Hi there!
Some time ago I was struck by the change which had taken place in Daphne from "What's new, Scooby Doo?" in comparison to the version from "Scooby Doo, where are you?". At first, I was going to describe a probable situation which could make her learn self-defense. I wanted it to happen during a talk with Velma. And basically, that's all that remained from the original concept. At some point the story just began living its own life. And so I wrote a one-shot in which Fred and Daphne confess their feelings - but kind of "behind the scenes". Do you want to know what I mean? I'm not going to reveal any more. You must read it yourselves.
See you!
VerMa.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Fred asked. Velma smiled slyly and nodded.
Daphne sighed quietly and walked away towards the Mystery Machine. She knew very well what would be next. Fred would make a plan and set a trap. Shaggy and Scooby would become the live bait, ruin the trap and catch the monster by accident eventually. And Velma would unmask the villain and explain everything. That was all. The four of them were enough to bring any crook to justice. Daphne opened the car door (for her, it remained a mystery why Fred didn't have the habit to lock it) and sat down at her usual seat.
"Let's face the truth" she said to her reflection in her pop mirror "they keep me in the gang just out of pity. Velma knows I have no close friends beside her, Fred doesn't want to upset her and Scooby and Shaggy only care for Scooby-snacks. But in reality, they don't need me at all. They didn't even notice I had walked away."
The silence, which surrounded her, seemed to confirm her gloomy thoughts. In addition, it became cold. The girl moved to the car's back seat and covered herself with the first blanket she had found. It was soft and fluffy so it certainly belonged to Shaggy who liked warmth and comfort. Ignoring the strong smell of Scooby-snacks, coming from the blanket, Daphne buried her nose in the fabric.
"I wish I could be useful for them in any way, at least once" she whispered, closing her eyes.
She didn't plan on falling asleep but she had to have dozed off because when she lifted her eyelids, she realized someone was putting something under her head.
"Who is in here?" she asked sleepily.
"It's me, Velma" a kind voice replied. "We all have been worrying for you. Why hadn't you told us where you'd been going to?"
"I thought you wouldn't notice..."
"Are you kidding? We've been looking for you for five hours. Fred nearly lost his senses out of fear that something might have happened to you. That reminds me I have to let the guys know I found you" with that, Velma took out her mobile and quickly sent a text. "Right, we have about a quarter before they come here. Now, tell me why you'd fled from us."
"I hadn't fled" Daphne protested. "I just moved out of your way to not disturb you."
"Disturb?" Velma was amazed. "I've heard various weird ideas but this one beats them all. What made you think like that?"
"Do I know? Maybe it was the fact that usually it's the four of you who do all the work and I'm useless to anything apart from getting into trouble?"
Velma looked at her friend a bit more softly.
"You're too harsh for yourself, Daph" she said. "Sure, you are a bit danger prone but..."
"It's not very comforting, you know?"
"You didn't let me finish, silly. I meant that none of us is flawless. Just think how many times I had lost my glasses during an investigation and how stupid I had always behaved in such cases. Not to mention that Shaggy and Scooby are able to ruin even the simplest plan and Fred had once set a sophisticated trap in a stream only to catch some fish for dinner."
Daphne couldn't help but giggle. Indeed, without her glasses ,Velma became a terrible duffer, Shaggy and Scooby generally were two bumpkins and Fred often let his imagination take the better of him when it came to traps.
"You know, you probably are right" she admitted. "Come to think about this... it all REALLY is funny. And such a crazy team actually catches criminals? Strange."
"You see, it's because our whole gang is much more than just a sum of all parts. Everybody needs everyone. If anyone was missing, the rest would be powerless. Without you, for example, I'd lose my sense of safety, Shaggy and Scooby would completely stop taking care of themselves and, what would be the worst, Fred would droop like a pierced balloon. From all of us, it's him who loves you the most."
"How do you know?"
"Don't forget I've known him since elementary school. He never could hide anything well enough that I didn't guess sooner or later that something was wrong. Besides, I made him admit it an hour ago. The rest is up to you."
"What are you talking about?" Daphne felt she was blushing.
"You know very well what I'm talking about" Velma laughed. "Even Shaggy and Scooby know you love Fred."
"DAPHNE!" somebody's happy cry could be heard suddenly. A moment later, Daphne was already in Fred's arms.
"My mission is over" Velma whispered to herself and quietly sneaked out of the car, colliding with Shaggy and Scooby on her way. "Come on, guys" she told them, pulling them aside. "Let's give them some privacy."
After just a few minutes, Fred hopped out of the Mystery Machine, ran up to Velma, kissed both of her cheeks and hugged her so tightly that her ribs started cracking.
"You were right! There was nothing to be afraid of! Daphne loves me! She loves me! Loves me!" he called out happily. "Thank you! You are great!"
Velma didn't say anything. Fred's steel grip made her gasp for air like fish do. Seeing this, Shaggy lightly slapped Fred's cheek.
"Like, snap out of it, dude, and let go of her" he commanded "or you'll strangle her in no time."
"Oops... sorry, Velma."
"This time, I forgive you" Velma croaked. "But don't you ever do it again."
On the way home, Fred and Daphne constantly glanced at each other with corners of their eyes and didn't stop smiling – even when Fred, dazed with love, drove into a ditch. As you can easily guess, after this incident, Shaggy took over the driver's role, Scooby and Velma sat next to him and the two lovebirds moved to the back and soon fell asleep.
"Love is a wonderful thing" Velma whispered, looking at the rear seat. "I wonder which one of us will be next."
"Like, I don't know" Shaggy admitted "but I think we'll find out when the time comes. Am I right, Scooby?"
"Rooby-Rooby-Roo!"