"Hiccup, Eret needs my help securing the ships in the Skydocks." Astrid and Hiccup turned to Snotlout approaching them from inside Meade Hall. Zephyr had her head nestled into his neck and her thumb in her mouth again, playing with the threads in his shirt. When they reached the doorway, Zephyr saw the dark clouds and felt the ever strengthening wind. Her eyes grew wide and she buried her face into Snotlout's shoulder, locking a deathgrip around his neck. "Hey, Zephie," he said, hugging her tight. "Hey, it's alright, kiddo, it's just clouds."

"Hiccup, take her home," Astrid said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take the men and lead the preparation effort. I've trained them for this kind of stuff." She kissed Hiccup's cheek and then kissed Zephyr's head, still nestled into Snotlout's neck.

"Hey! Where's my kiss?" Snotlout asked, holding out his free arm in a questioning gesture.

Astrid scrunched her nose in disgust before turning to run down the stone stairs. Hiccup grabbed her wrist as she ran past. "Wait wait wait, you take Zephyr home. It's too dangerous for you to be out here," Hiccup insisted.

"Says the one with the metal leg," she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest.

Hiccup looked down. "Damn prosthetic," he murmured.

"I can handle it, babe. I was Storm Warden on Dragon's Edge, remember?" Astrid reassured with a smile before bolting down the stairs as the rain started to fall.

"Yeah, and you ended up temporarily blind!" Hiccup shouted after her. He sighed and shook his head. What was he going to do with her?

Suddenly, a loud crash rolled through the sky, causing all three Vikings to crouch in surprise. Zephyr screamed, leading Snotlout to hug her tight and step back inside the Hall, trying to soothe her. "I got you, Zephie, I got you. It's okay, I'll protect you."

Astrid and Hiccup shared a look. "Go! Hurry!" Hiccup yelled. Astrid nodded and ran off to gather her men.

Hiccup turned back around to Snotlout, still trying to comfort Zephyr. "I know, it's just a loud noise, Zephie! Noises can't hurt you!" He tried to sound lighthearted, but he knew Zephyr was too scared. She never did well with thunderstorms, and even Snotlout knew it.

"Come here, baby girl, let's get you home." Hiccup reached out to pry Zephyr from Snotlout's neck, but she flew into Hiccup's arms the moment she saw them outstretched in her direction. It didn't take long at all before she was clinging to Hiccup for dear life. "Snotlout, go help Eret and then take cover. We don't know what this storm is going to be like. Tell everyone else the same."

"Sure thing, Chief," he said. He gave Zephyr a pat on the back before sprinting down the stairs towards the docks.

Lightning lit up the sky as more thunder crashed, echoing through the Hall in a deafening roar. Zephyr screamed again, burrowing a hole in Hiccup's collarbone. "I know, I know Zephyr, it's okay. Daddy's got you. You know I won't let anything happen to you."

Zephyr peaked up with tear stained cheeks. Hiccup smiled and kissed her forehead. He glanced around the Hall to direct anyone else that was still there, but the large room was empty. For having that storm sneak up on New Berk like it did, everyone did react very quickly. Hiccup smiled to himself, quite proud of his tribe. Now he could focus on his baby girl, quivering with fear against his chest.

"I know, Zephyr, I know. Let's get home, alright?" Hiccup soothed, starting towards the door.

Zephyr gasped. "No! No Daddy, please!"

"What, what?! What's wrong?!" he asked, stopping in his tracks.

"Don't go out in the storm, Daddy!"

"Well how else are we getting home, sweetheart?" he said lightly with a smile. Zephyr only shook more in his arms. He knew she didn't like thunderstorms, but they had to get back so Hiccup could make sure the hut was secured...

Hiccup spotted a fur drape on a chair nearby. That'll work.

"Let's fly, dragon rider!" Hiccup shouted with a smile, catching Zephyr off guard. Her little eyebrows stitched together in confusion as she looked up at her father. She yelped in surprise as her father grabbed the furs and threw it over her head, wrapping her up in his arms and the furs and clutching her to his chest. Before she could process what was happening, Hiccup bolted out into the storm, paying close attention to his footing so his prosthetic didn't slip on the wet rocks. He could feel small hands fisting around the cloth of his suit at his neck. He made whooshing noises with his mouth whenever he changed directions, moving his upper body to smooth out the motions and make Zephyr feel as if she were flying. Thunder crashed overhead, and he felt Zephyr flinch. "Woah! Isn't that the coolest dragon roar?!" he cried, trying his best to distract her.

Hiccup threw open the door to their hut, pushing it shut behind them as he stumbled inside. He threw the fur drape to the floor and set Zephyr on the couch, kneeling down in front of her. "What a flight!" he said, panting and flashing his biggest smile. Rain water dripped down his soaked hair into his face. "What a rush!"

Zephyr's face puckered ever so slightly as tears rolled down her flushed cheeks.

"Oh... Oh, Zeph, it's okay," Hiccup cooed, scooping her up into a ball and pulling her into his lap on the floor. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we had to get home." He swiped away a few tears with his fingertip.

She simply nodded into his chest, otherwise not acknowledging he spoke.

Hiccup sighed. "Come on," he said, though it came out strained as he brought himself to his feet with Zephyr still tucked in his arms. He rocked her gently as he rounded the hut, checking for any leaks or damage or spots he needed to patch before the storm grew any worse. She sniffled occasionally, but was slowly calming down. When Hiccup was satisfied their home would hold, he knelt in front of the fire pit, repositioning Zephyr into his right arm and arranging wood with his left hand.

"I just wanna be brave."

Hiccup stopped for a moment. "What was that, sweetheart?"

Zephyr looked at Hiccup's chest, but didn't speak. Maybe he was hearing things? He turned to reach for the sparking rocks.

"I wanna be brave like Momma and Daddy."

Hiccup sat Zephyr on top of his knee and reached around either side of her, holding out the sparking rocks. She set her hands on his arms, familiar with this motion. "But you are brave, Zeph." He struck the rocks together until sparks ignited the kindling under the wood. As the flames steadily grew over the carefully placed logs, he kissed her fiery red hair. Lightening washed the room in sudden brightness, quickly accompanied by another roar of thunder. Hiccup was suddenly aware of how loud the rain sounded above their heads and against the front door. Apparently Zephyr was, too.

"But I'm scared, Daddy." She stared intently at the door as if waiting for the storm to break it down and snatch her away.

He creased his brow. Lifting Zephyr off his knee, he slid back onto the chair behind him. As he turned her around to face him, her tiny hands fisted together and she held them against her lips. He stood her on his knees so he could look her in the eyes.

"Warriors can be scared, too. Just because someone is brave, doesn't mean they don't get scared."

Zephyr looked towards the ground. "Does Momma get scared?"

"Yes, she does," Hiccup said quietly. "She's probably scared right now. Momma doesn't like thunderstorms either."

Zephyr seemed to consider this. "Does Daddy get scared?"

"Of course," he said. Zephyr looked up, and Hiccup gave her a crooked smile. "All the time. Sometimes at really silly stuff. Like when I can't see you. Or when Momma cooks."

Zephyr giggled. "I don't like when Momma cooks."

"No one does, sweetheart," Hiccup said with a chuckle. "During Snoggletog, your Momma makes this drink she calls Yaknog, and it scares the whole village!"

Zephyr laughed, but then turned somber again. "So... So I can be scared sometimes too?"

"Of course you can, silly girl. And even when you are," Hiccup said, nuzzling his nose against his daugther's, "you'll still be my little warrior."

The door swung open suddenly, revealing a drenched and panting Astrid. Hiccup yelped and Zephyr screamed, startled by the sudden movement.

"Really?" Astrid asked, swinging the door shut behind her. "Am I that scary?"

Hiccup chuckled and winked at his daughter. "See?"

Zephyr giggled before reaching her arms out to Astrid. "Momma!"

"Zephyr!" she said back, lifting her daughter up and kissing her cheek. "You don't want to hug me right now, sweetheart, Momma is all wet. We'll cuddle after I change into some dry clothes, alright?" She set Zephyr back down, who nodded as she tumbled back into Hiccup's lap.

Hiccup caught her back with his hand and held her up in a sitting position on his lap. "Momma, I'm Daddy's warrior!" she said with a growl.

"Are you now?" she said with a smile, leaning over to give Hiccup a kiss. "What exactly did you two do while I was gone?"

"Ah, nothing, just took a little flight," Hiccup said with a wink to his daughter. She covered her mouth and giggled behind her hands. Hiccup sat her down on the chair and grabbed the dry fur off the back of it, throwing it around Astrid's dripping shoulders. "You're going to catch a sickness, milady. Did the men get everything battened down?"

"Yes they did," she said, pulling the furs tight around her as Hiccup rubbed her arms to warm her. "In record time, might I add."

"Why am I not surprised," he said with a chuckle. He squeezed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes, suddenly serious. "Are you okay?"

She smiled softly. "Why wouldn't I be?" Hiccup only answered by lifting one hand to her cheek, rubbing her cheekbone with his thumb just below her eye. But it was enough for her to understand. "No lightning strikes this time, Hiccup, I'm fine." She chuckled and added, "you can stop worrying about me."

"I'll always worry about you," he said with a smile, remembering the conversation from a lifetime ago."

"Daddy? Is this one of those times that Momma scares you?" Zephyr asked, peaking over the back of the chair.

"That it is, my little warrior," he replied, tossing her up in the air and bringing her back to his chest with a kiss to the cheek. "You're learning quick."

"I'm gonna fight the bad guys with Momma and Daddy! I'm a warrior!" Zephyr cried. Hiccup's heart swelled. He'd never seen his baby girl so confident.

"Well, it sounds like we have the makings for our own small armada now, don't we?" Astrid said with a wide smile.

"Well she is quite the impressive warrior, but one soldier does not an armada make, milady," Hiccup replied, making faces at his daughter.

"Maybe not, but the two we have can start us off at least, can't it?" Astrid leaned over and nuzzled her nose into Zephyr's cheek, causing the small girl to cascade into giggles.

"Well, sure, I guess two would-" Hiccup froze. Two? They had two? He spun around, spotting Astrid leaning against the preparation table, sipping water out of a cup with a smug grin. Hiccup's face must have been priceless because Zephyr could not stop laughing at him. "Are you..." he began, glancing at her stomach.

Astrid's only response was to set down the water cup with another chuckle and ruffle Hiccup's hair as she walked by on the way to their room to change out of her wet clothing.

The ruffling broke Hiccup out of his stunned silence. "You... You're pregnant and I let you run around in a thunderstorm?" he called after her.

"Metal leg!" she called back, still facing the hallway ahead and holding a finger in the air, disappearing around the corner.

"Wha- Small baby trumps metal leg! Small baby trumps metal leg!"

Zephyr continued to giggle at her parents' interaction. "Oh, you think it's funny, huh?" Hiccup playfully threatened. She just kept giggling, a sound that made Hiccup's heart burst. "Oh, so you do think it's funny?! Oh, I'll give you something to laugh about!" he cried, attacking her with tickles and kisses. Hiccup had to hold back tears as he thought about the news his beautiful wife dropped on him and stared into the face of his incredible daughter, listening to the overjoyed laughter erupting from her small body. Hiccup couldn't imagine how he could be any happier or more full of love than he was in that moment.

Gods, and he had another baby coming. Odin help him.

Thank you everyone for the reviews, I really appreciate each one! I did see one asking about Nuffink and Zephyr moments. Most of my ideas lately have been pretty centered around Hiccup and Zephyr for some reason but I definitely am planning to delve into Nuffink and Zephyr's sibling relationship too! I'm also excited to explore the relationship the kids have with each of their "aunts and uncles" if that interests anyone too. Also for the person who asked for mother-daughter time, that is definitely coming as well!