Here it is, chapter thirteen! Yay! I hope you enjoy! Once again, thank you to everyone who has commented, favourited and followed this story. It makes me so happy!
The clean-up of the aquarium was going to take a while. Once the police had given them permission to enter, Fishlegs had directed everyone to begin.
A crowd had gathered during the morning as the drama had unfolded. Berk was a small town and news travelled fast.
Astrid was surprised to see that so many stayed once it was all over and the emergency vehicles were gone. The town came together to help out the business that had once been one of the main attractions bringing tourists to Berk. Tourists who then stayed at Mrs Ack's caravan park and bought their meat from Sven's butchery.
As the townsfolk got to work, it appeared the aquarium wasn't as bad off as it had initially looked. From what Astrid could see, only a few of the windows had been broken and the fire had been contained to the clinic.
Most of the rubble that littered the pavement looked to be from the shelving that had been tossed to the ground.
Apparently, the police had found nothing. No finger prints, no hairs, nothing to indicate that anyone had been on the property other than Hiccup that night.
Astrid had given a statement.
Yes, Hiccup had been unhappy that the aquarium was closing. No, there was no way Hiccup would set the fire himself. Hiccup would never risk injuring any of the animals they cared for.
She was so angry that the police could even suggest that Hiccup had caused the damage.
"It wasn't him!" She had yelled it at the officer taking her statement. "Hiccup loved this place. He poured his heart into this aquarium and the animals we care for. And you think he would do such a thing!"
The officer had sighed.
"People will do crazy things to protect the ones they love."
Astrid had narrowed her eyes. "Not Hiccup."
She had told them about Drago and the police had promised to follow up on that. Astrid didn't believe that for one second. The whole town knew that Drago Bludvist was untouchable without hard evidence. Nothing had been left at the scene and until the police could get a statement from Hiccup the whole investigation was stalled.
Astrid picked through the rubble of the clinic, salvaging what she could of the medical supplies. The office at the opposite end of the building was almost completely gutted and the whole building had been deemed structurally unsafe. It would need to be pulled down. Astrid tried not to look as she walked past. Hiccup had been in there. She desperately hoped he was okay.
Astrid couldn't help but think of it as she checked over Stormfly's superficial scratches.
What had the fireman said?
"Did you see the state of him?"
Astrid had heard nothing since talking to Fishlegs. What if something happened and Hiccup didn't make it? How would she know? She had no way of getting into contact with his father. Stoick probably wouldn't even want to talk to her. She could call the hospital, but she wasn't family so that was probably a dead end too.
It was the not knowing that was the worst part.
"Astrid, take a break." Fishlegs wandered over with his clipboard in hand. It was late in the afternoon and most of the volunteers had left for home. The few that remained were quiet. Even the twins had refrained from their normal jokes and pranks. Snotlout had been strangely absent.
"We haven't finished cleaning yet. And we need to organise to have the windows repaired."
"It's going to take a few days to get everything together."
"And what about the fundraiser? Will the board still let us go ahead with it?"
"Astrid-"
"We've still got time. We hadn't even set a date yet."
"Astrid," Fishlegs gave a resigned sigh. "I-I'll talk to the board. I can't make any promises. Go home."
"I can't. I need to stay busy."
"I'll make sure she gets home." Ruffnut had materialised beside her. Astrid hadn't even noticed her arrive. She'd assumed the twins had left already.
The mood was sombre as Astrid was ferried to her car. She appreciated that Ruffnut did not try to talk to her on the drive home. They sat in silence as they wound through the streets of Berk.
Astrid pulled into the driveway of their share house and cut the engine. She exited the car and made her way to the house. The door unlocked with a soft click. Astrid dumped her keys and phone on the table by the door.
"Where are you going?" Ruffnut let the door swing shut behind her.
Astrid didn't look back. "To my room." She kicked off her shoes.
"You can't just hide from this."
Astrid stopped. "I'm not hiding."
"Uh, yes, you are." Ruffnut marched around in front of the other woman to stop her from escaping. "I'm not stupid. I've seen the puppy-dog eyes you and the dolphin boy have been giving each other." She poked Astrid in the shoulder. "You two were totally a thing."
Astrid shook her head. "It's not- It wasn't serious…" She thought back to the last kiss they had shared. Things had definitely been less awkward between them since then, still, "I don't… I don't really know what it was."
"But you like him." It wasn't posed as a question. Ruffnut moved to lean against the couch. "Don't even try to tell me it's not like that," she said when Astrid opened her mouth to speak.
Astrid threw her hands up. "Fine! I like him. A lot. And it's killing me not knowing what's going on. I spent all day at work trying to stay busy. Trying not to think about it and now… I can't stop thinking about it. I need to know what's happening."
Ruffnut looked thoughtful. "You could ask Snotlout."
Astrid paused, confused for a moment. Oh, Hiccup and Snotlout were cousins! Snotlout had been absent from the aquarium all day, not that he had a stellar attendance record, but chances were he'd heard about the accident. Maybe he had some news. She looked back towards her phone, sitting on the table.
"I don't have his number."
"I do." Ruffnut was flicking through her contact list.
"Why do you have Scott Jorgenson's phone number?"
"Ah, another story for another time. Just call him." Ruffnut handed Astrid her phone.
She hesitated. The contact card was open, but Astrid struggled to bring herself to press the button to connect the call.
"Really Astrid? Just do it."
Astrid swiped across, opening the messenger instead.
She caught sight of the last exchange of messages between Ruffnut and Snotlout and shuddered before moving on. She tapped on the keyboard, typing out a quick message, Scott, it's Astrid. Have you heard anything about Hiccup? Her finger hovered over the 'send' button.
"This is painful to watch, give it here." Ruffnut snatched the mobile and hit send. She handed the phone back to Astrid. "You're welcome."
Astrid clutched the phone in her hands. Minutes ticked by with no response.
"This was a stupid idea," Astrid whined. "He's never going to respond."
She paced behind the couch, lapping around the loungeroom. Each second felt like a lifetime as she waited. Astrid shoved the phone back at Ruffnut and stormed into the kitchen. Snotlout was never going to text them back. She needed to find something to do.
She set about pulling bits and pieces from the fridge while Ruffnut watched from the lounge. Astrid pulled out the chopping block and set it aside. She stared at the vegetables, her body thrumming with anxiety. She wasn't hungry.
There was a chirp from the living room.
Astrid all but ran from the kitchen.
Ruffnut was holding the phone, her face downcast as she read the text. She silently handed the phone to Astrid so that she could read the message.
Not gud. They flu him to city. We're going up tmrw.
The phone screen blurred. Fishlegs had been right. Berk's small hospital hadn't been able to treat Hiccup and he'd been sent to the city. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing. A bigger hospital meant better treatment.
Astrid sat on the couch, tapping the keypad on the phone.
Please keep me updated! As soon as you know anything!
Astrid put the phone down. All she could do now was wait and hope that Snotlout would keep her posted on Hiccup's condition.
The phone chirped again almost instantly.
U should come.
Astrid stared at the screen. Should she? She wanted to. No, it was more than that. She needed to. She needed to see Hiccup with her own eyes.
I don't want to get in anyone's way. She tapped out the words slowly with shaking hands, afraid that Snotlout would take his offer back.
"Don't be stupid," Ruffnut was reading the messages over Astrid's shoulder. "You should go."
"It would be weird," Astrid argued. "With his family there. I'm not family. They don't even know me."
"I'm sure Hiccup would want to see you."
Astrid hated that Ruffnut was being the reasonable one in this argument.
"Okay," she said at last. "I'll go."
()
It was a three-hour, white knuckled drive to the city.
For the first half hour, the car had been silent but for the rumbling of the engine. As she drove Astrid had turned the radio on. The cheery discussion of the DJ's and pop music clashed jarringly with her melancholy mood, but it drowned out the intrusive thoughts that clamoured for attention in her head.
What if she got to the hospital and was immediately turned away?
What if Hiccup was injured even worse than she thought? What if she got to the hospital and Hiccup was… gone.
It would not do to dwell on 'what ifs'.
She turned the radio up louder and concentrated on the drivel gushing from the radio presenters. Really, who cared what happened on last night's episode of some TV show? There were bigger problems in the world.
Snotlout's number was now saved on her phone. Astrid was going to send him a message once she reached the hospital.
She'd left the house at eight after a night of tossing and turning and was making good time. Astrid reached the city by eleven am and was looking for somewhere to park at the hospital at midday. She sat in the car long after she had cut the engine, toying with the phone in her hands.
This was it. Hopefully soon she would have a better idea of how Hiccup was doing. Hopefully she would get to see him, maybe even talk to him.
She had brought her laptop. She was sure, that if he was up to it, he would want to view the webcam of the aquarium and see that Toothless was alright. But even that would be bittersweet. Toothless coming out of the fire unscathed would not change the fact that he was still in serious danger from the damage to his tail.
That was the last conversation they had shared.
Astrid took a steadying breath and unclipped her seatbelt. Sitting in her car all day was going to get her nowhere. She pushed open her door and snatched her bag as she exited the vehicle.
The hospital was huge. It was comprised of a number of buildings spread out across the campus. The Centenary Hospital for Woman and Children was obviously out. That was the building Astrid had parked closest to. She took the path that wound around the four-storey structure leading towards the largest building.
There was a sign pointing her towards the Emergency Department. Astrid figured she could start there. Further down another signed was directing to the Main Reception. That seemed promising. Astrid followed the signs to the entrance of the hospital.
Inside the directions were just as confusing. Astrid had sent Snotlout a message, but she hadn't received a response yet. She wasn't even sure if he had reached the hospital. In any case, she could find somewhere to wait for them to arrive.
She stood in front of a large board listing all the different hospital departments.
Which one would Hiccup be in?
The General Medical unit was on the fourth floor. Astrid skimmed over the other departments. Just one floor up was the Burns and Critical Care units. Astrid couldn't remember seeing any burns on Hiccup as he was carried away, but he'd been covered in soot and the paramedics had laid a blanket over him.
Her phone buzzed.
Were here.
Astrid turned, hearing the automatic doors open behind her. A man and a woman were storming into the foyer, Snotlout trailing behind.
She wandered over nervously.
"Uh, hey."
Snotlout looked up.
"Hey."
They stood there awkwardly.
Astrid had known Snotlout for a few years now. She had always been annoyed at the way he was constantly bragging about something, or showing off in front of her and Ruffnut and any other girl who walked by. In the last two months they had become closer, especially while helping Hiccup work on his plans to save the aquarium.
The large man, Hiccup's uncle, towered over them. He rivalled Stoick for height, but other than that, Astrid could see no family resemblance. "Who is she?"
"Uh, this is Astrid. Hiccup's uh, girlfriend."
Astrid opened her mouth to correct Snotlout, then thought better of it. If saying she was Hiccup's girlfriend got her in to see him, she was going to run with it. They could clear things up later.
The woman who entered came over to them from the front desk. Now Astrid could see the similarities between her and Stoick. She had thick red hair and was just as tall as her husband.
"They're upstairs." Her smile was warm and kind, the complete opposite of Snotlout's father who looked stern and tense.
Astrid stood there apprehensively. They hadn't asked her to leave yet, but they also hadn't told her it was okay to follow them.
Noticing her uncertainty, Hiccup's Aunt took Astrid's hand.
"Come along dear," she said, "I'm sure Henry is anxious to see you."
Astrid felt guilty for lying to them, but she allowed herself to be lead to the lift.
()
Astrid had not spent much time in hospitals before. She had vague memories of visiting her mother in hospital after her younger sister was born. The maternity ward had been vibrant and colourful and full of new life.
This ward was just as busy. Nurses were moving about, ducking in and out of the rooms as they tended to their patients, but the atmosphere here was very different.
Astrid hovered in the waiting area as Snotlout's mother went to speak to one of the nurses at the desk. "Maybe I should wait here," she said, hugging her arms about herself. She felt so out of place. "Just… tell me how he is."
She sat in one of the hard plastic chairs, despite the protests of Snotlout's mother.
"She's right," it was Snotlout's father who spoke. "She's not family. We should at least clear it with Stoick first."
The words hurt, but they were the truth.
Astrid watched the Jorgenson's retreat down the hall towards Hiccup's room and settled herself in to wait.
Stoick found Astrid sitting out in the waiting room. It was late in the afternoon. Snotlout and his parents had left hours ago after visiting Hiccup. Astrid had got a tense "He'll be fine," from Snotlout's father, and a sympathetic smile from his mother. Snotlout had just nodded, his eyes ringed with red. It was not a look she'd ever seen on him before.
Still she waited, legs crossed under her on an uncomfortable chair, unable to bring herself to leave just yet.
Now she watched as Stoick's hulking figure made its way down the hall towards her. He sat beside the girl and cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"The nurses told me you were still here," he shot a sidelong glance towards Astrid.
"I'm sorry," Astrid uncrossed her legs. "I know you probably don't want me here."
Stoick made a noise that Astrid couldn't decipher.
"I'm sorry that I told them I was his girlfriend, though technically that was Snotlo-Scott."
This time Stoick grinned. "Snotlout, was Hiccup's revenge on Scott for calling him Hiccup. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." He turned in his seat and bent. "I've always called his father Spitelout," he said in a conspiratorial whisper. "He talks about you."
Astrid's brows knit together.
"Hiccup," Stoick clarified. "Every day he'd come home from work and it would be Astrid did this, Astrid did that. He likes you a lot."
"I like him too." Astrid fiddled with her braid. "I can go if you want." She looked up at Stoick. "I just- I needed to know that he's going to be okay."
Stoick said nothing for a moment.
"He'll recover," he said. "I don't know if he'll be okay. He-" Stoick choked on his words. "They took him in for surgery this morning. His leg was badly injured you see." He took a deep breath. "They had to amputate."
Astrid felt all the colour drain from her face. The background chattering of the nurses faded away into dim buzzing. She barely heard Stoick speak.
"He's in an' out. I haven't told him yet. I don't know how."
Astrid pressed her hands to her face, trying to process this information.
"Can I see him?"