HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYBODY! :D :D :D So, I'm going to be doing a mother's day one shot either today or tomorrow, so I hope to be posting that soon, and...well, enjoy chapter 7! :D

"I got the Book of Dragons!" Astrid announced. "And Bork's notes, too." Hiccup was right where she had left him, flipping through the books to make sure he didn't miss anything important. Astrid tried her best to keep the headache out of her mind. It had passed nearly as soon as it had come, but she knew what it meant. However, she wasn't going to tell Hiccup. He would panic.

"Thanks, Astrid," Hiccup said. "I haven't found anything else, so let's see what we can learn from these things." While Astrid took to looking through the Book of Dragons, Hiccup searched Bork's notes.

"Stormbringer…" he muttered under his breath. "Stormbringer, Stormbringer, Stormbringer…"

"Stormbringer," Astrid announced. "Here it is." She pushed the book towards him, and he took it, examining the page she had left off on. "There's not much, but I think it's enough."

"They live on island where the weather's cold, aye?" Hiccup said, reading what Astrid had learned. Astrid nodded. "There are only a handful of islands like that," Hiccup said. "Give or take a few days, and we'll have that cure."

Astrid decided against reminding Hiccup that they weren't sure whether or not it would work. She also decided against telling him about her headache. She knew what it meant as well as anyone would.

It meant she was infected, and in two or three days, there was going to be no doubt whatsoever.

"So, what are we doing?" Astrid asked.

"I say we leave as soon as we're ready," Hiccup said. "One or two days, or something like that. That is, if you want to come. No one's going to force you."

"Pfft," Astrid laughed. "Are you kidding me? Someone has to keep you out of trouble, Dragon Boy. Everyone knows that you can't take care of yourself."

Now it was Hiccup's turn to laugh. "Not even the Great Astrid Hofferson could keep me out of trouble" he said. "I attract danger like a magnet. I'm the perfect match for the dynamite of trouble."

"And you are also surprisingly good at metaphors," Astrid said.

Hiccup shrugged. "So, we'll leave after we get ready?" he said. "Good. I take it you're coming with me, then?"

"I wouldn't miss it," Astrid said. She couldn't help but worry, though. They were leaving in one to two days, according to Hiccup. She didn't want him to do by himself, but if she went with him, she might endanger him. If she passed out after landing, Hiccup would have to protect her, and probably end up wasting precious time doing that when he could be finding the cure.

She brushed it off. Maybe she just got a normal headache? She got them every now and then. It wasn't anything to worry about.

Right?

"Sounds great," Hiccup said. "I'll tell my Dad we're leaving, and what we're leaving for...I'm sure it'll be okay with him. We have a lead on it, anyways. We know what we're looking for, and that's really the important thing."

Astrid nodded. "Suppose it is," she said. "What time should we leave?"

"Let's say...two days from now, just meet me at the cove, and we'll head out," Hiccup said. "Until then, we can focus on getting ready."

Astrid nodded, and followed Hiccup out of the Great Hall.

…

By the time she and Hiccup were ready to head out, Astrid was beginning to get the impression that it wasn't just a "normal headache."

In fact, she was beginning to worry that it was the virus. She had been around Karen, and Kari had been around her...it would make sense, really, why she would be infected, but she refused to believe it.

She was going with Hiccup, one way or another.

Part of her wondered if Hiccup was experiencing the same things she was, with headaches. Maybe he wasn't telling her about them, either? Maybe, like her, he was trying to keep it a secret?

Or maybe it was the opposite, and Hiccup wasn't infected. In all honesty, Astrid hoped he wasn't. As Astrid finished packing her supplies and loading them in Stormfly's saddlebag, she stepped outside.

The bright sunshine made her headache worse, but she ignored it. She wasn't going to let Hiccup find out she had the virus. He would freak out.

"Come on, Stormfly," Astrid said, turning around to face her dragon. She jumped onto the Nadder's back, holding on for dear life. "Let's go."

Stormfly chirped happily, just before launching herself into the air. Astrid felt her head spin as the dragon soared, yet refused to let it show. She had to make Hiccup believe it was alright. If she couldn't do that, then Hiccup wasn't going to let her come with him.

The cove was in sight after five minutes when it felt like five hours to Astrid. Stormfly landed, and Astrid slid off her back, swaying slightly on unsteady feet.

"I was wondering when you would get here," Hiccup said. Astrid hadn't noticed he was there at first. Her brain wasn't functioning as it was supposed to. Her vision went blurry for a moment.

"Yeah, well, that's me," Astrid said, trying for a smile. "Always late."

"You're never late," Hiccup corrected.

"Yeah, never late," Astrid said. What was she talking about? She didn't have a clue at this point.

Hiccup looked at her suspiciously. "Something you're not telling me?" he said.

Oh no, he knew. This was it. He was going to find out. "Nope!" Astrid said. "I'm just raring to go. Why aren't we in the sky yet?"

Hiccup wasn't buying it. "I've always told you that you're a terrible liar," he said.

"I am?" Astrid asked. Where was she? Who was she? What was she doing? Her mind felt scrambled. "Oh, well, I guess I am."

"Spit it out, Astrid," Hiccup said.

Spit what out? What did he want her to say? Or did he mean literally spit it out? She didn't know.

"Okay, Astrid...as your friend, I am asking you to sit down," Hiccup said. "You look like you're going to faint."

"Faint," Astrid said. "Me? Faint? I would..." A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she found her knees buckling without her permission. The last thing she heard was Hiccup's strangled voice.

"ASTRID!"

Then everything went dark.

*cue most epic cliffhanger music* Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun...dundundundundundundun dundundundundundundundun... KKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRWWWWWWAAAAAAMMMMM! *explosions*