"Come on in, Preggers," Ruff snorted and Astrid glared. Stormfly hopped about nervously, her human shouldn't be going that far away! What if something happened?!

"Stormfly I'll be fine," Astrid said gently. The dragons had gotten very protective since figuring out what was happening; Stormfly didn't leave Astrid's side. "I'm going to kill you when I can."

"I'll help!" A voice shouted through. Tuffnut appeared a moment later, glaring slightly at his sister.

"You can't still be huffing about that?" Ruff huffed. "It was a week ago!"

"I know! It's more that Ashla helped you!"

"What did you do?" Astrid asked, sitting in the seat Tuffnut had pulled out for her.

"Did you know that Ashla is really good and pranking people? I am a lot more happy now!" Ruffnut beamed. "We covered him in Gronkle saliva and chicken feathers."

"Oh gods," Astrid groaned. "I can see how he might be annoyed at that."

Ruffnut laughed loudly as Tuff grumbled and sat down with them. "Is Hiccup about?"

"I think he's in the Meade Hall with Stoic… actually, he might be in the forge also. One or the other. Why? Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, fine. I'll be back." Tuffnut left the girls sat at the table. Ruffnut shrugged.

"He's been back to his old self, pretty much." Ruffnut said. "Ashla's pretty awesome. So is her Dragon."
"Speaking of," Astrid gave her a sly smile.

"NOPE!" Ruff cut her off. "I know what you're trying to do. Eret and I have spoken, but we are going to be friends. His dragon likes me, and I don't want to screw that up."

Astrid sighed. "How's he doing? Both the dragon and Eret?"

"Apparently no-one wants to trade with him, he helped Drago, but the dragon is helping people see that he's changed. The dragon, Ice, is doing OK."

"That's good at least."

"Yeah." Ruffnut nodded. "Belch is needing a tooth fixed, that might be why Tuff wanted to find Hiccup."

"Maybe," Astrid nodded, though she had a feeling it was for another reason.

The talked for about an hour before Astrid left Ruffnut and headed towards the Meade Hall in the hopes of finding Stoic.

"So it's true then?"

Astrid turned and smiled to Eret. "What's true?"

"You." he smiled kindly. "Congratulations." he patted Stormfly's nose gently.

"Thank you. How's Ice doing?"

"She's good. Her and Ruffnut seem to be getting on well. Where are you headed?"

"Meade Hall, I need to find Stoic." Eret offered her an arm and they both started walking up the hill to the hall. "Ruffnut said something about having trouble trading?"

Eret shrugged. "A lot of people with Dragons are still hurting over what Drago tried. They look to Hiccup and Toothless as Heros, and need someone to blame. I'm getting at least some of that blame."

"But you helped us!" Stormfly squawked at Astrid's tone.

"Easy, don't set your dragon off," Eret laughed. "Most people choose to ignore that I helped. They'd rather see things in black and white than have grey in there."

"So you'll be staying for a while?"

"Yes. A long while." he sighed sadly. "Anyway, how are you doing?"

"I'm OK," Astrid put a hand on her stomach. "Not long now, hopefully."

"Is Hiccup happy?"

"Yes. Now. We've… we've had trouble in that past. To start with we were just scared."

"If you need anything," Eret left the rest unsaid and Astrid smiled.

"Thank you. If you want, you could keep Ruffnut distracted for me? Tuff is off falling in love and Ruffnut's feeling a little abandoned."

"I'll try." Eret shrugged. "She is avoiding me and trying to talk to Ice more though,"

"Well, can you blame her?" Astrid smiled and shook her head. "Let's just say she's changed loads in the last few years."

"I know, so have I. Everyone has." Eret sneered at Snotlout. "Except for some." Astrid laughed.

"Toothless puts him in his place, it's great to watch."

"I'm sure it is."

Eret held the door to the Meade hall open for her and she stepped inside, happily shaking off the cold from outside.

The hall was fairly empty, only a few of the villagers were there. People looked suspiciously at Eret, but Astrid just glared. Eret was walking with her, and if they didn't trust him it meant they didn't trust her judgement.

She purposefully walked over to where Stoic and Gobber were talking with Eret and smiled prettily to them both.

"Hello Astrid." Stoic knew that smile. "What can I do for you?"

"I was hoping to get any of the stuff you had left over from Hiccup when he was a baby? Valka said you had a few bits?"

"Aye, I do. Eret, good to see you again." Stoic nodded to the young man, who nodded back. "Gobber wanted ta talk to you about working in the forge with him."

Eret's eyes widened a little and he nodded ecclesiastically. "Thank you-"
"Aye well, we've not agreed to anything yet. Need to see how good you are." Gobber gave him a not so gentle pat on the shoulder but Eret didn't even flinch.

Astrid grinned to him as Stoic offered an arm and they left, walking the short distance to Stoic and Valka's house.

Stoic had already pulled out a large pile of things that were stacked in the corner, a cradle included.

"Hiccup thought you didn't have this left," Astrid ran a hand over the carvings on the side. There were dragons carved in, why would Hiccup's old cradle have dragon carvings?

"Ah didn't, it's new." Stoic coughed awkwardly. "Val and I thought it'd be best to give it to you now. You know, ready for the little one."

Astrid smiled and begged the tears not to fall. "Thank you." she kissed his cheek and knelt slowly to look at everything properly. There were blankets and clothes for the baby, all finely embroidered. There were a few stuffed dolls and loads of wooden toys. Almost everything they thought they would need.

"Astrid, are you even able to get up from there?"

Astrid turned and glared at her husband, who grinned. "I'll still get you, Haddock."

"Yeah, yeah. Come on," he put his hands under her arms and pulled her up, not making a sound. Either she was as light as a feather, which she knew she wasn't, or he decided he wanted to live.

"Heather's back on the island. Fishlegs is over joyed." Hiccup told her and she beamed.

"Good. I can't wait to see her. Look what your parents are giving us!"

"I see," Hiccup smiled gratefully to his father, who nodded. "Come on, we'll get it all loaded and Toothless and Stormfly can carry it back to the house for us. OK?"

"OK." she nodded, and frowned. Her parents hadn't given them anything. They hadn't really said anything when they'd told them after twelve weeks. Maybe they were just trying to get over the last time?

Hiccup and Stoic packed everything away into the two saddle bags, everything but the cradle, which Hiccup carried. Everything was going to look beautiful in their home.

Toothless offered to carry Astrid as well, since Stormfly was getting to be a bit too tall to jump on. Astrid was grateful at that moment for the Dragon's protectiveness.

Hiccup walked slowly beside the dragons and Astrid, smiling as she stared at the cradle in his hands. This was it, they were going to do it. Ase had already said that any child born from this point forward, with her, had a good chance of surviving. Something about her dragon helping.

This time, they were going to be parents.