Mysteries and Miracles

Chapter 1: On the Road Again

Disclaimer: I do not own Scooby Doo or the gang. I do own Brianna, Caleb, Grace and their Aunt Karen. I also own the Mathis family and the Anderson family and their shared history.

A/N: Well, here it is, the sequel to "Family Matters" this story starts just about five weeks after that story ended. The gang is still 22. I hope you enjoy this story and as always I greatly appreciate those who take the time to review.

The wind howled around the old Connecticut Inn. Twelve year old Marina Mathis, the youngest daughter of the Inn's senior partner, Matthew Mathis, walked through the hallways of the fifth floor. She was making sure that the rooms were clean. Matthew and Mark Mathis couldn't afford much of an official hotel staff so Marina worked as a maid after school and on weekends.

Marina reached room five twenty three and found the door already parway open. The young girl felt a shiver travel through her body. She was sure she had cleaned this room earlier but the covers on one of the beds had been turned down. She cautiously entered the room to remake the bed. As she passed through the door she heard a moaning noise.

"Oooooooooh," came an eerie voice.

Marina jumped "W-who's there…?" she asked, looking around with wide eyes.

"You're such a chicken!" Max Mathis, her ten-year-old cousin jumped out from behind the door "I got you! I got you good!"

"Max!" Marina screamed, grabbing the boy by the collar of his shirt "Don't do that!"

"Marina!" Max cried as his cousin began shaking him "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Stop already!"

Marina released her cousin and glared at him "I can't believe you Max," she told him "You know what our dad's said about messing around. Now help me remake the bed that you messed up."

Max nodded as he helped pull the covers on the bed back into their proper position "I was just bored," Max admitted to his cousin "We don't have any guests until next week and there's no one to talk to."

Marina sighed as she sat down on the bed "I know," she told him "But that doesn't mean you should go around playing pranks on me."

"I can't help it," Max whined as he flopped on the floor in front of the TV and grabbed the remote control "I'm bored!" he turned on the TV but all the channels were snow. "And the cable's out again!" he complained.

"You shouldn't be watching TV in the room anyway." Marina told her cousin as she took the remote from him and turned the television off.

"Miss goodie-goodie," Max said, sticking out his tongue at Marina.

"Come on," said Marina as she dragged her cousin to the door of the room "We can't afford any fooling around if we want to keep the hotel, remember."

Max nodded his head. Suddenly something out in the hallway caught his attention. He grabbed Marina and held her tight as he pointed out into the hall "Marina," he whispered desperately "Look."

"What is the mat-?" Marina stopped in her tracks as she saw what Max was pointing at. A figure dressed in shades of gray and black appeared to be floating down the hall. The figure's eyes glowed an angry red. At the door to room five twenty three the figure turned and entered. The two children clung to each other, too terrified to move.

"The Mathas family will pay for what it has done to me," the apparition boomed as it advanced on the children.

Marina and Max screamed as they broke away from one another and dashed behind the ghost and bolted down the hall to the staircase. The specter pursued them, laughing menacingly as it did.

XXX

"Do you think that this is like a good idea?" Shaggy asked as he carried the bags out to the Mystery Machine.

Velma smiled "I'm fine Shaggy," she reassured him "The doctor said that I shouldn't have any trouble at all." She winced even as she said those words. Her broken ribs were still on the mend and even though the doctor had indeed given her the all clear she had been told not to push herself and to take it incredibly easy on this vacation.

Shaggy threw the bags into the back of the van, gave a thumbs up to Fred and Daphne as they approached and returned to Velma's side "Like, are you sure Velma?" he asked, eyeing her carefully. He placed his hands on her shoulders tentatively "If you're like in any pain, you'll let me know, won't you?" his voice was soft, gentle, and held an edge of fearfulness.

It had been only five weeks since Chuck Joyce had attacked her, leaving her bloodied on the hotel room floor. The fear Shaggy had felt when he'd seen her there was still fresh in his mind. As if the crash in the Mystery Machine hadn't already scared him half to death, seeing her lying there had brought him to tears.

"Shaggy," Velma said softly as she reached up and rubbed his stubble before lifting her lips to meet his "I'm fine."

Shaggy nodded before kissing her back "Alright," he conceded "Let's like get going."

Scooby Doo bounded out of the house and over to Velma as she followed Shaggy to the Mystery Machine "Rhat's up Velma?" the canine asked before licking her hand.

"Hi Scooby," Velma smiled "Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"Rabsolutely," Scooby replied enthusiastically "Rhat about rou? Rare rou rokay?" he looked at her with eyes full of concern.

Velma had to laugh. Scooby and Shaggy, her boys were both concerned about her. She patted Scooby on the head "I'm fine Scooby," she smiled.

Daphne and Fred were making their way over to the Mystery Machine. Daphne was looking at Fred with concern "You only just got the cast off yesterday," she reminded him "You shouldn't be driving."

Fred laughed and handed over the keys "You're just saying that so you can get behind the wheel again," Daphne had done a lot of the driving over the last five weeks. Fred had initially been grouchy about it and had nit picked about every little thing that he could find wrong with her driving. But he had eventually warmed up to the idea and Daphne had eventually forgiven him for the early behavior he had exhibited.

"So you don't believe that I'm genuinely concerned about you?" Daphne questioned, raising an eyebrow at Fred.

"Huh?" Fred looked confused "Yeah, but Daph, I'm fine," he smiled and just to prove his point extended his newly healed arm and rotated it in a circle before wrapping it around her waist "I'd be okay to drive," he informed her "But maybe I just wanna look at the scenery instead."

Daphne felt herself blush. She'd been meaning to have a long and in depth talk with Fred about her feeling for him ever since the accident but the time for a really in depth talk hadn't presented itself. Though they hadn't expressed their feelings to one another the two of them had been ever more intimate in their gestures when they were near one another.

"So Fred," Daphne began, not pulling away from his arm around her waist "What would you think if-"

"Hey guys," Shaggy called out, interrupting their moment "We're like all ready to go."

Fred's arm dropped to his side "We'd better get going Daph."

Daphne nodded and slid into the driver's seat of the Mystery Machine. She turned quickly to the back seat "Everyone alright back there?" she asked, looking at Shaggy, Scooby and Velma.

"Like, totally," Shaggy replied, one hand resting on Scooby's head, the other having crept its way around Velma's waist.

Daphne grinned and turned back towards the front seat "How about you Freddy?" she winked at him.

Fred smiled back at Daphne "Let's get this show on the road."

Daphne started up the Mystery Machine and they were off. It was an hour later when a large grumbling sound emitted from the back seat. Fred turned back to stare at Shaggy and Scooby "I recognize that noise," he sighed.

Shaggy shrugged "Like, Scooby can't help it Fred," another large groan rang out and Shaggy looked down. He chuckled a bit "Like, neither can I."

"Better find someplace to stop for lunch Daph," Fred advised.

Daphne scanned the streets for a place to stop for lunch. The only thing she could find was a convenience store "Looks like it'll be grab and go," she told the chow hound and his canine companion.

Shaggy and Scooby got out along with Fred and Daphne. Velma stayed in the van and opened her laptop. She logged on to the internet and checked her email. She smiled to herself when she saw an email from Karen in her inbox. The subject read 'New Pictures'. Velma grinned as she clicked on the email.

There were pictures of Brianna and Caleb on a swing set, Brianna playing dress up, Caleb kicking a soccer ball and pictures of Grace's toothless smile as she sat in a bouncy swing. There was one picture at the end that really tugged at Velma's heart. The three children were all sitting together on a green sofa. Grace sat in the middle with Caleb on her left and Brianna on her right. Brianna was giving the camera a thumbs up as she smiled. Grace had a small hand raised in the air as if she was waving.

Velma felt a hand on her shoulder and she tore her gaze away from the photo to look up at Shaggy "Like, I miss them too," he smiled softly at her as he handed her a bottle of apple juice and a sandwich.

"Thanks," she said as she watched Shaggy and Scooby settle down with the enormous amount of goodies that they had purchased. She smiled at them as she unwrapped her sandwich, thinking to herself how thoughtful Shaggy could be.

Fred and Daphne returned to the van with food of their own and took their seats. Daphne turned to look at Velma and noticed the opened laptop "What are you doing Velma?" she asked.

"See for yourself," Velma turned the laptop so that Daphne could see the screen.

"Aw," Daphne cooed as she looked at the pictures "They look like they're settling in well."

Fred turned to see the pictures and smiled "Great pictures. Man, I miss those little guys."

"Yeah…" Daphne sighed "Me too…"

Velma turned the laptop back towards herself and was about to close the email when she noticed something "Hey guys," she remarked "There's a video file here."

Somehow she managed to find a place for the laptop where everyone could see the screen. She clicked on the video file and the group waited.

"Hi Daphne! Hi Fred! Hi Velma!" Brianna screamed, waving wildly at the camera.

"Hi Shaggy! Hi Scooby!" Caleb shouted as he jumped up and down.

"We miss you!" Brianna said, blowing a kiss into the camera.

"I was thinking that we could exchange video messages," Karen's voice, from somewhere off camera, said "The kids really miss you guys and it would be good for them I think. Let me know what you think."

"I got my own room!" Caleb randomly informed the camera excitedly.

Karen could be heard laughing "Yes he has his own room and he loves showing it to me every chance he gets. Even though it's my house and I know all about it already."

"I have to share a room with Grace," Brianna pouted "Dirty diapers are stinky."

"Yes they are," Karen agreed with a chuckle. Karen began addressing Mystery Inc. again "I hope you guys can make it out here sometime soon. Maybe in the next few months."

"Oh, oh, come for my birthday?" Brianna requested.

"That's a great idea Brianna," Karen's smile could be heard in her tone "Email me and we'll figure out the details."

Grace who had been sitting silently on the couch made a giggle and fell forward.

"Whoopsie," Karen said as the camera wavered and was set down as Karen moved forward to retrieve her niece. Karen sat in the middle of the chaos with Grace on her lap "I think it's time to say goodbye everyone," she laughed as the camera sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"Bye!" Brianna and Caleb called simultaneously.

"Can you say bye bye?" Karen asked, smiling down at Grace who only gurgled. Karen laughed and waved to the camera before reaching for it and shutting it off.

In the Mystery Machine there was not a dry eye to be found, be it the eye of man or beast. Fred was the first to speak "I think we should make them a video message right away," he suggested.

"Let's wait until we get to Connecticut," Daphne put in "For one thing it would be a little awkward to do it in the Mystery Machine and for another I have no idea what to say."

"I agree with Daphne," Velma said "I would appreciate some time to think about how best to record a video response. In the mean time I'll email Karen about going to see them sometime in the next few months."

Everyone agreed. Velma was in charge of everyone's schedules anyway and so they had no problem trusting her with this. The Mystery Machine continued on its way to Connecticut, its occupants were not aware that it would be a long time before they actually would get a chance to record that video response. They did not know that soon they would have their hands full with a mystery that would cause relationships to be questioned and friendships to be tested.

Of course none of them could predict this as the Mystery Machine sped down the highway. Velma finished sending the email to Karen, shut off her laptop and soon found herself leaning against Shaggy's shoulder.

Shaggy, who had finished consuming a large amount of the food that he and Scooby had picked up at the convenience store, wrapped an arm around her. For him at that moment, things were perfect. He couldn't possibly have imagined what awaited him in Connecticut.

A/N: Wow, can my pros be anymore foreboding? Anyways, let me know what you think. I'm trying to capture the feeling of the "What's New Scooby Doo" series but considering that Shaggy and Velma are romantically linked as are Fred and Daphne, I'm afraid that it might detract from the plot. Please let me know what you think.