Working Title: It's Like, a Family Thing, Man
Summary: When Nora Rogers is sent to her Uncle's for the summer, she plans her escape early, dreading the next two months. But Nora soon realizes
home is not where you live, but where they understand you.Genre: Drama/Humor
Rating: K+ Some dry humor, but hey!
Characters: Shaggy Rogers, Scooby-Doo, ocs
Warning(s): ocs, not much. Oh, stupid puns. And penguins.
Disclaimer: You took the words right out of mouth. Wait, I thought that's what a disclaimer was…?

Author's Notes: Rivvy: A word from our sponsor: ...Yeah I got nothing. You talk Daisy.
Torpe:
Hi mom!

Nora Rogers spent her last Friday before summer vacation mucking out stalls at a local barn in Coolsville. Her friends were Sneaky, Lizzie, Player and Summer. Four horses that were friendly enough letting some stranger into their stalls and feed and bathe them and turn them out daily. But poor company in the way of conversation.

Character building, her mom called it.

A living hell. Nora called it.

Fourteen-year-olds on their last day of middle school should be planning their last summer before High School with a gaggle of other eager soon-be-freshman, planning sleepovers and campouts and road trips with the group's designated cool moms.

They should not be working…working like this. Dropping and picking up hay-bales, pushing rakes and wheelbarrows. Especially wheelbarrows up to their brim in…well, you know.

Nora stood up straight and cracked her back. She sighed as she wiped the sweat from her brow, resulting in a dirt smudge over her eye. She replayed the evening over and over in her head.

"What do you mean you're going away?" Nora yelled at her mother. She was obviously displeased, to say the least.

"I mean just that. It's only for a couple months, sweetheart. And, besides, if I meet someone, it could be better for the both of us," Maggie Rogers shifted the car into park, just outside the barn. At least she was smart enough to tell the girl when dropping her off, and could give her a few hours to cool down. Or maybe not, she could just practice using a pitchfork...

Nora scoffed, "Oh yeah, like the last time you met a guy?" She was mentioning her father, of course. Well, not father, just the donor of 23 chromosomes her mother chased off with two tender words; 'I'm pregnant'.

"Nora! Please! Don't you think I deserve to be happy?" Nora opened her mouth to respond but Ms. Rogers continued on, "I AM going on this cruise, and that's final. And while I'm gone, you're going to be staying with your uncle."

"You mean the hippie and his Great Dane? You're kidding! I refuse!"

Maggie held back a small growl in her throat, "You do not get a say in this. I trust your uncle; he practically raised me."

"That's not saying much." Nora mumbled before slamming the car door and storming in the barn.

Putting away the pitchfork and the barrel, she ran by the tack door and grabbed a thick lead rope to bring Lizzie and Player in and Sneaky out for the night.

Her last day here. Or was it? She could probably get a full on job here over the summer, if she wanted. But…

Those weren't really my plans for the summer. Still, neither was mom going on vacation and leaving me behind. Nora mulled over her gloom as she finished leading Sneaky out, the last thing she had to do for the day was finally done, when a ridiculous looking van lumbered up the driveway in front of the stables. It had flowers, ("orange flowers, oh my god, oh. MY. GOD." Nora thought,) blue lining, and clanked and squealed with every roll. It was a mystery that machine even ran.

Nora was on the side paddock, and she watched with horrified eyes as the vehicle stopped sideways, pointed toward the loop that lead back to the road.

"No, please, no." The brunette whispered to Sneaky and the powers that be, who was watching the multicolor machine with interest, ears perked.

The front door opened on the side opposite of what she could see, and then was shut, and her lanky bean pole of an Uncle walked around the nose of the van, smiling cheerfully.

He gave a wave, "Like, hey there kiddo! Like man, I haven't seen ya' in ages, how ya been doin, Norry?"

Oh my god, I forgot he called me that. Nora folded the lead rope under her arms and met her Uncle halfway, placing an awkward smile on her face in doing so.

"Hey…Uncle Shaggy. I've been good. …You?"

"I'm pretty good, though I could go for some chow," Shaggy responded, chuckling a little.

"Yeah, well, okay," Nora took one step back, "I, uh, gotta lock up the barn. Mom should be here soon." Nora at this point wished she could just hang up a phone for the conversation to be over. Of course, whom ever was in charge wasn't feeling generous with wish granting that night. Only causing nightmares.

"Well, that's just what I'm here for, Norry," God, was she grateful no one else there to hear that horrid nickname, though she thought she heard Sneaky snicker.

"Um, what?"

"I'm taking you home and we're all having dinner together. We're also going to, like, talk and figure everything out, okay?"

"O-okay Uncle Shaggy."

This was a turn of events, but it seemed like a generally good turn, actually. So at least she wouldn't be just dumped on her Uncle's doorstep and left behind, as her mom was sometimes prone to do. Nora loved her mother, she really did, but it was a different relationship than what she thought a mother and daughter should be to each other. But maybe she was in the wrong? Who knew.

When the Mystery Machine pulled into Nora's driveway, it was the only car in it. Swallowing a lump in her throat, because she knew something like this would happen, the teen didn't bother waiting for the van to come to a complete stop. She had her seatbelt undone and was out the door before it rolled to a stop.

Shaggy seemed to confused as to where his sister's car was, and didn't notice his niece jumping out until the door was left open and Nora was sprinting up the walk and flying up the steps to front door.

A small piece of paper was taped on to one of the two suitcases that sat on the steps. Nora had come to a complete standstill and was staring at it. Shaggy walked up with four long strides and plucked the note from the suitcase. Nora already knew what it said, but she stayed silent and her Uncle read it aloud.

Dear Nora and Shaggy:

Sorry you missed me, turns out my flight was three hours earlier than I thought! Oh well! Nora, behave for your Uncle and Shaggy, don't let her give you too much steam!

~Love and Kisses, Mom and Sister

Nora turned and kicked her suitcase, and both slipped quietly, without any resistance over onto their sides like small, mortally wounded animals.

Shaggy, for his part, looked uncomfortable and distressed at the same time. He watched his niece pick up her suitcases, then took one from her and swung an arm over her shoulder. "C'mon kiddo." Shaggy said quietly. "Let's still get some grub, and we'll figure something out on our own, alrighty?"

Shaggy decided they'd just head to his house and eat, and they could always go out the next night maybe. Shaggy drove and talked, to fill the silence that was leaking from the passenger seat like the tar monster.

"But like, for Sugey," he said, referring to his sister with her own childhood nickname, "to just head of like that, zoinks, that just seemed…outta character or something-"

"You can't honestly be surprised by this, can you Uncle Shaggy!" Nora shattered the unease in the van with a hammer and turned it to tense. "She does this all the time, I'm not kidding, she just doesn't care, she picks up and leaves and I'm-" Left behind. Nora's throat closed.

'Fourteen year olds don't cry, Nora. Forget it, and you just yelled at your Uncle about his baby sister, so who is gonna take your side this time?'

Not taking his eyes of the road, but glancing several times to the passenger seat, Shaggy seemed to empathize with her. "Nora…" He heaved a sigh, as if to expel the heat surrounding them. "Like, I'm sorry kiddo. We're all forgetful sometimes, y'know? That's not much an excuse but like, don't worry. Sugey left me her room number on the cruise, and the number the line will be using, so you can like, give 'er a call whenever you want."

Nora leaned into the window and prayed for lightning to hit her side of the van. No more words were exchanged the rest of the short drive to Shaggy's house.

"We're home!" Shaggy proudly announced as he carried in Nora's suitcases.

He crossed the threshold of the faded blue-grass colored house and headed in. Nora stood, just over the threshold, staring into it. 'This isn't home,' She thought, 'Home was back a ways with two suitcases in front of it and all locked up.'

Just as Nora expelled a hearty sigh, something came shooting down the stairs. Something very big. And very fast.

Nora was suddenly bowled over by the biggest dog she'd ever met. It was Scooby-Doo, her Uncle's Great Dane. But whoever made this dog was sadly misinformed when it came to Scooby; they decided to go the opposite way and gave him a hump back, bowed legs, small chin and such. Even his color is wrong.

"Rorra! Rello! Rong rime no ree!" Nora swore the dog could talk, broken English or not. Still, that didn't make her any more happy with a giant dog on her stomach.

"Get-get off me, go, shoo!" Nora wasn't in the mood, and Scooby backed off immediately, looking a little hurt. It was suddenly gone when Shaggy popped his head out of the kitchen as his niece was getting to her feet, making a show of shaking her jeans and shirt of dog fur off them.

"Like, what's going on, Scoob?"

"Rello Raggy!" Scooby's tail thumped so hard Nora was waiting for the wood to break and it go right through.

Shaggy grinned, "Chow time, o' niece of mine! Your choice! Just say your command, an like, Uncle Chef Shaggy is your humble servant!" Shaggy and Scooby looked ready to burst at the seams with having a guest, and both grinned eagerly at her.

Nora closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, "No. I wanna be left alone. I'm not hungry."

Shaggy tiled his head, looking stricken. "Uh…Like, okay."

"Where do I sleep?" Sure it was curt, even for her, but she didn't care at this point.

Startled, Shaggy jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, in the direction of the stairs. "Like, you can crash in my bed for now. Second room on your left. We gotta get you a room, like, pronto, but no worries."

Now it was Nora's turn to look surprised. "Where will you sleep then?"

Shaggy grinned easily, looking relaxed, "Me an' Scoob'll just crash on the couch, no problemo. It's like, closer to the fridge anyway, right Scoobo?"

"Ru-huh!" Nora had been wrong; Scooby's tail could thump harder.

"Okay. …Thanks."

Giving the dog a semi-look of disgust that no one seemed to acknowledge, Nora grabbed her suitcases and heaved it up stairs, taking careful time to slam them on every step and bang the into the wall repeatedly. She felt better after that, but only a little.

Nora spent the night sitting on her suitcase in her Uncle's room and programming her cell phone to go off on the last day of summer with party music. She also circled the last day of August in red maker twelve times on her big fold out calendar she'd brought with her.

She ignored the smell of dinner wafting under the door, but whatever it was smelled really good.

At around midnight Nora opened the door to look for a bathroom, and looking down she saw a generous pile of macaroni and cheese and a few cookies sitting on a plate in front of her.

This is…my favorite… when I was little.

Nora bit her lip, and walked to the foot of the stairs, listening to mumble of the tv and the soft snores of her Uncle and his dog.

Nora hesitated on the final step. She bit her lip harder. She knew he was asleep, but she wanted to thank him. At the same time, Nora thanked the heavens above that Shaggy was asleep.

Maybe she could write him a note? If anything, note-writing was something she inherited from her mother. Besides, he probably didn't want to talk to her after her piss-poor attitude; really, what fourteen-year-old in their right mind would practically throw a temper tantrum? Nora sighed.

Nora turned on the balls of her feet to go back up the stairs. She had taken one step when, "Rorra?"

Nora practically peed herself right then and there.

She jumped around at the hoarse, yet exhausted, sounding voice, striking a crane-pose nearly as perfect as Jackie Chan himself.

The owner of the voice was none other than Scooby Doo. The dog, equally as frightened by that point, jumped back and mimicked Nora's reaction. Nora's heart slowed, but only the slightest bit, upon discovering who it was. Nora was never really one for dogs, and Scooby Doo was no exception. She eased back into a normal stance and whispered harshly, "G-go away."

Scooby cocked his head innocently, not understanding.

"Get away from me, go! Go sleep by the dryer." Nora hissed. 'Dogs, sleep by dryers, right? On old, faded mats?'

Before Scooby could respond, because by this point Nora was sure he could, Shaggy mumbled in his sleep, "Like, Scooby Doo, where are you?" His hand rose and wrapped around to the back of the couch. Scooby looked back to Nora from the couch and his master's arm, and then he slowly walked back to Shaggy.

Nora heard his tag clatter as he hopped onto the couch, and her uncle grunt from being jumped upon, and made her way up the stairs.

Nora, forgetting completely about her previous need to find the bathroom, grabbed her meal and her plate of goodies, and shut the door firmly, but not enough to slam it. She saw that her uncle gave her a fork and spoon, which was kind, in its own way. She picked up the fork and took one bite of the Macaroni. Then, another. The food was excellent, far better then anything that could ever come from a box! And before she knew it, she greedily ate the entire bowl and began munching on the cookies.

Nora, whom was on the verge of a food coma after her little 'feast', decided she would not brush her teeth until morning. She could survive a few more hours.

She laid down on her side, facing a wall with some old, ugly wallpaper, and let her eyelids lower themselves. She sighed.

Goodnight.