Chapter 6: Decisions and Dilemmas
Shaggy and Velma strolled along the water's edge, holding hands like a seasoned couple; the giant Great Dane bounded playfully alongside, his large paws splashing in the waves. Every so often, he would drench the two humans with an unintentional cascade of water, and after each time, he would draw back, a look of guilt crossing his furry his face as he awaited the reprimand from his master. Shaggy, of course, didn't scold his dog; instead, the lanky man and his girlfriend laughed at Scooby's uncharacteristically playful antics. Relieved at the sound of their laughter, the Great Dane soon joined in their merriment, only to repeat the whole cycle a few moments later.
From the far end of the beach, the happy sounds from the boardwalk amusement park drifted on the breeze, eliciting a nostalgic smile as they reached Velma's ears. "Remember those afternoons we used to spend at Funland with the gang?" she mused, dreamily.
Shaggy concurred. "Yeah, and like, those nights on the beach, digging for clams."
"Ryuck!" offered Scooby, sticking out his tongue, disgusted by the thought of the one food that he never liked.
"So, like, whadd'ya think, Velms? Sun, the sand, the ocean breeze gently rustling your hair, isn't it great out here?"
The petite brunette nodded. "It is," she replied, wistfully, her mind momentarily drifting off. "So peaceful." Then her tone grew serious. "Shaggy, why did you come out here?" she asked.
The hippie shrugged; even he didn't know the answer to that question. "I dunno. I guess I just wanted to get away from society for awhile; you know, like, to find myself and to live my own life."
Velma shook her head. "I didn't mean it that way, Shaggy," she clarified, "I meant why did you come all the way out to California? There are lots of places closer to home that are just as beautiful."
Shaggy adopted an uncharacteristically serious tone. "You know, I never really fit in back home."
Velma swallowed a lump in her throat as she pondered the implications of the comment. "But why, Shag?" she asked, a tinge of sorrow detectable in her voice, "we were best friends—all of us—we never thought there was anything unusual or strange about you."
"I know. But even when I was with you guys, I sometimes felt that Scooby and I were so different. And, since California is known as 'Hippie Haven,' I thought that I might, like, fit in here."
"Do you?"
Shaggy pondered the girl's comment. Living out of the Mystery Machine in a commune that completely shunned the established society hadn't quite lived up to his expectations; yet, at the same time, it had brought with it a sort of satisfaction that the lanky man had never really known back home.
"Is this really the type of existence that you want, "continued Velma, "living like a vagrant with a group of total strangers with whom you have nothing in common?"
"But. like, we do have things in common. We like nature, we live our own way, our existence is peaceful…"
"I don't mean those kind of things, Shaggy; I mean, do you really want to live surrounded by people like that horrible drug addict who tried to rape me?" The recollection of Savage Jack's brutal action earlier in the day sent a shiver through Shaggy's lanky frame; he couldn't even find the words to respond to Velma's question.
"If it's any comfort to you, Shaggy," Velma continued, "there was always one person in the gang who understood you, and that was me."
Shaggy put his skinny arms around Velma's waist and held her, drawing her close to him until her head rested against his chest. In his arms, she felt so small, almost like a child, and she had seemed equally helpless earlier in the day; he tightened his grip on her, as though protecting her from any more harm. "Please, Shaggy," she whispered, almost tearfully, "come back."
The skinny man sighed as he pondered her comments. "Like, I'll think about it."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Velma sat down on the beach beside Shaggy, the cool, moist sand dampening her skirt; he placed his arm around her shoulder and scooted in closer until he flanked her side. Responding to the touch, the younger girl tilted her head and rested it gently against his shoulder. Wanting to be closer to him, she repositioned herself, settling in his lap and gently resting her head against his chest. She threw her arms around his neck and settled into his embrace. A feeling of total peace came over her, and the unpleasant experience of earlier that day just seemed to melt away in the presence of her old friend.
Shaggy Rogers felt his face turn red. Was Velma actually openly showing her affection? It just didn't seem possible! They had snuggled before, as teens, and there had been times when, out of sheer fright, Velma had thrown her arms around his neck, but there had never been any emotion behind those gestures; Yet, now, here she was, nuzzling him in an uncharacteristic display of affection.. Perhaps it was because they were older, or perhaps it was because they had been apart for so long, but at this moment, Shaggy realized that the feelings he had long harbored for the younger girl were now being returned. The once unilateral relationship had now become mutual, and there was nothing perfunctory about the younger girl's gestures.
With a contented sigh worthy of a baby, Velma settled comfortably into Shaggy's embrace and closed her eyes. The older man gently caressed her short, brown hair, savoring the feeling of the individual strands in his fingers. "I've missed you, Velma."
The sensation of his fingers in her hair was lulling her to sleep; not since her toddler days had she felt such a gentle touch. "I've missed you, too, Shaggy," she whispered, almost dreamily, as her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. Shaggy wrapped his arms protectively around her, shielding her and coddling her. Confident that the younger girl would not hear him, he whispered softly, "I love you, Velma."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The sun had long since dropped below the horizon; the boardwalk amusement park had gone dark and a thick layer of coastal fog had begun to settle over the beach; the nighttime seaside air was chilly and a definite dampness could be felt. Having lived by the ocean for so long, Shaggy was used to such conditions; but the younger girl was clearly not accustomed to such cold, and the thin, low cut T-shirt she wore offered little protection from the night air. An occasional shiver ran through her frame, and she would reposition herself on the skinny man's lap, pulling her legs in close to her body to gain the maximum possible warmth.
Shaggy continued to stroke her hair, the short, brown tresses now slightly dampened from the salty air and the coastal fog. He gently brushed a lock of hair out of the younger girl's face, eliciting a gentle moan of protest from the bespectacled girl. Never once waking, she repositioned herself in Shaggy's lap, the corners of her lips turning upwards in a smile, the very sight of which incited a smile from the older man. In sleep, Velma looked even younger than her years, so innocent, so sweet, so helpless.
"Raggy?"
The sensation of a cold, wet nose against his face snapped the skinny hippie back to his senses. He turned to face his dog, but never once broke his embrace with the younger girl.
"Raggy, rets ro. R'its reezing tout r'here." The Great Dane wrapped his front paws around his chest to emphasize his point.
Shaggy gestured to Velma, asleep in his arms. "Like, I can't leave her, Scoob," he protested. "You can go back to camp if you want, but i'm staying right here."
Scooby pondered his master's comment. As a dog, he understood the virtues of loyalty and devotion. He had always known that dogs exhibited those traits, but this was the first time he had seen them exhibited by a human. "Raggy?" the dog persisted.
He hated to wake her up, but gently roused her anyway. Drowsy and a little disoriented, the bespectacled girl mumbled, "Shaggy? Where am I?"
The older man gently shushed her, reassuring her that she was safe. "Come, Vel," he urged, gently helping the girl to her feet, "there is someplace very special that I would like to show you."
A/N Thank you so much for your patience, my fellow readers. I apologize for the long delay between chapters 5 and 6; this story just hit a brick wall for awhile, and my writing had to be put on hold for my "real" job. Thanks for your loyal following, and I look forward to reviews.
