A/N: So, I realize that you guys probably feel seriously cheated after I basically promised a conclusion to this particular arc and I just cut it off after one of our main characters had a major emotional meltdown. I'm such a bad person. -_-

Last Chapter: Hiccup and Astrid have carried out part one of Hiccup's master plan, resulting in some emotional issues that strike hard and quick. Astrid and Toothless are fast to react, but are forced to delay the next part of the plan until the next morning. With Hiccup in such an emotional wreck, will he be able to pull this off? How embarrassed will he be when he wakes up in Astrid's embrace?

Toothless woke up and rumbled questioningly at her.

"I think he feels a little better, Toothless, but we might have to wait until tomorrow for the next part of this plan of his. He barely ate and he's plain exhausted." she told him sadly, running her fingers through his hair. She smiled a bit as he leaned towards her in his sleep. It was getting late, but there was no way she could leave him like this. 'I'm probably staying here tonight.'

Chapter 8: Planning to Deceive Them Pt 4

Ironically, the first thing Hiccup noticed when he woke up wasn't where he was sleeping or who he was with, but the fact that the sun had risen and he was just now getting up. Hearing Toothless purr behind him alerted him to his surroundings a bit, making him gasp as he saw Astrid right next to him still asleep. It was weird for her to sleep longer than him, but it looked like she had bags under her eyes as if she had stayed up almost all night. Hiccup sighed, trying to think back to last night's events before reaching the conclusion that he had been really stupid to let her see him like that. He hadn't really been so pathetic as to cry on a girl that he had liked for as long as he could remember, right? Hearing Astrid start to wake up, he panicked and looked for some escape.

Astrid woke up a little bit disorientated before remembering that she hadn't left Hiccup's hut and turned to see Hiccup frozen in place, looking frantically around for some escape. Apparently he remembered last night just now and was very against talking about it. She knew that he'd be pretty fidgety when he woke up. It was only because he exhausted himself that he even fell asleep the night before, but she didn't want him to leave when things were like this. It just felt...wrong.

"Hiccup, we need to talk and then if you still want to do things, we can-" Astrid started, right before he stood up. He looked at her and seemed contemplative, almost to the point of her thinking he hadn't quite heard her. She went to repeat herself again when he raised his finger, as if he knew what she was planning.

"There's nothing to talk about, right?" he asked, looking more sorrowful than she had ever seen him look before. Even on his worst of days, he didn't look this bad. "I remember how they looked at me, like I was some stranger that they'd never met before and not someone who they've known for practically their entire lives."

"They'll adjust, Hiccup, just like I did. Think about it, I had to take a few minutes to grasp exactly what you told me and I'm sure that they were up almost all night talking about it."

Hiccup couldn't sit still anymore and got up, starting to pace back and forth in a small pattern on the floor. Astrid watched him and was starting to get dizzy at the fast movements. She sighed and got up to pull him over to his chair at the desk, if only to stop his nonstop pacing.

"You're different, Astrid!" he blurted out, covering his mouth immediately afterwards and turning red. "I-I mean that's-" he stuttered before facepalming and muttering something about him being stupid. At this point she probably thought he was saying she was weird or something equally awful. This day was just bound to get worse at this rate, wasn't it?

"Hiccup, I don't want things to end on such a-"

"End?!" Hiccup practically yelled, causing her to jump a little in surprise. "This isn't the end of things, for anyone. If they change their minds, I'll even come back to the Edge."

Astrid stared at him for a few minutes and then looked out the window, before things started to click. Apparently she hadn't slept enough, because when she looked back at Hiccup all she saw was his triumphant expression. Before she could say anything too significant, he merely nodded and gave her that horrifically sad smile like yesterday. It was a smile that held the pain of friends becoming possible enemies and a smile of regret. She knew that smile too well and she didn't ever want to see it again, but what could she do? Make him laugh, even if only for a short while? Help him ignore the pain like she had always done in the hopes that one day he just won't feel it anymore?

"What's your plan, then?" she asked, sighing resignedly. No matter what she did right now, there would be no changing his mind. He would be going and she would be staying, trying to be the glue that holds things together. It would be utter chaos and she knew that.

"We will keep our fight louder than our planning. I will explain what I have planned, and you can ask me details. Just...play along." he semi-whispered.

"So, you're just going to leave me here to deal with all of...this?! I'm just trying to help!" she yelled, giving him a 'so, how's that?' look. In return, he gave her his best false grin and a shaky thumbs up, trying to hide his pain. He knew the words didn't mean anything and that all of this was just an act, but it didn't make it hurt any less. "Do you have a list or something written down?" she added, whispering.

"Yeah, but it looks more complicated than it really is. I'll give it to you in a...sec." he answered before yelling: "What reason do I have to stay? They certainly don't want me to."

Hiccup beckoned her towards his desk so he could explain as they continued arguing randomly. He showed her a map he had made that marked specific spots on the island, which confused her at first. He told her to watch out for his signs and letters, missions, etc, all while managing to keep up what was now a pathetic excuse for an argument. At first, it was somewhat hurtful and such, but now they were just making funny gestures while they argued; all the while, they were trying not to laugh at some low points of the argument. Seeing how all the details seemed to be in working order, Hiccup saw no more reason to stay and Astrid could find no more reasons to keep him, try as she might. Looking each other in the eye, they both tried to keep strong for the other. Toothless laid by the door, whining sadly at the scene. He didn't want to leave Astrid and Stormfly here, but he knew that it had to be done for some reason. It was to keep everyone safe, is what Hiccup had told him.

"I put some extra food in Toothless' bags for you, because you didn't eat last night." Astrid told him, seriously. As Hiccup opened his mouth to object or argue the point, she glared at him. "Don't think I didn't see you oh-so-subtly scraping your food onto the floor for Toothless. I don't blame you, considering, but Toothless is going to make sure you eat or I'll have him take both of your prosthetics until you do." She laughed as Hiccup paled slightly at the image of his prosthetics consistently smelling like fish.

"I'm glad you're amused, Astrid." he replied sarcastically, looking between her and Toothless. He saw Toothless laugh and gave him a 'you better not even think about trying it' look, which got casually brushed off as usual. "Look, A-Astrid. I've been wanting to maybe think about-" Hiccup tried, before he was yanked forward quickly. As he tripped clumsily, he yelped and almost fell on Astrid completely. True to form, Astrid gripped his collar and kissed him. Unlike most times, Hiccup decided to be brave and kiss back after the fact. They stared at each other afterwards, as if shock. Hiccup turned around and checked his room for anything out of place, feeling like his face was on fire. "I'll just be..going now."

As Hiccup walked outside with Toothless and made some last minute adjustments before taking off, Astrid finally snapped out of her reverie. She had no idea what exactly happened, but she was perfectly fine with that. She ran out the door entrance, hoping to catch Hiccup in time, as she forgot to give him his goodbye present.

"Hiccup! Hold on for a minute!" she yelled, wincing at both the volume and the fact that she might've just blown her cover. She looked around, hoping no one was looking and pointed towards their usual spot. When they both got there, she let out a deep breath and gave him a folded piece of paper. He looked at it curiously, but said nothing. "I just want to wish you good luck, because the next time we see each other-"

"We might not be on the same side, so to speak." Hiccup finished, with a sad excuse of a smile. They were both going to be on the same side, but it sure wasn't going to feel like it. "I'll be seeing you, Astrid."

"Make sure you read that!" she yelled, torn between falling to her knees in tears or throwing her axe in anger. She was leading towards anger at the moment. Anger at herself for not protecting him better and anger at him for throwing himself in the middle of this and getting himself hurt in the process.

A/N: What's in that note? Ah ha! Well, I'm FINALLY done with that particular arc. THANK YOU! Yeah, I want to say thanks for sticking by me, because I know my erratic updates have been...meh. o_o I think I'm getting a bit burnt out with this fic and need to write at least a one-shot or a few poems. I've been putting it off and telling myself not to do it, but I find myself not being able to concentrate if I don't do it every once in a while. Soooo...I might be putting up a few. Obviously not tonight, because it's 2:30 am again. I'm thinking Tsubasa Resovoir Chronicles, Merlin, HTTYD or a NCIS/Criminal Minds crossover. Oh, the possibilities...