Unintentional Hero

Author: Nightstar Fury of Nightstar Productions

Rated: M for a variety of things that will happen

Pairing: Hiccup/Astrid

Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD

8; Saw Himself

(Berk)

It had been six months since that day when Hayden talked to them on Skype after his friend had died and they were worried for him since he only managed to contact them every month and a half, sometimes two or three. The only updates they'd get were by the news crews who were covering stories in his location and even then they didn't heard anything specific about him or see him walking around. Then again, the base was huge containing of one division but broken up into various amounts of Brigades, continued to be broken apart into Battalions which continued to break down into Companies, further lessening to Platoons, Squadrons, and finally Units or Sections. They knew Hayden was Sergeant and commanding a unit of six men including himself for standard area patrols or basic missions. Other than that, they didn't know a whole lot and when they did talk to Hayden, he wasn't permitted to say a whole lot about anything going on where he was.

The rest of Camille's and her friend's school year was pretty normal, they all passed Sophomore year and enjoyed the summer together whether is was working or hanging out together and all hoping Hayden would get to come home on leave but such hope wasn't fulfilled. Now it was September and they were already back to school, having started at the end of of the August around the week of the twenty-seventh as usual for Berk High School. Camille had her schedule and thankfully she has classes with either Avery or Rachel, and at least one of the boys each time. She had everything she needed to go back to school and start her junior year there, everything except her brother who had now been deployed for ten months total. And she'd only seen him briefly the day before his graduation from Basic and the day of, that was until they were immediately shipped off to Afghanistan without warning.

All parents or guardians had gotten an email about where they could send packages or letters to their soldiers. Basically an standard address where they had to mark their name, squadron name, platoon name, and for added measure...the company name to ensure each letter made it to the soldier in their barracks. So whenever Camille or the others wrote letters they had to be addressed to Hayden Haddock; 1st Alpha Fire Squadron-Dragonfire Platoon-Wing Defenders Company. Hayden rarely sent letters back, he normally called through Skype or instant messaged there because it was easier but that only happened if the internet there didn't happen to suck. "Cami...Hey, you with us girl?" Came Rachel's voice.

"Huh, yeah...I'm here. Sorry...Thinking about Hayden..." Camille replied truthfully which they had figured on their own.

"I'm sure he's fine, Camille..." TJ mentioned.

"I haven't heard anything from him in almost two months...Every call we tried would get dropped or he'd have to rush off." Camille sighed.

"It's the military, Cami...You know he's busy defending the Archipelago..." Seth added with a nod.

"Against enemies who can kill him or anyone..." Rachel added, Avery slapped her arm then shook her head.

"I'm sure we'll hear from him soon. Just keep your chin up." Avery comforted her softly. Camille nodded as they all continued to look over their schedules and talk about the upcoming year of school.

(Second Week In September)

Camille sat in class with a heavy sigh, she stared out the window with a worried look on her face. It was now about 11am as she just wanted class to be over. They'd started school three weeks ago, right now she was in History with Avery, TJ, and Felix. Rachel and Seth were in Algebra. Also in this class was Ethan, Dylan, and Heather. A group of pain in the asses who always teased Hayden before he left for the military. In the middle of the class, there was a knock on the door. The teacher stopped and faced it. "Come in." The door opened as the principal, Alvin Trechdon walked in looking around, then he put a finger up to the teacher and class as he moved aside letting a man in uniform walk in silently and over to a very distracted Camille staring out the window.

"Hey Cami, you're supposed to being paying attention. Why don't you bring your eyes up front sis." Camille whipped her head around as she saw Hayden standing there at the front of the classroom in his green, black, and tan BDU, hat still on and he had the biggest grin on his face. "Surprise." Hayden stated to her.

"HAYDEN!" She screamed happily and as he'd expected she would, Camille jumped to her feet and got out from behind her desk which was in the towards the middle back of the room, she ran through the line of desks to the front and wrapped her arms around his neck after he dropped his bag to the floor and caught her when she wrapped her legs around him crying and burying her face in his shoulder. Hayden chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and just held her while she began to calm down. The room smiled softly and clapped for the reunion between the twin siblings.

"Oh my Gods! Oh my Gods! You're here, you're really here. It's you!" Camille cried still against him after he put her back down on her feet and she looked up at him trying to wipe her eyes.

"It's me." Hayden replied with a nod. She only hugged him tightly again, her face against his chest.

"I've missed you so much...What are you doing here?" She sniffled still sobbing lightly.

"Missed you too sis. Home for two weeks, thought I'd come make sure you were paying attention in class instead of worrying about me." Hayden chuckled a bit.

"Ju—Just two weeks?...You mean...you have to go back? To Fort Dreki right, your tour is over?" Camille asked him.

"Sorry sis, after this I'm back to Afghanistan for...Well, I really don't know how long. I stay as long as I'm needed there. Things have been quiet lately so they started sending platoons home back in July for two weeks at a time and the next two weeks belong to the Dragonfire platoon." Hayden replied to her as they were still pretty much locked in an embrace.

"Toothless home too?" Avery asked.

"Yeah, he's outside." Hayden replied.

"I'm just glad you're okay and home...even if it is just for two weeks...I've been so worried about you..." Camille said closing her eyes and hugging against his left arm tightly.

"Does Dad know you're home?" Camille sighed some.

"Saw him first, he's outside with Toothless. Go get your bag, principal said I could take ya the rest of the day since it's been ten months since I've been home. His way of thanking me for my service." Hayden said, Camille nodded as she grabbed her bag and packed it up then returned to his side.

"Can we come see ya later?" TJ asked.

"Sure can, we'll meet up for dinner at my Godfather's diner." Hayden nodded.

"Sweet, good to have ya home for a bit man." TJ said to him as Hayden fist bumped him then headed for the door with Camille.

"See ya soon, Hayden! Glad you're home!" Avery called as they exited the classroom and finally the school where Cami was able to see Gerald and Toothless, they all loaded up and headed out. His friends who came home with him already went to go see their families but they'd promised to catch up later on.

(Later That Night; Diner)

Toothless was at Gerald's but the rest of them and Hayden's friends all went out to eat at his Godfather's diner. Dragon's Belly. Hayden was first to enter, Cami beside him and he assumed she wouldn't be leaving his side anytime in the next two weeks. Hayden saw his Godfather and chuckled a bit, "Hey Craig, what's the soldier on leave gotta do to get a hug from his Godfather?" Hayden called, instantly a pan dropping in the kitchen was heard as a man rushed out quickly over to Hayden and hugged him tightly.

"LAD! Welcome home!" The man cheered as Hayden hugged him back. The two separated as Craig led them in towards a bigger table near the kitchen. "I've missed ya, and how dare yew not come say goodbye to me before ya left for deployment!" He scolded.

"I would've if I'd had time, Gobber...Shipped out right after Basic graduation." Hayden explained.

"How long ya home for?" Craig asked.

"Two weeks, then back to what call it as Hell." Hayden chuckled.

"Won't disagree with ya on the name laddie. Good to have ya home for a bit. Taking the gang out are ya?" Hayden nodded to him, "Well then I'll get someone over to take your order for you." Craig added as he walked off.

"It's good to have ya back cuz." Seth told him.

"Thanks, good to be back even if it is just for a little while." Hayden shrugged a little, for the next twenty minutes after ordering their food they talked about anything. How the summer went and more, but anytime they asked Hayden about his deployment he just shrugged it off as 'not much happened, patrols and sitting at base'. He never went into detail about it. Camille was on his left, Avery on the right. Feeling pressure on his arm he cringed a bit as Cami lifted her head some seeing his face, looking as if he was in pain when she'd laid there.

"Easy on the arm, still recovering." Hayden told her.

"Recovering from what...Did you get hurt?" Camille asked but he never answered, and the whole table saw him turn his head towards the window, a far off look in his green hues. Hayden remembered that night, everything had been going so perfect on patrol through what was assumed an abandoned area but then it all changed when an explosion took place in the building they were walking by...

/Flashback/

-Hayden's POV-

"What's your position Strike-One. Over." Anderson asked.

"Cleared sectors two and three of area, moving to section one now. Over." I started moving with my team still, weapons in hands we passed through what appeared to an abandoned residential area, just small shacks and houses.

"Good work, Sergeant. Keep me updated. Anderson over and out." He said as I checked with my men. When we patrolled it was in a circle like arrow formation with me at the back keeping an eye on them but I also walked in mid turned steps to watch my own back and we always had our guns at the ready for attack. We'd been at this patrol for two hours already, and thankfully almost done. I had told myself I'd try and call Cami before I turned in for the night. Wasn't looking so promising now. As we moved, something caught the right corner of my eyes: a flicker and then an explosion occurred taking us off guard and forcing us to the ground to avoid being hit by debris.

Panting now and recovering I stood up with my gun and checked around but saw no one. "Is everyone alright?" I asked quickly.

"Tarelto is unconscious and the rest of us are fine, Sergeant." I nodded after Theo answered me as I flipped on my walkie but before I could do anything shots were being fired.

"TAKE COVER!" I ordered, as we all made our way towards one of the previously checked buildings we'd cleared. I stopped seeing no one had grabbed Tarelto from the ground. "I'm going out for Tarelto. Cover me!" I called as I rushed back out to the middle of the street and saw an Afghan soldier go to shoot Tarelto, I raised mine and fired a few warning shots, he quickly headed off as I crouched down and checked Tarelto's pulse before hearing heavy steps coming my way, I looked up to see another enemy soldier but before he reached me, a shot was fired to his head and he fell dead in the road. I panted a few times as I picked up Tarelto over my shoulder and rushed him into the shelter we'd taken, I laid him down as I hid behind a wall starting to fire back.

"Strike-One to Base, do you copy?! Over." I said quickly while lifting again and taking another few shots.

"Base to Strike-One. We copy, what's going on over there! Over." Anderson replied quickly.

"We're under heavy fire by enemy. Aborting mission, location not abandoned or secure. One explosion, no deaths or injuries although one man unconscious. We're returning fire but its too much, requesting extraction immediately. Over." I shouted back.

"Sending an extraction team to you now, ETA eight minutes. Can you move, Haddock? Over." Came Vazquez's voice. I looked out the window, the smoke and fire from the explosion made it hard to see anything. This was an ambush and we fell right into it. I had one man unconscious and the other four were returning fire along with myself but we didn't know what we were shooting at. We just knew we were being fired at. I looked around to see if we could escape it, I saw another building across the way, if we got on top it'd be easier pick up but I wasn't keen on running my men across the street for it. I wouldn't risk it.

"That's a negative on moving, Lieutenant Vazquez. We're rather pinned in a shack. Moving would involve running into enemy fire and I'm not putting my team in that danger. Over." I answered finally.

"Understood, Sergeant Haddock. Stay put, extracting in six minutes. Hang in there boys. Vazquez over and out." I raised my gun again and leaned around the door frame to take another shot but missed and had to hide again. I watched Lennox move back with a grunt.

"I'm out of ammo!" He stated.

"Take care of Tarelto. Matthew, switch off." I ordered, with a nod the two switched. "When the chopper gets here, Lennox you take Tarelto. Ritka, Holgerson you cover him. Matthew you follow and I'll cover you!" I called.

"Yes Sergeant!" They replied. It was the longest six minutes of our lives but we finally heard the chopper coming, I looked out and saw two men firing from the side of the chopper to keep enemies back.

"Strike-One, you're clear to move!" The pilot said on the speaker.

"Let's move team. Hustle, Hustle!" I commanded. Lennox pulled Tarelto over his shoulder and rushed out with Ritka and Holgerson covering him. I watched as a man pulled Tarelto in the chopper, then Lennox climbed up the ladder followed by Holgerson and Ritka. Matthews ran next as I covered him, I saw an enemy soldier come out from behind a door frame next to us aiming for Matthews, I rushed towards between the soldier and Matthews and the gun went off. I felt an ungodly pain on my left arm as I looked for half a second to see it bleeding. I'd been shot...

"Sergeant!" He called. I glared with a grunt, they didn't notice I'd been shot yet, thank Odin too because they'd jump back in to help me.

"GO!" I ordered. I saw him nod and climb the ladder up into the chopper but then I was whacked with the butt of a gun and hit the ground, I rolled to my back and kicked his gun from him as we fought a good minute or two until he he was trying to stab me with his machete, I was holding his arm off with my own which was difficult given I was still bleeding from being shot in the left arm.

"We gotta help him!" I heard Holgerson yell.

"I can't get a clear shot with the smoke, I could hit Haddock!" Ritka called back. I tried to adjust my leg to reach my pistol but I couldn't unless I took a hand away from blacking the machete aimed for my throat. My eyes narrowed as I moved my hand and the machete missed my neck as I moved slightly, I kicked the soldier back a bit but he was still over me, I grabbed my pistol and brought it up to my other hand as I pulled the trigger and after that all I saw was blood splatter hit me in the face as the soldier fell back dead. I panted hard as forced myself to get up and look at what I'd done. I'd...killed him. I had killed someone. The first time in all the attacks and patrols...I had to kill someone at point blank. I rolled to my right side a minute, and I just threw up. Coughing hard too then a sharp pain in my arm made me remember I'd been shot, my left arm dropped weakly.

"Sergeant! You alright down there!" I heard Ritka call to me. The smoke was thick now and I could barely make out the rope but I did see it. I couldn't climb the ladder with one arm. I wiped my mouth and forced myself up as I put my pistol back in the holder then rushed over to the rope ladder and jumped on it using my right hand to hold on.

I coughed hard through the smoke and tried to ignore the pain in my left shoulder. "Haddock! Come on, get up here!" Lennox called to me.

"I can't! Got shot in the arm!..." It fell silent except for Afghan soldiers calling commands to one another and more the shooting lessening. "Just go! I'm fine! Get back to base, now! That's an order!" I called up quickly. The chopper turned and headed back to base, after eight minutes I saw the base landing pad in sight once low enough I let got and dropped quickly getting out of the way so it could land. My vision was getting blurry and my chest ached from smoke inhalation, I coughed hard as I saw my team get out of the chopper. Before I could say anything I gripped my arm tightly and hit my knees.

"Hang in there, Sergeant." Tarelto told me, it was good to see him awake again.

"MEDIC!" Lennox called out, "Sergeant Haddock was shot!" I vaguely watched Vazquez and Anderson rush over hearing I'd been shot.

"Haddock, what happened!?" Anderson asked quickly as one of the medics came over to assess my arm.

"Ambush after a bomb...went off. Heavy fire...When chopper arrived, I sent the team first and I covered them. Enemy...soldier tried to make a shot at Matthews and I ran in front of it. I didn't realize I'd been hit until after I got his gun away from him...We fought two minutes before I grabbed my pistol and shot point blank in the head..." I explained weakly although I was nauseated and felt sick to my stomach as the image of that Afghan soldier taking one of my bullets to the head came back and I fought the urge to throw up. "Ugh...I think I'm gonna be sick..." I groaned.

"Get him to the medical tent on the double! You did good, Haddock. Ya did good...Rest up now. You'll be alright." I heard Vazquez tell me before I completely blacked out.

-End Hayden's POV-

/End Flashback/

Hayden snapped out of it when he heard Avery call him back. He shook his head blinking a few times and panting. "Hayden! Are you okay?" Gerald asked quickly. Hayden recovered quickly and nodded.

"Yeah I'm fine just...Easy on the arm, Cami...I got shot about a week and a half ago." I told her.

"You got SHOT!?" Camille screeched with worry.

"Hey, relax. I'm still alive. Only got shot once because I put myself in a line of fire to save a teammate. Bullet was taken out, few stitches later and mandatory four days rest, and I'm back on my feet sis." Hayden told her, he saw the tears in her eyes. "Don't wanna hear it...It's part...of the job." Hayden said.

"But..." She began.

"I don't want to talk about it. It happened, it's done and over with. Let's just enjoy a nice dinner, okay?" Hayden said, not wanting to push the very obvious issue Hayden was avoiding they nodded to him and continued their night. Hayden stayed semi-quiet. The rest of Hayden's night after dinner and him going to bed was filled with the same image of killing the Afghan soldier. He knew in war he might have to kill but he never imagined it would feel the way it did to take another life, enemy or not. What was worse, the soldier he killed couldn't have been older than himself: seventeen. However in these nightmares when he saw the soldier he'd shot...he only saw himself.