Velma, Daphne and Fred all sat at the dining table, sipping coffee. The sun was just beginning to peek over the wall, and a bright red cardinal was perched among the icicles outside,.

Fred leaned back in his chair, shaking he head, "this is crazy."

"Oh, Freddie, hear her out!" Daphne scolded.

"I have been hearing her out! This is ludicrous!" He turned to meet eyes with Velma, "What happened to you? You're normally the logical one!"

"I'm not saying you have to come Fred." Velma sighed, "I just thought I'd offer the opportunity."

"Well can you guess what my reaction to your generous offer is, brainiac?"

Velma crossed her arms, "sounds like a resounding 'no' to me."

"You're damned right it is!" Fred snapped, "honestly Velma, we have worked too goddamn hard to leave everything behind— to skip back into a nightmare, just so we can cling to a life that was destroyed years ago!"

He stood up abruptly, taking a breath to continue his tirade, then he paused, noting the reproach in Velma's eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He lowered himself into his chair and gazed down at his feet.

"I'm sorry Velma. I didn't mean to get angry." He met her eyes, "If we knew for sure that we'd be safe, and we could get back into the sanctuaries, I'd go in a heartbeat. But... well... you've seen it out there. We'd probably die somewhere in Nowheresville Oklahoma, forget making Crystal Cove."

Velma leaned back in her chair, slurping up the last of her coffee, "I could have used a master trapsman." She muttered to herself, "oh well."

She curtly set her mug down and strode out of the dining room. She knew she shouldn't have asked them. She knew it she knew it she knew it. She felt the strong and sudden urge to punch something. As she strode into the guest room, she opted for the fine pillows on her bed. She left a nice dent in the pile of them, before turning to gather her things, shoving them all roughly into her backpack.

She had gone this far, and she was seeing this through to the end. Even if she had to go alone, Velma was going.

She took one last look around to make sure she wasn't missing anything. The room had been cleaned of all traces of Velma, but before she could leave, something caught her eye.

It was a picture frame, mounted on the wall. The kind that held three smaller pictures. The first two, Velma didn't recognize, but the third one...

Velma held her breath. It was a Polaroid of them— the good old Mystery Incorporated— posing together, with the Mystery Machine as their back drop.

Daphne had one hand on her hip in her classic pose, Fred stood next to her, one hand wrapped around her waist as he smiled towards the camera. Shaggy and Scooby were just in frame, Shaggy with a hand patting Scooby's head. Velma turned to look a her younger self in the photo. She had a book in her arms, hugging it loosely to her chest, and instead of facing the camera, her gaze lingered in Shaggy's direction.

Velma chuckled, "that must have been before we even got together!" She smiled to herself. Who would have thought that here years later, she'd be risking everything to save her ex-boyfriend who'd dumped her for his friendship with a dog.

"You can have that photo if you want."

Velma jumped back, turning to see Fred standing in the doorway, "Jinkies Fred!" Velma panted, "you scared me!"

Fred rubbed the back of his neck earnestly, "did I? Sorry."

"That's alright Fred, I was just—"

"Leaving?"

"Yeah."

Fred sighed, and held out present wrapped in brown paper to Velma, "I want you to have this... as a goodbye present."

Velma reached out to take the present, then recoiled, "We don't know that this is goodbye."

"We don't know that it's not."

She paused, looking to Fred, then the photo, they were so young then. Back in high school, back when every waking moment was with that gang. As much as she needed to go back to her old home. She wasn't ready for goodbye. Velma took to rapid steps towards Fred, rapping her arms around him and hugging him tight.

"I'll be careful Fred," she whispered, "You know I will,"

Fred pulled back from their hug, "yeah," he sighed, not quite able to look her in the eyes, "but just in case..."

He stuck a hand out to Velma, she paused and then shook it. Their eyes met and Velma watched two tears trace their way down Fred's face. She blinked and felt moisture run down her cheek settling at her lips.

"It's been a pleasure solving mysteries with you...Velma Dinkley."

"The pleasure has been all mine, Fred Jones."

They shook hands, until Fred broke down and pulled her into another hug. She hugged him back,

"The pleasure's been all mine."

—

Velma marched down the sidewalks of a street called Stone Lane, towards the corner store. Daphne had pointed her in that direction for supplies. As she swung the door open, an old bell made a pathetic attempt at ringing. She headed straight for the section of canned goods. She grabbed cans of beans, assorted soups, and a few cans of fruit. Something sweet would be useful to boost her morale. Then she strode to the protein bars and tipped three whole boxes into her arms. She turned to head for the register when a familiar blue box caught her eye.

Scooby snacks. One box left on the shelf, and it called her name. She smiled to herself as she grabbed the box. How could she not bring them along?

She made her way down the rows, grabbing a first aid kit, sunscreen, a pocketknife, and a lighter before she was sure she had enough.

As she strode to the counter, she locked eyes with the man behind it. He greeted her halfheartedly, "hey... did you find everything ok?"

"Yes," Velma gulped, it was the next part that was the scariest, she leaned into the counter and lowered her voice, "but my friend told me to ask if you had any Spark Energy Drink in the back."

The cashier's eyes widened, Velma knew that it had worked. Daphne had told her about it, so she was sure it would, but when the cashier came back from the break room with a silver box in hand, Velma couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief.

He flipped open the box and revealed five or so hand pistols, all of different makes and models. She wavered and looked up a the cashier.

"You ain't never owned one of these before huh?"

Velma shook her head. The cashier chuckled, looking from the food to the guns, to Velma. Then paused and glanced back at the food, a calculating grin on his face.

"I see what's goin' on here"

Velma crossed her arms, going on the defensive, "do you?"

"Yeah," she cashier began to bag Velma's food, "There's someone you love out there... and they didn't make it to any of the sanctuaries... but deep down you know that they ain't dead... you just know it."

Velma took a step back. What she really that transparent? Apparently, as the man continued.

"So you're goin' out there, and probably ain't coming back... but you've made your peace with it... cause you're goin' t'find that person."

Velma drummed her fingers on the vinyl counter, "ok, that's enough," she snapped, "what makes you think you know what?"

The man just smiled, "cause you're like me... 'cept I ain't got the courage to go looking."

Velma paused she looked up at the man and smiled a melancholy smile, "I'm not quite sure I've got the courage either sir. But I'm going."

"Heh," the man smiled, "you sure are quite the firecracker, what's your name?"

"Velma, Velma Dinkley."

"Nate, Nate Richardson." He offered his hand, she shook it, "who you looking for Velma?"

"Oh," She sighed, "a friend."

Nate shook his head, "all this for just a friend?" He put the last of six stuffed plastic bags on the counter, "are you sure?"

Velma tense at the question. Of course she was sure, that's all she was to Shaggy, that's all he was to her. Friends. And that was how they liked it. But as Velma thought back, to those few stolen months when they had been dating, a tiny annoying part of her longed to go back. A blush rose in Velma's cheeks, but she shook it off, and promptly silenced the nagging voice that claimed otherwise,

"Yeah," she insisted, "I'm pretty sure."

"Some great friend," Nate laughed, "Where'd you think he'll be?"

"I don't think he left our hometown."

"And which hometown would that be?"

Velma smirked, people always reacted when she told them, "That would be Crystal Cove."

Sure enough, Nate's eye widened, "but that's—"

"Ground zero... yup."

Nate paused, thinking for a moment he took the third gun from its place in the box and handed it to Velma.

"Hold that for me, won't ya?" She wrapped her hand over the grip awkwardly, Nate frowned.

"I guess somebody ought to teach ya how to shoot if you're headed for the wilds."

They spend the next fifteen minutes or so with with Velma very anxiously holding a gun, as Nate walked her through how to hold it, reload it ,and shoot it. By the end of it, she held the gun her hand with some semblance of familiarity and Nate smiled at her.

"Now ya got it!" He laughed, "you're a natural!"

Velma smiled, "yeah, now I gotta actually use it."

"Not in here ya don't" Nate laughed, "not unless you're aiming for my boss."

Velma smiled, as she looked outside she noticed that the day had faded, and stars had taken over the sky. Nate saw it too, and checked the clock behind him.

"Aw hell, closing time was half an hour ago!" He bemoaned.

Velma reached in her pocket for the cash Daphne had lent her, but as soon as Nate saw it he waved his hand in protest, "naw kid, s'all on me."

Velma gasped, "but there's nearly a hundred dollars of food! Not to mention all the—"

"Look kid," Nate sighed, "you just go find your friend, and when you come back, you find me and introduce us, that'll be payment enough for me, deal?"

"Deal."

Nate helped Velma as she carefully packed everything she'd bought into the backpack, and when they were done they waved goodbye and Velma left the store.

There she stood, out in the cold of night. Her eyes affixed to the wall glimmering in the distance. She took a step towards it: a step towards her old life: a step towards home

—

Authors Note: Whooop! We're rollin' now y'all! Please leave a review to let me know that you think and all that good stuff. AND! I have an announcement to make (drumroooooll) I'm releasing a mini bonus chapter this Friday! These won't be happening every Friday, but this also definitely won't be the last Friday mini chapter, I'll be sure to let you know here when one is incoming. Alright that's it. See you later this week :)