Astrid watched Valentine play with her friends as they ran around laughing and racing each other up and down the Great Hall steps.

Valentine appeared to be the "game organizer." They started out with some foot races, then they played hide and seek, then that game turned into racing each other up and down the steps and Valentine had been the one to change the games.

Suddenly Val turned around. "Do you want to play tag?"

Calista grinned. "YES! I am really fast. Can I be 'it'?"

Valentine grinned. "Sure! But you have to count to ten so we can all get away."

Val, Tyra, Daffodil, Kaia and Faith ran in different directions while Calista counted to ten.

Astrid smiled as the game unfolded. She couldn't help but laugh whenever Valentine was tagged. Val would stick her bottom lip out and try not laugh while she stood there, then she would start chasing her friends around.

Val's mom sighed. She wished Hiccup could be here to see his daughter. Val was growing up so fast and she needed her father to be there for her.

Suddenly Valentine stopped in her tracks and glanced over at her mom. "Mommy, are you okay?"

It hadn't occurred to Astrid that she had been crying until that moment.

Astrid dried her eyes and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just…dust."

Val raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Alright. If you say so, mommy."

Valentine went back to chasing her friends, but as she did she turned just enough to cast a concerned look at her mom. Astrid smiled and waved. Val wasn't fooled even a little. Her mom was upset about something and that worried her.

It wasn't long before everyone was too tired to play anymore, so they just lay on the ground gazing at the sky.

Astrid squinted her eyes at the setting sun. It had just begun to disappear over the horizon.

She stood up and beckoned to Valentine and her friends. "Girls, it's time for gifts!"

They all ran up the steps and into the Great Hall chattering and squealing excitedly.

When everyone was seated with their gifts Astrid asked Asta to go first.

"I made you a necklace with a purple seashell on it."

Tyra gave Val a little wooden sculpture of an axe, Daffodil gave her a small golden ring, Kaia gave her a drawing of a bird, Faith gave her a small silver goblet and Calista gave her a geode.

Valentine looked at her gifts. "Thank you guys! I love all of these gifts." She got up and walked around giving all her friends hugs.

Then Faith smiled. "Are you going to make a birthday wish?"

Daffodil perked up. "Yeah! You should make a wish!"

"Okay!" Valentine ran back to her seat and thought for a moment. "I wish that daddy was here for my birthday."

"Wish granted."

Val spun around to see who had said that. She saw Hiccup standing by the doors of the Great Hall smiling at her.

"DADDY!" Valentine leaped out of her chair and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her towards her dad.

Hiccup scooped her up and held her close. "I missed you Valentine."

Val gazed into her father's emerald green eyes. "I missed you too daddy! I was so worried that you were going to miss my birthday again but you came!" then Val tilled her head to side just a little. "Mommy said you thought about me every while you were gone. Is that true?"

Hiccup smiled. "Yes. There wasn't a moment that went by that I didn't think about you."

Valentine smiled sheepishly and started biting her nails. "Um…did you get me something for my birthday daddy?"

"Of course I did." He held up a necklace with diamond beads and gold and silver charm. "I thought you might like this."

Val took the necklace and beamed at her father. "It's so pretty daddy! Thank you!"

Hiccup smiled warmly at Astrid who was still standing by the table. Her face was streaked with tears and her hand covered her mouth which was wide open with shock.

Hiccup shifted Valentine over to one arm and held his other arm out to his wife. Astrid quickly ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck.

Hiccup put Valentine down to hug Astrid. All of Val's friends ran over to her and Asta wrapped her in a hug. "Your wish came true!"

Val smiled then she noticed something behind Asta. There by the table was a auburn haired girl, who was clearly several years older, that she had never seen before. When the girl saw Valentine looking at her, she smiled and started walking towards the door.

Val watched the mysterious girl give her a thumbs up and then slip outside. Valentine broke away from her friends and tugged open the door. She looked around, but she didn't see anything. Confused, Val slowly closed the door.

Everyone was looking at Valentine with questioning eyes. Tyra ran over to her. "What did you see? What were you looking at?"

Val shook her head. "I think I saw a girl."

Valentine shook her head again thinking it was nothing and returned to Hiccup. "Thank you for coming daddy!" He picked up his daughter and hugged her again. "Happy birthday Princess."

Val put her chin on her dad's shoulder and looked out the window behind him. She saw the girl smiling at her from outside. The girl blew her a kiss then turned and started running, disappearing into the night.