Note: I do not own Scooby-Doo.

Black.

Shaggy had on a clean, black suit. Not his usual attire for a Saturday morning. Not his usual attire at all, in fact. All of Daphne's usual outfits were hung up nicely in the closet she shared with Shaggy, the outfit she had on was a long, black dress, handbag, and pumps. Vincent had on no colorful robes, but a black suit almost identical to his young friend Shaggy's suit. Even Scrappy and his Uncle Scooby-Doo switched their old, blue collars for black ones that had been purchased for them. And the silent, little group stood in a straight line. In their dark attire. In front of a black coffin. Under a sky filled with black clouds.

"Flim Flam, you will be missed here on earth. We ask you to watch over your loved ones as they continue to do good, and that you rest peacefully. Amen." A priest said in a somber tone.

"Amen." They repeated. As the funeral home assistants began to cover Flim Flam's coffin with dirt, Shaggy noticed that Daphne was no longer standing next to him. He turned around and noticed her figure walking further away from the gravesite. She was about ten yards away. He ran walked over to her, his footsteps making no sound on the soft, morning grass.

"Daph! Wait!" She stopped walking. "You okay Daph?"

Daphne hugged her arms to her chest, back turned to Shaggy and tears running down her cheeks. "It don't think I can take any more of this Shaggy." Daphne said. Shaggy wrapped his arms around his girlfriends thin frame and pulled her into a hug. Daphne didn't object.

"I know. It's like, hard on everyone." Shaggy comforted her softly.

"This isn't right, it's not fair."

"I know. Slippin' on a rug while being like, chased by-"

"I was there." Daphne interrupted him. She broke away, leaving a large, cold space between the two.

"And I can't imagine how much it like, has haunted you." Shaggy sympathized. "But there was like, nothing you could have done."

"I know, I know that. I've heard it from you. I've heard it from Vincent. I've heard it from the doctors. I've heard it from the cops. I've heard it from my therapist. But I've played that day over, and over, and over in my head, and I'm still not convinced that there wasn't something I could have done, to keep Flim Flam out of the pine box!" Daphne half-shouted.

Shaggy stayed silent. he thought up hundreds of things to say, but none sounded comforting enough. Daphne had barely eaten, barely slept, barely spoke a word to anyone aside from the therapist she saw four times a week since the incident over two weeks before.

"My therapist told me something else." Daphne stared down at her shoes for a moment, before looking back up at her partner. "I should give up solving mysteries."

"No. We need you Daphne!"

"And I need my sanity." The female argued.

"But our strong Daph. We can help each other get through this-"

"Shaggy, I can't do this anymore I can't chase ghosts, and demons, and go through life-threatening situations every time I turn around."

"I won't let anything touch you Daph."

"Please stop calling me that." She begged.

"But I love you." The red-head sighed. "And I know you love me."

"And that's why I can't watch you risk your life anymore. I-I-I can't wonder if I'm going to loose you anymore." Daphne stuttered.

"Then why are you making me go through loosing you?" Shaggy snapped. "I'm sorry. I didn't like, mean to snap."

"It's fine." Daphne said softly."I'm sorry I'm such a coward Shaggy..." She breathed shakily.

"It's not your fault Daphne. It's mine for opening that darn chest." Shaggy cursed himself. "So like, what's your plan?"

"I'm going to pack up my things. Move into an apartment somewhere quiet. Get a job at a-"

"But Daphne, you can't leave us!" Scrappy cried out. He and his Uncle Scooby-Doo had walked over when they heard Daphne and Shaggy arguing. Scooby and Scrappy-Doo looked at Daphne, hurt.

"Scrappy. You may not be old enough to understand this, but, I can only be strong up too a point. And I've passed that point." Daphne explained slowly.

"But we still have three ghost's left!" The puppy objected.

"And I know that you'll splat 'em Scrappy. But, I can't be with you when you do it."

"Raphne..." Scooby whimpered.

"I'll really miss you Scooby." Daphne crouched down and stroked the dog's muscular head. "But remember, you are brave Scooby. You help the people you care about even if your afraid. And that's what matters."

Scooby sniffled and nuzzled up to his friend's torso. Daphne hugged him tightly. When they pulled away, Daphne somehow managed to smile at the Great Dane in encouragement.

"Can we at least help you pack?" Shaggy asked. His heart breaking into a trillion tiny pieces.

"No. Let's just say our final good-byes here and now." Daphne didn't want to say good-bye. And not today. But she knew she had too. And before she changed her mind.

"Good bye Daphne. Keep in touch okay?" Daphne scooped Scrappy up in her arms and kissed his snout.

"Your on the top of my Christmas card list." Daphne assured him.

"Rye-rye Raphne." Scooby sniffled. Not understanding why someone he shared a home with, and considered family could just chose to leave in an instant.

"Forgive me?" Daphne asked.

"Reah." He pulled Daphne into a final hug and licked her face, making Daphne giggle slightly.

"Like, don't say good-bye." Shaggy begged her. "Say, see you soon. Please?"

""How 'bout fare well?" Daphne stood up straight and held out her hand for her now-former boyfriend to shake. "I do remember the good times Shag."

"Like, remember, you can always like, come back." Shaggy said pulling her into a hug. Trying to fool himself into thinking it wouldn't be the last he'd share with her.

"I know." Daphne smiled and kissed her lover in the cheek. "Tell Vincent I'll miss him too. 'Kay?"

"Will do. Daphne." Shaggy tried smiling back. But no. His mouth stayed sill in a sad frown.

Daphne blinked and waved. The Doo's watched her walk up to the graveyard gate, open gate, call for a taxi, step in, and disappear behind the first left turn. Shaggy couldn't watch. He walked in the direction toward the nearest restaurant. Scooby noticed this and rushed after him, Scrappy following.

"We had to let her go Scoob." Shaggy said hanging his head. Scooby whimpered and nuzzled his best friends hand.

And then the black clouds started to pour.