Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my second story ever published! Please read and review (it would mean the world to me if you would tell me what you thought). I hope you enjoy! Note: I do not own any of the characters from Scooby-Doo!

Chapter 1 Welcome to Pirate's Cove

Fred Jones, leader of a group of mystery-solving teenagers, was driving his large van to the destination of the gang's short trip. He was desperately trying to focus on the road before him, but his mind was constantly distracted by Daphne Blake.

The attractive red-head had, as usual, taken her seat next to Fred and, even though they hadn't really had a full conversation since the beginning of the trip, he found that his head was always being filled with thoughts of her.

Poking her head between Fred and Daphne's seats was Velma Dinkley, the brains of the group. She was on her laptop, no doubt trying to find a new case for the gang. It had been nearly two months since their last mystery and they were beginning to grow bored with their vacation from crime.

Behind Velma in the back of the van, Shaggy and Scooby were throwing random foods together, forming one giant sandwich. Shaggy opened his mouth to take a bite but there was a bump in the road, sending him flying backward and sending the sandwich right into Scooby's mouth.

"We're here," Fred announced, looking at a sign out the window that read: WELCOME TO PIRATE'S COVE. He sighed with relief as he realized that he would soon be able to get out of the van.

"Wow, this looks like a really neat place!" Daphne cried. "Don't you think, Freddy?" She looked at him with those piercing blue eyes, framed by thick lashes.

God, he loved it when she looked at him like that. He cleared his throat. "Um, ye-yeah, it looks great," he responded breathlessly, having to swerve a little bit as he realized that he had been drifing toward the edge of the road.

"Like, why does your family have to live in a place called Pirates Cove?" Shaggy asked Velma. "It sounds kind of creepy."

Velma smiled at the coward. "We'll only be there for a week," she reminded him. "And my aunt, uncle and cousin were really excited to meet you all."

Shaggy sighed.

"Which house is theirs, Velma?" Fred asked.

Velma pointed to a large, three-story house. It was cream-colored with red trim and a very large front porch. Waiting out by the front door were three people: a woman in her fifties with short curly hair and an apron, a man around the same age wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, and a very attractive girl Velma's age with dark hair and shallow eyes.

Fred parked the van and they all got out and greeted their hosts.

"It's so great to finally meet you all," Velma's aunt cried, giving each of the teenagers a warm hug.

"We're glad to meet you, too, Mrs. Dinkley," Daphne said sweetly. "And thank you so much for letting us stay at your house for the week."

"Oh, my dear, it was no problem at all," the woman responded. "And please, call me Sharon. As I'm sure you've already guessed this is my husband, Donald, and my daughter, Clarissa."

Before Clarissa even took the time to greet her cousin, her own flesh and blood, she turned to the blonde leader of the group. "You must be Fred Jones," she said flirtatiously, leaning in closer to the tall, handsome boy.

Fred looked slightly uncomfortable. For some reason, he felt the need to look at Daphne and see what she thought about this. She glared at the two for a moment before decidedly looking away, ignoring Clarissa and Fred.

"Well, let me show you all to your rooms," Sharon said, taking a few of their suitcases while Donald took the others.

The gang was led to the top floor of the house.

"Daphne and Velma, you two can share this room," Sharon told them gesturing to a handsome bedroom in the middle of the hallway. Right across from it would be where Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby were staying.

"My room's right next to yours, Freddy," Clarissa purred, leaning her head against his chest.

Fred laughed nervously and quickly ran into the closest room and shut the door, making sure that Velma's cousin couldn't follow him. What he didn't realize was that the room he was now in belonged to Velma and Daphne.

"Fred, what are you doing here?" Velma asked.

Daphne didn't even face him when he came in. Instead, she was standing over her suitcase, unpacking her clothes and allowing it to consume all of her attention. "Yeah, shouldn't you be hanging out with your girlfriend?" the red-head said bitterly, still not looking up. It was clear to Velma that she was jealous, though Fred didn't seem to understand this.

"She-she's not my girlfriend," Fred responded slowly, confused by Daphne's icy tone. "I actually came in here to get away from her."

As she heard this, Daphne seemed to relax a little bit. "So, you don't like her?" she asked, trying not to seem like she cared too much.

"N-no, of course not," Fred replied hurriedly. He was still perplexed by this strange behavior, though he decided that he would have to get used to it, for Daphne Blake was certainly the greatest mystery there ever was. "I should probably go unpack," he informed the girls as he left.

"What the hell was that?" Velma asked as soon as they were alone again.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Daphne replied, facing her friend and trying her best to look innocent.

"Daph, I know that you're jealous," Velma said simply. Daphne opened her mouth to retort but decided that there was no use lying to her closest friend. "I just don't understand why. You said at the end of our first case, Fred kissed you."

Daphne sighed sadly. "He did, but nothing ever happened after that. He never asked me out, or even made any attempt to tell me that he liked me as more than a friend."

Velma saw how upset her friend truly was and went over to comfort her. "Don't worry about it. He's definitely interested in you. Maybe he just needs some time to get up the courage to tell you."

"Yeah, whatever," Daphne said, sniffing. "I think I forgot something in the van. I'll be right back."

She left the room, on the verge of tears. Why did this guy have to make her so emotional all the time? He either brightened her day or said something that crushed her. She knew Fred would never hurt her on purpose, but sometimes he didn't understand how the things he said affected her.

Daphne almost ran right into Fred himself as she was trying to make her way out of the house. He smiled when he saw her, but his expression immediately changed to one of worry as he noticed how sad she looked.

"Daphne, what's wrong?" he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She looked at the way he was trying to comfort her. "Nothing," she replied, smiling at how worried he had become over her. "I'm fine." This proved that he at least cared.

"Are you sure?" he inquired, staring into her crystalline eyes. I'll kill whoever made you upset, he thought.

"Yes, Fred, I'm absolutely positive. There's nothing wrong," Daphne said, still grinning slightly at how he was fussing over her. She decided that his friendship was enough; she didn't need anything more.

As the two went their separate ways, Fred decided to pay a visit to Velma again.

"What's wrong with Daphne?" he asked urgently.

"What do you mean?" Velma responded, playing innocent.

"Don't play dumb," Fred responded lightly. "C'mon, Velma, I know that you two talk all the time." Now his voice was pleading. "I just saw her in the hall and she looked so sad. And then earlier how she was glaring at me. What's going on with her?"

Velma thought over her response for a moment. "If I tell you something, will you swear not to tell Daphne?"

"Yes, yes, I swear." He was rocking back and forth, looking more like an anxious little boy than a concerned friend.

"She doesn't like the way my cousin was all over you," Velma told him, carefully surveying his reaction. So far, it seemed that Fred was extremely confused as to how this would cause the hateful glares and the bitter sadness. "I know that it may not make much sense to you, but trust me, that's what's been bothering her."

"But I don't even like Clarissa," Fred cried. He walked over to the window and stared out at the sky over the nearby ocean. Then, without apparent reason, he began to chuckle softly. "Daphne is probably the only mystery I'll never solve. The first time we met, she hated me, but by the end of our first case, she wanted to be friends." He smiled warmly as he was lost in the memories for a moment. "Nothing makes sense when it comes to her, but I don't think I'd want it any other way."

Velma wasn't sure she fully understood what he was saying, but she didn't question him. Instead, she allowed Fred to stare out toward an old lighthouse that was only about half a mile from the house. She gave him peace and quiet to recall their first case together.

Fred looked down and noticed that, at the base of the lighthouse he had been staring at, was Daphne. What was she doing out there? he wondered.

What he saw next was totally unexpected. A pale figure jumped out of nowhere and grabbed the struggling girl.

Fred could hear her pleading scream echoing in his ears.