The Darkest Hours
Chapter Three
The Coolsville Hospital
One Week Later
8:30 am
Rookie Detective Brad Nelson sat at Velma Dinkley's side, his rich brown eyes studied her intently. She sat there thinking, her bandages from her throat had been removed, revealing her neck that had a jagged cut that has stitched across it. It was healing slowly, but she was finally able to speak once again. He had come up with a plan to keep her safe and was waiting for her to respond.
"I'm going to need your answer soon, Ms. Dinkley, so I can begin." Brad said, Velma looked up at him and turned her head to the side.
"Please, call me Velma, and I like your plan. I'll start my part as soon as I can." she replied.
"Ok, Velma. I'll call you when I'm done. Then we can do this." Brad said.
"Ok, Detective Nelson." she said, his smiled and turned to her.
"Please, call me Brad." they smiled and she watched him leave the room and bump into Shaggy Rodgers. She smiled when she saw a single red rose in his hand, twirling it in between his long fingers.
"Hi Velms. How ya feelin?" he asked, handing her the rose and sitting at her side.
"I'm doing a lot better, thanks Shag." she said, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. She settled back down and watched him blush, she giggled and felt like blushing too.
"That's good. Look, Velma, I gotta tell you, like, something. Like, I think its, like, time to tell you." he said. She arched her eyebrow and looked to him, frightened that it was bad news.
"Yes?" she asked, after waiting for him to speak again.
"Um, like, I've been wanting to tell you this for, like, a long time. Uh, I love you. I've loved you for, like, my whole life." he said, telling her his deepest secret. Oh my God, he loves me! He LOVES me! Me! she thought, happily.
"I love you too, Norville." she said, only she could get away with calling him, Norville. He despised his name, but she couldn't blame him, besides, Shaggy suited him much better. I can't believe it! She loves me!!!! Shaggy thought. He pulled her to him and kissed her hard on the lips, the kiss was long and passionate.
"Jinkies" she murmured when it broke, at the same time he had said "Zoinks". They smiled and kissed again, until they heard someone clear their throat. It was Jonathan and Stella Dinkley, they were leaning in the doorway watching the two. Stella was beaming at the two while Jonathan shook his head.
"I'm sorry." Shaggy said, he blushed and moved aside.
"Hey sweetheart, how are you doing?" Stella asked, hugging her daughter.
"I'm fine, mom. How are you?" Stella loved hearing her daughters voice again.
"We're fine. What did the doctors say?" Jonathan asked.
"They said I can go home tomorrow, and I can't wait to get out of here." Velma said, sighing in relief. Scooby Doo made his way into the room, with a container of soup in his mouth.He jumped on the bed and set it on her stomach.
"Rere rou ro" he said, and smiled when Velma began to pet his head.
"Thank you, Scooby." she kissed his nose and he blushed. He licked her face and hopped off the bed. She opened it and began to eat, she was happy this wasn't hospital food, hospital food sucked.
"We have to go now, see you tomorrow." Stella said, she kissed her daughter on the cheek and went out the door. Jonathan kissed his daughters head and followed his wife out the door. Velma smiled and looked up to Shaggy then remember the plan. No, not now, no she thought. She was going to leave, go into hiding with Brad as her bodyguard, and was never to see Mystery Inc. again. She began to cry, Shaggy moved to comfort her, not understanding why she was crying. He sat at her side, holding her while she cried.
"I'm happy." she sobbed, she wasn't lying, she truly was happy, but now she couldn't be.
"Me too." Shaggy said, then an idea struck him. "Hey, maybe you could come home today." he added. She couldn't see why not, she was healed, all she needed were the stitches out, but that would take a few weeks.
"Yeah. I want to, too. Can you call my doctor?" she asked, Shaggy left the room and came back a few minutes later with her doctor in tow.
"Shaggy has told me that you want to go home. Is that correct?" he asked, Velma nodded, and he continued. " I don't see anything wrong with it. So, if you want you can sign yourself out and I'll see you in a few weeks." Velma smiled and thanked him as he began taking out her IV's and the heart monitor off. After her put a bandaid on her arm she stood up. Shaggy handed her some clothes that they had brought her and she went into the bathroom to change. After she was dressed she grabbed her rose and Shaggy wrapped his arms around her as they left the room with Scooby Doo on their heels.
At their apartment
Shaggy unlocked the door and they walked inside. Velma breathed in deeply.
"It feels good to be home." she sighed happily, as she went inside.
"Do you want me to run you a bath?" he asked, she smiled, and nodded. When she walked into the bathroom she smiled, there were candles lit everywhere and the bathtub was full and waiting for her.
"Thank you." she said, getting on her tip toes to kiss Shaggy on the cheek. She began to take off her shirt and he turned away. She smiled and continued to take off her shirt.
"Shag, you don't have to do that. You've seen me without my shirt before. Besides, we're together now, its alright." she said, and she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could before she left him. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his back. Then added. "Besides, I want you join me. I'd feel a lot better if you would." Shaggy turned to her; his eyes were nearly bugged out of his head. She just smiled, and continued to undress.
"Are you sure you want me to do this?" he asked, she laughed as he turned away again. She walked over to the tub and stepped in, and closed the curtain.
"Yes, I'm sure, all I want you to do is hold me. I'm scared Norville, the guy who hurt me is still out there and could kill me at any moment. Have you thought of that? I only want to feel safe, and I know I'll be safe in your arms." she whispered.
"I know. I'm scared too, I nearly lost you once and I'm not willing to lose you ever again. Now close your eyes or something so I can get in." he said, with a light laugh. Velma chuckled and covered her eyes, when she heard him step in and sit down she removed her hands. He pulled her to him and she rested her head on his chest, sighed she murmured 'Thank You' and closed her eyes. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes as well. They lay in each other's arms for hours, holding one another (Not doing anything else, geeze!) Later that night they got out of the tub and put on their bathrobes, and then they laid on the couch and slept. Velma woke up around midnight and got up. She walked to the kitchen where a window was open, she didn't remember there being a window open, then saw a note on the counter. There was a picture of her and Shaggy asleep in the bath, another one of Scooby sleeping on Shaggy's bed and one of Daphne and Freddy, who were asleep in bed together. She looked down at the note and sighed, a tear rolled down her face. She heard a light knock on the door and knew it was Brad. She opened the door and let him in.
"I have your things, I let myself in earlier, get dressed, and lets go." he said. She sighed and went to dress. When she got dressed she wrote a quick note and passed the couch. She kissed Shaggy on the lips, and he still didn't awaken. She began to cry as she set down her note and left.
Hours later
Shaggy woke and Velma was no where in sight, he looked around and she wasn't there. Why isn't she here, where'd she go? he asked himself. He saw a note on the table and he went over to it.
"Shaggy,
By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I'm so sorry, don't get me wrong. I love you and this has nothing to do with you. I got another note from the killer and more pictures. They are on the kitchen counter, once again I'm sorry, my love. Please forgive me. I love you with all my heart, please don't look for me and please forgive me. I will love you always.
Velma"