Author Note: Hi everyone! I am returning with another installment in the "Week After" series. So, my original plan was to upload a series of one-shots into the same fic (within the Zombie Island one-shot), but this series and Goose Lake both were way longer than originally planned, so each story will be a stand alone fic for "The Week After" series, although the premise will remain the same. As you could tell from the summary, this fic deals with the trauma that comes after Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated ends in season two. I always believed that the gang didn't really belong in the new timeline that concludes the series, and after talking to other people in the fandom, I have noticed I am not the only person who feels this way. I also think the gang would not have escaped Nibiru unscathed emotionally and psychologically, so this will explore those aspects in a series of five different chapters. Each one-shot will be from the perspective of a different character of the gang, so this will end after "chapter five." I don't have plans for a longer, sustainable plot like a traditional fic, but I also thought that shoving each character's perspective into a thousand words didn't do them each justice, so that's why each one-shot will receive its own chapter and make this a sort of a mini-series of one shots for SDMI. If it doesn't make sense now, I promise it will as you read this, lol.
As always, reviews and feedback are appreciated. As a final warning, this is noticeably darker than anything I've written in tone, so just keep that in mind as you proceed. I am also open to requests for exploring the week after other movies and episodes, and I have been entertaining one for Alien Invaders for awhile now since people have requested that one specifically. In the meantime, be sure to follow this fic if you want to witness each character's reaction to the new timeline, and let me know your thoughts! - iamacliche
Shaggy
It takes Mystery Incorporated exactly one full week to drive all the way across the country, starting from Crystal Cove and ending on the East Coast, where Miskatonic University is located. Initially, Shaggy and his friends thought their trip would take much longer after factoring in stops along the way for food, sleep, and rest, and they had eagerly anticipated solving every mystery they stumbled upon along the way; however, much to the gang's chagrin, there wasn't a single case to be found in this new timeline. The road unfurled before them as smoothly as a patchwork quilt blanket, with not a snare nor wrinkle in their entire trip. There weren't even any minor inconveniences, like a flat tire or a wrong turn on the highway or a motel with zero vacancies.
Most normal people might marvel at the normality of a road trip, but Shaggy could tell from the atmosphere crackling inside the Mystery Machine that it unnerved his friends. Fred's characteristically bright, upbeat personality dimmed like a dying light bulb once he realized he wouldn't be able to utilize his newest sophisticated trap, which Shaggy thought sounded complicated as always, as it involved multiple nets, a hammer, a parachute, a rope, and most baffling of all, a rubber duck. Daphne's usual energy resonated at a lower frequency, as she was much less talkative and chatty than usual, but Shaggy couldn't help but wonder if it was partially because Daphne was like the moon to Fred's sun; she reflected back his light, and since his was reduced, she was consequently darker, too. Meanwhile, Velma became quieter and quieter as the van hurtled closer and closer towards the university; she began the trip by excitedly rattling off interesting facts about the school that she read online, but her contributions to any conversations – and any facts regarding Miskatonic University – gradually became fewer and fewer. Although Velma never vocalized it, Shaggy's intuition told him the reason Velma was more subdued than anyone else had just as much to do with missing Marcie as it did with the lack of mysteries. There were multiple times every day when Shaggy caught Velma checking her phone, blinking at her screen for several moments as though she was willing a message to pop onto her screen, but after a minute she would groan softly as she slid her phone back into her pocket. Out of the entire group, Velma had undoubtedly given up the most when they decided to leave Crystal Cove, and Shaggy's heart panged in sympathy for his friend.
Meanwhile, Scooby seemed most well-adjusted to this new timeline. When he wasn't playing video games with Shaggy or indulging in some of the delicious food Mystery Incorporated ate at various restaurants scattered along the way, Scooby slept fitfully beside Shaggy in the backseat of the Mystery Machine; it was clear he thoroughly enjoyed a less fast-paced lifestyle, and that he relished the uneventful hotel stays that did not end in unmasking a villain in a mask and the cheap, greasy diners that lacked a backstory about a ghost haunting the kitchen; quite frankly, Shaggy understood this because he could relate to this, as well, which wasn't a shock since he and Scooby were always on the same wavelength about everything. However, Scooby did reveal a different layer of inner turmoil when he illustrated that he did not escape their Nibiru timeline experiences unscathed; occasionally, the Great Dane would twitch wildly in his sleep as he murmured and growled aggressively, and one time he even writhed on the ground and howled while he slept, which forced Fred to pull the van onto the side of the road as everyone gently woke Scooby from his nightmare. Scooby was understandably embarrassed when this happened, but he had no reason to worry; every single member of the gang dealt with the same collective nightmare every so often, even if none of them ever admitted it to their friends.
As for Shaggy, he had mixed feelings regarding this new timeline. On one hand, he savored the sense of certainty and security that ensconced him like a woolly blanket as it quickly became apparent there were no villains donning plastic Halloween masks in an attempt to scare off locals in any of the towns they drove through. In the original timeline, Shaggy woke up in his toasty bed every morning and moaned as his sleepy, cotton-spun thoughts dissipated into the ether once it was gradually eclipsed by the dark sense of dread that scaled the laddery rungs of his ribcage, anticipating whatever the day had in store for him. So in one sense, it was a luxury for him to open his eyes every morning and to see the day stretch before him like endless reams of white paper that awaited him to write his own story, one that didn't involve ghosts and monsters and goblins.
Yet, in spite of the fact that Shaggy's throat was no longer raw from constantly screaming and his legs no longer throbbed from constantly running, for some reason he still felt out of place in this world, as though he had shrugged on a favorite tee shirt only to discover he had outgrown it when it hugged his torso too tightly. Even though the mere mention of anything being haunted truly terrified Shaggy, his entire existence entwined around mysteries; what did his identity consist of if mysteries were now erased? Was he still Shaggy Rogers if he never solved a mystery alongside his friends ever again? These thoughts were like thin silver wires that wrapped around Shaggy's heart, slicing into it with every beat whenever he pondered these questions.
Ultimately, Shaggy knew his friends grappled with the same exact concerns, which explained the quiet and solemn days leading up to their arrival at Miskatonic University; solving mysteries was like a firm, unwavering net beneath their feet, and now that it was yanked from underneath them, the ground was shaky and uncertain when it was once concrete and solid. Their passion for solving mysteries was also the invisible thread that tethered the five friends together ever since the gang were young children; their bond was unique, unlike that of any teenage friendship in real life or portrayed on television, and that was exactly how Shaggy liked it. He shuddered to think of how he and his friends may have never even met if it weren't for their mutual love of detective novels and the high of unmasking a villain and the sense of restoring justice at the conclusion of a case; a life without resourceful Fred, headstrong Daphne, brilliant Velma, and of course, loyal Scooby Doo was a life Shaggy dared not even consider.
Shaggy's reverie diffused like fog hitting the early morning sunlight once they entered the city limits. His heart knocked wildly against his chest, and any concerns regarding his identity and the lack of mysteries in the new timeline evaporated. Now he was about to commence a new journey alongside his friends, and he wasn't sure what to expect. When author Harlan Ellison invited the gang to study at Miskatonic University, the possibilities branched before Mystery Incorporated like endless forks in the road, all leading to a different destination. In the previous timeline, Shaggy honestly never entertained going to a major university; he thought that maybe he would attend culinary school, which would necessitate two years at most at a local community college, but his parents had never been supportive of this goal, so Shaggy chose not to pursue it too actively. But his parents were so proud of him in this timeline, which felt paradoxically exciting and frustrating, and now he was attending this incredible university with his best friends, so it was time for Shaggy to focus on this opportunity. As they approached the entrance of the campus, which was evident based on the giant black sign with Miskatonic University's name and logo emblazoned in gold, Shaggy's heart radiated with the promise of potential and the richness of endless possibilities; maybe, maybe this would be enough to make him forget everything else, including what had begun to happen to him in this new timeline, which was something that he had kept concealed from his friends for the past week.
Fred navigated into the main parking lot, swinging into a spot next to a black SUV that shone like glass beneath the sun. Once he placed the van in park, a thick silence descended upon the gang, and everyone remained still, unmoving, hesitant to be the first to carve through the oppressive quiet. Finally, Fred wrapped an arm around Daphne and met each of his friends' gazes with his tired, bleary eyes. If leadership were a mold, Shaggy and the rest of Mystery Incorporated knew that it was sculpted to accentuate Fred's exact stature; he guided them fearlessly through Nibiru, and they would follow him through this new timeline, too. Honestly, Shaggy realized they would follow Fred through any timeline and any universe, no matter what the circumstances.
"Okay gang, we're here; let's go see what new adventure awaits us!" Fred smiled, but Shaggy couldn't help but think that it looked more like a grimace, as though Fred's words were like ropes that constricted his own ribcage as he spoke. Normally Fred's words were fiery and passionate, but this time when he talks, there's barely a simmering ember beneath his words. Shaggy's eyes dart around the van, sweeping over his friends, who suddenly appear drained and uncertain, like an undercharged battery. It's staggering how Mystery Incorporated have changed in this alternate timeline; they're grey and white where they were once bright and neon, all of the color that made them so vivacious swiveled down the drain like water. Shaggy isn't sure if it's the lack of mysteries, the emotional trauma from Nibiru oppressing them like weighted backpacks, or something else, but the tension is like an icepick slipping slowly between his ribs, threatening to crumble his bones into dust.
The thought of sand and dirt filling his throat actually causes Shaggy to cough, as though he can picture it happening, and he feels the first tell-tale signs of suffocation lacing its fingers around his throat gingerly. "Oh zoinks, like, not here," he moans to himself. "I can't have this happen in front of the gang." Quickly, before it's too late and there's no turning back from what is about to happen, Shaggy flings the passenger door wide open and jumps out of the Mystery Machine, and sighs with relief as the tunnel vision that previously began to slide across his vision like a curtain mercifully retreats. He hears the gang spill out of the van behind him, and Scooby sidles beside Shaggy, shooting him an inquisitive glance. Before anyone has a chance to examine Shaggy closely, he tucks the tension into a light-hearted joke, as he always does, and chuckles, "Like, I can't wait to see Harlan Ellison again! Do ya think he'll, like, appreciate the way I talk more in this timeline than he did in the last one?"
This prompts a genuine giggle from each of his friends as they begin to walk through the parking lot, and Shaggy marvels at the sing-song xylophone of their twinkling laughter; maybe he lacks mysteries in this timeline, but he still has the ability to make his friends smile, and it's a feeling that swaddles him like a wool blanket. Happiness floods the cavity where his heart beats, a liquid-rose gold (is that what being happy looks like? Shaggy could hardly remember), that filters through his veins and cardiovascular system. If Fred's role in the gang is to lead, Shaggy's is to enlighten the mood, and it's a role he has always cherished consciously and subconsciously.
"Well, let's hope Ellison, er, I mean, 'E,' will be much kinder to you now, Shaggy, but something tells me he'll never change, no matter what parallel universe we're in," Velma laughs, a smirk spreading across her face. In the Nibiru timeline, Harlan Ellison was condescending, especially towards Shaggy. Ellison was the perfect archetype of the English professor who was a stickler about precise grammar, and when he heard Shaggy speak characteristically in a string of "likes," Ellison exploded, making it clear exactly how he felt about Shaggy's relaxed speech.
By now the gang had exited the parking lot and were walking towards the modern glass buildings that clustered the entrance of the campus. In the distance Shaggy saw a clock tower loom so tall that it looked like a giant needle piercing the sky, and a concrete statue depicted a man pensively reading a book perched on a bench outside the main administrative building.
"Like, wow," Shaggy breathed as he absorbed the four story library composed of brick and glass nestled between two modest sized dormitories. "That library must have, like, a whole lotta books!"
Velma's eyes glittered at the prospect of all the ideas nestled inside soft leather bound books, just waiting for her to discover them. "This sure does beat the library at Crystal Cove," Velma sighed.
"Rhere's the rafeteria?" Scooby licked his lips at the thought of food.
A purple spasm twisted Shaggy's stomach, and he realized just how hungry he was when Scooby mentioned food; they hadn't stopped to eat anything in over two hours!
"Like, zoinks, Scoob is right; I need some chow, man!" Shaggy moaned, rubbing his stomach for emphasis. All the white-hot adrenaline thrumming through his body always heightened his hunger during a mystery, and it was no different now with the anxiety bubbling inside of him as he anticipated his first day on campus.
"Let's meet up with Mr. Ellison before we do anything else," Fred decided. "I think it's best we let him know we're here now since he wasn't anticipating us this soon before the term began."
Everyone fell quiet again as the implication of Fred's words slammed into them; they had hoped to kill the time in between the start of the next semester by tackling every mystery along the way to Miskatonic University. How would they have ever known this timeline was too pure, too pristine?
This time, it was Daphne who carefully sliced through the silence. She laced her fingers through Fred's hand and offered each of her friends a smile, and said, "Just like with everything else, we'll do this together. C'mon, gang!"
It was enough to propel the friends forward, although Shaggy's pulse quickened as they passed the throngs of young college students laughing and talking animatedly. The campus was buzzing with conversations and activity; a group of young girls sat in a circle beside an oak tree, textbooks on their laps as they occasionally paused to highlight a passage. A sorority set up a booth and were asking for donations through advertising a raffle, and a small group of boys were performing skateboarding tricks on the steps that lead to the library. Between the upbeat, cheerful atmosphere and the smell of freshly cut grass and sun-scented wind, Shaggy knew he should feel hope glimmering inside of him; and yet, all he felt was empty and hollow, as though someone had carved the top of his head and reached in and removed each of his internal organs. He thought this fresh start would be like turning the page of a brand new book, but so far all Shaggy experienced was the collective fallout from Nibiru that rained upon him like debris and shrapnel, and the extent of which his friends weren't even privy to quite yet.
Just as Shaggy thinks about, well, that, he notices Scooby lob him a worried look, his forehead furrowed together. Shaggy resists the urge to gulp and instead focuses on pulling the breath through his nose; he can't trigger it here and now, in the middle of this campus, but the way Scooby stares at him as though Shaggy is an open book puts him on edge. It isn't a shock that Scooby intrinsically senses something different about Shaggy; Scooby might be a dog, but he was Shaggy's best friend, and he understood Shaggy in ways that no one else did, including even Fred, Daphne, and Velma. Whenever someone snorted and remarked that Scooby was "just a dog," red-hot anger flared inside Shaggy; anyone who didn't even attempt to understand how Scooby could be so important to Shaggy wasn't worth his time, and it was during insignificant, small moments such as this when Scooby's friendship impacted Shaggy the most.
In an attempt to pacify Scooby's concerns, Shaggy absent-mindedly scratched the top of Scooby's head as the gang enter the science building, which houses Harlan Ellison's office. It's the smallest building they've seen thus far, and a bit outdated compared to the tall glass buildings strewn on campus; the hallways flicker with dim fluorescent lights, and the walls contain peeling posters illustrating various famous scientists. Aside from the occasional poster, the only thing hanging on the wall is a bulletin board plastered with colorful advertisements that announce upcoming student organization meetings and other campus related events. Otherwise, the building appears deserted; there's no one else around that Shaggy can see, in spite of the fact that that are dozens of classroom doors that extended throughout the hallway. This fact combined with the sterile look of the building almost puts Shaggy in the frame of a mind of a haunted house, which sends a shiver slithering down his back.
Before Shaggy and his friends can question their next decision, a middle-aged woman steps out of an office and approaches them with a smile. Her honey-blonde hair falls in waves around her face, and her cherry red lips instantly spread in a welcoming grin.
"You must be Mystery Incorporated," the woman trills, her voice buttery and sweet as frosting. "E has been waiting for you all very eagerly! He's actually holding office hours right now, so I'll take you to him."
It's a simple enough exchange that requires no response from the gang, and for some reason this relieves Shaggy, as though even a discussion with a stranger is too emotionally exhausting for him. The woman, who is presumably the department secretary, turns on her heel and begins to walk, with Mystery Inc. trailing behind her like lost puppies. Again, Shaggy notes the anxiety mounting among his friends as Velma clears her throat repeatedly and Fred and Daphne gravitated towards each other like magnets, their arms brushing against each other while they move, as though to reassure the other person of their presence.
The woman stopped outside the office at the very end of the hallway and knocked on the door three times before poking her head inside and announcing, "Sir, they're here!"
Shaggy heard papers rustling from within and a chair toppling over as E boomed excitedly, "Oh wonderful, wonderful! Please kids, do come inside!"
The secretary moved to the side and offered the gang one final smile before she sashayed back down the hallway. From inside his office, E exclaimed, "Mystery Incorporated, come in, come in!"
As always, it's Fred who leads the gang as he steps through the threshold of the door first, with Daphne grabbing his arm and following him. Velma is a step behind, while Shaggy and Scooby bring in the rear. Immediately Shaggy's eyes rove around the room, drinking in the mounted illustrations of the cover art for each of E's various publications, which have apparently trailed him in this timeline, as well. There's a man smoking a pipe as he stares at Shaggy contemplatively, while another features an arrangement of television screens, each paused to depict a chilling scene, like a giant eyeball or a spider. The one that haunts Shaggy the most, however, is a yellowed portrait of a man with a normal facial structure on the right side of his face, while the left depicts his cheeks and eyes shattering into thousands of tiny glass shards; something about this one reverberates throughout Shaggy's gut, like ripples on a pond. He feels almost as though he can connect with this one a personal level, causing a sheen of sweat to coat his arms. Dismissing the thought, he shudders as he forces himself to give E his undivided attention.
E stepped around from his chunky, claw-footed desk, and his smile was so wide that it tugged his entire face upward, as though he was being manipulated by a marionette string. He ran his hands through his charcoal colored hair and exclaimed brightly, "Kids! I've been hoping you would join us soon, but I didn't expect it to be only a week later! You must have obliterated all your mysteries very quickly if you arrived here so soon."
E's words are like a lightning pang of distress that strikes each member of Mystery Incorporated. Shaggy flinches, as though he has been slapped in the face, while Daphne's eyes rove anxiously and Velma and Scooby shift uncomfortably. It's Fred who reveals the least with his body language and composure; he merely clears his throat and responds tactfully, "Uh, yes sir, we certainly did manage to make it here in record time; I guess we were just eager to begin our studies!"
"Oh why yes, of course!" E clapped enthusiastically, giddy as a toddler. "I can imagine you were filled with unbridled excitement the moment you previewed my message! But first, tell me; what are your thoughts on this new timeline? As I stated in my video to you all, I've fulfilled this multiple times now, so I was astonished when you kids slipped through with me and I have been curious for your thoughts; it's been so long since I've slipped through a timeline for the first time, but I still remember the sense of awe and wonder it evoked in me."
Shaggy is reminded of the trick question his science teacher would weave into every exam; no matter how much Shaggy had studied, the question in mind was elusive, something he never quite untangled, even on his most confident days. It was an abrasive way of reminding Shaggy that no matter what answer he supplied, it would never be adequate enough, and that was how he felt right now as he grappled with an appropriate way to answer E's question.
"Well, you're right when you state that it is certainly filling us with awe," Velma finally offers, purposely vague, after a silence that stretches on for just a few beats too long. "I think I can speak for the rest of the gang when I say that we aren't entirely sure how we fit in quite yet."
"Oh, but of course! That makes perfect sense," E's head is nodding up and down so vigorously that it reminds Shaggy of a bobble head. "Why, but surely you know how Schrodinger's Cat works, correct? And the theory that many multiple concurrent universes exist and run parallel to our own? This implies that each universe will behave differently, some to varying degrees, and that one may therefore have a completely unique life compared to the world one would consider 'home.' It certainly accounts for any, well, adjustments and variances you kids may have witnessed thus far in this new timeline."
Shaggy gulps, but it's as though an ice cube has lodged itself in his throat. Adjustments and variances: in other words, they didn't belong in this world, and trying to assimilate into this universe would be akin to forcing a square peg into a round hole. In the previous timeline, Shaggy would be lying if he said there were moments when he wished he didn't blend in, or moments when he preferred his life to be a bland blend of vanilla tapioca pudding, especially when he was screaming until his voice was hoarse during a mystery. Now, however, it feels as though he and the gang are like dirt caked onto an otherwise polished car; even though their families are more accepting of them as individuals, and even though it appears as though the gang have amassed a decent amount of impressive accolades and accomplishments here, Mystery Incorporated clearly do not belong here. This is someone else's fantasy come true, someone else's happy ending; for Mystery Incorporated, however, it feels more like a dream encrusted with the leaden fantasy lining of a nightmare. What were the gang supposed to do with themselves in a world that lacked mysteries, especially in light of everything they've just endured together? Were they supposed to forget it all happened just because this timeline was immaculate and spotless as a cleaned whiteboard?
Again, the nerves roll around inside Shaggy's stomach like marbles when he recollects the events in Nibiru, and a heavy sense of foreshadow perches itself on his shoulder. Before it can begin again and he loses all control over what will happen, Shaggy stammers, "Like, well, I really do, like, appreciate science and all, but like, I never thought I'd be part of an actual science experiment; we're like a regular old lab rat!"
Shaggy's comment causes E's misdemeanor to oscillate instantly; it's as immediate as the flick of a light switch. He lobs Shaggy a glare that could melt icicles, and Shaggy bites the inside of his cheek; in that moment when he spoke, he had completely forgotten that E was brusquely judgmental by nature. Shaggy's rapid succession of "like's," which were always his typical trademark, were only multiplied by his own nerves, so that couldn't have helped, either.
"Ahhh, I see that some things don't change, however, including your speech patterns and your constant desire to deviate from proper grammatical forms," E spits contemptuously.
Before E can implode on himself and shower the kids with unwelcome grammatical lessons, Fred clears his throat and comes to Shaggy's aid.
"Well sir, you're right; we are actually tired out from experiencing a brand new timeline; would you mind giving us our dorm room keys?" Fred asks politely, hoping to avoid any further confrontation.
E's head swivels towards Fred and he smiles, apparently having forgotten Shaggy's inexcusable speech already.
"Ah, yes, of course!" E chirps, swiping a group of keys from his desk and dropping one into each member of the gang's outstretched hand. "I have arranged for the four of you to have your own, private rooms so you can all study and complete your assignments in peace, but they are each located next door to each other so you can be nearby your friends at all times. The strange dog of yours will bunk with the fellow who uses 'like' as a conversational pause in every other word of his sentence."
Instantly, the entire gang freeze, and Shaggy feels as though his skin has iced over with goosebumps; E himself just admitted that he knows the gang may feel out of place in this new universe, so why would he find it wise to split them up into their own separate rooms? Shaggy hasn't been apart from his friends for a single moment since Nibiru. He and his friends are stitched together like the fabric of a sweater, and without them he already feels as though he is unspooling into a smattering of yarn. The thought of being split from his friends unnerves Shaggy, but when he starts to see the black dots that slowly bloom in his field of vision, he knows he needs to change the subject or stop thinking about it, quick, before the irreversible happens right here in Mr. Grammar Stickler's office.
"Okay, well, like, guess we better go check out those rooms, then!" Shaggy yelps, trying to ignore how his voice is suddenly raspier and more high-pitched than usual, as though he's just huffed on a balloon before speaking. Scooby again eyes him inquisitively, but Shaggy doesn't pause to reassure his friend that everything is okay, because truthfully, it won't be all right if Shaggy remains here; it feels as though the walls are closing in on him gradually, and he can practically see shelves collapsing and books sliding towards the ground and picture frames falling and shattering into a thousand shards of glass. He waves to E one final time and clambers out of the office, distinctly aware of Scooby right on his heels. Faintly, Shaggy detects E muttering about how it would be wise of Shaggy to utilize the student writing center for his "inexcusable grammar errors," but the comment rolls off Shaggy's back like water droplets.
Shaggy strides through the science building resolutely, concentrating on his breathing and counting the number of steps it takes until he exits as a means of distracting the cyclone of thoughts swirling in his head. Once he steps outside he exhales, allowing the sun to kiss his face and restore his thundering heart to its regular rhythm. He notes the gang walking behind him and braces for any questions they are about to ask in regards to his unusual behavior, but surprisingly, none arise; Velma instead keeps gazing toward the library, while Fred yawns and stretches his arms above his head, clearly exhausted.
"Like, that guy sure hasn't changed much, huh?" Shaggy laughs, causing each of his friends to smile, though they each look distant, their eyes glazed over with thought.
"He has not, Shaggy, but he made me realize something; I think I need to study Schrodinger's cat and the theory of multiple universes a bit more to grapple with everything we're dealing with here," Velma states. "If it's all right, I would like to head to the library and read for a bit, gang."
Shaggy's stomach twists with hunger again; he would prefer to be eating right now, but he would follow his friends anywhere, and he isn't quite ready to split from them, even momentarily; thinking of when he will be forced to part from them at the end of the night, once it's time to sleep in his own dorm, feels as though a claw is raking itself through his stomach. He assumes his friends all feel the same, so when Fred announces that he would like to lay down in his dorm and take a nap for a bit while Daphne agrees that she would rather spend the time decorating her new room, it feels as though someone has swept their leg from underneath Shaggy's feet, spilling him onto the concrete. Do they not realize they haven't been apart from each other since their world was upended, and even before that, since before they witnessed the Evil Entity swallow and devour each of their loved ones and everyone in Crystal Cove? What if something happened to one of them while they were separated? What if the events so far were all a red herring, and the Entity was waiting, biding his time, and would appear in a thunderstorm or a tornado and snatch the gang before Shaggy could stop them? What if –
"Shaggy?"
Shaggy blinks and shakes his head blearily, attempting to diffuse the anxious thoughts colliding against each other inside his head. Each of his friends are staring at him, expectantly, and he realizes it's because they must have asked him something.
"Ah, yes?"
"We asked if you'll be okay just hanging out by yourself," Daphne asks gently. Her forehead was already furrowed before this because of everything they had endured, but now the lines are even more cavernous as she studies Shaggy like a textbook; out of everyone in the gang, she has always been the most empathetic, the most perceptive when it came to discerning her friends' emotions and thoughts.
Shaggy knows his friends genuinely care about him, but there's no sense in worrying them and divulging what's been happening with him lately; although he is secretly terrified that leaving their side may set off what seems to be inevitable anyway, he secretly knows that he can't remain anchored to their side every day, every moment, until the day he dies.
"Uh, yeah, like, it's totally cool," Shaggy tries to sound nonchalant, but his voice sounds foreign to his ears, as though he is speaking another language. "Uh, Scoob, do ya, like, wanna hit up the cafeteria?"
"Reah reah, ro boy!" Scooby claps giddily, and for a moment Shaggy is filled with pure bliss at the thought of biting into a stack of char-grilled hamburgers with his best friend, but then Velma offers a wave as she walks towards the library, and Daphne and Fred sing a chorus of goodbyes to Shaggy and Scooby before Shaggy has a chance to realize what he has done. They fade into the distance before Shaggy can even call out to them, each of their names cradled on his lips; Velma blends right in with the other college students as she eagerly steps towards the tall glass library, and Fred and Daphne lace their hands and smile at each other as though no one else exists while they walk together towards the dormitory.
And it's in that moment, as Shaggy watches his friends recede in the distance that he knows it's going to happen even before it occurs, but all too soon that increasingly familiar tingling sensation sweeps through his body; his limbs feel as though silver needles are stabbing his pores, and he feels simultaneously hot and cold as his body is suddenly soaked with sweat, his shirt clinging against his body like a wet leaf clinging stubbornly to a window. His vision gradually narrows, as though Shaggy is standing in a cave, and the gray, desolate dread he had been attempting to taper down all day has finally descended upon him – a cloud of ash blotting out the sun. The unwelcome taste of copper pennies collects in the back of Shaggy's mouth, and with a sense of dread, he realizes he might puke right here in the middle of campus. And then he is gasping, his throat closing as though he has a peanut allergy and has just digested a can of cashews, and he is distantly aware of his knees hitting the ground and Scooby's whining as his nose nudges Shaggy's side. Shaggy knows he could be causing a scene now, so he tries to stand, but it's as though he is walking on a glacier or a sheet of ice, and the trees and buildings sway and rock before him as his legs betray him, collapsing beneath him.
"Raggy!" Shaggy registers Scooby's voice, but it sounds removed, far-away, as though Scooby is screaming for Shaggy from miles away. "Raggy!"
"Zoinks," Shaggy croaks. "Scoob, like, help me!"
Scooby doesn't ask any questions, and instead he acts instantly, gently rolling Shaggy onto his back and then resting his entire body on Shaggy's stomach softly. He rests his head against Shaggy's neck and guides Shaggy's arms around Scooby's torso, forcing Shaggy to stroke Scooby's fur absentmindedly, as though he is in a trance. But Scooby's weight pressed against Shaggy's body is comforting; rather than the sensation of a boulder crushing his chest as Shaggy had expected, it grounds Shaggy, and a sense of tranquility slowly filters through Shaggy's brain and disperses through his bloodstream, calming him like cough medicine does as it sweeps through Shaggy's body whenever he is sick.
After a few minutes Shaggy's breathing is less laborious, and the sharp metallic tinge that permeated his taste buds passes, along with the chance that he will throw up outside the science building at Miskatonic University. The pins and needles that previously jabbed at his body dissolved, and all that remains is the feeling of soft fur beneath Shaggy's finger pads as he continues to pet Scooby's fur.
"Like, Scoob, I think I'm okay now," Shaggy speaks, his voice still weak. He avoids eye contact, embarrassed, but Scooby just licks Shaggy's face enthusiastically, obviously relieved that his Shaggy is feeling better now.
"Okay Scoob, okay!" Shaggy giggles, wrenching himself off the ground and glancing around to see if anyone is questioning why some random kid is lying on the pavement as his Great Dane smothers him; luckily, everyone must be in class, because the campus is completely deserted, and there is no sign of another person. Shaggy sighs with relief; he can't imagine what would have happened if anyone else had seen his panic attack. This is the third time this has happened since the gang were thrusted into a new universe; the previous two times both happened to occur when Shaggy was alone, in the bathroom of the hotel room and in the bathroom of a restaurant, respectively. The first time it happened, Shaggy sincerely thought he was going to die; maybe it bothered whatever God existed that Mystery Incorporated was never consumed by the Evil Entity alongside the rest of Crystal Cove, and this God wanted Shaggy in his collection of Crystal Covites (Coverians? Covens? They never did figure that one out), as well, or maybe Shaggy was being punished for not only surviving, but being ejected into this brand new universe with this brand new, shiny life, while his previous timeline was obliterated, a pile of smoldering ash.
But after the second time the panic attack occurred, Shaggy realized it was a brand new extension of the anxiety that already simmered inside of Shaggy, always flickering and never dormant, and that it sparked whenever he thought of Nibiru or whenever he was removed from his friends. He naively thought he could avoid triggering it by refusing to part from his friends and refusing to acknowledge everything he had witnessed and endured with the Evil Entity, but, well, that idea had exploded and rained onto him like shrapnel, right before his very eyes.
"Raggy," Scooby whined. "Rare ru okay? Ri'm worried about you."
Shaggy smiled gratefully at Scooby as a ping of guilt ricocheted inside of him. The panic attacks were something Shaggy kept hidden from his friends; he considered telling them about it after the first incident, but once he recovered and raced to meet the gang, his resolve evaporated when he clocked Velma's tired red eyes darting at her phone screen for the thousandth time and Fred's forlorn face and Daphne's fingernails, which were chewed down to the quick. Each of his friends were secretly battling their own inner demons and turmoil; why should Shaggy only heap more weight onto their conscience?
Shaggy replied to Scooby by running his fingers through Scooby's fur again and smiling as authentically as possible.
"Scooby, like, I don't want you to, like, worry about me, all right?" Shaggy says. "And maybe, could we, like, keep this between ourselves? I don't wanna, like, worry the gang, because they're all goin' through a hard time, ya know?"
Scooby looks solemen, as though he is mulling it all over in his head.
"Raybe you rould talk to someone?" Scooby offers helpfully.
Shaggy's stomach tightens at the suggestion. Realistically, yeah, he should find a therapist, but what would he tell them? Would he say that's suffering major separation anxiety because he and his friends are bonded by emotional trauma and that he can't stand the thought of being apart from any of them in case something happens while they're gone? Would he say that he has survivor's guilt because he watched his family and friends die? And how would Shaggy explain to a therapist that his brutally murdered family also happened to be his living family, that they were conversely, paradoxically, very much alive but yes, also dead at the same time, in two different universes, that they were now his proud family that boasted of his awards whereas they were once ashamed? Did it invalidate his survivor's guilt if his family was actually alive and well in this timeline? Did that mean he wasn't actually damaged? Should his scars have vanished simply because a shiny, brand-new universe, a do-over, fell into his lap?
Shaggy's mind whirls with mysteries, only these kind of mysteries are different than what he and his friends normally solve; these mysteries involve so many questions concerning his identity, his role in this world, and this new emotional fallout he had been forced to contend with since Nibiru. Multiple doors open in Shaggy's mind as he considers all the parallel universes Harlen Ellison alluded to earlier, and Shaggy feels as though he's falling into a black hole, tumbling helplessly. He feels disassociated, like staring at oneself in the mirror for too long and disconnecting from any sense of self. Maybe he isn't even alive right now; maybe he actually died in Nibiru, alongside his parents and the rest of Crystal Cove. Maybe he's being digested in the acidic belly of the Evil Entity, too.
Instead of saying any of this to Scooby, Shaggy merely pats his best friend on the head as he is instantly overwhelmed with his best friend's love, which wraps Shaggy like a wool blanket on a winter day.
"Like, maybe I'll consider it," Shaggy lies. "But hey, how about that cafeteria, huh? I'm like, so hungry all of a sudden!"
His anxiety always did make Shaggy hungry, but ever since Nibiru ended, he discovered he was constantly famished, as though he would never be completely satiated ever again.