Guys, I am incredibly, tremendously, extremely, *insert other big, powerful words XD* sorry for not updating in forever! I don't even want to know how long it's been. See, school started and I'm on the soccer team and then my computer broke (it's fixed now), so I haven't really had much time to update. SORRY! A longish chapter should sort of make up for it. :) But, sadly, I probably won't be able to update any faster for a while. Plus, I'm going to update Watchful next soooo….

Read, review, and enjoy chapter 7 of A Penny For Your Thoughts!


I want to run away. I want to run away from this horrid place. I want to run so far that I'll never have to think about any of my problems again.

I want to be with Toothless. I want to be with Toothless because he's the only friend I've ever had. I want to be with Toothless so often that I never leave his side and he never leaves mine because he is my best friend.

I want to know people who accept me. I want to know people who accept me and my companion, me and my strangeness, me and my uselessness. I want to know people who will accept me and will love me when I'm at my worst, comfort me when I'm broken, laugh with me when I'm at my best, and build me up when I'm venerable.

I want a true father. I want a true father who doesn't abuse me, who would never throw out my best and only friend, who will love me for who I am no matter how different or clumsy or wrong or useless I am. I want a true father that will love me the way a father should love a son.

But I know none of my fantasies will happen. I'm not that lucky.

I can't run away, I could try but I know I wouldn't make it. I can't be with Toothless, no matter how hard I try I can't think of any solution resulting in us together that wouldn't end in his untimely… demise. I will never be with people who accept me, I know it isn't possible for someone to accept me. I will never have a true father, I know no one could ever love me.

I didn't move for Thor knows how long, thinking, scheming, trying with all of my might to think of a way out of this. I couldn't tell anyone, though. My father is the mayor, the lifeline of this insubstantial little city. If he was taken away everything would fall apart, and as much as I hate Berk I don't want that for them.

My Dad came out of his room and stared at me, unmoving.

"I told you… I wanted it gone." He hissed.

"I- Dad, please, you can't do this to us!" I cried.

"I can and I will. If you don't get rid of it soon I'll do it myself." Dad's expression hardened and I knew he wouldn't hesitate to carry out the threat. I deciding to stand up and face him like the man he wanted me to be. I winced when I first moved, still sore from him hitting me. I pushed myself off the wall and looked into his eyes.

"Why can't I just leave with him?! You said yourself you wanted me gone!" I yelled. I stared into his eyes and saw something I didn't expect. I was prepared for him to tell me to go, to get out of his life for good. I was expecting to see his hard expression showing he didn't feel any sympathy for me and wouldn't be concerned if I went out alone in the world. I expected to see that I could rot away for all he cared.

I didn't expect to see guilt. I didn't expect to feel the air of depression. Nothing could have prepared me for what he said next.

"I know what I said, and I'm… I'm s- I shouldn't have. I don't want you gone, you're the only thing I have left of your mother." He turned his head away. I opened my mouth but slowly closed it again. Did he just… apologize to me?

"I… what happened to her?" I dared to ask. I mentally slapped myself as soon as it slipped out of my mouth. Dad's gaze hardened and I knew I had blown my luck. He looked back at me and I took a step towards the back door, glancing at the still barking Toothless.

"I-" I started to apologize but Dad interrupted.

"Go to your room, I'll deal with-"

"Dad, no! I'm not going to let you do this. I'll do anything you want me to, just let me have Toothless! I can prove to you he won't hurt anyone! Just let me show you." I held out my hands to signify I had nothing to hide, one toward him, one toward Toothless.

I stole a glance at Toothless then looked my father straight in his eyes. I flinched slightly when he raised his hand up, and must have seen it because he slowly lowered it back down. He was considering it, I knew.

Please, please, please, please…

My Dad walked over to the back door and I felt my heart jump a thousand miles in my chest. He was going to let Toothless stay! I heard a faint click and I looked back at the door. He had only locked it.

"I said go to your room." He repeated in monotone, his back to me.

"Dad-"

"NOW!" He whipped around with his hand in held high, ready to strike. I had no choice; I bolted. I ran up to my room and slammed the door, locking it behind me. I pulled my bag off my back and went straight for my window, dropping the bag next to it.

Right below my window was the back yard, I could jump out and Toothless and I could make a run for it. I unlocked the window and yanked it open, I threw my bag down and stuck my head out. I saw Toothless walking over to the bag and sniffing it. I was so relieved my Dad wasn't in the yard, I still had a chance.

"Toothless, watch out!" Toothless looked up at me and wagged his tail, stepping back from the bag. I pulled my head back in and threw my legs out, I sat myself on the banister and looked down. I took a deep breath and jumped. I felt the amazing sensation of falling and I forced myself to keep my mouth closed.

My joy was cut short, however, when I landed with a thud on my bag. I let out a grunt and slowly moved to stand up. I had little pain, but it was enough to stall my motions. Toothless jumped over to me and began licking my face.

"I'm okay, thanks Bud." I said with a hint of depression in my voice, not that I was unaccustomed to it. Toothless sensed this and glanced at the house then whined, putting his nose under my hand. I smiled a sad smile when he looked up at me with those big, green, understanding eyes.

"Don't worry, we'll come back… when he realizes how great you are. If he wants me, he gets you." I explained, petting Toothless' head and giving him a forced smile. He was obviously not fooled; he licked my hand then nuzzled his head into it. I smiled genuinely and hugged him tight.

"We can make it, Bud. You and me." I looked him in the eye and held a determined look on my face. Toothless is the rope holding me to the world and I'm not about to let anybody cut it.

"Let's go, hopefully we can still go to Gobber's." I stood up threw my bag over my shoulder. I nudged him in the right direction and we were off, Toothless only having a little trouble with his prosthetic. As we ran out of the yard, I stole a glance through the glass door leading into the living room. I saw my father coming toward the door with a blank expression on his face. He didn't see me, but I saw him.

A small part of me wanted to stop running. A small part of me wanted to run through the door and jump into his arms. A part of me still believed my father could accept me, care for me, even take pride in me. When I was younger that was all I wanted. I worked so hard to prove myself to him that I never thought about what would happen if I didn't. Back then, I never could have imagined that I would run away from my chances. But now, I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

I tore my eyes away from the house and forced the painful thoughts out of my head. I had to focus on getting away from the house to a place where both Toothles and I can be safe.

Toothless and I ran to Gobber's quickly and uneventfully. Of course there was the lingering thought that forced depression onto my mind, but I pushed everything away when we arrived at Gobber's front door. I hesitated but eventually knocked lightly on his door. I felt my hand wander to Toothless's head as I stroked it. I heard Gobber blundering around to get to the door, then it finally flew open.

"'ey Laddie, wha' do ya-" He paused, his eyes traveling from the look on my face to the packed bag on my back. Then he saw Toothless.

"An' who might this be?" He asked slowly, he was probably thinking about my Dad's problem with animals.

"Toothless. But, Gobber? I-Is is okay for us to stay here for a while?" I asked weakly. Gobber raised an eyebrow.

"Does yer father know yer here?" He asked. My hand found its way to the back of my neck as he answered.

"Well… no, he doesn't." I looked down at the ground for a moment, but when an awkward silence raised I brought my gaze back up to meet his.

"Aah, come on in, Lad." Gobbersaid sympathetically. He slapped a hand on the back of my shoulder and led my inside. He closed the door behind Toothless, eyeing him warily. He led me to the stairs and pointed upstairs.

"Ya know where ta go." He said. I nodded then went up the stairs to his guest room. I closed the door behind me and sat down on the bed with a sigh. Toothless jumped up and curled around me, his head in my lap.

"I guess I should start on my homework then." I said. Then I realized with a jolt the field trip was tomorrow. A small amount of excitement and joy crept its way into my sorrow-fileld soul. I opened my bag and yanked the paper out, my eyes falling on the line where I was supposed to have a parent sign. I glanced at Toothless, thought of Gobber, then decided on forging my Dad's signature once again. I always felt bad when I forged his signature, but I really have no other options. It's not like I can just go up and ask him to sign something, it's not like I can ever talk to him without the conversation ending in a new bruise or a new tear.