I do not own the characters of Scooby Doo. This takes place when they're about 19-20ish. I don't know where I plan to go with this story or if I'll add more to it. I'll leave that up to you guys.

Word Count: 1970

Enjoy

Chapter 1:

Shaggy sighed and took another drag of his cigarette flicking a bit of ash onto the sidewalk. His parents were going to kill him if they caught him smoking again. One more strike and he was going to be hauled off to military school.

He looked at the cancer stick and dropped it on the ground putting it out with the heel of his shoe and tucked his hands in his pockets hunching over a bit as he started to walk down the street. He was supposed to be meeting the others at the diner for dinner. Supposed to being the key words.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out checking the number across the screen. Lady V The nickname he had given Velma when he updated his contacts. He smiled faintly at the picture that popped up with her name.

It was taken over the summer. She was wearing a cute little orange one piece bathing suit while her hair, which she had let grown out a bit more, was pulling back in a coil and held back in pins and her eyes shining behind the glasses she wore. The girl was also holding up a peace sign at his insistence.

He pressed the green talk button and held it up to his ear.

"Hey Velma," He greeted.

"Shaggy where are you? You're always on time for our weekly dinners," she didn't sound upset. She sound worried.

"I got held up at work. Boss needed me to stay and reorganize some files," he lied easily.

He felt guilty about lying to her but what was he supposed to tell her? 'Sorry I got held up because I was in therapy?' that'd only get him more questions.

"Well hurry up okay? Scooby's staring at your seat and whining," the young woman told him.

"On my way," he nodded and hung up at the dial tone.

He put his phone back in his pocket and picked up his pace crossing the street and walking the two blocks before he made it to the diner. He paused and looked in the window hanging back a bit so they couldn't see him from their table.

Velma was seated next to Daphne the two girls talking animatedly. The red head was more or less talking about some new fashion trend she thought the brunette might be interested in. Velma rolled her eyes at something she said then smiled nodding.

Fred was seated across from the them, Scooby had is head in the blonde's lap while the young man was rubbing his ears trying to make him relax.

Shaggy felt a pang of guilt watching the two people he considered himself closest to. He knew Fred didn't like keeping secrets. It was eating him inside keeping one from his parents but keeping one from Velma and Daphne had to be taking its toll. But he'd do anything for Shaggy. He told the taller one numerous times.

The tallest of the group took a deep breath and smiled as he made the short walk into the diner and joined them at the table.

"Hey sorry. Like my boss needed me to stay and reorganize some CD's."

He took his seat next to Fred and chuckled patting Scooby on his head as the Great Dane licked his hand and lay down at his feet.

"Try to call us next time okay?" Velma gave him a stern look and he nodded.

"Yes ma'am," he teased lightly picking up his menu.

He wasn't really hungry. He hadn't been all day and never really was on days he had therapy. Recounting everything he had during the sessions made him too sick to even think about eating. He was just glad no one really noticed he was getting thinner.

"Hey guys. What can I get for you tonight?" The waitress asked smiling as she stopped at their table.

"I'll have a diet coke with the salad please," Daphne nodded.

"Root beer and spaghetti for me," Velma set her menu down. "No garlic bread this time."

"I'll have the cheese steak sandwich and a coke with a side of fries," Fred nodded.

All eyes turned to Shaggy.

"I'll have a bacon cheese burger with fries and a steak for Scoob and two vanilla milkshakes please," he smiled at the waitress as he ordered.

His stomach recoiled a bit at the thought of the fat and grease bound to be dripping from the burger and he picked up the glass of water the waitress had brought and took a few sips to settle his stomach. Scooby stretched a bit and moved laid his head on his paws giving Shaggy a quick look of concern and he smiled back in return trying to ease the dog's spirit.

"So I was thinking that maybe we could all go up to my families' beach house for a few week since it's supposed to be really nice," Daphne offered smiling. "Usually my aunt and uncle and a couple of my cousins stay up there but they're going overseas so it'll be empty."

"That sounds great," Fred grinned. "It'll be nice to get out of town for a bit."

"I have my last week of interning this week but I can join you guys that Friday," Velma nodded thinking it over. "That is if someone's willing to pick me up."

"What about you Shaggy? Think you can get a few weeks off?" Fred asked.

Shaggy nodded. "I don't think he'll mind." Especially when my so called boss is really my therapist. He inwardly sighed and drank some more water.

The waitress arrived with their food and set down the steak for Scooby and some water for him to drink.

"Can I get you anything else?" She asked batting her eyelashes in Fred's direction.

Shaggy covered a chuckle with a cough a Daphne rolled eyes and ate her salad.

"Barking up the wrong tree," the redhead muttered in slight amusement earning a confused look from the waitress who just shrugged and walked off.

Fred gave Daphne a look. "Really Daphne? Are you going to do that every time a girl tries to flirt with me?"

"What? I think they have a right to know. Just like your parents," Daphne pointed at him with her fork.

"Daphne it's Fred's choice on when he wants to tell. It's not our place to push him into it," Velma reminded the other girl.

Daphne nodded a bit and ate her salad. "You have a point. You always do."

Shaggy picked up his burger and took a bite trying not to shudder at the taste. He chewed and forced himself to swallow and took another bite. He ate his burger in a quick Shaggy fashion. His stomach would hate him for it later. And washed it down with the milk shake another glass of water before leaning back in his char.

"I don't know how you manage to pack it all away and still stay so thin," Fred shook his head as he finished his own and drank some more of his coke.

"Like fast metabolism dude," Shaggy chuckled covering his mouth as he burped. "Scuse me," he apologized.

"I wish I could stay longer but I have an early morning," Velma pet Scooby and grabbed her coat as she stood.

"Mind if I grab a ride with you?" Daphne asked. "My car's in the shop for a tune up."

Velma nodded. "Course."

The girls waved as they headed out leaving Shaggy, Fred and Scooby sitting at the table. Shaggy reached for his wallet ready to pay and looked at Fred when the blond beat him to it.

"I thought it was my time to pay," Shaggy frowned.

"No you paid last time," Fred reminded him.

He stood up. "Do you guys need a ride home?"

Shaggy nodded and stood up Scooby walking next to him as they left the diner. They walked over to Fred's car. He still had the van but when they weren't out driving out solving mysteries he drove a nice dark blue four door mustang.

He opened the back door for the Great Dane who hoped in and then closed it before getting into the passenger seat.

"You okay?" Fred asked once they were in the car. "You seemed a little off at dinner."

"I'm fine…" Shaggy brushed off his concern.

"You know you can talk to me if something's up."

"I'm fine Fred it's nothing really…"

He glanced over and winced a bit at the look the blond was giving him. He was looking at Shaggy with one of his 'I know you're not being honest with me' looks.

"My parents aren't home…do you wanna stay over?" Shaggy offered trying to change the subject. He placed his hand on the blonde's thigh giving him a smile.

Fred nodded and started the car making the drive to Shaggy's house leaning a voicemail for his parents telling them where he would be.

Scooby nudged them into the house and shut the door behind them shaking his head and grumbling to himself before going to find a quiet spot in the house to sleep off his food.

Shaggy pulled Fred down the hall towards his room and pushed him down onto bed climbing into his lap. Fred put his hand on his hips frowning momentarily feeling just how thin he was but was cut off from speaking when the other's lips were pressed to his own in a kiss.

"Shaggy…" He tried to sound firm but it came out more breathy than intended.

Shaggy's fingers faltered a bit as he worked on unbuttoning Fred's shirt. No no no, not now…He tensed a bit and pushed himself away making a beeline for the bathroom down the hall barely making it to the toilet as the contents of his stomach came up.

Fred was right behind him pulling his hair back from his face and rubbing his back.

"You shouldn't force yourself to eat all that…" Fred sighed getting him some mouthwash and a glass of water when he finished. "They're not going to bat an eye if you don't eat your normal diet."

Shaggy shook his head and mumbled a quick thanks using the mouthwash and rinsing out his mouth.

"They have a right to know Shaggy…"

The two made their way out to the living room and sat on the couch, Fred easing the taller of the two down so his head was in his lap and starting to run his fingers through his hair.

"Why? So they can feel guilty? They'll think it's their fault I'm in therapy in the first place…just like you did…" Shaggy closed his eyes. "I'm the one who went with you. I'm the one who willingly and of my own free will. If it's anyone's fault, it's my own. I could have said no, or left at any time but I didn't."

"Will your boss," they never referred to his doctor as a therapist. "Be alright with you taking some time off?"

"Yeah…He gave me CD's to help with the sleeping…he said taking some time and going out having fun would be good for me," Shaggy answered opening his eyes to look at him. "And I'm sure my parents will be glad to have me out of the house and out of their hair…" he chuckled a bit.

Fred smiled and ran his fingers down the side of his cheek. "Maybe we can find some way to have some alone time as well…I don't like having to sneak around so much."

Shaggy tugged on his ascot pulling him down into a kiss. "My parent's won't be back till tomorrow afternoon if you'd like to pick up where we left off."

"You sure you're up for it?"

"I'm always up for it."