The bright van pulled up outside a little house on the outskirts of Williamstown, and the gang piled out of it.
The house was more of a cottage, only one floor, and several French-style windows making it look pretty and rural, especially with the huge amounts of jasmine, roses and the rows of oleander trees that framed the garden and the fresh white-washed walls. The window frames were oak-coloured and looked charming against the stern white brick they were set against. A perfectly mowed lawn preceded the house and showed it off, telling everyone that it was newly mown. In fact, the lawnmower had been abandoned in the middle of it, giving the impression that the mower was having a break somewhere and couldn't be bothered to finish it yet. It was clear who lived here to anyone who knew the Jones family.
Even as the gang looked, a little stunned by the house, the dark wood door opened and a young woman with a blond-haired boy came running out of the house, a huge grin on her face.
"You're here! Mitchell, they're here!"
She planted a kiss on Fred's face and both he and the little boy looked embarrassed.
"It's been a while, Freddy! Last time I saw you was at my and Mitchell's wedding… You couldn't even drive then…"
Fred edged away slightly and introduced the gang to Ella.
"Charmed, charmed," Ella said, smiling. "And this is Tom, although you probably guessed that!"
The little blond boy in her arms reached out a little, still looking shy but curious as well. Daphne smiled and tickled him under the chin, earning a smile from the little boy. Velma also reached over and tickled him. Only Fred hung back.
"Come on, Uncle Freddy," teased Daphne, grabbing his arm and pulling him forwards to the group.
A blond-haired man made his way out of the house and down the path towards the group, smiling. He had quite a look of Fred about him, except his hair was thinner and slightly darker, and he was more broad-jawed and with more of an oblong face.
"Freddy! Been years…"
Fred smiled and Mitchell took his son from his wife.
"How you doing, you guys? We've got the rooms ready for you, and I apologise in advance, but we can't do anything about Tom's nightmares except comfort him. I'm sorry if he wakes you up."
"Nightmares?" Fred asked, pausing in locking the van. Velma also paused in tickling the little boy's chubby neck.
"Well, erm…" Mitchell looked a little uncomfortable. "If you guys are still doing the ghost-busting thing that Freddy was so keen on before…"
Velma smiled.
"Freddy, ahem, forgot to tell you, but we are an official company now, Mystery Inc., and we're always up for a case if there is one, although these days we do ask for some form of payment from time to time. We all have a stake in the business."
"Reak?" Scooby asked, looking over and standing in front of Velma hopefully.
"Not that kind of stake, Scooby! Well, if you do have a case for us…"
Mitchell nodded, a smile blooming over his face and making him look a good deal more handsome.
"I'll tell you inside."
The group turned and headed back to the house, up the small stone path.
"Freddy?"
"Yeah, Mitchell?"
"Why didn't you tell me about this Mystery Inc. thing? I thought you said you didn't have a job!"
"Well, erm…"
Velma chuckled.
"Technically he's right, but we do our own kind of work!"