A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! I've been busy, but it's finally Summer vacation, so hopefully I can update more! We've got some angst in this chapter, and a little bit of Jack and Tooth's pasts, so I hope you enjoy!

"And her eyes are like…her eyes are like, purple, or pink, or amethyst or something."

"Amethyst? Wow, you're getting poetic."

"Shut up. Her hair's got multi-colored streaks in it and you know how normally that just looks really stupid? Well on her it's just really cool and she reminds me of a fairy or something and -"

"And her name is Toothiana. Yes, Jack. You have only been babbling about your new dream girl – who, let me remind you, you met literally a week ago – for the entire conversation."

"Yeah, because it took you so long to fall for Astrid."

"Hey! Come on, that's not-"

"Oh, Astrid, you're so beautiful!"

"Jack –"

"Oh, Astrid, please grace me with a smile!"

"Come on…"

The white-haired boy laughed, playfully hitting his friend on the shoulder. Said friend rolled his eyes, giving a weak hit back.

"And besides," Jack said with a laugh, shaking his head, "If a loser like you –"

"Hey!"

"-Somehow managed to end up with a babe like Astrid, then that means there's hope for me."

"…I have no idea if I was just complimented or insulted."

"Don't worry about it, Hiccup."

Hiccup sighed. The boy was attractive, no matter what his friend said, if in a vastly different way than Jack was. Hiccup was awkwardly thin, with inquisitive green eyes and warm brown hair. The kid was also incredibly awkward in both actions and speak, and still adjusting to the fact that suddenly everyone didn't hate and look down on him. Jack never had, but suffice to say that becoming a motorcycle racer with the illustrious Jack Frost had certainly helped his reputation, not that he wasn't impressive in his own right. And he could draw – hell, he was sketching something right at this moment. His hand left his pencil and came up to thread nervously through his hair. "So. You gonna call your dream girl?"

Jack sighed, shrugging his shoulders in a defeated motion. "Yeah, I've been meaning to. All week. I've been so busy with keeping Dad off of my track – and yours, you're welcome for that – that I've barely had time to breathe."

"How's your mom doing?"

"Same old, same old. Still loves me, tries to make Dad not treat me like shit, the usual. But…ah, nevermind."

Hiccup's brows furrowed. This couldn't be good. "What's wrong, Jack?" The white-haired boy bit his lip, shaking his head. "Come on. You can tell me; it's okay."

"It's just…the episodes are getting…worse."

Hiccupt started. "But I thought she was –"

"Yeah. So did we."

For a moment neither said anything, the dry, cool air suddenly feeling suffocatingly heavy. It pressed on their chests and stole any comforting words either might have offered. Hiccup brought his hand up to rub at the back of his neck. He opened his mouth to offer something by way of comfort, but Jack cleared his throat and stood. Hiccup stopped. Alright, he didn't want to talk about it. He couldn't force him, and he respected his silence. Jack didn't press him to talk about his dad, so Hiccup wasn't going to press Jack to talk about his mom.

Jack spoke, breaking the heavy silence with a laugh. "How's your bike doing? All fixed up?"

"Huh? Oh, Toothless, yeah. I fixed her, and gave your bike a little tune up, too."

Jack's eyes widened, childish joy reflecting against his blue eyes as he let out a joyous laugh. "Seriously? You fix up Wind for me?" Toothless and Wind – some of the weirdest bike names, and the boys knew it. But it didn't matter to them. The names were fitting anyway. Toothless looked just as harmless as the bike's name implied, but that thing was fast and, best of all agile. Jack and hiccup had even altered it so that it worked with Hiccups…handicap. And Wind – well, it moved like the wind – quick. It was hard to control sometimes, but Jack liked that element of danger. Sometimes Hiccup wondered if he had a subconscious death wish…

"Yeah. You're welcome." He grinned brightly, leaning back on the table to lie on his back. "So. You gonna call your dream girl? Putting it off a whole week is hardly gentlemanly."

"Because I'm a total gentleman here. Nice guy of the year. I'm bringing chivalry back, those other boys don't know how to act~"

"Oh, don't act like some kind of player," Hiccup said, stifling a laugh as Jack flexed biceps he was too skinny to have.

"You've figured me out. I'm not actually an asshole."

"Stop the presses."

"It's all a trick."

"I feel lied to."

"Bamboozled you all."

"I've been tricked."

"Yep."

Hiccup sat up and grinned at him. "But seriously, if she's half as stressed as you say she is, there's no way she's even gonna have time to remember you if you don't call her."

Jack nodded, smile softening. "You know what? I'll call her up right now!"

Hiccup had to grin. It had been ages since Jack had been this excited over anything – smiled this much. Sure, there's been other girls. Jack was popular, after all. But Jack wasn't enough of an asshole to just use girls for sex, and they didn't hold his interest long enough to build a real relationship. But he seemed legitimately excited about this girl.

He fluttered his eyelashes and pretended to swoon as Jack's eyes lit up and he said, "Hey, Tooth!"

"Oh, come on, Bunny! You can't really still be mad!"

"Here's the thing, Toothy: I am!"

"I'm an adult! You can't control my life! You're not my dad!"

"But I am your friend!"

"You still don't own me you stupid idiot!"

"Stupid idiot. Getting real creative with the insults, aren't we?!"

"Shut up!"

Another voice interrupted this furious back and forth, very casual. "Hey. Guys. I'm currently doing both of your jobs, so unless you want North to fire you two and hire me in replacement, I suggest you stop fighting like five year olds and work." Both of them looked at her, eyes furious, before they glanced back at one another and then stomped away. "Oh sweet Jesus."

A hand tapped on her back, and Baby spun around to face it's owner. "Sandy!"

He nodded towards the retreating figure of Toothiana. The furious girl ran into a library patron and knocked his books out of his hands, instantly turning a brilliant shade of red and hastily apologizing, hurrying to pick up his books. Sandy and Baby giggled.

"What's with her?" he signed. Baby blew air between her cheeks.

"Bunny found out about her job and is being…well, Bunny."

Sandy smiled sympathetically.

"I know, right? She's an independent adult who can do what she wants. Honestly."

Sandy frowned slightly.

"…You know I wish she could quit, too, but it's just not…she just can't right now. That's why I'm gonna get a job as soon as I can! To help her out!"

Sandy smiled once more, before his eyes lit up. He signed something, movements quick with excitement, and Baby's eyes struggled to keep up. When he was done, she lifted her visible blue eye to his after a long moment, stare blank. "Um. Could you try that again, little guy? A little slower…?"

He laughed silently and did so. "I know a place you could probably get a job. Your sister does, too, but she's so busy she likely forgot."

"Really?! Awesome! Where?"

"You know that girl? Wendy?"

"Uhhh… the red head?"

"That's the one!"

"Yeah, I know her. What about it?"

"Well, she's working at that place. The…" his hands stopped as he tried to place the name. "The Mystery Shack. And his niece and nephew just left, so the owner needs to new employees. He'll hire kids."

She tried to remember the place he was talking about. The Mystery Shack…oh, yeah! She'd been there once – it was a total rip off, as she remember, and the owner was none too kind. But then again, from the little Baby knew about her, Wendy wasn't the type to stay at a job with a boss who was a jerk. And besides that, the place was only a little bit out of the way – Baby could probably ride her bike there in ten minutes, easy. So she shrugged her shoulders and grinned, wrapping the small man in a tight hug. He stiffened in surprise, before she felt his shoulder shake with laughter as he gently hugged her back.

"Thanks so much, Sandy…you have no idea how much this means to me. This is great. This is awesome!" Suddenly, she stiffened at the feel of something shaking in her pocket. Huh? She moved gently away from the hug while Sandy looked on, expression curiously amused. "Oh. Oh! Tooth's phone!" She always gave it to her while she worked. Baby quickly flipped the phone open (yes, she still had a flip phone – they hadn't the money to afford more) and pressed it to her ear. "Y'ello?"

"Hey, Tooth!"

"Oh my God it's Jack!" she whispered to Sandy, who grinned and winked. Baby Tooth had told Sandy about Jack and Tooth exchanging numbers the practically palpable tension between them. She was pretty sure that Jai "shipped" them, whatever that meant – that girl spent way too much time on tumblr. Baby had been a little annoyed at first – I mean, come on, she'd liked him first, and Tooth hadn't liked him at all! She totally got dibs! But she'd come to terms with the fact that it wasn't like she could date him, really, so she might as well move on and try to get her post-crush and her current-sister together. "Hi, Jack! It's Baby."

"Oh, hey, Baby. How's it going?"

"Y'know, the usual. Eight sisters. Life is hectic."

He laughed. "I can only imagine. Hey, can I talk to your sister?"

"Which one? Kavita or Indira or Jay or Jaia or Neha or Ai or Lila or-"

"Babyyyy…." He whined dramatically.

"I'm just messing with you. But she's working right now, and…not in a great mood. She might bite your head off. And not even the head you probably want her mouth around."

She heard Jack choke audibly in surprise on the other end of the line and snickered. Sandy wagged his finger in a disapproving manner, but he couldn't stop the little smile on his face.

After Jack recovered his breath, he managed to choke out, "Your parents have sincerely messed up raising you, Baby."

She froze. Her hand was shaking. She dropped the phone. Suddenly the world around he was gone, and she was back there, and Toothiana was screaming, screaming, screaming for Mom to wake up, please wake up, Mom, please, please wake up, please, and why did her lips taste like copper Oh my God…

She wasn't aware she was sobbing until she felt Sandy's arms around her, and Tooth was running towards her with a call of her name too loud for a library, and North was there beside her rubbing her back and even Bunny, angry as he was with her, and slowly the world turned from wreckage and burning and the smell of blood to the little library and her sister and friends.

From the phone on the ground came Jack's worried voice – "Baby? Baby? Are you okay?"

She stared at the phone like it was something foreign. Tooth knelt and scooped it up, muttering a hasty goodbye and saying she'd call him later, before snapping it shut and gently scooping her sister into her arms. She was too big for it, but Tooth was stronger than she looked and Baby was skinny. The only hindrance was her trembling. "Oh, Baby, shh, it's alright, love, everything is alright. Shhh, shhh, it's all okay, everything is okay, little love."

Baby nodded into the crook of her neck as she clung to her. It was okay. It was okay. "I'm okay."

"Yes you are. It's all alright. Everything is fine."

"I…I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry. Jack mentioned Mom and Dad and I…I…"

"Shhh…I understand. I know."

"It's not his fault. Don't be angry with him."

"Of course not. Of course not."

Baby nodded into her neck, and Tooth clenched her teeth. They'd only just gotten her off of the medication. They couldn't put her back on it. But if it was still so easy to trigger the girl…

Not that she was any harder to trigger. But she was older. She had to be strong for them.

North sighed. "Toothy, take her home."

This time, the girl didn't argue. She was only leaving about fifteen minutes early, anyway, and Baby had to come first. And right now, keeping the girl in public just seemed a bad idea.

"Come on, Baby," Tooth whispered, setting her sister down. Baby took her hand immediately, and with a small wave to her friend and an apologetic smile to Bunny, who returned it, and Tooth knew she'd been forgiven, she and Baby walked out of the doors and out of the library.

She'd been trying to keep Baby talking, about school, about her crushes (she couldn't deny she had something of a thing for Rapunzel's little brother Pascal, no matter how she tried) but the girl had been largely unresponsive. She was certainly trying, but it was clear her mind was elsewhere, and Tooth could do nothing but squeeze her hand as they approached the stairs to her tiny porch to their tiny house. She glanced up and was surprised to see a familiar white-haired boy sitting on the steps to her home, holding…a bouquet of roses?

Baby glanced listlessly up at him, and her eyes widened and came back to life. Self-conscious, she made sure her bangs still covered her left eye, and then smiled weakly at him. "Hi, Jack."

"Hey, little lady," he greeted.

"What's with the flowers?"

He smiled winningly at her, standing, walking down the steps, and kneeling in front of the small girl. "I present you with this bouquet as an apology for so upsetting you earlier on the phone." His smile turned sheepish. "I hope such a beautiful lady can find it in her heart to forgive me."

Baby's eyes widened before her cheeks turned bright pink, and she lurched at the boy, hugging him tightly and practically crushing the flowers between them. Jack laughed brightly, glancing up at Tooth for approval. She nodded down at him, waiting for him to return his attention to his sister before she hastily brushed a tear from her eye.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Baby exclaimed. "Oh course I forgive you! Oh, they're so pretty!" Baby gasped as she pulled away, staring at the slightly-damaged flowers.

"Next to you, they're completely dull by comparison," he teased. She punched him playfully in the shoulder.

"Stop it," she muttered, cheeks flushed, glancing down and grinning in a manner that indicated she didn't mind at all.

"Really, though, I feel awful for not getting better flowers. I couldn't think of any in the world that would even begin to compare to your unearthly beauty."

"Flattery will get you everywhere~."

From behind them came Kavita's voice – "Jack's here!"

Tooth's eyes widened. They're arrived back from their respective caretakers – usually either Monty or Pippa's mom gave them all a ride – and the poor boy was about to be mobbed. Baby glanced up and, seeing her sister's expression, quickly herded her sister's inside before they could crush the first boy who'd bought her flowers. She followed them in, pointing at Jack and then very strictly at the floor with the hand that wasn't holding her bouquet, telling her that for buying her this short time alone she had better invite the damned boy in. She shut the door with a slam, and they were alone.

She settled on the steps and he settled next to her. For a moment neither spoke.

"I…I'm sorry," Jack offered softly.

"It's not your fault," she replied, staring at her knees. And Tooth wasn't mad. Sure, there was definitely a part of her that wanted to hit him – but that part was small. How could he have known about their parents? How could he have known that Baby'd been on medication for what felt like forever for the anxiety, the depression? How could he know that Tooth had, too, until she'd stopped taking the pills because they made her foggy and she needed to be awake to care for her sisters? How could he know?

He couldn't.

"I…you don't have to tell me. But…why did I…?"

"We lost out parents," she whispered. He stiffened. "About two years ago. In a car wreck." She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Baby and I were with them in the car."

There was a long moment of silence. "Oh my God."

"Yeah. I was okay – I was seventeen, and…I don't know…I was old enough to handle it. But Baby Tooth was only thirteen, and she's still recovering. When you mentioned our parents…"

"Oh my God," he said again, putting his face in his hands. "I'm an idiot."

"No, no, really, it's fine! You didn't know." She smiled. "She's okay. She's probably happy about the whole thing 'cause it means she got flowers."

Jack smiled weakly at her, lifting his head. And he thought his life was screwed up. For a long moment, neither said anything – they merely smiled at one another. This time, the silence was comfortable.

Finally, Tooth asked, "Do you want to come in?"

He hadn't run when he'd found out just how messed up her family was – he had bought her little sister flower. If he was willing to do that – then she was sure he would be just fine with her tiny house.

He smiled brilliantly, teeth shining brightly, standing up and offering her a hand.

"I would absolutely love to."