Something Missing.

Astrid put Hiccup in the chair closest the fire, while she got it going. Toothless lay beside the chair. As she put some larger pieces of wood on the growing flame, Hiccup watched her. It was still a wonder to him. Astrid, in his house, taking care of him. He still hadn't shaken the idea completely that he really was dead, and this was some sort of prize.

Astrid had the fire growing now, and she turned around, sitting on the hearth. She saw Hiccup looking at her. He had that look he got when he was trying to figure out a particularly difficult problem. After the other teens, she hadn't noticed how quiet he could be. When he thought about something, it was with his whole being.

Astrid pushed hair from her eyes. "What?" It was like he was trying to see through her.

"I am in Valhalla. That's the only thing it could be. My father… dragons and Vikings at peace…" He looked down, breaking the gaze. "…you. Don't you get rewarded with everything you wanted in life when you die honorably?""

Astrid felt her heart clench. After what her mother, and especially Gobber had said, she had never really seen it. If she had, she didn't understand. Hiccup had placed her… her… up there with the other dreams he considered unobtainable.

She slid over and sat at his feet. She placed her right hand on his left knee. She felt him flinch. She began massaging the knee area in small movements.

"That doesn't bother me." She said. "You got it honorably in battle. It shows what you gave for all of us."

He looked up into her face.

Astrid stared back. "Why me, Hiccup? All these years. Why me? Was it because I'm sort of pretty?"

Hiccup gave her a small smile. "Sort of pretty… like a Monstrous Nightmare is sort of dangerous."

He looked into the fire. "But that's not it."

Astrid waited. She was getting used to his silences. She was figuring out he needed to be pushed into talk when it was about him. "Well, why then?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Why is that important?"

Astrid's voice got a bit harder. "Because I want to remember what you say right now."

Hiccup turned to her. "You used that line before."

Astrid smiled. "And I'll use it every time I need to. Because I'll never get to know what you're thinking unless I do." Then her face got serious. "And I really need to know this. It's important, Hiccup. To me."

Hiccup faced back to the fire. "Even when we were young… umm… young-er, you always knew what you were going to do. You were always the best at everything you set out to do. The others respected you. Even adults took pride in you. People talked about how great you were, and how you were going to be one of the best warriors Berk ever knew."

He sighed. "Strong. Fearless. Respected. When I looked at you, I saw everything I wasn't." He muttered. "The fact that you're the most beautiful girl on Midgard was just something extra."

"Excuse me, what was that last part?"

"That when I looked at-"

"No, not that. The part about the most beautiful girl on Midgard."

"Sounds like you heard it just fine."

"I know. I just like hearing it. From you."

She stood straight up on her knees, putting her face on a level with Hiccup's as he turned to her. "Look, I'm not as smart as you. I'll never be. But you can think of the most amazing things. And I'll bet there's more ideas in there since you have this dragon thing worked out. I can't keep up with you there. I'm never going to compete with you like that."

She took his hands in hers. "But I think I've got a few things going for me here. You need someone who's got enough blind faith in you to follow you anywhere. You'll probably end up needing someone to help you get out of trouble sometimes, or maybe even into trouble."

Hiccup smiled. "You've seen how most of my ideas work out. Burnt buildings…"

Astrid shook him lightly. "Okay. There's a few that have issues. But the ones that work out are… something amazing. And that's what I'll wait for. Because they'll come, won't they? I know they will."

Hiccup squeezed her hands. "Astrid…"

"Quiet. I can be that person. Because when you look at me and say my name in that voice I will fight to my last breath to hear it."

She smiled. "And if you think I'm pretty I'll just have to tolerate that. It'll be rough, I know, but I'm strong enough to bear it."

Hiccup stared straight into her eyes. "A-Astrid, that sounds scarily close to a pro-proposal."

Astrid blinked. "Well… I… maybe I am. Would you mind?

She reached up and grabbed his tunic. She brought herself close. She kissed him.

Hiccup's hands were slightly shaking as he put them on her shoulders and pulled her tighter.

She finally leaned back straight. "See? It really does get better if you help."

About that moment the door opened.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As the last light faded from the Sky, Johann tightened the mooring rope at the port of the Bog-Burglars. A few people still out helped him secure the trading ship. He went up to one of them.

"Excuse me, kind sir. I have an important missive from the Chief of Berk for your Mistress Bertha."

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"This missive thing. Do we need a lot of people to carry it back?"

"Oh, no! It's an important letter for your Chief."

"Well, why didn't you say so in the first place, then?"

Johann sighed. "Here. Please see your Chief gets it straight away. It's about the dragons."

"Goin' that bad for them, huh? They should know better than to come beggin' here. We got our own problems."

Johann smiled. "Oh, I think your Chief will be quite surprised by the news. Please hurry."

The man walked away muttering about "that fancy furrin' talk", but Johann noticed he did move very quickly.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Frigg puttered around the table, making sure everything was in place. Of course, there were people who did this for the house, and did it perfectly, but she wanted something to do while she thought.

Sif walked in. "I'm early, it seems."

Frigg walked over and hugged her. "No, I just wanted to ask how everything went."

Sif shrugged. "Sorry, but I didn't find her today. Her friend will make sure she's there tomorrow."

Frigg frowned. "Friend? We can't have too many involved here. We're in danger of breaking the law as it is."

Sif cocked her head. "Don't we get some… special consideration, or something? You are Odin's wife."

Frigg shook her head. "My husband follows the laws closely himself. He really doesn't allow much leeway. That's why we have to be-"

She stopped at a nudge from Sif. Odin and Thor, with his father's arm over a shoulder, walked in laughing.

Sif sniffed. "Forget about something?" she said in a stern voice.

Thor walked over to her. "It wasn't my fault. Father left an important message at the bridge."

Sif wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. "You'll just have to make it up to me, then."

When their kissing led to them groping each other, Odin cleared his throat. "I believe you'll have plenty of time for that later, you two. Your mother is here."

Thor came up for air. "Sorry, but I have been gone."

"A week."

"Almost two."

"Sit down, you two."

Sif pouted. "The honeymoon is over, then. A few measly centuries, and you run off before saying hello to your wife."

Odin sat down at one end of the table, and Frigg the other. Sif sat on the right of her mother-in-law, while Thor sat so he and his father could continue his account of the campaign on Vanaheim.

Elves of Alfheim had attempted a foothold on that world, which included 'taking care' of the local population. Thor was worried that the sudden expansion could signal another Great War.

Odin was worried, but not the same way as in his father's time. The population of most people and creatures had been decimated in the War of the Nine Realms. But the one problem is that the Elves seemed to be able to breed at will. And they had a lot of will.

"But we will set aside these problems tonight, my son." He watched Freya enter, and he waved her to a seat. She sat on the left of Frigg.

As she sat down, people began serving. Freya looked around. "Loki missing again? He does love to shirk his responsibilities, doesn't he?"

Frigg smiled. "Oh, he'll be here. He's just doing a little favor for me. So, Freya… how's business?"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Ruffnut closed the door behind her, taking in the two. Hiccup in the chair, Astrid kneeling in front of him. Toothless off by the fire, watching. Holding hands. "Cozy."

Astrid was just about to give Ruffnut a piece of her mind for barging in, but noticed the twin had a strange, serious look on her face. And she was staring at Astrid oddly. "Well?"

Ruffnut started walking towards them. Her shoulder hit a support column as she passed by it. She stopped and stared at it, swaying slightly.

Hiccup looked at her. "Have you been drinking?" The younger ones have been known to have a mug or two, but usually of the lighter stuff. They were Vikings, so drinking was pretty much expected.

Ruffnut turned her attention from the column back to them. "Maybe. But not nearly as much as I'm gonna be." She walked the remaining distance. She then sat on the edge of Hiccup's bed, still in the center of the room. She patted the frame. "Hmmm. Convenient, wouldn't you say?"

Astrid blushed. Hiccup, as usual, didn't get it.

Hiccup was just about to say something when Ruffnut snapped her head up.

"You missed a great show, Hiccup. Your father was swallowing a lot of pride back there. He really messed up, didn't he?"

Hiccup frowned. Astrid was trying to make sense of the girl's rambling. "What happened?" she asked.

Ruffnut leaned over and looked at Astrid. "Witnesses. Too many. Had to 'pologize. Whole village."

Hiccup was figuring something out. "Ruff…"

The tipsy twin looked at him. "You're brave. And so cute." She looked at Astrid. "Why does he want the mean one? Tell me, sweetie."

Astrid snarled. "Now look here, you…"

Ruffnut pointed a finger. "No! You look here." She sat up… almost… straight. "You didn't get it, either." She tapped a finger against her temple. "Not smart like Ruff. No. All the men. Drinking. Talking. Spitelout. Stoick. Elders. Allllll drinking."

Hiccup started getting worried. "Ruff, could this wait… like a few years or so?"

Astrid looked in Hiccup's face at that. He looked scared.

Ruffnut looked at him, giving an exaggerated nod. "Chief's son. Bet he knows tribe laws."

Astrid was still looking at Hiccup. He knows something.

Ruffnut went on. "Stoick disowned him. Said he wasn't a Viking. People heard. Said he wasn't his son."

Astrid's faced snapped towards Ruffnut, eyes wide.

"Poor Hiccup. Not even Outcast." Ruffnut made a pout. "Stoick did a bad thing. All kinds of dishonor on his family. Dishonor on tribe. Chief's son." She snickered. "Even Snotlout. Everybody lose honor."

Astrid gasped. She looked to Hiccup. His face was looking at his hands, fallen to his lap. Astrid sank back down, sitting on the floor.

Ruffnut slid off the bed carefully. Using Hiccup's good leg as a brace, she knelt by his other side. She reached out and took one of his hands.

"Only one way to get all that back. One way to give all that honor back to the tribe. Give it back to Stoick."

In an oddly tender moment, she pulled Hiccup's hand towards her, and lightly kissed the back of it. "You had to die."

She looked directly into Astrid's shocked face, tears running from her eyes. "No matter what. Win. Lose. Wasn't coming back."

Ruffnut lightly stroked the back of his hand. "Now he's most brave warrior ever. Big status. And nobody knows what to do with him."

Ruffnut slowly released Hiccup's hand as she slid into a heap on the floor, out cold.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Come in!"

The man walked in Chief Bertha's house. The Chief and her daughter were at the table, eating. He bowed his head.

"Sorry, Chief, but Johann just pulled in. He said this letter was important." He approached her, and held out the letter.

Bertha put down her spoon and took it. "Hang on a minute. Might need an answer." She wiped her hand on a cloth and untied the string from the roll. She started reading.

Her daughter Camicazi stared at her. Bertha was totally frozen, her mouth slowly drooping as she read. After a few minutes, she thumbed through the other pages, then went back to the first one. She read it again.

Her head snapped up. "Tell Johann I need to see him as soon as he can get here."

The man nodded and left. Bertha was staring at the letter. The she shook her head, her hand dropping to the table.

"What is it, mom?" Camicazi was concerned. Only war or famine had this kind of effect on Bertha.

Bertha looked at the girl. "Tell me, when was the last dragon raid?"

Camicazi thought. They had been talking about it in the village. "Over two weeks. We usually would have had another by now. But we haven't. They get worse in winter."

Bertha nodded and waved the papers. "That's the only reason I don't just throw this in the fire as the raving of a madman." She handed the letter over to her daughter. Camicazi noticed the hand moving closer was shaking slightly.

She read it. And again. Then she slammed it down on the table.

She looked at her mother with a confused frown. "Is this some kind of a joke?" She slapped the letter with a hand. "You can't put the words Hiccup and dragon in the same sentence, unless you put in killed by. This doesn't make sense! How could… Hiccup get a Night Fury?"

Both heads quickly turned to the knock at the door. "COME IN!" They yelled in unison.

Johann slowly entered, and closed the door, leaning his back against it. He took one look at their faces and knew. "Ah, I see you've read it."

Bertha waved him closer. "The truth, Johann." She pointed to the papers. "Is this for real?"

Johan frowned. "I haven't read it, Chief Bertha. But if it contains anything about dragons, or Berk… living with the creatures… then it is true. I have seen children riding them through the sky myself."

"What about this battle with a giant dragon?"

"I have seen scales almost as big as a shield, and a mounted tooth as tall as myself."

"And the Chief's son. He really did this?"

"Yes. Stoick waxed most eloquently about his son's part in this."

"Huh?"

"Um, he told me all about it. And not only him. It seems most of the tribe was there at the time."

Camicazi shot back. "And Hiccup killed it? Riding on a Night Fury?"

Johann nodded. "Yes, Miss. I have seen his black demon with my own eyes. But it is not all good news. It seems the boy lost a leg in the affair with the Queen."

Camicazi jumped to her feet. "Hiccup had an affair?"

Bertha stood up. "With a Queen?"

Johann put up his hands. "No, no. Hiccup lost a leg in the battle with the Queen dragon, which some are now calling the Red Death."

Bertha sat down in a huff. "Why can't you speak proper Norse?"

Johann sniffed. "I was speaking proper Norse, Madam."

Bertha gave him a glare. "You just remember who you're talking to, now."

Johann smiled. "Oh, I shall."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Freya put down her spoon and looked at Frigg. "How long must we put up with this?" Across from her, Sif was moving around, posing, and making faces at her husband at the other side of the table.

Frigg smiled. "Put up with what, dear?"

"That!" Freya leaned forward towards Sif. "If you open up that gown any more, they'll fall in your soup." She hissed.

Sif pouted. "I missed him. He's been away."

"A week!" Freya said in a tense whisper.

"Almost two!" came from the other end of the table.

Sif smiled. "See, he was paying attention."

Freya slumped back in her chair.

Sif looked at her. "You're always so tense, Freya. You should get yourself a man. When I get upset, we just-"

"I don't care what you do! And I'm not tense!" Freya crossed her arms over her chest. "May I leave now?" she asked Frigg.

"Not yet, dear. There's someone you should meet."

Freya rolled her eyes. "Another war hero?"

Frigg smiled. "Not really. Loki's… girlfriend… if you would put it that way."

That got everyone's attention.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Hiccup and Astrid both stared at the crumpled, confused girl on the floor. The seconds felt like an eternity to Hiccup. He was afraid to move, to speak, even to breathe. Because he knew what would happen.

"Is it true? What she said?" Astrid could barely whisper.

Hiccup rubbed the back of his head, still not looking at her. "Ahhhh… some of it. Maybe."

Hiccup felt himself jerked around to face Astrid. Her hands were clenched in his tunic at the shoulders.

"Some of it! What part?" she snarled.

Hiccup looked into her eyes. No, not there. He tried her mouth, slightly open and panting. Not there either. The nose. Better. Her nose won't betray him. Not even the cute way her nostrils flared when she was angry. No nose, then. He looked at her heaving chest. Oops. He looked up at the ceiling. The nice, safe ceiling that he didn't love.

"That's a well built ceiling. Sturdy, don't you think?" he muttered.

The world moved around a bit as Astrid shook him. "Damn you, Hiccup! Look at me and tell me!"

He sighed. He looked into her eyes. Tears were leaking out of one, and he reached out and rubbed them with a thumb. "It wouldn't have been so bad. Everything would have been set right again. Nobody would have missed me. Think about it. I mean really think about it."

Her face collapsed. The night before the final exam, even she had tried to beat information out of him. He was merely an obstacle to her being the best. She had ignored him, while he had admired her. She had thought him beneath her, while he had put her on a level with a Goddess. It wasn't worth her time to think about him, while he thought of nothing else but her. And most of the tribe had been worse.

"I can't do it." She whispered.

"What?"

"I can't even pretend to deserve you any more."

She pulled herself into him and buried her face in his chest. "What can I possibly do to prove myself? You'd die to give your family back its honor even while they threw you out."

"But I didn't die, Astrid."

She sat up. She looked into his eyes. "Why not?"

His eyes shifted around. "Well, I… ummm…"

She sniffed back a runny nose. She stared. "It wasn't me, was it?"

He rubbed his forehead from the growing headache. "Well… I couldn't just… I mean, he shouldn't have to die for my mistakes."

"He." Then her eyes got wide. "He!" Her voice got stronger. "You only lived because of that dragon?" Her head snapped around to look at the resting Night Fury. Toothless blinked at her.

She looked back at Hiccup. He frowned. "He was my only friend, Astrid. He would kill to protect me." Hiccup looked down. "And he would have died with me… for me. I couldn't ask that of anyone."

He shrugged. "And now I have to hope dad gets everything fixed."

Astrid narrowed her gaze. "Ruffnut says you must know the law. Fixed, or what?"

He shrugged and tried a small smile. "Most likely nothing more than Outlawed. Probably not Banishment. Nothing to worry about, see? I'll get to keep my remaining limbs."

She grabbed him around the chest and pressed herself against him again. "They can't be that stupid. They just can't!"

Then the door opened again.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Big-Boobied Bertha yawned. It was late.

They had pressed Johann for any detail they thought might be important. They had shown him the letter, which he handed back with a smile on his face.

There would be no immediate answer. The still waters outside Berk were freezing even as he left. Only the open current would get him home, and he would leave tomorrow, after a short trade session.

She would publish the instructions that she got. It sounded like common sense.

She shook her head. Camicazi and Bertha had discussed the changes that could take place now. Without the losses of the raids, they would grow stronger.

But not as strong as Berk, it seems. Berk had always been the strongest, the most respected of the tribes. Bertha, while sorry for them, had seen the worsening situation of Berk as her chance to grab power as the most powerful Chief. When the annual Chief's meeting happened, many would defer to Stoick's opinion. She wanted that power. And now, they apparently had dragons. Berk would gather even more respect.

She had sent the tired Camicazi off to bed, with the promise they would discuss it first thing in the morning.

She tapped a finger on the table. Something nibbled at her brain. Something from years ago. She thought a while.

Then she went to her bedroom. There were several chests in there. In one was where she kept all papers and letters that she thought would have some meaning, or personal notes she wanted saved.

She opened the chest, and looked at the oldest stack of papers. How long ago was it? Four years? Three? She thumbed through the stack of old letters.

There it is!

She skimmed past the introduction, wordy as Stoick always was.

Aha!

"And, I suggest, dear Bertha, that in order to forge a stronger alliance between our tribes, that we-"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo