SORRY FOR THE LONGISH WAIT AND THIS CRAPPY CHAPTER. I AM SLEEP DEPRIVED, AND HAVE ALSO BEEN BUSY WITH CAMP AND THINGS, SO I BARELY HAVE HAD TIME TO WRITE. I AM SORRY. THAT IS ALL ON THAT.

THANK YOU ANIMALSAREPEOPLETOO, WOLF OF THE DEMISE, DEVUFAIRY, HANIKAHTHEWRITER, KATURDI, FANWRITER02, LIGHTFOOTK, SMOE05, THEGOODTHEBADANDTHEUGLY12, GUEST, MADE FOR MORE, AND FIRERUBY (GUEST) FOR REVIEWING! (YES I AM SORT OF BACK TO SHOUTOUTS, YAY.)

OKAY, I'LL TURN OFF CAPS LOCK NOW AND LET YOU ALL ENJOY THIS POOR LITTLE CHAPTER. *hides*

Chapter Ten: That Heavy Feeling

The day of my release wasn't ceremonious in the slightest. At first, I thought it'd be, knowing Dad's enthusiasm of my coming home, but for some reason, he held back and only gave me a few gigantic smiles and pats on the back.

I was to be rolled out of the lobby and to Dad's car in a wheelchair, as I couldn't fully support myself while walking- plus, my side was still sore from my broken rib- but he simply scooped me and Toothless up, put us in the passenger seat, and then folded up the wheelchair and put it in the trunk.

After that, I thought Dad would immediately come back in the car to drive me home. We had been preparing my release all morning, after all, and we were both more than ready to leave. But before he did, he started to head back inside the hospital, which made me frown. I rolled down my window and called out, "Where are you going, Dad?"

Dad slightly turned his head to me, his red beard shifting on his chest. "Just a little personal business, Hiccup," he returned. "Wait here."

I raised my brow, leaning back into my seat with a sigh. "Sure, Dad. I can go absolutely anywhere with my new leg."

Either he didn't feel like talking to me while I was in my "sarcastic phase", or he didn't hear me, but he continued walking and soon entered through the automatic doors back inside the hospital lobby. I let out a wistful sigh, letting myself sink back into the seat's soft embrace. That was one of the ups of having a mayor for a father. He had enough money to make almost everything you owned comfortable.

I then started to think about what would happen after I fully recovered from my leg.

Would I go back to school now? So much had changed since I had first gone… since the crash happened. And would Snotlout and the other boys really stop picking on me? Maybe Snotlout had just been sympathetic in the beginning. Maybe there was nothing more. Maybe everything would be as it was before... I didn't put it out of the question.

There was also Astrid. She had never so much looked in my direction in years, and then suddenly she was one of my closest friends. It was… almost uncomfortable. We had never really spoken about life before the crash, and still, some things needed to be cleared up and talked over.

My thoughts were interrupted by the scuffling of Toothless from beside me. The dog had somehow managed to climb off my lap without me noticing, and ended up in the driver's seat, gnawing on the armrest nonchalantly.

"Toothless!" I quickly grabbed him away from the seat, dropping him back on my lap. "You can't eat that!"

Toothless cocked his head, his black orbs of eyes sparkling with excitement. He tried to pull away again, but I held him tighter. "No, bud- Dad won't like you eating his-" I stopped. Because when I looked back over at the chewed armrest, I realized a huge chunk of it was missing.

My eyes widened. Toothless had eaten part of the seat.

Before I had time to react, though, the opening of the hospital's automatic doors distracted me from the situation, and I looked up to see Dad coming my way. His face was almost solemn as he trudged over to the car, hard eyes unreadable. I knew he'd only be in a worse mood when he knew what Toothless had done.

Dad pushed open the car door, seeming preoccupied with his thoughts when he looked down and saw the chewed spot Toothless had made on his armrest. At first, he froze, almost looking shocked. I flinched and held Toothless closer to me. "I'm so sorry, Dad," I managed to breathe out. "But Toothless, he… he…"

My father's face switched to a countenance of humor, and he started to laugh, to my surprise.

"You're not… mad?" I asked, hopefulness edging into my tone.

Dad glanced up at me, still chuckling. "Son," he said, placing a meaty hand on my shoulder. "Sometimes... you just have to laugh…"

A slow grin came to my face, and I felt relieved. Good. He wasn't angry. But he would have been if this was before the car crash, a voice in my head whispered. I stiffened, grimacing. You know it's true, the voice went on. The only reason your father cares so much is that he pities you.

"Hiccup?"

I looked back up into Dad's eyes, not realizing I had drifted off.

"You all right, son?"

"Yeah, I'm-"

Suddenly, Toothless began to make retching noises, and my attention quickly returned to him. My eyes widened, and I fumbled to get the other car door open in time. "Toothless, no!" I yelped, finally flinging the door wide open so I could let Toothless be sick outside.

But it was too late. The heaving dog retched all over the floor of the car, regurgitating different pieces of the armrest he had eaten.

I slumped back into my seat, eyes wide. When I glanced over at Dad, he didn't look any better. Toothless, although, barked happily and thumped his tail against my lap. He looked at his mess, then back to me, eyes shining with excitement. When I didn't react, Toothless woofed again, this time more impatient.

At this, I couldn't help it. I was laughing.

And soon enough, Dad and I both were.

"Next time Toothless does something like that again, Hiccup, you're going to clean it up."

I looked up sheepishly from Toothless to Dad, who was staring at me through the rear-view mirror. "I know, Dad. He's my dog, and-and I didn't expect him to… you know."

Dad nodded, taking a left turn on the road ahead. "Ah, well, all is forgiven. You know, son, I used to have a pup of my own when I was your age. His name was Skullcrusher, and we got along just as well as you and Toothless do."

I cocked my head. "What happened to him?"

Dad smiled sadly, sparing me a glance away from the road. "He got old, Hiccup. He got old, and passed away in peace."

For a minute, there was silence in the car between us, and the only sound heard was Toothless's faint whining. It turned out he wasn't quite used to cars, yet, and was having trouble accustoming to being in one. I stroked his fur gently, and it helped him relax a bit. Once he was settled down, I looked back up and was surprised to find a camera in my father's hand, its lens glass aimed directly in our direction.

I frowned. "What-?"

"Smile, son!" Dad grinned mischievously and flashed a photo of the two of us sitting side by side. I barely was able to put on an awkward grin in time.

Still confused, I cocked an eyebrow. "What was that for?"

"Because today…" Dad smiled and reached over to ruffle my hair. And he managed to before I pulled away. "...you've finally been released from the hospital. You're healed."

Maybe physically, the voice hissed in my head, but not mentally. You can't forget your own mother... can you?

I froze, and Dad immediately noticed my sudden pallor. "Hiccup? Are you all right? You're looking a little pale there, son."

I leaned back into my seat, feeling sick with an overbearing sense of grief. After closing my eyes, I felt a bit better, but not much. "Fine," I managed out, once again sensing that heavy feeling that wrapped around my heart. Mom was gone for good. I wouldn't see her again. I wouldn't open my eyes in the morning to find her giving me breakfast-in-bed, or stroking my hair. I wouldn't go to school again with that comforting feeling that she would be there to pick me up at the end of the day.

Dad didn't speak to me for the rest of the ride home, and I was grateful too. I couldn't have spoken if the world depended on it. Toothless nudged my hand a few times in concern, but I ignored him.

Finally, the car pulled to a stop, and I peeked open my eyes to see my house sitting before me.

It didn't look any different than the last time I had seen it. Sure, there were a few overgrown patches of weeds here and there, and the driveway looked unused, as it had been vacated for weeks, but the whole setting was exactly the same.

I suddenly got angry. So much had changed, and still, everything looked so much the same. Mom deserved better than that. She couldn't be forgotten that easily. Your father doesn't care about her, my thoughts drawled. He doesn't care about you either.

Shut up, I snapped back, getting uneasy.

"Here, let me help you out of there, Hiccup." Dad unlocked his own car door, stepped out, and then walked over to mine in a few simple strides. He opened the door for me, and after taking Toothless and putting him on the ground, he picked me up as if I weighed nothing and started for the house.

My cheeks burned at my helplessness, but I didn't say anything. My leg still throbbed where it was missing, and if I walked on it for more than five to six steps I'd collapse.

As we neared the front door, that same heavy feeling from before came back, clutching me in its grasp. I tried to shrug it off, but it wouldn't budge.

Dad started to open the door with his one free hand, Toothless happily standing beside his feet, and I held my breath. That burdensome feeling wouldn't let me go anymore. I was stuck- caught in its unrelenting grasp. And I feared that if I wasn't released soon, I'd suffocate.

"You look tired, son," Dad acknowledged as he began to push the door open, revealing a crack of the darkness from inside. "Maybe you'll have an early night tonight."

I nodded wordlessly, and allowed Dad to carry me inside with extreme tenderness, and then place me on the couch. My prosthetic leg was propped up with a pillow, and Dad dropped Toothless in my lap. "I'll get some lunch ready," he announced, stalking away into the kitchen behind me. "Anything you want in particular?"

I rested my head back on the couch's hard cushions, closing my eyes. "No, thanks."

"All right, then. I'll just see what we have here."

His words then became muddled in my mind, and I found myself drowsing off. With no more strength to fight back, I allowed myself to slip away into unconsciousness, with one security left: I was home.

But for some reason, now I didn't want to be.

Hmm hmm, just an angsty little filler chapter for now, my lovely little munchkins. But I figured I'd better put something up rather than avoiding you all for another week… or three. :)

Adios! ;)