Before I let you read the chapter, I want to give a big thank-you to LadyStrength for the idea behind it. Also, thanks to SpongeAddict and LadyStrength for giving the awesome suggestions that inspired the sixth chapter.

Chapter 7 Morte in the Morning

The next day, the gang woke to the harsh sunlight glaring at them through the windows. They got up, sore and tired, feeling a sort of numb fear that could only be caused by Morte. Fred checked his phone, seeing that it was thirty minutes after six. This gave them plenty of time to get ready before heading out to Manderly.

"I'm going to go out to the van really quick," Daphne told the others, walking toward the door.

Fred ran up, blocking the exit. "Why?" he asked curiously.

"There's a laptop in there," she explained. "I'm going to look up directions to Manderly Institute so we don't get lost on the way there." Daphne gently shoved Fred out of the way, wondering why he was so worried about her all the time.

Fred looked at her retreating figure. Then he glanced back at Velma and Shaggy, thinking about what to do. Velma nodded her head. This simple gesture caused him to call after Daphne, "Wait! I'm coming with you." He knew it was strange to be so over-protective of her, but he couldn't help it. The thought of Morte causing any sort of harm to her was unbearable. No, Fred thought, nothing's going to happen. Daphne said so herself. Plus, she promised that Morte wouldn't get her. She promised.

Velma sighed. "Poor Daphne," she said. "Fred's not going to let her out of his sight until this whole thing blows over."

Shaggy was confused. Why would that be a bad thing? Fred was just trying to keep her safe. There was nothing wrong with that. "Like, sorry, Velma, but you'd better get used to having someone follow you around, too."

Velma narrowed her eyes behind her glasses. "What do you mean, Shaggy?"

Shaggy gulped loudly, noticing her fierce expression. This time, however, he would not back down. "Until Morte, like, leaves us alone, you're not going anywhere without me."

"What? Come on, don't you think this is a bit of an overreaction?" she whined, sounding a lot like a toddler.

Shaggy shook his head fiercely. "Like, no way, uh-uh, I'm not taking any chances. Like, what if something actually did happen to you? I'm, like, not taking that risk." He looked down into her deep, sad eyes. She clearly didn't understand that he was doing this for the same reason Fred was following Daphne - love. He sighed. "I'm sorry that you, like, hate this idea, but believe me when I say that I, like, can't let anything bad happen to you."

Velma thought about this. He seemed really concerned about her. That wasn't a bad thing. At least it meant he cared. She smiled at last, thinking about all the time they'd get to spend together. No, this wouldn't be a bad thing at all. "Alright," she finally said, smiling.

This confused Shaggy. Why did she suddenly have a change of heart? What caused her to get over her hatred of this plan and smile? He shook his head. "I don't understand you," he muttered, though she could not tell what he had said.

About an hour later, the gang piled into the Mystery Machine. Fred, directions in hand, started the van and nervously began driving toward Manderly. He often stole glances at Daphne, only looking at her for a fraction of a second before turning his attention back to the road. Every time he'd done this, her eyes seemed to be on him. Why was she staring?

Daphne kept a steady gaze, her attention never leaving Fred. Every once in a while, she noticed him looking in her direction, though she made no attempt to avert her eyes. She noticed how he was acting strong and determined, though she could tell he was worried.

"What do you think she wants?" Fred asked in an attempt to make conversation with the red-head.

Daphne shrugged. "Knowing her, it could be almost anything."

Fred saw Daphne's delicate hand resting on the seat near him. He boldly took one of his hands off the wheel and rested on hers. She blushed as she intertwined her fingers with his, enjoying the warmth that this touch provided.

Velma noticed the two in the front seat sharing their moment. She sighed. Would anything like that ever happen between her and Shaggy? A thought struck her. She should take her own advice: if something wasn't happening between them, she should make it happen. Velma took a deep breath before scooting over and resting her head on Shaggy's shoulder. It took him a while to get over the initial shock, but after he had regained his senses, he put his arm around her, pulling her close.

Velma giggled as Scooby made kissing faces at them, dancing around merrily.

The mood was soon spoiled as a large, white building came into view. A nearby sign informed them that this was indeed Manderly Institute. Everyone grew increasingly nervous as Fred parked the van.

They all walked inside, Fred holding Daphne's hand and Shaggy holding Velma's. Scooby trotted along in front of his human friends, leading them to a waiting area.

A flustered woman at a nearby desk turned to face the group. "May I help you?" she asked. There seemed to be a lot of chaos in the place. Guards ran back and forth, darting in and out of rooms; nurses in white uniforms with long needles dodged them as they rushed into an elevator. Some distant shouting could be heard in the background. It was clear that something big was happening.

Fred cleared his throat. "We're here to see Morte," he explained.

The woman's eyes grew darker. "Oh, you must be Mystery, Inc.," she responded gravely, picking up a phone and calling someone to inform them of this. Moments later a guard appeared. "This man will show you to her room and explain what's going on."

Fred nodded, confused by the last part of that sentence. Nonetheless, he followed the guard, who led the gang down a seemingly deserted corridor. The dimly lit hallway came to an end as they reached a door. The guard opened it and ushered the kids inside.

"Like, I don't get it," Shaggy said, breaking the eerie silence that had fallen over them. He looked around the room they were in. Everything was blindingly white. There was an uncomfortable-looking bed shoved against the right wall. A small toilet was in the far corner and there were crayons and paper scattered all over the place. "Where is she?"

Everyone else wondered the same thing, for Morte was not in the room.

"That's exactly what we've been trying to figure out," the guard told them. He walked toward the bed and picked up a piece of paper that had been resting there. Before the gang could even process what this man was saying, he shoved the paper in Fred's hands. It was another note.

If you're reading this, that means you came.
Any smart person would've done the same.
I've said it before; I'll say it again:
Our fun has not yet come to an end.
I got what I came for so I have left.
Mystery, Inc. can now finish the test.
But be prepared, do not slack.
Yes, my friends, I am back.

-Morte

Intense, right? Okay, so, as always, I'm going to ask you to review and tell me what you thought of this story. But there's also something else I wanted to get your opinion on.

When I first started writing this series, I had decided that there would be seven chapters in each story and there would be seven stories. Now that I've actually completed the sixth story in the series, I'm not sure if I want to stop. So, in your review, let me know if you think I should keep this writing this series or if I should stop. Please just take the time to review because I'm honestly leaving this decision up to you, my dear readers.