Author's Note: "Scooby Doo" characters do not belong to me.

It had been years since Velma Dinkley solved mysteries with her Crystal Cove crew, but when she got the call from Fred Jones that he was in town, suddenly she remembered those years, and why she left them behind. Now a successful environmental development chemist, science was her world, not monsters and ghosts. When she left Crystal Cove behind for university, she honestly didn't think she'd see any of her old friends again. Fred was looking to set up his own mystery solving branch, Daphne went on a world-wide trip with her new beau, and Shaggy, well, he never had much get up and go, so it was the hot dog stand for him and Scooby.

As Velma waited in a dimly lit café in Brooklyn, New York, she wondered how much Fred had changed since his days as a seventeen year old monster hunter. She remembered an invitation to his and Daphne's wedding, but she declined. She got postcards on occasion, mostly telling her about his adventures (he always was a story teller, even when he was building traps), but that was it. Sometimes she sent some back, but she didn't have much to tell.

She wasn't married, had no children, only a golden retriever. Supposedly all those years around Scooby made her a dog lover. Velma had a good job, a lovely apartment, and she went on a vacation yearly to Disneyland, her one weakness that she never told anyone about. She grew her hair out, then chopped it all off for cancer patients. She switched her coke bottle lenses for something sexier, or what her female coworkers called at least, and traded in her turtlenecks for off-the-shoulder sweaters and a locket pendent with her grannie's picture inside. She had grown up, and she could only imagine how Freddy was now.

Freddy. Handsome, sweet, dim witted Freddy. It never surprised her when he finally married Daphne, but it did sting. The heiress always got what she wanted; clothes, jewelry, boyfriends, the list went on. Velma hated how jealous she was of her friend, but it was hard to watch Daphne get handed everything while the genius worked hard every day to get where she was.

The front door opened, and the bell above dinged, catching Velma's attention. She looked up from her murky coffee to see a very familiar face.

He donned a beard now, not lengthy, but enough that she caught the golden flecks that hid beneath his ten carat smile. His hair was neatly trimmed and hidden under a toque. He never could handle the cold, even an evening chill made him shudder. His trench coat was caked in mud, as were his jeans and army boots, but if he was tired from his long journey, he didn't show it. Instead, he made a beeline for his old partner and pulled her from her seat for a well-deserved hug.

Velma was suddenly thrust back to the last time she saw Freddy. She was boarding the plane for Princeton where she would study Biochemistry, and while she insisted her friends didn't need to come, they did anyway. Freddy was the only one who stuck around as she boarded the plane. He was her final hug, and he still smelt like an adventure waiting to happen, just as he did then. Except now his whiskers tickled her ear, causing her to giggle. She never giggled. His hands remained on her back for a long time, and looking back she realized how strange they must have looked to the limited patrons of "Suzy Q's". Two people, one looking like she was from uptown and the other a jungle man, clinging to each other like they were Rose and Jack on a drift board in the ocean. She didn't care in that moment though. She hadn't realized how much she missed Fred till then.

When they managed to pull apart, she sat down first and ordered pancakes for them both. She remembered how after a tough case they ate pancakes at three in the morning to satisfy their hunger till school. It was close to that time now, and tradition was tradition after all.

After the order was placed, they sat in silence, staring at each other across the table. As expected, it was Fred who broke the surprisingly awkward-free quiet.

"You look good Velma, real good," he stated, his lips curling upwards. She blushed, tucking a piece of auburn hair behind her ear.

"And I didn't before?" she teased. It took her years to become comfortable enough to joke around with people, and she was glad Fred was around to witness her newly formed playfulness. She was still the same sarcastic "whiz kid" he knew in high school, but she felt more in her skin now then she had back in those days.

Fred blushed lightly but managed an embarrassed chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck. "You did Velms, most of us were just too dense to see it."

She hated when he said nice things like this. She did as a kid, but it was worse now that they were older and supposedly wiser. Apparently she still wasn't smart enough to realize he was married and likely just being friendly. Nevertheless, she appreciated his sweetness.

"Well, a lot has changed since then. We're not kids anymore," she pointed out.

Fred nodded, but she noticed how his eyes lost their sparkle at that thought. "Yeah, some days I wish we were though. Things sure were a lot easier back then," he sighed.

She wanted to ask what was wrong, if he was happy, if he had kids, but she didn't. Their food came, and she buried her curiosity with pancakes and syrup.

"Have you kept in touch with Shaggy and Scooby?" he asked with a mouth full of pancakes.

Shaggy Rogers, her first boyfriend and loyal friend. No, she hadn't kept in contact with him, for good reason too. When she started her life as a chemist in Brooklyn, she did call him, once, to come celebrate her open house. Well, she was a little tipsy when she called, but he came all the same. She remembered bits and pieces of that hazy night and mentally shuddered. After that, they didn't talk much. It was better that way. From what she recalled, he ran the Crystal Cove radio station now and was engaged to a blonde surfer named Trixie.

Velma blinked and realized Fred was still waiting for a reply. "N-No, I haven't. He visited a few years back, but it's been a while."

Fred suddenly pulled out his phone and scrolled through till he found what he wanted. He showed her the screen, revealing an older Shaggy, his girl Trixie, and a little baby girl.

"They had Isabella about six months ago. She's my god-daughter," Fred explained, his grin widening. Velma's heart contracted at the happy family, but she was glad for Shaggy. He deserved happiness, they all did; especially Freddy.

As he put the phone away, Velma decided the venture into uncharted waters.

"So how are things with Daphne? Any pitter patter of little monster chasers?" She asked, taking a sip form her nearly empty mug.

Freddy paused mid-chew and she watched as his left hand flexed. That was how she caught there was no ring. She immediately regretted saying anything and as she started to apologize, he held up his left hand and gave her a tiny smile.

"It's alright, we just weren't meant to be. I mean, I shouldn't have expected her to want to be a mystery solver her entire life. That was more our thing anyway. I don't think she ever liked it much." He took another bite of his fourth pancake and glanced at his friend. "We were always the ones coming up with the plans and solving the mysteries. Daphne just liked the drama, and even then she couldn't handle the more serious parts."

Velma nodded; he was right after all. Shaggy went with it because they were his friends and he wanted to tag along. Daphne had a crush on Fred, so she assumed going would get his attention. Velma still wasn't sure what made her keep doing it all those years. She wasn't about to try and figure it out over pancakes though, at least not at the moment.

"We were, that's true, but I know how happy you were together. I remember the stories in those postcards you sent." 'I still have them.'

Fred chuckled. "Yeah, we did have some good times. But now I'm on my own again, chasing monsters and creating a new life for myself. It's exciting, you know? I haven't had this much fun since Crystal Cove."

"I'm glad to hear that Freddy, you always did know how to follow your heart," she complimented, finishing off her coffee.

Her old friend nodded and pushed away his bone dry plate. She admired his healthy appetite and repressed a chuckle. 'He's almost as bad as Shaggy.'

"So where has your heart led you Velma? You always were so sensible, but I'm sure you must be doing something you love," Fred asked, leaning forward on his elbows. Instinctively, Velma leaned back against the vinyl seat. It never did any good to be in such close quarters with a man who you had known almost your entire life. Hadn't Mother always said boys would be her downfall? Or maybe that was science. Either way, she wasn't taking any chances.

Velma chuckled nervously. "My heart? I don't know, I'm still working at the same place, still teaching on the weekends, nothing too exciting. I got a dog now though," she added, attempting to sound somewhat exciting. She always hated how boring she sounded.

Fred didn't seem bored though. If anything he soon became enthralled with her life, asking all sorts of questions, especially about her retriever. "Daphne didn't want anything that shed on the carpets, so most animals were out," he explained.

"Would you like to come and meet him?" Velma blurted out. "Shep, would you like to meet Shep, that's what I meant," she stammered, nervously ringing her hands. She usually didn't have people over, but Freddy was an exception. Well, at least now he was.

The mystery solver nodded eagerly. "I'd love to!" As they left, he insisted on paying, much to her dismay. She wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to the taxi though. Soon enough they were at her doorstep and her mind was buzzing with anxious thoughts. Had she remembered to put away the laundry? Were the dishes done? What if Shep had an accident? Why did she think it was a good idea to invite him back to her place?

Velma reluctantly opened her door and was relieved to find no accidents awaiting her. The apartment wasn't tiny, just big enough for one person and her dog. Although it was supposed to be a modern style, the young woman opted for brick walls and plush carpets instead. The living room greeted the pair first. She had no television, only books and a record player for entertainment. The couch pulled out into a bed, and she was about to offer him a place for the night when she realized how forward that was and decided against it.

Her kitchen had a large window that let in the morning sun, currently the moon, and thank goodness she had put away the dishes. The little island held a bottle of her favourite champagne and she went over, ready to crack it open, when Freddy placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Could I have coffee instead? I'm not much of a drinker." Velma nodded and began to prepare their drink.

"So where's this Shep I've been hearing about?" he chuckled, hands on hips as he waited. At the mention of his name, Velma heard whining and scratching on her bedroom door. She swore she left the thing open, but apparently Shep accidently closed it.

"He's in my bedroom, let me get him," she started to walk over, but Freddie shook his head.

"I can get him, is it the door at the end of the hall?" At the thought of Freddie seeing her room, she followed him, hoping to catch him before he saw her private domain.

"N-No wait, I got him!" She fumbled to grab the handle, but he beat her to it, revealing her room.

The bed was large, swanky with silk sheets and fluffy pillows. Beside her bed was a picture of the gang the summer before she moved. Her armour, large and darkly varnished, contained the stacks of Fred's postcards, among other things like her headbands. His sweater, the one he lent her for the airplane but conveniently forgot to give back, rested on her swivel chair in front of her desk. In said desk were letters, ones she wrote when she couldn't sleep to people she missed, like Freddy. Mostly Freddy. The bay window, where she mainly read at night, was where Shep wagged his tail, but Velma didn't notice. She sprinted to her chair and tried to hide the sweater, the postcards, anything that would reveal that she cared too much. The damage was done though, she knew that when she turned to find her friend watching her with this knowing glance that revealed he knew too much about her, he always had.

Velma tightened her grip on the sweater as he continued to stare at her. Shep came over to see who the guest was, but neither noticed. "I-I should have given this back and I know it seems strange that I've kept all these—the postcards but I—I've always," she shook her head and took a step back, bumping into her desk. "I've always liked you Fred and it killed me to watch you with Daphne every single time because I knew you would get hurt but I couldn't say anything because I was supposed to like Shaggy and you were never meant to be mine but I dreamt about it." She shut her eyes tight.

"I've dreamt about us all the time, about a life we could have had if I just followed my heart. I don't want to be a chemist and live in this cramped apartment alone all my life. You were right Freddie," she hesitantly looked at him, "we were the only ones who ever understood chasing monsters. And just now, I finally figured out why I did it all those years. It was because of you Freddie, because you made me see how important it was, and how fun it could be instead of living a—a sheltered life! I'm only sorry it took me so long to see it."

After realizing all she said, the young woman's eyes widened and her hands let go of the sweater. "I can't believe I just told you all that," she whispered before burying her face in her hands.

She heard the clumping of boots and suddenly Fred's hand was on her shoulder, urging her to look at him. His smile was reassuring, but she still felt like a loon. She noticed he was holding his sweater out to her, like an offering.

"It looks better on you anyway," he said quietly, but that wasn't what she heard. In that brief sentence, she caught everything she'd ever wanted him to say. He understood her, every part she'd ever tried to get rid of or change, and he never asked her to do either of those things in all the time he'd known her. She took the sweater but caught his hand in the process. Feeling bold yet terrified, she tugged on his turtleneck and gave him a kiss.

It took a moment for them to realize what she was doing, but Freddy didn't stop her. She felt his hands on her hips, demanding for her to come closer, and as the kiss deepened, she realized what she had been missing all these years studying and trying to avoid her mystery past. She laced her arms around his neck and reached up on her tip toes, not wanting to break contact with him.

Shep wrestled his way between them though, and while Velma wanted to be angry, she couldn't be at the pup. She giggled as she bent down to pick him up and as she rubbed Shep's belly, she glanced at Freddy who hadn't managed to loosen his grip around her waist.

"So . . . what now?" she inquired quietly.

Freddy shrugged. "I'm not sure. I plan on staying in town for the week. Maybe we can figure something out?"

In a week, she could quit her job and be Freddy's monster chasing partner. In a week, she could have a completely different life. In a week, she could be head over heels in love with him. 'Who am I kidding; I have been since I was sixteen.' She said none of this though. Instead, she slipped on Fred's sweater and took his head, leading him to the kitchen for that coffee she promised him.

"Sounds perfect Freddy."

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