Hello! If this is your first encounter with the Of the Night universe, I must encourage you to read the original Of the Night story, which is complete, and to keep track of the sequel, Choices, Change, and Fate.

For those of you who are already familiar with Of the Night and its characters, every so often I'll post a little one- or two-shot that took place between OtN and the sequel, because seventeen years is a long time, wouldn't you agree?

"Mama, where's Daddy?"

"Daddy had to go on a trip with Hiccup."

"Why?"

"Because it's his duty, love."

"Duty? Why?"

"Because he's the Alpha, and even if he wasn't, he is still the Hooligan Chief's partner. The Dragon Chief wouldn't be much without his dragon, would he?"

"But when will he be back?"

"Soon, love."

Shade scrunched up his face, his large blue eyes narrowed. "How soon?"

Lightning let out an exasperated sigh, but that didn't erase her smile. "Soon enough. Now, time for you to go to bed."

"But-"

"No buts. Young dragons need their sleep."

"I'm not tired!"

"Oh really?"

"Reallyyyyaaaaahhhh!" Shade finished with an enormous yawn, then blinked with surprise. "Okay, maybe a little."

"Just a little." She laughed and scooped him up with her paw, leaning back to sit on her haunches while holding him to her chest. Her wings came up to wrap around them both, and she held him close until-

"Moooom! You're squishing me!"

"Yeah, yeah." Lightning relaxed her embrace a little, still holding him with one paw as she dropped back to her feet and wandered to the corner where she slept every night with her mate, and now her son.

For a moment she paused and looked at the depressions in the straw and blankets in the corner. This wouldn't be the first night she had spent without Toothless since becoming his mate, but it marked the beginning of the longest time she would be spending without him. Yet. The longest time yet. She resisted the urge to growl, not wanting to disturb her son as he drifted off to sleep. With another, quieter sigh, she padded onto the blankets and settled into her usual position, curling around her now-unconscious hatchling, and imagining the large warm body that usually pressed up against her.

Oh, Toothless. She closed her eyes. What was she going to do for two whole months without him?

Lightning awoke in the predawn hours. Today's the day! Not wanting to wake Shade, she lay still, impatiently waiting for the sun to rise.

Finally the dawn came, and as usual, Shade was up with the sun. Lightning didn't dare remind him of the day's significance, because she'd never hear the end of it. At least, until the end of it.

They ate a nice breakfast of the fish Astrid had kindly brought up yesterday, and Lightning listened with one ear as Shade described his dreams. But he had her full attention when he told her that he'd had THE dream again.

Not so much a dream, but a nightmare. "Why didn't you wake me?" she asked her son, who looked down at his tiny claws.

"I wanted you to get all the sleep so you could be awake for today."

"What's today?"

"Daddy comes home today."

Her jaw dropped, and quickly she shut her mouth. How could she have thought for a moment that he would forget? Shade was quite a bright hatchling, even for a Night Fury.

"That's right," she finally said. "So finish your breakfast, and you can go play with your friends until he gets back."

"Can I stay with you?"

Lightning wanted to say no. After all, he was very energetic, and she'd rather him be tuckered out at the end of the day after playing with the other hatchlings. But he'd had that nightmare again… his eyes were wide and pleading, and in the expression she could see her mate.

"Okay," she relented, and his ears perked up. Wisely, though, he didn't say anything, simply digging into his remaining fish.

After they finished, Shade hopped up onto his mother's shoulders, and the two dragons left the shelter, just as the door to the Chief's house opened and Astrid stepped out, holding Aeri. Both mothers stopped short at the sight of each other, before beginning to laugh, and their respective charges began squirming at the sight of each other.

"Hey, Lightning," the blonde woman walked over, holding her child out as she giggled and kicked her small chubby legs out. "Do you mind if I…"

Lightning nodded with a smile, and sat still as Astrid set Aeri's feet on her head. Guided by her mother's hands, the young human reached out and gurgled, "Sade!"

Shade let out his own high-pitched rumble in response, dutifully coming closer so that his human could pat his head. Both mothers smiled, and Shade sniffed around Aeri's face, causing her to giggle delightedly as her hair was pushed in all different directions.

The wind picked up, and Aeri began to shiver, so Astrid pulled her back into her arms and wrapped her in her blanket. But before she could suggest that they all make their way to the cliffside to wait, Lightning picked up a faint scent, one that was just slightly different than Astrid's usual human smell. She stood and stepped closer, sniffing around Astrid, until it finally dawned on her.

"What is it, girl?"

She looked up into the woman's eyes incredulously, and Astrid knew that there was no point in trying to deny it.

"Yes, it's true. I figured it out last week, so don't go blabbing to anyone, you hear?"

Lightning snorted at the suggestion that she spill the human's secrets, gently nuzzling her torso, before turning to head down through the village. Behind her, Astrid couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her face. Dragons were a perceptive bunch.

The day seemed interminably long as they waited on the cliffside for a glimpse of a ship on the horizon. Stormfly, who preferred to sleep in, made her way to where they sat just before midday. Several times, villagers approached their Chief's wife, seeking her advice on various matters, which she gave to the best of her ability. Valka and Cloudjumper, who was acting Alpha while Toothless was gone, joined them for a while, and the older woman cheerfully watched over her first grandchild as Aeri played with Shade.

Finally, as the sun set, a faint dark point appeared on the horizon. Astrid was leaning up against Lightning's side, nearly asleep, and Lightning had one eye closed and the other on their children.

"Hey, Lightning," a voice said in her ear, and she started, causing Astrid to grumble and shift.

"What— oh, hey, Spike," she greeted the Terrible Terror that had joined her so long ago the first time she had been without her mate. How had she thought then that six days was a long time? Two months was like a lifetime. So much happened, and every moment of the day she found herself thinking of things to tell him, little unimportant pieces of information or random thoughts that she knew would get him to laugh. She supposed that this time was different because she knew he was coming back for certain, but even so, waking up each morning without him by her side left an ache in her chest that just wouldn't go away.

"Check that out," the Terrible Terror squeaked, and Lightning narrowed her eyes, gazing out to the setting sun. Then she saw it.

Two months. And now he was within her reach once again.

"Look, Shade!" she called out to her son, and he turned, squinting at the horizon.

"What is it?"

"What do you think it is?"

His jaw dropped and he looked at her with intensity. "Dad."

She nodded, unable to say anything more, and eagerly they stood, catching the humans' attention.

"Wha-" Astrid mumbled as she slumped to the ground, then sat bolt upright, staring hard at the horizon just as Shade had.

After a while, more dragons and people joined them, and slowly but surely the smudge grew larger, until they could clearly make out the shape of a ship, sails filled with a strong wind. A number of dragon and human patrols flew out to meet them, even though they knew who was approaching.

"Come on, Shade!" Lightning called out, spreading her wings and crouching so he could jump up to her shoulders.

But he stayed where he was, looking sad and uncertain, and her heart nearly broke as she understood why. The nightmare. So she closed her wings and went over to him.

"It's alright," she whispered, only loudly enough for him to hear as they ignored the curious glances of dragons and humans alike. "I understand."

He nodded slightly, staring down at the ground, and she gathered him up, holding him close. "We will get past this, don't you worry," she said softly, and she felt him nod against her neck.

Lightning hoped Toothless would have some idea of how to help their hatchling, because she had already tried everything she knew of to release the hold his fear had on him.

It wasn't an unreasonable fear, she knew, but it was preventing him from flying like all the other hatchlings his age, and she didn't want him to feel left behind.

"All of you, head down to the docks! They'll need help unloading the ship." Astrid's voice disturbed her thoughts, and looking out she could see that the ship was much closer, close enough to see the men and dragons onboard as they guided the ship to the larger, more extensive docks that had been reconstructed after the Bewilderbeast destroyed half the village.

Obeying her order, the Vikings who had gathered set off towards the wide walkway leading down to the sea.

"Look, Aeri!" Astrid said to her baby, raising an arm and pointing to the ship. "It's Daddy."

"Dada?"

"Yes, Dada."

"Dada!" she shrieked loudly, and Astrid laughed. Her only consolation these past months was seeing Hiccup in their daughter, from her auburn hair to her vivid green eyes, and knowing that perhaps their next child would be the same.

Finally the ship reached the island, and Astrid met Lightning's eyes, before both grinned and took off running for the docks, carrying their children. People leapt out of their way laughing, knowing why they were in such a hurry. They pushed their way through the bustle on the docks, shouting apologies and greeting those who had returned. But where were their mates?