The Darkest Hours
Chapter Two
Note: It's the same this as I said in the prologue.
And I'm sorry, I've been spelling Dinkly, its Dinkley!
Coolsville Hospital
Around midnight Velma was removed from the OR to the ICU where several guards were posted outside her room. She miraculously was awake and functional after the surgery. There was major blood loss but there was little damage to her vocal cords. Only her family and mystery inc. were allowed in the tinny hospital room, who feared the attackers return.
Shaggy walked numbly down the hall towards her room, thinking nothing else but her tiny form laying crumpled on the backseat of her car, her blood covering the inside of her car. This scared him, this was the first time anyone had hurt Velma and it brought the feelings of hopelessness to him, overwhelming him as the came closed to the room. He wanted to hunt down whoever dared to hurt his Velma and kill him with his own two hands and watch them suffer. When they reached her room the guards opened the door and his eyes fell upon her and his heart wrenched. She lay motionless in the bed, her eyes were focused on the ceiling, and the gauze that was wrapped upon her neck was slightly blood. She looked so tiny to him that he felt that he held her tightly in his arms that she would break. The 6 went inside, the only sound was the heart monitor's shrill beep as Velma's heart pumped within her chest. Her parents were the first to greet her, then the gang were able to get close to her. Daphne couldn't contain herself any longer and threw her arms around Velma. Velma chuckled softly, it was a horse and faint sound. Daphne finally let her go but held her hand and looked into her face.
"I was so scared that you died, then I would have lost my best friend. And you can't leave me here with the guys! Never do that again!" she exclaimed, Velma smiled and shook her head. Then she grabbed a small notepad and a pen, then leaned forward and handed it to Shaggy, then he looked down at the notepad.
"Shag,
Do you have my extra pair of glasses?"
He smiled and reached into his pocket where he fished out a glass case. Opening it he grabbed a pair of glasses and handed them to her.
"Here ya go, Velms" he said, she put them on and mouthed 'thank you'. Daphne moved and allowed Shaggy to get by Velma's side. Daphne wrapped her arms around Fred and they smiled. Shaggy wrapped his arms around Velma and held her close, he released a shaky sigh then kissed her forehead and released her. Then Scooby jumped on the bed and licked Velma's face. "Ri Rove Rou, Relma" he said, she smiled and mouthed 'I love you too, Scooby Doo' and kissed him on the nose. Then the Great Dane smiled and laid his head on her stomach, her hand stroked the top of the dog's head. Fred leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
"How ya doin?" he asked, Velma shrugged and it clearly said 'meh'. A police officer entered the room and looked at the bunch.
"I'm Detective David Moody. I'd like to ask Ms. Dinkley some questions about her attack." He said. She wrote:
"Yes,
What is it?"
"What happened to you, do you remember anything that happened to you?" Moody asked.
"I was heading to my car and someone grabbed me from behind. He slammed my head into the car's roof and said it was my last warning and told me to stop investigating. Then he sliced my throat open starting with the jugular."
"What did he mean by last warning?" Moody asked. She sighed and began to write again.
"Someone has been following me, its been happening for about 3 months. He's been taking pictures of me in my house, at work and on the street, then e-mailing them to me. I've gotten threating phone calls on tape and I saved some letters."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Shaggy asked, when his eyes met Velma's he saw them glittering with tears.
"I'm sorry Shag. He said if I told anyone, he'd hurt one of you or my family."
Shaggy saw a tear fall and wiped it away.
"Do you live by yourself Ms. Dinkley?" Moody asked.
"No, I share an apartment with Shaggy." She wrote, smiling then it quickly vanished. Shaggy smiled and remembered how surprised she was when she got the apartment. It had been her 18th birthday and he hid the keys in a small box, then layered it this 20 more boxes. She looked at him with confusing in her brown eyes and then he blindfolded her and took her to their apartment. When he removed the blindfold she was in a spacious two-bedroom apartment with a balcony with Daphne and Fred living in the two-bedroom apartment across the hall. He remembered how excited she was as she jumped into his arms and kissed him on the lips, it hadn't been their first kiss, but it was something he always liked to remember.
"Shaggy, eh? Well Mr.…?" Moody asked.
"My name is Norville Rodgers." Shaggy said, Moody laughed but covered it as a cough.
"Sorry, anyway Mr. Rodgers, have you seen or heard anything that Ms. Dinkley has described?" "No, I just found out about it now. We have different phone lines and I don't read her letters or e-mail." Shaggy explained. Moody nodded, and Velma handed Shaggy the notebook.
" I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I didn't want to see anyone hurt, you all mean too much to me."
"It ok, I understand." He said, he sat at her side and pulled her into his arms and held her close, he released her but not before he kissed her on the cheek.
Velma felt her cheeks get hot, and she knew she was blushing, she had always loved Shaggy, and she had all her life. She remembered her senior prom, and sighed happily, he had taken her and she remembered the feel of his arms around her, the smell of his cologne, the beating of his heart as she rested her head on his chest as they slow danced.
"Ms. Dinkley?" Moody asked, she tilted her head to him, then he continued.
"I called my rookie partner when I was on my way over, he should he here at any moment, he may be new, but he knows what to do to help protect you." Just as he finished a 23 year old man came in, his spiky hair was the first thing that got everyone's attention, it had over 20 spikes in it, he was wearing a leather coat, where his badge was displayed.
"Mystery Inc. It's so good to meet you, I've followed your work for a while. You guys rule! By the way, I'm Brad Nelson" (Picture Brad from The Scooby Doo movie. He was the guy that was thrown by Carol when the gang first arrived on Spooky Island. If you don't remember, go to my voyforum, I have pictures.) He shook their hands, then got back to work.
"Its been said that 'cruelty isn't softened by tears, it feeds on them' (upon hearing this Velma smiled.) It seems true in your case, I was just at the scene, and it's a miracle that you're even alive, Ms. Dinkley, you're very lucky." Velma nodded and shrugged, then Brad added. "I'd like to speak to Ms. Dinkley alone for a few moments. Can everyone please leave?" he asked. The group nodded and said their good-byes then left.
Meanwhile
Fred led Daphne from the hospital and to a coffee shop across the street, where he ordered them coffee.
"Are you ok?" he asked, Daphne nodded then added.
"I am know that I know that she's alright." "Me too." Fred agreed.
"Who could do this to Velma? She never harmed anyone in her life." Daphne asked.
"Well, no, but she did put a lot of people in jail." Fred said.
"I know, but we did too! This shouldn't have happened. Fred, we have to do something." Daphne said, Fred leaned over and kissed her, she didn't refuse the kiss, and kissed him back.
"Not that!" she said, laughing, he smiled and laughed too.
"I know, I just wanted to see you smile. I love you, Daphne. I've got to ask you something, will you marry me?" Fred asked.