Tumbling Through the Stars

A story by Amanda Dressel

Author's Note: This is based off of a series I am working on, so Daphne's last name is O'Kelley instead of Blake. It will be explained in further chapters. I hope you enjoy this piece.

Disclaimer: Scooby-Doo and all related characters are copyrighted to Hanna Barbera.

Mike is copyrighted to Amanda Dressel and E. M. McGrath.

Remember seeking moons rebirth
Rains made mirrors of the earth
The sun was just yellow energy
It is a living promise land
Even over fields of sand
Seasons fill my mind and
Cover me
From bringing back
More than a memory

You'll be my vacation away from this place
You know what I want
Holding that cup,
It's pouring over the sides
Make me wanna spread my arms and fly

-Gavin DeGraw; Chariot

Creamy red locks obscured a fair-skinned face as the wind came in from the bay. Cool gusts blew the strands from Daphne O'Kelley's eyes as she slowly approached the doors of Studio Channel Six. She squinted her eyes as the wind dried them out, the pale blue orbs taking a scan over the landscape.

So far, she was the only one in the parking lot, the only sound being the rhythmic tap-tap of her violet heels as she moved for the large steel double doors on the side of the building.

Despite the early hours, there was one other person on the grounds. Daphne turned as she heard the slam of a door and some rustling, scattered throughout those sounds was a small collection of clinks and shuffles, like those sounds made of metal tapping against another metal material. Upon craning her neck to investigate, the redheaded woman saw an unfamiliar figure exiting the gardening shed several yards off, near the curb of the parking lot.

As the early sun rose in the east, it spilled across the stranger's form as he carried some gardening equipment over to his worksite near the double doors. He was tall, at least six feet tall, with a medium build. A crimson mane of back-length hair flapped like a flag behind his head as it hung in a ponytail. Daphne shifted her eyes to his slender face, shaped with high cheekbones, a long, somewhat crooked nose, and a pair of emerald green eyes, shadowed by thick red brows as he set his tools down in the grass nearby. He kneeled down and began to sift through the soil with a pair of large, gloved hands.

Daphne watched him for a moment, having stopped short and not noticing her action. He watched him curiously, then shrugged.

He's just buckling down for work, like everyone, she thought as she approached the double doors. She halted near the edge of the sidewalk and began to look through her keys. The jingling caught the man's attention, and he looked up.

Daphne felt the presence of being watched, not that she was unfamiliar to it. In fact, she had grown accustomed to the feeling of being watched; her experience as a detective had trained her senses to pick up those feelings. But this wasn't a malevolent feeling being given. So, lowering her mental guard of ignoring such feelings, Daphne blinked and looked back at him. She smiled.

"Hello, I've never seen you around here before," she said in the tone of a warm, medium alto.

The red-haired man nodded. "Yeah, today's only my second day here. So you must be..?" His deep Irish lilt trailed off as he tried to search for the name.

"Daphne. Daphne O'Kelley," she replied, holding out her hand, "And you are?"

The stranger nodded to her and reached out, shaking her hand. "Mike. Mike Shamus O'Toolie. Nice to see a kind face around here."

"Seamus? That's my father's name," Daphne chortled, emitting a grin from her companion. "So… You sound like you're not from around here. More around the British Isles area, right?"

Mike again nodded. "Yes. I'm from Ireland. Have only been here a week."

"Really! I'm half Irish myself, second generation, actually. What part are you from?"

"Limerick."

"My family's from Killarney. Not too far away from where you're from."

"Small world, eh?" Mike chuckled.

"Yeah, it is," Daphne replied. "So, not to be nosey, but, what brings you to Michigan?"

Mike took a breath. "Well, I wanted to get out of my country for a little while. You know, to travel. That way I can have a story to tell one day."

Daphne nodded. "Yeah, traveling is a lot of fun."

"You travel?"

"Yeah, not to brag, but I've been all over the world. It really opens your eyes to new things."

Just then a distant rumble made Daphne and Mike turn their heads. Mike's eyes widened when he saw a large van rumble into the drive and park. It was splashed with outrageous patterns of orange and teal, and in blocky, red letters were the words The Mystery Machine.

A tall blonde man stepped out. His ivory jacket fluttered behind his stocky form, which resisted well against the still-going breezes. He leaned back into the vehicle and removed a small black camera bag. With a slam of the door, Fred Jones locked it up and started up the sidewalk.

"Daphne?" he asked, "Shouldn't you have already been in your office?"

"Oh, sorry, Fred," she replied sheepishly, rushing to unlock the door. She fumbled with the key a moment, having forgotten she was holding them. She eventually succeeded, and Fred pushed it open.

"Thanks, Daph." His eyes moved to Mike, and his blue eyes narrowed slightly, though he managed to hide his slight distaste of the thought of Daphne talking to another man. "Are you new?" he asked, feigning a grin.

Mike nodded. "New gardener, yes," came the short reply. The look he felt from Fred told the Irishman's subconscious that he should be tight-lipped.

"Fred Jones," the newcomer stated, gesturing to himself. "And you are?"

"Mike Shamus O'Toolie. Nice to meet you, Fred."

Fred smiled. "Well, it's good to see a new face around here. I hope you enjoy working here."

Mike nodded.

"Alright, Daphne. Let's get to work before anyone else shows up," Fred said.

"Yeah, we should get going before anyone else shows up," came her reply.

As Fred entered the door, Daphne stopped while in the process of putting her foot in the door. She turned to Mike and smiled. When Mike smiled back, he saw in her eyes a glint of sorrow; as if she were regretting her sudden departure.

"Sorry, Mike," she said, "I guess I lost track of time."

"It happens to all of us, Daphne," Mike replied.

"Hey, now. Would you like to come have lunch with me at noon? I'm on my break then."

Mike's eyes brightened. "That sounds great – where can we meet?"

"The break room. Maybe we can come outside and eat. I don't like being in that stuffy building all day."

"All right. I'll see you there. You should get to work before one of our superiors sees us!"

"Oh! Right," Daphne replied with a sheepish smile, "I'll see you at noon!"

"See you there!"

With that, Daphne left his side and trotted down the hallway. She heard Fred in the video editing room doing some tape playbacks of their latest mystery, grumbling every now and then if he had made a mistake. She passed by him and walked to the door of her office. The thought of noon weighed heavily on her mind.

Please let the next few hours go by quick! she thought, unlocking the door and walking in.