"Hiccup…I'm sorry. For everything."

Hiccup's thoughts raced as his father spoke those three words. Flashbacks of "You're not my son" filled his mind, even as he responded to Stoick. "Yeah, me too."

"You don't have to go up there."

Hiccup smiled slightly. He knew. But he had to. He wasn't really sure why at this moment. His mind was still clearing after his near-drowning in the water, and the familiar rush of adrenaline pulsed through his veins as he prepared to take off with Toothless. Maybe he was doing it because it was the only thing to do. The beast had to be brought down. It would bring peace to all of Berk. He needed to prove himself as well, much as he tried to deny that being a motive. It wasn't the main one, but it was still a motive. He wanted his father to be proud of him.

So Hiccup answered in the best way he knew how. "We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard."

He saw Stoick's eyes light up as the older man grabbed Hiccup's hand in his much larger one. "I'm proud to call you my son."

Elation filled Hiccup's mind as the simple statement caused his jaw to drop. His father was proud of him. That was all he had ever wanted to hear. The great Viking chief of Berk was proud of his scrawny, though extremely clever, son. He managed a "Thanks, Dad" before Toothless took to the sky.

He could do this. He could beat this massive dragon and end the animosity between man and beast. As Toothless flew higher, Hiccup had a feeling of weightlessness not brought on by the rapid ascent. For the first time in a long time, he was at peace with who he was.

Toothless prepared to unleash a jet of fire, and Hiccup couldn't stop the whoop that escaped his lips. They would beat this monster. There wasn't a thing in the world to keep them down.