Chapter 7

Hiccup hadn't been sure what he'd expected to see upon busting down the door to his own home. He and Jack had pretty much flown to the apartment building only making a quick stop to arm themselves from the inventory of tricks and toys Jack had stowed away in the back of his pick-up.

Worst case scenarios had been running through his mind the whole way.

What if it got ransacked? What if those thirty something men were waiting for them? What if she had been taken?

Of all the possibilities, that one punched him right in the gut. For a moment he hadn't been able to breathe. What if she had been taken? What if she was hurt? Or worse?! It would be his fault. He left her alone. Vulnerable.

He barely knew her, but he began to panic.

Amputee or not, he found himself having no trouble sprinting up six flights of stairs, even pulling ahead of Jack!

He didn't care if it was a mess.

He didn't care if things were broken.

Just please don't be empty

When he'd thrown open the door, and found her sitting on the floor seemingly unharmed he felt so relieved he could have thrown up. Or passed out. Or both. Instead, he sighed with relief and tried to catch his breath.

"Mah hero."

That amused glint in her eyes, the smirk on her lips. She was fine. She was fine. And he felt his breath come a little easier.

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Hiccup now realized he had a problem. Well, many problems. He probably should have realized it yesterday when he let a battered fugitive sleep on his couch, but to be honest Hiccup had gone to sleep with the hopes of waking up with the whole thing having sorted itself out. He didn't really need to get involved anymore than he already had and Merida hadn't been in any hurry to talk either so they hadn't.

But things don't just go away by ignoring them. Hiccup felt fortunate that nothing had happened, but the panic he'd felt running up those flights had made him realize. And by the look on Merida's face she realized it too.

They needed to talk.

After they'd busted in so tactfully, Jack hadn't been able to stay long due to other classes he had (and some of which he had missed, having left campus so quickly), so after quickly checking over Merida's ankle again he had taken his leave.

So it was just the two of them, avoiding the questions that so direly needed to be asked.

Merida was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the sofa strangely fascinated with a piece of thread she was intertwining between her fingers. Hiccup leaned against the wall across from her.

How on earth to go about this?

"I think we need talk…" He sighed, sliding down the wall.

"Ah know." Merida flicked the string away.

Hiccup only blinked. He'd tried getting answers before to no avail, so he was slightly surprised when Merida agreed so easily. So did that mean she was going to answer his questions? He had so many, Hiccup didn't know where to start. "Uh ok.." He stammered, "What exactly is your situation?"

Merida lifted her crisp blue eyes to look at him, and for the briefest moment there was a humor in them, before it turned to bitterness. Merida laid her head back on the sofa, scoffing softly. "Where tae start?"

Hiccup felt a small curl of worry begin to form in his stomach. What had he gotten himself into? But as Merida began he pushed all doubts away. It was far too late after all to start having doubts. The moment he'd helped her to his car he had signed himself up for this. Whatever this was. There was no turning back now.

"Ah suppose the best wye tae begin wad be tae start wi the war." She started. At Hiccup's raised eyebrows, she waved off his concern.

"Daen't worry. It's nae here."

Hiccup's eyebrows didn't lower.

"Weel wi me its sort ta here—But ya noooo what Ah mean!" She chuckled briefly than immediately sobered. "Mainly…. its back in mah homeland."

Hiccup settled more against the wall, resting his arms on his knees. Her accent was a big giveaway where she was from, so Hiccup took a stab at it. "By homeland you mean, Scotland?"

"Crivens!" Merida exclaimed slight sarcasm dripping from her tone and her smirk, "Yer a genius! How'd ye know?"

"I am a genius." Hiccup countered raising his eyebrows and stroking his non-existent beard impressively. Merida laughed softly.

"Weel yes. Scotland. It didne start there. Mah-" Merida paused, "The king ay Scotland didn't want anythin' tae dae wi' it. Nae one did. Since we were small compared tae other places -more promisin' places- like Arendelle, we were able tae keep out ay the madness for a while. But efter five years even Scotland got dragged intae it."

"So five years ago was when all this started?"

"Aye. That's when he began attackin' places."

A dark look crossed Merida's face. Her hands stroked her wrists absentmindedly, as her brows furrowed. Hiccup was almost afraid to ask.

"He?"

Merida's eyes locked on his and for a moment she stared at him with such a ferocious silence he thought she wasn't going to answer. When she did speak, the pure hatred in her voice surprised him as she spat out the words like venom.

"A greedy monster. A powerful man who's efter even mair power. An he won't stop till he gits it."

Hiccup recalled her saying something about a powerful man before. About him maybe having control even over the Corona Police Department (CPD), but she had yet to tell him how powerful or how much he conquered or even who he was. Hiccup was about to ask. For a name for something to go on.

Then he realized the stupidity in that. Whoever this guy was, he had contacts. He seemed to be the classic 'Dark Creepy Guy' with eyes and ears in every shadow. That's how he could so easily douse those flames in Merida's eyes. He had something over her and Hiccup doubted she'd reveal many things about him, in case it might someway or somehow came back to haunt her. In fact, Hiccup doubted she would give him any details on this person if he just asked directly. So he decided to change tactics.

"Is that why you're so afraid of him?" Hiccup tried for casual, picking cat hair off his sleeve. "Because he's strong? You're worried he'll find out? Come for you?" The response was completely unexpected.

Merida's eyes flashed and she snarled. Like. Actually snarled.

"He's awready coming fur me and Ah'm not scared because he's powerful!" She snapped, "Ah'm scared because he's sick an twisted!" Merida's hands curled into fists and she was in such a fit of rage mixed with terror, she shook. "Ah've seen him cut people ta shreds with broken glass and cook hands on burning stones. Ah've seen him kill innocent people and children! He would laugh." There was a pain in her eyes and her voice was starting to tremble as she spoke.

Hiccup felt all his other questions die in his throat. That wasn't a pain of just having witnessed these monstrosities. That was a look of suffering. Her suffering.

"No," She continued, voice a husk. "Ya face a powerful man, ya will come out a little worse for the wear. Ya face HIM ya will come back in pieces."

Silence fell and it roared in Hiccups ears. She was being chased by a monster. She'd said yesterday she'd come from hell and looking at her now he believed it. She had bruises on her throat, cuts over her face, her clothes were in tatters. He couldn't help but wonder what other markings might lie beneath. Had she been beaten? Tortured?

Hiccup looked in her eyes, watching in that moment as she relived her nightmares and realized, he was so wholly out of his depth. What was he going to do? Should this man come for, if he was truly as terrible as that… What could Hiccup do? He was just a sleep deprived college student struggling to make it through his major. What was he doing? Thinking he could help? This was serious and he was just-just

The only one right now who can be there for her.

The thought made him pause.

He couldn't imagine what she felt. He had no clue what to say. This was the reality check. The one that always came right when they were getting along, like nothing was wrong. The thing that sent them running to the opposite sides of the room. What could Hiccup do? He could change that. This time, instead of running, he went closer.

Hiccup stood and slowly walked over. His heart was pounding in his head. It probably had nothing to do with the way her sharp blue eyes were watching him. Hiccup sat down next to her, leaning back against the sofa.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered, sincerely. "For you..that must really have sucked." He finished lamely. He didn't know what to say, what might soothe her fears. Hiccup was garbage with words… but he was genuine.

She was quiet.

When he turned to look at her, he wished he hadn't. Her blue eyes were wide and studying him. He kinda felt like he was looking in the teal blue waters of the Caribbean. He could see her curiosity and confusion swimming around in there.

She looked sort of out of place, unsure what to do. What to make of his attempt at comfort.

You and me both. Hiccup thought.

He was just about to kick himself for his stupidity in doing something so bold, when she smiled. Grateful. Her smooth red eyebrows rose with her cheeks and she nudged Hiccup gently with her shoulder. She didn't move back. Instead she stayed where she was, with their arms touching.

Hiccup suddenly felt very nervous. His fingers were jittery and his palms were sweaty.

He could feel the heat coming off her. Her hair rolled off her head and billowed around her like a red fluffy cloud framing her face. Hiccup was so close he could see she had dirt on her nose and a scuff on her chin like she'd fallen. She had a small scratch on her cheek.

Hiccup had a sudden urge to run his thumb over it.

WHOA! TIME OUT!

Alarms blared in his head and Hiccup's eyes snapped to the wall across from him. What was he thinking? He didn't know this woman. He cleared his throat awkwardly and Merida looked away, but she didn't move away. And just like that the tension in the air was broken.

Right then. Back to the insane bad guy.

"So this guy," Hiccup started again hurrying on so as not to upset her again. "Is there something he's after? Apart from other countries of course. I mean, what does he want? You don't just go start a war for no reason."

Merida shifted slightly as though to shake off the rest of her dark memories. Hiccup could feel her grazing against his shoulder. "Oh ye know. The usual." She snorted bitterly, marking them off on her fingers. "Hidden treasure, world domination, magical powers—"

"Magical powers?" Hiccup exclaimed.

Merida shrugged, but something shifted in her eyes. "I told ye, he's sick. Destroying and killing hundreds for some stupid myths."

Hiccup didn't know what exactly she was referring to, but something in the way her eyes narrowed, told him she didn't entirely think they were just 'stupid myths'. However with the way she waved it off, he could tell she wasn't about to share anymore. Hiccup let it go.

"Where do you fit in all this?" He asked instead. Merida gave him a look as though it should have been obvious.

"Ah'm a fugitive."

"I know, but why?" Hiccup asked, trying to restrain his urge to let his hands talk for him. "I doubt he would set two dozen men after any old runway fugitive."

At this, a brief look of alarm crossed Merida's face but she quickly schooled her features back into a look more of wariness.

"Unless you're more than just some old runaway fugitive…" Hiccup asked slowly, suspicion arising in his chest.

"….Let's.. just say Ah have some information." She supplied hesitantly, leaning away from Hiccup.

"What information?"

Merida only stared at him as if he was an idiot. He hadn't actually meant to ask it, it had just been the natural next question to ask but in hindsight, if this Dark Creepy Guy (Hiccup had officially named him that in his head) had gone to such great lengths for this information it was very unlikely she was just going to give it to him because he said please. Hiccup rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly.

"Dumb question?"

"Wee bit." She chuckled and Hiccup turned to face her settling his arm on the sofa. "So you've got information, but why are you here?"

At this question Merida looked around the apartment before looking back at Hiccup, baffled. "Sorry?"

"Well," He explained. "If the main fighting is in Scotland, what are you doing in Corona?"

Merida's brows furrowed in confusion. "That's where Ah was bein' held."

Hiccup furrowed his own brows. If she was being held in Corona that means the Dark Creepy Guy has set up a base or head quarters of some sort in Corona. It was doubtful that he'd set up a whole base just to capture her, regardless of her information. So the only question was-

"Then what's he doing in Corona?"

He had really just been thinking aloud but Merida rolled her eyes.

"Evil things? Ah don know! Meybe Ah'll try asking him that th' next time he's beatin' me senseless-"

Merida must have tried to catch herself but the words had already slipped out. Hiccup froze. Well that answered his question. He remembered the bruise on her neck, Her ankle. Where there more? His throat suddenly felt like cotton and for a moment his mouth tried to grab words and caught air.

"Is that how you got…." He managed, gesturing at his own neck, voice a whisper.

Merida's hand clamped down over the spot. But he already knew about the mark that lied beneath.

"He has a lot ay different methods." She whispered, voice rasping.

Her voice was fading. Her face was growing paler. Hiccup could tell she was retreating, again. That fear was back in her eyes, and for some reason seeing that sort of.…hurt.

No….please don't look like that.

Maybe it was the way her blue eyes widened in fear. Eyes that sharp a blue were never meant to show fear. Just fire. Hiccup liked it when they showed fire.

"You know…" He started hurriedly, "It's good to see you alright." He didn't know what he was saying or why he was saying it. The words were just being pulled out, like they were summoned. "For a moment there…I was really worried they may have come after you."

Merida blinked. When she opened her eyes again, the glimmer of fear was gone. Hiccup breathed easier. A small smile graced her face. There was no humor in it but it made her cheeks bunch.

"Actually….they did."

Hiccup blinked. He hadn't heard right.

"…..I'm sorry, what?"

Merida nodded that smile getting a little bigger, a little more real. "They sent two ay their agents efter me. They recognized yer car from last night."

"WHAT?!" Hiccup couldn't contain his shock. "How—But your?— Did they- What happened?!" He sputtered, much to Merida's amusement. She laughed softly, scrunching her nose. When she stopped, the fear was completely gone replaced by a puzzled sort of look.

"Weel actually, Ah was saved by—" Her eyes suddenly widened panicky, staring at something just above Hiccup's head. "Watch out!"

It happened so fast, Hiccup barely had time to register the soft blow to the back of his head, before he was staring into wide, green, cat eyes.

"Toothless!" He smiled, very pleased to find his cat, rather than some savage attacker. "Hey Bud! I haven't seen you around for a while! Where you been?"

Merida's mouth was hanging open. Seemingly completely shocked by the fact that Hiccup had a cat. He had forgotten to mention that, but Toothless was more of an outdoor cat and sort of came and went as he pleased. After everything else that had happened, it hadn't seemed important to mention a feline might stop by.

Toothless had launched himself into Hiccup's lap and was now batting playfully at his hands. He'd probably been under the sofa waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce. The miserable creature.

Merida seemed to have recovered enough to speak.

"H-Him. Ya knoo him?!"

Hiccup glanced up and flashed her a smile. "Oh uh yeah." He picked Toothless up, having a slight difficulty because of his size, and held him before her. "Merida met Toothless. Toothless, Merida."

Merida watched the cat with something of confused skepticism. "We've met." She answered tightly.

It was Hiccup's turn to be slightly confused now. "You have? That's strange, he usually doesn't like strangers…"

Saying Toothless 'didn't like' strangers was a little bit of an understatement. When Hiccup had first introduced him to Jack it had taken weeks for Toothless to stop hissing every time he saw the guy. Toothless didn't even like Hiccup's dad very much, but Hiccup couldn't blame him too much on that front. So you could understand why Hiccup found it a little hard to believe he just waltzed in with Merida already in the apartment and even harder to find that he hadn't tried to claw her and get her out of 'his' territory.

And yet here they are…

"He's the reason Ah'm nae dead in yer closet!" Merida exclaimed pointing emphatically at the cat. Toothless pawed at her finger. "What IS he?!"

"He's a cat." Hiccup explained, obviously.

"Thas NO cat!"

Hiccup only lifted Toothless higher giving him a good look over, before finally putting him down. "No, no I'm pretty sure this is a cat…What? Do they not have these in Scotland?" He asked amused.

Merida ignored him. She had an excited gleam in her eye and her red mess of hair shook as she gestured her hands emphatically.

"When the agents waur coming fur me, Ah tried tae hide in yer closet but they waur already coming fur me. When out ay noo where he let out this-this shriek! It was so loud, they ran reit out! He saved mah life, but nearly knocked me out!"

At the word 'shriek' a cold chill had gone down Hiccup's spine. He could feel his blood freeze.

It had been years since- No. There was no way that's what she was talking about.

"That-That's impossible." Hiccup stammered. But he suddenly found himself studying Toothless again. Could it be…..?

"It's true!" Merida argued, but she must have noticed the sudden lack of color in his face. "But ye awready knew that didn't ye?" She added suspiciously.

"I…." Hiccup was at a loss for words. He had an idea, an inkling more like, he always had but it was always to absurd! It simply couldn't be possible. No one had ever seen one. Yet…If what Merida was saying was true….

Her blue eyes were doing that thing again. That thing where they shone with- with something that just pulled words from him. She wanted to know, and Hiccup gave in.

"Back where I'm from because of where we live we often have problems with….er….Big Cats. Sometimes as a kid I'd hear this piercing noise coming from the woods. Our village called them Nightfuries, said they roamed the forests but no ones ever seen one. I did find Toothless in those forests on a failed hunting trip but he can't be- I mean he's just a cat!-"

"A big cat." Merida pointed out.

"He's big boned!" Hiccup countered. However, truth be told, even though when Hiccup had find him he'd been much smaller, Toothless was now around the size of a Lynx. It would be hard to argue he was simply another domestic cat but-

"He can't be a night fury. That's impossible." Hiccup shook his head, trying to dislodge the thought. "It's just a myth."

"A myth….." Merida mused, leaning back against the sofa once more. "Seems tae be a lot ay those going aroond."

For a moment, Hiccup met her eyes. First Dark Creepy Guys and crazy myths, now Nightfuries. For a moment, one brief instant, Hiccup let his imagination run.

What if…What if by some minuscule chance Toothless was a Nightfury? What would that mean? He'd have found a mythical creature! Which was insane. Could Merida's myths, whatever they were, also be true? In which case, what exactly was this Dark Guy after? What powers were out there? A whole new world would be opened to them. Full of potential but riddled in danger. Hiccup had a haunting feeling IF any of this was true, things could get much worse. Which made him glad it obviously wasn't true. Otherwise people could suffer. Many die! This information would be invaluable!

Information…

Hiccup's eyes snapped back to the bright blue across him him. Which now seemed a little more guarded than before, as if she had read his mind.

What exactly was Merida's information?

Before he could even open his mouth, he was interrupted by her.

"What's thes then?"

Hiccup looked where she was pointing, to the red leg brace structured around Toothless' left hind leg.

"Oh that? That's a piece of my own work." He said proudly. Slowly the idea of Nightfuries and legends slipped from his mind. Which was a good thing. It was clearly absurd. Simply his mind running wild for a few moments, but now, having been snapped back reality, the whole thing seemed completely foolish. Hiccup put it away.

"When I caught him he was injured and couldn't run properly. So that's just a little something I made to help him…" Hiccup shrugged, rubbing some dirt off the brace in question. "It was my fault after all."

"Is he awe rite?" Merida asked concernedly. Hiccup waved it off.

"Oh yeah. Now he's good as new! He's jumping, climbing and running. Doesn't even notice it and I still have no clue how he gets up here, sometimes. Isn't that right Bud?" Hiccup rubbed Toothless' head to which he purred for a moment before pouncing on Hiccup again. He really was a big cat and from his position, Hiccup didn't have much to brace with. He was knocked back to the floor, laughing as he found himself smothered in black fur. Hiccup could hear Merida giggling at his conquer.

They wrestled for a moment then Hiccup finally, fondly, pushed Toothless' flat head away, sitting up.

Merida had a soft look in her eyes, smiling at them. "Ye match…" She breathed quietly.

At first Hiccup didn't understand her meaning, then following her gaze, he found her looking from the plastic skin colored prosthetic at the end of his leg to the red brace around Toothless'.

"Yeah….." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Guess we do…"

There was a brief moment of companionable silence… Which quickly grew very awkward.

His eyes flickered to Merida and, seeing her looking at him, flickered away just as fast. Hiccup coughed once, rubbing his neck. He hastily thought of a question.

"So…ah.. what's your plan?"

Merida seemed slightly thrown off by the sudden question. "Mah plan?"

Hiccup shrugged, shifting to stand up and heading over to the kitchen. Merida stood with him.

"Well I don't suppose that running, getting hit by a car, and taking in by a stranger was your grand escape strategy. Did you have something in mind? A safe place you could go maybe?"

By the blank expression she had on her face, Hiccup could tell that there may not have even been a 'grand escape strategy'. At the mention of a safe place though, a light was lit in her eyes. But for some reason the rest of her face seemed torn between doubt and suspicion.

"…..There may still be a safe place fur me tae go." She started hesitantly. She stopped there for a moment and it almost looked as if to say anything else would physically pain her.

Hiccup leaned against the table and sighed, running a hand through his head.

"Look. The way I see it, I'm your best bet. But in order to help you, and I want to help you, I need to know how."

With a final pained look, she gave in with a sigh.

"It's a secret refuge, sacred to mah clan." She explained, looking anguished as she told him. "We call it Croone's Cave its hidden behind the Fire Falls."

"And you're sure this is safe from….?" He didn't want to risk mentioning the guy again, but Merida understood.

She nodded firmly. "Ah doubt he knows abit it, and if he does he wouldn't bother to find it because if ya don't know what yer looking fur, it's extremely difficult to get to. Many die trying. If Ah could get there Ah would be safe…." Her voice trailed off.

"Is there a 'but'?" Hiccup asked. "I sense a 'but'."

"BUT," Merida started, wringing her hands apprehensively. "There's only one person Ah can think of who can help me get back, an Ah don't know where to find her or if she's even still alive."

"Great." Hiccup muttered. Crossing his arms he glared out the window, hoping to find some inspiration from there. He had no clue how to even start to find someone like that and by the looks of it, neither did Merida.

Toothless looked up at him from where he'd begun to bath himself on the floor. Sitting properly, he tilted his head and flicked his tail back and forth. Bright green eyes returned Hiccup's stare evenly. He looked expectant, ready.

Well…Seems like that was that, then. Despite how much he loved to make plans, be organized and strategize (Much to Jack's chagrin, who was much more spontaneous), Hiccup found (Maybe because he was the most unlucky person in the world) there was really only one way he did things.

Do something really dumb, but act like you know what you're doing.

"Well," Hiccup said standing resolutely. "I guess that means theres only one thing to do….

"We'll have to get you some things and something proper to sleep on-"

Merida who'd been watching him expectantly, clearly hadn't expected THAT. Her mouth dropped and she stepped forward hastily, stammering. "Wait. Ah don't know how long this'll take…"

Hiccup only blinked.

"I know."

She seemed to think he wasn't understanding her point, because she tried again. "I-It could be weeks before Ah find her…"

"I know." Hiccup replied again. That much was obvious. She seemed blown away, her red brows furrowed again in confusion.

"A-And yer…A-Ah can stay?" She asked unsure. Her eyes were wide and filled with disbelief but also, hope.

Hiccup blinked again. He had thought that had been obvious. He had said he wanted to help her and he wasn't about to kick her out! But from the doubt in her face, she clearly hadn't thought he would let her stay with him.

Hiccup felt himself smile slowly, "Yeah, you can. For as long as you need to." He added with utmost sincerity.

"BUT," Hiccup started again, making his way into the kitchen. "Some things are going to have to change around here. For example; Cooking. My dad will probably notice if my eating out bills suddenly double, so we'll have to learn to cook at home. There is one problem though."

Merida looked as though she was still catching up, amazed that she had a place to stay.

"Whit?" She asked dazedly.

"I don't know how to cook."

She blinked once. Then she laughed. A good nose scrunched, face flushed, hair shaking laugh.

"Can Ah tell ya a secret?" She asked mirthfully, eyes shining with a light Hiccup hadn't seen.

"What?"

"Me neither."

"Well. No helping it then. We're both just gonna have to learn." Hiccup grinned at her and she smiled back her hair framing her form as her hands rested on her hips. She didn't say anything. Instead she turned slowly surveying the apartment before sitting slowly on the sofa. Toothless jumped up on the table, wrapping his tail around him.

That reminded him..

"Also need to do something about security, and I should probably clean up the place…If anyone asks you're my roommate or something.." Hiccup rattled off, turning back to the kitchen. He needed some paper to make a list. These seemed like as good a place to start as any when you suddenly had a new roommate. Merida however didn't seem to have any input. She just sat quiet and still.

Hiccup panicked slightly. Had he said something wrong?

"…How does that sound?" He asked tentatively. At first Merida didn't reply. But when she finally did turn, Hiccup was astonished to see she had tears glistening in her eyes.

"T-That sounds wonderful…" She breathed, before quickly using her tattered sleeves to wipe scrub her face. Relief seemed to spill from her voice, and her shoulders sagged like a huge weight had been lifted. Hiccup relaxed before grinning. Again. He was doing that a lot for some reason.

But for some reason…He was kind of excited.

It probably had nothing to do with Merida DunBroch….

But it probably had everything to do with Merida DunBroch.

"Awesome!" He nodded, trying not to feel giddy. Stupidly giddy.

"Then we'll begin now!" Heading determinedly to the cabinets, he flung them open to begin the task of trying to cook his first dinner. Or at least he would have….had they not been completely bare.

"…Or tomorrow. We'll begin tomorrow."

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AUTHOR'S NOTES

Man. Guys. This is the reason I took so long to post. This chapter was a STRUGGLE. VERY MUCH STRUGGLE BUS. Theres a little bit of editing, its not perfect though. Like I said. Struggle. Bus. Please lemme know what you think though! There wasn't a lot of much going on in this but I hope you liked it anyway! Maybe…Even a little… Next chapter will be more light and funny hopefully with some world building or something or other. THANKS FOR READING, PLZ REVIEW AND COMMENT AND-

KEEP BEING AWESOME