Old Friends and Forgotten Memories

Disclaimer: *limps on stage with full body cast* Sadly I am here to inform you that Scooby Doo does not belong to me. It seems as though I was mistaken in my actions to try and kidnap the gang and sorry for misleading anyone into thinking I was the actual owner.

If you did believe me for a second though I strongly suggest you read another story as it takes an IQ higher than one to understand anything that I say. This fan fiction has no commercial value and no profit was gained writing this.

All other original characters belong to me. Forgive me for the interruption and now back to the story. Good enough for you? *glares at lawyers who quickly try to hid guns and sharp metal objects behind their backs.*

Anyways thanks for reading and as always PLEASE review. I'm not begging or anything...

These are the special times,
Times we'll remember,
These are the precious times,
The tender times,
We'll hold in our hearts forever,
These are the sweetest times,
These times together,
And through it all one thing will always be true,
The special times are the times I share with you.

- These are the Special Times sung by Celine Dion

Chapter 6: Reunited Once More

It's amazing how fast time will fly by and then slow down to a near halt. To Shaggy the hours seemed to drag on as they slowly trudged their way through the muck and slime, yet before he knew it, well, they were there. Looking up he fought the urge to turn around and run the other way valiantly, and he won... barely.

The castle looked especially eerie in the late afternoon light. Or at least he thought it was afternoon. Either that or midnight. Well the sun and moon were currently directly overhead, as if life wasn't confusing enough.

He tried hard not to think about how much the castle resembled a skull in it's own way. Death itself almost. Quickly Shaggy shuddered and changed the topic in his mind. That didn't help much though.

Why is it that one can't recall a single happy memory in this place? He already knew the answer.

Silently he looked around them seemingly ignoring the fortress. His gaze swept past the many trees that surrounded them and finally rested upon Velma. Shaggy felt his heart twist in his chest.

She was trying very hard to be brave, staring at the castle pensively as she was. Her expression was solemn beneath her spectacles and he knew she was deep in thought about how exactly to save their friends. How many times had he bugged her about getting contacts?

He chuckled as a memory arose unbidden. They had been at their junior prom in high school and he had of course asked Velma to go with him. And why exactly not? She was his friend and he very well couldn't just let her go alone. That had just been an excuse though and he knew she had really never given it any thought.

Well that night he had come to her door and dear Lord almighty he couldn't figure it out. The way she had sparkled and shined making everything else in the world seem dull and dreary next to her. The blue dress that had fitted just so brought out a certain glow around her the sparkles that were strategically placed only magnifying the perfection.

He had never heard his heart pound in his ears like it did that night as he pinned on the red rose brooch right over her heart. He almost couldn't do it his hands were shaking so much and surprisingly enough her hands trying to steady his didn't help anything either.

The way she smiled and moved... he didn't care what anyone said, she looked beautiful without her glasses and that night she wore them just for him.

Stumbling over a rock he nearly slapped himself. Reality check she definitely, no way in the entire universe, did NOT belong to him. Who was he fooling? He had taken her out because of a silly crush and it had been her who had felt sorry for him.

Silently he snuck one more glance at the angel he was denied and when she looked his way purely out of curiosity he found himself blushing for it. Who on earth was he kidding?

Shaggy cleared his throat in a desperate attempt to regain his composure, or what ever semblance of that he possessed anyways. They looked to him.

Licking his lips he made the decision for all, the choice that would affect their lives forever. Squaring his shoulders and forcing his shaky knees forward his made towards the castle. Let's go. They followed.

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Inside her memories he fell deeper and deeper into despair. Tragic scenes flashed in front of his eyes nearly to fast for him to even catch a glimpse of their contents yet he saw everything clearly.

He just couldn't believe all that she'd gone through. And never told him or the others? It just can't be so.

It was only when he witnessed his very own death that he finally realized something... it never happened. These visions, these shadows that haunt her never once came true.

Oh it started out real enough. That was her family's death he bared witness to but this? No this was all a lie. Someone, something, was using her nightmares and fears to pull her, them, into infinity.

He clung to this newfound knowledge like a lifeline and struggled to regain his senses. To his utmost horror he couldn't do it, he couldn't wake up. He was trapped, trapped inside his wife's mind. She had to be the one to wake up, but how?

Suddenly the world dropped away beneath him. Falling, falling... it was the worst sensation he had ever felt in his life, as though he was being torn apart from inside out. Yet just as quickly as it began it stopped.

All was still and black, until he opened his eyes. Blinking back the fire's rays he tried to piece together where he was now. Where he must be. So why couldn't he figure it out?

There was a fire with stones surrounding it, a carefully preserved alter beside it, a bloody dagger in the middle... wait a bloody knife? What the...

Fred started suddenly when he realized he was chained by the wrist and neck to a wall. Shivering he finally found out that he had been stripped to the waste. A human sacrifice? That wasn't all he discovered in that instant either.

As he was fighting his bonds for dear life a lone figure stepped out of the shadows. It was the witch's ghost, the one Daphne feared the most... and... and... he screamed bloody murder.

He was still in her nightmares and he knew that somewhere out there his love was watching. If only he could make he realize this one was not a dream, not this time, but reality.
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The wind whipped her hair as she ran through the corridors, swiftly yet just as silently. They hadn't been spotted she was fairly sure but that constant feeling of being watched was forever tying knots in her stomach.

But this was no time for hesitation. Vincent was here and close, oh so close. She could practically see him, having sensed his weak and dying presence further back.

So here she was running for her life when in reality it was for another. What would she do when she got there? She had absolutely no clue. Just a little further...

A blood curling scream halted Sydney right in her tracks. Oh dear that one sounded oddly familiar. Everyone but her shouted in union and impulsively ran towards the direction where the anguished cry had come from.

NO! WE MUST NOT GET SEPARATED!

To late, they were gone down that hallway and she could barely hear their receding steps echoing through the vast mansion. Then that too disappeared.

She started to take off after them when out of no where a wall appeared before her, straight in her path. She skidded to a stop just mere inches away from its foreboding stone length. It had to be three feet thick and she knew she could never get through. Only one way left.

Oh dear she whispered as the realization that they were indeed caught set in. Gulping she turned towards the only path left open. The one that would lead her to her guardian and master.

Slowly at first but steadily gaining speed she started to trot until she reached a full out run no longer bothering to worry about keeping quiet. Too terrified to look back lest she find out she was being followed she dashed through the hall like a madman.

Careless of any traps she might snap or surprises that awaited around the corners. There were none. It was all way to easy but her stunned mind couldn't comprehend such right now.

All control was lost and one thought proceeded to rule over all others in her mind. Get to Vincent!

Finally she rounded the last corner and landed before great oak doors, black like everything else in this place. She was there, she made it, she was safe.

Then she opened up the last obstacle in her path, stepped through... and wondered why the hell she was here as she stared at what lay inside.

At first all she could do was stare at the revolving sword in the middle of the room. The weapon hung in midair before her just pleading for her to take it. She could almost hear the whines coming from it as it objected to staying still.

It seemed to be made of the finer things in life, never meant for a battle of any sort. It was so beautiful that she vaguely wondered what on earth a prize such as this would be doing here.

From the silver blade to the ivory hilt inlaid with gold and gems of every sort it shined, dispelling the darkness. One thing she did manage to notice was a empty hole right in the heart of it, just large enough for a certain jewel to fit into.

Nothing could possibly compare nothing.

But then it finished a complete rotation and everything changed. Gone was the brilliance, and hope instead replaced by a distorted piece of ironware that had seen many battles and lived to tell the tale.

It boasted of its victory and the many lives it alone had taken. Only chaos was left in its wake. Yet still a piece was missing, a yearning to be whole could be felt from both sides of the saber.

The full impact of this awesome power and desire jolted Sydney back into the present and helped her to regain some of her wits. She tore her gaze away from the sword and looked towards the far wall.

There in the corner, battered, beaten, bloody, and defeated was her master. Yet this time this time she would be his savior.

She rushed to his side as though expecting to be torn apart again at any given moment. Once again she marveled that she had made it this far and silently braced herself for the unexpected.

Carefully she unsheathed her own dagger and brought it up, swiftly severing both chains that held him up. He fell forward but not before she awkwardly managed to catch him, or at least prevent him from hitting the ground full force.

He sank to his knees and shuddered slightly before shunning away from further touch not daring to open his eyes for fear of what it would mean. A few tears fell at the forlorn look her teacher possessed.

They must have succeeded in braking his spirit somehow, yet there had to be some way to save him. Silently she whispered reassurances to him as she had done hundreds of years ago and slowly she persuaded him to open his eyes and look at her.

Recognition dawned on him immediately along with an emotion she was very familiar with, disbelief. Forgetting all thoughts of foolish pride she wrapped her arms tightly about his neck allowing him to rest his head on her shoulder and weep.

Yet the moment was bittersweet and certainly didn't last forever. All to soon a presence other than themselves made itself known. It did so in the most malicious manner it knew how too...

Why, good evening sister.
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Author's Note: Oh boy cliffhangers abound. The climax is drawing closer and me with my... biology homework. Sorry folks this is where I leave you all for now. Once again don't blame me blame school. *Sigh* Nothing I can do, I've tried I swear. But then again Christmas vacation is coming closer and closer. Only 18 more days before winter break! Alright! Hopefully I'll get at least one more chapter before then but I promise a ton of work and words when it finally roles around. Also I would like to proclaim my profound enmity to PCs, they wouldn't allow me to work on my story this weekend since most is done on a Mac. I don't have any converters conveniently located in that area either. Oh well spilled milk. Anyways just please stay tuned, be good little children and review, and I promise much more in the future. @_@