Chapter 10: Thanks Buddy, See You In Valhalla

Hiccup,

Alvin grabs my arm dragging me forward from the burning building as I stumble next to him my mind spinning. What is going on? Alvin normally-will...would have been perfectly content leaving me to die in that stupid storage house. So why did he save me?

After we're about ten feet from the building Alvin stops and I rip my hand from his grasp looking up at him shaking my head slightly with disbelief. "Are you 'kay?" Alvin asks pinching some sparks in his beard out.

Am I okay? Am I okay? Where was this sudden change of heart three years ago?

I give a brisk nod anyway despite the internal battle going on inside of me, "Why did you…" I trail off the words, "Alvin" and "Rescue" sounding weird together.

Alvin seems to get the message, he pauses for a second before answering, "There's nothing more important to me than you."

I let out a dry laugh, hard to tell. I shake my head back and forth softly.

"Sorry?" I ask.

"'Iccup, I know this doesn't change anything but I'm sorry." Alvin says and the desire to laugh again builds up in my throat.

"Mate, you're going to have to do a lot more than apologize to make up for what you did to me and Toothless." I say and grind my teeth together my fingers curling into fists. Maybe I should just make a run for it. I'd have better survival rates.

"'Iccup, I'm tryin' to change." Alvin says and I study his face for a second watching the almost pleading look in his eyes. This is crazy, he's…Alvin. Yet I can't deny the silent truth. He may not be lying but that doesn't give me a reason to trust him.

"Prove it." I challenge softly my voice coming out as more of a growl. The thick smoke rises into the air from the blast heading towards the sky and Alvin's eyes flash for a second.

"Fine." He says and points in the direction of the arena, "Everyone from Berk is in there. The single was that blast they're all about to be sliced to pieces." ALvin says and my eyes widen looking over at it. That's the only place Astrid or Toothless would have gone.

No!

"Why are you telling me this? I already knew that." I say and my fingers dig into my palms. I didn't.

"Because if I give the word they'll stop. If I do th'at would it prove-" Alvin starts.

"No." I say firmly. "You may not be trying to kill me, but that doesn't sends wave of happy rainbows because you're here." Alvin shoots me a pleading glare and I stare at it for several seconds. What is he trying to..never mind. When Alvin doesn't voice a reply I take off running towards the arena ignoring the various injuries stinging at the movement.

I don't think I'm ever going to be able to properly heal. There's a second before I hear the heavy footfalls of Alvin behind me.

I reach the arena in under five minutes, my eyes quickly jumping over the Outcasts and dragon hunters moving towards the Berkians swords and axes drawn. Astrid and Toothless quickly jerk their heads up at my entrance and a wave of relief floods through me as I see their alright, I mean, properly frustrated at the advancing men but not dead.

"STOP!" Alvin roars as he shoves into the arena behind me.

The Outcasts look up at their leader in shock several weapons clattering to the floor. The dragon hunters spare him a glance.

"Sir?" A Outcast asks in surprise.

"I said stop." Alvin snarls walking forward towards the resistant ones. The dragon hunters and Outcasts pull back out of fear or surprise I can't tell. The Berkians stare at me and Alvin for several long seconds in disbelief and shock.

"This isn't what Viggo said." A dragon hunter mutters and Alvin smacks him over the head with a axe I don't know where came from.

"Do you think I ca're what that vapid man 'as to say?" Alvin draws sarcastically to the unconscious man.

"Oh good," Tuffnut says breaking the awkward silence by making it worse, "for a second I was actually sure you were going to-wait, did you just give an order not to kill?" Tuffnut asks looking up at Alvin mid sentence. "Weird."

Alvin grabs the nearest dragon hunter by the throat, "Where is Viggo now?" He demands. The dragon hunter's eyes widen and the sword slips from his hands and someone else grabs it, I don't pay attention to that trying to mentally urge Alvin to not strangle the man.

"He's at the docks…" The hunter gasps and Alvin tosses him to the side looking at the rest of the dragon hunters about ten men.

"Go join your leader before I have the Outcasts slice you in half." Alvin hisses and the men stare at the Berkians, me then the Outcasts. Deciding Alvin is serious they grab their unconscious comrade and the nearly unconscious one and drag them off quickly rushing from the arena.

"Release Berk and give them some ships to head back to Berk." Alvin commands after the dragon hunters are a good distance from the arena.

Several jaws drop including Astrid. She stares at me for several seconds before mouthing, "What did you do?"

I smirk and wrap my coat around my shoulders tighter.

"Sir?" The same Outcast as before asks, Gritt if I remember right or Lars.

"Follow the dragon hunters and escort them from the island." Alvin says after a second before laughing slightly. I release a breath watching the Berkian's eyes leap back and forth, Astrid and Toothless's staying locked to me.

I let out a soft laugh the humor dying as a blade shoves through my stomach, my eyes widen all breath escaping me before the blade withdraws. A voiceless scream leaves my lips before my legs give out and I start to fall forward.

"Hiccup!" A voice yells in panic but I can't place who it is. The world spins and I brace myself to hit the ground but I smash into Toothless's neck who is suddenly there. I can't focus on anything and my breathing starts coming out as ragged gasps. My consciousness starts to fade, this is the end.

I tried.

And failed.

I open my eyes and stare at Toothless's murmuring a soft apology and feeling my death grip on his scales starting to slip, "Thank you for everything buddy, see you in Valhalla." I murmur to him before the world goes black.

000o000

Astrid,

"Hiccup!" Alvin shouts looking at the teen as he slides from Toothless's neck hitting the ground below him.

My eyes widen as I look up behind him, "Stoick?" Gobber whispers in shock. My hands snap over my mouth in horror as I stare at the chief-my chief standing behind Hiccup a sword in hand, a dragon hunter sword a smug expression on his face.

NO!

How could he!?

Alvin stares at Hiccup before he whirls around towards Stoick, "What did you do?" he hisses even though both chieftains are full aware on what Stoick did.

"I solved the problem, removed it from the root." Stoick answers glaring down at Hiccup's crumbled bleeding form. Toothless hisses lowly at the words looking torn between blasting Stoick from Earth or staying with Hiccup."In this case, is him." Stoick says and points his stained blade down at the young adult. Toothless growls lowly a blast building in his throat but there's no need.

Drawing a sword I didn't know was on his person, Alvin leaps forward and smashes it onto Stoicks, "You fool!" Alvin hisses. They begin to move forward and I slip away from my village heading towards the pirate begging all that is good in this world he's still alive.

"I killed your son, like you did to mine." Stoick says and I look up at them in shock. I didn't know Alvin killed Stoick's son, the tale goes that Alvin took him back to Outcast Island with him...oh no! No, no, no!

Alvin shoves against Stoick's blade and the two men leave the arena Alvin hissing something so low I barely hear it: "That was not my son, that was YOURS!"

My heart sinks lowly at Stoick's reply:"Good, I wouldn't have wanted him as a son anyway."

Oh no! Please no!

I drop to my knees and Toothless moves to the side growling mournfully as Hiccup's fingers slip from his scales. Please, no, no, no.

Hiccup is Stoick's son.

Stoick just stabbed his son. Judging by the way he reacted, I doubt he's very mournful about it.

Why is fate so cruel?

I take Hiccup's hand into my own trying to find a pulse. "Hiccup! Hiccup! Stay with us!" I plead and feel a weak pulse it's slowing. I twist around, "Somebody help him!" I beg my voice getting caught in my throat with sobs.

Gothi shoves her way to the front of everyone watching in horror staring at the heir. Gothi shoves her way next to me and rests two fingers on Hiccup's neck before nodding slightly. My fingers curl tighter as she moves forward.

"Is he going to be okay?" I ask softly not trusting my voice to go any higher.

Gothi doesn't give an answer before ripping out a bag of medical supplies and gently starting to work on his injuries.

"'Iccup!" Alvin yells racing into the arena stopping at the group that's gathered around Hiccup's pale form. Toothless spares him a glance but I don't look up at the man keeping my focus on Hiccup.

"Where's Stoick?" Gobber asks as the red haired cheif doesn't show his face. Alvin growls.

"He's dead." He says without emotion. What? I force myself to think about that later returning me attention to the stabbed teen in front of me.

Oh, if you die pirate, I will drag you back from Valhalla so I can kill you again.

The world passes as if in a blur, time slipping by but I don't move from his side, Stormfly curling up behind me as Gothi finally leaves the teen to rest saying he's got about a fifty fifty chance. Please do not die. I beg silently to him.

Author's Note: Heh, in the original it took place in about a week, currently in this story its been about a month since Astrid and the other riders found Hiccup on the shore. :) Next chapter should be up in about a minute. :)

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