A/N: I'M SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG. I didn't mean to go so long without updating, but life happened. I'm a bridal seamstress and it's wedding season, so I've been insanely, INSANELY busy the last few weeks.

And since my life is kind of unpredictable right now, I can't promise that updates are going to be regular for a while, but I can promise that I will never abandon this story. Not ever.

Chapter 26: The Ones Left Behind

The soft clink of moving tools and drawers opening and closing filtered from the back of the shop along with warm candlelight.

He crept close to the door and peeked inside. The figure inside had his back turned, so Gobber quietly pushed the door open and slipped inside and into a chair, adept after all these years at moving silently with a peg leg. The tall black-clad figure rifling through shelves of specialized tools didn't notice until Gobber cleared his throat and said, "Can I help you find something?"

The figure spun around, pulling his sword from its holster and igniting it. Gobber ignored the flaming weapon and pulled a flask of ale from a drawer as he propped his feet up on the desk in front of him. "Put the sword down, boy. You and I both know you aren't going to hurt me."

The masked man made no move except to subtly tilt his head. Gobber could imagine the expression of confusion behind the mask.

"Did you ever meet Old Wrinkly?" He asked, and the helmeted head tilted further. "He was our old soothsayer, even though he wasn't very good at it. The chief's father-in-law too. Hunched back, shriveled old man. But you should have seen him in his youth. Tall and thin. Strong but lean." His eyes flicked to the man. "Built like you." He took a sip and nodded at the man's sword. "Interesting contraption, how did you come up with that? And how d'ye keep it lit? It's a remarkable piece of engineering, I'll give you that. And you hold it in your right hand a lot but you're a lefty, aren't you? Noticed that recently. You use your left for everything but that sword. You use it when you're directing your dragons. And that's another thing, how good you are with them. You've got this way with the beasts, it really is somethin'." A long draw of mead while the figure stood, tense. "A tall, lean young man, left-handed, creative and talented with metalwork, capable of engineering unusual projects; has an extraordinary way with dragons, flies a Night Fury when there's only one person in all of Viking history who ever claimed to shoot one down and was just dumb enough and brilliant enough to try, AND has a soft spot for Astrid Hofferson?" Gobber chuckled. "Only one person I ever knew who could fit that description." His smile faded. "So like I said, put the sword down, boy. You're not going to harm me."

For a long moment no one moved, and for a brief second Gobber doubted his conviction, but then slowly the sword lowered and extinguished.

"How long have you known?"

Gobber closed his eyes, a smile coming to his lips in spite of himself. "Oh, it is good to hear your voice again."

Hiccup took a step closer. "How long have you known?" He said again. "Who else knows?"

Gobber waved his one whole hand in Hiccup's direction. "I haven't told your father, don't you fret."

He heard Hiccup's relieved sigh against the inside of his mask. "Are you going to?"

Gobber sighed and took a long draw from his flask. "Don't know how I could." He shook his head. "How am I supposed to tell him that his long-dead son is the Dragon Master who's been attacking our village?"

"I haven't been attacking the village," Hiccup said, leaning back against the table behind him. "It's more complicated than that."

"I'll bet it is. You spent most of your life talking about how you were going to kill a dragon, and now look at you."

"I actually bothered to take a good long look at what I was supposed to be killing, and I found that it was nothing like what I thought it was, that's all."

Gobber furrowed his brow. "I always did wonder how you suddenly got so good in training. Speaking of looks, take that silly helmet off; let me see how you've turned out after all these years. It's gettin' kinda weird picturing your chubby little face as it was attached to that big tall body."

Hiccup's arms visibly tensed. "I don't think it's safe for me to do that."

Gobber raised his arms and gestured around the empty shop. "I already know it's you, Hiccup, how much more trouble can your face actually get you in?"

"If you were to sound the alarm-"

"If I was going to sound the alarm I would have done it already. Now take the damn helmet off and let me see your face." Gobber had heard that exasperated sigh a thousand times, and he didn't have to see the boy's face to picture the annoyed scowl he was wearing.

"Fine," Hiccup said. His hands rose to the sleek, spiked helmet and hesitated for a moment. Another soft sigh and he pulled off the helmet, revealing a long freckled face with a sharp square jaw, high cheekbones, and eyes just as green and bright as they had been five years previous. The handsome young man who'd spoken with Hiccup's voice and answered to Hiccup's name ran a hand through hair that was more ruddy bronze than the copper Gobber remembered.

"Thor almighty," he said softly, a smile spreading across his face while Hiccup avoided his gaze. "Look at you, all grown up." He smirked. "No wonder Astrid swapped sides."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Gobber!" He griped, and for a moment it was as if no time had passed, as if they weren't on opposite sides of a war.

"I'm just sayin', I was wondering whether that drawing of her was done from imagination or life, but I think now I know the answer."

"Gobber!" Hiccup flushed red and shifted his weight on his feet, and Gobber was five years back, teasing his young apprentice about the girl he had a crush on.

Gobber threw back his head and laughed. "I'm still surprised you sent that. I suppose after all these years you wanted to cash in your bragging rights? You know, I'm even more surprised that Astrid let you do it."

Hiccup grimaced. "Yeah, well…she didn't. She never would have let me do something that stupid. I never would have let me do something that stupid." His brow furrowed, guilt stealing over his face. "There was alcohol involved. It was a night of stupid decisions."

Gobber hummed into his drink and scrutinized Hiccup. "How is Astrid? Is she alright? Is she safe with you?"

Hiccup's eyes flashed dangerously, his expression turning cold, and there was nothing familiar about the dark scowl of the young man before him. "She's a hel of a lot safer with me than she was here," he growled, voice low. "I mean, a virgin sacrifice? Really? What the fuck was that?"

"The desperate act of desperate men," Gobber said, his eyes falling to his drink, unable to look any longer at the angry creature that had replaced his former apprentice. "I was against it, but we'd tried so many things and everything else had failed, so I was vastly outvoted. And, well…" he trailed off, staring at the mead sloshing in his flask, "Your father hasn't been the same since he lost you."

He looked up at Hiccup's snort of derision. The young man was glaring into the corner. "I don't think any amount of grief excuses offering up an innocent girl to be raped and tortured and killed."

"She hasn't been, though, so at least there's that."

"Not like any of you knew that when you gave her up."

Gobber nodded. "Aye, that's fair." He watched Hiccup, carefully evaluating the narrowed eyes and set jaw. "She is safe with you, though? You're good to her?"

"Course I am," Hiccup said, "I love her, I'm not going to let anything happen to her." Gobber raised an eyebrow. He'd said it so casually, as if it was a non-issue, a given, and Gobber didn't doubt the truth in it. No wonder the Dragon Master was rumored to be so protective of his captive and accomplice; he'd fallen in love with her.

They were quiet for a few minutes while the only sound was the wind blowing outside, before Gobber sighed and asked the question he didn't want to ask but knew he needed to. "Why are you doin' all this, Hiccup?" When the boy didn't answer he continued, "Why did you leave? Why did you let us all think you'd died? Why—well, why everything?"

"If I stayed I would have had to kill a dragon," Hiccup answered quietly. He looked at Gobber, face set in determination and sadness. "I couldn't kill that Nightmare. Just like I couldn't kill Toothless."

Gobber raised his eyebrow. "Toothless?"

"My dragon," Hiccup replied immediately. "The Night Fury."

Gobber blinked at him. "Toothless?"

A hint of a smile graced Hiccup's lips. "He has retractable teeth."

"If you and Astrid ever have children, promise me you'll let her name them."

Hiccup's smile faded. "He's my best friend. My first friend. I shot him down and I had the chance to kill him but I didn't take it. I couldn't. I never could. Once I realized that I knew I couldn't stay here."

Gobber nodded. "And the raids?"

"I protect the dragons from the villagers and the villagers from the dragons. The dragons defend themselves, but they aren't dangerous, not really—"

"Not dangerous?" Gobber interrupted, frowning. "The fact that you have to protect us from them at all should be proof enough that they're dangerous!"

Hiccup glared, leaning forward. "They defend themselves, that's all there is to it. You don't know the first thing about they're really like."

Gobber held up the curved metal hook where his hand used to be. "I think I know a thing or two about what dragons are like, Hiccup." He shook his head. "You have a way with them. Just because you managed to tame the beasts doesn't mean they're actually tame." He sighed. "You were always different. It wasn't always a bad different, and I always thought you'd grow up and come into your own one day and be something great, and maybe you could have been if it weren't for all…" He waved his hands in Hiccup's general direction. "…this."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "You just gestured to all of me," he said dryly. He turned his back on his former mentor to dig through the drawers behind him, no longer trying to be quiet. "And I guess that's the problem, isn't it? You always came closer to understanding me than anyone else on this island, and even then you still think the parts of me that should change are the parts that make me me."

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing that you're different, Hiccup, or even that you have…whatever it is you have with the dragons, but you're standing here telling me the beasts that have ravaged my village for as long as I've been alive, that have taken two of my limbs and more of my friends than that, are actually very friendly and just misunderstood? You have to admit, it's a hard sell!"

Hiccup's hands stilled. "Gods, she's right, isn't she?" He mumbled to himself. He pulled one of Gobber's good precision hammers out of the drawer and dropped it into a bag hanging from his belt. "Just because I'm different doesn't mean I'm not right." He glanced at Gobber over his shoulder. "It just means I'm the first to see it." He turned back to the drawer and closed it. "Where are my left-handed long curved tongs? You know, the really long thin ones for precision fire work?"

Gobber sank back into his chair and took a long drink from his flask. "Very back of the bottom drawer below the table. Not much need for them since you've been gone." Hiccup crouched down and opened a drawer. "Not that one. Next one over." Hiccup opened the correct drawer and after a minute of searching found the tool he needed.

"Hello, old friend," he said, admiring the feel of the tongs in his dominant hand for a moment before dumping it in his bag. "I've searched half the forges and markets in the archipelago looking for something like these. Finally gave up and figured I'd go to the one forge I knew would have them."

Gobber watched him and tapped his peg leg idly on the floor. "I don't mind you taking those, but I'd like my hammer back, at least."

Hiccup nodded, expression neutral. "I'll bring the rest back when I'm done with them." He picked his helmet up off the table and slid it back onto his head, masking his face once more. He turned to leave but Gobber's words stopped him in the doorway.

"It really is good to see you again, Hiccup," Gobber said, voice soft and earnest. "You've no idea how much I've missed you."

"I missed you too," Hiccup admitted quietly. "I don't miss much of Berk anymore but…I miss this place." The dark eyes of his mask turned to Gobber. "Please don't tell my dad that it's me. I don't…I want him to remember me as I was."

Gobber gave him a small salute with his hook. "Take care of yourself, Hiccup. And take care of Astrid."

Hiccup tipped his head, and disappeared into the still night.

Xx

Astrid glanced around warily before grabbing the loose board on the side of the house and using it to hoist herself up onto the lowest window ledge. This was stupid, and dangerous, she knew, but no more stupid or dangerous than what Hiccup was doing right now, and she did not think it fair that he got to take such a risk while she played lookout. The whole village was asleep and Toothless was nearby if trouble arose.

Even in the dull glow of moonlight she knew exactly where to find the handholds on the side of the house, having climbed up and down this wall a hundred times throughout her childhood and adolescence.

She pulled herself up to the window and glanced inside. The room was empty, and Astrid swung her legs over the ledge and landed lightly on the floor. Everything was as she'd left it, her room untouched and undisturbed since she's been dragged screaming from it months ago.
She closed her eyes and forced a deep breath. There was no time for nostalgia. She had only as long as it would take Hiccup to find the things he needed in Gobber's forge.

She opened her door slowly so it wouldn't creak. She didn't let her eyes dwell long on the room below as she crossed the small landing to the next door. She pressed her ear to the wood and when she heard no sound from within opened the door and peeked inside. All was quiet and still, and Astrid bit her lip against a smile as she crept to the bed and the little figure nestled under the quilts. She sat down on the side of the bed; then leaned in to drop a few kisses to the forehead peeking out from between woolen blankets and blonde hair.

The little girl stirred, and Astrid kissed her temple and whispered, "Hey, Trouble."

Long blonde eyelashes fluttered and the little girl yawned and blinked open blue-green eyes. She squinted in the dark at Astrid, and then her eyes grew wide and a grin broke out across her face. She opened her mouth to speak but Astrid held a finger to her own smiling lips, and Brenna launched herself into her big sister's arms with a soft squeak.

Astrid wrapped her arms tightly around her baby sister and buried her face in her soft blonde curls. Her hair was longer than it had been the last time she'd seen her, and she had grown noticeably. It made Astrid sad to know she'd missed even that much. Astrid stroked her back and breathed in her sister's scent. It wasn't quite that same sweet baby smell she'd had when she was born, but Brenna had a wonderful, indefinable childlike aroma to her that made Astrid feel more at home in this house, in this village, than she had in a very long time.

"I missed you, Lil Bit," she whispered, and kissed Brenna's ear. The arms around her neck squeezed her tighter before releasing her, and Brenna pulled away to beam at her.

"I missed you too, Sissy. I missed you lots and lots. But I loved my presents!" She dug around in the blankets until she pulled out her doll, which was wearing one of the dresses Astrid had sent her. Brenna hugged the doll close. "Dolly looks so pretty now."

"I'm glad you like them," Astrid said, fingering the hem of the doll dress.

"So are you home now? Are you done with your super-secret mission?"

Astrid's smile faltered and she tucked a lock of hair behind Brenna's ear. "Not yet, love. I'm sorry, but I'm only here for a visit."

"A long visit?"

"No, I'm sorry; I can only stay a few minutes."

Brenna pouted. "Why can't you stay longer?"

Astrid sighed. "It's complicated, Brenna. You'll understand when you're older."

Brenna gave her an exasperated sigh. "Everyone keeps telling me that. Mama and Daddy tell me that when they try to get me to tell them about you and your friend, or when I ask where you are and why we can't visit you, or why people in the village give me weird looks when I talk about you." She huffed. "Why do I have to wait until I'm older to understand everything? Why can't grown-ups just stop being so hard to understand? It's so stupid."

Astrid chuckled and mussed her sister's hair. "You're right about that, Little Bit. Maybe when you grow up you can make everyone stop being so confusing."

The little girl giggled. "That's exactly what I'm gonna do." When her giggling quieted she scooted closer to Astrid and started trying to braid a few strands of Astrid's hair that had slipped loose on the flight over. "So if you can't stay here, can I come with you?"

Astrid's smile faded. "No, Brenna, I'm afraid not."

"How come?" The little girl asked casually.

Astrid sighed. "Because you're safer here. And because you belong here, with Mama and Daddy, and other kids your age. If you came with me it'd just be you and me and Hi-my friend, and a couple of dragons."

Brenna grinned at her. "That sounds like fun."

Astrid helped her clumsy toddler fingers with tying off the little braid. "You'd start missing Mama and Daddy before long. Believe me, Brenna, if I could stay here with you, or take you with me, I would." She hooked a finger under Brenna's chin and nudged it up to look at her. "But right now you'll be safest and happiest here, and I'm safest and happiest...well, not here."

"With your tall funny friend?"

Astrid's lip quirked in smile. "With my tall funny friend."

"Astrid, is he your husband?"

The question took Astrid by surprise, though in hindsight it shouldn't have. The last time she and Brenna had been in the same room Astrid had been dressed as a bride. Astrid bit her lip. While she and Hiccup had discussed what terminology did and didn't and maybe-sorta-did-but-not-quite-yet applied to their relationship, there was no real definitive label yet, and 'former captive and captor turned allies and lovers' was perhaps a bit beyond the little girl's level of comprehension.

"Yes, yes he is," Astrid said, smiling.

Brenna sighed dreamily. "He's handsome."

Astrid winked. "I think so too."

Brenna giggled and Astrid hugged her sister close for a moment before glancing at the open window behind them. She was running out of time, she knew. It wouldn't take long before Hiccup would be ready to leave.

She drew back and pulled loose the drawstring of the bag at her side. "I brought something for you," she said, "Close your eyes."

Brenna eagerly obeyed. Astrid smiled and placed her gift on Brenna's lap. "Okay, open."

Brenna opened her eyes and gasped at the beautifully sewn stuffed Nadder sitting in her lap. She picked up the little dragon and hugged it close. "She's beautiful!"

"Her name is Stormfly, just like my dragon. I know I'm not here to sing to you when you get scared, but from now on, whenever you get scared, you can hug Stormfly close, and wherever I am, I'll feel it. You can hug her, or sit her on the end of your bed, or by the door or the window, and she'll protect you. And," Astrid continued, picking up the little dolly and sitting her on the saddle on the Nadder's back, "She's the perfect size for Dolly to ride." Brenna's eyes were wide with wonder as she watched Astrid lift the Nadder into the air and fly dragon and doll in circles above the bed, before bringing them to 'land' in Brenna's lap. "You don't have to be afraid of the dragons. If you aren't afraid of them, then they won't be afraid of you, okay?" Brenna nodded, eyes alight. "Good." Astrid smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I have to go now, Brenna, I'm sorry."

Brenna frowned, her bottom lip sticking out. "Can't you stay a little longer?" Astrid gathered the little girl up into her arms and cuddled her close.

"I'm sorry, Lil Bit, but I have to go. But I promise, I'll find a way to see you again soon."

"Okay," Brenna moaned, breathing a resigned sigh into Astrid's neck.

Astrid closed her eyes and squeezed her sister tighter. She pressed more kisses to the crown of her head, her temple, her face, then finally released her, but not before Brenna had stolen one last kiss against her cheek.

"I love you, Little Bit," Astrid said, cupping Brenna's face in her hands.

"I love you too, Big Sissy."

One last kiss against golden curls, and Astrid turned away, heart breaking, to climb out the window.

Xx

It had been more than half a year since Arvid Hofferson had had a peaceful, uninterrupted, restful night's sleep.

He had never been a light sleeper, at least, not more than was a necessity for survival on an island that was routinely attacked in the middle of the night by dragons, but ever since he had given up his eldest daughter in a vain attempt at protecting his village, his nights had turned restless. He couldn't get comfortable. He'd sleep fitfully. He'd fall asleep for only a few hours at a time, or else wake up far too early in the morning and be unable to go back to sleep.

This, it seemed, was one such night.

He lay in bed, his wife sleeping peacefully at his side, and stared at the ceiling, completely exhausted and totally awake.

There was a creak of floorboards above, and he thought he heard something like a scratching against the side of the house. Probably a bird, he told himself, but for some reason an uneasy feeling was settling in the pit of his stomach. Deciding that he wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon, he got out of bed, carefully so as not to wake Ingrid, and pulled on his boots.

He exited the house through the side door and glanced around the dim yard. The scratching sound had stopped, but as he turned the corner to the back of the house, he saw the shadow of someone disappearing around the other side of the house. Arvid frowned. Probably one of those Thorston twins making trouble again. It seemed not even marriage and motherhood could keep Ruffnut from causing chaos in the village.

He walked quickly but quietly across the yard and turned the corner, ready to give the Thorston brats what-for, but instead he froze.

"Astrid?"

She whipped around, braid swinging over her shoulder, and stared at him, eyes wide. "Dad?"

For a moment they gaped at each other before Arvid took a step, his hand reaching out towards her. "Astrid, my sweet girl…"

Astrid shook her head and stepped back. "Stay away from me," she said, her voice trembling and hurt twisting her features.

Arvid's hand fell a few inches. "Astrid, my darling, I'm so sorry. Dear girl, I'm so, so sorry. I made a terrible mistake, I see that now, I—"

He was interrupted when out of nowhere the great dark shape of the Night Fury and his rider landed behind Astrid with no more sound than a gentle gust of wind. The dragon's green eyes were fixed on him, the pupils slits that pinned him in place. The Dragon Master slid off his dragon and hurried to Astrid's side. His hand wrapped around her elbow and he leaned close to whisper something in her ear.

Arvid glared at the black eye holes of the mask. "You," he spat, taking a step forward, temporarily unafraid of the beast watching over his master. "Get away from her! Take your hand off my girl! Leave her be, and let her come home where she belongs! If I had my axe I'd strike you dead right there where you stand for what you've done to my baby girl, for how you've corrupted her—"

"No one has corrupted me!" Astrid interjected, pulling away from the Dragon Master and stepping closer to her father. "I made my own choices!"

"Aye, and how much has that demon influenced those choices, eh?" Arvid continued. "I know what he's done. That's right, you disgusting, perverted, evil, dragon-loving son of a bitch! I know what you've done to my daughter. I know how you've warped her mind, turned her against her village and her people. How you've taken her honor and had the gall to boast about it! The crown, that—that indecent drawing of her. What sort of sick bastard brags like that about stealing a girl's maidenhead?"

Astrid was frowning, confusion and perhaps a hint of anger drawing lines between her eyebrows as she glanced back at her dark lover. "What is he talking about? What drawing?"

The masked man leaned close and whispered to her, though from this distance Arvid could not make out his words, though their effect on Astrid was immediate. Her eyes went wide and she ripped her arm out of his grip. "You what?" she hissed through gritted teeth. He stepped closer, whispering more urgently, and Arvid could almost make out the sound, if not the words. Astrid was shaking her head, incredulous glare turned on the Dragon Master, and Arvid realized it might be his chance.

"Astrid, darling, please," he said, starting to approach her, but stopping when the Night Fury bared his teeth and emitted a low growl. He stretched out his hand, palm up. "Please, my Astrid, my little girl, I'm so sorry. Please, let me fix this. Let me help you. Whatever hold he had on you I'll help you break it. You don't have to do this, you don't have to stay with him any longer. Please, my darling, let me help you. Come with me. Come home, please."

He could see the emotions warring on Astrid's face. The hurt and betrayal, the longing, the sadness and fear. She had always been such a loyal girl, but not her loyalties were torn. The Dragon Master stepped so close that his chest was brushing Astrid's shoulder, and his helmeted head tilted so he could continue whispering his lies into Astrid's ear. Despite the confliction on her face Astrid was turning subtly towards her lover, who wrapped an arm across the front of her body to gently grab her hip and turn her into his loose embrace, though her eyes never left her father.

Arvid chanced another step, unconcerned with the dragon that growled in warning. "Astrid, please…"

Astrid's expression crumpled, then hardened into a glare, though tears still shone in her eyes. "You had your chance to save me," she said, allowing the Dragon Master to pull her backwards with him. "I don't need saving anymore.

"Astrid, no, please, Astrid!" Arvid sprinted forward, not caring if the Dragon Master or his nightmare beast attempted to harm him, but Astrid was already climbing into the saddle in front of her devil captor, and by the time Arvid reached them, the dragon was leaping into the air.

Arvid watched the black shape of the dragon ascend into the night sky, where he lost sight of it amongst the darkness of the void, taking his beautiful little girl with it.