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The lights of the carnival were shining bright as they walked up the steps that led to the hayride that they always went on when they came here.
It was a tradition for the gang over these last few years that they would come to this small little Halloween Carnival and run around like when they were little kids before they started solving mysteries full time.
The hayride was one of the most important things to them all since that usually was the last thing that they did when they decided that their night of being out on All Hallows’ Eve was coming to an end.
“I can’t believe we got an entire truck bed to ourselves,” Daphne said in her usually bubbly tone as she gripped a little tighter to Fred as they walked down the wooden deck that led to one of the four trucks that the Carnival used for their hayrides.
“Well, they are small,” Velma said with a smile as she leaned more into Shaggy’s taller frame. “And there is a handful of us,” She said happily as she and the others kept walking trying to hide the fact about how relieved she was that they had gotten a truck bed to themselves. “All we had to do was time it just right, and we got our own,” She said as she pulled her hand away from the one that Shaggy had thrown over her shoulder to keep her close.
Once she got her hand untangled from his hand, she brought it down next to her where Scooby’s was and gently scratched behind his ear.
It hadn’t gotten passed Fred and Daphne that Scooby had been extremely close to Velma these last few days, even more so than he was with Shaggy, but they chopped it up to him trying to butter her up for more Scooby Snacks than usual.
“Good point, Vel,” Shaggy said, as he leaned his head down against her own, making her laugh. “Like always you’re always correct,” He said sweetly, making Velma roll her eyes as she shrugged at Daphne’s confused but happy look trying to tell the red-haired woman who she saw as her sister that she had no clue what was going.
The tap of all of their shoes and Scooby’s paws came to a stop in front of the wooden gate where they were motioned to stop as they got the hayride ready for them.
“You must be working really hard for Velma to teach you how to make Grandma Dinkley’s famous pumpkin pie, Shaggy,” Fred said to his two friends that were now standing next to him and Daphne with a teasing tone.
“Rie, rhere?” Scooby asked, looking around, having been lost in his thoughts as he kept close to both Shaggy and Velma. He now stood between Velma and Daphne as he finally came back to his mind at the mention of food. He couldn’t help but smile sheepishly as the other four of their little family laughed at his reaction.
“I’ll make you some pie later, Scooby, I promise,” Velma said before letting out another squeak of laughter as Scooby jumped up and licked her face happily at hearing that he would get his own pie.
“And what about me?” Shaggy asked in mock hurt as he looked down at the auburn-haired woman that was one of the best people in his life.
“Scooby helps to guard me so he gets his own pie,” Velma said as she reached down and scratched behind Scooby’s ear. “You’ll have to share with the rest of us,” She teased as she leaned up and pressed a soft kiss against the side of Shaggy’s mouth.
“Guard you from what, V?” Daphne asked, a little worried for the three members of their small family.
“Yeah, is everything alright guys?” Fred asked, feeling a small beat of fear fill his heart at the thought of something happening to the others.
It had been nearly a year since both couples had all moved into their own places, which had been strange since they were so used to all living together. They were still close to one another and close to the building where they ran their agency, but that didn’t stop them from worrying about things since they had made a good few enemies over their years of mystery solving.
“Oh, nothing,” Velma said with a smile, trying to reassure the two next to them. “You know how protective Scooby to be when he wants to be,” She said with a wave of her hand knowing that the others knew what she meant.
Scooby was a big, loveable, scaredy-cat but when it came to what was important, he would swallow back his fear and do his best to help others.
“What Scooby brave?” Shaggy asked with a fake gasp as he looked at his dog, who now had his chest puffed out with pride as he rubbed his paws against his chest. “Like, never that would ruin our image,” He said, giving a playful glare towards his best pal who only snickered and flexed.
“What a ham,” Velma said with a roll of her eyes as the others watch Scooby laughing at the little joke he was making.
Before anyone else could say anything, the wooden gate was open wide for them by the carnival worker who had been scrolling through his phone as he waited for the signal to let them on.
Shaggy and Fred let the girls go first, letting them walk into the hayride with the help from two other workers who carefully took one of theirs hands and helped them keep steady as they walked on to the back of the truck. Scooby was the one to follow after them smiling at the workers as he went but it was clear he was trying to stay close to Velma. After Scooby was Fred and Shaggy who had handed the worker next to the gate their tickets for the hayride before grabbing the edges of the truck bed to keep steady.
As they all walked and tried to keep themselves steady on the slightly rocking truck Daphne couldn’t help but notice how Velma placed a hand on her stomach as if steadying something else instead of herself.
“Are you okay?” Daphne asked as they stepped fully onto the bed of the truck reaching up to place a hand on her chosen sister’s shoulder. “Do you feel sick or something?” She asked worry lacing every word scared that they had made Velma come out to the carnival when she hadn’t felt well.
“I’m fine I promise,” Velma said with a smile as she reassured her friend before they sat down from across one another. “I think I just ate too many sweets,” She said but there was something like mischief behind her glasses covered eyes as she spoke.
Before Daphne could ask any more questions though Fred and Shaggy were sitting next to them and Scooby was laying down in the middle of the hay a content sigh coming from him as he did so which once again made them each laugh a little and roll their eyes.
After all the years had gone by and even though they were still young, they all knew one thing would never change Scoobert Doobert Doo was and always would be a drama king in every situation.
They all began to talk once more as the truck pulled off heading down the dirt path towards the cheesy ghost and spiders that hung from the trees. As they got deeper into the surrounding woods Scooby and Shaggy would jump at any unusual sound that they heard which wasn’t out of the unordinary for their little found family.
As they got to the part of the hayride where the trail was only lit by plastic, orange, jack-o'-lantern, fairy lights, and the stars could be seen in the night sky Velma and Shaggy looked at one another before nodding with a smile making Fred and Daphne frown in confusion.
“I know you both have noticed we’ve been acting a little strange tonight,” Velma started as she reached over and grabbed Shaggy’s hand as she felt Scooby move a little closer to their legs.
“Like it’s nothing bad we promise,” Shaggy said as he squeezed Velma’s hand back and reached down to pet Scooby’s head.
“It’s just we needed the right time to tell you two what’s been going on,” Velma rambled slightly as she looked at the two across from them with a bright smile. “And I think right now is the perfect time to do so,” She said as she took a deep breath.
She paused for a moment to look towards Shaggy who nodded his head with a smile as he wrapped his arm around her tightly and while he still held her hand.
Fred and Daphne looked at the two as they waited to hear what they had to say.
“Like just rip the band-aid off,” Shaggy encouraged her with a smile a brightness to his voice that had never been heard before in their group, not for all the years they had known one another.
“Shaggy and I are having a baby,” Velma finally said as she smiled at the two other friends who suddenly had shocked looks across their faces.
Within a matter of moments, Daphne hugged Velma tightly as she talked a mile a minute while crying at the same time soaking the shoulder of the orange sweater Velma wore. Fred gripped Shaggy’s hand tightly in a handshake before pulling him forward in a tight hug congratulating him as he did so.
Then finally when Scooby stood up to lick Shaggy and Velma like he had done before he was caught in a ground hug by the other four.
The group hug lasted for the rest of the hayride all of them talking over one another as the excitement for their newest detective took over just like Velma and Shaggy had expected.