Thanks for waiting! I'm sorry it's taking me so long to get chapters up! I'm busy :/ anyways if you'd like me to continue this story please leave a review and let me know. A new short series will be out soon for all Fraphne fans. And don't worry about me not continuing it. I'm writing all of it before it's published at all lol
Chapter 4
Before sunset the four set their eyes on their last view of what they had only known. Repeating in each mind was the lingering question: Would they ever be back?
Fred would be sailing they're short time small ship. Retired from the navy. They would soon cross the Bermuda Triangle and investigate on their way to their next stop.
The breeze sweeping off the ocean effortlessly swept through Velma's brunette hair. Tears trembled down her freckled face as she stared out to the last glimpse of land that was quickly vanishing out of sight.
"It's hard for you" Daphne's voice spoke from behind. She stayed still, paralyzed by the fact someone had been watching her. "What do you mean?" Velma croaked, wiping away the continuous flowing tears.
"Leaving Beau behind." Daphne answered simply, placing a hand on the shorter woman's shoulder.j
"Yeah..it is." She sniffled.
"Is there something else wrong? I know a lot can change in six years, but I can't imagine you becoming so emotional over time." Daphne softly said, reminding Velma of they're old days.
"You haven't spoke to me in nearly a decade Daph. You don't know me anymore." Exhaling heavily.
"That's not true Velma. Just because things have changed doesn't change the fact that you use to be my best friend. And sometimes you were the only person who kept me alive." Velma shifted away. "Please don't be afraid to be my friend again Velma." Sadness filling every area of her voice. "Lord only knows how long we'll be out here. We need each other." Velma broke away from Daphne's reach. Bursting into sobs. Surprising the red headed woman. "Daphne! I left my husband behind!" She outraged. "I thought I was doing the right thing! Being heroic for the sake of humanity! Only to find that after I signed that contract..that.."she stuttered. Daphne staring her in the face as the shower of tears continued to pour out of her deep brown eyes. "I'm pregnant!" Collapsing into Daphne's opened arms and weeping. Her jaw nearly hit the floor, her younger best friend completely shattered and torn for the best reason. Speechless Daphne gently placed her arms around Velma, tears now falling from her own eyes. "Oh my gosh Velma.." Daphne whispered. Velma pulled away and looked up into her eyes. "You can't go through will this." Slightly shaking the more petite woman. "I don't have a choice Daph! I committed my life to this." She argued. "But you didn't commit your child's life! Velma we've got to tell Fred while we still have the open window take you home." Her voice fully acknowledged of the true danger this case was. Biting her lower lip Velma nervously shook her head. "We can't! I have to stay. At least until I should be on bed rest...then I'll leave. And who knows we could be finished by then." Her breathing calming and voice returning to its more normal tone. "It's my body, my baby and my choice. I want to be here for you guys..and protect my husband, or else it doesn't matter if I stay or go. If these creatures are as horrific as we've been told they're likely to kill my family even if I go home." Daphne was skeptical, but nodded in agreement. "I understand." She replied firmly.
"You have to promise you won't tell anyone! Not Fred, Shaggy or Scooby. Never tell Beau! Ever! He doesn't need to know what I've decided." Desperately pleading Velma looked her straight in the eyes. "I promise." Velma smiled, leaping in to hug her long lost friend. "Thank you Daphne! I'm so glad to have you as my best friend again..I've missed you."
"I missed you too." She hesitantly remarked, returning the light hug. "Now let's go get something to eat, I'm sure this ship as a little kitchen."
"Dinner was delicious ladies." Fred complimented, sipping the last drop of ice tea in his glass.
"Don't be so polite, it was a frozen pizza." Daphne reminded. Shaggy laughed. "Doesn't matter! It was great!" Scooby nodded in agreement, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Daphne giggled softly, but it certainly didn't go un noticed by Fred. "We'll try to hold back your excitement boys, I may have made a dessert." Instantly the sound of folks hit the table. "Oh boy! Oh boy!" The lanky man and and his dog chanted.
"Just a little something" placing the freshly baked brownies on the table with a lovely white icing drizzled over the top. "Like dude! What box brownie is this?!" Daphne threw her hands of her hips. "Excuse me Mr. Rogers, but I happen to have made these from scratch." All eyes grew wide, exchanging looks. "What?" She quizzed in her sassy tone. Quickly everyone dove a fork into their slice of brownie, shoving it into their mouths. "Oh my gosh!" Velma exclaimed. "Daphne these are amazing!" Unable to contain the pleasant satisfaction she found in their surprised reaction she grinned brightly. "So you've been baking these past six years?" Shaggy predicted playfully, laughter following by the others. Fred just watched Daphne's reaction to the very off point guess at her past six years. Immediately her mood and facial expression faded back into the quiet reserved person she had become. "It's more like a little hobby actually." She replied. "I think I'm going to go shower now guys. Let me know if you need anything." Solemnly leaving the scene.
"You okay Velms?" Fred asked casually turning his attention to the long bobbed brunette woman. She smiled lightly just before nodding.
"I can't deny that I truly do miss my life home and Beau..I really miss my Beau." Her voice growing weary as she exhaled a small sigh of sadness. "You're a brave person Velma. He's got one amazing wife to brag about." Fred lightened the moment, nudging her arm playfully causing her to grin. "I hate to run off, but I need to get back to the control room and set up. You focus on getting some rest tonight. You look pretty worn out." He noticed, kindly excusing himself from the table. "Well goodnight Fred. Wake me up if the slightest problem comes up. I'm not out here for nothing you know." He winked.
"I'm aware." He replied, before exiting the room.
"You're late." A familiar calm voice spoke from the chair in the control room. "Daph? I thought you'd tucked in for the night." Fred greeted surprisingly, recognizing she was dressed in her proper mission uniform for protection as was he after preparing to be up all night ready to sail through the legendary Bermuda Triangle. "And miss all the action?" She slyly remarked. "Mr. Jones, I don't think so. I'm here and willing to go down with the ship if needed tonight." He raised a brow at her heroic promise. "I appreciate that Miss Blake, though I have no intentions and I'm hopeful that you won't be going down with this ship. " she grinned. "No one intends on sinking. Unfortunately it's another situation in this world we have little control over. " she said.
"Of course." He replied simply. "So you'll be spending the night in here with me I assume?"
"Yes...I umm thought it might be a good time to talk." This particular sentence caught his immediate attention. "Talk? Sure." Sounding so much like the young jock he once was in high school. She smiled nervously. He could easily read the nervousness she tried to hide. "Is everything okay?" Now his tone sending her through flashbacks when he use to use the genuine concern in his voice towards her every time she was upset and afraid.
"It's about Velma..I promised I wouldn't tell, but honestly if something happened I would blame myself forever." Fred watched closely as Daphne continued to ramble and contemplate her confession. Pacing back and forth until finally he gently grabbed her arm and pulled her in to his attention. "Daph, just tell me." She exhaled a sigh of hesitation before looking into his eyes. "Velma's pregnant!" She a announced. Fred's face drew blank in pure disbelief. "Our Velma?" He managed to say, still staring in shock. Daphne swallowed hard, nodding her head. "You and I know better than anyone what it's like to lose a child. Even before their born, it hurts just as much. We can't allow her to lose hers." Fred could see the trembling fear in her eyes as she was faced with remembering the loss of her unborn son once before. Unsure of what to say next he just stared out the window of the ship into the endless darkness. "W-w-we have to get her home Daphne." He stuttered. Daphne clutched the fabric of his uniform with her petite hands. "No Freddy! She won't go. I begged, she's insisting that she stays until she feels it's the right time to leave. She won't even tell Beau he's going to be a father." Fred tried to remain calm in this situation where he knew there was little he could control.
"If she won't leave, we just have to make sure we protect her. She doesn't go outside our stations, which isn't too damaging since she is mainly our knowledge source." Then pausing as he looked over to Daphne. "This was a lot easier when we were teens." He sighed. "No marriages, babies and tragedies to distract us, we just did what we loved and stuck together." Daphne was taken back by the fact he had opened up in such a personal way. "If Lindsey were still alive and your daughters, you wouldn't be saying that." She quietly said. "You accuse me of working too hard just so I forget my person problems in life, but it seems as if you've been doing the same." Her words sank in his mind. Before he could reply to her the ship tilted rightwards, sending Daphne off her feet and slamming into Fred. "What was-?!" Fred jolted over to the monitors. "Something's here!" Daphne quickly followed behind. "We're in the center of the triangle!" She squealed. They looked at each other. "Brace yourself." Fred said.
TBC