Astrid didn't show for work the following day and Hiccup was worried enough to break the promise he made to himself and text her on her private cell. He didn't want to bother her but he knew she was reliable and if she had been held up by a sick daughter, she would have phoned Rolf to let him know she wouldn't be in. Sitting in the Diner, he sipped his coffee and stared at the phone.

YOU OK? ROLF WORRIED. ME 2.

He paused.

CAN I HELP?

He found his stomach was tense and his leg was jigging under the table. He could barely eat his burger and he kept checking his phone every few seconds, anxiously waiting for his reply. Sure, he was pretty worthless and there was really no way he could do anything to help Astrid really-but she had been more than kind to him, forcing him to come out of his shell and if there was even the most meagre thing he could do for her, he would. But he almost jumped out of his seat when the phone buzzed and he peered at the screen.

THANKS. HAD SOME THINGS TO SORT OUT. I'LL BE THERE IN 10.

He sagged in relief and rose, limping to the door of the kitchen and peering through. Rolf looked up-then started at the sight of the tall, anxious shape, the messy auburn hair framing a worried face.

"You shouldn't be here," he said automatically-then stared. "You're Astrid's friend, aren't you?" Hiccup blushed fiercely.

"Y-yeah," he said. "I just got a text from Astrid." The cook flipped a burger expertly and squeezed a huge dollop of orange cheese-flavoured artificial sauce onto the seared meat.

"Hmm?"

"She says she's really sorry but she's been sorting something urgent-I think it was with her daughter," he gabbled. "She'll be here in ten minutes..." Rolf stared at him and nodded.

"Aye, I guessed something big was up," he said and took a swig of his bottle of water. "She's a good worker and doesn't let us down." The man looked into the younger man's face and saw his concern for the girl. "You don't have to worry-she's not in trouble, lad. I appreciate the message, though." He nodded and Hiccup gave a shuddering sigh, heading back to his seat. He was feeling slightly dizzy, filled with relief at doing what he could to ensure she kept her job. So he relaxed a fraction and kept his eyes locked on the door until the familiar blonde shape came racing in, her braid bouncing as she raced to a halt. Breathlessly, she slid the strap of her purse over her head and slipped her coat off. There was apology in her beautiful face but she swiftly got back to work, sharing a few quiet words with Rolf, who pointed in Hiccup's direction and leered.

Astrid checked the guys at the counter, fetched Silent Sven another beer and then marched over to Hiccup. He gulped and looked up, green eyes wide and breathing accelerating.

"What did you say to Rolf?" she demanded, folding her arms aggressively. He swallowed and pressed back against the seat.

"Um...I just said you were held up and it was important," he gabbled, meeting her angry glare. "I just didn't want you to get into trouble...so I may have...um...emphasised the reason you were late..." She stared at him, then leaned forward and pecked a kiss on his bruised cheek.

"Thanks," she whispered. "That was really kind. You didn't need to." He managed a wan smile.

"Actually, I think I did," he mumbled. "You spend so much time taking me on those disastrous dates and then cheering me up after the inevitable rejections that you have to have been neglecting Emma and everything else." He shrugged. "I was worried. And I didn't want you to lose your job because I had caused you trouble."

"It wasn't you, Hiccup," she said shortly, drawing back and scowling.

"But..."

"My life isn't all about you, Hiccup!" she said more sharply than she had intended. "I have other things going on that are nothing to do with you. It's very nice but I'm a big girl. I can deal with my own messes. I was doing that long before I ever met you!" He stiffened and nodded.

"I..."

"Not everything is about you," she snapped and turned away, stomping back to the till and wiping over the counter pointedly, her face set and angry. He stared after her, winded and nervously ran his hands through his hair. Her anger had shocked him, knocking his confidence right down to zero. He had wanted to help but somehow, he had really upset and angered her. He hazarded a small glance at her brisk shape but she smiled at the men at the bar and pointedly didn't look in his direction.

He blinked. This couldn't be happening. The only place he felt safe, he felt any sort of happiness was here, with Astrid. Hey, he had endured three horrible dates because she wanted him to. And he had tried to help her-Thor knew how hard it had been for him-but all he had achieved was to drive her away.

I suppose it was inevitable, he thought miserably, the heavy weight of defeat settling in the pit of his stomach. I don't know what I did wrong, Astrid, but I am so sorry. I-I don't know what I can do to make this right. I...I...

He saw her head into the staff restroom and in that moment, he knew what he had to do. He grabbed his bag and phone and coat, slapped the money onto the table-well, he had the same order every day so he had the exact money ready-and rose, slipping out the door into the icy afternoon before anyone had even noticed. The cold made his leg ache and he felt completely empty and desolate. He had no idea where he was going to go...but he knew he had to go. He just couldn't sit there with Astrid ignoring him. He wasn't strong enough to endure that pain.

Digging his hands deeper in his coat pockets, chin buried in the scarf around his neck, he limped away.

oOo

When Astrid emerged from the restroom, she had calmed down. She had been angered and her pride had definitely been bruised that Hiccup felt he needed to step in and defend her to Rolf. In truth, she had forgotten she had the afternoon shift because she hadn't slept the previous night, completely thrown by the card, but she was able to stand up for herself and she knew she had a lot of credit with Rolf from all the times she had stepped in to help out when the other waitresses had failed to show. But he had been sympathetic when he heard she had problems at home and had asked about her daughter and strangely, though Emma was the reason-however indirectly-that she was late, she had been annoyed that she was used as an excuse.

But standing in the restroom, staring at the woman glaring back at her, she realised she was being unfair. She was tired, cranky, very discomposed and scared and that had translated into attacking the nearest target. Unfortunately, that target had been Hiccup, the guy who had suffered a lot more rejection than he deserved and whose confidence had only just been showing signs of returning. The expression in his eyes as she scolded him had suddenly flashed across her memory and she splashed cold water onto her face, trying to dispel the image. He had looked as if she had kicked him-and she had certainly thrown his kind and genuinely well-meant gesture back in his face. He didn't deserve her anger-and though she was proud and independent, sometimes, you had to graciously accept help from friends when they offered it.

So when she glanced at the table, she first assumed he had gone to the customer restroom-until she saw the cash. Her eyes widened and she raced to the table, grabbing the money-then turning to the counter and shaking Sven and Mulch urgently.

"When did Hiccup leave?" she asked breathlessly. Sven thought.

"As soon as you went into the restroom," he said. "I thought it was strange but then, he's never been much of a talker that one. If you ask me..." Astrid rolled her eyes as he launched into another self-opinionated monologue...then turned away. She already knew what she had to do.

"ROLF! I need to go out for five minutes!" Astrid shouted, racing to her purse and grabbing her car keys. The cook poked his head out of the kitchen-and then saw her worried expression. The empty table completed the picture. He huffed but nodded.

"Is this some sort of soap opera?" he grumbled. "I'll expect an extra fifteen minutes at the end of the shift, Astrid!"

"You got it!" she said gratefully and raced to the door, still in her apron and work shoes.

The cold hit her immediately and goosebumps wrapped her bare forearms as she stumbled to the car and fumbled with the lock before she wrenched the door open. Turning the key in the lock and flipping the heater to MAX, she dragged her seatbelt on and pulled out recklessly, swerving to avoid another car and speeding down the main road towards the centre of town-and Hiccup's apartment. She screeched to a halt at the lights but up ahead, she could just see the tall shape limping slightly as he walked along, auburn hair dark with the sleet that was smearing across her windscreen. Fingers drumming, impatience was roiling in her gut until the lights slowly turned green.

She floored it and sped towards the tall shape until she was alongside, then pulled over and jumped out.

"HICCUP!" she shouted. He glanced at her, then looked away and walked on. "HICCUP!" He didn't even look up and she cursed, then ran after him, shivering in the sleet. "Will you slow down?" Her foot slipped and she almost fell. "Loki damn it! This is slippy and I'm not even in a coat and I need to speak to you. DAMMIT! SLOW DOWN!"

He stopped abruptly and she almost crashed into him, wrapping her bare arms around herself and trying not to shiver.

"What-what do you want?" he asked her, his voice quiet and wary. He turned and her eyes lingered on the bruise that Gertrude had given him, before reading the hurt in his face. "Do you just want to shout at me some more? Because if you do, I'm just carrying on walking. And I really think you should get back in the warm and leave me where I belong." Then he turned away. She lunged at him and grabbed his arm. He stiffened, going rigid and beginning to breathe harder.

"I'm sorry!" she said urgently. "You didn't deserve it. You only tried to help-I know that now. But...things have been happening at home and I didn't sleep and I've never had anyone interfering and trying to help me and..." She saw his eyes briefly meet hers before looking down again. "Hiccup! I'm sorry! You didn't deserve what I said and it was really sweet that you thought to speak to Rolf for me and...and...oh, Thor, how do I put this?"

His emerald gaze gently slid up to inspect her frustrated face.

"I never meant to hurt you," she said honestly. "You are one of my only friends. Hey, you're probably my best friend and I don't want you thinking I don't like or care for you and...don't go..." He pulled away from her and briefly pressed his hands to his face.

"It was my fault," he said in the horribly defeated tone she had hoped they had got past. "I shouldn't have tried to interfere. It wasn't my business. You were completely right to tell me to butt out...I mean, what was I thinking that you..."

"No, I wasn't!" she snapped. "Gods, Hiccup-I have interfered so much in your life-and you have been patience itself. But I've never been known for my patience-and if I waited for people to help me out, I'd still be waiting." His eyes flicked up to carefully inspect her desperate face. "When I became pregnant with Emma, the father ditched me the moment I told him-and made it abundantly clear he wanted nothing to do with me. That he would never acknowledge the child as mine. I lost my chance at College so I knew I had to do everything on my own. And-and being independent is now a habit, an armour against the fact I have wrecked my future and have needed to build another all on my own. I-I'm just not used to having anyone helping me."

"I'll remember," he said quietly, wiping the sleet from his face and pushing the sodden bangs off his forehead.

"No-no, you mustn't!" she told him urgently. "Because you're better than me. You helped a bossy, interfering single mother who has put you through a series of horrible dates despite the fact I'm no one to you. I'm so sorry. Please don't leave..."

He stared at her, then gently led her back towards her car. She was shivering and her thin shirt was getting soaked.

"That's my line," he murmured, pushing her into the car and achingly getting into the passenger seat. She switched the engine back on and sat, her hands hovering over the heater vent, trying to get feeling back in her fingers.

"No-I should be begging you for forgiveness," she said urgently. "Please, Hiccup-give me another chance..." And he stared at her, blinking.

"You-you st-still want to be friends?" he asked in a disbelieving voice. He was trembling.

"More than anything!" she assured him, pushing her damp hair off her face. "Hiccup..."

He nodded dumbly, his eyes shining. "It's okay, Astrid. I-I'm j-just grateful you-you still want to be friends..."

"And you keep looking out for me, Hiccup," she urged him, her eyes wide. She leaned towards him, gently reaching to awkwardly wrap her arms around him. He hugged her back, burying his damp head in her shoulder. "Gods know, I will be looking out for you." He nuzzled her shoulder gently and gave a shuddering sigh.

"You're very cold," he told her. She lifted a hand to softly press against his bruised cheek.

"So're you," she reminded him. "Let's get back to the Diner and I'll treat you to hot chocolate and pecan pie." He managed a wan smile.

"Astrid?" he murmured. "I will always be your friend. And I will always look out for you. No matter what, you can always rely on me." She blinked, her eyes blurred with sudden tears.

"I don't deserve you," she murmured. He smiled.

"That's my line," he murmured.