Okay my loyal followers, here is the next chapter. I put a lot into this and I intended for this to be the last chapter, but my muse came back with a vengeance and decided that I was going to write another chapter after this. :D So this is not the end! Hope you guys are happy with how this has turned out so far! Let me know! Anywho on with the story!


Ash. Ash covered everything and fires still burned on numerous buildings. Many people were now grey with the ash that covered the area, but was quickly leaving due to the wind picking up from the coast line. Not knowing what to do, many people followed a lone figure as he moved through the ash and debris calling out a name.

"Henry! Henry!" Stoick cried racing around looking for his missing son. His heart was going a million miles an hour as his mind's eye replayed the events that happened not 10 minutes ago. Henry being slammed against that tail and falling into the flames completely knocked out.

Stoick had no idea if son was even still alive, but he wouldn't give up. As he kept looking the general couldn't help but think about his son's such leadership skills that he had never shown to anyone or that he could handle so much under pressure.

Or that he could fly a dragon so flawlessly.

Stoick was quite shocked on more levels than one, but what he found amazing the most was how the dragon and his son seemed to move as one like they could read each other's minds.

Stoick shook his head, there would be time for inquiries later. "HENRY! SON! Answer me!" Stoick turned around another corner and froze. Astrid, Gobber and a few other people almost running into him.

There not too far from them in a cleared area of the city was Toothless curled up wings wrapped around himself, eyes closed and barely breathing. Around him was ash, crumbled street and building along with a few huge dragon bones. "Henry." Stoick said before clumsily racing towards the dragon. Once Stoick was right up next to the dragon he could only see the empty saddle, destroyed and beyond repair was the tail. The dragon then rolled over onto its side revealing nothing. Stoick stared at him as horror sunk into his heart.

Seeing what Stoick was looking Astrid let out a cry of horror covering her mouth, tears shamelessly falling down her face. Gobber placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, but she didn't even notice she was too busy looking at the dragon, crying and praying.

Unable to stand anymore, Stoick fell to his knees and looked down to the ground, "Oh… son." Shaking his head he let the pride fall, "I did this." He muttered as more civilians and soldiers came to the area, sadness hitting them as well.

It was then Toothless woke up some. He blinked opened his eyes still out of it and trying to focus as he looked at Stoick. The man looked up tears rolling down his face, "My son," he whispered, his voice full of guilt and despair, "I'm so sorry."

Toothless looked at him for a few more seconds then looked down at his wings as he made them part revealing Hiccup in the dragons arms.

"Henry!" Stoick cried racing to him and pulling him out of the dragon's arms, disregarding the fact that he was right next to the beast. Stoick rubbed his head a bit happy beyond words before cognitive thinking came back to him and he ripped his general's hat off and threw it to the ground before he placed his ear over Hiccup chest and listened.

A faint, but steady heart beat came to him.

"He's alive!" Stoick cried his voice breaking in happiness as everyone cheered, "You brought him back alive!" he said looking at Toothless. The gang started cheering as Snotlout not so discretely wiped a tear from his eyes onto his shirt as Astrid and Gobber raced forward. Stoick placed a gentle hand on the dragon's head, "Thank you, for saving my son." He said speaking from the heart. Toothless sighed and laid his head back down.

Astrid kneeled down to where Stoick was and placed a gentle hand on Hiccup's face relieved beyond belief.

Gobber walked around to the other side and looked down at the teenager, "Well ya know, most of him."

Stoick looked up from the dragon to glare at his friend.

..::-::..

Toothless looked up at his partner and best friend worried that he was still asleep and the beeping creatures weren't making him better, they were only annoying Toothless. The dragon stood and walked over to the white bed looking at his friend in the white sheets the creatures beeping away. The dragon crooned and nudged his friend trying to get him to wake up, but Hiccup wouldn't move. He huffed and let out a little growl nudging Hiccup a bit harder.

Finally his friend opened his eyes making the dragon smile and pull back.

Hiccup blinked repeatedly seeing his old friend, "Hey Toothless." He said groggily. Toothless took that as an invitation to help him get up and out of the white bed. The dragon continued to gently nudge him moving him to the side, "I'm happy to see you too bud." He said with a smile as Toothless licked his face and climbed up on the bed only he misjudged where to put his paws and ended up slamming them on Hiccup's lap. Shock and pain made him shoot straight up in bed crying out.

Looking around as Toothless wiggled around like a puppy unable to hide his happiness, Hiccup noticed his surroundings, "I'm in a hospital?" he asked confused pulling at the hospital gown tied to his body and looking the few IVs in his hand. "Why am I in a hospital?" Looking at the bouncing dragon as he knocked the bed causing it to move slightly, Hiccup continued, "Why are you in the hospital? Does my dad know you're here?" he asked getting nervous. Finally Toothless couldn't hold it in any longer and he raced around the room knocking the water at his side over. "Toothless!" Hiccup cried nervously looking towards the door, but nothing happened. He looked over to his dragon only to see him sitting on the window seat trying to crawl out the window. "Toothless!" he cried again getting the dragon to look at him, "Aw come on." He said as he noticed the scratch marks on the glass and couch leather. Quickly he pulled the covers off of himself and moved to get out of the bed before he froze.

Sensing Hiccup's change Toothless got down from the window seat and slowly walked up to him. Hiccup looked down at his legs and noticed the absence of half of one of them. His eyes widened and his heart stopped for a moment as a million and one thoughts ran through his head. The main was that his foot was gone.

His leg just below his knee was gone.

In its place was nothing. It was nothing, but a stump. A bit red and sore to the touch with a scar coming up the side a bit. Toothless walked towards him as Hiccup looked at him the reality slowly sinking in. Hiccup moved his feet… foot and stump off the bed and placed his foot on the cold tiled floor as his stump hung in the air. Toothless looked down at the stump and sniffed at it before looking up at Hiccup.

Hiccup was breathing a bit hard trying desperately to calm himself. As he looked up he saw, sitting on the little counter not far away was a prosthetic foot. His eyes widened slightly as it started to sink deeper. His breathing became labored again and he swallowed the horror and sadness and moved around enough to grab the leg. Hiccup took a deep breath and held the leg out like a shoe and proceeded to put it on his stump not really knowing why. The pain was almost unbearable, but Hiccup had to do this. He needed to have this strength. So once the leg was on as good as he could get, having never put one on before, Hiccup took several deep breathes and grabbed the bedside table before forcing himself to his foot and prosthetic.

Toothless was watching the whole time unsure of why Hiccup was acting so strangely. Hiccup took another deep breath and placed his prosthetic forward putting weight on it. Pain shot through his leg all the way through him, but he forced himself not to falter, although he did let out a hiss of displeasure. Holding himself a little higher Hiccup again took a deep breath and another step only this time the pain was far too much and he crumbled forward with a cry on his lips, but just as he was about to hit the ground, Toothless caught him. "Thanks bud." He said as they started walking towards the door somehow he remembered to tie his gown shut before moving forward. Hiccup could feel the pain coming from his stump but as he continued to walk towards the door with Toothless' help, the pain seemed to lessen severely.

Finally when he reached the door he pulled it open only to see a million people he didn't recognize and armed men all over the place.

Startled he shut the door quickly before turning to his dragon, "Toothless stay here." He commanded before opening the door again and stepping out into the hallway some.

Down the hallway into the reception area for this floor was his father yelling at a man who looked like a doctor, along with hundreds of other people just walking around. Some soldiers were trying to get most of them out, many of them cameras in hand Hiccup realizing they were the press. At the end of the hallway on either side were two armed guards not doing anything, but standing there guarding the entrance to his hallway.

Hiccup pressed his hand against the wall and slowly made his way down the hallway as his father's voice came to him, "That's not good enough!" Stoick snapped.

"General Haddock, please." The doctor said holding his hands out some in a calming gesture. "Your son will be fine. He inhaled a lot of smoke and sustained sufficient trauma along with his multiple injuries." Hiccup raised an eyebrow at that. All he noticed was the leg… and maybe a little pain in his side, but that was it. "We're lucky the damage wasn't worse." The doctor went on. "We've pulled him out of the induced coma he should be waking up any time now."

"You said that three days ago." Stoick growled, making Hiccup blink. How long had he been here?

"Well sir, with all due respect," the doctor said sounding a bit irritated, "He would probably recover quicker if that animal wasn't in there with him doing who knows what."

Stoick glared at the doctor, "Toothless is going to stay in there as long as he wants with Henry and is not going to change." He said warningly.

The doctor snapped, "Animals are not allowed in the hospital, unless they are a service animal!"

"Toothless is my son's service animal." Stoick said simply before adding, "And more to the point, Toothless, according to the law doesn't exist. So technically he's not in there." Stoick went on with a grin.

The doctor looked like he wanted to punch him.

Hiccup stared, "I knew it, I'm dead." He said with a shrug. His father would never have defended Toothless like that.

The comment made the two soldiers at the end of the hallway look back at him before looking back to the front. "General Stoick." One of them said causing all eyes to turn in his direction making him freeze.

"Henry." Stoick said with a warm smile.

"Hey look, the kids awake!" Someone cried making all the reporters start flashing away and asking question nonstop. Startled some and the flashes hurting his eyes Hiccup backed up against the wall holding a hand to his face to shield it.

"Get these damn reporters out of here!" Stoick shouted as more soldiers came out of nowhere and managed to get them far enough away that they weren't a distraction anymore. Stoick sighed and walked over to his son embracing him strongly, but gently remembering his condition.

Hiccup looked at his father, "Dad, what's going on?"

Stoick sighed, "Why don't we go back into your room?" he asked already leading his son down the hallway, but before they could enter the room Gobber came running up to them.

"Don't start without me." He said with a grin as they all entered the room. Toothless looked up at the males entering the room and at once went up to Hiccup and licked his face and hands happily.

"Hey bud." Hiccup said with a smile and he got back into bed strangely tired. Toothless offered him another smile before lying down on the floor next to the bed once more. Looking up at his father and mentor as they seated themselves in the only two chairs in the room, he asked, "So what happened?"

"Well after you were out, we got you to the hospital where you've been since. Toothless hasn't left your side once." Stoick said, "We started clean up and location of families, but the real story is you."

"Me?" Hiccup asked confused.

Stoick nodded, "You're a hero."

"I am?"

Gobber decided to answer, "You bet." Picking up a remote he turned the T.V. on. "Besides the fact that hundreds of people saw you're fight with the Red Death, most of those hundreds of people recorded the fight on their cell phones which are now videos on Youtube." The news reporter on T.V. was going on about how dragons were real and how Hiccup was a hero.

"But…" Hiccup began scratching his head, hating how slow he was processing all of this, "Why does everyone think I'm a hero?" he asked at last.

"You defeated a real live monster Hiccup." Stoick said with a proud smile, "Turns out all we needed was a little more of… this." He finished with a vague gesture to the teenager.

Hiccup looked at him a smile forming, "You just gestured to all of me." His father smiled warmly at him and nodded.

"Well," Gobber interrupted, "Most of you. That prosthetic is my handy work. With a little Hiccup flare thrown in. You think it'll do?"

Hiccup looked down at his leg and moved it around some, "I might make a few tweaks." he said with a smirk.

Both Gobber and his father laughed before Gobber continued with a knowing smirk, "Astrid will be happy to hear you're awake."

"Astrid?" Hiccup asked confused and happy by the statement.

"Aye." Gobber went on with a nod, "She's been in here 24-7 since you came here." His mentor informed him, "She's getting a drink now but-"

He was suddenly cut off as the door flew open, Astrid standing the doorway breathing hard like she had run all the way here, which she probably had.

Hiccup looked at her and smiled, "Hey Astrid." Astrid stood in the doorway for a few seconds breathing hard not doing anything, but stare at him. He blinked at her unsure of what to do, but as he opened his mouth to speak she raced forward and launched herself onto him, holding him tightly. Hiccup let out a grunt arms out in shock as she squeezed him, her face buried in his chest. They stayed like that for a little bit, Astrid squeezing him senseless and Hiccup awkwardly holding his arms away from her unsure of what to do. One look at Gobber and his father was no help seeing as how they wore matching grins of knowing satisfaction and making no move to help him in anyway.

Only when Hiccup heard a muffled sniff did he look back at her and placed his arms gently around her, "Astrid, are you okay?" he asked softly.

It took a few minutes, but Astrid finally pulled away, a few tears in her eyes as she smiled at him, "I'm fine Hiccup."

Then suddenly she pulled her arm back and punched his arm painfully. "Agh!" he cried reflexively.

Rubbing his arm subconsciously, he looked at her smirking face as she said, "That was for scaring me."

"What-what is this?" Hiccup asked, "Is it always going to be this way with you, because-" Astrid then grabbed a hold of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss. After they pulled away again Hiccup smirked, "I could get used to it."

Astrid smiled at him and pulled his hand onto hers before resting on his bed next to him.

He wasn't about to protest.

Stoick smiled at them then frowned looking at the creature asleep on the ground. Sighing he went on for the kill. "Henry, we need to talk about Toothless."

Hiccup looked up and away from Astrid at his father, "What about him?" he asked curiously.

Stoick sighed again hating what needed to be said, "I'm sorry son, but Toothless still belongs to the government."

"Dad you can't seriously-"

"It's not me, son." Stoick said cutting Hiccup off raising his hand in defense. "I'll continue to hold them off as long as I can, but I can't do it for much longer." Stoick sighed, "Toothless is government property, regardless of what you two think." He said gesturing to the boy and his dragon.

"That's going to be a problem." Astrid said, "Trying to get Hiccup away from Toothless," she shuddered, "I don't envy the person assigned to that."

Hiccup looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, "Don't you mean getting Toothless away from me?"

Astrid looked right at him, "No."

Hiccup furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as Gobber chuckled, "Aye that be true. It took no less than 15 men to hold him down." He said with a smirk.

"Why did you need to hold him down and when did you?" Hiccup asked confused.

A horrible silence filled the air and everyone's eyes went wide before someone spoke, "You don't need to know." Stoick said simply avoiding the question.

"But I want to." Hiccup said, "What are you guys hiding from me?"

Astrid inhaled and looked away from him as his father sighed, "During your fight, quite a few parts of the city was destroyed and everything was very chaotic." Hiccup nodded his father going on, "When we found you we called for a medical chopper to take you to the hospital only problem was they were quite a bit ways away." Stoick took a deep breath before continuing, "Our medical unit we had on site said that your leg was in really bad condition and the infection was spreading rapidly." Hiccup stared at his father understanding slowly sinking in. "We had to amputate it there." He finally said spitting it out.

Once again silence filled the air Hiccup wanting desperately to break it, "Oh." Was all he was able to say.

"You don't remember any of that do you?" Astrid asked worriedly.

Hiccup shook his head drawing a complete blank, "Nope. Honestly the last thing I remember is seeing that big tail coming at me and Toothless. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in here."

"Good." Astrid said relieved even as Hiccup screams filled her ears once more. Astrid shook her head and turned to Stoick, "So what are we going to do about Toothless?" she asked desperate for a subject change.

Stoick seemed glad about the change as well, "I don't know, but maybe I can think of something."

"Maybe?" Hiccup asked with a slight glare.

"I'll do what I can, but for now, you need your rest," Stoick said pointedly standing, Gobber doing the same.

For one wild second Hiccup thought that Astrid was going to leave as well, but as he looked down at her she smiled at him, "I'm not going anywhere."

Hiccup smiled relieved before leaning back and closing his eyes letting glorious sleep claim his tired mind.