Old Friends and Forgotten Memories

Disclaimer: I've almost given up on these... they can get fair scary at sometimes. My announcer guy decided to take a permanent vacation for reasons unknown *glares at lawyers* so I'll try this myself.

Eh hem... Fred and Daphne belong to each other, same goes for Velma and Shaggy but they don't know it yet. Scooby can have only one best friend and owner.

As I mentioned before, Flim Flam has been adopted. And Scrappy... Scrappy... well anyone who wants him can have him so there. I did that right didn't I? *turns to panel of lawyers* guys? Hey, what are you going to do with that mallet? For me? Waah!
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Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty five thousand journeys to plan
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?
In truths that she learned
Or in times that he cried
In the bridges he burned
Or the way that she died
Its time now to sing it
Though the story never ends
Lets celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends
Lets talk about love....
- Seasons of Love Rent

Chapter 4: The Pit of Despair and the Honor Cry

Fred called out uncertainly. She didn't respond, she was still trying to catch her breathe from the day's fast pace. They must have walked on foot nearly 15 miles but darkness was approaching quickly and Fred knew they would have to stop for the night.

Not just because they were exhausted but because they would be totally blind as well, to an attack from an enemy or a tree root he couldn't tell which, probably both.

Daph we have to stop, he said firmly then silently braced himself for the oncoming torrent of arguments. But... I bet those monster who have Flim Flam won't stop for a rest... she started to protest weakly but stopped short at the determined look on Fred's face.

She straightened and winced at the blisters on her sore feet and various scratches and cuts that decorated her exposed legs. That's it! From now on I wear pants only! she thought irritably, then sighed.

Fred came over and, with the last reserves of his strength, carried her to a small cave in the rock face. Setting her down gently he began busying himself with making the campsite livable.

He decided against a fire since it increased their already high risk of being spotted. Instead he pulled out a single blanket from the pack he had managed to grab and wrapped it around them both. She snuggled close to him but tonight it seemed only out of habit.

As she rested against his broad chest unwanted thoughts and worries kept creeping out of the darker places in her mind. Fred noticed her troubled gaze directed towards the heavens and pulled her closer, stroking her hair gently while quietly asking what was troubling her.

How can you say that? she demanded, the sound slightly muffled by his clothing. She pulled away briefly allowing him to meet her eyes and see the emotions that, until then, lay hidden in their depths.

Flim Flam's out there all alone. The other's could be in mortal danger, even... she chocked on the last few words, unable to complete that train of thought.

Holding back tears she continued furiously, We should never have come. Vincent... it's his fault anyways he was captured we should just leave him here and go home. I'll never forgive that girl anyways. If anything happens to him... she buried her face in his shoulder, unwilling to go on any further.

Fred himself was shocked and unsure of what to say. You know you can't mean half the things you just said, right? He said reasonably. I thought Mr. Van Ghoul had been a friend. You don't sentence friends to live out their lives here. Nobody should have to do that.

I don't care, came her tear-stained reply. I'm tired of living like this Fred. Everything was just fine the way it was. No more ghosts or monsters... just us. He knew she was lying though.

Truth was everything hadn't been okay between them. Oh for the first couple years there had been the joyous sounds of newly-weds in love but eventually that grew quiet.

He had just begun settling down when he had first noticed it.

Something strange, something secretive, something that she was keeping from him.

At first he had just shrugged it off, dismissing it with the casual she'll tell me when she'd ready' routine. But the silence had remained until he couldn't stand it any longer.

He had begged Daphne to tell him her troubles, pleaded and opened his heart to listen. Yet she had refused. She didn't deny that she was keeping something from him, merely stated that she didn't want to talk about it.

That was that.

That was what had brought their relationship to a near standstill. Why they never had any children. He just felt he couldn't touch her in that way.

Love her? Oh yes, he loved her like no other and would continue to do so till his dying day. They were growing apart but he could never willingly leave her.

So with a heavy heart he waited until she made the first move. Until she either told him or left.

He looked down at his wife who had cried herself into an uneasy sleep. He could only hope that it wasn't the second choice, only hope by some miracle she would learn to trust him.

Slowly, so as not to disturb her, he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.
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When Fred awoke that morning 2 things registered in his mind all at once: 1) it was very cold and 2) where on earth was Daphne?! At this second thought he was up and on his feet before even remembering where he was.

As a result he hit his head hard on the cavern's ceiling.

Cursing silently to himself for being so thick he made his way into the morning sun and looked around. Nothing.

Fear gripped his heart as realization hit him. She could be hurt, she could be in danger. Frantically he ran around into the forest and yelled her name to the world.

Nothing.

Sinking to his knees he felt as though his world had been shattered. She was gone, either left of her own free will or was dragged away but she was gone.

In that fleeting instant he no longer cared. His heart was frozen in place and he wept as though he had lost the world.

He had hadn't he?

His mind didn't even register the fact that the ground had begun shaking as soon as he had touched the ground. The quaking grew stronger and stronger until it gave an almighty moan as if it could bear his weight no longer.

The dirt and rock collapsed beneath his feet and he fell into oblivion.
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Fred was once more entering that annoying period in our days we call consciousness. Groaning because of the splitting headache that ragged war with in his mind he raised himself onto his knees.

What's the point? He thought to himself hopelessly. All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep forever, forget his pain and troubles, let someone else deal with it.

Yet one last little twinge at his heart made him look up. Infinite blackness was all he could see.

Wait, was that? Yes, yes it was... Daphne! His heart cried out with joy as he crawled and pulled himself toward her limp form.

She was lying on a raised flat-surfaced stone like one of those sleeping princess' waiting for the prince.

The only light in the room coming down to rest on her pale skin brightly contrasting her fiery hair. Indeed it looked as though she was under the influence of an enchantment of sorts.

He reached out weakly to take her hand in his...

*Blood was spilled everywhere. People were screaming. Husbands called for their wives to run as they faced the oncoming force with whatever was available.

The women themselves were tripping over their skirts trying to get away with both arms full of children and precious possessions. In the midst of it stood a red-headed girl pushed up against the wall, crying for parents that wouldn't come.

One of the last ones to evacuate saw her and grabbed her up into his arms. They ran but they were to late as the oncoming fire came ever closer...*

Fred let out a strangled yell as he wretched his hand away from Daphne's tight grasp and fell back to the cold floor.

So this was... Yes this was the secret she had been keeping from him for so long. The true story of her youth and pain.

No wonder she had kept it hidden for so long. Yet it wasn't forgotten any longer. Her memories were being forced to the surface by some unknown presence. It would kill her.

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let her face this alone any longer. He wouldn't allow it to continue.

He... no... they would end it together. With his last ounce of courage he approached her once more. Lying down by her side he pulled her close and held on with all the strength and love he possessed.

Once more he was by her side facing down demons... her demons.
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Author's note: Okay where to start? *takes deep breathe* I am sooooooooo sorry for waiting so long. Is anybody even out there? I hope so because I thought this was a pretty good chapter. See what I mean by Pit of Despair? Anyways I have a ton of excuses but I don't think you want to read through all that. If I get more reviews I promise, really swear, to do my best to get the chapters up quicker. What's next do you say? *evil grin* well...