Hope you enjoy this chapter my fellow Fraphne lovers! I'm hopefully going to squeeze out another 2 chapters soon!
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Half an hour later, the weather forecasts were coming true as sleet began drumming the top of the metal roof. Ordinarily, the sound would lull Fred to sleep, only now it just made him more concerned.
Looking through his blinds, he saw Daphne still sitting on the steps of her camper, her arms wrapped around herself. There's no way that her jacket and pants were keeping her warm and dry enough. Soon the sleet would be turning into thick snow and despite how obstinate he knew Daphne to be, she wasn't immune to frost bite or pneumonia.
When he initially spotted her outside, he couldn't tell if she was real or just a wishful hallucination. Fred's heart had leapt into his throat. Should he hug her? Kiss her? Invite her inside? The possibilities…
He regretted his opening sentence now, but he'd said the only thing he could think of, "Can I help you, Miss Blake?"
Watching as her body tensed in recognition, his romantic imaginings went up in a puff of smoke as she turned around, her face screwed up in anger with a temper as firey as her hair.
Fred hadn't intended to be so cruel, not at first, but the way her eyes had narrowed on him brought back all the hurt from months before. All that steam had just bubbled to the surface and he lashed out. They were cheap shots, sure, but he had felt vindicated when he'd left her outside to stew with his words.
Those feelings of victory soon faded, and now all he felt was guilt...and heartache.
Poking his head out of the door, he called, "It's getting colder and dark. I don't think the groundskeeper will be back tonight."
"And what of it? I can just make a fire out here or something." Despite keeping up her angry pretenses, Fred could hear her teeth chattering.
"Just come inside here. With me." He tossed open the door wider to emphasize his point.
"No."
"Daph," he pleaded, "No amount of being stubborn is going to prevent hyperthermia. There's a winter advisory warning tonight. Be sensible."
Wrapping her arms tighter around herself, she stared down at her boots, "Why do you care anyway? You hate me."
"I don't hate you…entirely," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Besides, Velma would kill me if she found out I left you outside to catch your death."
She smiled at that, "Yeah. She absolutely would."
Fred returned his own charming grin, "If you're hungry, I made too much chili for myself and I don't want it to go to waste."
He waggled a steaming bowl around and she laughed, "Okay. For the sake of wasted food, I'll come in. Shaggy and Scooby would consider that a mortal sin."
Climbing into Fred's warm camper was like being enveloped in a nice friendly hug, the heat a cozy and comfortable contrast compared to the frigid outdoors. Rubbing her hands together and blowing into them, she sat down at a tiny table with enough room for two…but just barely.
Glancing around, she noted the stark differences between Fred's quaint living quarters and her own opulent trailer. His had to be at least two decades old, given the style of wood paneling on the walls and outdated appliances. Fred had somehow been able to make it homey, despite it's age and tiny size. Or maybe it was just Fred himself being there. His very presence could make a cave seem snug and inviting.
While she shrugged off her coat and dusted the snowflakes from her hair, Fred busied himself with her bowl of chili, placing it on the table, "I used Shaggy's old recipe."
When Daphne winced at that, he chuckled, "Don't worry, I left out the ridiculous amount of peppers."
Smiling, she lifted the spoon to her lips, "Good. For a second there I was afraid I wouldn't be able to taste anything for a few weeks."
Her words drifted off into an almost peaceful silence. Daphne had to admit, she missed this quiet companionship with Fred. After things had gotten physical between them, they never really had the time to just "be".
Each ate their own chili, saying nothing, yet both silently acknowledging that something needed to be said. But equally not wanting to be the person to say it out loud.
Dipping her spoon back into her bowl, Daphne stated simply, "I love you, you know."
Fred froze, every part of his body tensing defensively, before exhaling a deep breath, "Daph…you don't have to say that if you don't mean it just to make it less awkward between us."
She met his eyes then, before taking another bite, "I'm saying it because I do mean it. No other reason."
Seeing a frown on Fred's face was a rare sight, even more so was his somber tone. "Lying about loving someone is unspeakably mean-"
"I have no reason to lie," Daphne interrupted.
Fred pushed his bowl away, standing up, attempting to get some distance, but being inside a small camper made it nearly impossible. Instead, he leaned back against the counter, his face blank and unreadable.
Daphne placed her own bowl to the side, "I know you don't believe me, and I don't blame you for it. I just wanted you to know that I do love you. Deeply."
When Fred didn't respond, she continued, "Probably more than anyone I've ever loved in my entire life. I'm sorry it took so long for me to realize it. And for hurting you in the process."
Getting up from the table, she shimmied her jacket back on. "Thank you for the chili, Fred. But I've got a crowbar in the van, I think I can pry open the door. Like you said, I have enough money to pay any damage fees."
Finally breaking his silence, Fred's voice was weak, "Why don't you just stay here for the night?"
"Because I know you can't stand me. and the last thing you'd want is to be sharing a space with me."
In one quick movement, his hand shot out, snatching her arm and spinning her to face him, making Daphne flinch.
He leaned in close, his chest nearly touching her own as her back pressed to the wall. "Don't put words in my mouth, Daphne," he hissed.
His lips was now mere inches away from hers, and within kissing distance if she felt brave enough. But she didn't dare try at the moment.His face an intriguing mix of anger, hurt, and something else that she couldn't name, but had seen him express before...
"You have no idea how much you haunt me. I want you every second of every day, Daph. I wish I could go back to how it was, solving mysteries with you and nothing else; that way I could actually get some damn peace at night."
His chest was heaving, and she found she couldn't take her eyes off of his lips, so hypnotizing were they. Blinking quickly, she finally comprehended what he'd said and whispered, "You dream about me?"
Fred tried to hide a nervous laugh, embarrassed at his admission, "I…well…I guess I…"
Like in the Mystery Machine all those months ago, a strange spark of enlightenment came from the primal part of her brain, commanding her to grab that handsome man in front of her and kiss him as if her life depended on it.
And she did.
