Sponge: Welcome back everyone! So remember how the previous chapter was super sad and intense? Well...this one might be worse. Sorry in advance. Oh also, the title of the last chapter, "You Oughta Know" is a song by Alanis Morissette! Congrats to iamacliche for the correct guess, and also thank you to everyone who reviewed. Here's chapter 12. Warnings: more language, more angst. Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Scooby Doo characters. They belong to Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera.

Chapter 12: Truth Hurts

Velma left the practice room first, eyes stinging with more unshed tears. She forced them back into their ducts as she made her way to her locker. I can't let Daphne and Fred see me like this, was all she could think to herself. She couldn't let them know that anything was wrong. She had to get a hold of her emotions. She needed to seem apathetic. Detached. Even though it felt like her chest was ripping open and everything inside her was screaming in agony.

Back in the practice room, Shaggy could feel his heart pounding like a drum against his ribcage. His pulse reverberated through every muscle in his body, and it seemed so loud that he was sure other students could hear it out in the hallway as they walked past. He leaned against the concrete wall and tried to steady his breathing.

He couldn't believe it. Velma had broken up with him.

Or had he broken up with her?

Regardless, they had broken up.

They were broken up.

I have to go, he realized. He couldn't stay in this room – he'd need to face the real world eventually – and besides, Scooby was almost certainly wondering where he was. With another shuddering breath, he wiped his eyes and steeled himself to leave the practice room.

Their practice room.

The thought had been automatic. With a sharp gasp, Shaggy clutched his middle, as though physically trying to hold in his anguish. How cruel it was that their relationship had ended in the same place it had begun. He had always thought of this place as theirs, ever since last year. But now, there was no more their anything. They were no longer a they. It was him and her, separate, apart. And now it would be forever.

His chest seized up and his throat tightened, burning. I can't stay in here, he told himself, even as his heartbreak surged. I need to leave this room.

But he allowed himself a short, muffled sob before swallowing and finally bracing himself towards the door.

x.X.x

"Rut's rong?"

Of course, Scooby picked up on Shaggy's demeanor immediately. Shaggy had barely made it to the Mystery Machine before the dog noticed his red-rimmed eyes.

"Nothin, Scoob," Shaggy muttered, averting his gaze.

Daphne furrowed her brow in concern. "Something is wrong," she said. She had been standing beside Fred in front of the van, but now she approached Shaggy anxiously. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I'm like, fine," Shaggy responded, taking a step back from Daphne.

"Seriously Shag," Fred added. "You look like you've been cry—"

"I said I'm fine, Fred. Like Jesus, quit it with the third degree already." There was an edge in his tone that he couldn't help.

Fred's and Scooby's eyebrows both shot up and they glanced at each other.

Velma appeared then, looking stoic and impassive. Shaggy felt his stomach twist – he was so upset that he'd momentarily forgotten that he'd have to sit by her in the Mystery Machine. As quick as it had come, though, his anxiety dissipated and was replaced with outrage. How dare she look so aloof after what had just happened! Had their relationship meant nothing to her?

"Hey!" said Daphne, turning towards Velma. "Where were you after class? I waited outside the band room for you."

"I had to go to my locker," Velma replied stiffly. She looked at a point adjacent to Daphne's face, so she wouldn't have to make eye contact with anyone.

Scooby picked up on her tone and glanced between her and Shaggy. Something very strange was going on here.

Daphne sensed it, too. "Are you all right?" she asked, reaching to touch Velma's elbow comfortingly.

She yanked her arm away. "I'm fine," she said, still not looking anyone in the eye.

"Are you sure?" asked Fred.

"Enough with the Spanish Inquisition," Velma snapped, sliding into the Mystery Machine. "I'm ready to go home."

Shaggy opened the back door and plopped himself into the van, as far away from Velma as he could manage.

Fred, Daphne, and Scooby all shared significant glances.

"…What's going on?" asked Daphne.

"Nothing," Shaggy and Velma said in unison.

Scooby didn't comment, but continued to watch Shaggy closely. He and Velma were both hurting – Scooby could feel it in his bones. But how come they wouldn't tell the rest of the gang why?

The ride home was silent until Daphne spoke up, trying to ease the tension. "So Velma," she said. "Are you looking forward to Passover? When does your sister and her family arrive? It's been a while since you've seen Dottie, hasn't it?"

"I saw her at Hanukkah," Velma said with a shrug.

"Well, how about Lorelei?" Daphne pressed. Lorelei was Dottie's daughter, and Velma's niece. Daphne knew that Velma loved that kid. Talking about Lorelei was sure to animate Velma a little more. "She'll be two soon, right?"

"Not till the summer," Velma replied monotonously. "July."

"Jeepers," said Daphne, shaking her head in awe. "I remember when she was born – it seems like it was just yesterday."

"Yeah, well…" Velma cut her eyes at Shaggy. "A lot can happen in two years."

Shaggy glowered at her.

Scooby saw the dark look that passed between them and stared in confusion. What in the world was going on?

Daphne noticed it too and cleared her throat. "We should talk about the prom," she said after a few moments. Her voice sounded a little more upbeat than the situation called for. "It's in like two months! Velma, we should go shopping for dresses together. You want to?"

Of all the inane things. Velma couldn't help rolling her eyes, but she turned her head so Daphne didn't see. "I guess," she said, shrugging.

"Where should we go?"

As if Daphne didn't already have a long list of stores filed away in her brain. "It doesn't matter to me," Velma replied truthfully. "I don't really care, you should pick."

Shaggy snorted. "Like that sounds about right," he muttered waspishly.

"What was that?" Velma growled.

Shaggy gave a noncommittal shrug and finally looked her in the eye for the first time since the practice room. Here she was again, forcing choices onto other people because she didn't care. He was so angry at her, heat radiated out of his face and chest. "You heard me."

Velma scoffed. "Really? You want to lecture me about not caring? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

"Like what's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh please, you know exactly what I'm talking ab—"

SCREEEEEECH.

Fred slammed on the brakes and the Mystery Machine skidded to a sudden halt in the middle of the road.

"Freddie!" Daphne gasped, reaching for the safety bar above her window.

"Everybody out of the car," he barked.

"Wh – what?" Daphne looked back at Shaggy and Velma, who had frozen in alarm. Scooby glanced between all the humans uneasily.

Fred pulled over to the side of the road, parking near a large hill. "Everyone. Out. Of. The. Car," he repeated slowly through clenched teeth.

No one argued. All five of them left the Mystery Machine in a hurry and stood several feet apart from each other in a wide circle. Scooby was the last one out, still watching the others very carefully. As he scanned each of them, he realized that he recognized their surroundings. This hill was right in their neighborhood, just a few streets away from their house. They had come sledding here with the gang once, when he and Shaggy had first moved to Coolsville. It had been such a fun afternoon.

But there was no fun in the air now. Daphne watched Fred, worrisome, as he glared angrily at Shaggy and Velma, who had gone back to looking morose.

"Right," said Fred, pointing at them. "You two. What the hell is going on? You've been acting weird all day. You didn't talk at all on the way to school, or at lunch."

"Or in English," Daphne remembered.

"Ror Spanish," Scooby added.

"And that would all be fine, but now you guys are fighting, which…just isn't like you." Fred folded his arms. "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Shaggy and Velma muttered in unison.

"Bullshit!" spat Fred, causing the others to jump. "You're lying, both of you."

"Please," Daphne implored, eyes shining. "We just want to help."

Shaggy and Velma said nothing.

"Well?" prompted Fred, crossing his arms more tightly over his chest.

After a brief pause, Velma let out a sigh and turned slightly towards Shaggy. "We might as well tell them," she muttered.

Shaggy whirled to face her. "Don't you dare," he hissed.

Velma huffed exasperatedly. "What's the point of keeping it a secret any longer? It doesn't matter, we shouldn't have to keep lying about something that doesn't exist anymore."

"What are you talking about?" asked Fred.

"Velma, no!" Shaggy shouted.

But Velma had made up her mind.

"Shaggy and I broke up!" she exclaimed.

There was a very long silence.

Shaggy quietly groaned and hid his face in his hands.

Fred, Daphne, and Scooby stood stock still as they took in what Velma had just said.

Scooby finally broke the silence. "…Roke up?" he replied, sounding confused.

"Hold on…" Fred glanced between Shaggy and Velma. "You two…are dating?"

"Well, not anymore," Velma retorted. "In case you missed it when I said it the first time, we broke up." Maybe saying it over and over would deaden her to the searing pain in her heart.

Daphne couldn't speak as she glanced between Velma and Shaggy. She'd known there was something between them! But she'd asked Velma – more than once, more than ten times – if there was anything going on between her and Shaggy. And Velma had assured her that there was nothing. But that hadn't been true at all. Why had Velma been lying about this relationship? How long had it been going on? Since Shaggy got the tickets for the Hex Girls, like Daphne had originally thought? Or later?

Or…earlier? Daphne suddenly remembered a conversation they'd had in the fall of eleventh grade.

"When did you start seeing each other?" Daphne whispered when she finally found her voice. She couldn't help the accusatory tone.

"Last year," Velma admitted. "Things started between us during rehearsals for Next to Normal but we didn't make anything official until the showclosed."

Daphne's whole head filled with an angry buzz.

"Wait…" She tried to get a handle on her emotions and glared at them both. "You're telling me…that you two have been dating…since last fall?" Daphne turned fully to Velma, red encroaching on the edges of her vision. "I asked you point blank – multiple times –if anything was going on between you and Shaggy, and you lied to my face!"

"Don't blame me for that!" Velma shot back, her temper blazing as well.

But Daphne wasn't finished.

"Who else would I blame? Why wouldn't you just tell me? Either of you!" she cried. Hurt and betrayal at being lied to by her best friends tore open her chest, and she felt tears prick her eyes. She whirled towards Shaggy, who was still covering his face. "And you are the secret admirer, aren't you!"

"Like what are you talking about?" asked Shaggy, finally emerging from behind his hands.

"The notes in Velma's locker!" Daphne exclaimed. "Those are from you, right?"

"Wait, what?" Fred turned to look at Shaggy now. His head was still reeling from the revelation that his best friends had kept such a huge secret.

"Like no, those weren't from me," Shaggy told them. He'd caught sight of Scooby, but the dog was pointedly looking away from him, so Shaggy immediately turned back towards Daphne.

"That's what Tony thought too," Velma muttered. "But God forbid Shaggy actually admits even on paper that there was something between us."

"Hang on," said Fred, staring at them. "Tony knew about you guys?"

"You told him, but not us?" Daphne added, flaring up even more.

"He found out on accident," Velma told her. "We swore him to secrecy."

"Which he did like, a lot better than you," Shaggy grumbled at her.

"Oh, you don't think I can keep a secret?" Velma shouted, whirling to face him. "I've kept things from you too, you know!" She turned back to Fred, Daphne, and Scooby, who all still looked hurt. "I've kept every one of your secrets for the fear of what they'd do to your other relationships, while you never once asked yourselves what it would do to me. So yes, I kept my relationship with Shaggy a secret so it wouldn't hurt Scooby, and I kept Daphne's NYU audition a secret so it wouldn't hurt Fred, but I am tired of it. I can't keep doing this anymore."

Daphne felt her hands go numb as she turned to glance at Fred. He was staring at her, aghast.

"Your NYU audition?" he asked confusedly.

"You like, got an audition at NYU?" Shaggy repeated.

"And you didn't…tell us?" Fred whispered, his blue eyes wide and soulful.

The previously unshed tears spilled down Daphne's cheeks. "Fred," she murmured. "I didn't want you to get the wrong idea."

"What's the wrong idea?" asked Fred. "That you want to go to NYU more than Coolsville?" He was staring at Daphne, so she saw when the understanding alighted in his eyes. "But…that is what you want, isn't it?"

She thought for a fraction of a second about lying, about telling him what he wanted to hear. But she couldn't deny this anymore. "Yes," Daphne admitted, more tears slipping.

Fred felt his chest constrict. "So…" he began. His throat closed up, and he swallowed before continuing. "So that night at Tony's party…when you…when we…" He didn't finish his sentence, but he continued to gaze at her. "Is that why...?"

Daphne understood his meaning and immediately shook her head. "No Fred," she replied, more tears splashing down her cheeks. "No I swear that wasn't why. I was just drunk and I was scared and I wanted…" I wanted you, she tried to say, but couldn't make her voice form the words, not with Shaggy, Velma, and Scooby right there.

"You wanted to give me something to…remember you by…before you left?"

"No!" Daphne cried, furiously wiping away tears. "If you'd just listen…"

"How can I listen when you don't tell me anything?" Fred pointed out. He sounded so upset that Daphne could hardly bear it. "You didn't say anything about how you would rather go to NYU, you didn't say anything about having sex the night of that party…how am I supposed to know what you want? I'm not a mind-reader, Daphne!"

Velma had once said those very words, and for some reason this infuriated Daphne. She spun back around to face her. "This is all your fault," she spat, more angry tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.

"How is any of this my fault?!" Velma shouted. "I didn't ask for you to tell me all your secrets. The only reason I kept them in the first place was because you thought that they would make everyone else mad!"

"Rye am mad," Scooby muttered, speaking for the first time in several minutes.

"I'm mad too," Fred added as he felt his own eyes well up with hurt tears. That his own girlfriend would lie to him by omission like this…he had never felt so betrayed.

"So am I," Shaggy said, scowling at Velma. Scooby was his best friend in the world – he'd never wanted to hurt him. But now Scooby wouldn't even look at him.

"Me too," Daphne sniffed, trying and failing to stem the steady flow of tears.

Everyone glared at each other.

"Well," Velma began. She felt the unwelcome prickle of tears behind her eyes, but continued shakily. "Since we're all clearly abysmal at communicating…and since we've all lied to each other…and since now we all hate each other…I suppose it begs the question about whether..." She broke off, unsure if she even wanted to put this idea into the ether.

"Whether what?" Shaggy asked sharply.

Velma cut her eyes at him. "Whether we should even be friends? Because if we keep going like this, we're going to end up worse than Julie and Leon. Maybe it would be better if we just…weren't friends anymore."

No one said anything for several moments as Velma wrestled with this realization. She wasn't usually one to submit to fits of passion like this – she was more likely to think through the consequences of different scenarios before making a decision. But she was so angry, and so hurt. Her brain was having trouble keeping up with her heart.

"I mean think about it," she murmured tremulously. "Why are we even friends in the first place? We come from completely different worlds. I mean…all of you? And me? It doesn't make any logical sense. It shouldn't work. Maybe it never did, and I'm only now realizing it. Maybe my friendships with you – all of them – have run their course. I think…"

There was another pause as everyone stared at her.

Then, in a very small voice, Velma said, "I think I quit."

"What?" said Fred in a low, astonished tone.

"I quit the gang," Velma replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

"You can't quit!" Daphne exclaimed, as more angry tears sprung to her eyes.

"Well that's funny, cuz I think I just did," Velma snarled.

Daphne stared at Velma, shaking with fury. She couldn't believe what was happening. First Velma had told Fred about Daphne's huge secret, and now she was trying to leave the gang so she wouldn't have to deal with the fallout? "Maybe you're right," she murmured, her voice quivering with emotion. "Maybe we shouldn't be friends. Maybe we should all quit the gang."

Shaggy hadn't said anything this whole time, but after Daphne's declaration, it was as though an icy hand had gripped his stomach and squeezed. He chanced a wary glimpse in Scooby's direction, but the dog still refused to look at him. Anger roiled in Shaggy's chest, and he turned to Fred.

"Like what do you say, Freddie?" he muttered.

Fred hadn't spoken in a while either, but hearing first Velma and then Daphne voice their antipathy for keeping the gang together had wounded him in a way he hadn't thought was possible. He was already feeling betrayed by Daphne's dishonesty – but this was too much.

"I guess...we should split up," mumbled Fred. "For good."

The silence that followed was eternal, and somehow deafening. The five of them stood there, glaring at each other in animosity and disbelief. Their fearless leader had disbanded them. There was no more Mystery Incorporated.

Again, as she had in the practice room, Velma was the first to go. Turning quickly so no one would see the tears that had finally fallen, she hoisted her book bag over her shoulder and began her trek home.

One by one, the others followed. Scooby sprinted away next, bee lining for the house. Shaggy let him get a head start – he couldn't face him just yet. He trudged home slowly, reeling with shock.

Then it was just Daphne and Fred.

"Freddie…" she started, turning towards him.

But he held up a hand. "You lied to me, Daphne," he murmured. "Why wouldn't you just…tell me about your audition?"

"I was going to," Daphne insisted. "I swear, I was."

"When?" asked Fred. "After it was already over?"

Daphne didn't answer directly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears again. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"But you did," Fred told her. "The minute you decided to lie. That hurt me worse than anything else you could have said."

"Really?" Daphne snapped. She felt guilty and miserable, but those emotions were manifesting as anger. "Even worse than if I'd told you that I wanted to go to college five-hundred miles away from you?"

"At least it would have been honest," Fred replied coldly. "I would have been upset, sure, but I would have gotten over it. But instead…you lied. And if I can't trust you, then…" He hesitated, seemingly grappling with a decision. He took a deep, shaky breath. "Then I don't think we can get past this," he whispered.

Daphne's chest froze.

No.

No.

This couldn't be happening.

"Fred…"

"It's over, Daphne. I'm sorry." His voice was a whisper.

"Freddie, wait!"

But he turned away from her, stumbling back to the Mystery Machine and shutting the driver's side door forcefully behind him. And then he sped away, his face red and tear-streaked.

Daphne watched him go, the breeze lightly tossing her hair. She stared after the Mystery Machine in disbelief. Every single horrible thing that had ever happened to her could not compare to the heartbreak she felt right now, as the Mystery Machine receded into the distance. Everything inside her was breaking, tearing, destroying itself. The pain of it was physical, as though she could feel each splinter of her heart as it split into thousands of pieces. Her whole world had just ended, and there was absolutely nothing she could do.

Not even bothering to try to hold in her tears now, Daphne sank to her knees right there on the side of the road, buried her face in her hands, and sobbed.

Sponge: Thanks for reading. Review if you please and don't forget to guess where the chapter title comes from!