edward Sanders. This anguished Eric, and forced him to confront his own feelings about his childhood friend, and he realized he was not, in fact, in love with Eden. At least now he has his magical cat companion Pippi for company.

John and TJ, meanwhile, grew closer during a trip to England; but what was turning into a promising turn of events was shattered by the abrupt return of her long-lost brother Jacob, now revealed as a mad scientist who created his own Frankenstein monster.

Confusion swirls around both of the children of Egon and Janine Spengler and those that might seek to become greater parts of their lives.

"I'm still not sure how I let you talk me into this."

"Relax Eden , I told you, you need to unwind a little, loosen up. I had to bring you down here before you started to mold to your desk chair."

"That part I understood, but why HERE?"

Marie Lupin rolled her eyes and pretended to ignore Eden Spengler's question, an easy enough task considering that they were in a club so loud the room itself seemed to be vibrating. Marie grabbed Eden 's hand and hauled her through the gyrating crowd of scantily dressed men and women. Eden was covering her nose with her other hand, trying to block the smell of alcohol while also trying to keep from bumping into more than three people every two seconds.

"I know you don't believe me Eden, but this place is a lot of fun. Hey, there's the bar, let me order you a drink."

Marie plopped down onto a vacant barstool and Eden sat beside her. "Marie, you know I don't drink."

"Oh, right, forgot you can't hold your liquor."

Eden shrugged in denial, "Actually, I have no idea if I can hold my liquor. I've never tried it."

Marie grabbed the beer that had been shoved in her direction by a frazzled looking bartender and popped the top, "No time like the present to find out." She tilted the beverage toward Eden and she leaned away from it, obviously not willing to listen to another of Marie's ideas. Marie took a swig a moment later. "Suit yourself."

"So, what are we supposed to do here, besides damage our ear drums?"

"Well, since clearly 'bombing our livers into submission' is off the table for now, we cruise for guys, what else? By the way, my friend Makayla is coming by."

"Hey there, small world. I can't believe I found you here."

Marie and Eden turned in their seats to see a man in a pink polo shirt and green pants standing behind them. Eden was immediately reminded of Jessica Venkman's grandfather Charlie when she saw him, and was immediately put on guard.

Marie had stood to give the man a friendly hug when Makayla walked up. "Hey Rocky, how's it going?" Makayla walked up to the man and gave him a big bear hug. She was a little taller than Marie so it didn't look quite as awkward as the hug Marie had given. "What are you doing here?" It was obvious that Marie's longtime friend and roommate had all but forgotten the women she came here to meet.

"I come here all of the time. Not like I ever see anyone as pretty as the three of you though." He nodded in the direction of Eden with a smirk on his face "Who's the blonde?" .

"That's my friend Eden. Say 'hi', Eden ."

"I understand the introductory process, Marie, thank you. I'm Eden , nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, I didn't know Marie knew someone as hot as you, can I get you a drink?"

Rocky had wedged himself in between Marie and Eden and had his elbows propped on the counter with his considerably large butt in the air, Makayla was more attractively leaning on the other side of Marie with a mock look of disappointment on her face. "Hey, I'm every bit as hot as Eden , unless you go for the straight blonde hair, big boobs type."

"Hey, hey, hey. I never said you weren't hot Hon, but I already knew you so you didn't count." Rocky shoved himself away from the counter long enough to grab Makayla by the arm and pull her to his side. He kissed her full on the mouth and turned back to Eden , "So, what can I get you? You look like the martini type."

"Give it up Rocky, Eden doesn't drink."

"Doesn't drink? Not even water? I'd be willing to get you a water, Eden ." Makayla made a sniffing noise and waited for Eden to say something.

"I appreciate the offer, but I really don't want anything to drink at the moment."

"Oh, alright, but don't get jealous because I'm about to get your friends drinks. I met them at Coney Island a while back, they came to stay at my townhouse. Ladies, order away."

"Don't listen to him Eden , it wasn't nearly as exciting as he makes it sound. We went over there and played cards for a few hours with some of his buddies, he's just a big pussy cat."

Rocky grabbed his chest with both hands and looked like he was falling over, wounded. "You crush me Marie. Anyhow, I hate to foot the bill and run, but I gotta meet my girlfriend at the door in a few minutes. Bye, Babe!" He kissed Makayla on the mouth again and grabbed Marie by the shoulders and kissed her as well. Eden braced herself to slap the guy when he turned and looked at her, "What do you say Eden, a goodbye kiss?"

Eden tried to hide a cringe, there was absolutely no telling where that mouth had been judging by his personality. "No thanks, I don't kiss people…in general."

"Ouch, be sure you drop her back off at the convent on your way back home ladies--I'll see you later."

As Rocky walked away, Makayla looked at Eden incredulously, "I can't believe that you did that! Why were you so mean to him?"

Eden starred back at the woman she barely knew and then looked over at Marie with a pleading look. "Lay off her Makayla, she's just the type that always thinks kisses are only to be saved for serious relationships. Actually she's the type that thinks that everything should be done in a serious fashion. It's not her fault, she was raised that way. I've been working on her, but as you can see without much success."

"Yeah, well, I don't know why you thought that it was a good idea to bring a prude club hopping in the first place. I'm going to pee."

Makayla turned and walked toward the back of the club and Eden stood up. "Good grief Eden , don't leave because of her! I think she got nice and drunk before she came here, don't pay her any attention. If I were you I wouldn't have kissed him either."

"But you did kiss him." Eden said as she sat back down.

"Yeah, but only because I've met him a half dozen times--despite what you all seem to think about me, I wouldn't have the first night I met him." She winked. "But don't tell anyone else--I've got a bad reputation to maintain. Anyway, if I were you I'd save all of that for that stud of a doctor you've been seeing. Have you at least kissed him yet?"

Eden tried to hide a blush, not that it would have mattered in this lighting. "Actually no."

Marie spit out her drink she had been swallowing, "What?! Eden I was kidding! You guys have been dating for a couple months now, holy crap!"

"I believe we have both been waiting for the best opportunity." Eden replied. "Is it really that shocking considering what a prude I am?"

"I told you to ignore her, and what's the hold up? It's not like you've never kissed a guy. Hell, just go for it."

"When, in the middle of chewing our food?"

"Hey, it works for some people. Look up 'vor' on the internet." Marie quipped. "Come on, I think I should take you home and help you plan an attack. You guys can't just keep dancing around it forever. I get more than enough of that with your brother and TJ..."

Eric Stantz flicked a pretzel at Slimer. In a rare turn of events, Slimer actually missed catching the item, and it bounced onto the other part of the couch.

Slimer gulped.

The pretzel was now laying half an inch away from...The Cat.

Slimer looked at Eric, pleadingly. Eric shook his head. "Don't look at me, Spud."

Slimer, trembling, moved literally an inch closer.

The cat was laying curled up into the ever classic "kitty loaf" position.

One eye opened, and glared at Slimer menacingly. "Don't. Even. Think. About it."

Slimer gasped and hid behind Eric. Eric rolled his eyes. "Pippi..."

The cat sighed. She slowly uncurled, stretched unhurriedly, and yawned.

Eric could tell Slimer was still trembling. Eric was trying hard not to laugh.

Pippi batted the offending pretzel to the floor. Slimer zipped over, grabbed it, and zipped back away from That Terrifying Cat as quick as he could. With a sigh of relief like he'd just evaded the Spanish Inquisition, he popped the pretzel into his mouth.

"Uncle Pete is in complete awe of the way Pippi has Slimer absolutely intimidated." John Spengler chuckled.

"I know, right? He's so incredibly jealous." Eric nodded.

"You just have to show errant spirits who's in bloody charge." Pippi said as she started to lick her left front paw. She paused, ears flattening. "Cadonfloyd approaches."

Sure enough, TJ Anderson had just appeared at the stairway. "Johnathan, I'm done with that paperwork--I'll see you both the day after tomorrow."

John nodded. "Enjoy the day off, TJ."

"Hey, there's still two of us here, we can handle any standard calls." Eric shrugged. "And if anything big comes up..."

"Right." she nodded. "Well, try not to vaporize the building again, Johnathan."

"I promise nothing." John retorted breezily.

Someone who didn't know them as well as Eric did might have missed the slight smirk they gave each other at the exchange; Eric gave John an intense look. He practically wanted to shout "Ask her to do something with you tomorrow, you dumbass!!!"

She lingered for just a half second or so longer than she should have, then headed back downstairs.

A few minutes later they heard the door close and lock. "Just us tonight, huh?" Eric quipped.

"Affirmative." John replied.

"Worried about Eden at that bar Marie's taking her to?"

"Not really. I know my sister."

"Yeah, but you also know Marie Lupin. And she picked the location."

John shrugged. "Again, I trust Eden's judgment."

"What if TJ'd gone with them?" Eric said, with a hint of mischief. "You never know what kind of suave dudes can be hanging around places like that. Especially since she has the day off tomorrow, so she could stay up real real late if you know what I mean."

John gave Eric what the latter called the "Uncle Egon Death Glare", raised eyebrow and all. "You're just trying to provoke me."

Eric stood up and made an exasperated noise. "Well, somebody has to, don't they?" He grabbed another beer. "This is exactly why Marie gives both of you so much static. I mean, are you human or what?"

"Of course I am." John shook his head, taking a long drink of his Coke.

"Then start acting like it!!!" Eric grumbled, taking another swig of his beer.

John took another drink. "It's not that easy."

"It isn't?" Eric shook his head. "I mean, good grief, I remember how you moped for a week after you had to come back alone last fall..."

"I did not!!!" John blushed slightly. "Er, I mean, that's irrelevant."

"Okay, okay, let me ask you seriously then." Eric said. "Marie's not here, after all, just us two guys who've known each other basically our entire lives. What makes it so not easy?"

Eric took another drink, waiting to see how John reacted.

"Well, for one thing, there's the fact that we work together." John finally answered. "That kind of behavior can be seen as unprofessional."

Eric had to fight himself not to do a spit take. "JC, now I know you're overthinking things. And I can tell you exactly how I know that."

John raised an eyebrow again. "Oh?"

Eric leaned in, looking rather intense. "Let me give you a list of names--see if you can figure out what they all have in common."

"I don't..." John started to protest.

"Kylie Griffin and Eduardo Rivera."

John was silent as Eric continued.

"Jill Valentine and Vincent Belmont. Chelsea Aberdeen and Doc Fritz. Erin Gilbert and Kevin Beckman." Eric continued, listing off several more pairs of names, not all of mixed genders.

Eric paused, then scratching his head to mock looking thoughtful. "Hang on...I think I'm missing one...there's another one, just a sec..."

John gulped, as he realized exactly who his old friend was going to mention next.

"Oh yeah..." Eric leaned in with a smug look on his face. "Janine Melnitz and Egon Spengler." Eric stood up. "Buddy, you literally owe your very existence to two GBI coworkers not keeping it 'professional'." Eric made an exasperated noise as he stood up. "I gotta take a piss!!!"

John was silent as Eric left.

Pippi snorted, then jumped down to the floor, causing Slimer to flinch and hide behind the television. "I'm with him--litter box time."

Slimer looked relieved when Pippi left the room, then looked expectantly at John.

John rolled his eyes and threw Slimer another pretzel.

TJ was halfway to the subway station when her phone rang. I told Eden to call me if she needed rescuing, but I didn't think it would be so quickly... It wasn't Eden's name on the display.

"Anderson." She answered briskly.

The voice of Edward Sanders was on the other end of the line. "Would it be wrong of me to say I'm worried about Eden's plans tonight?"

"Don't be." TJ answered. "She'll be fine."

"But I hear from basically everyone how wild Marie Lupin is."

"She's not going to slip Eden drugs, nor allow anyone else to do so. Anything else that happens will be by her own choice."

"I know that should assure me, but..." Edward sighed. "I have tomorrow afternoon off. Can we discuss the matter in person?"

She contemplated it for a few seconds. She was really beginning to think these occasional clandestine discussions weren't going anywhere anymore if they ever did. But she supposed she owed it to Dr. Sanders to say that in person. "Fine. One PM at the usual Pequods."

"Thanks. I'll be there." He hung up.

She sighed. I'd much rather Johnathan have asked to do something tomorrow...

Eden sat in her apartment after coming back from the horrible club, reviewing the game plan Marie had made out for her. It was obvious to her that Edward had no intention of initiating a kiss, and Eden had no idea how to go about it herself. In truth, her problem was usually how to protect herself from unwanted kisses.

Eden hated to admit to herself that she was even contemplating making the first physical move in their relationship, but for some reason she couldn't give up the idea of finding out what it would be like to kiss him. She wanted to know if it would be as thrilling of an experience as her mother had always told her kissing the right person would be. ("I first kissed your father under a mistletoe one Christmas Eve. And that's when I knew") Eden wanted to know if Edward had any feelings for her outside the platonic. And as with everything in Eden 's life, she just wanted the chance to learn the answer to her questions.

Besides, she thought, it was just a kiss; It didn't have to mean anything.

She sighed and picked up her metallurgy book. A little light reading about the extraction of cobalt ores through sulfate roasting might help her to forget some of her troubles.

"I just don't know TJ. No, I take that back, I know what I want, what I don't know is what she wants." Edward Sanders sighed and picked up a French fry. "I really have no idea, my last first kiss was when I was seventeen and emotionally reckless. It just seems like too many things could go wrong. What if I don't understand her like I think I do and she doesn't want me to…"

It had become apparent to him that his clandestine meetings with Eden 's friend, TJ Anderson, were becoming less helpful over time. He knew that he had probably gotten all the information TJ was willing to share weeks ago, so the meetings probably weren't necessary, but, he admitted to himself, he did enjoy trying to pry out her feelings for John.

TJ adjusted her sunglasses. "My recommendation at this point is that you discuss your relationship progression with her. Decide then whether snogging...er, kissing her is proper."

Edward sighed "I'm just worried that she's gotten too comfortable with me as a friend to be able to handle my kissing her, you know what I mean?"

TJ hated it when Edward put questions to her like that, she thought; it was like the double inquisition whenever they had one of these meetings. It irritated her to know that she had fallen for these double sided questions before, and her willingness to open up about it to him was really starting to bother her. She was afraid of going soft and obviously dying for someone to talk to about her feelings for John. She sighed and cleared her head--What feelings as far as anybody else knows?--she reminded herself.

After all, at this point, what happened--or almost happened--in London seemed to have stayed in London.

TJ was beginning to wonder if he was still planning these meetings just to irk her, she secretly suspected that he had become familiar enough with Eden to not need any more advice and that he simply found it a mild amusement to try and draw her out.

"Eden is savvy enough to know that friendships can turn into romances. Other than that I really have no clue how to direct you." She stood up. "If you'll excuse me?"

Edward smiled and stuck another fry into his mouth as he watched TJ leave the coffee shop; he definitely struck a chord that time. She had obviously gotten upset at what he was implying. Maybe she was even upset enough to give it some thought. Now, if he could only figure out what to do about Eden , he would be having a great day.

When TJ Anderson walked through the door to her apartment a little while later, all she could think about was how Edward had seemed to be using a police style mind game on her earlier, the type one would be trained to use in an interrogation to work out a confession from a perp. Don't try police style mind games on a former police officer. TJ thought as she sat down at her computer.

These days just about anything everybody ever did could be found on the internet. And if you have some Interpol and GBIIAB credentials there were databases and search engines not readily available to the public. And even as her conscience warned her that she really had no reason to pry or be suspicious, she keyed in the information she was seeking.

She had really been meaning to find out what Edward's background was anyway. After all...I'm just protecting my friend, right?

TJ tried to keep the accusatory tone out of her voice, After all, she was just one friend speaking to another on the phone. Even if the other friend was a lying dirtbag. "Edward, I don't particularly care to hear any more of your reasons for doing what you did. I think you had better hang up this phone and call Eden ."

TJ sighed as she listened to him on the other end of the line; he really seemed genuinely sorry for not speaking up. "Alright, here's the deal, either you tell Eden within a month or I tell her for you. And no, I don't consider that blackmail, especially if it isn't that big of a deal, as you so stated earlier." TJ hung up the phone.

Maybe she didn't have any reason to be mad at him, but the urge to protect Eden outweighed any petty feelings for his sensibilities. She walked over to her desk and marked her calendar for a month from now. When it boiled down to it all, Eden came first.

June 11th. A couple days before their twenty-fifth birthday...

John walked into the main area of the Institute to see Patty Tolan, the Institute's Community Affairs Director, shouting into her telephone.

"...No, Pinhead, I don’t 'have' to do anything!!!" She shouted. "The Institute is a Partnership with GBI!!! You are not my boss and you don't get to tell me I 'have' to do shit!!!"

John leaned over at Kevin Beckman, who was doodling pictures of Pokemon on the notebook in front of him. "Arguing with Pinfield again?" John whispered.

Kevin looked confused for a few second. "Oh...yeah...sorry, I was making sure the Jigglypuff's pout was right."

"Important stuff, yeah." John nodded, moving away from the other man.

"That’s better." Patty said, calming down. "Sure, I will relay your request for the field stability test results to Dr. Holtzmann, and she will get back to you when she can, Dr. Pinfield." She smirked. "See, it’s not so hard to be a little courteous, is it?"

She looked up and sighed at John after she hung up the phone. "I swear I’m gonna strangle Lars Pinfield some day...I'd much rather deal with Tanaka. He has some tact."

"Lars is a little pushy sometimes, yeah." John nodded.

"So what brings you down here Johnny?" Patty asked. "Since your sister ain't here today?"

"I have an appointment with Dr. Gilbert." John answered.

Patty noticed him glance briefly at Beckman when he said that. "Ooooh...it ain't something scandalous, is it?"

"Absolutely not." John replied brusquely.

Patty laughed and hit the intercom button. "Ah well..."

A little bit later John was sitting with Dr. Erin Gilbert, Spengler Institute, in a Columbia University commons area. Gilbert was munching on some Chinese food bearing the logo of "Zhu's Authentic Hong Kong Food"

"It must be good." John remarked.

"Yeah." Erin nodded. "Abby turned us onto this. They're excellent, even though they short our wonton soup of wontons sometimes."

A few minutes later, when she was finished, she finally asked him. "Okay, Doctor Spengler, no more beating around the bush--why did you ask to meet me? Me, and not your sister or Dr. Griffin, both of which you know better?"

"That was part of the problem." John shook his head. "Plus, Eden's kinda got her own...situation in this area right now. And I figure as close as she is to my parents, I pretty much know what Kylie'd say."

With that, John told her about the conversation he'd had with Eric the day before. "...So I figured, fine, let me ask someone who's in that situation. And isn't my own parents, aren't old friends of theirs, or like Dr. Belmont who creeps me the fuck out."

"Yeah..." Erin nodded, cringing a little. "I think I see where you're coming from now. Well, I don't know how well anything I say applies--I don't know Ms. Anderson very well at all, other than what your sister or Jillian says about the case they worked together on a couple years ago."

"Fair enough" John shrugged.

"I admit, I met Kevin and it was just...well, honestly, I was old enough to know it wasn't love at first sight, but it was definitely a heaping helping of lust at first sight."

John blushed. A quick memory intruded into his head... Before John could otherwise react, his vision was suddenly filled with a green mini-skirted derriere and two nylon sheathed legs as the second woman pushed the first into the car on top of him. "Yeah...That's pretty much what I went through." He was trying not to note that the officer was actually quite attractive, or stare at the way her deep, labored breaths were making her chest heave.

"Do I need to dump my iced tea on you, Johnathan?"

"No!" John startled. "No, I'm fine, I'm fine."

Erin chuckled. "Well, anyway...Kevin's a bit...well...you worked with him too for a while. He's got a good heart, and he's good dealing with people."

"But has extreme ADHD." John noted.

Erin rolled her eyes. "Yeah. So it took a while before I could sort out how much my feelings were pure estrogen, and how much was something more. And it took about three years; he later admitted he took to me instantly, but figured he was way too stupid for a former physics professor."

"Three years..." John mused. "Interesting interval. Ray Stantz and his wife took about that long, and..." He stopped.

"And your team of Ghostbusters formed, oh, about three years ago, right?"

"Yeah."

"But to answer your question more directly: we make it work by realizing that being together and working together doesn't mean we're joined at the hip 24-7. We work in the same place but work on different things. We have some hobbies and interests we share, but others we pursue separately." She nodded to herself. "But the biggest thing is probably this: leave work issues at work instead of bringing them home, and keep home issues at home instead of bringing them to work. It's not always easy, but it works, pardon the phrase."

John nodded.

"Johnathan, I know you're the type to overthink things--I'm that type too." Erin placed a hand on him. "And it's good to think things through before doing something that might completely change your life. But there comes a time you have to stop thinking, and ask yourself how you're feeling."

He nodded again, and broke open his fortune cookie. "Thanks, Dr. Gilbert. You're making a lot of sense. I..."

"What?" Erin asked.

John looked at the fortune he'd drawn.

"You've helped me a lot more than I realized." John said after a few moments.

After checking his phone for messages, John opened his contact list, muttering to himself "Six AM here means eleven in London..." He pulled up "Marty" and pushed "Call"

"Hey, Marty, how's it going?" He listened for a few seconds. "Great to hear--somebody has to keep the Tories honest, though that's a fairly relative term in this case."

After a few more minutes of idle chit chat, John got to the point. "Hey, the reason I called is that I had an idea. I need you to tell me whether I'm out of my bloody mind, and if you say I'm not I'll ask you to do something for me..."

"...Fallout continues from the collapse of the 'Uglii Munkii' NFTs and the 'Humpercoin' cryptocurrency championed by rappers MC Wink and Zagnut. The FTC announced today that 'We will be issuing subpoenas to Mr. Bottomsby and Mr. Marshall to...' "

"Between Peck running for Mayor and the way the orange jackass's every fart always makes the national news I think I'm gonna stop watching TV until at least January..." Janine Melnitz Spengler muttered to herself.

Her phone rang.

She raised an eyebrow at what appeared on the screen. It was a number under the simple heading "UK LONDON EXCH"

She'd normally ignore it as spam, but instinct--and the nationality of one of her son's coworkers--told her to answer it.

"Spengler. Whaddya want?"

"Good Evening, Madam. Would that be Mrs. Janine Spengler? Mother of Dr. Johnathan Christopher Spengler?" A clipped male voice with a posh accent responded.

"If this is an obscene phone call I'm notifying the CIA."

The man on the other end laughed. "I'm a UK government official, they're probably already listening. Madam, my name is Martin Anderson, and I would assume that name means something to you."

Janine raised an eyebrow again. "Well, well, well...hard to believe it's taken three years for us to make contact. Pleased to make your acquaintance at last, Marty. So what's up?"

"Well, I have been given the distinct impression that we have some common interests."

"Something like my lunkheaded son and your aggravatingly evasive daughter, something like that?"

Martin laughed again. "I can definitely see where Johnathan gets his sense of humour from, Mrs. Spengler..."

"I went through a lot to be called 'Mrs. Spengler', Marty, but call me Janine." She smirked. "We're almost family in a way, right?"

Martin chuckled, a little more mischievously. "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. But I was recently contacted by Johnathan about an idea he had to move a step closer to that possibility. And once my part is done, it will concern you..."

Janine got a look like a cat that just ate ten parakeets. "Tell me more, Marty...I'm all ears..."

Egon Spengler walked into his own living room just as his wife hung up from her phone call. He raised an eyebrow. "I know that look, Janine. What are you up to?"

"Just had a conversation with one Mister Martin Anderson." Janine answered.

"You aren't meddling again, are you?" Egon asked. "You promised me you'd stop after arranging that trip to Staffordshire."

"I promise I'm not meddling at all, Egon." Janine smiled. "Marty and I are just accomplices to a scheme John thought of all by himself."

"Now I'm really worried."

She hugged him. "Don't be." She sighed. "I'm so proud of him--neither one of us would have done something like this at that age. You were too emotionally maladjusted and I was incapable of this level of planning..."

Egon took a bite from the Twinkie in his hand, but didn't say anything else.

TJ Anderson sighed. It had been a long day Ghostbusting--some obscure Polynesian water spirit came to life at one of the aquariums, and made all sorts of havoc. TJ silently thanked her father for making her take swimming lessons back in school.

She had just settled into a comfy chair to watch the BBC International feed, when her doorbell rang.

A delivery man was standing there holding a spectacular bouquet of roses.

"May I help you?" TJ asked the man.

He looked at the card. "TJ Anderson?"

"Um...yes?"

"These are for you." He handed her the bouquet. "Sign here."

After he left, she inhaled the sweet scent. No bloody doubt at all who sent these... She allowed herself to smile.

After a few minutes, she looked for and located the card.

She felt her cheeks flush slightly.

You're being so mysterious, Dr. Spengler. I...

Think I rather like it...

"LOOK OUT!!!" Eric shouted, as the blue ghost vomited a stream of ectoplasm at John; he barely managed to avoid it.

"GOT HIM!!!" TJ shouted, her proton beam holding the ghost fast.

John fired, the two beams holding the ghost fast. "Hey, Eric, show 'Pukey' here the preview of his new home?"

Eric nodded and pulled out his GBX. He gestured dramatically, as he liked to do ("Like when Takuya Digitized some poor schmo") "Trap Mode Engage!!!" He pulled the yellow and black striped section, and a cone of white light was emitted from the device.

With one last throw of ectoplasmic barf that didn't hit anything, Pukey was pulled inside.

"Cool beans!" Eric said, pushing a few buttons. A holographic image of 'Pukey' appeared, projectile vomiting helplessly.

"You guys want to write up the bill?" Eric asked.

"Be my guest." John said. TJ nodded in agreement.

After Eric went to find the customer, TJ stared at John.

"What?" John asked, faking innocence.

"You know. What are you up to?"

John smiled enigmatically. "That would be telling."

"Really?"

"You'll find out on the Twelfth. It'll be worth it."

TJ rolled her eyes. "It bloody well better."

"Alright, TJ, I'm here. What is it you absolutely couldn't wait to discuss with me?" Eden Spengler entered the living room of TJ's apartment and wandered straight over to the stove, helping herself to a cup of tea. TJ waited until she was settled in the chair across from her before she continued.

"Having fun drinking my expensive tea?"

Eden gave TJ an ungracious look and then smiled sarcastically. "Of course. I always do."

"Only making sure," She paused to see if Eden was paying attention, "Eden , I rushed you over here because I found some information on Edward that I think you need to know."

Eden sighed and put down her cup. "What could you possibly know that would be of any interest that I don't already know?"

TJ recognized the slight irritation in her voice. Eden had never been overly emotional, but to those who knew her it was usually easy enough to tell how she felt. TJ also knew that Eden had been getting a lot of mixed signals from everyone about their feelings towards Edward and that it was making Eden a tad defensive. But as far as Eden knew Edward was a perfect gentleman and completely open to her about his past; TJ now knew differently.

"Eden, a month ago I did a search into records that most people can't access. Now, I don't want you to jump to any wild conclusions but there was something in those findings, something about Edward Sanders, that you should probably know."

Eden raised an eyebrow. "TJ, I appreciate your concern, but I am sure that if it was something that Edward wanted me to know, he would have told me."

TJ set her cup down on the table and took a deep breath; unfortunately, Eden's temper was the one emotion she usually had trouble hiding and she was about to face the brunt of it. " Eden, I don't quite know how to say this without sounding suspect, but I spoke with Edward when this news came to light and told him that I was giving him a month to tell you before I disclosed. He obviously has not told you, as I'm sure I would have heard about it by now."

Eden contemplated her friend's words, Edward hadn't told her anything relationship altering in the last month, she tried to discern what it could be from TJ's look, but failed utterly, she had never been good at that. It was her turn to take a deep breath as she prepared herself for what would surely be upsetting news. TJ looked as she must have been trained to look right before she told a family their loved one had been murdered back on the police force. Eden braced herself, taking a deep breath. "Alright, tell me what you know."

"He used to be married. She died not long into the marriage. He used her insurance money to pay for school."

Eden took in the new information as she did all new concepts in her life, she analyzed and processed it, filed it into the right category and then tried to determine what else she needed or wanted to know about it. "Did you find out how she died?"

"I only asked to have Edward's files seen, not hers. Her death certificate would have been in his file only if he were suspected of a crime, which he obviously wasn't." TJ replied. "When I spoke with Edward, I tried everything short of interrogation to get him to tell me, but he seemed much more interested in finding out what you would think when you found out."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him that he should tell you and find out for himself, and that I thought you would be very understanding. I told him about your Mum being married before and that seemed to ease his mind."

"You told him about my mother?"

"Yes, Eden, it was the only reliable source of reference."

"What else have you told him?"

"Just a few other things that you may not have felt relevant, things about your past mostly. You aren't the most open woman in the world, Eden ."

"Yes, and I never expected Edward to blurt out everything either. Maybe his previous marriage is a sore subject to him, perhaps he had intended on telling me at a later date."

"I gave him time to tell you and he didn't, Eden . So I knew I should. I am not in the habit of keeping things from people. You know that."

Eden put her cup down. "You seem a lot less patient in this matter than one that directly involves you, I notice."

"What in the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Eden's eyes narrowed. "Johnathan."

TJ sat down and sighed. "Look, I understand you being angry with me..."

"Yes, I am." Eden nodded. "Because I've been making it a point not to get involved. Not to pry. It's for the same reason that my mother, as aching for grandchildren as she is, has only resorted to the most indirect of meddling."

"Oh really?" TJ sat on her couch, crossing her arms.

"You want to talk about my parents' history?" Eden continued. "Father mentioned to me once that Johnathan and I would have been born ten years earlier if not for one thing; Uncle Peter. Specifically, Uncle Peter's constant barrage of jokes and innuendo at Father and Mother's expense. You know exactly what that's like."

TJ nodded.

Eden continued. "My father was not comfortable with his emotions. I will admit Uncle Peter almost certainly intended to help, but the end result was the exact opposite. It wasn't until Father and Mother spent five years apart...and then, when Dr. Griffin's team formed, they spent an entire year together without any of my adopted uncles around to 'help' them that they finally realized how they truly felt about each other." She smiled slightly, and shrugged. "And then in June 1999 there were Johnathan and I."

TJ realized the analogy she was making. "You mean Janine making sure Johnathan and I were sent to London alone."

Eden nodded. "It was written all over his face when he got home. I asked once, and he said nothing. So, again, I stayed out of it. Even though I see my brother and a dear friend quite obviously being completely miserable."

TJ sighed. She sank into the chair, her shoulders drooping. "You're right...it didn't happen all at once, of course, but the night we went to my uncle's birthday party he was in a spectacular tuxedo..." She turned bright red "Bloody hell, I wanted to just shag the living daylights out of him right then and there."

Eden looked more than a little shocked, and blushed a bit herself. "Oh wow..." She coughed. "But I didn't get the impression that..."

TJ shook her head. "No. We kissed at the party, and I..." she exhaled, and shook her head. She sprawled in the chair in obvious exasperation. "...And then my bloody mad scientist brother showed up, kidnapped my uncle, and my father had a nervous breakdown. We went into Ghostbuster mode and...pretty much stayed that way for the rest of the trip."

Eden felt a little uncomfortable...but at the same time, after TJ'd hammered her about Edward...

TJ stood up, and rubbed her temples. "And then when I got back here, we just fell back into the same old rubbish routine." She went over and refilled her teacup. "There, there's your bloody pound of flesh, Eden. I guess this makes us even."

Eden stood up beside her "That really wasn't my intention."

"I know."

"I don't know what I'm going to do about Edward, but I haven't known him for three years." Eden continued. "I'm not going to tell you what to do either, but one way or another you and Johnathan have to ignore everyone else and figure out what exactly what you're going to be to each other."

Neither were touchy-feely sorts, but Eden hugged TJ briefly.

"I don't suppose you know what he's planning for tomorrow?" TJ asked.

"Not the slightest idea." Eden shook her head. "But Thursday is our twenty-fifth birthday, so because Mother insists on throwing an enormous party for us, Wednesday could be an occasion for a more..." She blushed slightly. "...Intimate celebration."

TJ smirked slightly. "You know, that applies just as much to you and Edward."

Eden looked away. "That hasn't been lost on me."

I haven’t woken up this nervous since final exams at Durham...... TJ remarked to herself.

Just as she was doing her morning stretches, her phone's text message tone rang.

She grimaced slightly.

She was just about ready to text back that she was almost starting to get tired of all this intriguing secrecy when there was a knock on her door.

"Half a moment!" she said as she put on a robe and went to the door. She looked out the peephole.

Janine Spengler and her sister Doris Irwin were standing there. "Good morning, TJ!" Janine said brightly.

TJ sighed. "None of it's her idea"...so that was what you were warning me of?

TJ opened the door and invited Johnathan's mother and aunt inside. They were each carrying garment bags.

"I'd ask whether we woke you up, but I know we didn't." Janine said. "I have it on good authority you were warned we were coming."

TJ rolled her eyes. "Yes, quite." She shook hands with Doris. "Mrs. Irwin. It's been a while."

Doris rolled her eyes. "It's Doris. Maybe even 'Aunt Doris' if you want." She smirked slightly.

"Before you ask, TJ, no, this wasn't my idea; it really was John's." She winked. "He just brought me in after he started setting it all up."

TJ sighed. "So what now then, Janine?"

Janine smiled brightly. "First, we need run you a nice warm bath...."

TJ flinched.

"No, he's not going to show up in the middle of it." Janine winked again. "Though I did suggest that..."

TJ was lounging in the bath. "Give you lot credit--these are some pretty smelling bath salts."

"Since John knows nothing about stuff like that, it was my idea." Janine smiled. "Doris, the dress ready?"

"Whenever she is." Doris answered.

"I guess you'd better get out soon then." Janine said mischievously. "Unless you really do want me to call him here now..."

"NO!" TJ cried, face turning bright red. "Not yet"

Wearing nothing but two towels, TJ walked into her own bedroom. A set of stockings and undergarments were already laying out, and then she saw...

"Where the bloody hell did you get that?"

Janine pinched her cheek. "A helpful Englishman sent it over after John asked."

TJ looked at her with a skunk eye. "Just how deep does this conspiracy go?!"

Three hours into that night's date with Edward, Eden was still trying to block out the news TJ had given her; it wasn't hard given their current activity required all of her mental and physical strength.

"Ummmph."

"Ugh. You okay Eden ?"

"Yes, I am perfectly, umm—Maybe we should have stopped after the third go Edward, seems I thought I had more stamina than I do."

"Well, I think we certainly did better than most, give me your hand." Eden reached up and gave Edward her hand and he struggled to haul her up eye level to him. When they met eye level he used his now free hand to wipe a sweaty strand of blonde hair from Eden 's face.

"I think that after this we should definitely get some dinner. We've earned it." Edward grabbed Eden around the waist and hauled her up once more, she obligingly grabbed his arm to help him up in turn, "Alright, you hit the bell and then I will, you nearly knocked your spotter over the last time when you jumped down with no warning."

"Well, one can't blame me for it, I told you when you suggested this that I am a very competitive person, Edward. You wanted to race me up and down the rock wall and I must have just forgot to ring the bell in all the excitement."

Eden hit the bell and the spotter made his thumbs up signal.

"I think it was strategy. All that ghostbusting in your blood has made you a tad sneaky, I think."

Edward followed suit and they rappelled down the wall, Eden couldn't help but wonder just how sneaky Edward was intending to be by not telling her he had been married.

TJ found it interesting that she wasn't driven in Janine's yellow Volkswagen Beetle; it was the red one belonging to her son.

The one John was driving the night TJ met him.

TJ'd lived in New York for the better part of three years at this point, but the route Janine took confused her. And she could swear Janine went out of her way to go through the very intersection TJ and Marie had run through to flag down the first car they saw...

The two women had a good sprint before reaching an intersection; it was quiet this time of evening, save for one red Volkswagen Beetle convertible waiting at the stoplight.

I hope this bluff works TJ remarked to herself. Technically, I'm not even sure American police have the authority to commandeer a private citizen's vehicle, and I'm not an American policewoman.

The man driving the car was tall, with a head of red hair that was a bit unkempt at the top, and formed into a squiggly rat tail at the back; it was an intriguingly eccentric look, she had to admit. And, the realization rolled ever so subtly into the back of her mind, his broad shoulders and chiseled jawline actually made him a rather attractive example of male homo sapiens.

The look he gave her, though, like she was some annoying child, intense green eyes flashing with exasperation...it pissed her off. She was only doing her job! And being chased by the undead! How am I going to explain this to this arsehole before...

Unfortunately, before she could even finish the thought, TJ found herself thrown into the man's lap by Marie, then was manhandled into the passenger seat--albeit upside down and legs splayed out awkwardly. All of a sudden I wish I hadn't worn the mini-skirt...

She smiled slightly. Janine raised an eyebrow.

"How much longer?" TJ asked.

"Almost there." Janine answered.

Janine pulled the red car into a parking lot; TJ recognized the elder Spengler's yellow VW parked there.

It was a very nice restaurant.

"Chateau Ritz?" TJ asked.

"It's highly rated." Janine smirked. She and her husband had a bit of history with the place, but it didn't seem prudent to mention that right now.

Janine walked TJ inside, and spoke to the maitre d'. "This is Doctor Spengler's guest. Please take her to him."

"Oui, Madame Spengler." the maitre d' responded.

TJ looked at her a second, as though contemplating turning back...

...but not really.

Janine winked at her. "Have a good time, Dear."

TJ followed the maitre d', and was led to a room with only one table in it. It was surrounded by candles, and a number of pictures.

"Your guest, Doctor Spengler." the maitre d' announced.

Johnathan stepped out of the shadows. TJ felt herself blush, as her words of a day ago came back to mind.

"Bloody hell, I wanted to just shag the living daylights out of him right then and there..."

He was in the same tuxedo he'd worn at Uncle Sylvester's party. Though she admitted that it shouldn't have surprised her: he'd gone to the trouble to have the strapless violet ball gown she'd worn that same night brought across the Atlantic--the garment that Janine and Doris had surprised her with.

He raised an eyebrow, adjusting the green glasses that he really didn't need, but had worn that night. "You look absolutely spectacular, Miss Anderson." He held up a bouquet of roses. "For you."

"Thank you, Doctor Spengler." TJ smiled, face still blushed. "You really didn't have to go to all of this trouble..."

"You're worth it." John replied. "Now let's have something to eat."

"Dinner was smashing, Johnathan." TJ announced as she finished her dessert. "And you know I never turn down a strawberry ice cream, especially not one this good."

John grinned. "Well, you learn things after knowing someone for three years, particularly when you're trying your best to pay attention."

"Even if you don't always seem like it?"

"Indeed."

A few moments passed silently. "So why? Why all of this?" she gestured, including to her dress and his tux.

"I guess on one level, it should be obvious." he answered. "What was happening the last time we wore these? Specifically, before Jake crashed the party?"

She blushed again. "Like I could bloody ever forget..."

John stood up, and then flicked a switch. Lights came on, illuminating the pictures around the room. "Look around."

TJ gasped.

The first picture showed a newspaper headline from 1986, "Busted: Famous Paranormal Investigation Team Shut Down by Lawsuits" A larger picture had been cropped to highlight John's parents as they had been that year--not long after their encounter with four time travelers from 2023.

There was a photo from an issue of TV Comic from 1973 with a caption "Doctor Who Fan Born The Same Day As The Show" featuring ten year old Sylvester Cadonfloyd and his four year old sister, Lisa Jane.

The 1996 wedding photo of Lisa Jane Cadonfloyd and Martin Anderson

The 1998 wedding photo of Janine Melnitz and Professor Egon Spengler.

The three year old Spengler twins; John, grinning with mock innocence, holding two fingers behind the head of his sister, Eden ,the girl with a look of resigned amusement.

The family photo from TJ Anderson's seventh birthday.

John at the Institute for Metaphysical Examination.

TJ in her London Metropolitan Police Department uniform.

The first photo taken of the team of Ghostbusters hired in 2021.

And a shot of TJ and John in the same clothing they were wearing now, taken last October.

"This is our pasts, TJ. Before we were born, after we were born, after we met, after..."

"After...after what?"

"What indeed?" He adjusted his glasses again. "You know what inspired me to do this? A fortune cookie." He pulled out a slip of paper, and passed it to her.

" "Every Future Has A Past'." she read.

"This is our past." he gestured. "But I think one problem we both have, is that we're all too painfully aware of it. All too painfully aware of everything our parents went through."

She thought about it for a few moments. "Yes." she sighed.

Words from that night last October...

"I certainly wanted to shake 1986 Mom and Pop a time or two and go 'Just stop doing this crap and get together! Don't waste the next twelve years on bullshit!' "

"They would most likely be wanting to say the same thing to us, wouldn't they?"

"Your parents' story--or at least part of it--is a matter of public record." TJ noted. "Worse, a somewhat distorted picture--their first moments and then one of their worst, with so little of the context around them."

"The context is that my father was emotionally disconnected..." John continued. "...and my mother was at the other extreme. And both were socially awkward." He took his glasses off and wiped his face. "Too cold, too hot, and I've been both at times. Constantly trying to find that Goldilocks zone...they eventually did, but I've been terrified that I never would."

"The fifteen years they sabotaged each other would be a terrifying prospect to repeat, yes." TJ said.

"And then I was scared to death that I'd never find anything close to what they did when they did get their acts together." John continued. "But I knew I wasn't the only one terrified by their parents' history."

TJ shook her head. "No. It's not just you." She admitted.

"That's what I realized in London." John nodded. "When I saw more of the story than ever before."

John continued after a moment. "Your mother was taken away from you so cruelly, and when you were so young."

"I saw what it did to my father." TJ continued. "And more recently, I found out how badly it destroyed my brother. And now I realize how badly it's affected me--I've been in dangerous professions of one sort or another since I left school. I'm terrified of leaving someone behind, like my Mum did." She inhaled. "And perhaps even more terrified of being left behind, like my Father was."

They stood there for a minute, just staring at each other. They moved closer.

"I love you."

Their faces went bright red, and TJ giggled upon realizing they'd said it in unison.

"At the end of it, though, we're not them." TJ shook her head. "You're not Egon, you're not Janine."

"You're not Lisa Jane, and you're not Martin."

"We're just Johnathan and Janey, and we have our own lives to lead, and will no doubt make a lot of rubbish mistakes along the way. But they'll be our rubbish mistakes, not theirs."

"And a lot more entertaining I bet." he smirked.

"But this isn't going to be one of them..." she said intently.

At that, words seemed to no longer be enough. A mutual, heartfelt, deep, openly loving, hungry kiss followed.

Edward could tell throughout the evening that something had been bothering Eden; he hadn't considered the fact that he could be the cause until he happened to glace at the calendar taped to his refrigerator. It dawned on him blankly that he had been dating Eden for a month with no help from TJ when he remembered his last discussion with the woman.

Shit! was all he had time to think as he reached for the phone and dialed TJ Anderson; he certainly hoped that she hadn't told Eden his secret before he had gotten a chance to and then realized that a woman like TJ would always keep up her end of a bargain. No answer... He hung up the phone and grabbed his coat off the chair he had just placed it in.

Time to do damage control.

They were soaking in the moment. Three years of sublimated attraction was snowballing. It had approached this threshold once before, but events had conspired to squash it.

There was no such event this time.

"...johnathan..." she said with a breathy moan.

"...janey..." he replied quietly

"...make love to me...tonight..." she started to nibble his ear. "...i can't bloody deny it any more...since the day we met i..."

"...i would be deeply honored to..." he replied, kissing her again.

He arrived a half an hour later, thankful that the traffic had not been bad enough to slow him down. He knocked on the door casually and waited to hear Eden's footsteps approach the door.

The door opened a moment later to reveal Eden wearing a bulky robe and a towel over her hair; she had obviously gone straight to the shower after her date had ended.

"Hello, Edward, I didn't think I'd see you again so soon."

"Hi Eden , I'm glad you are home. I had to come back by and talk to you, you see I just happened to think about the time and realized…" He took a deep breath and started over, Eden deserved more from him than lame excuses.

"No scratch that, Eden , I know you know about Annette and I came here to apologize about not telling you sooner."

Eden sighed and let him inside her apartment. She sat diligently in a chair and he flopped down on the sofa. She was obviously not willing to open the conversation so he, not knowing how to proceed, started to tell her everything.

"As you already know, I decided to try to become a doctor when I was young and my sister had cancer. What you didn't know was that I didn't get a chance to start school until I was twenty-one. Before that I was married to Annette Marshal. She and I met in high school and were very good friends, though I soon came to realize that her home life wasn't a very good one. I was never In love with her, though I thought the world of her. When we both graduated from high school, she explained to me that her family was urging her to stay with them and work in their bakery. Because of the situations in her family she wasn't willing to do that, and being that I was her closest friend, she came to me for help. "

"Now, at the time, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would have no choice but to follow my father in the fishing industry, there was no money for college and I couldn't go to school anywhere without leaving home and my family needed me, so I asked Annette to marry me. I thought it would be a good solution to both our problems; she would be away from her family and, after we saved up some money, she could go with me and help me get through college. "

"Unfortunately, Annette had an undiagnosed heart defect that we found out about about a year into our marriage. I decided to put school aside and stay where I was for the health insurance. She was put on a transplant list, but she never got one, she died right before I turned twenty-one. We had taken out insurance policies on each other when we got married and I used the money to go to school. I knew that it was something she would have wanted and been proud of me for."

After a few more moments, Eden finally spoke. "You've obviously put some thought into how to tell that story."

"I wish I could say I'd spent the last month rehearsing, but that would be a lie, and I don't want to be accused of telling more of those."

"Unlike TJ, I'm not assuming the worst." Eden shook her head. "But she used to be in law enforcement. I think that inevitably makes a person more suspicious--every day you see people acting at their worst."

Eden stood up. "I also know she told you about my mother's history; at least some of that is public knowledge. I thought about asking my father what he thought of the matter, but I know there's a couple of significant differences: Mother didn't meet the 'other man' until after she met Father, and she didn't keep from Father anything that happened in the five years they didn't see each other." She fixed Edward in an intense stare. "But before I go any further--anything else you're keeping from me in this area? You and Annette did not have any children, correct?"

"No." Edward shook his head. "The diagnosis came so early in the marriage that we knew it would be dangerous to even try..."

"Just making sure." Eden nodded.

"I'm sorry." Edward said. "Sorry for not mentioning it. I guess I was just...worried how you'd take it. Worried that I couldn't explain it without sounding like I was deliberately trying to keep it secret. You mean too much to me to want to hurt you." He stood up. "If you want me to leave, and never call you again, I'd understand. But I hope you won't ask that."

"I'm not." Eden said. She turned around, and shocked him--and herself, to be honest--by kissing him. Hard.

She let him go after a few seconds. Edward had a shocked look on his face. "...wow..." was all he could say.

Eden cocked an eyebrow. "I'd say that experiment was a success."

"'Experiment?'"

"A few weeks ago, I received an unsolicited kiss, and it was intensely unsatisfying to us both." Eden explained. "Just now, on the other hand, was a very satisfying one."

Edward smiled. "I can't argue with that."

"A mistletoe kiss, you might say." she smirked.

"I don't..."

Eden shook her head. "I'll explain it some other time."

"I know you in a way that TJ and the others do not--I saw the man in the clown costume tending to ill children." Eden continued. "I know you well enough to see you as someone who wouldn't hide your past for sinister reasons. Call it a bit of what Mother calls 'female intuition'."

She sighed. "Edward...my parents spent many years overthinking things. My brother has spent three years overthinking things, though I have a funny instinct that that might be changing even as we speak." She moved closer, and undid the towel around her head. "I am just about done overthinking things for one night...I don't know if this is love, but I'm ready to find out. By feeling it instead of thinking about it..."

With that, she kissed him again, and undid the other towel she was wearing...

"You are him...Immune to my power you might be, but I can still destroy you! Protocol Sixty Six!!! Authorization Marie Curie Nodus!!!"

Eden Marie Spengler startled awake. The voice in her head was cold and menacing...yet at the same time, it was her voice.

She glanced over at the clock by her bed. 1:30 AM She smirked slightly. Happy Birthday, you are now officially twenty five years old exactly.

She realized Edward hadn't been roused from his sleep, so she got up as quietly as possible to go to the bathroom...

...When suddenly the room was filled with indigo light.

"What..."

From the light, a woman appeared. Eden recognized the purple-clad woman with short dark hair, but had never seen her look so haggard and pale. "Eden Marie Spengler..."

"Lady Delphia?"

"Time is literally growing short." Delphia Tesmihirus replied. She gestured; clothing appeared on Eden, a blue blazer and miniskirt in a color very close to her father's Ghostbuster uniform, with a pink tie and a purple vest. "We must be away..."

In a blast of indigo light, the two women were gone.

"My RoboBusters will take care of the Five Who Are One...You, Lady Gemini, are MINE!!!"

Johnathan Christopher Spengler awoke with a start. Well there's a dream that went sideways double quick...why did I sound like some sort of deranged super villain there?

He glanced where his clock would be...and remembered that he wasn't in his own apartment. The wall clock read "6:35"

She keeps the wall clock on London time so...wow...Happy Birthday exactly to me...

"...johnathan?" A woozy female voice with a clipped English accent asked.

He grinned. Even better, THAT part wasn't a dream

"Just a weird dream waking me up..." John answered. "You all right?"

"Off the top of my head, Johnathan, I can't remember a time I felt as 'all right' as I do at the present time."

"Me either..." he agreed.

He felt something again. Like a pull in the back of his head.

"Johnathan?"

There was a wheezing, groaning noise. A blue shape appeared. But it wasn't a blue police box, it was a high tech chair and in it sat an old man, the eyes under his mop of unruly grey hair hidden by a red-tinted set of ether goggles.

TJ gathered the covers over her out of instinct. John got up to confront the intruder, whether he was wearing a stitch of clothing or not.

The old man seemed to be a bit startled. "Wow did I come at a bad moment..." he shook his head. John and TJ both realized the voice was familiar, but they couldn't place it.

"I literally don't have the time to explain right now, Doctor. My deep apologies, Ms. Anderson."

The man in the chair pushed a button. Clothing appeared on John--a sleeveless jumpsuit with a sleeker look than his Ghostbuster uniform, with a white strap over his torso and matching boots.

The wheezing intensified, and when it faded to nothing a moment later, TJ was alone in the room.

Based on Ghostbusters Created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

The Real Ghostbusters 2024 Created by Fritz Baugh and OgreBBQ