A Chance

Gothi's hut was silent save for the muffled sobs and sniffs of its occupants. Hours after Ash had arrived the chief and the riders did so as well. Gobber and Ash waited outside of Gothi's hut to deliver the grim news. Stoick and the riders landed near Gothi's hut before immediately jumping off their dragon and sprinting up to Ash and Gobber.

Stoick was ahead of the others as he came up to Ash and Gobber. His look begging for answers. He wanted to hear good news. His stomach dripped when he saw Ash and Gobber exchange a sad glance. Then Ash dropped his gaze, unable to meet the chief's eyes. Ash couldn't say it. So with tears in his eyes, and a broken heart Gobber had to tell his longtime friend the terrible news.

When Stoick processed his friend's words he didn't react. He simply stepped past the men and into the hut. Like a zombie he walked in and took in the black shape of his daughter's dragon near a cot. Looking closely he could make out a small unmoving figure laying on it. He approached slowly, his feet suddenly like weights. He didn't even breathe as he made his way over to the cot.

Only to look down at the form of hi lifeless child.

He just stood there. Not wanting to believe it. But he saw it. She wasn't moving. She wasn't even breathing. He reached out a trembling hand to caress her face. Praying to every god and power that she would move. That her eyelids would flutter or she would just respond.

His heart broke when she didn't.

The others watched, trying to hold back tears as the chief stood by his child. Tears began to form in the riders eyes. They couldn't believe it. Their friend was gone.

Ash felt the hot tears blurring his vision and escape his eyes. He didn't bother to wipe them away. He didn't have the strength to do anything but stand there. She was gone.

It just didn't seem fair. She'd come back into his life after six long years of waiting only to be taken from him. And he'd only had a few months with her. He'd wanted so much more. He had wanted to experience so many things with her. Marriage, children, getting old together. But now he would never have it.

The only thing that hurt worse was that he hadn't even told her he loved her.

And now he never would.

Stoick cradled Hicca against his chest. His daughter, his own flesh and blood, gone. And it had all been to save him. Him, the man who'd cast her out. The man who'd been the worst father in the world.

How could he live with himself?

He looked down into his child's face. She looked so peaceful. Like she would wake up anytime soon. Tears were suddenly on her face. That's when he realized he'd begun to cry. Normally Stoick would never shed tears. But he didn't care. He let them fall as the waves of sorrow and anguish washed over him.

"I'm sorry Stoick," came Gobber's solemn voice behind him.

Stoick didn't turn around. He just kept holding Hicca to him as his massive shoulder began to shake with sobs. "She did it to save me Gobber," he choked out. "I wish that bolt had killed me," he whispered out miserably.

"Don't say that Stoick. She did it because she loved you," Gobber offered

But it didn't do anything to curb his grief. "You're going to have to bury me Gobber," Stoick muttered.

Gobber's heart broke. Stoick had already been so much. He'd lost so many precious people in his life. It was a miracle he'd kept going all these years. But this, this might have been the thing to finally break him.

Gobber slowly reached out his hand and placed it on his friend's shoulder. Trying to offer what comfort he could. Meanwhile, Gothi came up and gave the chief an apologetic smile. But she ushered him to step back so she could cover the body.

Stoick reluctantly did. It took everything in him to let her body go. It took even more to take a step back. He watched as Gothi placed a light sheet over his little girl. He felt a piece of himself die.

Toothless, who was at the opposite side of the cot from Stoick, had his head on the bed near her hand. When the elder placed a sheet over her body he grumbled before taking it in his mouth and pulling it off her. He didn't want her to be too hot.

Gothi frowned before trying again. But once again Toothless removed the blanket. After a few more tries she gave up.

"We'll give her a proper funeral Stoick," Gobber said speaking up. "We'll make sure she gets the honor she deserves. We'll send her out to sea and light her way to Valhalla with fire."

Suddenly Toothless flared his wings open and roared. This shocked everyone one in the room as he stood protectively over Hicca's body and bared his fangs at Gobber. Gobber hadn't know what he'd done.

"She gone Toothless," Ash said stepping forward. "She's gone and we're going to honor her the proper way. The Viking way," he tried to tell the dragon. Toothless continued to growl and loom over Hicca. Ash tried to reach a hand out to comfort him when Toothless snapped his teeth at it, narrowly missing taking a few fingers.

"Toothless!" Ash yelled after making sure his hand was ok. He narrowed his eyes at the dragon. Why was he so against this? As he was about to take a step forward Toothless opened his mouth and Ash froze. He could see the faint blue glow at the back of his throat, a warning to stay back or else. Ash raised his hands up in surrender before backing away.

When he'd backed up a sufficient distance Toothless settled down. He rested his head on the bed once again near Hicca's left hand and cooed softly at her.

The others exchanged confused glances. How were they going to get Hicca's body away from him? And why was he being so protective of it? Did he not understand?

Gothi cocked an eyebrow at the Night Fury's behavior. It was one of the smartest dragon they'd ever encountered. Surely it could comprehend death. But something nagged at Gothi's mind. Slowly she stepped forward. Using her staff she moved Stoick and Gobber out of her way as she came to Hicca's right side. She looked cautiously at Toothless and saw he was ignoring her. She put her fingers on Hicca neck to feel for a pulse and felt nothing. Then she grabbed Hicca's wrist and still felt no pulse. Pursing her lips in thought she rose on her tip toes and rested her head against Hicca's chest.

She didn't hear anything. But something made her wait.

THUMP

Gothi's eyes widened in surprise. That couldn't be right. She kept her ear against Hicca's chest and waited. She didn't' hear anything. She frowned but remained still. Straining to hear anything.

THUMP

Now she was sure. She waited again. And though it seemed to take forever she heard the noise again. Hobbling to part of her hut where there was dirt to draw she began to scribble with her staff. Everyone in the room gathered around her and looked at her scribbles curiously.

"What she saying Gobber?" Stoick asked.

Gobber narrowed his eyes as he waited for Gothi to finish. And when she did what he interpreted made his eyes widen in disbelief.

"Gobber?" Stoick asked again.

"According to Gothi…Hicca is alive," he breathed out. The other's all gaped in shock.

"But how…" Stoick began before Gothi knocked him in the head with his staff. He looked down at the elder who was scowling up at him. Then she started to draw in the dirt again.

"Gothi says she was wrong," Gobber explained. "She thought Hicca's heart wasn't beating but the truth is its just beating very slowly," he revealed. "Her vitals are at a crawl."

Stoick almost couldn't believe it. He glanced over at Hicca's body. "But she isn't breathing," he said.

Gobber scratched his chin in thought. "Dagger," he said holding out a hand. Ruffnut placed one in it. Slowly he hobbled over to Hicca. Then he placed the blade of the dagger underneath her nose. After a moment he brought it up to his face.

The others watched curiously. Then suddenly he began to chuckle. Then it turned into an uproar of delighted laughter. "OH THOR ALMIGHTY!" he bellowed out. He turned around and looked at the others. "Come take a look at this," he said while offering the dagger to them. The all came forward to examine it. And they saw what he meant. Moisture. A slight amount of condensation had formed on the blade. And that could only mean one thing. Hicca was breathing.

"But how?" Ash asked.

Once again Gothi began drawing in the dirt. Gobber walked over to translate. "Gothi says that with her heart beating so slowly she doesn't need to take in as much air. That why we can't see her chest moving."

"But why is she like this? Will she be ok?" Ruffnut asked. They all exchanged glances.

"THAT MAKES SENSE!" someone in the room called out. Everyone looked over in surprise to find that it was Snotlout. He nodded enthusiastically, though no one else seem to get what he meant.

"He's right," Fishlegs suddenly piped in. They all looked to him as his eyes were wide in realization. "Think about it. When you're bitten by a snake on your arm and not near any healer's hut, what can you do?" he asked aloud.

"You'd wrap it up tightly to slow the poison down," Snotlout surprisingly answered.

Fishlegs nodded in agreement. "Right. But the spot where Hicca was shot makes it hard to do that. She had no idea if she'll make it to Berk so what does she do?" he asked. "She slows down her heart to slow down the poison rushing through her veins," he finished excitedly.

"Hicca told me that ninja can enter a meditative state so deep that they can slow down their hearts. This is what she's doing now," Snotlout explained. "She can still make it," he yelled out.

The other all smiled in happiness. This was excellent news. The twins banged their helmets together in happiness while Ash beamed. He looked at his girlfriend. His oh so clever girlfriend and smiled.

"We'd better give her that antidote," Gobber told Stoick. He nodded in agreement before looking to the elder. She nodded before getting to work. Within a few minutes she prepared and administered the antidote. They gathers around Hicca and looked at her expectantly. To their disappointment, she didn't move.

"Why isn't this working?" Stoick cried out in frustration.

Gothi began to draw in the dirt. "Gothi says that the poison has been in her system for some time. There is still a chance she won't make it. All we can do is wait," Gobber revealed.

Stoick's shoulder sagged in response. There was still a chance he could lose her.

"Don't you worry Stoick. That girl is as tough as nails. She'll pull through," Gobber said confidently.

Stoick shook himself from his pessimism. He was right. Hicca was a fighter. Always had been. He had to have faith in her.

"We'll take shifts watching her. I'll go first," he said firmly. The others nodded and turned to leave. They were exhausted. All save Ash. He was hesitant to leave. He wanted to stay by her side. Stoick walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Go home lad. Get some rest. She'll be here," he told him.

Ash looked up at his chief and remained still. But he relented with a nod. He spared on last glance at Hicca before turning and walking away.

Stoick pulled up a chair and sat beside Hicca's cot. Gothi went about her business, content to let the chief wait.

Stoick looked at his little girl. She was fighting for her life. He prayed that she would wake up. He had so much to tell her.


New chapter. Sorry for the suspense. But there you go.