Chapter 17

"Are you still tired?"

"A little bit."

It had been two days since Daphne had given birth to Toby; Fred was holding the baby over by the window, trying to show him the world.

Daphne was sitting up in her hospital bed, Sara sat next to her; her arms draped over her sister. "Me too." Sara yawned.

"Yeah but you didn't deliver a 6-pound baby." Daphne replied. "Touché." Sara responded.

"Freddie, he can't see anything out there." Daphne said. "I know, but it's nice to hold him, and I can see the park from here." Fred replied. "He's not old enough to play on swings yet." Sara joked; Daphne chuckled.

"Have you spoken to your dad yet?" Daphne asked. "No, not yet." Fred replied, Daphne watched him, he looked so content holding his baby.

"Hey, Fred." Sara began, "Come here."

Fred stepped away from the window, carefully as he had been very scared that he'd drop the baby. He sat in the armchair next to Daphne's hospital bed, the baby was undisturbed by the movements.

"So, I was gonna give you this at your baby shower, but since that was supposed to be next week, I'll give it to you now." Sara smiled, Daphne and Fred exchanged curious looks as Sara pulled something out of her back pocket and put in Daphne's hands.

"What is it?" Daphne asked, as she opened the envelope Sara had given her. Daphne pulled out two tickets and a piece of folded up paper. She read the tickets, "Two tickets for Harry Potter and the Curse Child?" Daphne asked, Fred looked up at Sara, "It's for May 23rd." Sara said, "And that's your hotel."

Daphne opened the folded piece of paper, and her eyes widened, "The Grand Plaza!"

"I wanted to get you guys something, you guys deserve it." She smiled, "You guys are gonna be great parents, and you deserve it."

"But what are we going to do with Toby?" Daphne asked. "I'll have him." Sara said, "I'll look after him while you're away. It's not like I'm gonna be on my own, I'll have Shaggy and Scooby, I'm sure Velma and Thalia would help."

Daphne and Fred exchanged nervous glances. "Look, I know you guys are worried about leaving him, but I'll give you two months to prove that I can look after him!" Sara exclaimed.

"I don't doubt that you can look after him." Daphne began, "I suppose it's just our parental instincts." She smiled.

The baby began wiggling in Fred's arms before he started crying, "I think somebody's hungry." He chuckled.


Mrs Jones walked quickly through the hospital corridor, on her way to meet her first grandchild.

However, when she got to the maternity ward, she was startled when she saw Fred's father sitting in the waiting room. "Henry?" She asked, he looked up at her.

"Oh, hello." He smiled innocently. "What are you doing here?" She asked. "I came to see Fred and Daphne and the baby." He said.

Before Fred's mother could say anything, Fred stepped into the waiting room, and Ms Jones gasped. "There he is!" She exclaimed, "The new father!" Fred blushed, "Hello Mom." Fred said, giving his mother a hug.

"How's the baby?" She asked, "Can I see him?"

"Not right now, Mom. Daph's feeding him." Fred explained, "But he's fine." He smiled. "I'm glad you're both here, we need to talk."

His parents exchanged looks, "Why?" Ms Jones asked. "Because we do, for the sake of my son." Fred replied.

He sat next to his father, and his mother sat on his other side.

"Mom, if dad hadn't been at the office, I wouldn't have made it to Daphne in time." Fred explained, he knew his mother didn't know that, as her face softened, "Oh." She replied.

"I don't care if you guys don't like each other, that's for you to work out. But I don't want my son growing with his grandparents fighting every time they see each other." Fred explained.

"Ok, Fred." His father said, his mother nodded, "We'll do our best." She said.


"Ok, like, I think this is gonna be the best present ever!" Shaggy exclaimed. He, Scooby, Velma and Red were at Daphne and Fred's house; thanks to Sara giving Shaggy her spare key.

"Do you think they'll like it?" Red asked. "I'm sure they will." Velma smiled. They four had decorated the living room nicely with a huge banner which read, WELCOME HOME TOBY JONES in huge blue letters and helium balloons blown up around the living room.

Velma and Scooby had piled presents neatly by the armchair which had balloons around it. There was one huge present in the middle of all the other presents. It was wrapped in bright blue wrapping paper and had a huge shiny blue ribbon on the top. There was a name tag which read; For Toby, you're gonna go far in this dude! Love Uncle Shaggy and Uncle Scooby!

"Come on, are you gonna tell us what it is?" Red asked, Scooby shook his head. "Nope." Shaggy replied. Velma rolled her eyes, "Obviously it's something bigger than a bundle of baby clothes." She said which is what she and Red had gotten the baby.

"So, Thalia, Mrs Blake and Ms Jones are coming over tomorrow?" Red asked, Velma nodded, "And Sara and Sugie." Shaggy added.

Shaggy squealed with excitement, "Oh I can't wait t'meet him!" He exclaimed. "Neither can I." Velma smiled. "Re roo!" Scooby exclaimed.


"I love you."

Daphne was alone in the hospital room with Toby curled up in her arms. His bright blue eyes were locked with hers, and his tiny fingers clasped around her index finger. "I love you. I love you." She whispered softly and gently pressed her lips to his tiny head. She thought her heart might explode with all the love she had for him, and Fred; she couldn't forget about him.

She adjusted the little hat that Mrs Jones had knitted for him. Daphne had forgotten that it was in her car from when she last visited Mrs Jones before Toby arrived. She remembered Ms Jones gushing over the hat she'd knitted him, it was a little big for him right now, but he'd grow into it.

Sara had offered to go home and get him some of his own clothes, Daphne told her there was a bag waiting by the front door with a change of clothes for her and Toby.

Daphne smiled when Toby yawned, and he seemed to drift back to sleep. There was a gentle knock at the door and Fred came back in, this time he was with his mother and father. Daphne hadn't seen Fred's father since everything that had happened at her mother's house.

She smiled sweetly at them both, Ms Jones sat on the bed next to Daphne, to get a better look at her grandson. "Oh, he's gorgeous!" She cooed, "Does he like his little hat?" She asked. "He does." Daphne smiled.

She looked up at Fred's father, who stood anxiously behind Fred. "Thank you for bringing Fred to me." She said, Fred's father smiled gently at her. "Sara's gone to get him some clothes. These hospital ones are a little bit too big for him." Fred said, he was on the other side of Daphne's bed, adjusting the blanket that was wrapped around Toby.

"Hmm…" Ms Jones agreed. "Did you pick out a special outfit to take him home in?" She asked, with a huge smile on her face. "We did." Daphne laughed, "Actually, Freddie picked it out." She looked up at Fred who's face turned a little bit pink. Daphne chuckled at him, but he smiled at her.

"And Thalia gave us some of Tobias' old clothes." Daphne explained, she stared at her baby, imagining him some of the clothes Thalia had given him, she remembered seeing her nephew in some of them and thought they looked cute on him.

"Sit down." Daphne smiled at Fred's father, he sat in the chair next to the hospital bed, he hadn't known his son for long and now he was meeting his first grandson. There was so much going through his head, but he fixed his gaze onto Toby, who was still curled up in Daphne's arms. He knew he'd missed this when Fred was born.


"How's it going?" Sara asked, she stepped into the Daphne and Fred's house, just as the others were finishing up.

"We're done!" Velma exclaimed triumphantly. "It looks great." Sara smiled as she gazed at the beautifully decorated living room, "I just came back for Daphne's bag. Toby's hospital clothes are too big for him." She smiled.

"Oh, I can't wait t'meet him!" Shaggy exclaimed, Scooby barked, "Re roo!"

"You guys are gonna love him!" Sara exclaimed, "He's so cute!"

"Who does he look like the most?" Velma asked. "At the moment, one can only tell that he has Daphne's nose and Fred's eyes." Sara responded.

"Hmm…" Red mumbled, "In the ultrasound scan photo, I thought he had Fred's nose."

"Well, Fred and Daphne kind of have a similar nose anyway, like me an' Velma have similar chins." Shaggy commented, Velma rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I'd better get back to the hospital." Sara picked up the black bag that was by the door, where Daphne said it would be, "I'll text you guys when they're coming home, but it probably won't be for a couple of days. See you later." Sara said, before she left, she planted a kiss on Shaggy's cheek, and he blushed.

"Bye." He said dreamily as she left.

"So, who wants to get a pizza?" Red asked, Scooby barked in agreement. "Like, let's go!" Shaggy exclaimed.


Fred gently tucked Toby into his baby carrier and wrapped a blanket around it. By now, he was four days old, and Fred still looked at him the same way he did when he first held him; minutes after he was born.

"I love you." He said gently and adjusted his little hat. "Are you ready?" He looked up at Daphne who was buttoning up her coat.

"Yeah, I'm ready." She smiled, reaching her hand out to take Fred's, he squeezed it gently. "I love you." He said, pressing his lips to hers, "I love you too." She replied.

"Let's go home."

They were relieved when the nurse told them Toby and Daphne were both well enough to go home. Daphne couldn't pack fast enough. Four days and nights of sleeping in a hospital bed, she just wanted to go home and sleep in her own. And Fred had been sleeping in the chair at her bedside since he and Daphne arrived at the hospital. Neither of them could wait to get their new baby home, and just relax.

Fred put Toby's baby carrier on the back seat and made sure that he secured it properly, Daphne checked to make sure that it was. Not long after the got the new car and the baby carrier, they practiced at securing it and the on the way to the office the baby carrier fell off the back seat.

Once they were happy that it was properly secured, they headed for home. Sara's car was parked on the driveway, and next to hers was Mrs Blake's Tesla. Daphne had expected her mother to be at home waiting for her, since she had to give a police statement regarding the Wickers, she didn't get to see Toby, so today she would see him for the first time. Daphne knew that her mother was too shaken up by the events to go to the hospital. Daphne knew her mother well enough to know that she couldn't face her, Fred or Toby after the few days that followed, but she was glad that she was here now.

Fred took the baby carrier out of the back seat, and he followed Daphne up to the front door. "Welcome home, Toby." Fred smiled as Daphne opened the door.

They both stood in shock when they entered their home. The gang, plus Sara, Red, Jack and Miranda, Thalia, Mrs Blake and both of Fred's parents stood in the living room, all with huge smiles on their faces. Fred and Daphne didn't have a very big house, but everyone managed to squeeze in there without a problem. Shaggy, Miranda, Jack, Red and Velma all squashed up on the couch; Velma sitting on Red's lap, Scooby sat on the floor next to them. Mrs Blake sat in one of the armchairs whilst Fred's parents sat in the two chairs from the dining table.

Thalia and Sara sat on the floor on either side of another armchair which was decorated in blue streamers and had two huge blue balloons on either side of it. Nobody exclaimed, 'Surprise!' when the couple walked into the home, Thalia had told them not to disturb the baby.

Tears filled Daphne's eyes. She looked around, there was a pile of presents wrapped in different types of blue wrapping paper and a huge blue banner.

"Since your baby shower was supposed to be next week, we decided that we should do it now!" Sara exclaimed. "Thank you so much." Daphne cried as Sara wrapped her arms around her.

Scooby carefully stepped towards Fred, who was still holding the baby carrier, "Rello." He said quietly, but Toby was undisturbed. "You're right, Sara." Shaggy said quietly, Fred and Daphne looked at everyone who were all trying to get a glimpse of Toby, "He's adorable." Thalia smiled; a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Fred noticed his parents sitting next to each other, if they hated each other they weren't showing it.

"Daphne, sit here." Thalia smiled, Sara led Daphne over to the armchair. Sara went over to the couch and sat on the floor by Shaggy's feet.

"Ok, Freddie, sit next to Daphne. And give me the baby!" Mrs Blake wore a huge smile on her face. Fred carefully put the carrier on the floor and was even more careful when he took Toby out of it and put him in his mother-in-law's waiting arms. "Hello, gorgeous." She cooed, Toby was slightly disturbed by the movement, but didn't wake up or cry.

"Wow, you're lucky with this one." Thalia joked, "All of my kids cried whenever they were moved."

Daphne smiled. "Ok, so we've come to an agreement that you have to open this one last." Thalia said, she put her hand on the biggest present in the pile, "Ok." Daphne said.

Starting off with cards, Daphne had opened them all from distant relatives of hers and Fred's. Daphne's Uncle Lee had sent a $50 for the baby, and in the card, he'd written that he would be coming to visit after the due date, "I need to call him and tell him Toby came early." Daphne said.

"He'll probably want to see Toby dressed in that outfit he got him." Thalia joked, Daphne laughed, picturing her baby in the outfit her uncle had gotten him. It was hung up neatly in the wardrobe along with his other clothes.

Some of the other cards also had money in them; at just four days old, Toby had $150.

Then she opened some presents. Toby had received baby grows, tiny shoes and little hats from some of their friends. Jack and Miranda had gotten him a set of baby grows, all with dinosaurs on them, a blanket patterned with dinosaurs and a pair of blue stripy dungarees, which had a dinosaur on the front.

"Thanks guys." Daphne smiled, "Loving the theme!"

"We decided to get him something big so he can grow into them." Jack explained. "And dinosaurs are cool." Miranda commented, the two then laughed together.

When Daphne had opened all the other presents, she realised how many clothes Toby had, it was more than she had! Ms Jones had gotten him an outfit with Winnie the Pooh pattered all over it, along with another hat and a pair of mittens that she had knitted for him. Fred's father had gotten him a white stiped cardigan and a dressing gown with a panda hood.

Red and Velma had gotten him a pack of socks patterned with cars, an elephant pattered muslin and an outfit patterned with stars. Thalia had gotten him sleepsuits which were pattered with whales, giraffes and lions, some of them were plain white, but Thalia had explained that her daughters picked out the animal ones.

Sara had gotten him a white bassinet which she'd filled with a pack of diapers, baby wipes, bibs, socks and a blanket.

"Great!" Shaggy exclaimed, "Now you can open the one from me and Scoob!" Scooby sat up excitedly as Daphne began to unwrap the big present, with the help of Fred. The couple gasped when they opened it, and everyone else stared wide-eyed at the present that had been unwrapped. It was a tiny Mystery Machine!

"Oh my god, Shaggy!" Fred exclaimed. "How did you even make this?" Daphne asked. "I got it from the toy shop, O'Leary was having a sale on these, so I bought it and me and Scoob painted it like the Mystery Machine." Shaggy exclaimed.

Daphne squealed in excitement, "I can't wait until he's big enough to drive it!"

"Is that everything?" Thalia asked, "I think so." Sara said. "No, there's one more." Mrs Blake spoke, Daphne looked at her mother who was holding Toby. Daphne remembered opening her mother's present, what else could there be.

"It's from your father." Mrs Blake said. How could Daphne have forgotten about him? She didn't think anyone was missing when she entered the house and saw everyone sitting together. It had been a long few days, and though she didn't mean to, her father had slipped out of her mind.

"What is it?" She asked, Fred took Toby from Mrs Blake so she could get the present. "You know how your father was," Mrs Blake smiled, tears filling in her eyes, "Always ready."

Daphne stared at her mother as she pulled a beautifully wrapped present from behind the armchair. The wrapping paper was dark blue, but it was patterned with gold constellations, Daphne gasped, and her mind went back to last year.

She was the Feather Creek bookshop with her father, he asked Daphne to help him pick out a decent cookbook. He had planned to make dinner for him, Daphne, Thalia and Sara, so the four of them could get along a bit better and get to know each other. If it wasn't for him, Thalia and Sara wouldn't be speaking to each other.

When they got to the check out, Daphne noticed the arrangement of wrapping paper and pointed out the dark blue one with the constellations on it, she told her father that she liked it. It was pretty and she admired it the most. She didn't think he was listening, but he was.

Mrs Blake gave Daphne the present, she turned the name tag over and read what was written on it, For my Grandson. Love Always, Grandad George

Daphne wiped her eyes and began opening the present. Neatly folded inside was a blanket. Not just any blanket, Daphne had recognised it. There was a card lying on the top; I finally found my blanket!

When Thalia had her daughters, Mr and Mrs Blake had given them their mothers' blankets from when they were children. Mrs Blake gave Tobias her father's blanket when he was born, which was unfortunately a few weeks after Mrs Blake's father died.

Mr Blake mentioned that he lost his blanket from his childhood, but Daphne thought that perhaps it had been thrown away, or maybe he didn't look for it properly. "He found it, not long after you told us you were pregnant." Mrs Blake smiled, "He was on a mission to find it, and it was in a box with his parent's old coats." She smiled, "He wrapped it up a couple of weeks before he…died."

Daphne bought the blanket to her nose, it smelled a little bit dusty still, but she smelled her father on it, and the tears poured from her eyes. "Thanks mom." She smiled.

"Who wants a drink?" Ms Jones asked, she made her way into the kitchen and Sara and Velma followed her in to help.

Thalia wrapped her arms around Daphne, smelling the blanket.


That night, after everyone left. Fred and Daphne laid in their bed, Daphne curled up to Fred who had Toby lying on his chest.

"I wasn't expecting this for a few more weeks." Fred commented, looking down at his son lying on his chest, Daphne giggled, "Neither was I." She said, "I'm still waiting for his due date to come."

Fred chuckled, "Hmm…well, he'll be a month old by then."

"No, I want him to stay like this forever." Daphne smiled, stroking Toby's cheeks as he slept soundly. "As long as he sleeps like this, raising him won't be so hard." Fred smiled.

"We've got so much to do for him, Freddie. And it's only just beginning." Daphne said, looking up at Fred.

He smiled, "I can't wait."

The End