"Can you see me now? Or is the picture still distorted?"

She could see him frowning at her through his webcam.

"Hiccup?" she asked again. "Is it w-"

"It's working," he interrupted her. "What... what did you do to your hair? It's so.. dark," he quipped, looking at her with wide, bewildered eyes.

Astrid grinned at his reaction. "I wanted to try something new. So what do you think? It used to be royal blue just two days ago."

Hiccup nearly chocked. "Blue? You dyed your hair blue?"

She laughed. "Hey, at least it wasn't green like Ruff's."

"I think all of you have lost your minds over there," Hiccup laughed despite himself, making her smile in return.

It had been a month since she and Ruff started their exchange program in London. They had also done some traveling and generally kept busy. Astrid had not found the time to Skype with Hiccup until now. He looked good and healthy, and in the end that was all that mattered. At least that's what she had told herself.

"Black looks.. different."

Not the response she expected. "Good different, or bad different?" she urged him on softly.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know. You look like a different person honestly."

"Oh."

Well.. it was kinda what she had been going for after all.

"So, what's Europe like?" he changed the subject. "Have you gotten used to all the accents yet?"

-.-.-

The plane ride wore her out but seeing her childhood friends again reignited something within her.

Astrid dropped her hand-baggage on the ground and practically ran toward Ruff and Tuff. They both returned her embrace with just as much enthusiasm. Tuffnut even lifted her off the ground and spun her around until they were both dizzy from laughing.

"I missed you so much!" she exclaimed.

"We missed you too, Hoff," Tuff pinched her cheek. Astrid swatted at his hand but couldn't help the grin that broke out.

"It's really good to be back."

The twins led her to their car and Astrid felt a surge of nostalgia hit her in that moment.

They managed to arrive at Heather's house within an hour and soon Astrid found herself tackled to the ground by her other best friend.

"I can't believe you are here!" Heather cried. "It's been what, seven years since I last saw you? Oh my God, Astrid! How could you stay away for this long?"

Astrid closed her eyes, feeling a heavy emotion well up inside her. "It was never a part of the plan. I was going to come back but..." she trailed off.

"Yeah, I get it," Heather nodded in understanding. "I'm just glad you are here now, and you better be staying for my wedding!"

"Oh I am! That's mainly the reason I decided to come in the first place," Astrid replied with a chuckle. "I wouldn't want to miss out on my best friend's wedding."

A bitter memory suddenly flashed through her mind. The invitation to another wedding she had received almost five years ago. She had ended up tossing it away without any second regard, and that was the last she had heard of him and his betrothed.

"So where is the lucky groom?" Astrid cleared her throat. "I still can't believe you are getting married to-"

"I can hear you, you know," Scott's loud voice cut her off. Astrid whipped around to see him standing in the doorway, arms folded across his broad chest.

She ran up to him and he met her halfway, sweeping her in a bear hug.

"You look really good, actually," she said with a frown after pulling back. Heather tried to hide her laughter under her hand.

Scott shrugged, smirking. "What can I say? I clean up well," he winked at her.

Astrid looked over at Heather, perking an eyebrow at her as in; 'Are you seriously marrying this guy?' Heather merely shrugged in response.

Scott and Tuff helped Astrid bring her luggage up to the guest room, and then the whole group decided to head out for dinner.

Astrid wasn't sure what to expect from this visit but something told her she was going to have an emotional journey ahead of her.

-.-.-

"Cami!" Hiccup yelled, looking down at his watch impatiently. They were going to be late for their flight. "Cami, where are you? We need to leave."

With a sigh he began searching through the house and eventually found her sitting underneath the stairs, doodling something in her mother's faded, old book.

Hiccup knelt down before her. "Cami you need to go and get dressed, or else we will be late. Don't you want to see Poppa again?"

His four year old looked up at him suddenly. "We are going to Poppa's house?" she said excitedly.

Hiccup nodded with a smile.

A/N: I thought I should update this. :)

Let me know in the reviews if you are still reading.