Okay, so 1) I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while but I'm doing it now and 2) I'm going to have a little mini-rant real quick.

So my rant: this is MY story. No one else's. I appreciate the input and the feedback and the ideas and all that but when it comes down to it, this is my story. No, I don't own the characters but I've made them how I want them to be in this story. And I can change their names or how they look or how they act to however I feel like. I've had a few comments throughout the course of this story that have hurt my feelings a little bit, but I didn't say anything. But this is my story and I will write it how I want. I'm sorry if you don't like the fact that Jack ran away or something like that but I was afraid the story was getting boring so I added it in. He's not an ass, it's just a cover(which I've said about 5 times!) So please, just accept my story for how it is because I write to get away from the standards that people hold me to and then I get comments or PM's that make me feel like I'm not writing good enough to hold your attention. (And this next thing goes for all stories because I'm about 87% sure that everyone feels this way.) Think about what sort of comment or message you're sending before you do it because we(us authors) may not seem like we have feelings because we're all on the internet and stuff so we seem untouchable but we do and we aren't and they can get hurt. So just be considerate. Please. ^END RANT^

This story is not yet over, BTW. I'm going to have a few more chapters. I'm not sure how many, but there will be a few more chapters and then I'm thinking of doing a sequel story following Rosaline's life. What do you guys think? Let me know!:) Thanks loves!:)

~Isabelle

P.S. There's gonna be a different POV this chapter! Enjoy!:D


Chapter 28: First Fevers and Soul Searching

Astrid POV

4 Months Later

Ding dong. I stand out on the front porch, waiting for someone to open the door. I check my watch to make sure it's not an unreasonable hour. Seven in the morning is a perfectly acceptable time, right? The deadbolt turns and the door opens with a click of a lock, revealing a tired-looking Elsa.

"Astrid? What are you doing here?" She yawns.

"I wanted to come visit my god daughter! It's been like, three days!" I exclaim, walking into the house. Elsa chuckles and closes the door behind me before leading me to the kitchen.

"Coffee?" She asks, opening the cabinet door.

"Yes, please!" I reply. She laughs again and grabs two mugs. She sets them beside the coffee pot and turns to face me.

"You were lucky I was already awake. I just put Rosaline back to sleep, but she'll probably be up again in an hour or two." She tells me.

"And you, you little genius, already had coffee going." I inhale deeply while sitting down on one of the bar stools. Elsa pours two cups of coffee and hands me one as she carefully sips hers.

"So, how are you and Hiccup?" She wiggles her eyebrows at me suggestively and I hit her arm.

"Shut up. We haven't even been married for four months yet. What do you mean how are Hiccup and I?"

"What I mean isssssss..." Elsa drags out, "Have you guys made any plans for a... Rosaline?"

"Elsa!" I exclaim and she giggles behind her cup.

"Even if you guys haven't planned, I wouldn't be surprised if something showed up. I don't even want to think about where all you've had sex in your house. You guys are going to have to thoroughly disinfect that place before I bring Rosie over there."

"Hmph! How rude!" I huff.

"Oh my God, you watched Full House?" She asks.

"Are you kidding me?" I ask, thankful for the change in topic, "I lived off of that show!"

"I know right? I have all of the seasons on DVD and I'm going to make Rosaline watch them when she's older." Elsa laughs.

"Invite me over! She'll be watching them for the first time and we'll be quoting right along with the actors!"

"Or when Jesse brings home all those girls? We'll just be like, 'Wait til Becky comes along.'" She sing-songs.

"Yes!" I point at her to make a point and we both dissolve into laughter. Once we calm down we sit in a comfortable silence, drinking our coffee. "So, have you talked to Jack lately?"

"Uh, yeah," She traces her pinkie finger around the rim of her cup, "We Skyped last night so he could see Rosie. You should've seen her face when she saw her daddy. It was so cute. I actually think Jack took a snap-shot of it."

"Isn't London like, six hours ahead of us?" I ask.

"Oh yeah, it was like one in the morning over there." She nods, "But that sounds like a him problem."

"Definitely. You know―" I'm cut off by the baby moniter.

"What? It's only been half an hour! Excuse me, I'll be right back." Elsa runs out of the room. I drink my coffee and look around the kitchen, which Elsa decorated herself. I glance over at the picture of Elsa, Jack, and Rosaline and find myself wishing for something like that. Hiccup and I hadn't really talked about having kids, but we'd just gotten married. I know Hiccup has a soft spot for Rosaline so I'm like... 96% certain that he wants kids. I sigh and look back at my nearly empty mug.

"Astrid!" Elsa shouts, sounding stressed. I bolt up and run up to Rosaline's room.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" I ask.

"Does she feel warm to you?" She passes me Rosie and I gently feel her forehead, finding it hotter than usual.

"Yeah, a little bit." I say.

"Oh no," She moans, grabbing a thermometer from a basket on the changing table and takes Rosie's temperature. It beeps and she checks it, moaning again.

"It's 100.9 degrees! Oh God, what am I supposed to do?" She cries.

"Elsa, Elsa calm down." I put my hands on her shoulders, "Babies get fevers."

"But not my baby!" She disagrees.

"This was going to happen eventually. It doesn't seem to be that high of a temp. Call her doctor and ask about what you should do."

"Yeah, yeah. Call the doctor. That's smart. Will you take her?"

"Of course." Elsa carefully hands me Rosaline again, pressing a kiss to her little forehead, and rushes out of the room to go call the doctor. I gently rock Rosaline and look down at her flushed, rosy cheeks.

"You poor baby," I coo, "It'll be okay. I'm sure it's just a cold. We can give you some medicine and it will be all better." I walk out of her room and down the stairs, to the kitchen. "I think you're supposed to get some fluids. How about some water?" I shift her weight into one arm and use the other to search the cabinets for a baby bottle. Once I find one, I fill it up with water and try to get Rosie to drink from it.

"Okay," Elsa comes running into the room with the phone in her hand, "The doctor said that her fever wasn't dangerously high so that we just need to give her some medicine to try and bring the fever down. And I can't bundle her in blankets or give her a cold bath. He said to give her aspirin which should help drop it."

"Do you have aspirin?" I ask.

"I don't know!" Elsa runs out again, leaving me to rock her daughter. She comes back in with a tiny white bottle and an even smaller tablet.

"Will she be able to swallow that?" I question.

"Yeah. The doctor said she should." Elsa motions for me to give her Rosaline, which I do, and gives her the pill.

"What now?" I ask.

"I don't know," Elsa shrugs, "We wait, I guess. I should probably tell Jack she has a fever, so he knows."

"Do you want to put her back to sleep?" I nod towards Rosie.

"No, I'll just hold her, but we can go sit down in the living room." She suggests.

"Sounds good." I reply. Elsa and I walk through the dining room and into the living room, her sitting on the couch and me sitting on a beanbag.

"You can sit on a chair Astrid." Elsa laughs.

"Oh please, the bean bags are way more comfortable. I think you're cheating you're guests." I tell her.

"I'm so very sorry." She apologizes sarcastically.

"Okay, so I know it's none of my business―"

"Oh God―"

"―But I have to ask―"

"―Can we not?―"

"―Why'd you let Jack back?" I finish. Elsa stares at me and takes a deep breath.

"I don't know, okay?" She whispers.

"Elsa, he left you! He hurt you! I was perfectly willing to throttle him!"

"But he came back! Isn't that what matters?" She retorts.

"Who's to sat he won't do it again?" I counter.

"He's met Rosaline. You can't just leave Rosaline!" Elsa argues.

"Dad's leave their daughters. It's not an uncommon thing. They leave after they get to know the kid! It's not impossible!" I say.

"But Jack's not like that!"

"He did it once, he can do it again." I stress.

"That's a maybe!"

"Is that a risk you want to take?"

"I don't know! But I need help Astrid! I can't raise a kid by myself! And she needs her dad."

"He's a runner Elsa. You saw it. He ran, after nothing even happened! You were no where close to having that baby and he ran away. What does that say about him?"

"I- I don't know!"

"Do you want Rosie to get attached and then have to deal with him leaving again? Because it sucks Elsa, it sucks thinking you're the reason your dad left or that you ruined your parents marriage."

"What do you mean?" Elsa looks at me, "Did your dad leave you Astrid?" I look down at my hands and try to swallow back the tears.

"Yeah, he left when I was seven. It sucked Elsa; I ruined my parents 'marriage.'" I cry.

"Of course you didn't!" Elsa says.

"That's what he said. His exact words were 'And thank the bastard for fucking up my life.' He wrote a note to us and that was the last thing it said." I tell her.

"That doesn't make any sense. You're not a bastard; that's an illegitimate child."

"They were never married. Mom got pregnant with me at seventeen and they thought 'What was the point?'"

"Is that even illegitimate?" Elsa asks.

"He seemed to think so... But I don't know. His family was super religious so when Mom got pregnant, they disowned him. I guess it messed him up more than he let on." I shrug.

"But I saw your dad at your wedding."

"Step-dad. Though he's the only guy who's ever acted like a father towards me. I guess that's why it's easy to call him Dad. I wish Spencer had been my dad. But he loves me like his own daughter so I guess it just goes to show." I shrug.

"Goes to show what?"

"That blood really doesn't make a family; love does." I take a deep breath, "Elsa, just because Jack's the father, doesn't mean he's a dad."

"I know that, but what other choice do I have?"

"They may be related by blood, but think about everything that happened. He could grow to resent her; poisoned blood!"

"Okay, now I think you're being a little over-dramatic."

"Maybe I am, but it's only because I care about both of you. Speaking of which, I'm really surprised Rose fell asleep in your arms during that conversation." I muse.

"Yelling seems to relax her," Elsa makes a face, "I have no idea why."

"You really are a great mom Elsa, you don't need Jack." I say.

"I'm not going to take his daughter away from him. Until he gives me a reason not to, he'll be able to contact Rosaline." Elsa states. I sense that she's not budging from her standpoint and decide to let it drop. For now.

"So when is Jack coming back?" I ask.

"In a couple weeks."

"Are you throwing him a welcome back party?"

"You should ask your husband." Elsa replies.

"What?" I ask.

"He's in charge of it. He volunteered and everything. To be honest, I wasn't even going to do anything besides pick Jack up from the airport. And I was debating putting that task on you guys." Elsa admits.

"How long has Hiccup known about this party." I demand.

"About three hours after Jack boarded the plane." Elsa laughs, "He was really excited."

I huff and slump down in my beanbag chair before standing up. "Alright, text me when Rosie's fever breaks. I have to go have a chat with my husband."

"Bye." Elsa calls as I let myself out.

I walk to my car and get in, taking out my phone and pulling up Hiccup's number. It rings twice before he picks up.

"Hey babe, what's up?" He answers.

"How long have you been in charge of Jack's welcome back party?"

"Shit!"


Hope you enjoyed; please review!:)

(And for whoever told me there wasn't a June 31st, that was a typo and if you could let me know what chapter that is so I can fix it that would be great!:D)

~Isabelle