It Happened One Sunday

Chapter Four: Awakening

Sunday morning in Shaggy's bedroom

The ringing of the phone pulled Shaggy from a romantic dream. Romantic for Shaggy at least. He and Velma had spent three days in the bomb shelter. Alone; Scooby didn't count. It was difficult to turn over to grab the phone with a one hundred pound Great Dane laying across his body. "Hello," he answered, rubbing the hard kernels of sleep from the corners of his eyes, remembering how her body responded to his touch while they made love.

"The Balloon is up! Repeat, the balloon is up!" Fear raced through Shaggy's body at the coded message. He recognized the voice immediately, "Fred! Why are you calling so early?"
"Check your clock, Shagster. Remember we planed on hot air ballooning this morning? Every thing is ready. We're waiting for you two."

It had been Daphne and Fred who brought up the idea. Velma had fallen asleep by that time and he had been too busy to really listen to their planning. He had agreed simply because there was nothing else to do on Sunday.

"Uh, Fred, something has come up, I don't think Scoob and I can make it."
"That's a shame, Shagman. Velma seems to be upset about something; she and Daphne are awful quiet this morning. I think she wants to talk to you about something."

"Is she there? Put her on," His heart raced at the thought of what he was about to propose. Would she accept or was she just too mad at him.

"Hello, Shaggy." The coldness of her voice chilled his blood.
"I...I wanted to apologize for last night..."
"You should...Shaggy, we need to talk about that, Daphne told me what you did." at least the venom wasn't quite so thick.

"I agree, I'd like to apologize face to face. I think Fred and Daph need some time alone; think they would mind if you and I skipped the ride?" He couldn't see her of course but in his mind's eye he could picture her turning to see if Fred or Daphne were close enough to overhear, maybe moving away before continuing to talk.

"They might...what did you have in mind for you and me?"
"I've been thinking of painting the bomb shelter. If you'd like to help, how's breakfast and paint party sound?"
"Breakfast sounds okay to me, paint party sounds more like work than a party." The venom had been replaced with a nervousness but he could imagine her smiling, "Your parents aren't home are they?"

"Not until late tonight, maybe early tomorrow morning..."
"And you're inviting me to breakfast with just the two of us there...alone?" this was accompanied by a snicker.
"What would you like for breakfast?" At least she hadn't said absolutely 'no'.

"Why don't you surprise me. I'll make excuses to Fred and Daphne, although I think it'll go over like a lead balloon." He could hear her laughter, derived from her pun, in her voice now. "I'll have to home and change. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Shaggy lay back on the pillow, "Looks like we're having company for breakfast, Scoob ol' buddy."
"Relma?" a sleepy eyed Scooby asked.
"Yeah, Scoob. Just Velma," he confirmed dreamily.
"Ri Rike Relma!"

-------------Xxxxxx

"Where's Breakfast? I'm famished!" It was some forty five minutes later when Shaggy opened the door at Velma's knock. The tension was palatable; a nervous tension thick enough to cut with a knife, if you could find a knife sharp enough to do the job.

"Almost ready, would you like some juice while I finish?" She had changed into old clothes, appropriate for a painting party. The clothes might be old but hugged and accented her figure perfectly.
Velma sat at the table, sipping at the cold juice as she watched Shaggy go about finishing the promised breakfast. She did feel nervous; perhaps from the fact that she was here in this house without his parents being present or...maybe from the dream she had had the night before. The dream that sent shivers of fear and yes, pleasure towards the end, throughout her body.

She had never thought of Shaggy as a knight in shinning armor but he looked so confident as he moved gracefully from counter to stove, adding an item at the right moment to bring everything to the table at the same time. She felt the feeling of nervousness beginning to drift away as they carried on a friendly banter. He didn't look like a knight in the usual way you think of a knight but then did anyone look at a knight when he rode in to save you. Who cared what the knight looked like if he saved you? Save you from what, she wondered, there weren't any dragons left. Were there? Velma began to think of dragons as Shaggy set the plate in front of her and took his seat across from her.

"My ultimate omelet, hope you like it," he said, hope in his voice.
"It's delicious," she replied, taking the first bite.

---------Xxxxxx

"Shaggy..." she began later, pushing the cleared plate away.

"I wanted to apologize for last night. I was wrong to steal those kisses." He picked up the dirty plates, rinsing them and placed them in the dishwasher.
"That did make me mad when Daph told me. I felt violated because you took advantage of the situation, didn't wake me to ask. You could have at least asked, who knows, I may have agreed. What I need to talk about is...Shaggy, did you have a strange dream last night after the movie?"

They compared notes on their respective dreams; they discovered both dreams were eerily similar.
"Well, that's just weird, but why so similar?" Shaggy asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the little kitchen.
"Weird maybe, but not unheard of. Twins have the same or related dreams..."
"But we aren't twins, Vel." He looked at her, wanting to reach across the table, hold her hand.

"No, we're not but there are reports of people who have been together a long time being able to complete a sentence the other began..."
"Or share a dream." He completed the sentence.
"Exactly," her smile was so cute he thought. For Velma, the thought that maybe she should have chosen clothes not so old; she became aware that she was feeling self-conscious of just how tight and revealing her choice of blouse and skirt were. Had she done that on purpose? Had her dream of them together led her to the choice of attire she now wore?

"Maybe we should get to the painting," she knew she was blushing, yet trembled pleasantly at the thought of being alone with him down in the shelter.

---------Xxxxxx

"You've been busy," she stood amazed at the sight before her when Shaggy pushed open the door to the bomb shelter. Tarps had been spread over the floor, cans of paint and the rest of the needed painting supplies stood ready. Velma began painting on the end containing the bathroom, Shaggy twenty five feet away on the other end. The plan was to meet in the middle of the wall opposite the wall holding the beds.

Shaggy tried. He really tried not to look at her. But like the stolen kisses, the temptation was just too great and so he stole glances over his shoulder. He didn't think she was aware of his glances until he was caught! She was looking back at him! She "rustled her bustle" at him; laughter filled the room as he blushed and returned to the job.

They met as planned, in the center of the wall, Shaggy finishing the last strokes.
"I propose we take a break. We need to let these fumes air out." He stood in front of her.
"I agree," she took his hand letting him lead her out of the room.

Standing in the living room, Velma felt his arms slip around her waist. "Your parents aren't expected until late tonight?" She whispered in his ear. "Or early in the morning," he whispered back, kissing her neck.
"Daphne told me she stopped you when you were going to..."
"Daphne isn't here, Vel," he reminded her. His kisses had ventured lower, awakening and setting her passion on fire.

"Think you should put out the "Do Not Disturb" sign?"

Shaggy thought that was an excellent idea.

The End?

A/N: On chapters 2 and 3, the knock at the shelter door is a reference to "Knock" by Frederick Brown, 1948, transcribed in an episode of "X Minus One", an old time radio program now in public domain.