Note: LoveofVelma and I have talked about this story for a while, but now I decided to take over, since it isn't a cowrite anymore. Will update whenever I can. I hope you all enjoy this one, but feel free to read and review.
After filling up the Mystery Machine, Fred got back into the driver's seat. Everyone had jackets on, and the heat was hot enough to keep everyone warm. Shaggy found it hard to think of something to eat since the cold weather kept his mind off food. After it stopped raining, the gang saw it was now beginning to snow really hard.
The roads now began to start to make it icy enough for the Mystery Machine to slip on the ice. The gang had just solved their latest mystery, which involved ghosts as usual. At least the gang solved it. They stayed in a mansion with a billionaire and his wife. They did happen to think somebody was under one of their names to pretend they were somebody else and the ghosts wanted millions of money.
Fred silently hoped that nobody was hurt. After they drove away from the gas station, not once did Shaggy complain about being hungry. That isn't like Shag at all, Fred thought to himself. Velma was sitting in front with Fred and Daphne. Shaggy was too busy thinking of trying to come up with ideas to keep warm, but he had no ideas, which made him feel disappointed, and he never liked being disappointed, and he understood lots of people always felt disappointed every once in a while.
Fred and his friends had been on the road for most of the afternoon. He was getting tired, so they checked into the nearest hotel. Fred didn't want to drive in the ice anymore today, so it was a good idea to take a break unless it got too snowy tomorrow.
"Gang, let's take a break for the day."
"All right, Freddy. I'm freezing. Can we get to a hotel?" Shaggy asked.
"We're on our way. We're going to see if we can get a couple of rooms first. Hope the hotel isn't full."
"Hurry up, Fred. It feels like the Mystery Machine might make us in ice cubes," Daphne said.
"I agree with you, Daph," Shaggy said.
He didn't have a jacket on, so it was no wonder why he was cold. Daphne, Fred and Velma had their jackets on, so they had their winter jackets, and it had about two to three inches of snow already and it was starting to pile up. At least Fred had a good idea about stopping for the night. He's traveled in this kind of weather before, but if this was worse, no way are he and his friends going to go anywhere, even if they planned on going to visit a friend of his. He thought it was a good idea to stop and get in touch with his friend.
"Let's stop at the nearest hotel, gang. We can rest there until the snow stops."
Shaggy spoke up.
"Does anybody have a jacket lying around? I'm still cold."
"There should be one around there somewhere. Why don't you look in our suitcases and see if there are any?" Fred suggested.
"Thank you for the suggestion, Fred. Let me check."
Shaggy had the entire backseat to himself and Velma was sitting in front with Fred and Daphne. Scooby Doo, who was his best friend, stayed behind because he wasn't feeling too great to tag along on this trip.
Shaggy started unzipping Daphne's suitcase first. He didn't want to take all of the clothes out to look for a jacket, but he left the clothes in the right place until he found an extra jacket, but it was more of a woman's jacket. He zipped her bag up again and went to the next. There was no way he would look in his suitcase, but it was a good idea. So he did just that. Velma looked behind her.
"Shaggy, did you find one yet? You do look cold," Velma said.
"Not yet. Daphne, I saw you had a jacket in your suitcase."
"You can borrow it, Shaggy, but don't get it dirty," Daphne said.
"I don't plan to. But it's a woman's jacket."
"Shag, that's no big deal," Fred said as they heard Shaggy unzip his bag.
"Which bag are you looking through now?" Velma asked, still watching him.
"Mine."
Today, Velma, Fred and Daphne wore gloves in the Mystery Machine since it was cold inside the vehicle as well. Shaggy didn't want to put his gloves on yet. He figured that was a good idea to put them on when they got outside, and not into the car. But he did see that his friends had a good point about wearing gloves in the Mystery Machine, but he didn't feel like putting his on yet.
"Shaggy, do you want some more heat back there?"
"Please, Freddy."
Velma was still watching him.
"Shaggy, you look like you have goose bumps."
"Of course I do, Velma. Wouldn't you be too if you wore a short sleeve shirt all the time?"
"You have a good point," Velma agreed.
She watched as Shaggy zipped up his suitcase.
"Found one!"
"Now you don't need to search in our bags."
"I did think of searching in your and Velma's suitcases, but I decided not to, but I did forget I packed my jacket in my bag."
"At least you solved that problem on your own this time," Daphne said looking over her shoulder.
Both she and Velma watched as he put his old light red and white jacket. He even zipped it up.
"Don't you feel warmer now, Shag?"
"Of course, Daphne. I thought I left my jacket back home. But it was a good thing I double – checked."
"Fred, when are we getting to the closest hotel? It's still cold in here even with the heater on," Daphne told him.
"I don't know, but I think in a few miles."
"When we get there, would you mind if we find some food? I'm getting hungry, and with Scooby not here with us, it wouldn't be any fun sharing my food with him."
"We'll check on Scooby some other time, Shaggy. I'm sure he's doing fine," Fred told him.
"Good. I do miss my pal."
"We all do, Shaggy. Maybe next time he could be able to come along, depending on how he is."
"I hope he would get better soon. I had to sit back here all alone with no fur to keep me warm."
A few minutes later, they were in luck. Fred and his friends saw there was a hotel a block or two ahead.
"We're in luck, gang. Shaggy, why don't you come with me and the girls can wait in the car until we find a few rooms?"
"Good idea, Freddy. Velma and I aren't going anywhere."
That's what Shaggy did believe, but didn't bother saying anything. Shaggy zipped up his jacket once Fred slammed the driver's door of the Mystery Machine. He didn't want to put his hands in his pockets, so all he did was follow Fred into the hotel.
Fred's friend didn't have a spare room in his house, so that's why Fred and the gang couldn't stay at his place.
"Good afternoon, kids."
The hotel clerk was the one who spoke. Fred and Shaggy saw the hotel clerk was wearing a light tan shirt along with dark blue pants, but they couldn't tell what the man's socks or shoes were. In other words, boots because of all the snow. Fred and Shaggy guessed the hotel clerk was in his college years, but again they could be wrong. His nametag told them his name was Christopher.
"Good afternoon, Christopher. Do you happen to have any available rooms?" Fred asked.
"I do have a few of them open. How many of you are here?"
"Four. Our other friends are waiting by the car," Fred answered.
"All right."
Christopher gave them the hotel keys to their rooms.
"Christopher, I do have a question for you."
"What's that?"
"Do you happen to know the best restaurants are here?"
"We have several."
"Good. I was just checking to be sure."
Christopher watched as Shaggy and Fred walked out of the hotel doors and come back in a few minutes later, but he didn't pay much attention that they were members of Mystery Inc. He'll still think about that during their stay. He didn't see any sign of Scooby.
"You're Mystery Inc. Am I right?"
"We sure are. Daphne and Velma are waiting for Shaggy and I. Do you have any rooms available?" Fred asked.
"We have a few. Let me see what rooms you will be in."
Fred and Shaggy waited for another minute or so. Christopher told him what rooms, but they were on the second floor.
"Mind if I ask you something?"
"What's that, Christopher?" Fred asked.
"Where's Scooby?"
"Scooby couldn't make it. He wasn't feeling well to come along. He doesn't have much longer to live," Shaggy answered.
"That's too bad. Fred, here are the keys to your rooms."
"Thank you, Christopher. We'll be back."
Christopher watched Fred and Shaggy leave the lobby.
Shaggy followed Fred back to the Mystery Machine.
"Girls, we got a couple of rooms. Let's grab our luggage and head upstairs."
"What floor are we on?" Velma asked.
"Second," Shaggy answered.
After Shaggy walked out of the Mystery Machine, he already had his suitcase. Then he watched Velma, Daphne and Fred collect theirs. Fred then locked the Mystery Machine.
The four of them said not a word when they walked in. This time Christopher was busy, but all Fred and Shaggy did was wave. Christopher returned the wave back.
They found an elevator. Fred pushed the button and then let the girls in first, since it was always ladies first. After they stood in the elevator, the door automatically shut. Fred pushed the number two.
"Up we go," Shaggy said.
A few minutes later, they reached the second floor. There were a few other guests waiting when the gang walked out.
They followed Fred and Shaggy.
"We are room numbers 231 and 232. Girls, you can take room 231 and Shaggy and I will be in 232."
Daphne took the key from Fred and they went into their rooms.
"See you girls later."
"Okay, Freddy."
"We'll let the girls have some privacy," Fred told Shaggy.
"I happen to agree with you, Fred."
Then there was no conversation since. Fred and Shaggy unpacked their things. Already Shaggy was starting to feel lonely. Then Shaggy spoke up.
"Fred?"
"Yes, Shag?"
"I feel lonely without Scooby already. I won't have any fun without sharing food with him."
"You'll have plenty of time for that when we get back home."
"I know, but it's not the same without Scooby."
Fred didn't blame Shaggy, so all he could do was give Shaggy a pat on the back.