...Velma...

So here I am in the back of the Mystery Machine with my best friend and my best friend's other best friend; Scooby-Doo. I knew that I was being unusually quiet, but I just couldn't help it. Scooby had prepared himself a giant sandwich with more condiments than a grocery store carried, and Shaggy joined him while playing a handheld game console.

Speaking of Shaggy, he's the reason I'm so quiet. See, last night, I lay awake for three and a half hours think about nothing but Shaggy Rogers. I couldn't help it! What if Daphne is right? Could Shaggy be in love with me? Velma Dinkley? What if he is in love with me? What do I do? It's not that I don't think I could love him back, I mean I thought about that too.

It's my past; it's what happened to me. Am I ready for this? I swore off men after I got raped by that monster. What I didn't expect was for my best friend to show up, and for him to start making me feel things that I've never felt before. He's made me blush three times this morning and it's over the most simple things! He held the door open for me, he said 'Hey Velma', and he made me a small sandwich just the way I like it; he remembered! Why do I feel like a giddy little school girl, and why is it so hard for me to understand that Shaggy isn't the monster who forcefully stole my virginity?

I know that he's worried about me, and that he wants to know what really happened. I just don't know if I can tell him. If Shaggy is in love with me, and I tell him, he's just going to run away from me. However, my best friend needs to know. I just...I'm falling in love with Shaggy. I know that. All I could think about last night was all of the sweet, tender moments we have shared together, and how blind I was to the attraction that I felt. It's no wonder I feel so comfortable around him.

I can't make the first move, can I? I'm too afraid. To think I called him the chicken.

"Velms," his voice broke me out of my thoughts, "is everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, everything's just fine," I lied. I needed to talk to im, but I didn't want to be weird.

"Okay gang, we're here. Velma, you and Shaggy go and look for clues. Daphne and I are going to take Scooby with us to the office and sniff around while the Mayor is gone for his meeting.", Fred said.

"Ri rant ro rith Raggy rand Relma?", Scooby asked, his ears flattened down on his head.

"Not this time, Scooby, we need you," Daphne said softly, "don't worry. They'll be just fine."

"Rokay," he said, still sounding sad.

"I'm sorry Scooby," I said while rubbing his head, "how about I take you out for lunch to make things up to you? All you can eat?"

"Rall ri ran reat? Rokay!", Scooby exclaimed, coming back to us.

We all laughed and got out of the Mystery Machine, only to see that City Hall was closed. "Damnit, I forgot today is Sunday. Everyone is at home or at church," Fred said, crossing his arms.

"Then we'll have to get in the old fashioned way; find a window to crawl through," Shaggy said while walking over to me.

"Well, Shaggy," Daphne laughed, "you're actually feeling adventerous for once. He's right guys, we've got to go in through the window."

888

...Shaggy...

I know I impressed Velma by mentioning the window to her. The gang is always coming up with awesome plans, and though mine wasn't exactly original, it was still a plan.

We were inside the building now, and had just split up. Knowing we had to keep the lights off, I hooked my arm through Velma's.

"Like, we won't get seprated if you hold on to me, Velma," I said quietly.

I couldn't tell if she was blushing or not, but I'd already counted it three times this morning; if I could make her do it again, I would.

"Okay," she said, her voice sounding like honey and peanut butter to my ears.

"There's a staircase, let's go down," she said, and I complied and followed her. As she flicked the flashlight in her hand to the 'on' position, I couldn't help but stare at her face. In the dark, with just the glare of the artificial light, she looked so beautiful to me.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, I realized we were in the basement of the building. "We need to look through the files down here, and see if we can find anything that might help us. I know it's a fresh case but...Shaggy something seems off about the mayor," Velma said.

"I know, Velms," I said, putting my hand on her shoulder. Shining my light around, I turned on the lights. "You know, like since we're in the basement, no one will see the lights on."

"Jinkies! This basement is cluttered," she said, making me smile. Oh how I missed her catch phrase.

"Velma..," I started, but she cut me off.

"Shaggy, I need to talk to you," she said, making me raise my eyebrows.

"I..like okay, Velma," I said, unsure of where this was going, "what is it?"

"Come sit with me," she said as she sat on the bottom step of the staircase, "please.."

So I joined her, and she continued, "I need to tell you why I left, Shaggy. I just...I need to know that it will stay between us and only us. I do. I want to tell you, I'm just...afraid."

"Like, Velma," I started, "you ought to know you can trust me. I've done nothing but give you reasons to trust me completely. Like, you need to know that."

"I...SHAGGY I WAS RAPED!", and the tears started to flow, and her hands covered her face. My mind began to reel.

She was raped? Well that just explains everything! Goddamnit, how could this fucking happen to Velma? I'll find that mother fucker and rip his throat out! That's why she left, because she was ashamed, and afraid that it would happen again. She was doing so well, but I dragged her back. I gave her a choice though, so why did she come? My poor Velma, my poor poor Velma...

I don't know why it surprised her, but I pulled her into me and held her. I know I surprised her, because she looked up at me with huge, wet eyes and whispered, "You're still here?"

"Like, Velma, why wouldn't I be?", I mumbled as I tucked her head under my chin. I pressed her against my chest and cradled her to me.

"Because-beca...he took it from me..I'm...filthy... because..he touched me...I... I'm not a virgin anymore...he tainted me...how can you...love... someone...who is TAINTED!?", she sobbed, and I froze.

She...she knows? How does she...is it that obvious? Even to her? And what kind of bull shit is she spewing?

"Whoa whoa WHOA, Velma," I found my voice, "you're not tainted. You're still the sweet, smart, funny, and beautiful girl that you were five years ago, but you're like, a woman now. Yeah, you've been through a lot, but you're still here aren't you? Man, if that's not being tough, then I don't know what is!"

"But..I..," she started, but I didn't let her finish, because in that moment of pure truth, I kissed her. I'd never kissed anyone in my life, yet it felt so natural. My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest, sure. Why wouldn't it? I had my lips against the mouth of the woman who I loved more than life itself, whether she accepted it or not.

If she never spoke to me again, then at least I now I wasn't chicken and told her how I felt. I felt her tense up against me, and I released my hold on her mouth.

I stared into her eyes as she stared back into mine, cheeks flushed and tears still running down her face. "Like, sorry Velma, but you're not going to talk down about yourself to me. I won't let you."

"I'M UGLY!", she blurted out, and then covered her mouth.

Smiling slyly, I removed her hand and leaned in, pressing my mouth to hers once more. This time, though, I felt her kissing me back and fireworks shot off in my head.

Pulling away, I stroked her face and said, "And for your information, I love you because of who you are. You're different. You've never let anyone tell you what to do or who to be. You're so smart, like, I wish I was as intelligent as you. You're so beautiful, you make the sun look dim, and man that's saying something. You're the sweetest woman I've ever met, and I don't ever want to lose you again so Velma, please don't go..."

"Never again, Shaggy," she said while smiling, "I promise."