On My Own

Author: Nightstar Fury of Nightstar Productions.

Rating: M for Mature.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Dreamworks HTTYD or Dreamworks Dragons. I also don't own any of the songs I use :p Now that we've established that...We can enjoy the story!

29; Visiting.

Making love to his wife the night they got back to their island was definitely what made his night perfect. He needed her, and she needed him. Not just sexually either, they kept each other pretty balanced when it came to any aspect of their life. The kids slept all night, except for Thurmond who woke up once to be changed and fed but he was right back to sleep an hour later. Hiccup couldn't of been happier to be home. Things were finally back to normal for him, and he didn't have to worry about Berk anymore. Well, not unless there was a problem Snotlout needed to speak to him about. For now though, with the queen defeated and the dragons free of her control, it looked promising that things would be quiet again. Even the weather was getting warmer again. Normal was exactly what Hiccup wanted.

Of course he knew from experience that it never stayed that way for long, so he might as well enjoy it while he could. As always, he was up first to do his rounds before the sun was. He sleepily made his way downstairs, got his brown armor on then woke Toothless. "Come on bud..." Toothless lazily yawned and got up, Nightstar looked up at him and went to get up as well. "You stay here girl, keep an eye on Syl and the kids for me." Nightstar licked his cheek and laid back down while Hiccup went outside with Toothless then got on his back. "Center tower my friend." Toothless launched towards the sky and landed on the small landing strip of the center tower where Viggo was.

"Good morning chief. I trust you slept well?" Viggo asked.

"I always sleep better at home. What do you have for me?" Hiccup asked with a small smile.

"Nothing at this time. It's been quiet, nothing spotted on patrols, everyone is in their homes, no storms." Viggo replied.

"Excellent." Hiccup smiled as he looked around from the top of the post. He loved seeing his village so peaceful in the wee hours of the morning. Nothing beat this feeling, nothing in the world could top the feeling of knowing his village was happy and safe. "When did your shift start?"

"I took over for Ryker I'd say around 5am. He said the same, quiet for his 4 hours from 1 to 5. And he told me the guard before him, Endre, said it was quiet as well." Viggo replied.

Hiccup nodded, "So you're on guard until 9am?" Viggo gave a curt nod to his chief. "Alright, I'll leave ya to it then." With that he and Toothless took off for ground patrols. Usually there was one guard in charge of smaller groups posted around the island itself. Hiccup caught up with his guard who was on his dragon and flew alongside.

"Mornin sir." The guard greeted.

"Morning, Oivind, how's it looking?" Hiccup asked.

"Just finished checking in with the beach groups. All directions cleared, and nothing in the village Everyone's safe in their homes abiding quiet hours chief," Oivind replied.

"That's what I like to hear." Hiccup smiled with a nod as he broke off with Toothless and the two just soared through the sky together. This was another feeling that couldn't be topped at all. Flying with his dragon, his best friend who made all he had possible. If it weren't for Hiccup shooting Toothless out of the sky, then them learning to fly together and getting off Berk, Hiccup wouldn't have a wife, 3 kids, and wouldn't have met Thurmond: the man who showed Hiccup what it was like to have a father, and in turn, Hiccup gave Thurmond himself as a son to the father. It had made his father's last year so joy-filled. Hiccup had so much and he could only thank Toothless for it all. The friendship of a boy and his dragon made it all possible. Hiccup only smiled wide as the wind whipped through his hair and he enjoyed the darkness which in about 10 minutes would change to sunrise, another sight he loved seeing.

It wasn't hard to make Hiccup happy: he just wanted to see everyone else happy. That was enough for him, for them to be safe and happy, to know he was directly involved in such a reaction. This is what he lived for. "Chief Hiccup!" A guard called to him, he looked back to see Viggo coming towards him on Sparkburn.

"What is it? You see something, Viggo?" Hiccup asked quickly, he'd just left center tower not even 15 minutes ago. It was fine when he left.

"Something washed up on the Western beach..." Viggo replied.

"Something, what kind of something?" Hiccup asked now.

"Something you won't believe sir. And I should be more specific, one of the younger Thunderdums pushed it ashore. Chief...It's a child." Viggo answered softly.

A child? Why would a child wash up on the beach? Not wasting another moment, Hiccup flew to the Western beach and landed in the sand as he saw four guards huddled around something. "Out of the way!" Hiccup said dismounting from Toothless and walking through the guards, who parted to let him through. Sure enough, lying almost unconscious in the sand...well, half in the sand and half in the water, was a child with black hair. No older than nine and male. "Carefully pull him out of the water! Toothless, come here bud..." Hiccup ordered. His dragon came to him as he got a blanket out of the saddlebag and laid it out on the beach where the guards laid the child down.

Hiccup knelt down and placed his fingers to the side of the boy's neck to check for a pulse: there was one but it was faint. To make sure, Hiccup placed his hand near the boy's mouth and nose and Hiccup felt relieved as he felt the boy's breath on his hand. Hiccup wrapped the blanket around him, picked him up carefully and took him to Iris's home, knowing she wouldn't be at her healer hut yet, Hiccup knocked on the door quickly. Two minutes later, Iris answered almost tiredly. "Chief? Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah, this kid was brought to the Western beach by a Thunderdrum. He's got a weak pulse, and is breathing but ice cold to the touch..." Hiccup explained. Iris opened the door more now, clearly wide awake.

"Bring him inside, quickly. Lay him on the couch just over there..." Iris stated, Hiccup did so as Iris closed the door then rushed over after getting her box with supplies in it. Hiccup stepped back to stay out of her way, and began nervously pacing back and forth, wondering if the child would make it. When Hiccup saw him, he was lying on a piece of driftwood and was certainly unconscious but who knew how long he'd been in the water? Iris finally stood after putting a few extra blankets on the boy, sighing.

"Is he...going to make it?" Hiccup asked worried.

"Yes. He was in the water for quite a while, I'd estimate 1-2 hours. He has minor injuries, nothing that won't heal and scab over in a few days or so. I'm not sure what happened, sir, but I suppose we'll have to wait until he wakes up to ask him..." Iris replied. Before Hiccup could say anything, there was a knock on Iris's door. He arched a brow, confused, and walked over to open it to see Oivind there with an unconscious little girl in his arms.

"We got another one. Scauldron brought her to shore on the South beach. She was awake when the guards reached her, they said all she said was 'Erik'. Then she passed out. I brought her right here." Oivind said in a hushed tone, Hiccup inspected the girl: she couldn't of been older than six and she had dark brown hair that looked black. What was going on, why were all these kids washing up on Fury Isle?! Iris wasted no time.

"She isn't nearly as cold as the boy though. Lay her down here...I'll look over her. Go on home, I'll let you know when there's a change in them..." Iris said softly, Oivind laid the girl down as Hiccup nodded and left. Getting on Toothless, they returned home where Sylvi was awake with the kids now and getting them ready for the day.

"There you are my love. How was patrol?" Sylvi asked smiling as she greeted Hiccup with a kiss to his cheek.

"It went...fine...until two kids were brought to shore by the tidal class dragons." Hiccup sighed, sitting down. Sylvi quickly sat beside him.

"Kids? What happened?" Sylvi asked right away.

"I don't know. Viggo informed me a young Thunderdrum brought a child to the West beach. The kid had to be nine years old and holding a piece of wood. I took him to Iris, she said he had to of been in the water an hour or two. Then Oivind brings me a girl, who can't be older than six who was brought to the South beach by a Scauldron. She was awake when the guards go her and all she said was 'Erik'. Both of them are unconscious with Iris now..." Hiccup explained.

"Seems like they were shipwrecked or...maybe lost?" Sylvi suggested.

"I don't know, babe. All I can do is wait for them to wake up and hopefully tell me what happened." Hiccup sighed. Sylvi put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"And I will be right there beside you." Sylvi said laying her head on Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup kissed her forehead as they sat there while the hours ticked by. Hiccup did get an update after breakfast, but it wasn't one he was expecting. Now around 9:30am, Eret approached him with Skullcrusher following.

"Yes?" Hiccup asked.

"We have visitors sir...Coming from the West..." Eret pointed towards the sky. Hiccup looked to see Cloud Jumper and...Grump? Pulling out his spy glass he saw that it was indeed his mother on Cloud Jumper and Gobber on Grump. Great, just want he didn't need right now! After five minutes, his mother and Gobber landed near him and dismounted their dragons.

"If you're going to tell me to come back and forgive him, you better just mount up and go back now." Hiccup crossed his arms over his chest angrily.

"We just came to see if you were alright, son." Valka stated gently.

"You didn't come four days from Berk to ask if I was alright," Hiccup retorted.

"Lad...we scolded Stoick for what happened. The chief, his fiancee, and her brother too. He knows he messed up, but we didn't come all this way to have you forgive him. I personally don't blame ya one bit," Gobber added.

Hiccup sighed: he didn't need this right now. "Look, I appreciate you coming all this way to check on me but now is not the time."

"Looks calm to me." Valka pointed out.

"Just because it looks calm, doesn't mean it is...To answer your question, no. I'm not alright. First he fails as a father and chief to me, then gets on my case about having a father who succeeded where he failed? Saying Thurmond wasn't my father, that my marriage isn't real?!" Hiccup stated.

"I know lad, I know...yer mother here slapped him after you left." Gobber remarked.

"And that is supposed to make me feel better? I punched him and I don't feel better," Hiccup sighed.

"Hello Mrs. Haddock and Gobber." came Astrid's voice. Hiccup face-palmed. More unnecessary people around him-he knew Fishlegs was there too. It'd been 3 ½ hours and still no update on this kids waking up: Hiccup was worried about them and wanted to know what the hell happened.

"'Ello lassie. Settlin' in okay?" Gobber asked.

"Mmhm. I love my house," Astrid smiled now.

"Alright, you four can go catch up...I've got work to do," Hiccup said, preparing to leave.

"Hiccup, I wasn't done talking to you..." Valka sighed.

"Mother, I am not in the mood. I have got much more pressing matters to deal with than listening to you tell me I should forgive Stoick. I know you're going to try and even though you saw everything and heard everything, you will still defend him like he's some kind of saint," Hiccup stated.

"What did I ever do to get your anger?" Valka asked now.

"You mean besides abandon me for 18 years? Now you're defending the man who treated me like shit, broke his promises, and spoke ill of a man who was there for me. You have zero room to talk to me about forgiveness when the sole reason you stayed away from Berk after you were taken was because you couldn't forgive Stoick for never wanting to even try to find peace! So don't you dare lecture me about forgiving him when you haven't done the same!" Hiccup snapped.

"Hiccup...that's not fair to say," Valka replied softly now.

"Isn't it?! Is it the truth? You stayed away from Berk because you couldn't stand that Stoick would never change. You knew that when you learned the truth about the dragons. You chose to stay away from Berk, him...and ME! YOUR SON! You are literally no better than he is. He ignored me, and you abandoned me. He wouldn't forgive dragons for taking you and you won't forgive him for killing dragons. You could have come back, you could have checked in on me, you could have hidden Cloud Jumper. You could have literally done anything else but abandon me to be hated by Stoick and that entire village to the point that at 14 years old I said 'Fuck it!' and exiled myself. I didn't care if I died out on my own. In fact, I even said I'd rather be dead that live under Stoick's rule any longer that day, seven years ago!" Hiccup yelled at her.

"Hiccup...Please...just listen..." Valka tried.

"No. I'm done listening to him and you! You both screwed up. When we literally ran into one another two years ago and I found out you were my mother...yes, I was happy you were alive after I believed you to be dead all that time. But that doesn't change the fact you still willingly knew you could have come back and chose NOT too. Just like he chose to hate me because I wasn't his kind of Viking. And if I recall the day we ran into one another in the sky: you even said you thought your son would be a great dragon killer like his father. So you referred to me as being like him and not like you...so you stayed away because you thought you wouldn't be able to change my mind about dragons. I wasn't viking enough for him and I'm not dragon lover enough for you. That's why you both stayed away from me. Because both of you thought I wouldn't be like the you! Well, I've had it with not being enough for either of you."

Valka had tears in her eyes now. She couldn't even argue with him because she knew it was true. "Hiccup...I'm...sorry...Please forgive me, I know I made bad choices...I admitted to that...But we found each other again, and you welcomed me..."

"I did welcome you, yes, but now that Stoick is back in your life, I see how similar you two are. The both of you only cared about your own selves instead of me. Stoick loved his village more than me, and you loved those dragons more than me. I wasn't enough for either of you to give a damn about. But..I'm enough to this village, my wife, and kids. He never listened to me, or gave me a chance. Stoick assumed I would be like you. And you never checked on me or gave me a chance. You assumed I was like him. You both are so alike it's not even funny anymore. You defend yourself and him when both of you are just cowards. He ignored me, and you abandoned me. Well now I am choosing to ignore and abandon both of you. I don't need either of you anymore. I made it just fine ON MY OWN. So you can get back on your dragon-who you loved more than me-and go back to Berk. I'm done with this," Hiccup stated firmly. "That's not a suggestion either. I will bring the kids to see you when I visit Chief Snotlout for business. I want you gone in the next five minutes, Valka..." Hiccup turned away from her.

"Am...I allowed to stay?" Gobber asked.

"You are always welcome here my friend." Hiccup stated, "Go, mother. Go be with your husband. After all, he lost you for 21 years...I think you two deserve one another. So go...and don't ever come back. Just like him, you're no longer welcome on my island." Valka bit her lower lip, mounted Cloud Jumper and took off back West towards Berk.

"Lad...are you…?" Gobber began but Hiccup put his head down now and turned to walk away from them.

"No Gobber...no, I'm not alright. I just want to be alone for a while..." Hiccup said before getting on Toothless and taking off. Gobber, Astrid, and Fishlegs sighed heavily now but moved along the paths, continuing to talk. Around an hour later; closer to 11am, Hiccup returned with Toothless. Sylvi was first to come to his side on Nightstar.

"The entire village heard that argument with your mother..." Sylvi said.

"I know they did. It needed to be said...and right now I'm calm, so I don't want to talk about it," Hiccup sighed.

"Of course love...But I have...kind'a good news for you...Iris sent Alva to me about ten minutes ago...Those kids from this morning, the boy is up," Sylvi said softly.

"Well then what are we waiting for? Who has Thurmond and the twins?" Hiccup asked.

"Dad and Gunnar," Sylvi smiled to him, Hiccup nodded as the two took off with their Night Furies towards Iris's home. "We should leave the dragons out here so we don't scare them," Sylvi suggested.

"Good idea. Toothless, you and Nightstar stay here okay?" Hiccup asked, Toothless nodded happily as he and Nightstar laid down in front of the house keeping guard. Hiccup knocked first as Iris opened the door smiling.

"Hello, Chief," Iris greeted, letting them inside straight away then she shut the door behind her as Hiccup laid eyes on the young male from this morning. He didn't see the girl and looked towards Iris. "I moved her upstairs so she'd be more comfortable." Hiccup nodded now and looked again at the boy, he put on a smile walking towards him.

"W-Who are...you...?" asked the boy, backing up on the couch a bit.

"Hey, it's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise..." Hiccup said as the boy calmed down a little.

"Where...am I...Who are...y-you...?" he asked.

"You're on Fury Isle, son. We found you in the water and brought you here, I'm the chief of the island...Hiccup Hagebak." Hiccup introduced himself softly. "Can you tell me your name?" It was weird, this was the same conversation he'd had with Thurmond when he woke up after two days of being unconscious.

"It's...Erik. You found me...in the water?" The boy named Erik asked. Hiccup nodded but suddenly Erik started panicked and tried to get up. "Where's Ella! Did...you find Ella too!? We got...separated in the waves and fog..." Erik almost cried.

"Hey, it's okay...calm down! Is Ella a little girl of about six with brown-black hair?" Hiccup asked him. Erik stopped and nodded quickly to him. Hiccup smiled a bit now as he stood up and offered his hand to Erik. "She's right upstairs sleeping...I'll take you to her. You can trust me." Hiccup said. Erik slowly took his hand and walked with Hiccup up the stairs to the room Iris had put the little girl-now known as Ella-in. Hiccup opened the door revealing Ella awake and looking around, scared.

"Ella!" Erik said letting go of Hiccup's hand and rushing to the Ella on the bed.

"Erik...!" Ella cried as the two embraced one another. Sylvi smiled, holding Hiccup's hand as they watched the sight. "I was so scared when...we got taken away from one another...I thought I was...going to drown but a...dragon saved me and brought me to shore..."

"I don't...know how I got to shore..." Erik said now.

"My guards told me that a Thunderdrum pushed you ashore. So you two know one another?" Hiccup asked going to the foot of the bed now. Both kids nodded.

"Ella is...my little sister...We were...escaping our island and...were stuck at sea for...two weeks before a storm separated us..." Erik explained as he held Ella close.

"Can you tell us why you were escaping your island?" Sylvi asked now.

"Who...are you?" Ella asked now afraid.

"This is Sylvi Hagebak, she's my wife. And the woman over there is Iris, the village healer," Hiccup introduced.

"Thank you...for saving my sister and me..." Erik bowed his head.

"You're welcome. Can you tell us why you were escaping your island?" Hiccup asked again.

"Mean men came to the island. Mommy said it was war...Daddy put us on a small boat and pushed us away from the island where the men couldn't see us...They...told us to take care of one another and be safe..." Erik said quietly, looking down. Sylvi gasped softly, pulling Hiccup aside.

"Hiccup, we have to send someone to check their island. There could be survivors..." Sylvi said quickly.

"I know...But we don't know where their island is and I don't think it's safe to take them to find it..." Hiccup sighed as he faced the kids now.

"We can't go home...everyone is dead. The mean men found Dad and Mom after we were sailing away...They died protecting us..." Erik whimpered a bit. Hiccup looked at Sylvi now, their eyes doing all the talking. Hiccup knew what it felt like to be on your own with no one there for you but your friend. Even though Erik and Ella were siblings, it didn't matter. Their parents sent them away to be safe and now they had nothing and nowhere to go.

"Hiccup...are you sure about this?" Sylvi asked finally.

"More than ever, Syl...When I came here with nothing...Thurmond took me in without a second thought. He adopted me, and gave me a new life. There's no...way I can walk away from this after all Thurmond did for me. And now...I want to do the same for others like me. They have nothing and no where to go...We can't just abandon them. I already...know how that feels." Hiccup said. Sylvi smiled softly cupping his cheek.

"I understand love. We'll take them in and give them a new home and life." Sylvi nodded. Hiccup faced the two kids now.

"Would you two like to stay here? On Fury Isle with my wife, kids, and I?" Hiccup asked.

"Are you...gonna be our new parents?..." Ella asked softly now. Sylvi and Hiccup looked at one another again then smiled to the kids.

"If you'd like us to be, than we don't mind at all being your new parents," Sylvi said now.

Ella and Erik looked at one another now and smiled to Hiccup and Sylvi. "We want to stay with you..." Erik said now. Hiccup couldn't help the joy he felt so he moved closer to them and opened his arms as both kids got up and hugged him before Sylvi joined the hug as well.

"Then from now on you two are part of the dragon riders tribe and members of the Hagebak family," Hiccup said happily.

"You hear that sis? .We have a home again..." Erik said. Hiccup smiled widely. He knew that he and Sylvi couldn't replace the parents they lost but they could still be there for them as parents regardless. The four remained in the hug for a good while before breaking apart.

"Well, I think we should get these two to their new house and introduce them to the rest of the family." Sylvi suggested. Hiccup nodded as they prepared to leave together.

"Oh before we leave kids...There's one other thing you should know about Fury Isle..." Hiccup pushed the door open revealing the sight of everyone walking around with dragons. "We have peace with dragons and we ride them," Hiccup said as Toothless and Nightstar got up, looking at the children with their riders now. Ella hid behind Sylvi's leg as Erik backed up against Hiccup. The two dragons sniffed the kids then gave gummy smiles, Ella now slowly approached Toothless and looked at him with her head tilted before giggling.

"He's toothless..." she pointed out.

"That's his name too. Toothless. And that dragon next to him, her name is Nightstar." Sylvi smiled.

"You ride dragons?" Erik asked now.

"They are our friends. Toothless, Nightstar...Meet Erik and Ella, two new members of the tribe and Hagebak family." Hiccup said. Toothless licked Ella's cheek and Nightstar nuzzled against Erik's hand. The two kids smiled happily now as the dragons were affectionate towards them: Hiccup and Sylvi could see that they already loved them, and the kids loved the dragons. It was going to be a perfect match up, and one of the best decisions they ever made to adopt these two kids as their own.