A Trip for the Dead (Part 5)

A Secret Crush

Cleo awoke bright and early the next morning only to find her husband still sound asleep and snoring away next to her. Cleo let a small smile cross her face as she made her way downstairs into the kitchens. Well, first she had to answer the front door as someone was constantly ringing the doorbell. Cleo frowned as she wondered just WHO in their right mind would be ringing the doorbell at this hour. She found her answer rather quickly as soon as she got to the door and opened it and raised a brow in surprise. "Well now, your awfully early." said Cleo cocking a brow. "Hello to you too." said Rath crossing his arms with a glare. "How did you manage to find my address?" asked Cleo in suspicion. "Magic obviously." said Rath. Cleo held back a sigh as she allowed her brother and his friends inside. "Make yourselves at home while I prepare breakfast." said Cleo placing a hand atop of her swollen stomach. "Breakfast!? Now you are talking!" said Armon. "You just ate!" scolded Rath. "Oh great, the headache's already here!" grumbled Demon from the bottom of the stairs. "Demon, mind your tongue!" scolded Cleo. Demon huffed out a small wisp of smoke. "I'll go make breakfast while you stay and talk with your brother." said Demon. "I am QUITE capable of doing things on my own thank you!" called Cleo after her husband. It wasn't until a few hours later that the gang finally showed up and Demon let them inside. "Looks like Cleo's brother and his friends beat us here." said Catman. "They showed up at the crack of dawn. Literally." said Demon in annoyance. "That long? Yeesh." said Spaceman. "Shaggy, are you alright?" asked Cleo in concern. After all, her friend was more restless looking than usual. "Like yeah, just gotta like....go to the bathroom!" said Shaggy hurriedly. Cleo took that as a sign that something was bothering him and he didn't want to share it in front of the rest of the gang. "Uh, guess I'll show you to the bathroom, Shag." said Demon. "Oh no, I'll show him, I have to use it as well." said Cleo getting to her feet. "Alright, Cleo, just be careful." said Demon. "Aren't I always?" asked Cleo as Shaggy grabbed her arm. "Sorry, Cleo, but like I REALLY gotta go!" cried Shaggy pulling her up the stairs as best he could. "Man, its things like that that make me glad I'm a mummy!" laughed Nefertina. 

"Alright, Shaggy, what exactly has you so worked up?" asked Cleo cocking a brow. Shaggy seemed to look around nervously. "Shaggy?" asked Cleo in concern. Shaggy seemed to look around a few more times before taking a breath. "ITHINKIHAVEACRUSHONONEOFOURFRIENDS!" he cried before covering his mouth. Cleo raised a brow in surprise. After all, she wasn't expecting THAT of all things. "Who? Velma?" asked Cleo. "What? Like no way man! Spaceman CLEARLY likes her!" cried Shaggy. "Then who?" asked Cleo. Shaggy's face immediately heated up. However, he let out a scream and dived into the closet as the bedroom door opened. "Uh...is he alright?" asked Demon as Cleo opened the closet door to find Shaggy shaking like a leaf inside. "I haven't the faintest idea." admitted Cleo with a frown. "Guess we can worry about that later, Fred seems to think we should head out. I just came up here to get our stuff." said Demon looking down at Shaggy in concern. "Like great, let's hit the road then!" cried Shaggy fleeing out of the room. Demon looked at Cleo with a questioning gaze while all Cleo could do was shrug. 

(OK, when the gang's up on the billboard, imagine Cleo and KISS up on the platform with the rest of the gang and Cleo's brother and his friends hanging off the ledge much like Scooby is doing. When the gang is showing their passports, Catman is behind Shaggy and Cleo and the rest are behind her. Shaggy then looks behind him to see Catman and gives a nervous smile before fleeing making Catman and the man behind the desk look at each other funny. As far as the mules, everyone is on one minus Cleo and Demon who are standing off to the side. Catman is next to Shaggy and Shaggy doesn't notice until he turns his head before screaming and running off the mule past Cleo and Demon making Demon scratch his head and Cleo tapping her chin in thought. In the photo scene instead of Shaggy high up in the air from sitting on a cactus, he is once again running away while everyone turns their heads in his direction. Finally, Shaggy once again flees from Catman after he approaches the booth that they were eating at. Cleo is standing by the food stalls with Demon, Rath, and his friends. Spaceman is walking behind Velma, and Starchild is examining a musical instrument.)   

Finally, the gang arrived at the place they were supposed to meet Fred's pen pal. Cleo obviously needed help getting out of the Mystery Machine. "Ah, I've see you've brought quite a few friends with you, Fred." said his pen pal, Alejo. "I'm only here to keep an eye on my pregnant sister." said Rath earning a smack to the back of the head. "OW! Why you!" growled Rath. "Rath! Calm down!" warned Jakal placing a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. "Welcome to our world." said Catman. Shaggy tensed for a split second before running inside the hotel screaming. "Seriously, WHAT is with him today!?" asked Spaceman. "I'll get him. Shaggy!" yelled Cleo going after her friend as best as she could. "Cleo, don't run in heels!" yelled Demon going after his pregnant wife. Cleo finally found Shaggy curled up under one of the tables shaking. "Shaggy, are you alright, truly? You've been acting strange." said Cleo in concern. Shaggy shook his head but didn't reply. Then it clicked. "You have a crush on Catman don't you?" asked Cleo crossing her arms. "SHHH!!!! Like not so loud!" cried Shaggy covering Cleo's mouth and looking around to make sure no one heard her. "I thought you detested the idea after what happened back in Egypt!" hissed Cleo prying his hand off her mouth. "Oh come on, man, like I actually intended for this to happen!" cried Shaggy. "Well, why don't you just tell him?" asked Cleo cocking a brow. "Uh uh! No way no how! Cleo, like I'm BEGGING you! Don't tell anyone!" cried Shaggy. "Shaggy, you can't keep running from him otherwise someone is REALLY going to think something is up." said Cleo resting a hand on top of her stomach. But the pleading look Shaggy was giving her told her she wouldn't have much choice in the matter making Cleo sigh. "Why do I get the feeling I'm REALLY going to have to keep a close eye on you this time to prevent the others from prying the information out of you?" "Thanks, Cleo! Like I owe you big time!" said Shaggy. "Yes, yes you do." said Cleo rubbing her temples as she was beginning to get a headache and they hadn't even unpacked yet.