Shaggy couldn't bring himself to sleep that night. Despite Rose's pretty words, the fear consuming his heart kept him awake into the wee hours of the morning. When he finally did doze off he snapped awake, the bed was shifting.

"Go back to sleep, Shaggy," Rose whispered softly.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes, I'll be back tonight"

That did not make him feel better.

"I love you"

He listened as her steps faded away. As soon as she was gone the light returned, revealing it was early morning. Alone once more. Alone, alone and alive. Alive. Rose hadn't killed him, hadn't even touched him. Only spoke when spoken to. Was it possible that she actually didn't mean him any harm? Confusion swimming through his head, Shaggy fell fast asleep.

…...

The next time he woke he had a pounding headache, the noon sun shone through the windows. Sitting up with a groan, Shaggy raked his hands through his hair, standing from the bed.

"You're awake!"

"How did you sleep?"

"Do you want brunch now?"

Mercy, Grace and, Harmony hovered before him, awaiting a response.

"Like, I wish my head wasn't killing me"

"I can fix that," Mercy said, laying a tiny hand to his head, absorbing the pain, "Now how about Brunch?"

"That like, sounds good"

after another feast where the food didn't seem to end, Shaggy returned to the bedroom, finding the bed already made with clean clothes waiting folded neatly on the pillow. After dressing in clothes, not unlike the ones back home, but beyond well made, he didn't know what to do with himself.

If he'd been home, he'd have visited friends or helped his father but here he was practically alone.

I have to do something, he thought, I'll go crazy otherwise.

Wandering through the house Shaggy's mind kept drifting back to Rose. Where had she gone? What was she? What did she look like? Maybe she was a vampire. It would certainly explain why she had to leave before sunrise. But, Shaggy recalled vampires were only affected by the sun if they'd been killed before. So that didn't seem likely. Nor did it explain how she was able to throw the entire room into utter darkness. Could vampires do that?

"What's wrong?"

"Can we help?"

"We'd love to help"

Shaggy smiled weakly at the pixies, "Like, I'm okay just uh-"

"Bored?"

"We can help"

"Come with us!"

Hesitantly Shaggy followed the trio of bubbly pixies down one hall then another and another. No door was closed in this place. Just beyond every doorway was something new, some delight to behold, a hobby to take part in. music, art, reading, and so on.

"What would you like to do?"

"i like to cook," Shaggy mumbled, bashfully.

"Cook?"

"Why didn't you say so?"

"This way!"

The trio of eager to please pixies led him to what was, in short, a dream kitchen. Stocked with exotic ingredients, well-made cookware, and lots of space. Oh, the things he could invent in here! Quickly he washed up, tying an apron on to protect his clothes before setting to work with a genuine smile.

…...

"He looks so happy!" Christina gushed to Melinda, the two watching in the mirror.

"Good call on the kitchen," Melinda nodded, "How did last night go?"

"He's terrified, did you have to make me sound so vaguely frightening?"

"You know as well as I do there's no control over what comes out of my mouth when that happens"

"Um, must you really spy on him, it's weird," Drew disrupted the conversation.

"And creepy," added Felix, "Besides the petitioners are here to see you, Your Highness"

With a long sigh, Christina picked up her skirts and marched from the room, "My work never ends"

Melinda whacked Drew upside the head.

"OW, what is your thing with hurting me?"

"Why do you have to rain on Christina's happiness?"

"I am not raining on it, watching someone is a very odd thing to do"

"She just wanted to make sure he's well entertained"

"We'd better get in there and help her," Felix directed their attention to the door.

"Right, we're coming"

…...

Night fell faster than Shaggy would have liked, bringing the mysterious Rose with it. Shaggy lay stiffly on his side of the bed trying not to wince when the bed dipped with her weight, covers shifting as she settled beside him.

"Hello, Shaggy," she greeted softly.

Such a pretty voice but there was no telling what it belonged to. His mind still rattled with terrible imagined monsters.

"Did you have a good day?" she asked next.

"Yes," maybe he could get the truth out of her tonight.

"The pixies are helpful, I hope"

"Very"

"Good"

"Where did you go today?" he ventured cautiously.

"I have a...job to do," Rose answered vaguely.

"What do you do?"

"I keep track of things"

Vague. That could mean any number of things. This was getting nowhere.

"What did you do today, Shaggy?"

"Experimented in the kitchen"

"You like to cook?"

"More than anything, the people in my village, like, think it's strange"

"I think it's wonderful"

Shaggy could hear the smile in her voice.

"Thank you," he replied softly.

"Tell me what's bothering you"

"I um, er, uh-"

"You're terrified of me"

"Yes"

"Why?"

"Like, what my parents were told and you like, are hiding in the darkness, you won't let me see you"

"I'll show you one day, just trust I have good reasons"

"How can I when I can't even see you?"

"You have a fair point, I'm sorry it has to be this way but if you'll allow me I can assure you I'm nothing to be scared of"

"How?"

She took his hand, first, he noticed that Rose was warm when vampires were said to be cold creatures not only in their attitudes but bodies as well with no beating heart to pump blood. Rose guided his open hand over herself, allowing him to feel her closed eyes, her nose, and mouth, to trace her jaw then neck and shoulders. The warped image in his mind was slowly being rebuilt into a human silhouette.

"See? Nothing to fear." she dropped his hand.

He grabbed it before she could move away causing her to let out a quiet gasp.

"May I?" he asked belatedly.

"Anything for you, My Love, anything for you"