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
46; We'll Figure It Out
Everyone on the Dragon Training field was confused, mainly Anderson, Jasmine, Theo, Ethan, and Dylan who were only just witnesses to Avery showing up out of the blue-like she had when they were in Afghanistan-and then Hayden shortly afterwards blacking out on the ground, Toothless breaking his fall so he didn't hurt himself. In his hand was the bagged pregnancy test that Avery had given him and they just figured it out from there: Avery was pregnant and came an hour to Fort Dreki to tell Hayden in person about it. Avery quickly and carefully moved to her knees to check on him. "Don't just stand there, help him! Gods...Hayden? Baby, please wake up," Avery said, shaking him lightly.
"He'll be alright, I think you just shocked him. Shocked us all, what is going on?" Anderson asked as he knelt down on Hayden's other side to check on him.
"I'll explain when he wakes up...I don't want to have to do it more than twice..." Avery sighed softly as Anderson and Theo picked Hayden up and laid him on Toothless who walked to the A barrack-the barrack they were placed in upon returning from their three week leave. The two boys carried Hayden into the barrack and set him down on Theo's bunk so he wouldn't wake up and fall off if still in shock. They all just sat around as Avery stroked her fingers over his head lightly. She was definitely pregnant, the test wasn't wrong this time and she'd told Hayden,-he blacked out on her from being so in shock, she didn't really blame him either.
(An Hour Later)
Hayden groaned slowly as he put a hand to his head and sat up. "There ya are, was getting worried," he heard Anderson say to him.
"Sorry, guess I was tired and knocked out. Had this weird dream that Avery showed up and told me that she was pregnant...Crazy right?" Hayden smiled as he opened his eyes and saw Avery sitting on the bed across from him.
"Not...as crazy as you think babe..." Avery said lightly as she motioned to the test in his hands still, he looked down at it and seeing that it still read the word Pregnant on the digital screen. Hayden kept his eyes glued to it before putting his legs over the edge of the bed and then averted his gaze back to his still very worried, nervous, scared-looking girlfriend sitting across from him.
"I...really don't understand this, Avery...You tested already, three weeks ago-and it was negative. We had...four witnesses plus yourself who can attest to that test being negative so what the hell happened because I left Berk three weeks ago without a worry in the world about this, now you came all this way to tell me that you are in fact pregnant?" Hayden asked her firmly, but remained calm.
"I tested too early, Hayden...The one I took, that was only taken two weeks after sex...the sperm and egg hadn't even implanted yet so my HCG hormone wasn't high enough to show up on a home test-that's why it came up negative because I wasn't...truly pregnant at the time, I guess. I don't know, I'm a little confused on the matter myself..." Avery admitted.
"And you're absolutely sure you're pregnant? You've been to the doctor already, how long were you going to wait to tell me?" Hayden asked.
"Hayden, I just found out two hours ago myself...I haven't been to the doctor, I haven't told anyone but you, and that test is all I have to say that I am." Avery stated.
"Then how...I don't get this. If you took that test three weeks ago and it was negative, meaning we all thought you weren't pregnant then...how this now? How did you even get to the conclusion you were and took a test to confirm it?" Hayden inquired.
Avery took a breath, "You know how I've been sick the last few weeks," Hayden nodded to her once, "I thought the first week was just because I missed you: I was really tired and queasy but nothing else. Second week after you left it got worse: moody, nausea, tiredness, my breasts were sore and sensitive, then this last week was just terrible when I thought I had the bug. I went online and looked up my symptoms and the first thing that came up was pregnancy. I was going to overlook it but I just kept reading through the page, matching symptoms from four weeks to six weeks, then saw this post from a doctor saying that if you test before your missed period then you tested too early because the HCG hormone isn't high enough to be picked up on a home test," Avery explained.
"But your periods are irregular. You never know when you're getting them..." Hayden reminded her.
"I know that, so I kept reading and the doctor also added that like what Harry's wife said: I could ovulate late. And with irregular cycles, like mine. The doctor said to test four to five weeks after intercourse and the result would be accurate. Hayden, when I tested it was only two and a half weeks after we had sex. It was too early so we thought I wasn't. But when I looked up all those symptoms, and read the early thing...I just had this weird feeling that maybe I was pregnant because nothing else explained it. I tried to call you to talk to you about it, but you didn't answer and I was nervous and scared so I went and picked up that test, took it right away and three minutes later that came up...I tried to call you again, no answer so...I just came here myself..." Avery finished looking down.
"No one else knows about this?" he asked and Avery shook her head.
"No one-except you and your unit...My parents weren't home and because I've been sick I haven't seen Camille or the others in about three days. They don't even know I'm here..." Avery replied more softly.
"And you didn't take yourself to the doctors yet to confirm how far along you are?" Hayden inquired questioningly, Avery shook her head again. Hayden closed his eyes as he stood up a minute and leaned on the metal post of the bunk bed with his eyes closed still, one arm up, the other on his hip-no one was saying anything they knew this was serious. They'd gone three weeks thinks Avery and him were in the clear from having a baby and now three weeks after that, she was in Fort Dreki telling him she was pregnant.
"I'm...sorry...I should have waited longer to test or gone to the doctors..." Avery lowered her head.
"It's nothing you did. I should've remembered on my own that it takes seven to fourteen days after fertilization for the zygote to implant. Most women don't get a positive test until four weeks or later after ovulation at the time you'd miss your period-which yours is irregular as it is. Given the time frame...You'd be six weeks pregnant right about now. Month and a half." He didn't really face her, he was more just deep in thought and thinking aloud.
"That's...what I figured back home..." Avery confirmed. Hayden finally raised his head up and sighed. "Hayden I...I know how you feel about this whole...thing-especially while you're in the army...I don't...want to make things complicated for you so if you don't want this or...aren't ready then I'll get the procedure to...terminate the pregnancy," she said softly.
"It doesn't matter how I feel about it, Avery. I doesn't even matter if I'm ready or not because it's still happening. We still got drunk and had sex, we still did it unprotected that night, and now it's created new life-growing within your womb. My life has always been complicated and probably always will be so what's one more thing? It might not have been planned to happen, but it has so I'm going to take the blessing given and accept it. You're pregnant, I'm the father, and we will figure out a way to make it work," Hayden said to her.
Avery's head lifted as she looked over at him with shocked eyes at what he said, "You-You mean...we can keep the baby?"
Hayden turned himself and looked at her now with a soft smile on her face as he took her hands in his and pulled her to her feet. "Yes. It may not be the best time for it, but I did always tell you that when it came time for something like this, it'd happen when it did. So if Odin feels that this was the time for us to have a child then I'm not gonna knock or fight it. I'll take the blessing and gift of life, and enjoy it. Besides, we both had a hand in it happening. Regardless of the drunken night we had together, it was still just the two of us. We did this, we'll figure it out together. My mother always taught me to take responsibility for my actions, to do the right thing in all situations and so far that has worked out pretty well for me given where I am today so I'll do it for this too." He wrapped his arms around her lightly and kissed her forehead.
"I'm so...happy to hear you say that. I was afraid you'd freak out and panic...You did blackout on me when I told you," Avery giggled.
"I was shocked. You told me it was an emergency: I thought you were coming to say something happened to Cami or Dad...I was not expecting to be told that I'm going to be a father in eight and a half months...And believe me, I'm freaking out on the inside but I'm good at hiding it for your sake. We'll figure this out babe, first thing is first: you need to call the doctor tomorrow morning and set up an appointment to be checked out," Hayden said.
"I will, I should probably be getting back and I'll tell you how it went I guess?" Avery asked.
"No, I'm going with you. I'm sure the officers won't mind, will they, Anderson?" Hayden asked.
"Not once you explain things to them. I'd leave out the drunk part though-you know they don't approve," Anderson chuckled.
"Secondly...you're not flying home by yourself." She arched a brow at him. "Not good for the baby or you if you get air-sick. You will spend the night here with me and tomorrow morning I will talk to the officers, and I'll drive you home myself. We'll go to the doctor, and figure everything out. Okay?" Hayden asked.
"They aren't gonna let her stay here with you, not after what happened in-" Hayden glared at Ethan. "Shutting up."
"They'll understand. I'll get the cots out...Oh one more thing," Anderson said as he hugged Hayden and Avery together, "Congratulations! Now can I be Uncle Harry?!" he asked. Hayden laughed and nodded to him, so he cheered loud and rushed to the closet to get the cots for them to sleep on.
"Stay here, I'm gonna go talk to the big-wigs about what happened, see if I can get a few days off to handle all this with you," Hayden said and kissed her lightly before he headed out the barrack to the main office where he assumed the higher up officers were probably waiting to find out why his girlfriend showed up unexpectedly.
"I really...didn't think he'd take it so well," Avery sighed sitting back down with her hands on her belly.
"Well, the morning after you two had sex, he showed up at my campsite calling himself an idiot. I told him he had to go back to talk to you and face what happened. Hayden has a problem with facing things out of his control, he blames himself and stresses out," Anderson stated.
"You're very good to him, Harry and I thank you for that," Avery smiled, "I can't believe I'm pregnant..." she beamed.
"Better believe it because in about eight months, you and Hayden will have your first child and from experience: it's going to be like nothing you imagined. Best feeling in the world when you hold that baby, knowing you two made it, you-Avery, carried it. There is no other feeling that compares. I'm so happy for you two!" Anderson chuckled. After two more hours, Hayden returned from the meeting with the officers and sighed, flopping down on the cot which Anderson had set up. "How'd it go?"
"Approved for three days off and have to bring them something from the doctor stating she is pregnant, how far along, and due due estimate that way they can plan my leave accordingly," Hayden shrugged.
"Sounds about right when Maria got pregnant with Brenna. They try to give you two weeks off so you can be home when she goes into labor and gives birth," Anderson smiled.
"I'm cool with that, I don't want to miss a lot of this. They said I can have an appointment pass for three hours to go to any sonograms or testing with her too. Unless I get deployed again," Hayden sighed.
"Eh, we should be fine. Talked to Lt. General Evans a week ago and he said things in Iraq are pretty contained for the time being," Anderson assured him.
"Thank Thor for that..." Hayden said as he saw Avery asleep on the cot., "I can't believe I'm about to be a dad..."
"You are kid, and you're going to make a great one," Anderson said to him. Hayden only hoped he was right.
(The Next Morning)
Bright and early, Avery was up and puking around 5am when Hayden was about to go for a run. He did what he could, rubbed her back and kept her hair out of the way. He knew wouldn't always be able to do this for her so he wanted to do it while he could. After an hour, her stomach settled and they ate breakfast, then he was given the keys to a jeep they'd be driving back in, the dragons would be following by air-flight. Avery had called her doctor at 9am when the office opened and they managed to get her in for that day at 2pm for a first obstetrical appointment and then a sonogram for 3:15pm . At 10am, they were on their way back to Berk together.
(Berk; Hour Later)
They reached Berk around 11am and the dragons were relaxing and enjoying some fish as Hayden rounded up his sister and friends. Avery insisted on telling her parents, so they came too but Hayden refused to tell his father. He didn't want to see him; he'd let Camille tell him.
"What's up, Hayden?" Seth asked.
"Avery, there you are. We came home and saw you gone, where did you go?" asked her father's voice when he arrived with her mother.
"She's been with me at Fort Dreki since 6pm last night, we had somethings to discuss," Hayden began as his arm was around Avery's waist, she smiled up at him leaning her head on his chest.
"And you're going to share with us right?" Camille asked.
"Of course, it's why I had you all come meet us," Hayden smiled looking at them, "Avery's pregnant." All of their mouths dropped open in shock.
"But you said...three weeks ago that the test was negative?" Camille blinked.
"She tested too early, false neg. She took one last night and it was positive, she came to tell me and then I refused to let her fly home by herself. We're going to the doctor at 2 for a check up, then sonogram at 3:15. I'm only home a thirty-six hour pass for this, I still have to go back to base when we get all the paperwork and appointments settled," Hayden informed them.
"Oh my Gods! That's amazing! So she really was pregnant, it was just too early to tell?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, I didn't think anything of my being sick to be attributed to pregnancy but last night I was researching and pregnancy kept popping up, the more I read the more it seemed I was so I just took a test-then went to see Hayden. He blacked out for an hour but after he woke up: we talked and decided to keep the baby because we'll make it work," Avery said softly.
"Congrats you two. I'm sure you'll make wonderful parents," Avery's mother, Miya Hofferson said as she hugged both Avery and Hayden, then her father, Kevin Hofferson shook Hayden's hand and hugged Avery.
"Thank you. And Camille, you can tell Dad but I swear to Thor if he starts with me...I'm cutting all ties," Hayden warned as Camille nodded in understanding. They all relaxed a while talking about it, plans, and what not for how it would work: Hayden said that if all went well then Avery and him could live together off base in army housing but it would have to be after the baby was born since they weren't married and on that discussion they weren't rushing it at all. When 1:45pm came around they all said their goodbyes as Hayden drove himself and Avery to the doctors office. They checked in and waited as Avery filled out the information for her file: she finished it ten minutes before being called in by the nurse.
"Avery?" the nurse said questioningly as she looked around. Avery stood lightly, Hayden beside her.
"Right here." Avery smiled, with that the three of them went behind the door. First thing was Avery being measured and weighed then told to sit on the table to wait for the doctor-who came in five minutes later. From there, they just answered a bunch of questions about themselves, the doctor mentioned things to stay away from such as not heavy lifting, fish, chemicals, flying tricks, or after three months. Doctor gave them a list of approved medications she could take, and a the basics of early labor, possible miscarriage, and a week by week timeline of what to expect for the next eight months while she was pregnant. It was a simple check up really, just to talk about things of what to expect and how the next appointments would go: they weren't there more than forty minutes in all honesty.
After that was over, they were given the address to the sonogram office which was a good twenty minute drive to get there. They arrived at 3:05pm to the office, checked in there with more paperwork to fill out: at this point Hayden was carrying around a folder with all the documents they were getting in it to keep safe with him on base since he didn't trust them at his house. They waited fifteen minutes before being called in while Avery got on another table-this one with a screen for the sonogram. Hayden was excited for this, they both were. Getting to see their baby for the first time, live!? The doctor came in smiling brightly at them. "So I understand you just found out you are pregnant, and are...six weeks along according to your OB. Is that correct, Miss. Hofferson?"
"Yes ma'am," Avery nodded smiling.
"And this young man here, the baby's father I assume?" The doctor added.
"Hayden Haddock and yes I am," Hayden introduced himself.
"Now I know I've heard that name before," the technician said while sitting down and starting up the sonogram machine. "Oh yes! It was when you spoke at Steven Ritka's funeral. I was there with my kids, we'd known the family since Steven was a little boy. You're a very brave man, Mr. Haddock. I know I sleep at peace at night knowing our home is protected by men like you and the other soldiers of the army." she smiled at him. Hayden almost sighed but held it back as Avery held his hand when her shirt was pulled up: it was finally time to meet their baby. The woman put the wide Doppler-like probe on her lower stomach and moved it around a few times to get a good angle then they were able to see it. "There's your baby...Really tiny right now but will grow in the coming weeks, that flicker there is the heartbeat."
Avery couldn't contain her joy as she cried and Hayden almost did too. "It's...our baby, Hayden..." Avery said as the technician handed her a tissue.
"Sure is, babe..." Hayden replied.
"Let's see if we can get a listen," the technician said as she pressed another button and then it was heard, a very quickened heartbeat from their child, "It's slow, and don't worry, that's not a bad thing and normal at this stage. We generally believe that girls have slower heartbeats than the boys do so you could be having a girl but still too early to tell." The technician measured the baby, took stills, and labeled things before printing a few out and handing them to the parents. "I'm sure we'll see you again in a few months for a gender reveal and check in. Congratulations." She walked out afterwards. Hayden helped Avery up as they hugged, he put a hand on her belly and kissed it. They left the office happier than ever and returned to Avery's house where the others were waiting to see pictures and hear more information. Hayden ended up getting a text from Anderson who told his wife about the baby and told Hayden to give Avery his wife's number if she needed anything at all since his wife still had cribs, toys, furniture, and clothes from both Brenna and Liam.
Hayden was blessed to have all he did, and now a baby on the way with the woman he loved. What could be better? Absolutely nothing. He was finally starting to feel like himself again, where everything was good and happy. There was truly no better feeling.
