Scooby Doo and Mulder Too: Matrimonial Mayhem
Disclaimer: All X-files characters and references are the property of Fox television. Scooby Doo and associated characters are the property of Hanna-Barbera.
A/N: This takes place in season six of the X-files and anytime for Scooby and the Gang.
"Wow, Man, D.C. is, like, really, really HUGE!" Shaggy exclaimed, excitedly.
"Sure is, Shaggy," Freddy agreed.
Daphne looked up from a map and pointed excitedly.
"There it is, guys! FBI Headquarters!"
"Jinkeys! I can't wait to see this place!"
"Now, remember, Scoob," Shaggy warned. "If we're going to tour this place you're going to have to make like you're my seeing eye dog."
"Rokay, Raggy!" Scooby agreed.
Shaggy attached an almost new leash to Scooby's collar and donned a pair of large, dark glasses that covered half of his face. "Keep it quiet, Scooby, or you'll give us away!"
Scooby nodded, eagerly, to show he understood.
"Are you guys ready?" Fred asked.
"Yep! Let's hit it!" Shaggy answered.
As they entered the building, Scooby began humming.
"Rum-de-dum-dee-dum," he intoned, trying too hard to act casual.
"Scooby!" Shaggy scolded. "Sh-h-h!"
"Oops. Rorry!" Scooby whispered.
The gang paid eager attention to the tour, listening with fascination to stories of the Bureau's history and methods and to the tales of some of the criminals they had caught. After awhile, the tour stopped in the cafeteria, where agents and tourists alike were breaking for lunch.
"Like, I gotta use the restroom. C'mon, Scoob, you've gotta stick with me."
Shaggy led Scooby to the restrooms, letting him enter first. Slipping, Scooby plowed into a tall, dark haired man in an Armani suit. The man grunted and turned. Scooby looked up, bashfully.
"Oops! Ror-ry!" Scooby apologized.
The man's eyes widened.
"Uh, that's okay."
"Scooby!" Shaggy hissed, alarmed. "Like, sorry, man. We didn't mean to...I mean, I didn't see you...literally!"
Shaggy tittered nervously, trying to sound sincere and casual. The stranger reached forward, noticing that Shaggy flinched, and pulled off the dark glasses.
"You're not blind," the man stated, blandly.
"Uh, well...you see...I never go anywhere without Scooby...I-I really would be l-lost without him...he's my best pal," Shaggy babbled. He fell to his knees, begging and wailing, "Oh, please, don't arrest us, Man, like, we're innocent, really! We didn't mean any harm!"
"Reah, re didn't mean any hrarm!" Scooby repeated, whimpering, cowering behind Shaggy.
The man's blue hazel eyes widened in astonishment, looking at the grieving pair.
"All right, all ready! Calm down! I'm not going to arrest you; just take it easy."
Shaggy and Scooby breathed deep sighs of relief, trembling.
"Like, thanks, man. Don't worry, we'll behave ourselves. Right, Scoob?"
"Right!" Scooby agreed.
"Your dog talks," the man stated, flatly, with surprise, handing Shaggy his glasses.
Shaggy shrugged, uncomfortably. Part of him was always worried that someone would steal Scooby in order to run tests and experiments on him. Questions about Scooby's abilities made him nervous and, anyhow, wasn't the FBI famous for its labs?
"I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder," the man proclaimed, producing a badge. "And you are?"
"Um, I'm Sh-Sh-Shaggy, sir"
"Rooby-rooby-doo."
Mulder smiled.
"Shaggy and Scooby-Doo? Is there a last name that goes with that?"
Shaggy gulped, going a little pale.
"Erm, Rogers, sir," he whispered.
"You can call me Mulder, Shaggy. Where did you get Scooby? He's a Great Dane, isn't he?"
"Y-yes, sir, M-Mulder. I, uh, we got him in a pet store in North Carolina."
"Has he always been able to talk?"
"Well, like, yeah, I guess so...he was doing pretty good when we met."
Mulder reached forward, calmly, and stroked Scooby's ears. Shaggy pulled Scooby a little closer. The tall agent smiled.
"Really, Shaggy, relax. I'm not going to take your dog or arrest you. I just...have an interest in paranormal phenomenon."
The agent smiled charmingly and shrugged. Shaggy's eyebrows raised.
"Gee, I never thought of Scoob as paranormal before."
"He's a talking dog," Mulder reiterated.
"Rog? Wrere?" Scooby asked, looking puzzled.
Mulder laughed, shaking his head in bemusement.
"Well, it was interesting meeting you two," Mulder offered, flashing a bright smile. "Enjoy the rest of the tour."
"Like, thanks. Nice meeting 'ya, Mulder!"
"Brye, Mrulder," Scooby waved.
Scooby and Shaggy soon rejoined the rest of the gang, diving into their food. They ate eagerly until they had each consumed at least twice as much as any of the others.
"Well, eating didn't take you two long," Freddy joked. "We were beginning to wonder where you'd gone!"
Shaggy explained about Mulder.
"Jinkeys! That's kinda weird for an FBI agent!" Velma exclaimed.
"But it was nice of him not to squeal on you," Daphne offered.
Mulder caught up with Scully, still chuckling slightly over the odd pair he had just encountered. Scully smiled at him.
"What's funny, Mulder?"
"Oh, I just ran into a couple of tourists. No one told them the hippy movement is over."
Scully sighed.
"Well, I'm afraid I have bad news. Kersh wants to see us."
Mulder rolled his eyes, tilting his head back to glare at the ceiling.
"Any idea what he wants?"
"We'll find out in a few minutes. He wants us up there right away."
They made the trip to Kersh's office in a grim silence, speculating on what miserable assignment he had concocted for them.
"Go on in," Kersh's secretary stated imperiously, carefully reflecting her superior's attitude towards the infamous agents. Mulder gave her a cheeky grin and strode elegantly into A.D. Kersh's office.
"You wanted to see us, sir?" Mulder drawled cooly, making Scully hide a wince.
"Have a seat, Agents," Kersh demanded coldly, watching disdainfully as they complied.
"I have an assignment for you. Tom Calloway is the son of a prominent business man and is getting married this weekend. A three day party, with various social activities, is being held at their mansion, starting tomorrow and ending with the wedding and reception on Sunday evening. Unfortunately, the bride, Amanda Jones, has been receiving threats. Ronald Calloway is concerned for his son and the wedding. You two will be attending as guests. Your job is to see that nothing goes wrong this weekend."
"There won't be any local police or security?" Mulder challenged.
"Certainly," Kersh sneered. "But Ronald Calloway is an old friend of mine...and this will give you two something useful to do."
Kersh handed Mulder a file and dismissed the reluctant agents. Mulder stormed out of the room, wishing he could tell Kersh what he and his good "buddy" Ronald Calloway could do with each other.
"Look on the bright side, Mulder," Scully counselled. "It might be a grunt assignment, but the wedding might be fun."
"What the hell's so fun about a wedding, Scully?" Mulder asked incredulously.
"Its a three day event, Mulder. Maybe you'll get to attend the bachelor party," Scully responded drily. "At the least, the food should be good."
"You're reaching, Scully," Mulder laughed.
"Jinkeys! Like, it'll be good to be out of this monkey suit!" Shaggy sighed, wishing for his customary green t-shirt.
"Ya gotta admit, though, Shaggy, Tom got our sizes right. These tuxes fit and look good on us!" Freddy defended.
"Hey!" Daphne protested. "What about us girls?"
"Oh, those dresses are lovely!" Shaggy assured her. "You two will be the prettiest bridesmaids of the season!"
Velma and Daphne both giggled.
"Thanks, Shaggy," they chorussed.
"Yeah, it's going to be a great wedding. Tom's a lucky guy!" Fred stated, wistfully.
"Thinking of settling down, Fred?" Shaggy teased.
"Well, hopefully not with his cousin anyway," Daphne teased. "Amanda's the lucky one. Tom's dreamy." Fred chuckled, "No way! But, it is nice to visit with my family. It's been awhile."
The gang all nodded in agreement. They all loved being part of Mystery, Inc. and were inseparable friends, but their travelling did keep them away from their families for most of the time.
"This is the place!" Freddy announced, pulling the van onto a long driveway.
"Wow, Daphne breathed, looking over the elegant lawns and trees of the Calloway estate. "This place is gorgeous."
"I don't know," Shaggy disagreed, looking at the mansion that loomed over the yard with austere dignity. "Why is there always something creepy about these fancy-shmancy places?"
"Well, the Calloways seem nice enough," Freddy offered, silently agreeing with his cowardly friend.
"Suuuure, Freddy, right until you find the skeleton in their closet!" Shaggy argued cynically.
"Releton!" Scooby yiped, then began whimpering.
"There are no skeletons in the closets, Scooby!" Fred scolded. "Not literally, anyways."
"Yeah, sorry, Scoob. It's okay," Shaggy soothed.
"Rew!" Scooby breathed, relieved.
As Freddy came to a halt in front of the mansion, a tall valet appeared at his door.
"Names?" he asked snootily.
"Fred Jones and company."
The valet raised an eyebrow, eyeing the Mystery Machine with distaste.
"Ah. Give me your keys, please. Your bags shall be taken to your room. Tonight's party is in the main ballroom, three doors down the main hall on the left."
"Great, thanks," Freddy answered cheerfully, unintimidated, tossing the keys over.
"Hey, Scooby, look!" Shaggy exclaimed. "It's that Mulder guy!"
The gang followed where Shaggy was pointing. A tall, handsome man stood beside a petite woman, both deep in conversation.
"Who is he, Shaggy?" Velma asked, a slight purr to her voice.
"He's that FBI guy we were telling you about. The one we ran into at the Hoover building!"
"Really?" Velma asked, intrigued, then shouted as he ran off, "Hey, Scooby, come back here!"
Scooby bounded up to Mulder, a big doggy grin on his face.
"Rello!" he barked happily.
"Hello, Scooby," Mulder answered, drily.
"Scooby, don't go running off!" Shaggy scolded, coming up the porch with the gang. "Hey, Mulder, fancy meeting you here."
"You're guests, too?" Scully asked.
"Yeah, I'm the bride's cousin, Fred Jones."
Mulder grinned, nodding.
"Look, Shaggy. I need you and your friends to do me a favor. Don't tell anyone here that Scully and I are FBI, okay?"
"You're working undercover?" Velma breathed. "But, why?"
Mulder glanced at Scully, who raised her brows at him.
"Evidently, Amanda Jones has been receiving anonymous threats on the phone and in her email, warning her not to marry Tom," Mulder explained.
"Gosh!" Fred exclaimed, horrified. "Why would anyone want to hurt Amanda?"
"We're not sure," Mulder admitted. "The messages were pretty vague."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Daphne asked.
"I think we can handle things," Scully denied.
"Just keep an eye on your cousins and, if anyone asks, I'm just a guy who plays golf with Tom," Mulder offered.
"Oh, of course," Fred assured them. "No problem."
A loud scream tore through the air.
"Uh, oh. There's a problem," Velma corrected.
The group ran down the hall to the ballroom, pushing their way to the center of the crowded guests. Amanda Jones stood, shaking, in the middle of the crowd. Her long, blond hair had come undone from the elegant knot she wore and framed her pale features. Tom stood beside her, his arms around her waist, murmurring soft words.
"What happened?" Fred demanded, pushing his way to his cousin's side.
"It was awful, Freddy," Amanda whispered, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "We were all dancing, when suddenly there was this horrible, screeching laugh! Then this...thing swept down from the balconies and attacked me! It was like it wanted to carry me away!"
"You insisted on wearing that thing tonight and look what almost happened!" Ronald Calloway demanded of his son's bride. "Now do you see?"
"I see perfectly!" Amanda snapped. "I see that someone is trying to ruin my wedding and I won't allow it. I will not be intimidated or manipulated!"
"Whoa! Slow down!" Freddy instructed. "This...thing that attacked you. What did it look like?"
Amanda hesitated.
"Well...it was big. About six foot five. It was dressed in a tattered, white robe...in rags really. I couldn't see a face, but the arms and hands were gray and clammy!"
"Yipes! That sounds like a ghost!" Shaggy wailed.
"Shaggy!" Velma scolded. "You know there are no such things as ghosts!"
"Don't be so smug in that belief, young lady!" Calloway snapped.
"Enough, Robert!" Amanda demanded. "I'm going to go fix my hair, then I'll be right back. Tom, please? Get everyone dancing again?"
"Sure, honey," Tom soothed.
"We'll go with you, Amanda," Daphne offered.
Amanda smiled with wan acceptance and Freddy chimed in, "You girls go ahead. We'll just take a quick look around."
"Good idea, Fred," Velma agreed.
Scully gazed at Mulder for a moment, then moved off with the other girls.
"So, what's with the balconies that spook appeared in, anyways?" Shaggy asked, frowning at the curtained enclosures.
"My ancestor was very fond of both theater and dancing. He thought it would be practical to use this room for both. With the audience seated above, a play could be performed on the dance floor, without needing a separate stage area," Ronald explained proudly.
"Huh. Chintzy," Shaggy dismissed, unimpressed.
"Don't be rude, Shaggy," Fred disapproved. "Mr. Calloway, would you mind if we went up there and snooped around a bit?"
Calloway shrugged.
"By all means. I doubt you'll find anything though. Ghosts don't generally leave tangible evidence."
"Actually, advances in technology have offered new means of gathering evidence that ghosts do exist. Electronic voice phenomenon is becoming widely accepted amongst believers as scientific proof of life after death. Many people have tapes of voices recorded when no one was speaking."
"How interesting," Calloway responded blankly.
"Y-yeah," Shaggy gulped, as Scooby whimpered. "Interesting."
Mulder smirked and joined Freddy at the stairs to the balconies.
"Like, it's dark up there!" Shaggy protested.
"Well, Velma has the Scooby snacks, so I'll have to owe you," Fred answered ruthlessly.
"Oh, that's great!" Shaggy sniped, irritated.
"You can get a snack, when we're done here," Mulder commanded firmly, heading up the stairs himself. Freddy motioned sternly for Shaggy and Scooby to follow. Mulder found a light switch, but the dark wood absorbed most of the light, until it provided only a mellow glow. Shaggy shivered and pulled Scooby closer, following close on the agent's heels.
Mulder edged into the balcony. The area was small, but richly furnished. Four soft chairs, upholstered in red velvet, sat in the middle, each providing a good view of the stage area below.
"Well, there's nothing here," Shaggy gulped, relieved. "Guess we better go back."
Mulder turned to him, lips pressed together in annoyance.
"What exactly are you afraid of?" he inquired.
"Man, like, everything!" Shaggy announced proudly.
"Right, reverything!" Scooby agreed.
"That's kinda cowardly, don't you think?" Mulder protested.
"Nope," Shaggy denied. "It's very cowardly!"
Mulder stared for a moment, then chuckled, grinning depite himself. He pointed to the front left chair legs and the indent marks next to them in the carpet.
"This chair's been moved, so we know Amanda's attacker came from here, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Freddy agreed. "I don't think these balconies get used much anymore."
Mulder pulled a fingerprint case from his pocket, brushing the arms and back of the chair lightly with dust. Nothing appeared. Mulder tugged the chair back into place, frustrated.
"Do not interfere," a cold voice rasped.
Mulder looked up to see an old man sitting in the chair next to him. The figure stood, revealing a tall, solid looking man, with short, spikey white hair. Cold blue eyes shone with malevolence. Mulder backed up slightly, keeping his breathing as regular as possible. Shivering, Shaggy and Scooby darted behind Fred, who gulped.
"It's Paul Calloway, Ronald's great-grandfather!" Freddy exclaimed, shaken.
"Jones," the spectre intoned with slow contempt. "Calloway blood will not be marred. Do not interfere."
"Your feud is over," Mulder informed him, cooly. "Tom and Amanda are proof of that."
"CALLOWAY BLOOD SHALL NOT BE MARRED!" Paul Calloway stormed, creating a blast of cold, foul air, before disappearing. Shaggy and Scooby whimpered, their teeth chattering.
"Calm down, now," Mulder instructed. "It's gone now."
"That couldn't have been real," Fred stated. "Um, right?"
"Well, it looked pretty real to u-us!" Shaggy scoffed.
"Real or not," Mulder answered, "that thing wasn't what Amanda described."
"No," Fred agreed. "She said the phantom flew off, but Paul just faded out."
Mulder looked out the window to the ceiling above the ballroom. Gears and pulleys were strategically placed for use during plays.
"Well, that explains how the guy could swoop down and try to grab Amanda," Fred offered.
Mulder shrugged.
"Maybe."
"Aw, c'mon!" Fred prodded. "You're an FBI agent! You don't really believe in ghosts, do you?"
Mulder grinned.
"I operate a unit called the X-files, that studies cases considered unsolvable. I've seen stranger things than ghosts."
"S-so, this place really is haunted!" Shaggy stammered.
"Maybe," Mulder emphasized. "Right now, there's little proof, one way or the other."
"Then, we'll just keep looking, until we find some," Freddy asserted bravely.
Amanda led the three other women down a long hall to her bedroom. A pine vanity sat against one pale green wall, still littered with the make-ups and brushes that Amanda had used earlier. Velma waited until Amanda had sat down and was combing out her long, honey curls.
"Amanda..."
"Look, it's nothing!" she interrupted. "I...I've been receiving threats, okay? Someone wants to stop my wedding!" she exclaimed bitterly. "Well, too bad! I love Tom and I'm not giving him up!"
"Of course not," Daphne soothed. "What did Mr. Calloway mean, when he said you wore 'that thing'?"
Amanda held up a beatuiful silver comb, glittering with diamonds.
"This is part of the veil to my wedding dress. Ronald doesn't want me to wear any part of the dress...ever. He thinks it's cursed," Amanda explained, sounding slightly apologetic.
"Could Mr. Calloway be the one sending threats?" Velma inquired.
"No!" Amanda exclaimed, surprised. "Tom and Ronald are very close. He would never hurt his son that way. Except for the dress, Ronald has been very supportive. He even bought me a beautiful new gown, to encourage me away from the "cursed" one."
"That's weird!" Daphne proclaimed. "Why does he think the dress is cursed?"
"Paul Calloway, Tom's great-great grandfather, cursed the dress when his daughter Maria tried to marry Landon Jones, my great grandfather's older brother. At that time, our families were feuding. Paul killed Landon in a duel. He then swore that if his daughter's dress was ever worn in a wedding between a Calloway and a Jones, that the bride would disappear before the wedding...and never return."
"Jinkeys," Velma breathed. "What an unpleasant old man."
"And, there is a curse on the dress," Daphne enthused with morbid fascination.
"A wicked old man vented his spleen with an evil promise," Amanda dismissed impatiently, tucking the last strands of hair into place. "No human has the power to make objects cursed!"
"I agree," Scully concurred, speaking up. "Not to mention ghosts aren't known for sending emails."
"But..." Daphne began, protesting.
"Agent Scully is right, Daphne," Velma interjected. "If his curse worked, Calloway wouldn't need to send threats."
"All right, all right," Daphne grumbled. "We'll find a human solution to the mystery!"
"I'd rather we just left the situation alone! This weekend is a celebration and I won't have it ruined. Come on. We have a dance to attend."
The girls paraded into the ballroom, finding their male friends talking with Tom, who was nodding unhappily to something his father said.
"Tom!" Amanda cried, trying to sound happy. "Let's dance!"
"Wait, Amanda. Dad explained to Agent Mulder and the guys about the dress. You have to hear what happened."
Freddy described the enounter with Paul Calloway.
"Calloway blood shall not be marred," Tom sneered. "What a stupid thing to say!"
The lights flickered and static burst from the band's microphones. Tom froze.
"Good timing, Tom," Mulder chuckled, with sardonic admiration.
"I don't give a damn what Paul Calloway wants. I am marrying Tom, I am wearing that dress, and right now, we are going to dance!"
Amanda thrust her hands out to her fiancee, imperiously, her eyes pleading. Tom smiled gently, accepting her wishes as he swung her out onto the dance floor.
"Well," Fred huffed. "What do we do now?"
Mulder slipped his arm around Scully waist, pulling her into a dance position.
"Pair up," he instructed.
"Great idea!" Shaggy enthused. "Come on, Velma, let's show these folks some moves!"
Everyone slowly relaxed, forgetting everything but the food and music. Mulder and Scully kept close to Tom and Amanda, eventually following them outside to a terrace. All of the glass doors were open and tiny lights brightened the area. The happy couple drifted to a corner, where they stood in each other's arms, swaying only slightly to the music drifting from inside.
Mulder and Scully stayed near the doors, giving Tom and Amanda both protection and privacy. They danced together, maintaining their cover and relishing the excuse for closeness. After some time, Tom approached.
"Agents Mulder and Scully, I just wanted to thank you for being here. I know this must be grunt work for you, but Amanda's safety is important to me. Anyway, I do appreciate it," the young man affirmed, earnestly.
Mulder nodded respectfully.
"You're welcome, Tom."
"You'll keep an eye on her, right? I have to, uh..."
Mulder chuckled.
"Go ahead, we'll be right here."
Tom smiled, gratefully, rushing off inside.
"Well, that was rather odd," Scully remarked, archly.
"The quicker he goes, the quicker he can get back, Scully," Mulder quipped, smirking.
"You're having too much fun with this, Mulder," Scully observed. "You're not planning on telling Kersh about the phantom, are you?"
"C'mon, Scully! I'm owed a little gloating. The man dropped an X-file right into our laps!"
"There is no X-file, Mulder. Just a stalker and an old family superstition."
Amanda screamed.
Looking up, Mulder saw her struggling with the phantom as he dragged her towards the dark lawn. Mulder pulled his gun, running forward a couple of feet.
"Don't move!" he yelled. The phantom pulled Amanda in front of him, using her as a shield until he could dart through one of the terrace doors, into the ballroom. Putting away his weapon, Mulder cursed, chasing the villain through the parting crowd. Freddy and the gang fell in with Mulder and Scully as the phantom sped out of the ballroom, down a side hallway.
Glancing behind himself, the phantom didn't see Tom enter the hall directly in front of him. They both collided with a harsh thud. Tom grabbed onto the cloaked figure, keeping it from fleeing. Scully held her weapon on the phantom.
"That's enough!" she ordered in a terse voice.
The phantom slumped in defeat, allowing Freddy to pull off his mask. Amanda gasped.
"Dan! I-it's Dan Mitchell!"
"Your ex-boyfriend?" Tom asked, puzzled.
Mitchell turned and glared at Tom.
"I love Amanda. She should be my wife!"
"You sent me those emails? Dan, what were you thinking!"
"I thought I could show you that he isn't worth it! I figured if I reminded you of the feud and made things difficult, you would realize that you and I belong together!"
Amanda slapped him, rocking his head back.
"You had me terrified, you idiot! I love Tom and am marrying him. Get used to it!" she hissed.
"But Amanda," Dan whined. "I love you!"
"No, you don't," she sighed. "You need to grow up, Danny."
Tom fetched a couple of security guards, who took Dan away to the local authorities. Returning, Tom drew Mulder and Scully aside.
"Look, I'd appreciate it if you would stay at least until after the wedding ceremony. Dan couldn't have pulled off what happened in the balcony."
"Not by himself," Mulder agreed. "We'll stay."
Mulder woke up after a peaceful night to a hundred and fifty pounds of dog hitting his chest.
"Mrulder! Rake up!"
"I'm awake, Scooby," Mulder wheezed. "Just a bit winded."
"Aranda's gone!" Scooby whimpered.
"Gone?" Mulder asked sharply.
"Who's gone?" Scully asked, coming into her partner's room. "I was just coming to see if you wanted breakfast, Mulder."
"Amanda's missing, Scully," Mulder informed her.
"Scooby told you that?" Scully guessed, skeptically.
"Hrey!" Scooby huffed, insulted. Mulder grabbed his clothes, heading into the bathroom to change. He came back out quickly, pulling his tie into place.
"Where is everyone, Scooby?"
"Ris way," Scooby offered, nodding for them to follow him.
"She can't have been gone long, Mulder. She was eating breakfast with the rest of us, when I went to get you," Scully protested. "Admittedly, I stopped and used the restroom, but that's still a very short time frame!"
Mulder nodded, accepting Scully's information. He followed Scooby to the family dining room. Fred and the other members of Mystery, Inc. stood to one side, almost in a huddle. Tom sat at the table with his head in his hands, while his father stood over him, a comforting hand on his son's shoulder.
"Agents Mulder and Scully," Ronald greeted them solemnly. "I'm afraid the worst has happened. Amanda has disappeared. I fear, I've wasted your time. No one could have stopped what happened. My great grandfather is simply too powerful."
"Calm down," Mulder instructed him gently. "Tell us what happened."
"We were eating breakfast," Tom answered in a slow, dull voice. "Agent Scully left to get you. We thought...all of us were here. We thought it was safe. He appeared right behind her. Said his blood would not mingle with a Jones. Then they both vanished!"
"Where was Amanda sitting?" Mulder asked, trying to project calm.
"Beside my son," Ronald answered wearily.
Mulder examined the chair and found a sooty substance around the legs.
"Vibuti, Scully. Holy ash. Remember Chuck telling us about it?"
"Mulder, even if Amanda was whisked away by supernatural forces, she still has to be somewhere," Scully lectured.
"I agree," Velma offered. "We should search the house and grounds."
"Our guests..." Ronald began weakly.
"Tell them nothing," Mulder directed. "Weren't most of them going into town today?"
"Yes, all right. I'll tell them Amanda's at a last minute fitting."
"We should split up," Freddy suggested. "We can get three good teams out of all of us."
"I'll take Fred and Daphne and start with the attic," Scully offered.
"Tom and I are best suited to search our woods and gardens," Ronald informed them.
"Great, Velma can go with you and I'll take Shaggy and Scooby and start in the basement," Mulder agreed.
"Be careful, Mulder," Scully admonished.
Velma stood in front of the darkly handsome agent and swallowed.
"Take these, Agent Mulder. They should help you with Shaggy and Scooby," she breathed, handing him a box of Scooby Snax.
Mulder gave her a lopsided grin, accepting the treats graciously.
"Let's get going, guys," he directed, leading them down the hall to the basement stairs.
Shaggy and Scooby shook and moaned as they approached the basement doors.
"Hey, M-mulder, man. What'd'ya say we start this search in the kitchen, hey?"
Mulder smirked, shaking his head.
"Forget it, you two. You just had breakfast and I doubt Calloway is hiding Amanda in a high traffic area."
Shaggy sighed.
"Yeah, but man, basements give me the creeps!" Shaggy whined. Scooby whimpered in agreement.
"Basements can be scary," Mulder agreed, nodding. "Now think of poor Amanda stuck down there by herself or with Calloway for company," Mulder goaded in a flat voice.
Shaggy winced.
"That's low, man. Us disappearing forever isn't gonna help her!"
Mulder pulled out the box of Scooby Snax and shook it.
"One each," he offered.
Shaggy brightened and Scooby nodded.
"Rooby 'nax! Yreah, yreah!"
Mulder tossed them each a treat, then motioned them to the basement. Shaggy gulped, then lead Scooby through the door. Even with the lights on, the basement was dim and gloomy. Old furniture, pictures, and a variety of knick knacks littered the floor and a couple of rickety tables. Shaggy sneezed.
"Huh. Look at all this stuff! Not much place to hide a body, though."
Scooby walked around under the tables, sniffing.
"Rot rere," he declared.
Mulder opened a trunk lying against one wall, revealing old clothes. He pulled a sample of the dust he had collected from Amanda's chair from his pocket.
"Here, Scooby. Try to find this," Mulder instructed.
Scooby obediently sniffed the sample, shaking his head in irritation.
"Ruck!" he complained.
"Can you find a trace of that down here?" Mulder insisted.
Scooby sniffed along the floor, gaining speed as he found what Mulder wanted. The smell led him to a pair of antique boots, attached to long legs. Scooby backed up, looking up the tall figure until he met Paul Calloway's ice blue eyes. Scooby whined.
"I warn you all," the ghost intoned. "Stay out of my affairs."
"Kidnapping is a federal offense. That makes it my business," Mulder challenged.
"Like, are you nuts!" Shaggy whispered.
Mulder ignored him, stepping directly in front of Calloway.
"Where's the girl?" Mulder demanded.
"Calloway blood will not be marred by her family's taint!" the spectre hissed. "She dared plan to wed my blood, wearing my child's dress!"
"The dress your daughter never wore, because you murdered her fiancee," Mulder pointed out.
"He was a Jones!" Calloway thundered.
"Yeah, I got that part," Mulder dismissed.
"Arrogant," the ghost sneered. "Do you think a badge and a gun impress me! I have protected my family's line for decades and will do so when you are dust!"
"Your rhetoric doesn't impress me," Mulder countered, continuing confidently. "Unless you've taken Amanda to another plane of existence, I'll find her."
"Mulder, like, don't tick him off!" Shaggy pleaded.
"You'll never find her alive," Paul boasted. "Beware you don't incur my wrath!"
Calloway faded out, glaring haughtily at the three mortals. Mulder stared thoughtfully after him.
"Let's go," he prodded quietly.
"Like, we're quitting?" Shaggy asked, surprised, but glad.
Mulder rolled his eyes.
"No, I just don't think she's here."
"Like, why not?" Shaggy persisted, confused.
"He talked too much. He wouldn't have been that civilized if Amanda was nearby. He just wanted to scare us."
"Yeah, well, it worked!" Shaggy confirmed. "What makes you think Amanda is somewhere we can find her anyways? I bet Calloway knows all sorts of creepy spook tricks!"
"If that were true, he wouldn't need to scare us off. He could just sit back and watch us make fools of ourselves," Mulder suggested.
"Man's got a point," Shaggy sighed.
Scully opened the door to the attic, checking the corners and behind the door, gun drawn. Satisfied, she motioned Fred and Daphne forward.
"Is the gun really necessary?" Daphne asked with nervous distaste.
Scully raised her eyebrow.
"We're dealing wth kidnappers. I think a certain amount of caution is called for."
"Well, yeah, but a gun won't work on a ghost!" Daphne protested.
Scully turned around, fists on her hips.
"Look, there is no ghost. That was just Mitchell dressed in rags. Amanda was probably taken by an accomplice."
"Well, what we saw in the balcony wasn't Mitchell," Fred denied.
"No, that was probably a projection of some kind," Scully explained.
"Well, maybe..." Daphne hedged, moving into the attic and starting to explore.
Opening a trunk, she rooted around, making sure Amanda wasn't hidden beneath the piles of clothing. Scully walked up and down, scanning behind the trunks and furniture with her flashlight and listening for the sounds of muffled breathing.
"Wow," Fred exclaimed. "A lot of this stuff is old! I bet most of it is from Paul Calloway's time!"
"Based on the level of dust on this stuff, I have to agree," Scully coughed. "I don't think Amanda is here."
"Look at this bookcase! Seems like in a weird way, Calloway was kind of a scholar," Fred mused.
A tall bookcase leaned against the wall, filled with dark, leatherbound books. On most of them, the author was listed as Paul Calloway.
"Inner Strength, Protections, Words and Numbers of Power! I think these are books on witchcraft!" Daphne shuddered.
"That one isn't titled," Fred pointed out, reaching for an unadorned volume on a lower shelf.
A chill wind came up around the books, pushing them back.
"Jones!" Calloway boomed, voice thick with rage. "Leave this place!"
"Not until I find my cousin!" Fred challenged.
"She has paid the price for her insolence," Paul crowed. "And since you will not leave, I have a lesson for you too!"
Two spectral hounds appeared in front of the bookcase, their eyes glowing green and foam dripping from their fangs.
"Uh oh!" Daphne cried out.
"Now, don't panic, Daph," Freddy urged, his own voice high with fear.
Scully kept her eyes on Calloway, moving backwards and to the side, as he advanced towards Fred with his dogs.
"Oh, but now is a perfect time to panic, Jones," he gloated. "My hounds love the smell of fear!"
Scully darted towards the bookcase, grabbing the plain book, then turning towards the stairs.
"Run!" she ordered Fred and Daphne, who immediately followed her.
Calloway shrieked with rage.
"Fly at them, Butch and Slayer!" he ordered his servants. "Tear them apart!"
Scully threw the book to Fred, who caught it easily. Pulling her gun, Scully took quick aim and shot at one of the dogs. The hound flinched momentarily, almost falling, but then regained it's stride, seemingly uninjured. Grabbing Scully, Daphne pulled her towards the stairs.
"I don't think that's going to help," she stated.
Freddy pulled the door shuta nd tehy ran to the landing. At the bottom, they stopped, not seeing the dogs. A confused whine sounded from above, followed by a curt phrase from Calloway.
The spectres burst through the closed door, materializing on the other side. Shuddering with revulsion, Scully turned and ran for the basement, hoping to find her partner.
Mulder heard a muffled bang, just as he emerged from the basement with Shaggy and Scooby.
"Oh, crap," he muttered.
Beckoning Shaggy and Scooby to follow with a toss of his head, Mulder ran towards the attic. As they passed the front door, they were rejoined by Ronald, Tom, and Velma.
"What's going on?" Tom called.
Mulder barely paused to answer, "I think I heard a gunshot!"
Dismayed, Ronald and the others followed Mulder. As they rounded a corner, all three groups collided together. Mulder and Scully bounced off of each other, landing on the floor.
"You okay, Scully?" Mulder demanded, helping her up. "I heard a shot."
Scully hesitated, not wanting to admit to her imaginative partner that she had shot at a ghost dog. Daphne felt no such compunction.
"Devil dogs! Calloway set devil dogs on us and her bullet went right through!"
"No!" Scully protested, trying to gather her wits. "There has to be a logical explanation for that."
"Oh, there is," Shaggy asserted confidently. Everyone stared at him.
"There is?" they cried.
"Sure!" Shaggy pointed down the hall, where the hounds had appeared. "Calloway set ghost dogs on us. RUN!"
Panicked and screaming, Shaggy bolted back towards the basement. The others followed.
"Wait a minute!" Scully called. "Hold on!"
Everyone stopped, staring curiously.
"If those dogs are ghosts, what makes you think they can hurt us anymore than we can hurt them? They might pass right through us!"
Mulder pulled her back, worried she would confront the beasts directly.
"Let's test that theory before we act on it, okay, Scully?"
Pulling out the box of Scooby Snax, Mulder tossed the box at the hounds.
"NOOOOO!" Shaggy wailed as the box sailed through the air. One of Calloway's dogs leapt into the air, catching the box in it's teeth. Shaking it viciously, the hound tore the box apart. Scooby whimpered, caught between fear and jealousy.
"Like, why did you go and do that, Mulder? Why!"
"Rhy?" Scooby echoed.
"Man, that is a complete waste of Scooby Snax!" Shaggy mourned.
"Better Scooby snacks than Agent Scully," Ronald snapped. "I suggest we split up back up, before they finish. If we keep them confused, they may give up after awhile."
The others agreed, splitting up into singles and pairs and running in all directions. The spectres looked up from their unexpected snack and growled deep in their throats. They separated, snarling and yipping as they tried to follow the confusing scents.
"Let's head for the kitchen, Scooby. If we can't lose 'em, maybe we can distract them. Besides, I'm starved!" Shaggy tittered.
"Reah! Frood!" Scooby agreed eagerly. Shaggy sprinted for the kitchen noticing with dismay that one of the devil dogs followed. Scooby dove immediately for the refrigerator, rummaging for goodies.
"Raggy! Cake!" he howled excitedly.
Shaggy looked and saw the separate tiers of the wedding cake.
"Sorry, Scooby. That's the one thing that is off limits!"
"Rawwwwww," Scooby moaned, disappointed.
"That's okay, ole buddy," Shaggy soothed. "That leaves plenty of terrific grub. I'm sure no one will miss a few of these canapes!"
Shaggy took out two trays of hors douvres.
"Check out the fancy finger foods, Scoob!"
"Yrum!"
Shaggy popped a bite-sized cucumber sandwich into his mouth.
"Hm, that's good, but not very filling!"
Slayer materialized through the kitchen door, snarling with menace.
Shaggy gulped.
"Well, I always was taught to share!"
Opening the fridge, Shaggy began tossing food at the spectre. The dog howled hungrily as it grabbed meat and fruit out of the air. While it gnawed greedily, Shaggy grabbed some grapes, bread, and lunchmeat and ran out of the room, Scooby close behind him.
"Like, when was the last time Calloway fed those things!" Shaggy complained.
"I dron't know!" Scooby answered, confused.
"Well, let's not end up on the menu!"
Mulder pounded around a corner. He'd lost Butch twice when the hound ran off to chase one of the others, but had regained the ghost's attention when Tom thrust a leatherbound book into the agent's hand. Running hard, Mulder spotted a side door. He entered quickly, leaving the door open, in case there was no other means of escape. Looking around, he realized he was in the family chapel. Fresh flowers were piled in pots and into bouquets with streamers and lace running up and down the aisle. Hearing whimpering, Mulder looked back at the door.
Butch stood just outside, pawing pathetically at the threshold and whining. Mulder grinned and grabbed his cellphone.
Scully and Velma walked quietly up and down the halls, trying to locate the others, without drawing attention. A loud ring made both ladies jump. Scully sighed, pressing talk on her phone.
"Mulder, where are you?"
"I'm in the wedding chapel, Scully. One of Calloway's dogs is outside the doorway, but he can't get in. Find the others and meet me here!"
"What are you going to do, Mulder?"
"Sit tight, for the moment. I have that book you found. What is it?"
"I don't know, Mulder, but Calloway didn't set the hounds on us until we discovered it."
"All right, Scully. You get the others and I'll see if the book has any answers."
Mulder hung up, hearing steps, then peered out of the doorway. Freddy and Daphne were approaching. Quickly grabbing a stray bouquet, Mulder waved a rose in Butch's face.
"Here, puppy!" Mulder crooned sarcastically. "Smell the nice flower? Fetch!"
Mulder threw the rose and Butch bounded after it. Grinning, Mulder grabbed Freddy and pulled him inside with Daphne following.
"Hey!" Daphne protested. "That mutt'll be back; we gotta go!"
Mulder shook his head, grinning.
"They can't get in here and I'm willing to bet Calloway can't either."
"Excellent!" Fred exclaimed. "That'll give us time to find out what is so special about that book!"
"I have it here," Mulder agreed, opening the pages.
He gave low whistle.
"Well, well..."
"What?" Daphne cried. "What is it?"
"It's Maria Calloway's diary," Mulder responded.
"Maria's diary!" The other two echoed.
"Everything else in that bookcase was by Paul!" Fred mused.
Scully shouted from the doorway.
"Mulder, distract the dog!" she cried.
Mulder ran to the door and threw another rose, allowing Scully, Velma, and the Calloway men to slide in the door.
"Well, that's everyone, except for Shaggy and Scooby," Fred counted with relief.
"Yeah, where are those two?" Scully asked, frowning.
"Probably in the kitchen," Velma commented.
A heel of salami sailed past the door, then Shaggy and Scooby joined the others.
"We've already been there," Shaggy corrected, munching on his grapes.
"Great," Freddy responded dryly. "We think we've found an important clue. We found Maria Calloway's diary in the attic."
"Groovy," Shaggy praised. "What's it say?"
"We were just about to look."
Mulder skimmed through the journal.
"Listen to this: 'Landon is dead, murdered by my own father! I'm stunned, both by the duel and by Father's hateful words about my wedding dress. I don't doubt his curse is real. He took my dress to the cave! I thought he would slap me, when I demanded he return it to me.'"
"That's awful!" Daphne cried.
"Do you know what cave she's talking about?" Mulder asked Ronald.
"No, I'm not sure," Ronald answered regretfully. "A lot of things about Grandfather Paul just weren't discussed."
"But, there are caves on your property?" Scully prodded.
"Well, yes, one or two," Tom acknowledged.
Mulder flipped through the diary, hoping for a better reference.
"Here we go! She writes, 'Father says he is spending his evenings fishing, but I have doubts. He takes a case with him when he goes far larger than necessary. Brothers are never invited along and he rarely brings anything home, although the pond is teeming with fish."
Ronald shook his head.
"We have four ponds on our property."
"Yeah, but I bet I know which one she means. Remember how grandfather teased me about the western pond? Told me it was haunted? I think I remember he mentioned Grandfather Paul fishing there!"
Ronald considered.
"I do seem to remember Dad mentioning that, but I don't remember any caves being nearby."
Mulder sat the book on a pew.
"It's the best lead we have. How far is the pond?"
Ronald sighed, "Not far. About a five minute walk."
"Let's go. If we go out the window, it should take the mutts a few minutes to realize that we've gone," Freddy encouraged.
Mulder nodded, heading to the nearest window and opening it wide. He motioned Tom and Ronald outside.
"Lead the way, you two."
Ronald climbed heavily out the window, after his son. Tom set a brisk pace, anxious to find his bride. He led the others through a small wooded area to a large pond, set between some hills and boulders. Mulder gazed around, eyes narrowed. Scully sighed.
"Mulder, neither of us are geologists. I have no idea where a cave might be or how to go about finding one!"
"It's gotta be here, Scully," Mulder argued, refusing to lose what hope remained of finding Amanda.
"Scooby can find it!" Fred assured them. "C'mon, Scooby. You got her scent earlier right? Find the cave for us!"
Scooby nodded eagerly, bouncing with excitement.
"Reah! Reah!" he affirmed, then sniffed along the ground, eagerly, searching for traces. He lifted his head, some of the alertness melting to disgust.
"Yy-ruck!" He growled in disgust. "Rover here!"
Scooby bounded towards the incline of one rock covered hill. The others ran after him, starting to grin. Scooby set foot on the bottom of the hill and came to an abrupt halt. Paul Calloway and his hounds loomed ahead. Calloway's steel gray eyebrows sat atop his enraged eyes like storm clouds, promising lightening.
"You will go no further!" he raged. "I have tolerated things long enough!"
Mulder pulled Tom and Freddy aside, whispering, "We can still get to the cave if we split up. He can't stop all of us."
"You don't know what I can do, Agent Mulder! I promise you, you will not get to that cave!"
Mulder glared at him.
"Your threats are as useless as your feud. You're a dead man, living in a dead past. Let it go."
"NEVER!" Calloway screamed. "Butch, Slayer..."
"Heel!" a feminine voiced called softly.
Ignoring their apparent master, the two dogs ran towards the newcomer. A young lady stood at the foot of the hill, to the side of Calloway and the others. She wore a long gown, with a full skirt. The neckless gown left her shoulders bare, coming down to her breast.
"Who are you?" Ronald asked, puzzled. The woman smiled gently.
Mulder smiled, too, answering, "Maria Calloway."
"Maria! What in blazes are you doing, child?" Paul roared.
His daughter looked back at him, fire coming into her eyes.
"Stopping you. Stopping you now, the way I was powerless to then! The feud is over, Father! No one remembers or cares, except you! I will not allow another to suffer as I did!"
"I saved you!" Paul maintained, defiantly.
"No! You destroyed my earthly life! I wrapped all of my hopes and all of my love up in my plans with Landon and you killed him! Why do you think I never married, no matter how many rich and handsome men you threw my way?"
"Stupid child," Paul complained. "I should have made you marry one of them. Best thing for you!"
"Never. I'd have died first!"
Mulder looked at Freddy, motioning for him to start moving around. Maria noticed.
"Don't bother sneaking, Agent Mulder! Go right in! The cave is just beyond him. He won't stop you."
"I won't!" Calloway roared.
Marie advanced towards him, the dogs following her.
"No. You won't," his defiant child promised.
Mulder, Freddy, and Tom rushed up the hill, shocked when Calloway moved aside, focussed entirely on his daughter.
Tom made it to the cave first, pushing through eagerly. Amanda lay, half buried, bound and gagged, in the middle of the cave. Tom rushed forward, pulling her out of the dirt, sobbing with relief. He removed the cloth from her mouth, making sure she could breath easily. She gave a harsh cry, coming awake again.
"Tom? TOM!" she screamed, burying her face in his chest and laughing with near hysteria. Tom forced himself to appear calm.
"It's all right, Amanda. You're safe."
Mulder and Freddy stood watch over the couple, each smiling gently. Scully came into the cave, looking bemused. Mulder joined her near the entrance.
"Is everything okay out there?"
"They're gone, Mulder. The Calloways...left."
Mulder smirked.
"Disappeared without a trace?"
"And still arguing over the feud and other things," Scully reluctantly agreed. "Apparently, she had a lot of scolding she didn't get to do while alive."
Scooby and the others filed in. Happy to see her, Scooby bounded over and licked Amanda's face, cheerfully. She laughed, giving him a strong hug.
"Thank you, Scooby. Thanks for finding me," she offered, looking at each of them.
Amanda strode regally down the aisle, her eyes fixed with bright love on the man waiting to be her husband. Freddy, Shaggy, Daphne, and Velma stood on either side of the aisle, proud to stand for their friends in their joy. Scooby lay beside the front pew, crying with the happiness of the day. The traditional march sounded brightly from the piano. Mulder surveyed the crowd, smiling with fond amusement.
A motion near the window caught his attention and his smile widened. Maria Calloway stood just to the side of the window, wearing another long gown, this one in pale pink lace. A young man stood behind her, his clothes the same age as hers. His hands were on her shoulders, with her hands covering his, in a tender embrace. Noticing Mulder's attention, Landon Jones winked at the federal agent, then gave him a respectful nod. Mulder took Scully's hand in his, leaning back content.