A/N: Last for today, have to catch up on to some sleep, at least... Ah, who am I kidding... xD sleep is for the weak...

Und an TheWatchingEye: Da ist eine Flagge? Ist mir nie aufgefallen ;) But I fear it stays exciting with this chapter, too ;)

Astrid

Astrid had to reevaluate the estimations, she'd made Saturday night. That day hadn't been perfect. This whole weekend had been wonderful with being with Hiccup all the time and their more than successful double date.

But it hadn't been perfect. Something about Hiccup had been off somehow. Yesterday he had still been hesitant, hadn't started anything on his own with her. She'd thought that was because he was still insecure in a way or that whatever it was that bothered him occupied his mind greatly.

Today had been different, though. Today he had been anything but hesitant! He had used any and every chance to kiss, to touch or to be close to her. She would not have thought much of it, would have assumed he grew accustomed to their relationship, if not for the pained, almost tortured expression he almost always got thereby. Something was wrong, something he wouldn't tell her.

And right now it was especially bad. She could feel him trembling against her back, his arms around her tightened. Hel, she could even hear him whimpering! And yet she knew by now he wouldn't tell her what tortured him like this. If only he would tell her…

Some minutes later he had calmed down and she heard him breathing steadily, finally fast asleep. A relieved sigh escaped her for at least in his dreams he seemed to be safe. She so dearly wished he would trust her enough to let her battle his demons with him. But as it was, he didn't… yet. She had to believe he would do so someday, and soon hopefully.

She had only gotten a brief taste of how life with him could be. Of how it would be to go to bed with him and wake up next to him again in the morning. Of how it would be to share simple and complicated meals alike, of how they would spend their boring daily life together just as much as enjoying going on a date and meeting friends together. And she wanted this life with him…

Thoughts like these kept her up for some time longer until she decided to get up once more, unable to relax and sleep right now. Ever so carefully she peeled herself out of his embrace as not to wake him again and sneaked out of her… their bedroom.

Once in the living room, she tried to think of what to do now. She desperately needed to distract herself somehow, occupy her mind with other topics. Her eyes fell on her laptop which she had shut so hastily in the morning. Looking through her files for tomorrow could be just the right thing to keep her thoughts from wandering over to her bed again.

She sat down on her couch then, laptop balanced on the backrest and opened it again. The response was immediate, the display lit up and she saw again the cover image of the so-called Dragonfly project, an artful drawing of a wingsuit in use. The artist had added additional lines to depict the undepictable, wind and speed. The signature was an undecipherable mess but whoever had made this, he knew what he was drawing. He must have experienced this himself, she guessed, to have such a precise feeling for this. Gods, how much she wanted to do the same! Just looking at this drawing made her eager to attend to this project especially. It had been, after all, the main reason she had applied for this job.

A small smile crept over her face then. No, that was not true. It had not been the main reason. But she'd been successful in banishing the main reason out of her thoughts least the memories would be too painful for her. Astrid looked up to the bedroom door again. How much things could change in such a short time…

With a wistful smile, she closed the Dragonfly file and looked for another one. Heather had told her earlier she had prepared a timetable for her first days so she wanted to take a look at that. Apparently, she would share her office with her boss as they were supposed to work closely together and would spend a great part of the next week with organizing and arranging said office. Though what exactly she was supposed to do there she didn't know. She was no engineer and although she'd learned how to code and use other advanced programs for graphic and design she didn't really believe she would have much say in these things.

Another point on Heather's timetable, the first for tomorrow, in fact, was a fitting for all the different gear she would need to use. This now was something she was looking forward to. She was experienced when it came to this kind of gear and equipment and yet she expected to have her mind blown by the high-tech gear she would be able to use from now on. Mmh… Heather had scheduled this fitting for an hour only. That seemed to be rather insufficient for all the different gear that was listed here.

Frowning, Astrid thought about that. She was sure this fitting would need much more time then Heather had planned. To her defense, this was probably not something the floor 50 department normally bother itself with. But her first official meeting with her boss was planned directly as the second point on her list. And she really, really, really didn't want to be late for that!

Astrid bit her lip. Of course, she and Hiccup had planned to drive to their respective workplaces together again, but if she really did this, she would be late for this second point on her list. So she would have to take an earlier bus.

Again, she looked up to the bedroom door. Hiccup was anything but an early bird and it wouldn't be fair to wake him one or even two hours earlier just so she wouldn't be late to her appointment. She didn't like the thought of leaving without saying something, of him waking up with her gone, but that still seemed to be the best way. And they would see each other after work again anyway.

So, Astrid changed the time for her alarm on her phone and the signal to vibration only, knowing that would be enough to wake her from her light sleep and finally went to bed as well, full of anticipation for the upcoming day.

When Astrid took her seat on the bus the next morning, she was still very tired. It had still taken some time for her to finally fall asleep last night and raising two hours early hadn't been helpful, either. But she had her coffee and an hour's time to wake up completely.

She had left a note for Hiccup on his pillow, explaining to him why she was already gone, why she hadn't woken him up, how she hoped he would forgive her for this and how she was looking forward to meeting him later again. That had to be enough… Maybe she would call him later, during her lunch break or so. She hadn't liked to leave without a word. That had seemed rude somehow, and then she didn't know in which mood he would be today. Would he be better or worse? Would he maybe even talk to her about his problems today? She really hoped so!

The bus ride was almost uneventful and Astrid was already gathering her jacket and backpack to leave at the next station when they suddenly stopped. Another traffic jam, great! Another accident from what she guessed and by the number of audible sirens and ambulances passing them it probably wasn't just a smashed car this time. Anyway, it only cost her ten minutes and then she was finally able to use her new key-card to call the high-speed lift. It made her giddy to be able to do so even though she knew it was childish. She reached floor 50 then with a wide grin, walked over to Heather's office and knocked on the open door.

Slightly startled, Heather looked up and her jaw dropped when she recognized Astrid.

"Good morning!" Astrid greeted her cheerful, wide grin still in place while the other woman still seemed to need a few moments.

"Astrid!" she finally greeted her back. "What are you doing here, this early I mean… and…" Heather looked around and into the corridor behind Astrid. She mumbled something incomprehensible. Then she added: "How are you today? And Hiccup…?" she trailed off, again searching the corridor.

"I'm fine, a little tired maybe" Astrid replied. "But I really wanted to be punctual, I'm pretty sure this fitting might take longer than planned." She added with an apologetic smile. "And I haven't seen Hiccup, yet. He was still asleep when I went. Didn't want to wake him just to say bye, you know" she added belatedly and Heather nodded, frowning.

"I see…" she answered, thoughtful. "Well, why don't you get yourself a new coffee over at the break room." She pointed to a colorfully decorated door halfway down the floor. "While I make a quick phone call. Then I'll show you the way to the training room for your fitting, alright?"

Astrid agreed and walked down the still fairly empty corridor toward the indicated door. As she was about to close the door behind her she heard Heather yelling angrily, probably into her phone. Whatever that poor guy did to incur her wrath like this, he was surely doomed, she thought to herself, chuckling.

The fitting then went uneventful and took, as expected, way longer than just one hour. About two and a half hours later, Astrid was on her way back to Heather, nervous for the next point on her list. She found the black-haired woman in front of the lifts, glaring angrily at the closed doors while the signs indicated it was on it's way up.

"Hey, there you are" Astrid called out for her and Heather whirled around, eyes wide in shock.

"Astrid!" she choked and threw a quick glance back to the still closed silver doors. "Hey, why don't you… erm… get another coffee, or…" A BING sounded from the lift, announcing its arrival and Heather flinched, defeated. She looked up then when the doors opened and Astrid followed her gaze, curious as to why her friend looked so miserable because of an arriving lift.

To Astrid's surprise, and not an unhappy one, Hiccup then left the lift. He looked pale as a ghost and was frantically looking around until his gaze fell on her. Astrid beamed at him and walked toward him to greet him.

"Hiccup, what are you doing here?" she said and gave him a light kiss on the lips while he only stared at her. Maybe she really shouldn't have left without a word… But who would have thought he would show up here just to see her.

"Astrid!" he grasped her arms tightly. "I… oh Gods, I'm so, so, very – "

"HICCUP!" sounded an angry call through the corridor and Astrid flinched, just like everyone around her as well. She turned to see Mrs. Dragonite glaring at her. It probably wasn't the wisest thing to bring her boyfriend here, and on her first day nonetheless. But…

"Hiccup! In my office at once!" She ordered. But how did she know his name?

Hiccup then walked past her, brushing her arm lightly. "I'm so sorry, Astrid!" he whispered shakily and followed Mrs. Dragonite into her office.

Astrid's eyes widened in shock as everything fell into place.

Because there was only one other person she ever called by his forename… And that would be her son.

BAM!