Warnings: AU, OOC, language, underage drinking, underage drug use, bullying, suggestive themes [more warnings will be taken off/added as the story progresses]

Notes: I hope you all enjoy this story, and please review, favorite, and follow! Thanks for all of the favorites and follows! Sorry for the short chapter and long wait, my wifi wasn't working all that well and my computer was giving me some technical difficulties. Thanks so much for all of the positively wonderful reviews! This was mostly a filler chapter.

This chapter is Beta'd by GirlFromGa11ifrey.

To S.S. Pie: Aw, I made your day? I feel accomplished now. Lol. Actually, it was a near 12 months of captivity in Hiccup's case, but yeah it is rough and highly traumatizing. Lol, I'll take your ideas into consideration.

To jessLpfy: thank you, and we're going to find out later about Hiccup's mom and the child report later, once I dig a little deeper.

To faisyah865: Yes, Jack is hysterical. Lol.

To Brickgirl101: Thank you!

To TheCursedWolf: Thanks!

To Euryphae: Ikr!

To imacchi11229: Yup, well, almost a year because if his captivity stretched out to May, then it would've been exactly a year since he was first kidnapped.

To Kitsu Maxwell: Sorry for overwhelming you with all of those questions. :D. I hope I don't disappoint with this chapter.

To Banana Gun: I still don't know where I'm going with pairings but I'm trying to flesh out the characters and their background stories.

To kitty.0: Yeah, it is funny and cruel.

To SmaugFan1: It's fine that you didn't review – and she stole it? I'd be pissed off if someone touched my stuff without permission. Thanks for taking the time to review and your compliments!

:: The Land of the Dragons ::

{Nine}

"Easy there, lad," said Gobber as Hiccup struggled to walk upstairs to his room. Maybe it was just him but being unconscious for twenty four hours and then getting confined to a hospital bed for the next three days makes a person exhausted, regardless of the naps one would take to satisfy themselves from ultimate boredom. Hiccup grumbled underneath his breath but finally made it to his room, his safe haven. He flopped down onto his bed and stared at the ceiling before turning his head to stare at a framed picture of Heather and Hiccup when they were in one of their group therapy sessions.

Harry and Heather weren't the only ones taken in captivity by those men. The total of children and teenagers snatched by them were limitless—since they weren't caught, Hiccup bet that they were still kidnapping kids—and Hiccup couldn't keep count of the times he witnessed someone being carried out of the house in a body bag or beaten to death. He learned really early to keep quiet, keep his head down, and never act defiant. It was the quickest way for a death wish, acting defiant. He had to force himself into a submissive skin that he hadn't quite shed. Heather was living with her long lost mother, Asta Starr, who owned an adorable, quaint bakery at the other side of town.

His phone rang and he looked down. He answered.

"Heather?"

"Hey, you. I heard you're in the hospital."

"I was. I got out early, around nine in the morning today. How're you?"

"I…I've been better. Living with my mom showed me that not every adult is as vicious as my father. Do you mind dropping by at the bakery for a bit? I – we need to talk."

"Hmm, I dunno if my dad will let me out of his sight for a while but I'll try. What'd you want to talk about face-to-face?"

"I don't want to speak about it over the phone."

"Got it. Is anyone else from…our crowd going to be there?"

By "our crowd" Hiccup meant those who survived captivity with him and Heather.

"Yeah. Mom said she'd let us hang out in the break room."

"Ok. I'll see what I can do."

"Great – see you soon, Hiccup, hopefully. Love you lots."

Hiccup smiled faintly. "Love you more."

Heather hung up the phone and Hiccup sighed, closing his eyes. Heather was like the older sibling he always wanted. He had an older relative — his cousin, Snotlout — but he rarely spoke to him outside of holidays and the random phone call. Snotlout was a childhood bully of his until Hiccup was seven and got ill, which brought out a protective streak in Snotlout that nobody saw coming. It was why Hiccup dreaded going to Berk over the holidays to visit his cousin, uncle, and aunt since Snotlout trailed after him like a bodyguard wherever he went. It wasn't just Snotlout who trailed him, the Thorston twins followed him as well, with guilt shining in their eyes. They never did forgive themselves for not fighting back when Hiccup was taken — Hiccup never blamed them. He blamed his captors.

Taking his time, Hiccup made it down the stairs and into the living room where his father was reclining on his chair with a newspaper, reading glasses on, while Gobber was on the couch, sipping on a beer bottle. Hiccup cleared his throat. "Uh, Dad?"

His father had already rose to his feet. "What's wrong? You're not feeling faint, are you?" He palmed Hiccup's forehead and then touched his cheeks.

Hiccup batted his fathers' hands away. "Dad, I'm fine. I just wanted to know if I could head out to—,"

"No."

"—to the bakery Sweet Stars, where Heather lives with her mom."

His father looked like he was going to say no again when Gobber came to the rescue. "Oi, Stoick, let the boy go! He's a teenager you know, rebellion and pink dye and all that."

Hiccup stared at Gobber. "When have I ever…?"

"You'll have your phone on you?"

"Yes, on loud too."

"You'll answer my calls and texts?"

"I wouldn't dream of ignoring it, Dad."

"When the street lamps come on, I want you home and in bed."

"Of course, Daddy dearest."

Gobber snorted. His father glared at the both of them. "Hiccup…"

Smiling sheepishly, Hiccup rubbed the back of his head. "I know, Dad, I know. I got it – so, I can go?"

"Yes." His Father said, though he looked as if he swallowed a lemon whilst doing so. "Just, remember the rules."

"I will, Dad."


The exterior of Sweet Stars was a sky blue with black stars dotting the walls in random patterns. It was a two story building but the top floor was reserved for the owners. The color scheme of the bakery was sky blue and black, with touches of other colors here and there. Asta Starr was a woman of thirty years of age with a fourteen-year-old daughter, who had once lived with an abusive bastard of a father (and that was putting it lightly). Just like with Hiccup and his father, Asta awoke one morning to find a police officer and social worker standing in front of her bakery doors at eight, with her daughter standing in the middle of them. Heather only had a knapsack of possessions with her and she had two black eyes, a bruised nose, and a scarred cheek.

As soon as Hiccup entered the homey bakery, Asta spotted him immediately. In a moments' notice, Hiccup was pulled into a hug by the ebony-haired, green-eyed woman. "Hiccup," she greeted with a thick accent that Hiccup wasn't all that familiar with. "I 'aven't seen you in so long. How've you been?"

Hiccup fought his way out of the hug. He still wasn't used to people touching him when it wasn't for giving him a new bruise. "I…I've been good, Miss Starr."

"Wonderful." Asta beamed but released him from the hug once she understood he was uncomfortable with touch. "They're in the break room – you know where it is, yes?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Good, good." A customer called for Asta's attention. "I must go now, Hiccup. Take care."

"I will."

Hiccup made his way into the break room where Heather and a few other familiar faces were sitting in a circle, chatting and laughing while snacking on pastries and drinks. Heather spotted him first, as always, and a smile spread over her lips. "Hiccup!" She waved him other. "I'm so glad you could make it!" Getting closer, Hiccup could see that Heather got majority of her genes from her mother. "Sit, sit!" she padded the empty seat next to her.

In total, they were a group of ten. There were fraternal twins, Kairi and Yuffie, who had been in captivity for seven months, instead of Hiccup's near twelve. Then it was Riku and his childhood best friend, Roxas who were in the house for nine months. Then it was Ariel and her bubbly daughter, Melanie who were, luckily, only there for a short three months. Then the last of the crowd were Yuki and Tiana, who were held captive for four months.

"Hey guys," Hiccup smiled at them.

They greeted him back warmly.

"How've you all been?" asked Hiccup.

"Fine," grumbled Riku as he slumped further into his seat.

"Eh," shrugged Roxas.

Kairi and Yuffie gave Hiccup small smiles. Ariel said, "Melanie and I are doing okay."

"We've seen better days," muttered Yuki.

Hiccup nodded. He understood, really, he did. They were all saved and introduced into the real world on the same day. While Hiccup was shoved into a cupboard, Heather and the twins were locked in a closet. Ariel and Melanie were in the guest room that was serving as a hospital wing where Tiana was unconscious, and Yuki, Riku, and Roxas were in the basement of the house. It was a dark day, when they were saved, because they didn't know if they were going to die or live or if this was simply a test. No one could afford to fail if they still had the will to live.

The boy has white-gray hair and bright blue eyes. Hiccup blinks at him.

"I'm Riku," he grunts in greeting, holding a mop. "You're the new kid?"

Hiccup nods, mutely.

"Better learn quick," Riku warns. "They've no mercy on beginners."

"When's the next group session?" asked Yuffie. "I forgot."

Roxas teased good-naturedly, "You always forget things."

"Yeah," Yuffie breathed out with a small, reminiscent smile. "Yeah, I guess I always did."

The girl with dark short hair is shuffling about, panicked, and in tears. "Where is it? Where is it?" she chants anxiously.

Hiccup approaches her. "What're you looking for?"

The girl looks at him and says, "Hi, I'm Yuffie – you must be Hiccup. Anyway, I'm looking for my list of chores. I forgot where I put it!"

Hiccup blinks. He doesn't know what to say, though he can taste Yuffie's festering terror as it grows, and he feels it puddle inside of him, syphoning from all the other emotions so that only fear was left for him to feel.

"So I hear you've been quite the celebrity, Hic," grins Kairi.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I am not!"

Kairi snorted. Heather laughed. "Have you even told those friends of yours you're out of the hospital?"

Hiccup's heart stopped—he knew he forgot something.


Kairi [Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy]

Yuffie [Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy]

Roxas [Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy]

Riku [Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy]

Tiana [The Princess and the Frog]

Yuki [Snow White]

Ariel [The Little Mermaid]

Melanie [The Little Mermaid II]