Fifty Five: A simpler solution.

"Are you sure you don't want to do this yourself?" Fishlegs was very determined in avoiding helping and for the life of him, Hiccup couldn't understand why. After all, the boy had lent his name to the objection to Viggo's unauthorised development up on Raven Point and had helped Hiccup when he needed to catch out Cami and Snotlout.

"Fish-I need someone who is really really good with computers-and that person is you," he pointed out to the husky young man as they sat in Astrid's basement two days before New Year. The snows has eased up but the roads up to Raven Point were still blocked-though they were due to be cleared the next day. He knew he could probably make it in his Jeep but he wasn't keen to risk it-especially since Astrid was determined to come up with him. She had already almost been run down by just walking along a street with him" he didn't want to accidentally kill her by driving off the road because it was obscured by snow.

"But you are pretty handy as well…" the husky teen protested as Hiccup crouched down before him and looked into the round blue-green eyes.

"Finlay Ingerman-is there some reason why you don't want to help me?" he asked pointedly and the blush and shifty look in the other teen's eyes told him the answer.

"No…yes…oh Thor…" he mumbled. Hiccup dropped his head.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I promised my parents I wouldn't get into trouble in the coming year!" he squeaked and Astrid frowned.

"And how is getting up an e-petition getting into trouble?" she asked astutely. There was an awkward pause.

"Because my Dad wants me to get an internship in local government to strengthen my application for an Ivy League School," he admitted shamefacedly. "And I know if I cause trouble, they won't want me!" Hiccup frowned.

"Did someone suggest this to your father?" he asked suspiciously and Fishlegs almost looked offended.

"Why would you say that?" he asked huffily. Astrid frowned.

"Because you hate local government," she reminded him. "You dislike how they interfere with local organisations, introduce petty rules and taxes that limit individual freedoms and seem to have no interest in the environment!"

"And this is all about the environment," Hiccup reminded him. "Raven Point has an extremely rare ancient subarctic forest ecology that is being literally ripped apart by the developers. Priceless flora and fauna are being lost. And local government is allowing this to happen."

"Besides…organising a petition shows you are engaged in local politics and are using the legal mechanisms to apply pressure upon the representatives of the people locally to enact their will," Astrid continued.

"My careers counsellor said that sort of things was precisely what Ivy League schools want in their prospective students. Leadership, innovation, courage…rather than sitting in an office authorising parking fines…" Hiccup added seductively. "Come on, Fish! You'd hate being stuck to a computer doing something that boring all day!"

There was a pause and Fishlegs huffed. He was clearly wavering…but also very stubborn.

"But I promised…"

"Fish…you can make a difference," Hiccup persisted. "You're smarter than these guys. You can help us outmanoeuvre them. You can protect all those plants…you know you want to…"

There was another pause as Astrid and Hiccup shared a look and Anna and Kristof crossed their fingers and held their breath.

"I hate that about me!" Fishlegs said. "Alright. What do you want me to do?" Astrid looked over at Hiccup and suddenly, the auburn-haired teen found the pressure on him. He allowed his emerald gaze to slide over the room, seeing the eyes of his new friends on him and there, beyond sight but very much in his heart, his parents.

"I think…you need to appeal to them as Berkians," he said, hearing his father's voice in his memory. "Raven Point is part of our heritage, a place where we go to walk and picnic, to swim in the bay and party in the summer. And it is under threat by developers, is being destroyed. And you want support. Sign a petition to preserve Raven Point for all of Berk, to save Raven Point for us all!" His voice had grown stronger and more passionate.

"No mention of Viggo?" Astrid asked, surprised but he smiled.

"That will add confusion and some people may be influenced by a businessman…maybe a customer or employer…but if we are asking to protect a natural resource that belongs to us all, it may be more…straightforward…" he said. "Save Raven Point for us all!" He frowned. "I have some pictures of the forest in its prime…and some of the destruction…" He pulled out his phone and thumbed down his images. "I'll send them to you, Fish…"

"And I can use the group message for the whole of Berk High," the other boy mused. "Hmm…I'll check the format for setting up an e-Petition…"

"While the rest of us can format a paper one to pick up people shopping in town…maybe we can canvas…" Astrid suggested.

"We definitely want to help!" Anna volunteered and they all huddled around Fishlegs's computer.

"Okay," the husky teen said. "We'll do the paper petition first…"

oOo

Hoark's office was open on New Year's Eve for those last few end-of-year emergencies but he was surprised to see a well wrapped-up Hiccup walk into the warm and cosy office, with Toothless walking alongside, tail wagging. The old lawyer was in the reception area, making himself a cup of coffee from the machine and he smiled as he saw the young man walk in, his cheeks red with the cold and messy hair covered by a large black beanie, a scarf pulled up over his nose to keep him warm.

"Good morning, Hiccup!" he said cheerfully, sloshing out another mug and adding a generous slug of UHT milk. "You look as if you need this." Carefully closing the door behind him, the young man nodded, pulling his scarf down and shedding his gloves before gratefully grasping the warm mug and taking a quick sip.

"Thank, Mr Hoark," he said, his teeth chattering. "Did you have a good Christmas?" The man nodded.

"Yes, I did, thank you," he admitted with a nostalgic smile. "Our children came round for the day with our grandchildren-poor little Fenrir didn't know what to make of it and hid in the bedroom…" He inspected the lean young man, sipping the hot coffee and his smile faded. "How were you, lad?" Eyes flicking up, Hiccup managed a shrug.

"I'm not saying it was easy because it wasn't, sir," he said thoughtfully. "But I had more fun than I expected. I spent the time with my girlfriend and her family." Bushy eyebrows rising, Hoark stared at him.

"Hmm-I understood that you and your lady ended your relationship…" the lawyer said delicately and the boy managed a smile.

"My former girlfriend, Cameron Bogthorpe," he explained. "Um…I have a new girlfriend…Astrid Hofferson…" The lawyer chuckled.

"Teens," he commented and then sipped his coffee as Toothless settled down, his tail still wagging. "Now, I know you didn't come here just to check my holiday was satisfactory, Hiccup." The young man delved in his rucksack and retrieved a bottle, wrapped in craft paper.

"Actually, I did bring you this," he explained as Hoark looked shocked but opened the present-to find a bottle of vintage mead. "It's not much-and it was Dad's," he explained. "I grabbed it by accident when I was clearing the house." The lawyer nodded and stared at it-then smiled.

"Thank you," he said. "I will treasure it-and we'll open it together when I correct the Will and get your home back!" Hiccup grinned at that and then fished in his pocket.

"I also want you to have this," he said, handing over a flash drive. "It's copies of all my Dad's plans for Raven Point, including the development plans that should have been discussed but weren't, the acknowledgement that the plans were received and the Protection Order that was enacted. I wonder…could we see why the plans weren't discussed? I know Dad died…but I own some of the land involved in the development and my name is on the petition as well…so it should have gone ahead regardless." Hoark carefully put the deep brown bottle down and nodded, grasping his coffee and sipping it, inspecting the flash drive carefully.

"I will keep it safe," he promised. "And once the New Year's Day holiday is over, we can investigate further…" Hiccup drained his cup and then pulled his hat back on.

"I'm heading up to Raven Point after this-to check if Viggo is keeping to the injunction you got against him," he said. "I kind of get the impression he may still be going ahead in the assumption the people he's bought will ensure he wins the case." Hoark suddenly stepped forward, his hand resting firmly on the young man's shoulder.

"Be careful," he reminded the young man, staring into the defiant emerald eyes. "All my researches indicate he is a man who doesn't take defeat or the prospect of it well. He may seek a simpler solution to all his problems-removing any opposition…and the weather is inclement, the roads are slippery…ideal conditions for a car crash." Hiccup pulled his gloves on.

"Don't worry," he assured the lawyer. "I've got the advantage…because I know what I'm looking out for. They won't get me!"

oOo

Astrid had insisted they bring supplies, a whole box of Anna's flapjacks and cup cakes, sandwiches, potato chips, flasks of tea and water bottles and he had insisted they also included chews for Toothless. They also brought a shovel, snow chains, blankets and warm clothing to ensure that they were prepared for everything. And the heater was on full blast as they headed out of town.

"You know, my Mom is only allowing this because it's you," she told him, sitting back and staring into the road ahead. She was wearing her white woolly hat, scarf and coat in the car, her azure eyes thoughtful.

"Because I'm your boyfriend?" he suggested, keeping his eyes on the road. They were pretty much the only vehicle heading this way out of town, though there were fresh tyre tracks evident on the cleared and salted road. The trees were heavy with snow and looked magical and the land was softened by the winter-but the sky was clear and an icy blue and watery winter sun was weakly trying to warm the frigid land. She smiled, appreciating the heated front seats.

"No-for some reason, she imagines you're a good driver," she told him sarcastically.

"I am a good driver," he told her in a mock-hurt voice. "I mean, I got us home…"

"And you drove sensibly and safely through the blizzard-which impressed her," Astrid pointed out. Stealing a glance at her, he deliberately feigned a small zig-zag on the empty road. "AGH!"

"What?" he asked innocently, repeating the action.

"Stop that!" she ordered him sharply. He smirked.

"Are you perchance a nervous passenger?" he teased her.

"Just behave yourself!" she snapped.

"Look-no hands!" he said, lifting his hands off the wheel for a second.

"You are in so much trouble!" she growled. "HANDS ON THE WHEEL!"

"No hands again!" he chuckled, repeating the action.

"That's it-you're getting punched!" she snapped.

"Hey-not a great idea to punch the driver," he said, emphasising the last word. "You could make us crash…"

"AGH! You are so annoying!" she growled. "I will punch you when we stop…" He gulped obviously.

"Um…then I may have to carry on driving until we run out of Berk…or out of gas…" he said.

"One of those will happen-and then your ass is mine, Haddock!" she said smugly.

"What has my ass done to you?" he protested. She smiled, seeing his eyes widen.

"It's attached to you!" she teased him, calming down.

"I may have to call the police to arrange protection for my poor ass from a ferocious Valkyrie," he told her and she smiled.

"You tell me how that goes," Astrid smirked and grabbed one of Anna's cupcakes. "Mmm…this is complete Valhalla…and I will have eaten them all by the time we get up there…" He snatched at it and they did swerve.

"HANDS ON THE WHEEL!" she snapped.

"Not fair!" he protested. "I'm only doing this for the cupcakes!" Casting him a sideways glance, she took another huge mouthful of the chocolate and orange cupcake.

"Mmm…not even for your fabulous girlfriend?" she mumbled, her mouth full of cake. He slumped back in his seat slightly sourly.

"A fabulous girlfriend would feed me cake," he protested. "Right, bud?" Toothless gave a small yip. "Thank you!"

"Hmm…I am nothing if not fabulous," she told him playfully and broke a decent sized chunk off the cake, holding it temptingly in front of his mouth. "Open…" He paused and then obediently opened his mouth…as she swiftly crammed the piece into her own mouth.

"Not fair!" he whined and did another small swerve.

"No swerving!" she ordered him sternly, then sighed. "Look-if you drive properly, I will give you cake…"

"Ah, I see how it goes now," he said in a resigned voice. "Bribery…"

"Whatever works," she smiled and then her face fell. "That's kind of how things work here in Berk, isn't it?" He sighed.

"It is now," he admitted. "But it didn't used to be…" Automatically, she tore a piece off her cupcake and popped it in his mouth.

"I'm sorry," she said with absolute contrition. "I didn't mean to bring that up…" Chewing and managing to smile at the same time, he swallowed and then sighed.

"It's okay-it's just how things go here," he admitted. "But the cake is very good-and I am glad you're here with me, Astrid. I really am…" Blushing, she peered into the box.

"Caramel or strawberry next?" she asked and he smiled.

"Whatever Milady desires," he said in his usual voice and she smiled.

"I chose the last one," she pointed out. "Your turn." For a second, he stole another look at her, seeing her eyes sparkling and cheeks flushed and wondered how, amid the catastrophe his life had turned into, he had managed to win her as a friend and girlfriend. He knew he hadn't deserved her and though he was working hard to be the son-the man-his father would have wanted, he knew sometimes he was still falling short. But he also knew he would do anything he needed to make sure she was safe. And he knew she preferred strawberry.

"Strawberry," he said unerringly, seeing the little smile cross her features as she delved into the box and retrieved the cupcake.

"Thanks," she said softly.

They had finished the cupcakes and fed Toothless a beef rawhide chew by the time they reached the turn off to Raven Point and the road was churned up and flattened with fresh truck tracks. Frowning, Hiccup had carefully turned onto the hard standing of the car park and they had stopped the engine.

"Ready?' he asked and she had nodded pulling on her mittens and zipping up her coat. He got himself ready and then they emerged into he frigid day, with Toothless bounding down after them. The cold was like a slap in the face but the day was glorious and bright, that intense brilliance that only snowy days produced and as Hiccup locked the car, Astrid stared round-eyed as she looked over the area.

"This is beautiful," she breathed, seeing the snow-laden forest with the sea glittering behind. He took her hand and smiled.

"It gets better," he assured her, walking her towards the cove. She frowned.

"How?' she asked him and he stared.

"Oh. Oh! You don't come from Berk, do you?" he recalled. She shook her head. "And you've never been up here?" She shook her head. He smiled. "Come with me…"

They crunched through the snow, along the familiar tracks and to the lip of the cove. She stood at his side and her eyes widened, seeing the space with the little lake, now frozen over, the little bushes heavy with snow and the little trees and long vertical roots down the rock walls edged with ice.

"It's beautiful," she gasped and he smiled.

"Normally, I would take you down but the rocks are treacherous in the snow-so we can walk round instead," he suggested and she smiled, her hand clamped to his. Toothless was racing through the snow, bounding into bushes and snowdrifts and emerging covered in snow and thoroughly excited. After his fourth snowdrift, he raced back up to the two teens and shook all the snow off, spraying them.

"AGH! Toothless!" Astrid giggled as Hiccup shook his head.

"Oh, bud," he sighed as the dog eagerly sniffed Astrid's behind and then raced off again as they walked around the cove, enjoying the view and walking through the line of trees to the vista over the bay and the sea. Smiling, Astrid pulled out her phone and snapped images of the beautiful view-and of Hiccup, standing self-consciously with the sea behind him. Then he quietly pulled his own phone out and pulled her close, holding the camera to take an image of them together. Astrid smiled, her expression matching his own as he snapped them huddled together, checking the picture.

"You gotta send that to me," she told him as he thumbed the screen.

"And…done…" he smirked, taking her hand again. "Now, shall we see what Viggo has been up to?"

But when they walked to the edge of the trees, they both stopped in horror-for the damage was far worse than it had been earlier. Another half-acre of trees had been ripped down and even the roots and trucks had been grubbed up, with a brand new tarmac road driven through the ravaged land. There were more trees felled and razor wire and huts guarding the site.

"Oh Gods-I see what you're so upset about," Astrid gasped as Hiccup solemnly videoed the damage. Numbly, Astrid took pictures as well, her heart aching at the damage to the ancient forest. Slowly, they walked along the tree line, capturing evidence that Viggo had ignored the injunction and carried on developing regardless. Breathing hard, Hiccup accessed the BerkBook website and uploaded the video and the stills to the petition page, ensuring the date stamp showed that the damage was continuing.

"I need to speak to Mr Hoark," Hiccup murmured, dialling…but the phone went unanswered. He checked the time: it was mid-afternoon. "He's probably closed up for the day," he murmured and emailed the pictures to him as well. But before the message was fully sent, they heard shouts. Looking up, they saw a half-dozen hefty men, running at them. Toothless barked-and the answering deeper barks of larger dogs answered.

"Time to go!" Astrid told him, turning and running as quickly as they could through the trees. The relative shelter from the snow meant the land was more open-though littered with brambles and fallen branches. But the three raced through, extending their lead…but they could hear their pursuers and the dogs following. They burst through the trees on the edge of the car park and Hiccup sped forward, checking his phone and seeing the message was finally sent. He opened the car and leapt in-with Astrid and Toothless piling onto the passenger seat.

"Hang on!" he shouted and they skidded away as the men burst out after them. The leading one lifted his walkie talkie.

"Mr Ryker sir-we have a problem…" he said. "Intruders-with cameras…"

There was a pause.

"I have it in hand," a hard voice growled over the line. "Return to your posts."

They had almost made it back to the road when Hiccup glanced in the rear view mirror-and took a sharp intake of breath.

"Strap yourself in!" he ordered.

"What?"

"We've got company."

For in the mirror, there were two large black trucks, closing on them…