The continuous beeping noise caught his attention. Hiccup slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He didn't know how long he was unconscious, but he woke up hearing the beeping noise. He looked around and noticed that he was in his own bedroom. He looked at his right and saw an ECG monitor connected with him. The beeping noise was coming from it. There was also an IV containing saline water injected in his right arm. He felt some weight on his left arm and looked at his left. There he saw Astrid. She was sitting on a chair but her upper body was lying on the bed and her head was on his left arm. Hiccup tried to move his left hand but it caused Astrid to wake up. She looked up and was shocked when she saw Hiccup was awake.
"Hiccup! Oh my god!" She gasped as she stood up and helped Hiccup to get up in a sitting position. Hiccup groaned as he leaned against the headboard of the bed.
"Hey." Hiccup greeted.
"Are you-are you okay? Is there any pain?" Astrid asked in concern.
"Well no, but can I please have some water?" Hiccup asked.
Astrid rushed towards a table which was kept in the room. There was a jig filled with water and some glasses on it. She picked up a glass and filled it up with some water and quickly went back to Hiccup and gave him the glass. Hiccup chugged down the whole water in one sip.
"Thanks." Hiccup thanked Astrid as he handed the glass to Astrid.
"How long was I out?" Hiccup asked.
"One day Hiccup. You had all of us worried. Especially me!" Astrid almost yelled at him.
"One day!" Hiccup said in shock.
"Yes. I-i thought you won't wake up. Tha-that I lost you." Astrid said, trying to hold back her tears.
"I am sorry Astrid." Hiccup said with sadness and looked down.
Astrid felt bad as she saw Hiccup sad. She sat on the bed beside Hiccup and touched his face and made him look at her. Hiccup looked at her in the eyes and they stayed like that for a few moments and then Astrid made a move and hugged Hiccup. Hiccup slowly wrapped his hands around her as she lightly rubbed his back and ran her other hand through her hair.
"It's okay. You're back and fine. That's enough for me." Astrid whispered in Hiccup's ear.
Hiccup smiled at this as he buried his head in her shoulder and hugged her tighter. After a minute they pulled away from each other. They stared into eachothers eyes and a wave of desire washed over them. They leaned in and kissed each other. Hiccup pushed his tongue inside her mouth and soon their tongues began wrestling for dominance. Hiccup touched Astrid's face with one hand and wrapped the other one around her waist as he deepened the kiss. Astrid wrapped her arms around Hiccup's back and lightly moaned. After a few minutes they pulled away and took deep breaths. They looked at each other and smilled.
"Gods, It feels like forever since we last kissed." Astrid said.
"Yeah." Hiccup breathlessly said.
"Your heart rate is increasing Hiccup." Astrid told Hiccup with a chuckle.
Hiccup blushed and looked at the ECG monitor which was beeping in a quick pace.
"Damn, Useless computer." Hiccup said as he unplugged the ECG clamps from his hand.
Just then a couple of people entered the room. Hiccup looked up and saw Gobber, Pepper and Tim were standing in the doorway. Toothless also appeared beside them.
"Iccup! Ya're finally awake lady!" Gobber said and walked over to Hiccup and Hugged him.
"Gobber...you're crushing me…" Hiccup groaned.
Gobber let go of Hiccup and backed away as the rest of the people in the room snickered except for Toothless.
"I got a call from Pepper telling me that Drago had been double dealing and building some kind of weapon in Sector 16 and I had rushed to that place, only to find the building on fire, Drago in some big metal suit in middle of a wrecked Arc reactor and you in a small metal suit lying on a platform." Gobber said.
"You have no idea what we had to do to arrange medical support for you and at the same time keeping your secret. Thanks to Agent Eretson. He had called for some reinforcement and they managed to get you back to the mansion." Pepper said.
"It was a serious situation dude. Pepper had called me and Tony when you were brought back here. When I came here I saw Tony and some other engineers getting you out of that armour. The medics were finally able to operate on you after you were out of the armour." Tim said.
"The suit had taken most of the damage. But you had also suffered some injuries sir. Luckily they weren't too serious." Toothless said.
"I am sorry guys. I have put you through so much." Hiccup said.
"It's okay man. You have done a good job by stopping Drago." Tim said as he walked over to Hiccup and patted his back.
"And I guess you know what's all this about?" Hiccup asked Gobber.
"Yup. Pepper told me and Tony all the stuff yesterday." Gobber said.
"Well you have to deal with the press Hiccup. They are quite curious about what happened at Sector 16. Luckily Agent Eretson has prepared an alibi for you." Pepper told Hiccup.
"Uh huh. This Eretson guy turns out to be quite helpful." Hiccup chuckled.
(Four days later)
"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Haddock Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the Arc reactor. Fortunately, a member
of Hiccup Haddock's personal security staff…" a reporter on the TV was saying.
Hiccup was sitting on the arm chair in the living room. He had a news paper in his hand. The headline on the first page read "Who is Ironfury" with a picture of Hiccup in his armour fighting with Iron Death.
"'Ironfury.' That's kind of catchy. It's got a nice ring to it. I mean, it's not technically accurate. The suit's a gold-titanium alloy, but it's kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway." Hiccup said as he put the news paper back on the tea table infront of him.
Hiccup was wearing a pair of black trousers with a white shirt and a black tie.
Just then Agent Eretson came infront of Hiccup and handed him a bunch of cards.
"Here's your alibi." Agent Eretson said.
"Okay. Thanks." Hiccup said as he got up.
"You were on your yacht."
"Yeah."
"We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests." Agent Eretson said.
"Hiccup. Time for your medicine." Astrid said as she approached Hiccup with a glass of water and two pills in her other hand.
"Thanks Astrid." Hiccup thanked her and took the pills and consumed them with the water.
"See, I was thinking maybe we should
say it was just Astrid and me alone on the island." Hiccup slyly suggested as he put down the glass on the table and looked at Astrid. Astrid gave him a 'dont-you-dare' look in return.
"That's what happened." Agent Eretson said pointing at the cards.
"All right buddy. I got it." Hiccup said.
"Just read it, word for word."
"There's nothing about Stane here." Hiccup said as he checked the cards.
"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record." Agent Eretson said.
"But what about the whole cover story
that it's a bodyguard? He's my... I mean, is that…That's kind of flimsy, don't you think?"
This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Haddock. Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you. You've got 90 seconds." Agent Eretson said and proceeded to leave.
"Agent Eretson?" Astrid called for him.
Agent Eretson stoped and faced her.
"I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help." Astrid said.
"That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us." Agent Eretson said.
"From the Strategic Homeland…" Astrid tried to say but Agent Eretson cut her off.
"Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D." Agent Eretson said.
"Right." Astrid said and shook hands with Agent Eretson and then he left.
Hiccup picked up a black jacket which was lying on the couch and proceeded to put it on. Astrid came by his side and helped him puting it on.
"Let's get this show on the road." Hiccup said "You know, it's actually not that bad. Even I don't think I'm Ironfury."
"You're not Ironfury." Astrid said.
"Am so."
"You're not."
"All right, suit yourself."
"You know, if I were Ironfury," Hiccup turned around to face Astrid "I'd have
this girlfriend who knew my true identity." He pocked her nose "She'd be a wreck, 'cause she'd always be worrying that I was going to die, yet so proud of the man I'd become."
Astrid shook her head in amusement and rolled her eyes and gave Hiccup a quick peek on his lips.
"Let's go Hiccup. We are getting late." Astrid said as she walked away.
Hiccup just smiled at this and soon followed after her.
(At the press conference)
"And now, Mr. Haddock has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you." Tim said. He was standing at the podium and handling the press untill now.
Hiccup quickly made his way over to the podium as Tim left it and stood beside him.
"Been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time." Hiccup began to say "There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop…"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Haddock, but do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared," a reporter, Christine Everhart, said "despite the fact that you…"
"I know that it's confusing." Hiccup cut her off "It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero."
"I never said you were a superhero." Christine said.
"Didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I'm just not the hero type. Clearly. With this laundry list
of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."
"Just stick to the cards, man." Tim whispered to Hiccup.
"Yeah, okay. Yeah." Hiccup told him and glances at his cards.
"The truth is…" Hiccup began to say but then paused for a moment and looked up at the press. Something was going on in his mind.
"I am Ironfury." Hiccup finally announced.
All the reporters clambered to their feet and started asking questions as Hiccup smirked.