"Morning . . ." I heard this delicious voice whisper in my ear. "Don't get up . . . just roll over on your stomach."

"Whhhyy?" I mumbled pleasantly as I rolled over anyway.

Two incredibly soothing hands on my back soon answered my question.

"Toothless and Fury are already outside with the kids," Astrid assured as she massaged me. "I'm just waking you up nice and slow. No rush here, okay? But we need fish today, so let's all try a flight before long."

"Okayy . . ." I sighed as Astrid rubbed me nice and deeply. "Take your time . . ."

"Ohh, you can bet I will here," my wife assured as she continued rubbing me for a good while.

Ohh wow, what a way to be woken up, I pleasantly thought to myself. But that was before Astrid leaned down and started kissing my neck. I could no longer resist as I rolled over and grabbed hold of her.

"I am all yours," she assured in my arms. "Take me . . ."

"Ohh gods," I sighed. "A second incredible morning with you like this . . . in a row?"

"Uh huh," my wife assured with a smile.

Okay, life was officially good again.

— — — — —

I looked at Astrid in my arms as we continued lounging together a while later.

"What is it, my love?" she asked.

Half of me couldn't believe this was real . . . the other half didn't want it to stop.

"It's . . . I feel so wonderful . . . I can't say," I sighed, looking earnestly at her.

Astrid just smiled and moved to kiss me again.

"You've deserved this," she assured, "we both have. I think we're finding a wonderful balance . . . a harmony now. Fury and Little Toothless joining us . . . and then you and I falling in love all over again? It's what we, our family, needed. I am not going to let go of . . . this."

"You just gestured at all of me . . . plus everything around us," I noted with a smile as I rolled us over again.

"Absolutely!" she quietly agreed. "I will fight to keep you, it, everything. I swear. Fight with me on this, would you? Not through battles, but just refusing to compromise anymore for less than what we both want, okay?"

"I swear, Astrid . . . on your heart," I said, placing my hand there.

"And I swear, too . . . on your heart, Hiccup," she echoed, placing her hand on my heart as well. "No village, no busyness, no interruptions will tear us apart, alienate us anymore."

"Even when we can't share what we want to at the moment," I added, knowing that busyness and interruptions would still come at times.

"Yeah," Astrid agreed as she hugged me tightly. "To have time though, right now — to talk, and just be with you like this . . ."

"It's incredible," I finished.

"I don't want to fly and get fish today now," she sighed, looking at me.

"Let's do it anyway," I smiled. "I'll ravish you more later . . . promise."

"Deal!" my wife readily agreed.

— — — — —

Soon, our new family was flying together . . . with me on Toothless, Astrid and Eric on Needles, and Fury and Little Toothless flying free among us.

Fury was happy with us now. I could tell by the loops and spins she did on her own in the air. She was an expert and proud flyer, knowing her full body well — her wings, her quarterfins and tailfins — and how to use them in flight. After flights and in the evenings, Fury was almost as obsessive about preening her wings and fins as Astrid used to be about sharpening her axes and blades for her warrior and dragon training. The two of them were far more alike than different, and each seemed to know it.

Sometimes during our flights together, to my unease, Fury would invite Toothless to play with her in the air. I just knew to hang on tight . . . and make fast adjustments to Toothless' tailfin.

Fury would readily join Toothless and I now on fish runs. Sometimes it was just the three of us, sometimes Astrid and Eric on Needles. Little Toothless would join in as well, proudly scooping up a single fish in his mouth and contributing it to our pile when we got home.

Once again, as had happened before during the winter at our cove . . . the days had become so good, that I didn't want to let go of any them as the sun would go down.

"Astrid," I sighed as our family, dragon and human, watched another sunset sitting on the beach together, "I just don't want to go back to the village . . . and this time, I really mean it. I know we can't stay here over the winter, because this place is just too exposed to the open sea. But how about we go straight to our cove before long and get ready for winter there?"

"I know," my wife said understandingly next to me, rubbing my leg. "I didn't expect this gift, this second chance for us, either. A lot of people in the village probably don't experience anything like this their entire lives. But we've agreed that keeping this going between us is just going to be our next challenge together . . . and you don't want to back out on a shared challenge with me, do you?"

"This'll be the second time I've walked out of heaven," I sighed, shaking my head as I looked at the setting sun again. "I don't need to be Village Chief, or Dragon Master, or even a celebrated blacksmith and carpenter. I have what I want . . . here, or at the cove. Everything, and even everyone else just seems to get in the way back in the village. I just don't need people remembering I was a dork way back when."

"Do you consider me one of those people?" Astrid gently asked.

"No, I don't," I softly replied.

"It's alright," she assured, putting an arm around me and giving me a kiss.

"Here I am," I sighed, "in charge of the village, even so in demand I'm never left alone there . . . and yet I can't stop thinking about what people were calling me as a kid, and how I used to screw up. When I'm not there . . . I'm not thinking about those things."

Astrid just embraced me from the side, and rocked me a little. "I think we've found a big reason why you don't like being there," she caringly said.

I silently nodded.

"So, what can we do about that . . . together?" she asked. "Because you're needed there. We both are."

"Are we?" I asked .

"Yeah," she assured, leaning on my shoulder. "You really want to entrust Berk to Snotlout or Tuffnut . . . as good as they are in battle?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Hoark could lead though," I noted.

"Nah, there's no one as good as you," Astrid whispered right in my ear, before she kissed it, once again sending wonderful shivers throughout my body.

"You're working on me here, aren't you?" I noted with a slight smile.

"Yep," she confessed. "Just work with me, too though, okay? It's time to let go of all that past stuff," she advised. "Just let go of it. You're part of us now, this family — and we love the dork who leads us. We love him, so much. I know I do."

"You've just totally disarmed that word with me, you know that?" I sniffed with a smile.

"Uh huh," Astrid gently replied. "With this kiss, I promise that word will never hurt you again."

I kissed her so hard for that.

"Say it . . ." I invited as I nuzzled her afterwards.

"Dork . . ." she replied with a smile.

I kissed her all over again as I gratefully rocked her now.

Then, we heard this strange smooching sound next to us.

Sure enough, just as they had each done before with other things they'd seen from us, Toothless and Fury were now trying to emulate the kissing they'd just seen Astrid and I share. Two dragons trying to kiss romantically was at first for some reason, just the funniest sight Astrid and I had ever seen. We couldn't help busting out and laughing hysterically for a while — to the point where Toothless and Fury now turned and gave us very strange looks.

"We're . . . We're sorry," I apologized, before my wife and I both gave in to another fit of laughter.

"Ohh man!" Astrid sighed, trying to get a grip again. "Think of something that'll calm us down."

"Life in the village," I laughed again, before it did the trick . . . I stopped laughing.

"But, come on," my wife asked as she calmed down as well, "with what we just shared, is village life sound so bad now?"

"Well, not as long as it's with you," I replied. "So long as we, our whole family, can keep having moments like this."

"I promise," Astrid pledged as I held and kissed her while we sat together on the beach in front of our house. "It might be a little hard to see sunsets like this through rain and snow . . . but I promise."

We both laughed again some, and hugged each other tightly.

"Look . . ." my wife whispered to me as she was now looking past me.

Toothless and Fury were now quietly looking at and nudging each other. It seemed like they were making pledges of their own to each other, wordlessly in their own way, as well.

"I think we are really rubbing off on them," Astrid noted.

"Inspiring two dragons to have and share a life they otherwise wouldn't have known," I agreed.

"See how good you are?" my wife encouraged.

"You're doing this, too," I reminded her. "But, you ready to go back to the village?" I asked, almost invited.

"Well, that's a surprise," Astrid responded.

"Maybe I've found what I've needed to take with me, from places like this," I noted. "Toothless found what he was looking for, and now, so have I . . . although really, I've had her with me for a while now. I guess the bond just needed to be a little deeper, and some old wounds really healed."

"Glad I could help," my wife replied as she snuggled against me. "Could we stay a bit longer anyway?"

"I suppose we could stay for a few more fish runs," I said.

"And soaks in the hot springs," my wife echoed.

"Yeah, we won't get those back in the village," I agreed.

"You wanna go?" Astrid suggested.

"We've been sneaking up there a fair amount," I replied. "Don't you think it's only fair we offer Toothless and Fury a chance this time?"

"That's fine," my wife smiled next to me. "Toothless, Fury," she then quickly said to them, "hot springs date. It's yours if you want. But use it or lose it!"

"Astrid!" I said in playful shock.

Toothless and Fury both looked at us, and then at each other. Toothless just gestured with his head as he looked at his mate, and then they just started walking towards the trail up to the springs.

"Have fun," Astrid bid them, before whispering to me, "Darn, they understood me."

"You can be terrible at times," I sighed as I hugged her some more.

"The worst," she smiled, laying her head on my shoulder. "But you love me for it."

"Okay," I sighed, "I've changed my mind. I don't want to go back to the village now. You've convinced me . . . this is just too good."

"Blame me, huh?" she asked.

"Yep," I replied. "Absolutely."

Little Toothless didn't even notice his own mom and dad leave as he dropped another small rock in place as part of a sculpture in the sand he was making with Eric in front of our house. Astrid and I continued to lean against each other and watch both of them, and the golden ocean and setting sun behind them.

"You kids want anything?" Astrid offered to the children.

Eric briefly grunted to Little Toothless. The small dragon casually grunted back, still focused on the rock sculpture they were creating, before Eric replied, "No Mommy, Wittle Toofess and I . . . we're good."

The village might never understand the type of family the six of us — seven counting Needles — now enjoyed. But we didn't care anymore.

— — — — —

Another day . . . another fish run!

Today, we were all flying together again as a family . . . with some aerobatics around some sea stacks and cliffs thrown in just for fun at Fury's request.

Toothless with me and Needles with Astrid and Eric had already made our fish runs. Our two dragons were flying along with mouthfuls of fish, chasing behind Fury, who was practically dancing in the air alongside a cliff of Dragon Island.

"Come on Fury!" I yelled from Toothless. "Time to grab some fish and go home!"

She took one more graceful turn, skimming along another cliff face as she spotted a flock of seagulls and looked to be getting ready to dive down to the surface for her own fish.

Suddenly, a net was dropped over from the cliff top, and she was ensnared.

Little Toothless was only yards behind her. Before I could even react, Toothless banked and dove downward, dropping his own load of fish. He dipped just underneath Little Toothless, turning sharply upward and away from Fury still struggling to fly under the net. As Little Toothless was slammed against me, I grabbed and held onto him with one arm as Toothless now powered us away from the danger with all his might.

Astrid also quickly dove with her Nadder.

"Needles . . . drop fish!" Astrid directed. "Fire . . . net . . . there!" she pointed, trying to have the Nadder cut the net loose from around Fury as she fell towards the water. But it didn't work as Fury now hit the water with a splash, still struggling under the net.

I now saw small boats, with a ship near by. Spears and arrows were now flying our way, as Toothless banked to shield us.

Little Toothless began violently struggling in the one arm I was holding him with.

"Calm down!" I told the small dragon as I tried to tighten my grip on him. But he suddenly broke free of me, and started flying back towards his mother, making little roars of concern.

Toothless immediately turned sharply around, zooming to catch him again with me barely hanging on.

Fury roared loudly as she floated in the water, motioning sharply with her head, seeming to be trying to warn Little Toothless off. Toothless gave out a loud, worried roar as well, trying to call to the young dragon.

More arrows, and even another net now appeared at the edge of my vision, headed towards Little Toothless from different directions. Toothless just fired a low-intensity blast around his son, which deflected the arrows and but only succeeded in catching the net on fire.

Before I could even urge him to, Toothless just brought in his wings and accelerated towards his son. The flaming net now ensnared the three of us. Not caring how hot it was or that it was singeing my head, face, and hands, I fought hard to lift the net off the three of us from the front. Finally throwing it behind me, I briefly retracted his canvas tailfin as the net fell harmlessly off us now to the rear.

But keeping the net off of Little Toothless allowed him to reach his mother in the water. He landed on her back, making little roars of distress for her. While struggling to swim and flap her wings under it, Fury was also roaring loudly, looking back at her son from under the net and motioning sharply away with her head.

Toothless and I made a pass over her. She now roared at us and motioned with her head towards her son. Toothless made a brief roar back in acknowledgement and we pivoted around in the air for a return pass. He looked briefly back at me as we turned.

"I'm ready, bud," I assured him, knowing what we both had to do . . . but not necessarily how we were going to do it.

Toothless now suddenly rolled and inverted as we approached Little Toothless and Fury in the water again.

Oh great . . . I thought. Toothless wants me to grab his son.

I didn't have time to think more than that. I just gripped the saddle with one hand and my legs, and relied on my saddle harness as well as my foot and leg rig to hang me from the fixed stirrups. I reached out with one arm for Little Toothless, praying I could catch and hold him.

As it seemed to happen in slow motion, I hooked my arm around the young dragon's body as we passed, catching him against me. Knowing Toothless would be rolling right side up again I immediately adjusted the canvas tailfin to help him, and held on to Little Toothless in front of me and to the saddle for dear life.

Suddenly, we were right side up again as Toothless strained with his wings to pull us all back up into the air. I wrapped both my arms around Little Toothless, but again he began struggling to free himself from me. Toothless then barked a sharp command, loudly. Little Toothless suddenly stopped his struggles, now cringing in my arms like he was really being scolded. Toothless barked again, and his son obediently fully retracted his wings and remained still in my arms.

Toothless now circled one more time over Fury. She roared and motioned with her head away once more, as the hunters now approached in their boats. Spears and arrows now began coming our way again. Toothless suddenly fired a blast at one of the boats, destroying it and scattering the hunters into the water around Fury and the net. She even let out a few blasts of her own, but could neither cut through the net, nor aim in the right directions towards the hunters approaching her. The spears and arrows didn't stop coming though from the ship nearby, and from other boats. I lowered myself over Little Toothless against the saddle, trying to shield him as well. I would take an arrow for Toothless' son if I had to. I'd taken arrows before. It didn't seem like such a daunting prospect anymore.

Fury gave another sharp roar, motioning away with her head once more. Toothless looked at her reluctantly, but nodded, giving out a long, plaintive roar himself, before turning us away in another direction.

"Toothless, where are we going?" I asked in confusion as I still held onto Little Toothless as the small dragon was sadly moaning, looking back towards his mother.

Toothless wasn't heading us back towards our beach home. He was heading us towards Berk, as fast as he could.

"Toothless, wait up!" Astrid yelled as she spurred her Nadder to catch up with us. "What's he doing?" she asked, with our Eric still safely on her back.

"He's heading us towards Berk!" I replied. "Fury seemed to be telling him to go! I think she wanted Little Toothless, and maybe our own child out of harm's way before we attempted any rescue of her."

"Those looked like hunters! Pirates!" Astrid yelled back. "We don't have much time before they might kill her!"

"Why do you think Toothless is flying like this?" I pointed out.

"Okay, we drop the kids with my mom, and go!" Astrid decided.

"Your mom hasn't handled Little Toothless before!" I reminded her.

"We'll figure out something!" Astrid yelled back. "Go, Toothless!" she yelled as we all now flew even faster towards Berk.

— — — — —

Soon, the village was in sight, and we landed in front of our parents' house, hard!

"Mom!" Astrid yelled out. "We've got a dragon down out there! It's this little Night Fury's mom, and Toothless' mate, Fury!"

"What's this, Astrid?" Ingrid called out in surprise as she emerged from the front door of the home.

"It's a long story, sorry we haven't had a chance to tell you," Astrid breathlessly tried to explain as she got off her Nadder. "We convinced Fury and Little Toothless here to join our family. She's been snared by hunters out there, but insisted, even from under a net, that we get our children out of there before attempting a rescue. So you're going to have to watch both Eric, and Little Toothless here."

"I've never watched a young dragon before, especially a Night Fury," Ingrid exclaimed. "How do I even get him to stay with me?"

"Toothless, you know you have to get Little Toothless to stay here, with Ingrid," I pointed out as my wife came forward with Eric in her arms, about to leave him behind as well.

Toothless looked at his son as I placed him on the ground. He made a series of grunts at Little Toothless, and then nudged against Ingrid, much to her surprise, before looking back at him. Toothless then motioned for Little Toothless to come to Ingrid, as he nudged her again.

Poor Little Toothless looked frightened, and shrank back slightly. But Toothless was insistent, nudging Ingrid a third time, and looking very sternly at his son.

"Eric," my wife said as she set him down beside Little Toothless in front of Ingrid, "you and Little Toothless have to stay with Nana now, alright? You have to help Nana."

"And help Wittle Toofess," he said.

To our amazement, Eric then made a series of grunting sounds at Little Toothless, then putting one hand on the young dragon's nose, and the other against Ingrid.

Little Toothless now cautiously stepped forward, and closed his eyes in acceptance as he nudged against Eric's side. Eric then made one more grunt, and Little Toothless now moved and nudged against a once again very surprised Ingrid.

Toothless grunted and nodded affirmatively, looking pleased with our Eric, and his own son.

"Have . . . Eric tell Little Toothless what you want him to do," Astrid suggested, still amazed. "Even I didn't know he could speak Night Fury like that! Eric, keep talking with Little Toothless and tell him to stay with you and Nana, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Eric bravely accepted. "Help Furwy."

"That's what we're about to do, Eric," Astrid said as she hugged our son one more time. "We love you, all of us, even Fury."

"You must have made some progress out there, I take it," Ingrid noted.

"We're a family now, Mom," Astrid proudly explained, "all of us."

"Have Dad send Snotlout and some Dragon Riders to the far side of Dragon Island as quickly as possible," I urged as I climbed back on Toothless' saddle. "And ships to take the poachers we'll be capturing. We're going back, now!"

"But Hiccup," Astrid said, now rushing up beside me, "you've got burns on you — your hands, your head, even one on your face."

"We have no time for that," I urged her, despite the pain I was starting to feel from my burns. "We have to go back!"

"Alright," Astrid accepted reluctantly. "Love you," she said, reaching up to give me a quick kiss before she turned to remount Needles.

"Love you, too," I replied.

As soon as Astrid was aboard Needles, Toothless bounded off with me back into the sky, with my wife and her Nadder not far behind.

He was now determined to save Fury. All of us were.