Author's note: this chapter might be shorter than the first one as it focuses mainly on the relationship between Hiccup and Heather. as the story progresses, fewer events will happen similarly to the movie. this was my first attempt at entirely deviating from the movie script, so any kind of constructive criticism is very much welcome. Without further ado:

After a couple of minutes, she came toward me, holding a lot of bandages and herbs, looking rather upset at me. 'Great, everyone is upset with me today' I thought. She placed these items on a table nearby and took a chair to sit near me and motioned for me to lie down on the bed so she could look at my wounded leg.

I spoke after complying with her silent request: "thank you for giving me some credit back there. At least I can hold pain like a Viking would. At least I'm not a failure to my father on this…" and the will to continue speaking suddenly vanishing.

Heather, while hearing me, sighed after I finished. She was looking at my leg and cleaning it for a moment, before she stood and took some herbs and put into the water to boil it and later apply in my wound. While she waited for the water to boil, she spoke to me: "Hiccup… listen, I did not speak that to give you credit to your father or anyone else. The wound is rather deep, and it is a miracle your muscles didn't tear apart after your stunt. I'll apply some paste and put some bandages on it, but you'll need to use a cane for a while… you know, while it heals, unless you want a matching set with Gobber." The last part was really not surprising. Years getting patched by her and talking to her might have gotten her rubbed with my sarcasm, a little at least.

I looked at her, then at my leg. I knew very well what she meant. Either I wouldn't be able to go find the Night Fury today, or I would have to go with a cane, which meant that if it was alive and loose I wouldn't be able to run from it, or at least try since nobody knew if it was as fast on the ground as it is in the air.

I slowly laid down, the events of today finally catching me up and the adrenaline of both hopefully catching a Night Fury and running from a flaming Nightmare wearing off along with the increased pain as she put some paste on my leg, then wrapped it. After finishing it, she went to wash her hands, and put away the unused bandages, while I slowly drifted off to sleep.

A while later I woke up feeling a soft hand running through my face, a delicate thumb caressing my forehead as her palm laid at my left cheek. For some reason I didn't open my eyes, instead I tried to move myself to be more comfortable. Suddenly the hand was gone from my face and I heard a long yet quiet sigh. I slowly opened my eyes, still feeling sleepy, to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, hands in her lap, and looking rather blankly at the ground. We stood like this for a while, neither finding any reason to break the almost visible silence.

After what felt like hours fear started to rise within me, fear that her blank look meant she was thinking about her parents. She was very young when they came to live in Berk, and shortly after she began her apprenticeship the healer, a little after Gobber had me as his apprentice, a big raid happened and her parents went missing.

Some said they deserted, others said they were burned by the dragons, and a few even thought the dragons carried them away, like they did with my mother. Ever since she has been living with the healer, and though mostly every male teen in Berk would hit on her or ask her for a date, she did not have many friends and that's why she wasn't part of the group that teases me.

Her relation with me, though, was messy to me and was also another reason she didn't join the group. Sometimes she acts like a friend; some as if she was my mother, and sometimes, though rare, she would act like Fishlegs and Astrid do, ignoring me all day. A few times, though, I could have sworn she acted like I was her crush.

So to break the silence I decided to speak: "Heather…? Is something bothering you? You can talk to me, you know that, and after all, we're alone here" I gestured to the hut, while she looked at me surprised; I blinked twice before realizing what I said. Quickly I tried to correct myself: "No! no, no, no, no" I slapped my head at my stupidity "not um… like that you know.. I just meant that… that no one will bother you…" I spoke, heavily stammering due to my embarrassment.

She laughed a little at Hiccup's desperation, holding a light blush on her cheeks that the boy missed, before finally replying: "I know Hiccup; I understood what you meant before. You can relax. It's just that…" she trailed off for a few seconds, probably trying to sort into words what was going on inside her head. "that I don't get why you act like that, Reckless"

'ok, so she spoke the title she gave me, so that means I messed up badly this time and was upset with me big time.' Was the first thought that crossed Hiccup's mind that moment.

She then looked me in the eyes, like a mother would do after her child did something wrong. Because of her green eyes, I'd feel sometimes like it was Mom looking at me, that is, if she was here. She disappeared the same night her parents did, perhaps that's why we find comfort with one another talking.

She spoke again, in her sweet tone "you act like you have nothing to lose, that proving to your father and the village you're a Viking is more important than your own safety; or act like nobody cares about you, that no one would miss you if you were gone. Gobber cares about you; to him you're like the son he never had. I care about you, you're the only real friend I have here, the only one that somewhat understands, the only one that hears me when I need to talk, the only one that I do not need to show a mask of pretty smiles and little lies. You really got me worried today. Had not Stoick caught the Nightmare in time, or I had seen your wound, I don't know what could have happened…" her voice broke as tears started to mount in her eyes…

She hugged herself and closed her eyes so she wouldn't cry… so I wouldn't see her cry. I sat up and embraced her in a gentle hug, which she briefly resisted, before giving in and sobering quietly in my shoulders. I tried to sooth her, guilt pilling up in my heart as she was crying mostly because of me. Because my relentless quest to bring down the mighty dragon today cost me greatly. "Shh… It's okay, I'm here, I'm here. They didn't take me away, they never will. I won't let them do it" I said gently as I patted her back, assuring her that I'd never leave.

"P-promise me… t-that you won't do anything like that again. Please, promise it to me" she nearly begged as she regained her breath and ended the hug to look at me, tears still falling through the cheeks of her beautiful face. Defeated, both from guilt, and from the scene before me, I complied with her "I promise. If it makes you feel better I promise." She seemed to be calmed as I promised.

Trying to lighten the mood, I changed the subject "So, any idea how long I'll be here before I can walk again?" I needed to know, even though I promised her to be more careful, I'd still search for the Night Fury. If I really tangled it, it wouldn't be long before the dragon starved to death, and both I wanted to kill it myself and didn't want it to die like that. There is no worse or more painful death than from starvation.

She looked at me, as if she knew why I had asked such a thing, and then answered: "Well, you'll sleep here tonight so I can keep a close eye on your wound, and change the bandages. Tomorrow morning you'll be free to go, but I'd like if you use the cane for a couple of days. You stressed your leg enough; we don't need it getting worse. I'll talk to Gobber so while you're recovering he doesn't pile you with work at the forge." she answered. I thanked her as I laid down again, my body begging to sleep. I slowly closed my eyes, the last thing I saw before sleeping was Heather sitting in the chair looking at me…

I woke up feeling a lot better, the pain almost gone. I yawned as I sat, looking to the window to know what time it was. Seeing the first rays of day coming through the horizon, I got up, wincing a little as pain came from my leg, though not nearly as strong as before. I saw Heather lying in a bed next to mine, half covered in a fur blanket.

I slowly went there, adjusting it so she wouldn't feel colder until she awakes, then grabbed the cane she placed at the table where the bandages were earlier, wrote a note, left her some cooked breakfast and silently left the hut. Cane in one hand, notebook on another and my favorite knife with me, I went to pursue the trapped dragon. Since winter was near, and the cane would surely slow me down, I went to search for it immediately, as time was precious. Daylight only remained for a few hours on winter. My destination: Raven's Point.

Heather woke up feeling a little tired. She stood for hours looking for Hiccup; to be sure he had a peaceful sleep. She honestly didn't know how he coped with the pain he must have felt. As she felt tired, she took a moment to open her eyes, instead focusing on the incredible smell. She smelt cooked stew and fish, so she thought Hiccup woke up earlier than her and made breakfast, which wasn't surprising for her. Living years without a mother, and a chief as a father, Hiccup was mostly alone inside his house when not in the forge, or in the healer's hut; so he self-taught lots of things, from reading to cooking. She opened her eyes, expecting to find Hiccup near the table, but got disappointed as the scrawny red-haired boy was not in sight. Looking to the bed he slept, the disappointment changed to worry as she neither saw him or his cane. She took a moment to notice a letter hanging near the table she used yesterday, written by him.

Heather

I hope you rested well, though I think you'll wake up tired for looking for me until later at night. I do, although, thank you a lot for the kind action. Seriously you didn't need to do it, you already did plenty yesterday. I decided to go to the forest walk a little so I could get used to the cane. Don't worry, I remember the promise I made you.

Also to repay your kindness yesterday, I decided to make you some breakfast. I might not be a great cook, but I think I managed to cook something eatable, hope you enjoy it.

See you later

Hiccup the 'Reckless'

Once she finished reading the note, she held it close to her, a smile creeping on her face. 'Even after that idiot nearly got himself killed last raid, he still took the trouble and time to do something for her, and without even waking her up' she fondly thought. Her smile only left her face because of one thought that came to her mind: 'I really hope he keeps his promise'