Alone

Astrid

Five years later

Astrid and Stoick said goodbye to Hiccup, and Astrid managed to led Berk…..barely managed. Astrid had a hard time leading Berk, and raising her son without Hiccup. Valka came over very often in order to help her, but even with Valka's help, Astrid still found it extremely difficult.

"When's mom coming home?" Stoick asked while he sat on the sofa, Valka brought a plate of food and set it on the table. Astrid was on one of her late nights, and Valka babysat Stoick while she was gone.

"Soon" Valka said as she sat down next to him

"Why isn't mom here with me?" asked Stoick as he crossed his arms. Valka sigh since could tell this separation wasn't good for Stoick, but Astrid didn't have the choice, she had to take care of Berk until Stoick was of age.

"Stoick…you have to understand that this isn't easy for your mother" Valka said as she place her hand onto Stock's, "When you're father died…well your mother took the responsibility of leading Berk by herself. Your too young to help her, but when the time comes you will"

"I hardly remember dad…" mumbled Stoick

"Don't forget about him, Stoick" Valka said with a small smile on her face, "He loved you with all of his heart, and he thought of your mother and you at the very end"

"I guess…." Stoick just looked away from his grandmother, Valka sigh once more before she took her plate and ate diner. A few house has passed and Astrid finally made it home, exhausted but she returned home.

"I'm sorry Valka, I didn't think that meeting would last that long" whispered Astrid, seeing her son passed out on the sofa. "Did he wait for me again?" she asked

"He did and he tried to stay up" whispered Valka, Astrid smiled at her son. Astrid gently took Stoick in her arms and brought him to bed, Astrid returned to the living room with Valka giving her diner.

"Thank you" Astrid sat down and began to eat

"So…..how are you doing? Its been five years after all" asked Valka, Astrid lowered her fork at the thought of the upcoming wedding anniversary…. Which she will never celebrate ever again.

"How did Hiccup do this? And Stoick too?" asked Astrid, hoping to change the subject of the wedding anniversary.

"They managed…... Hiccup had you, but Stoick didn't have anyone to rely on" Valka said with a hit of guilt in her voice

"Its not your fault, Valka" Astrid place her hand on Valka's, Valka smiled back as she rub Astrid's hand with her other one. "I'm just wondering how Stoick pull this off? He was in the same situation I am"

"I don't how he did it, but he did and so will you" Valka said

"Its just hard… I know you've been helping me a lot and I'm grateful…but I need Hiccup here to help me" tears started to form in Astrid's eye, Astrid quickly whip them away.

"I miss him too…Astrid you should visit him" suggested Valka

"I can't…I have so much to do tomorrow" Astrid could see all of the things she must to for tomorrow, she could tell it would be a late night once more.

"Take care of your health as well" Valka said with a worried tone, she could clearly see the bangs under her eyes. She knew Astrid wasn't getting enough sleep, she was skipping her meals, and wasn't taking care of the dragons. Toothless had moved in with Valka, since Astrid couldn't console the heart broken dragon. "Astrid, you should ask for help. I'm certain the villagers will help you, so you can take care of yourself and Stoick"

"I know…..its just….." Astrid just turned away from Valka, she didn't want to talk about this any longer. "Thank you for the meal…..see you tomorrow" Astrid stood up and put her half eating plate away, she hug Valka before heading to bed.

Months have passed and Astrid continued her ruthless routine, working, lack of sleep, and starving herself. Astrid slowly started to get sicker, and sicker, has each days passed. Valka knew Astrid couldn't do this any longer, she tried many times to make Astrid rest and eat properly but her daughter in law is very stubborn. But a day came when Astrid's body couldn't take it any longer, Astrid suddenly fainted in a middle of a summit.

"How is she?" Valka asked as she held a worried little hand. Gothi took her staff and wrote down in the sand, Gobber took a moment to read it.

"Astrid has to take it easy, she needs sleep, food, and water" Gobber said

"But she won't do any of those things" Valka said, Gothi nod her head and wrote something else down.

"That's a brilliant idea, Gothi!" smiled Gobber, Valka and Stoick stared at each in confusion.

"Astrid" Astrid slowly opened her eyes, and found herself in a white room. She glance around the room and saw something incredible, Astrid couldn't believe her eyes.

"Hi…..Hiccup….." Astrid could barely form a phase, she quickly ran into Hiccup's arms…..feeling the warmth and embraced she missed so much. "H….how are you even here?"

"I'm not here" whispered Hiccup as he tightens his grip around her

"What do you mean?" she asked looking up at his face, the face she almost forgot

"Your mind did this…. your tired mind and body" he said, Astrid looked down and just place her head on his chest. "You must take better care of yourself, Astrid"

"But Berk…..Stoick….." she mumbled

"Berk will be fine, the villagers are there to help you! They understand the pain your going through, and they want to help you in anyway. But you have to be there for Stoick too, Stoick is lost his father and is losing his mother"

"Hiccup….I…your right….." Astrid couldn't believe how foolish she was, she was so focus on Berk and leading the village; that she had completely ignored her own son.

"Accept Berk's help, take care of yourself so you can be there for Stoick" Hiccup said, Hiccup gently pushed Astrid back and kissed her on the lips. Astrid just broke down into tears, she had missed his lips, his arms, his love for so long. Astrid simply wrap her arms around him and enjoyed the kiss as long as she could, "I love you, Astrid"

"I love you too, Hiccup….I miss you so much! I…..I just want to be with you again!" Astrid pleaded as tears overflow her cheeks, Hiccup gave her a small smile as he whip the tears away with his thumb.

"I'll always be here" Hiccup place his hand on Astrid's heart, Astrid held his hand while she stared at his face. "And one day we will be together again" he said softly

"This is all my fault…I'm the one who caused your death" said Astrid as she shamefully looked away from him. Anger suddenly grew inside her, she hated herself, and she hated Dagur for causing all of this.

"I know you want revenge, Astrid" Hiccup said

"If…..if it wasn't for that monster!...or for me…" she mumbled

"Astrid I don't blame you, I would never blame you for this! What happened was a terrible fate, but seeking revenge isn't the answer" Hiccup said, Astrid angrily look at him. How could Hiccup just forgive Dagur so easily? Dagur had took his life, his life with her, and Stoick.

"How can you say that!" shouted Astrid

"Astrid! If you go after Dagur and get killed in the process…. Think about Stoick! He would have lost his father and then mother from the same man, Stoick could follow a life of vengeance. Do you really Stoick to have a life like this?" Hiccup asked, Astrid wanted to shout at him but she knew he was right.

"No" she said softly

"Be there for Stoick…..for the both of us" Hiccup held Astrid close to his chest, he gave her a kiss and some final words that Astrid needed to hear. "Be strong Astrid…..I know you can do this, I believe in you like I always did! I love you with all of my heart…today, tomorrow, and forever…"

Astrid suddenly awoke and found herself in Gothi's home, she slowly sat up in her bed and touch some tears which had fallen. Astrid smiled gently, she needed to hear those words from Hiccup. She knew it was her own words, her own thoughts, but she needed to hear it from Hiccup.

"Mom!" Astrid looked up and smiled, Stoick joyfully ran inside the room and hug his mother.

"Did I scare you?" Astrid asked as she kissed him on the cheek

"How are you doing?" Valka asked entering the room right after Stoick, Astrid whip some tears away and smiled.

"Much better" she said

"Mom why are you crying?" Stoick asked, Astrid shook her head slightly before bringing Stoick into a hug.

"Berk doing fine" Valka said as she sat down on the bed, she place her hand on Astrid's. "Once the villagers heard about you, they all worked together and took care of Berk. They did all of your work, and they resolved their own problems. They were happy to help you, they actually wanted to help for a long time"

"I know…I was just being stupid to not accept it sooner" Astrid said with a slight chuckle

"Indeed you were" teased Valka

Astrid took a few days to recover, but once Gothi allowed her to leave, Astrid just ran outside to thank the villagers. She then went to see Stormfly, who she had ignored for many years. The dragon was very happy to have her rider back, Astrid had a long talk with Toothless and reminded him for his old rider.

"Mom?" Stoick pulled on Astrid's skirt, Astrid took Stoick in her arms and hug him.

"Yes Stoick?" she asked

"Can we play?" he asked

"Of course we can! All day if you want" Astrid hug Stoick once more, and gave him a kiss on the forehead. She place him back down, Stoick ran off with his mother running after him. Astrid was going to be alright, she had a village who supported her, her son, and the fond memories of her beloved Hiccup.

(DAMMIT! I made myself cry!)

Thanks for reading

End