Personal notes: This is the first story in a series I call "The Rivera Chronicles". You will see why in the next story. It is NOT in any way related to my last story. I thank my best friend, Krista, for so many jokes to write and for the idea of a girl in Eduardo's past. I thank my friend, Kali, for letting me use her as a model for the character Kali. I, also, thank Doreen for putting this on her page, Jen for giving me a great ending, and all my great friends in Woodstock, New Brunswick to whom I dedicate this story.

Note to readers: *FLASH* means a quick scene change

[Five Years Ago]

The girl saw Eduardo walking down the beach calling her name. This was her game, hide-and-seek, even though it was childish for her age, 13. She waited until Eduardo had walked passed the bushes she was hiding in before she ran out and jumped on his back. Eduardo joined in her laughter and held her legs to make sure she didn't fall. "Where did you hide this time, Kali?" he smiled at her and let her down. Kali pointed to the bushes.

"In there!" She shook the sand out of her long auburn hair and brushed off her shorts and crop-top. She grabbed Eduardo's shoulder and forced him on to his knees, then climbed on to his shoulders. Eduardo stood up, another game, riding on Eduardo's shoulders. He carried her down the beach, the sun setting into the ocean.

Later, Eduardo and Kali were walking down a backstreet of New York City. Kali held her head high, she had pride, it was one of the many reasons Eduardo loved her. She was childish and tough, at the same time, to prove this point she had a tattooed armband around her right arm, just below her shoulder. Eduardo, at that moment, was in heaven.

Then, from behind a building, a vampire sprung out. His skin was pale as the moon overhead and his white hair hung long over his back. His eyes glowed neon orange, his sharp teeth bared and claws extended for the kill!

Eduardo and Kali screamed, Eduardo grabbed her hand and they turned and ran. The vampire easily overtook them, he grabbed Kali's arm and pulled her away. He swung her around and pulled her close and sunk his fangs into her neck. Eduardo screamed her name and began to run back to her.

The vampire suddenly let go when the sound of sirens reached his ears. Throwing Kali to the ground he turned and ran away. The Ecto-1 pulled up and Egon and Ray jumped out. Eduardo held her head in his lap and sobbed. Egon checked her pulse and sighed, "she's dead."

[Present: Eduardo's Apartment]

Eduardo sat bolt upright and screamed. He looked at his clock, 3 am. He'd had the same nightmare, over and over again, ever since Kali's death five years ago. He still remembered her terrified face when the vampire sunk his teeth into her neck. *If only the original Ghostbusters had gotten there sooner,* he thought, *or, if only I could have done something to save her!* Suddenly he spoke into the empty room. "I'm sorry Kali!" he cried, "I know your lost spirit is sick of hearing it, but I'm sorry!" He pulled his knees to his chest and the sound of his soft, lonely sobs filled the apartment.

[Present: The firehouse]

Eduardo entered the firehouse and walked right up to the rec. room, oblivious to Roland, who was working on the Ecto-1 and Janine at her desk. He only snapped out of his trance when Garrett called to him "Yo! Eddie, what's up?!"

"Nothing," Eduardo mumbled.

"What's eating you?" The familiar female voice caught his complete attention. He was right, it was Kylie, she was sitting in her favorite chair, a ghost book temporarily resting in her lap until she got an answer.

"None of your business!" He snapped. He instantly felt bad for saying that to her, especially in that tone. She had become as important to him as Kali once was. He continued up the stairs to the bunks.

It was a stab to Kylie's heart. Eduardo never, EVER, snapped at her like that. *Oh forget it Kylie* she thought to herself *You care for him deeply, maybe even love him. What am I thinking?! That would never happen!* She sighed and went back to her book.

Eduardo sat on the end of the bunk that had once belonged to Ray Stantz and let tears roll down his cheeks again. He hated himself right now for upsetting Kylie and his memories of Kali were to blame. He took a leather-covered book from his backpack lying on the floor and opened it. He looked through the pages through wet eyes. All the years seemed to disappear as he read.

Kylie couldn't focus on her book. Something about how Edurado reacted toward her, and stormed off, upset her. She closed her book and walked upstairs. Eduardo was sitting on a bunk reading a leatherbound book. "What's that?" she asked, pointing at the book.

"Nothing," Eduardo sighed, as he shut the book and returned it to his bookbag. Then, the ghost alarm went off.

"Coming, Eduardo?" Kylie said. Just before she turned to go, with concern, she added, "If you want to, I mean if you don't feel up to it we could..."

"No, I'm coming," Eduardo gestured for her to go, "I'm right behind you!"

[A backstreet]

The Ecto-1 pulled off to the roadside. "This is it!" Roland said, as he got out of the car and stepped into the night.

"I want to kick some ghost-butt!" Garrett said, while rolling down his ramp.

"What are we after?" Eduardo asked, as he leaned against the Ecto-1.

"A pale-skinned, white-haired demon!" Kylie answered. She turned on her PKE meter. As if on cue, a white-skinned, white-haired demon ran past her, pushing her to the ground. She sprang up and the EGBs ran after it down an alley.

"Hold it right there!" Garrett demanded. The demon turned around and, quick as lightning, charged at Garrett, grabbed him by his neck and lifted him clear out of his chair. The demon bared his sharp teeth.

"It's a vampire!" Kylie screamed. The vampire threw Garrett against the brick wall.

Then, the vampire looked at Eduardo with his glowing, orange eyes. Their eyes locked and the memory of Kali's death raced through Eduardo's mind again. "You," he murmured. The vampire smiled.

"Hello, Eduardo," the vampire smirked. "How's your lady friend?" The vampire sounded like he was on the verge of histerical laughter. Eduardo's fury ignited.

"You killed her!" He screamed before shooting at the vampire, but the demon ducked under the proton rays and ran off into the dark. Eduardo ran after it, jumping garbage cans and trash as he went and he, too, disappeared in the dark.

"What was that about?" Roland asked, staring down the alley.

"Beats me!" Garrett said, as he pulled himself into his wheelchair. Eduardo walked out of the dark, head down, dragging his feet. Kylie looked at him and sensed his sadness.

"He get away?" Kylie asked, though the answer was obvious.

"He got away," Eduardo answered quietly, then walked to the Ecto-1.

[The firehouse]

Eduardo watched the dawn breaking through the window. He stretched across the couch and shut his eyes...

[Five Years Ago]

Kali sat next to Eduardo. They were resting atop a sand dune on the beach. Kali's head rested on Eduardo's shoulder and he had his arm around her. Down the beach a way, his four cousins and Kali's sister played volleyball. "Eduardo?" Kali said, holding her head up.

"Yea?"

"What would you do if I died?"

Eduardo looked shocked. "What do you mean?" He looked at her and she smiled back.

"Nothing, I just wanted to know!"

"Well," Eduardo thought a minute, "I'd go crazy without you."

*FLASH* The vampire's fangs sunk deep into Kali's neck.

*FLASH* The wind blew grains of sand across the dune. "Don't go crazy!" Kali smiled at Eduardo. "Promise you won't."

*FLASH* Kali's head rested in Eduardo's lap. Blood trickled from her neck as he sobbed.

*FLASH* The ocean lapped on the shore "Then what do you want me to do?" Eduardo asked. Kali looked out across the water.

"Find another..."

*FLASH* The last rays of light reflected on Kali's face, "Find another girl, one you can love..."

*FLASH* The vampire's mouth, sunk in Kali's neck was wet with blood.

*FLASH* "I will, Kali."

*FLASH* Egon checked the girl's pulse. "She's dead."

*FLASH* Kali lay lifeless in Eduardo's arms.

[Present: The firehouse]

Eduardo sat up screaming. Kylie was shaking him. "Eduardo, you're having a nightmare!"

He threw his arms around her neck. "Oh Kylie, am I ever glad to see you!" he sobbed. Quite suprised by Eduardo's actions, she could do nothing except hold his trembling body close to her and let him rest his head on her shoulder. "I let her die," he cried softly, "poor Kali!"

Kylie could only wonder what he meant.

[In the firehouse lab]

Egon straightened his glasses. "I have a confession."

"Huh?" Garrett looked surprised.

"What did you say? Sorry, I was zoned out," Kylie asked. She had been thinking about Eduardo. She had left him sleeping on the couch.

"I have a confession," Egon said again, "I've fought this vampire before," he concluded.

"You have?" Roland asked.

"Yes, we have!" Janine answered. "He was the most insane thing I've ever seen!" Janine illustrated by pointing to her head, cirlcing the air around her ear with her finger. Egon nodded in agreement.

"What exactly do you mean by 'insane'?" Kylie questioned.

"He was obsessive," Egon explained. "After he killed a victim he would become obsessed with her."

"HER?" Garrett spat out, amazed.

"He killed women to eat, but only hurt men badly. He always only fed on girls," Janine explained, rubbing her neck, "Believe me, I know!"

"We never did catch him," Egon noted sadly. "After he killed another girl he disappeared. That was five years ago and the girl was Kali River."

Kylie's head shot up. "Did you say KALI!?" She practically screamed, with an uneasy shake in her voice.

Egon nodded. "The vampire, Alitate, killed her last. She was 13 at the time and her boyfriend was with her when she died. When we arrived he was holding her body and crying. We only saw a glimpse of Alitate as he rounded the corner. I never saw the vampire after, he just disappeared!"

"Back to the obsessive part," Garrett noted, "what did he do?" Janine thought a moment, took off her glasses and proceeded to clean them on her blouse.

"Well," she started, "He found pictures, news articles, anything with the person's name on it. Then, he posted it on an alter to her. He learned all he could. Everything from her family tree to who was with her at the time of her death." Janine put on her glasses back on.

"Hmm...the vampire, Alitate, asked Eduardo how his 'lady friend' was before Eduardo started to scream 'You killed her!'," Roland thought out loud.

"And Alitate called him by name!" Garrett added. "Do you think he knew a victim?"

"He did!" Kylie said quietly, all eyes suddenly fixed on her. Egon nodded.

"You're right, he did!" Egon straightened his glasses.

"He was the one with Kali when she died!" Kylie gasped, the harsh reality of Eduardo's strange behavior dawning on her, like a shower of hailstones, cold and sharp.

"Correct," Egon sighed. Unknown to the others, Kylie had slipped away from the lab.

[The bunks]

Kylie slipped the leather book from Eduardo's backpack and opened it to the first page. The first, handwritten paragraph read, "This is the diary of Kali Tara River. Age 13." Kylie turned the pages, like her own journal it had complete descriptions of her days, not one missed. Eduardo was written about in almost every entry. On a few pages pictures were fastened in.

"Why are you reading my book?" Eduardo asked, as he entered the room.

"I know about Kali," she stated simply, turning the page, her eyes glued to the book. Eduardo sat down beside her on the bunkbed. She picked up the photo envelope that fell out and looked through the pictures. They were all of Kali. In all 28 photos she wore a black tank-top, tight, black leather pants and an armband.

"Nice armband," Kylie said, pointing at the picture. Eduardo chuckled.

"That's a tattoo!" Kylie giggled at Eduardo's answer.

"What's a 13 year old doing with a tattooed armband anyway?!" She asked more jokingly than anything. Eduardo smiled and shrugged, he had asked Kali that, but she never answered.

"Kali's acting like a model!" Kylie noted, looking at the next picture. It did appear that Kali was modeling, different poses everytime, as if she were showing off. Sometimes her hands were behind her head, in another she held up her hair, or maybe her hands were on her hips or she held one leg up.

"She was a model!" Eduardo smiled. "I was her 'photographer'. We used to send in the pictures to teen model agencies, but she was never accepted." He looked lovingly at the pictures. "After she died, I dropped out of my photography course, but I sure miss those 'photo shoots'," Eduardo laughed. "She made a joke out of everything!"

"I could be your model," Kylie suggested, looking at Eduardo. He smiled and nodded. "I would like that," he answered.

Kylie smiled back at him. She turned the page and another picture fell out. It was Kali and Eduardo, Kali was riding on Eduardo's shoulders and they were both laughing. What set this picture apart from the others of Kali and Eduardo was that it was signed in the bottom right corner: "Love forever, Kali".

"That was taken the day Kali died," Eduardo said sadly. "She signed it for me so I could be the first person to get her autograph." Eduardo started to laugh, the thought was funny.

"Kylie, Eduardo, we have the call, it's our vampire!" Garrett called up to them from downstairs. Kylie looked at Eduardo.

"Do you want to sit this one out?" she asked. Eduardo smiled and shook his head. He looked at her and grinned mischievously.

"No way! I've been itchin' for revenge... and now," he punched his hand, "It's payback time!" Kylie returned the mischievous grin and then they both slid down the firepole.

[An abandoned warehouse]

The old warehouse was totally dark in the black night. Kylie swept the room with a PKE meter. "Yup, Alitate was here!" she said to the rest of the EGBs.

"Did someone ask for me?" a smooth, but ominous, voice asked. Alitate appeared on the catwalk.

"Yea, ghoulie!" Garrett called up to him, pulling out his proton gun. "Ever been to Brooklyn Heights?" The vampire arched his eyebrow and crossed his arms. "No? Well, remember this when you're squirming in pain in a vortex of light, BROOKLYN HEIGHTS IS IN DA' HOUSE!" Garrett shot at Alitate and hit him dead on, pushing him off the catwalk.

The vampire screamed in pain. Then, he suddenly pulled away, breaking free of the proton beams and falling to the floor. "On three!" Roland called.

"THREE!" The gang responded, and then they shot at the vampire. Alitate rolled over, just missing the beams.

Alitate jumped up, and in one lightning-fast move, ran across the room, slamming into Garrett. Garrett went flying into a pile of crates, which then fell on top of him.

"Garrett!" Kylie screeched. Alitate rammed into Roland, slamming him hard into the wall, knocking him out cold. The vampire grinned at Eduardo.

"Oh no you don't!" Eduardo said, as he powered up his gun, but the vampire was quicker and before Eduardo could fire, Alitate sent him sprawling to the ground. Kylie turned to run, but Alitate grabbed her.

The vampire smiled, revealing a row of sharp teeth. "Fresh food!" He breathed. Kylie tryed to pull away, but it was useless. Alitate pulled her close.

Eduardo sat up and shook his head, then he saw Kylie and the vampire. He watched as Alitate sunk his teeth into Kylie's neck, and again the memory of what happened to Kali, so long ago, returned. "Kylie! NO!" He screamed, deserting his proton pack as he charged at Alitate. The vampire went flying across the room leaving Kylie unconscious on the floor. Eduardo quickly knelt down beside her and checked her pulse, tears began to form as he searched for a pulsepoint. "You can't leave me," he sobbed, "I won't lose you like I did Kali!" He began to cry, he had almost lost hope when he felt a faint pulse. He smiled and pulled Kylie up into a sitting position. He held her close for a moment, then laid her down again.

Over in the corner, a very suprised Alitate stood up and shook his head. Eduardo walked over to him. Before the vampire could react, Eduardo grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the wall. Alitate let out a cry of shock and pain. Eduardo punched the vampire in the stomach. Alitate gasped for air. "That was for Kali!" Eduardo said, then he punched Alitate in the gut again. "And that was for Kylie!" Eduardo let go of the vampire, who then leaned back against the wall, gasping for breath. Eduardo took hold of an old, sturdy crate and slammed it into Alitate with such a force that blood came out of the vampire's mouth. "And that was for me!" Eduardo grinned.

On the other side of the room, Garrett emerged from under the boxes. "Eddie, catch!" Garrett called, as he threw a piece of wood to Eduardo, who caught it.

"What's this for?" he asked.

"Don't you watch 'Buffy'?" Garrett asked, annoyed. "It's a wooden stake, slam it into the vamp's chest and he dies!"

Eduardo grinned, as he walked back to Alitate. The vampire was squirming, trying to get loose from between the crate and the wall. "It's payback time!" Eduardo breathed.

"NO!!!!!!" Alitate screamed. Eduardo raised the stake high above his head and plunged in down. It sunk deep into the vampire's chest. Alitate let out one last blood-curdling scream before exploding into a billion little grains of dust and disappearing.

Garrett dragged himself to his chair and pulled himself up into it. "Yea! You go, Goatboy! Even though it was my idea!" At that moment Roland began to stir.

"What... what happened?"

"Eduardo slayed the vampire!" Garrett answered.

Eduardo walked to Kylie, who was still out cold, her neck still bleeding a bit. He knelt down beside her. Her eyes fluttered open. "Eduardo?" she said weakly.

"Yea, it's me." He helped her up.

"Last thing I remember is being bitten by Alitate."

"It's O.K.," Eduardo told her, "He's gone."

"Yea! Eduardo kicked his butt!" Garrett cried. "You should have seen the way he beat that bloodsucker up!"

Kylie grinned, "You got your revenge?"

"Yea, and got it good!" Eduardo grinned back.

"Hello? Ghostbusters?" Roland picked up his radio.

"Yea, Egon?"

"What's going on?"

"We have the vampire, Eduardo slayed it!"

"Slayed it?"

"With a stake!" Garrett spoke into the radio, more than a little annoyed, "Doesn't anyone watch 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' on TV?"

"Well, then..." Egon's voice came over the radio, "You can all go home and I guess we don't have to store Alitate in the containment unit."

"Alright, Egon." Roland turned his radio off. "Who needs a ride home?"

"I think I'll walk," Kylie said, as she headed for the door.

"I'm going to walk, too," Eduardo said following Kylie.

"I'll ride," Garrett said while rolling toward the Ecto-1.

[A New York street]

Eduardo walked with Kylie down the busy New York street. It was nighttime but the road was as busy now as it was in the daylight. Kylie and Eduardo stopped in front of the entrance to Eduardo's apartment building. Kylie looked up at Eduardo and smiled. He smiled back before opening the door. "You want to come in?" he asked.

"Sure," Kylie answered, stepping inside. She closed the door behind her and followed him up the stairs to his pad. A few weeks ago he moved out of his place above Carlos' garage into this apartment building.

[Eduardo's apartment]

"Want something to eat?" Eduardo asked as he motioned Kylie to sit down.

"Sounds good to me." She sat down on the couch.

[LATER]

"Can you believe that!" Kylie laughed, pointing at the TV. Eduardo shook his head and laughed.

"No WAY in the world would that happen! Can you imagine a hell-mouth opening up in a library of all places!" Eduardo chuckled.

"Yea, and they don't even see Xander run by them, being chased by four undead guys!" She added. She and Eduardo were watching a 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' marathon and they were enjoying themselves. When Eduardo and Kylie started talking, they found they had a lot more in common than they had first thought. One of those things was that they were both 'Buffy' addicts. Despite what Garrett had thought, they both knew everything there was to know about the whole Sunnydale history. Eduardo was simply stunned that Garrett knew how to kill a vampire when Garrett gave him the stake earlier. The episode ended and another begun.

"My only complaint about this show is it's theme song," Kylie said turning down the music. Eduardo nodded, it was definitely an annoying song. When the episode started Kylie turned the volume back up.

Eduardo looked at Kylie and smiled, if there was one thing he never thought would happen, it was this. Kylie sitting with him, on his bed at 11 o'clock at night, watching TV. Kylie turned and looked at Eduardo and their eyes locked. Kylie quickly looked down and blushed. Eduardo reached over and gently brushed a few strands of her black hair away from her pale face. *She looks so beautiful,* he thought, *like a goddess!* Kylie looked up at him, her emerald eyes filled with almost a thousand emotions, but he was sure one of them was love.

Eduardo put his hand on her cheek and looked at her lovingly. She put her hand over his, closed her eyes and smiled. She knew what she wanted to do and wanted to say, but the words remained frozen in her throat. "Kylie?" She looked up at Eduardo, she felt so confused. She never, EVER loved someone this much and it almost hurt. She swallowed and couldn't help but let a tear slip from her eyes. "What's wrong?" Eduardo asked.

"I... I..." she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "I... I love you so much..." Eduardo felt like he was dreaming, *was this Kylie saying this to HIM?* "and... and... I'm so confused," she continued, sounding like she was on the verge of breaking down and crying. "I... I'm not sure what to do... if I should run... or ignore it... or just pour out my whole heart..." She paused, suddenly jumped up and headed for the door. "I shouldn't be here... I really have to go," she stammered as she left.

"Kylie wait!" Eduardo ran after her. She was just about to open the door that would take her out to main hall. He put a hand on her shoulder and she turned around, tears streaked her face and made black make-up smudges across her checks. He wiped away the tears with the back of his hand. "Ky, I know you've been hurt," he whispered softly, "and I know you're afraid of being hurt again. But I swear I will never hurt you, I love you too much!" Kylie was suprised, *was this Eduardo, the lazy, slacker who watched music videos and complained about everything, really saying this to HER?* Kylie smiled at him.

"As much as Kali?" She joked.

"More than Kali!" he whispered. He wrapped his arms around her and she put her hands on his shoulders. He leaned down and kissed her, she accepted his kiss and kissed him back. When they both reluctantly pulled away, they were breathless. After a moment of silence Kylie rested her head on Eduardo's shoulder.

"I'm tired," she said softly.

"Me, too. Do you want to stay the night? It's sort of late to be walking home." Kylie nodded, looked up at Eduardo and smiled. They walked back to the bedroom arm in arm. "You get the bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, it's fine Eduardo, we can share the bed, just no taking advantage of the opportunity." Kylie turned her head and began to watch the end of the 'Buffy' episode.

"No prob." Eduardo sat down on the other side of the bed and leaned against the bed's headboard. Kylie leaned back into Eduardo and he wrapped his arms around her. She fell asleep in his arms. He gently laid her down on the bed and covered her up. He snuggled down beside her and wrapped his arms around her again.

A movement at the end of his bed caught his eye, but when he looked he saw nothing, so he laid down again. For a moment, he thought he saw a girl standing there, a girl with long, auburn hair...

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