Shaggy was forcing a smile, as he came down the stairs, and walked into the kitchen. Fred was sitting at the table, nursing his head. Velma looked up as Shaggy came back into the kitchen.
"I told you so," she said.
"Well," Shaggy said, ignoring her, "I managed to convince Daphne to stay."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Fred asked, looking up at Shaggy.
"Look," Shaggy protested, "It's been twenty-nine years since we've last seen each other. I'm not going to let a broken love affair spoil the moment."
"You herd her, man," Fred said, "She can't stand the sight of me. If old age doesn't kill me first, she will!"
"Fred, what happened, happened," Shaggy said. "You're married now, eliminating any chance of ever getting back together with Daphne, but at least you have a chance to patch things up with her after all these years."
"Shaggy's right," Velma said. "You and Daphne were more than friends all those years ago, surely Daphne still remembers those times."
"Are you guys sure?" Fred asked. "The way she was acting, you'd think she looks upon them with anger."
"Well, we're not getting anywhere fast with this," Velma replied, leaning back in her chair. "On another topic, welcome back, Fred."
"Yeah, Shaggy said, leaning over the table to shake Fred's hand, "Good to see you again after all this time, buddy."
A small smile escaped Fred's lips, and he reached up and took Shaggy's hand. "Thanks for inviting me along, Shaggy."
"So tell me," Velma said, "Shaggy said you were married? Who was the girl?"
"Someone I meet at the University. Of cause, back then I still thought Daphne didn't want to see me ever again, so I got close to her. One thing led to another, and then three years later, we tied the knot."
"How sweet," Velma said, "Any children?"
"Two girls," Fred said, "Ellen, aged 15, and Callie, aged 11."
"Wow," Velma said, "I've got two boys, and you've got two girls."
"Two boys?" Fred said in disbelief, "You mean, you got married!?!"
"Yes I did," Velma said, rolling her eyes. "Little Velma Dinkley got married. Speaking of which, it's Velma Galen now."
"Congratulations Velma," Fred said. Then, he turned to face Shaggy. "Hey, Shag, how come you never found time to start a family?"
"Scooby and Scrappy were really the only family I needed." He replied with a shrug. "I devoted my life to looking after them. Then when they were both gone, I was too depressed to go looking for love." He sighed, and looked down at his feet. "Then the next thing I know, it's the 21st Century."
"Well, it's not too late, you know," Velma said. "You've still got some life left in you."
"You should listen to Velma, Shaggy," Fred said, "Don't spend the rest of your life regretting something you never did."
"That's exactly what Daphne said," Shaggy answered.
"What exactly did I say?" Everyone
turned to see Daphne at the entrance of the kitchen.
"Fred said exactly the same thing you said to me about getting a girlfriend."
"Really?" Daphne said, unimpressed, refusing to look at Fred. Fred shrank away from Daphne, as she pulled up a stool from the kitchen sink, and sat down at the table. For a few seconds, there was an uneasy silence.
"Well," Shaggy quickly said, "Here we all are, huh? All of us, Mystery Inc, after so long?"
"Yeah," Fred muttered, glancing down at the table, "Great."
"Uh-huh." Daphne said though her teeth.
Silence once more entered the room. The only sounds that could be herd, were the dipping of water from the sink, the ticking of the clock on the wall, and Shaggy drumming his fingers on the table.
"Please, cut that out," Fred said, slightly turning his head towards Shaggy, "It's becoming rather irritating."
"He can do what ever he damn well likes, Fred," Daphne snapped.
"You're taking delight in tormenting me at every corner, aren't you," Fred said, turning to face Daphne.
"You deserve it!" Daphne cried.
"All my life, I've regretted what happened, or rather, what didn't happen between us, Daphne," Fred said, "But maybe, I'm glad it didn't."
Daphne didn't answer. Instead, she turned around, and grabbed the frying pan, which she'd earlier tossed at Fred, and held it at the ready. Fred cocked his fist and glared a challenge.
A fist came down on the table with the sound of a gunshot. "That's enough you two!" The shout didn't come from Shaggy, but from Velma. The two near combatants glanced at Velma and then at each other. "Come on," Velma said, "Here we all are, after 29 years apart, we're finally back together again. Why dose the moment have to be spoiled because of something that happened between the two of you decades ago?" Daphne sighed, and lowered the frying pan. Fred glanced away, and sat back down in his chair.
"Sorry," the both of them said softly.
"That's better," Velma said, sitting back down herself.
There was another moment of silence, before Daphne asked, "So, Shaggy, what ever happened to the old Mystery Machine?"
"It died," Shaggy said with little indifference. "When we first started Mystery Inc back in '69, it was already a second hand vehicle. After you and Flim-Flam left, and it was just Scooby, Shaggy, and me on the open road, it started to go all funny on me. First, one thing went wrong, then another, and another. Then, it got to the point where I would fix one problem, and another would automatically start playing up. And then finally, one day the gearbox fell out, and that was the end of that."
"So what happened after that?" Fred asked.
"Well, my Mom was worried about all the money was spending, just fixing it. Just before it broke down for the last time, Mom convinced me to by a house. Then, I left it out the back, under a tall tree because I didn't have enough space in the garage. It's still there, rusted and all, but I just couldn't bare to part with it, not after all the adventures we've been though in it."
"Yeah," Fred muttered, looking down the hallway, as if looking out to the back yard.
"Those were great times," Daphne admitted, looking up at the ceiling.
"So, Daphne," Velma asked, "What did you and Shaggy get up to when it was just you two, Scooby and Scrappy?"
"Adventures," Daphne said with a smile. "We were a reporting team, covering the world, busting crooks in a mask. Much like the times we had when we were Mystery Inc."
"And then there was that chest," Shaggy said.
"Don't remind me, Shaggy," Daphne said, rolling her eyes.
"What chest?" Both Velma and Fred asked together.
"Back in the seventies, while flying over the Himalayans when we had to make an emergency landing." Daphne began. "We ran into two strange characters, a wizard by the name of Vincent VanGhoul, and a 10 year-old orphan, named Flim-Flam."
Shaggy patted his right jacket pocket, where the book was still hidden. No one saw him do that. Still, he was wondering just how he was going to break the news of what had happened to him to the gang. The last time he'd kept secrets from them, it exploded right in his face. Literally.
"Well, after our plane was stolen, and a little scuffle with the local townsfolk, Scooby and Shaggy were tricked into opening this chest, that contained thirteen of the worlds most evil spirits."
Fred and Velma turned to look at Shaggy. "Hey," Shaggy protested, "These two creepy ghosts tricked me and Scoob. They made us think we were in a game show."
"A game show?" Fred asked.
"In the Himalayans?" Velma asked.
"Hey," Shaggy scowled, crossing his arms, "I was much younger back then, okay!"
"Anyway," Daphne said, "So since we let them out, we had to put them back. So we had to travel the world, trying to find all of these ghosts, and get them back into the chest."
"I take it you did the job?" Fed asked.
"Naturally," Shaggy said, "We got them all, returned the chest to VanGhoul, and then we went our separate ways." There was a short silence that followed.
"29 years," Velma said softly. "We were the best of friends, and we haven't seen each other in 29 years."
"Well, Daphne and I haven't seen each other in 27 years." Shaggy said. "It's just been 29 years since we've all been together."
"Next year is 2003 and that'll make it 30 years," Velma said.
"And I'll be 50." Daphne muttered. "My half century is coming up in less than a year." Her eyes narrowed, as she said, "And what have I done with my life?"
"Uhh, maybe I should show you your room, Fred," Shaggy quickly interrupted. He could see where Daphne was going with that. "I mean, you haven't even settled in yet."
"Okay," Fred replied, as he quickly got up, and fetched his bag. As they left the room, Fred gave Daphne a side glance, but she was still in a mode.
"I'm sorry I lied to you, Fred," Shaggy said, as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. "But I really wanted to see all of you guys one last time, and like I said before, it was the only way I could get you all to come."
"I understand," Fred said, "But you know, I would've come if you'd told me the truth," they reached the top of the stairs, and made a right, "I still feel rotten about what happened between Daphne and myself 29 years ago." Shaggy pushed open a door, that led into his room.
"You can have my room buddy," Shaggy said, "I only have three rooms, for obvious reasons, but I can sleep on the couch."
"Shaggy, I can't take your room." Fred said. "I'll take the couch.
"Good heavens no," Shaggy replied, shaking his hands, "You're my guest, you get the room."
"But…"
"No buts buddy," Shaggy replied, "This is your room."
Fred sighed, as he tossed his bag onto the bed, and walked over to the window. Looking outside, he could see a tall tree in the backyard, and under it, a dull green object. He half smiled. "You know, Shaggy," he said quietly, "when I came into the kitchen, and saw her there, I mean, Daphne, just sitting at the table, I was actually happy for a split second."
"Really?" Shaggy asked.
"Uh-huh," Fred murmured. "I may be married now, but…" he let out a loud gust of air, "She still drives me crazy." He closed his eyes, and shook his head.
"Really," Shaggy said.
"God, I still love her, Shaggy," he turned around and faced his friend. "I still love her, even after all these years."
"Even though she can't stand the sight of you?" Shaggy asked. He was beginning to wounder how he should handle this. After all, Fred was a married man now. By all accounts this would be considered adultery, or cheating. But Daphne still hated Fred.
"She was my first love, Shaggy," Fred said, "You can never forget something like that."
"Fred," Shaggy asked,
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure thing, Buddy," Fred said, "You can ask me anything?"
"How do you know you're in love?" Fred turned to look at Shaggy, a blank expression on his face.
"Trust me, Shaggy," he said, "You'll know."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Shaggy asked.
"Love is a different feeling for all of us, Shaggy," Fred replied, "Love is like an instinct. You just know when you are in love. When you meet the right woman, it's like a light switching on." He snapped his fingers. "Just like that."
Shaggy just 'Ummed,' while Fred turned back to look out the windows. He sighed again, before turning back to Shaggy. "I gotta use the bathroom," he said, and was gone in an instant.
Shaggy still stood in his bedroom, thinking about what Fred had said. He looked over at his bedside table, where there were a number of photos. One was of him handing the key to his former office over to Ellen Yindle.
He blinked at it, and walked over to get a closer look. As he picked it up, he thought back to what Daphne had told him. He bit his bottom lip as he placed it back down. Should he? Could he? Would she?
So many questions. And no answers.
Speaking of which…
He patted his jacket pocket, still feeling the book. He pulled it out, looking at its cover, buckle, and title. "Life," he muttered, trying the buckle one more time. It still didn't open. "Yeah," he grumbled, placing it back in his pocket, "I need one."
"Need what?" Shaggy turned around, and saw Fred standing in the doorway.
"Nothing," Shaggy said hastily, then pushed past Fred and headed for the stairs. "Look, I'm going to start making some dinner, Why don't you make your self at home. I'll give you a yell when dinners ready."
"Okay," Fred called out to Shaggy as he disappeared down the stairs. He then walked over to the bed and opened his travel case, pulling out a few things, and draping them over the end of the bed, while he organised a few things.
He pulled out his toilet bag and set it down on a desk that doubled as a bookshelf. He paused, his hand still gripping that bag, as his eyes caught sight of something he hadn't seen in years.
An old Coolsville high-school yearbook. Fred smiled, as he let go of the bag, and picked up the book, opening it, and flipping its pages though his fingers. He stopped when he reached the individual photo section. There was Fred Jones, in all his glory, smiling at the camera.
Fred chuckled. He couldn't believe how young he'd been. A hand went up to his face. Slight wrinkles, the moustache, his once blond hair, now faded with age. Next year he was going to be 50, just like Daphne.
Daphne!
He flipped a few pages, to find her photo. There she was, as beautiful as ever. Her long flowing red hair, hidden by the black and white of the photograph. Her heavenly smile, her crystal like eyes. He blinked, and brought himself back to reality.
"Get a hold of your self, Freddy," he whispered to himself. "You're a married man now, and besides, she hates you." He shrugged, and started flipping through the pages.
Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks. There, taking up half the page, was a photo of the victory, after the big game of 1970. Fred led the Coolsville Cougars to victory, and Daphne…
The picture showed Fred holding up the trophy with one arm, and his other, was around Daphne, hugging her close to him, and she, one arm around his waist, and the other, gripping the back of his head… as they were both kissing.
A hand went up to his own lips, as his mind floated back to that day.
***
Fred could hardly hear himself shouting out in sheer joy because of the roar of the crowd. With just minutes to spare, he'd managed to push through the opposition, and sore the winning touch down. Now, as he stood at the end field, jumping for joy, and shouting for all he was worth, it all seemed to much to be real.
The sudden rush of the sweaty bodies of his team-mates told him this was indeed real. They shouted at him, patted his back, ruffled his already matted hair, and then hoisted him to their shoulders. The stadium was filled with a writhing mass of colours, waving banners, and flashes of cameras.
The scoreboard showed the narrow margin of the victory, it's lights blearing for all to see. The team carried Fred across the field, to their side, where the coach was jumping up and down, despite being in his mid-fifties. He ran up to the group, shouting words of congratulations to Fred, but all of it was drowned out.
"FREDDY!!" A lone female voice was only herd to Fred's ears among the roar of the stadium. Fred turned his head, to see the cheering squad among the people gathered around. There, sticking out because of her long red hair was Daphne Blake.
"DAPHNE!!!" He shouted back to her. The sudden decent that followed caught Freddy of-guard, as he touched the ground, the team parted. Daphne rushed through the gap, and wrapped her arms around Fred, hugging him for all he was worth.
Suddenly, something was thrust into Fred's hands. Fred turned to see the game trophy, being presented by a smiling man.
"Congratulations, son," he said, "In all my life, I've never seen such an exhilarating game." He shock Fred's free hand. "You're the best Quater-back this school has ever seen."
"Thanks sir," Fred shouted back, just as someone dumped the remaining water cooler all over Fred. "Arrgh, God!" He complained.
"Oh come on," Daphne yelled at him, turning his face towards her with a sly smile on her lips, "You've been through a lot more than that. Just go with the flow."
She then brought her lips to his, and kissed. The cheering sounds suddenly turned to 'Ooohing,' and 'Ahhhing,' as they were both locked in a passionate kiss.
"Everybody's watching, Daphe," Fred said softly, as they broke, their noses still touching.
"Let them," she murmured back.
"Hey, Lover-Boy," a man with a camera shouted at them. "How's 'bout a photo for the year book?"
"Sure thing pal!" He turned and smiled for the camera, holding up the trophy in one hand, with his other around Daphne. They moved in closer together, when suddenly, Daphne's fingers grasped his jaw, and turned it towards her. They both kissed, as the camera flashed, and the photographer gave them the thumbs up, before he melted back into the crowd.
"You know," Fred said, "That's going to be in the year book."
"So?"
"It's going to be there for all time."
"I don't care," she said, both arms encircling Fred's waist, "It'll just let everyone know that you'll always be mine."
"And you'll always be mine," Fred repeated, as they kissed again.
"Forever, and ever?" Daphne asked, drawing a finger down the left side of his cheek.
"Till the end of time!"
***
Fred drew his old fingers down the left side of his cheek, a smile spread across his lips. He then closed the book, and placed it back from where he'd gotten it. Then, he exited the room.
The carpeted stairs cushioned his footsteps as he came down, and into the living room. He could here Velma and Shaggy talking to each other in the kitchen. He came down the corridor, and looked into the kitchen.
Shaggy was cleaning some vegetables, while Velma was busy steering something in a pot. They were talking about some of their past adventures; laughing at some of Shaggy's old antics. Just like the old days.
Fred smiled, as he entered the kitchen. "Hey Fred," Shaggy said, looking up from peeling a potato, "Dinner will be ready in about half an hour."
"Fine," Fred said, looking at the fridge. "Is it okay if I have a beer?"
"Go right ahead," Shaggy said, motioning with his head, "And Fred, you don't have to ask."
"Thanks," Fred said, as he opened the door, and pulled out a light beer. The can hissed at him as he opened it, and headed out the front door to the porch.
He paused, as his eyes suddenly meet Daphne's. She was sitting on the far side of the porch, sitting in one of the three rocking chairs that were seated around a small coffee table. In one hand, rested a wine glass, filled with some bubbly.
She didn't say a single word, as she looked at him, and then turned away to look at the horizon.
"Hey," Fred said, taking a few small steps towards her.
Daphne just 'humphed' her reply, not bothering to turn her head towards him.
"It's nice to see you again, Daphe," Fred said softly. Daphne didn't answer. "After all these years, I'm glad you haven't forgotten about me."
"Forgotten about you!?!" She suddenly cried out, "I spent a better half of a decade trying to forget about you!" She pointed her finger at him as she shouted. "You left me all alone, Freddy, we were supposed to be together, forever, and you blew it!"
Fred just nodded in reply. "Yes Daphne," he admitted, "It was my fault, all of it."
"Finally," she said, "Something we can agree on."
"I'm so sorry, Daphne,"
"Sorry doesn't cut it, Fredrick," Daphne snapped, "It would've been okay about 29 years ago, heck, maybe even 25 years ago, but not today, Fred, never today!"
"Well, what do you want me to say?" He asked.
"There's nothing you can say, Fred," Daphne replied. "You owe me more than just an apology, you owe me a God Damned life!"
"So," Fred said softly, "You do remember that day of the big game."
"Remember it?" Daphne said in a low menacing voice, "It was the one thing that haunted me all my life. You never forget something like that day, Fred, never!" She gave a small glimpse of teeth. "When I first saw you in the kitchen, the first thing I wanted to scream at you was why? Why you left me hanging like that. When you gave that dumb answer, 'I thought I did,' well, it was just too much." She turned her head away and shut her eyes.
"I was sad too, Daphne," Fred replied. "I was sad that we were separating. You still wanted to chase ghosts, and I had my future to think about." He paused and licked the moisture from his lips. "I couldn't keep up with you Daphe, You had the Blake family fortune behind you, and what the hell did I have?"
"You had me," Daphne said. "I would've supported you Fred, I told you so, about thirty times during our last night together."
"But what would that make me into?" Fred asked. "I need to prove to myself that I can be a self made man, Daphne."
"Just like you damn jocks," Daphne snapped, "You have to prove yourselves to the females. Nothing more than pissing contests, and beating chests."
"You saw that?" Fred asked his eyes wide, as his mind flashed back to his younger days in high school. For the first time since they'd seen each other, Daphne smiled.
"You really didn't think I'd buy that stupid cover story did you?" Fred just blinked.
"Why didn't you try to find me?" Fred asked after a moments silence.
"I was too consumed with rage," Daphne replied with a shrug. "When I found out your bus had left, and you never gave me the time, I actually kicked over a vending machine." She wiggled around her foot.
"You did that?" Fred asked. One corner of Daphne's mouth turned up slightly.
"I got a bill for $500, if that answers your question." Fred chuckled softly.
"Why didn't you ever show that side when we were chasing ghosts?"
"It was one of those spur of the moment things," Daphne replied with a shrug. "None of those ghosts got on my horrible side, not as much as you did that day." She shrugged. "It was just a mixture of feelings; anger, love, regret, fear. They all exploded at once and… bang." She gave a small kicking motion with her right foot.
"I wish I had been there to see that," Fred chuckled. "When I think of all the great times we had together, Daphne, I'm really sorry that I left in the first place."
"Why did you leave, Fred?" Daphne suddenly asked.
"It was more or less, to prove myself to you, that there was more to Fred Jones, than just Gridiron." He looked away at the front yard. "The truth was, I felt like I was being left behind." He sighed loudly. "Don't get me wrong, Daphne, it was fun, the times I spent with Mystery Inc, but as time dragged on, I began to grow up. My friends that I hung out with in high school were finishing their collage courses, and graduating, getting jobs. By 1973, I was the only one of my original group of school friends, who hadn't gotten a job. I felt like the dork who comes in last at the big marathon race. When I was with you guys, Mystery Inc I mean, solving mysteries, it was fun, living out a boy-hood dream like Peter Pan. The boy who never grew up. But I had to grow up Daphe, I couldn't stay a boy forever. That and my parents keep pressuring me to take up that course."
"You know," Daphne said, "If it makes you feel any better, my father pressured me into getting a job, and to stop running around."
"But you still had adventures," Fred said, "You, Shaggy, Scooby, Scrappy, and then -- what's-his-name…"
"Flim Flam?"
"Yeah, him. You guys still managed to live out the dream, the dream I had to leave behind." He shrugged in defeat. "I wish I could've been there for you Daphne, I really do. But I wanted to make my own decisions, the decisions that I thought would be the right ones. Except I made all the wrong ones, and I ended up losing something much more than my dignity." He looked deep into her eyes. "I lost the woman I loved. All because of who I was."
Daphne bit her lip, and then said; "I can't feel sorry for you Fred, not after so long. You… you just have to know what it was like for me. I was devastated. Angry, sad, lonely. At first, I thought you'd call, you'd ring me up to make a date to see me again." She lowered her gaze to the floor. "Well, when that call never came. Hope gave into despair, and anger. I turned all my frustrations towards you, like an invisible punching bag. Anything that went wrong in my life, I blamed you, and for a while, it worked."
"What happened?"
"It all came to a head in '88. I suffered a nervous brake down. The doctor said that it was an emotional clash, between my feelings for you, and my method of dealing with them. You see…" She paused, and then built up the courage. "I still love you, Fred. That's what caused my major problems. I was blaming you for all my bad actions, but I was still madly in love with you, that it was like trying to go through a swinging door with someone on the other side, trying to do the same thing."
"So what happened next?"
"The doctor told me that I should try and set things straight with you, but since I told him I didn't know where to find you, he told me that I should forget about you, focus all my energies on something else. So I launched myself into acting. It gave me other things to think about, and over time, you were just lost to my memory, buried down under an emotional pile of garbage."
"Gee," Fred muttered, "No wounder you were so steamed when you saw me."
"Yes," Daphne grumbled, "When Shaggy called me, everything came flooding back, and so did my emotional problems. It slowly burnt down, like a wick, and when you came into the room, ka-boom."
"So to cut a long story short, you still love me?"
"What the hell do you think?" She snapped, as she jumped up from her chair, and glared right into his eyes.
There was a long silence that passed between the two of them, as they just stared at each other, none of them saying anything. Then, slowly, they bent towards each other's lips, and just as slowly, they kissed.
As they kissed, Fred's right hand came up and cupped behind Daphne's ear, fingers slowly moving to the back of her head. Her arms then moved and encircled Fred's waist, just as Fred's other hand came up and moved around her shoulders.
Then, they were hugging each other close, as they passionately kissed. Anger and frustration had finally given away to love, as they clutched each other, lavishing the other with kisses.
"Oh, Daphne," Fred mumbled, as he managed to brake contact for a brief moment.
"Fred," She whispered her lips seeking to resume the kiss that had been broken off. They kissed for what seemed like hours, until suddenly, Fred broke off.
"I can't," he muttered, as he turned his head away. "I just can't."
"Can't what?" Daphne asked, slightly confused. "What's wrong with you now?"
"It just isn't right," Fred mumbled, not answering Daphne's question.
"What isn't right?" Daphne was getting annoyed. "Jess Fred, you sure now how to kill the mode."
"Daphne," he said, turning around to face her, "There's something I have to tell you."
"What?" She asked, her brow frowning in curiosity.
"I- I'm married." Fred said. Daphne froze. She blinked a few times.
"What?" She finally asked.
Fred sighed loudly, then said, "I'm already married. I have been since 1976." Daphne's jaw was clenched.
"Married," she said through her teeth. "You, went and got married!?!" Fred could make out her fists, slowly tightening.
*Oh shit!* He thought.
"YOU BASTERED!!!" She shouted, as her hands came up and grabbed Fred's shoulders. Fred never had any time to react, as he suddenly felt his weight sift violently to the right, and he cried out in alarm, as he was sent sprawling over the railing and into Shaggy's flowerbed below.
Fred roared in pain as he landed on his back, his feet up in the air, and his arms spread out beside him. He moaned as lay there, the flowers crushed beneath his back, and his spine in terrible pain.
Suddenly, the front door was opened and Shaggy and Velma spilled out onto the porch.
"What the hell just --!" Shaggy started as he saw a pair of legs sticking straight up from his flow garden. "My flowers!" Shaggy cried out.
"Never mind the flowers," Velma snapped pushing past him, as he hurried down the front steps, to see Fred groaning on the ground. "Fred?" She asked him, "Are you okay?"
"No," he replied weakly.
"What did you do this time?" Shaggy asked.
"He's married!" Daphne snarled, and stormed past him and into the house.
"You should've lied to the both of them Shaggy," Velma said, "We're going to have nothing but trouble for the rest of our visit."
"Alright, so I made a mistake," Shaggy said, "Can we just drop it!?"
"Hey," came a meek voice from the garden, "A little help?"
"Oh, sorry Fred," Velma said, as she and Shaggy came to his aid. They both gabbed one arm, and pulled him back, until he could touch the ground with his feet. Then, they helped him stand, and guided him over to one of the porch chairs, helping him lie down.
Fred moaned in pain, as he was eased into the chair. "Argh, I think I need to lie down on a bed," he groaned trough his clenched teeth.
"Okay, just try and keep it together." Velma comforted him, as she and Shaggy both got one arm around him, and helped him inside.
As they closed the door behind them, nobody had seemed to notice the man standing over by the streetlight across the other side of the road. He wore a black business suit, and wore black-rimmed shades. He was leaning against the lamppost, with his arms cross.
He was still chuckling as he watched Velma, and Shaggy help Fred inside. "Love," he muttered, "Always ends in pain." He chuckled again, and then scratched his chin in deep thought. He hummed to himself. "That little side show has given me an idea. Perhaps I can be triumphant if I approach this at a different angle."
Then, sticking his hands in his pockets, he took a step back, into the shadows… and vanished.
***
Fred groaned in pain, as both Velma and Shaggy eased him back onto Shaggy's bed. They then took of his shoes, and moved his legs up onto the bed, helping him turn about.
"Thanks guys," Fred sighed, as he got comfortable. "I think I'm gonna be alright."
"I still think you should see a chiropractor, just to be on the safe side," Velma said. "Other than that, I think it's dinner in bed for you tonight."
"On any other day of the week, I would've been thrilled," Fred, said with a smile, "However, I'm in too much pain to be excited." He wedged his right hand under his back, and felt his spine. Moaning as he did so. "Dear God, that smarts."
"I think it best you stay out of Daphne's sight for a while," Shaggy replied, looking over his shoulder as if at Daphne's room. "Come to think of it, I'd better check up on her," he then turned about and left the room.
"You know," Fred muttered to Velma, "I really don't blame her for pushing me over that porch." He turned away and faced the window. "I deserved that."
"I'm sure Daphne really didn't mean it, Fred," Velma said. "You know her, always impulsive."
"Impulsive?" Fred turned to face her. "She's fanatical."
"What do you mean?" Velma asked, one eyebrow cocked.
"Velma," Fred began, "Do you remember what Daphne's contribution to Mystery Inc. was?"
Velma thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't believe she contributed anything."
"Exactly," Fred replied. "She was always getting caught by the bad guy, ruining my traps, and was nothing more than a burden."
"What's the point?"
"She put up with all of it, because of me," Fred answered. "I convinced her to join Mystery Inc. She put up with all her clumsiness, all the villains, so she could be with me, and how do I repay her?" He scoffed loudly, as he turned back to the window. "I lose her." He sighed loudly. "God, I'm such a shit! She should be the one who married, not me! I've put her through so much, Velma, it just seems so unfair!"
When Shaggy entered Daphne's room, he expected her to be packing her things up again, like last time, or crashing about the room in a fit of rage. However, when he approached her door, he heard crying.
He knocked on her door, "Daphne?" He called out softly, "Are you okay?"
"Please, Shaggy," came her sobbing response, "Go away."
Shaggy sighed, then opened the door, and walked on inside. Daphne sat on the opposite side of the bed, facing the window, her head down, her face cupped in her hands.
"Daphne…" Shaggy started.
"What part of 'Go away,' don't you under stand," Daphne growled.
"Look," Shaggy hastily interrupted, "I can see you're in a lot of pain right now, so,"
"So why don't you go away?" She snapped.
"Because you need to speak to someone right now." He shrugged, "Maybe I'm not the best person, but I'm volunteering." He spread his arms wide. "So what's it gonna be?"
She sniffed, and then turned about to face him. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her checks were wet. "All right," she said softly, "you can stay."
"Daphe?" Shaggy asked, "Why did you react that way?"
"Because," Daphne snapped, "He cheated me again! I gave up my life for him, and he goes ahead and gets married to some… some… cheap stripped!"
"I don't think miss Jones is a stripper, Daphne," Shaggy said, as he rounded the bed to her side. Daphne clenched her teeth and the phrase, 'Miss Jones.'
"That should've been me," she hissed. "It was supposed to be me!"
"Well," Shaggy replied with a shrug, "Unless you figure out the secret of Tim travel, then it ain't gonna happen."
Daphne spun around and cried out, "Shaggy that's not funny!"
"Wasn't intended to be," he replied, looking out the window. "It was supposed to wake you up."
"What dose that mean?"
"Come on, Daphne," Shaggy said, sitting down beside her, "You're smarter than that. Do you remember this morning, when I came and picked you up from the airport?" Daphne nodded. "Do you remember what you told me, when I back away from a relationship?" Daphne nodded. "You told me that I shouldn't spent the rest of my life moaning about something I never did! Well, it seems to me that the shoes on the other foot! You're good at giving advice, but not following it."
"Shaggy," Daphne moaned.
"Fred thought he'd lost you, so he wasn't going to spend the rest of his life sulking over the loss of you, so he found happiness, and so should you!"
"You're right Shaggy," she moaned, "I have been living in the past way too much." She paused, as an idea came to her mind. "Okay, Shaggy, on one condition."
"Name it."
"Invite that girl from the airport around for dinner tomorrow night."
"You mean Ellen?" Shaggy was taken back.
"If I have to leave the past behind, you should too! Invite her around."
"Uhh," Shaggy shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think that's such..."
"Shaggy!" She said with a stern look.
"All right," he said, holding his hands up in defence. "I'll ask her around."
"And I'm going to make sure you do!" She said, standing up, "Now excuse me, I need to go wash my face."
"Why did you do that?" Shaggy asked, his face now held a stern look. Daphne turned about and smiled at him.
"That, my dear Rodgers, was for deceiving me in the first place!" Then, she was gone.
Shaggy turned to face the window, and dropped down on the bed. "Man, a date!" He muttered to himself. He'd never been on a date before in his life. How do you work a date? What dose a girl want to do on a date?
Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he jumped of the bed, "Oh good God, I forgot!" He rushed out of the bedroom, down the hall, and flew down the stairs. The water in the pot was beginning to boil over just as he arrived in the nick of time.
"What's the matter?" Velma asked from upstairs. Lifting off the lid, Shaggy picked up two oven mittens and took the pot of the stove, pouring the water out into the kitchen sink.
Then, putting the pot down, went to the kitchen door, and called out, "Dinners ready!"
THE NEXT MORNING…
The sounds of somebody rummaging through his fridge brought Shaggy back to reality. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and sat up of the couch, the blanket falling to the floor as he swung his legs out, and sat up, stretching and yawning.
He scratched under his armpit, and got up, heading for the kitchen. Velma was rummaging through the fridge, looking for a jar of jam as Shaggy walked though the door.
"Morning," he muttered, heading for the coffee pot.
"Morning," she repeated.
"Coffee?" He asked, as he picked up the pot.
"Please." She replied, finally finding the jam. Shaggy set about making the coffee, jumping as the toaster beside him suddenly popped.
"Toast is ready." He said. Velma grabbed the two pieces and hurried them over to the cutting bord. "How did you sleep last night?"
"Fine," she said, as she fished out a butter knife, "How about you?"
"When you spend most of your younger years sleeping in the back of a van, a couch is nothing." He put the kettle on the stove, and started to wait.
The sound of somebody coming down the stairs made them both turn, just in time to see Daphne walk through the door. "*Yawn* Good morning everyone!" She said, as she came through.
"Good morning," Shaggy and Velma chorused. Velma held up a piece of toast.
"Toast?" She asked. Daphne just shook her head, as he headed for the cupboard next to the fridge, and pulled out a box of Corn Flakes.
"Coffee?" Shaggy asked.
"Oh, God yes!" She replied, as she closed the fridge, cereal in one hand, and milk in the other. "Where do you keep the bowls?" Shaggy pointed to a door just below to her left.
"Hows Fred doing?" Shaggy asked Velma.
"He's fine for the moment," she said, as she finished spreading some jam on her toast. "However, I managed to get him an appointment with a chiropractor at 10:15, this morning." They all glanced over at Daphne, who just pulled a face.
"So, what dose he want for breakfast?"
"I haven't asked him yet," Velma replied, heading for the table, "He's still asleep. What time is it now?"
Shaggy glanced at his wristwatch. "It's 8:03."
"Time to get moving then," Velma, replied as she bit into her toast.
"That's the beauty of being retired," Shaggy said with a grin, as the kettle started to boil. "Not having to go to work at all."
"Ah-hem!" Daphne said, and nodded with her head towards the phone. Shaggy looked at her, then the phone, and back to her. "Yes." She said, nodding her head.
"Alright," Shaggy muttered, "I'll call her."
"And it's tonight."
"I know, I know." Shaggy grumbled. He poured the coffee, and went over to the pin bord on the right side of the fridge, and pulled off a piece of paper. Then, walked over to the phone.
"What was that all about?" Velma asked Daphne, as she swallowed a lump of toast.
"I finally got Shaggy to accept a life," she said with a smile.
"You mean he actually has a girl he can call?" She asked, her eyes widening.
"Yeah, her names Ellen Yindle, she has a thing for Shaggy, I could tell from my meeting with her."
"How come I haven't met her?"
"She works at the airport, that's how I met her. If I hadn't come by plane, I wouldn't have known she exists."
"And she's coming over here tonight?"
"That's what I hope, anyway."
"So, finally, Shaggy will have someone." Velma smiled. "So, what about you then, Daphne?"
"Not right now, Velma," Daphne muttered, "I'm not in the mode to go looking for love."
"If not now, then when?" Velma asked.
"Don't push me, please," Daphne grumbled. "I've had enough of people telling me that I should get a relationship. My manager, my fans, my parents, and now my friends." She looked over at the kitchen sink. "Would you like to plunge the coffee?"
Velma got up and plunged the coffee, then poured one for Shaggy, one for herself, and one for Daphne.
"So, Daphne," Velma asked, as she sat back down, "What are your plans for the morning?"
"I don't know," she said with a shrug, "I did plan on seeing some of Seattle's sights, visit the space needle. The tourist thing."
"I've herd that the Harbour's nice this time of year," Velma said. "You could use some sea air, and who knows, maybe you'll find someone."
"I don't think so," Daphne said, sipping her coffee. "I know that you and Shaggy are trying to get my mind of Fred, but getting a boyfriend is not the way I wish to handle it."
"Well, just go and play the tourist then," Velma said. "I have to leave with Fred at 9:15, I can drop you off at the Harbour on the way." Daphne thought about it. "Go on," Velma encouraged her, "It'll give you time to think."
"Fine," Daphne said, "The Harbour it is."
THE HARBOUR: A Two And A Half Hours Later…
Daphne was resting against the wooden railing of the bord walk that overlooked the harbour waters. Behind her, a young couple in their early 20's walked past, laughing, with their arms around each other. Daphne turned away from the scene.
She glanced down at her reflection in the shimmering ocean, and sighed.
"Oh Fred," she moaned softly, closing her eyes. "Why couldn't we have been together?" She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears.
"A beautiful rose, for a beautiful lady!"
"Huh?" Daphne lifted her head at the sudden voice that appeared from her left. She opened her eyes to see a man in his late forties and six feet tall, standing next to her, holding a single red rose out to her. He had light brown hair, with a light purple shirt, and tourney coloured trousers, with white sneakers. But what was most intriguing about him, were his deep pricing blue eyes. They were like the colour of tropical waters and almost as liquid.
She just stared at his eyes, almost lost in them.
"Well?" He asked again.
"Oh!" She said, breaking herself out of the trance. "I'm sorry, I-I," she stuttered in confusion, then asked, "who are you?"
"Forgive me," the man replied, "My name is Manwell DeLasanger."
"That's Spanish," Daphne said, "Yet you sound American."
"My parents are Spanish," Manwell, replied, "Even though I was born in America, they insisted that I have a Spanish name." He then held up the rose again. "Well?" He asked, a hopeful smile on his lips.
"Well what?" Daphne asked.
"Well," Manwell replied, "Would you accept this rose from me?" He held it closer to Daphne.
"Look buddy," Daphne said, "If I had a nickel for every time some stranger has tried that line on me, I wouldn't be wasting my time on the docks."
Manwell's face sagged, and the rose was lowered to his side. "Sorry," he said, as he turned about, "I apologise for disturbing you."
Daphne watched him leave. He looked really devastated, as he tossed the rose into a garbage bin. Suddenly, she felt a wave of guilt flow over her. Manwell had sunk his hands into his pocket and was trudging along, his head down.
"What am I doing," Daphne muttered, as he hurried after him. "Hey," she called out. Manwell turned about, a look of surprise on his face.
"Yes?" he asked.
Daphne reached into the bin, and pulled out the rose. It was still in perfect condition. "I'm not doing anything right now, and I hear that the park is lovely during this time of the day."
Manwell smiled, as he fully turned around, and walked over to Daphne. "Would you like some company then?" He asked.
Daphne hooker her arm out and smiled back. "I would love some, please." Manwell hooked his arm around hers, and together they walked of down the bord walk.
"What made you change your mind?" Manwell asked.
"Oh," Daphne said with a pleasant sigh, "I just realised that I was taking my frustration out on you, something you don't deserve."
"Really?" Manwell said, "May I inquire as to what made you frustrated in the first place."
"Oh, never mind," Daphne said, "It's… all in the past." She cuddled closer to Manwell. "I'm more concerned about the future."
"Really?" Manwell said, "What a coincidence. So am I." He said, as he reached into his right pocket, and pulled out a pair of black coloured shades. "So am I." He repeated slowly, and then he chuckled softly, as he put the shades on, just in time to hide a red glair that suddenly flashed from beneath the shades for only a brief second.