Chapter 12

By the time we had reached the track, a group of people large enough to fill a large stadium had gathered. We entered through the back, where all the contestants went to their planes. I got in with him because he said I was part of his crew. He opened a folded piece of paper to reveal a number which led him over to where his plane was. There was a man working an inspection in the cockpit when we walked over. It was a small plane, but it had an elegant design and looked like it would be fast. "Gobber!" Hiccup called at the side of the plane. The man inside the cockpit looked out the narrow window to see Hiccup down below. He crawled out and grabbed Hiccup into a huge bear hug. I noticed that one of his hands was missing as he reached over to pat Hiccup on the back. "Well it cert'nly took ya long enough to get ere din't it?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. The line to get in was longer than expected, plus the traffic in Merk was awful." Hiccup explained, replacing Gobber in the cockpit. "Looks like she'll do just fine. I don't think you'll have any unexpected problems up there… not big ones anyway." Gobber said. Hiccup laughed softly and checked a few things for himself. "Okay. Have you checked the tail yet?" He asked. Gobber nodded, "Yah, It's fine. You just worry about getting your head right. Have you gone over the routine in your head yet?

Hiccup jumped back out of the plane, content with what he found. "Yeah. I had it on replay the entire way over here." He said. Gobber only nodded. "Then that's good. You know what number you are?" Hiccup nodded once again, "27, right?" Gobber gave a grunt as way of agreement and then turned to fac me, "You ere with 'im? Cuz they're about to make crew clear the way so th' planes can start linin' up, plus we need to grab a spot anywho."

We had exited the large hanger and made our way to a huge field that served as the viewing area. There was an elevated platform with a table and chairs and people who I assumed to be the judges. Everyone was very American-looking. By this I mean that there were tons of middle-aged men wearing shorts and bald eagle T-shirts and middle-aged women wearing the American flag as their earrings with beehive haircuts and bad dye-jobs. There was much yee-haw!-ing and Dolly Parton music. I stuck out like a sore thumb behind Gobber, who wore his old army hat and hook hand.

We eventually found a small open space close to the hanger near the middle of the field. I was glad that Hiccup had reminded me to bring a folding chair. Laying it out, I sat down next to Gobber. "So! You e'er been ta one uh these befoor?" I shook my head, "Nope… I'm not one for large crowds." I said, motioning to the sea of people around us. "Ah, well yah, that would be a pro'lem. E'er seem Heccup fly?" He asked. I shook my head again, "Nope, never. He's not exactly chatty about it." I told him. He gave a small grunt, "To tell yah th' truth 'm surprised he invited yah. He's ne'er done that befoor. Not even Astrid's seen 'im."

That was unexpected, yet pleasant news, "Oh, really?... What about his dad, then?" I asked uncertainly. Gobber looked at me with a large sigh. "Heccup's father… he don't exac'ly know about it. Heccup's kept it a secret from 'im sence he started flyin' years ago." I let my face fall. Why wouldn't Hiccup tell his dad about it? "That boy's a lon'ly sort, cha know? He's ne'er had many friends. I thought maybe flyin' would 'elp 'im. Maybe give 'im something to do, to take 'is mind offa things… 'specially after the accident with 'is mum an all…"

I got the idea that despite his rough exterior, Gobber was actually a kind person. Our conversation was interrupted before I could reply by a squeaky intercom. A voice announced that the airshow/competition would now begin and asked us to please stand for the national anthem. After a few moments of screechy trumpets and off-beat percussionists from one of the local high schools, we were asked to sit and take time to remember those who have fought so bravely in the defense of our country. Then came the long list of sponsors that nobody really listened to. When I had tuned out of the announcements for close to fifteen minutes, they announced the first pilot.

He was an older man with salt and pepper hair and a stomach that hung down past his pelvis. He flew a vintage blue plane with a simple routine. I sighed as I realized that I would have to go through 25 more routines before it was Hiccup's turn. Each contestant's routine lasted about five to six minutes, so I figured I'd have time to go grab some fries or something. I left my chair and found my way to a long line of tents housing small cookeries. Not really impressed with the selection, I decided on one that looked somewhat clean with a bunch of biker-looking guys running it. "Hey there! What can I get for ya?" One of the guys asked, wiping his hands on a towel strung from his apron. "Um… Can I get an order of curly fries aaaaaand… a coke?" I asked. The man nodded and yelled out the order to a guy named Frank in the back. A few seconds later I was greeted with a mountain-high stack of curly fries, a bottle of coke, and my change.

I walked around and finished my fries while people hurried around me. I took a quick look at some of the newer high-tech planes they had on display. It made me wish I knew more about planes. Maybe after the contest Hiccup and I could walk around and tell me about some of them…

I came back to my chair when number 25 was up in the air. "So, think there's much competition?" I asked Gobber, who now sucked a half-burned cigarette. "There's a couple I'm kindah worried aboot, but as long as the routine goes well I think he might 'ave a chance." Gobber said, nodding to himself. "He's later on en the lineup, so there'll only be a few more after 'im. We're free to go see him on the track after he's done (since we're crew) while they're doin' the re-announcement. If yah want to anyway, I usually don't just cause I'm too lazy to stand up after this much sittin'." Gobber laughed/coughed when he was done. Number 26 was now up in the air. His routine was very precise and had clear moves, which seemed to impress the judges and other people around us.

I imagined that would be what Hiccup's routine looked like. Their planes were similar in build, and probably flew alike. When 26 was done, he stopped his plane in front of everyone again and waved from the cockpit. A man came running up to the side of the plane and had a few words with the pilot while the announcer recounted some of the better points of the routine. The guy jogged off the track again and headed for the hanger, his folding chair in a bag strung across his shoulder. Next was Hiccup. When the runway was cleared, he made his way from the hanger. The announcer said his name as if he questioned its validity. "The next flight will be performed by… Hiccup(?)… Haddock." Once he had pulled completely forward, he waved to the crowd. I overheard a few guys behind me as they chatted. "Oh, hey! It's that Hiccup kid again!" "Ah, yeah… hey, didn't he fly in that charity show a few months back?" "Yeah, that was it. I don't know how that boy does it… he's been flyin' for a while now, right? God must'a just given him a talent for the air."

So Hiccup had been in shows before, then? That was news to me. He had acted like this would be his first. Suddenly Hiccup's plane shot up like a rocket off the edge of the runway. He arced around to the other side, gathering speed and altitude before the plane twisted into a high, graceful loop. I had been wrong. It wasn't at all like number 26's routine. It was slow and graceful, like the plane was swimming in the air, catching currents under its wings. He flew in random patterns that left scribbles against the pale blue sky. The judges pointed excitedly to each other as the announcer announced the technical name for whatever move he was currently doing. I felt like the routine should've been to music, something pretty with a piano solo. Near the end of the routine, Hiccup began gaining speed once more. He climbed steeply into the air, higher than any of the other pilots had gone. There were confused and intrigued murmurs from the crowd and judges. I leaned forward in my chair, fascinated.

Then the roar of his engine stopped.

My heart sunk. There were small gasps from the women around me, who were suddenly tugging on their husband's arms. My heart thumped irregularly as I threw my chair backwards and flung myself out of it. I could feel the color leave my cheeks. Nobody else had really registered what was happening, and they all just stared at the sky dumbly. A scream got stuck in my throat as Hiccup's plane dove head-first toward the ground. I found myself running towards the track without thinking. "Boy?!" I heard Gobber's muffled voice behind me as he faded into the background. I had almost made it to the runway when something collided with my side, knocking me to the ground. I looked up, seeing that the thing that had hit me was some sort of officer. He was shouting at me, but I didn't register the words. I could still see the plane above as it swirled down… down…down… "Hiccup?" I whimpered softly.

I was going to watch my boyfriend, my best friend, die. By now everyone had realized something wasn't right, clued in by my reaction. How had he been falling this long? It felt like eternity had passed me by, stuck in this one terrifyingly real moment. Then something happened. The nose of Hiccup's plane suddenly tipped up, and just as the plane would've been crashing into the ground, he glided onto the runway. The announcer and everyone in the crowd cheered for him while I was left on the ground, realizing that it had been a trick the entire time. I large shaky sigh escaped me as I attempted to right myself. The officer grudgingly let me go after I told him I was part of Hiccup's crew.

Before long the plane came to a halt in front of me. I ran up the rest of the way to it. Hiccup waved to the crowd once more, sending out another wave of cheers. He unlatched a complicated window and leaned his head through to talk to me. "So, how was it?" He asked, a big grin plastered on his face. I simultaneously wanted to punch him and kiss him at the same time. "You asshole!" I yelled, "You scared me half to death!" At that, Hiccup chuckled and closed the window, turning the plane towards the hanger again. I ran over to grab my folding chair where Gobber was waiting with a disappointed look. "Next time you see a plane fallin' do me a favor 'n don't go runnin' after it." He said, throwing his chair bag over his shoulder. "Tell Heccup to just leave the plane where it is, I'll pick it up tomorrow. If he asks for my opinion on the routine tell 'im I said good. Oh, and tell him to come see me an' Vivianna sometime too. She misses 'im." I nodded my head, flipping the chair over my back and jogging over to the hanger.

When I got to Hiccup's slot, he was already out of the plane, waiting for me. I threw the chair on the ground and sprinted towards him. "You. Are. Such. An. Ass." I clung to him, knocking him backwards a few steps. "Uh-huh." He said, a smile in his voice. "Never do that again. I'll kill you if you do." "Wouldn't that be counter-productive?" "Shaddup." Releasing my tight hold on his shoulders, I leaned in to plant a kiss firmly on his lips. I wanted something to tie him safely to the ground, to me. Hiccup kissed back gently, which was weird since he was usually too scared to do that kind of thing in public. He wrapped him arms around my neck and swayed forward, bringing us close. I wrapped my arms around his waist as there came a small gasp behind us.

"HICCUP?!"

A terrified and angry voice ripped through the hanger, leaving a nasty echo. Hiccup immediately pulled back, his eyes laced with fear and recognition. I turned around, stunned and shocked.

In front of me stood Stoick Haddock.

A surprised and frightened Miss Toothania cringed at his side. There was a moment of deathly silence as Stoick's anger grew more and more visible on his face. He moved like a thundercloud, slow, silent and powerful. When he had finally reached our side, he took a big breath in through his nose as if he was about to say something, but he kept his mouth shut in a tight line. Hiccup cowered below him, unable to look away, which was unlike him. I could see the raw panic painted over his face as his mind grasped at words that didn't seem to work. He opened and closed his mouth at least a dozen times, his breathing shallow.

I heard the impact before I felt it. A sharp stinging pain to right side of my face, knocking me to the ground. Tears wouldn't come, despite how much I felt them creeping into the back of my eyes. I didn't want to look up my father. I knew I'd find only his unbridled rage and disappointment. There was a small choking sound as Miss Toothania gasped in shock. Jack took a step towards us, but I held up a hand to stop him. I didn't want my dad to come unglued on him. " , as Hiccup's educator I can't allow…"

"Allow what?!" He roared at her. She cringed back a few steps, scared out of her mind. "You would deny my the right to discipline my son as I see fit?! I'm sorry, Miss Toothania, if I don't believe it's okay to have raised a perfectly good son to become a fucking faggot!" Jack rushed over to Miss Tooth's side, lightly wrapping himself around her shoulders in a small gesture of protection. I yearned for those arms to be around me instead. Dad turned back to face me.

"I want you out of my house. Find your own ride back, get your things, and get out." He growled, projecting the words straight through me like an arrow. Still in shock, I could do nothing as his footsteps faded away. Jack rushed over as soon as he felt it was safe. My mind was still trying to process what had just happened. One moment I had been perfectly happy kissing Jack, and the next I found myself on the floor of the hanger without a home to go home to? I numbly sat up looking up at Jack with what I'm sure looked like the most confused and hurt face I had ever worn. Miss Tooth's short high heels clacked across the floor as she rushed over.

She was bird-like in the way she hovered over me and Jack, who had recently fallen to his knees beside me. He wrapped his long arms around me, which I had wanted just a few seconds ago, but now it felt belated, like he was trying to fix a broken vase with staples. "Come here." He said, pulling me into his lap, refusing to let go. Miss Tooth looked on, unsure of what she should do. Jack pulled me into him as I tried to sink myself in my own thoughts, which rushed in all at once. With a stifled gasp, everything clicked into place. The tears ran down my face with no warning and no feeling. My cheek still stung, growing puffy. Jack breathed in shakily, as if my pain had somehow become his own. That, or he was feeling guilty. I didn't want that. Either of the options. I didn't want Jack to hurt.

"It's okay." I said, wrapping my arms around Jack's middle, resting my hands on his shoulder blades. Miss Tooth was crying softly at our side. "Hiccup… Hiccup I am so sorry… I knew you didn't want him to come but still I… sorry…. so, so sorry..." She choked out. I shook my head from Jack's shoulder, "It's okay." Jack petted the back of my hair as my hands balled up into fists on his back. "It's okay… It's okay... It's... okay... It's...okay…"

The sobs overtook me without my permission. Unwillingly, they tore through me, leaving me burned and shattered like a mini Kristallnacht. I just let Jack hold me, let Miss Tooth cry for me, let myself be buried. Before long, other people had begun entering the hanger. I didn't care. I was too weak to move out of the way, so Jack picked me up instead. He said a few words to Miss Tooth, gently refusing her offer for a night's stay at her house.

Jack drove me "home". We had arrived at about one o'clock. My dad was sitting on the couch. He pretended I wasn't there as I quietly made my way back to my room, which wasn't my room anymore. I pulled an oversized duffel bag out from underneath my bed and began stuffing it with the mundane things I would need for everyday life. I snatched up all the money I could find. When there was still a little room in the top of my bag, I filled it with my sketchbook and pencils, my favorite book, and a framed picture of my mother that sat atop my desk. I walked into the spare bedroom and grabbed Toothless, then walked downstairs for some of his fish. I looked over to see if there would be any parting words at all from my father. There weren't. I walked through the door to my home that wasn't my home anymore and shut the door behind me.

*cries profusely*

*blows nose*

*sniffles*

Dang I'm glad this chapter is over. My tummy hurts.

Only one more update leeeefffffftttttt...

*cries again*