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
55; Risky Move
The area around Hayden and his mother-as well her dragon was just about silent with everyone in complete shock at what he'd said so casually upon returning to base after they all thought he was dead too. Hayden had been taken captive fifteen hours before and yet now he was standing before them completely unharmed and calm as can be with his mother beside him. Gerald and Camille, more shocked and emotional than anyone to see Valora there in the flesh. Her hair was a great deal longer and braided into three braids going down the length of her back, she was wearing brown pants with some kind of split long skirt, around her shoulders currently was Hayden's overcoat while Hayden was wearing what he had left in only without the coat on him now. "M-Mommy?" Camille forced out in the quiet, Valora offered a soft smile as she just opened her arms to her daughter and Camille ran right into them, breaking down to her knees upon contact in a fit of loud sobs and tears streaming down cheeks.
"Ssh now baby, it's alright...it's okay. I'm safe now, all thanks to your brother and nothing will ever take me away again." Valora soothed her daughter, Hayden just smiled softly looking to Anderson, Boggs, Greenhalgh, and Evans now.
"Hayden...I don't understand how this is possible she was assumed dead for ten years..." Greenhalgh reminded.
"Assumed, never confirmed. She's been sitting prisoner of war in a cell for ten years. Truth be told, I didn't even know she was alive until I got thrown in the cell with her. If you want another truth, I purposely let myself get captured and taken there." Hayden stated firmly.
"You idiot! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT, YOU COULD OF BEEN KILLED!" Avery yelled at him, banging her fists on Hayden's chest.
"How about I explain everything over dinner and my mother has been checked out. Don't worry about me, I'm fine." Hayden assured softly.
"Yes, of course..." Evans said, still in shock that Hayden was captured, found his mother, and got out on his own fifteen hours later. Valora-while waiting on the medic stared at Gerald as she still held on to a very tear stricken Camille in her arms who refused to let go for any reasons at all.
"Not going to greet me too?" Valora asked gently.
"I'm just...beside myself. You've been alive all this time and kept prisoner here in Iraq? Hayden saved you, how I just...don't understand, Val..." Gerald breathed out.
"I told you our son would go on to do great things and by far exceed our expectations for him and he's more than proven that today. I for one am incredibly proud to him my son...I expected today to be just another day sitting in that cell, never to see another soldier thrown in, never expected him to turn out to be my son I hadn't seen in ten years, or that was a member of the army, or that he trained a Night Fury, and saved both of us with his own plan of escape, still clever might I add, Hayden." Valora chuckled as she hugged Hayden again.
Hayden shrugged a bit with a chuckle, "I had a back up in case that failed,"
"Do I want to even ask?" Valora arched a brow at him.
"Probably not." Hayden smiled.
"I'll take that but I do owe you my life...I gave up hope of being saved after the first six months, and now I'm out of there and back with my family-though I find myself questioning why they are all here at the military base?" Valora questioned.
"Equally long story, I didn't tell ya everything when we were sitting in the cell. Short version, haven't seen them for a holiday in four years since joining the military and my CO decided to fly them in to celebrate Christmas here." Hayden informed lightly. "Take it easy, Mom, go with the medic and get checked out. I'll handle things here." she nodded and walked off with the medic as Camille stood with Gerald and the others in Hayden's family now. "You want your explanation then find somewhere to sit and get comfortable, I'm only saying it once."
"Please don't leave anything out..." Anderson asked.
"When I went out for guard this morning, Evans told me to take Strike One into the air to patrol from above and check as far as the tenth perimeter which was an hour out. Toothless overheard a dragon in distress and we went to investigate it, after fifteen minutes of flying East, I spotted it from the sky and as I got closer, I saw it was Cloud Jumper. I landed straight away and asked it it was him, he nodded to me. Then we got captured, now I know that I could of gotten free then and there but seeing Cloud Jumper alive, it made me wonder if Mom was too. So I sent Strike One back to base and I allowed myself to get take captive with Cloud Jumper and Toothless back to their base. It was a two hour walk South of where we were...Seems like prison base to me." Hayden began.
"Were there other soldiers there?" Boggs asked.
"I don't know, I didn't get to see much because a cloth bag was put over my head. I was tossed in a cell with Mom-though at the time I didn't know it was her. We just started talking. I knew I was going to get out, I was waiting for my moment to strike. When the woman, my mother mentioned that she'd been captive ten years after being shot out of the sky with her dragon: it began to feel familiar to me so I asked more, she said her dragon's name was Cloud Jumper and that her kids loved him. She said she was from Berk, and had twins, Camille and Hayden Haddock, also a husband, Gerald Haddock and of course that right there was enough for me. I told her who I was and we talked for five hours, I caught her up on everything in the last ten years." he continued.
"So how did you get away?" Avery asked.
"Getting to that now," he took a breath, "I waited until sunset and used my Night Fury call to signal Toothless that it was time to break out. He broke his restraints, took on Alpha mode-where he glows blue, and scared the soldiers into staying back from him. In the cell with Mom and I, I faked an asthma attack to get the guard to open the door-then knocked him out and we ran for it. Toothless and Cloud Jumper waited outside for us keeping soldiers back, then we came back here." Hayden finished with a calm shrug of his shoulders.
"You got free from an Iraqi prison base on a fake asthma attack!?" Camille screeched.
"Yep, comes in pretty handy when you want the enemies to think you're dying." Hayden grinned slightly, "I could of broken out anytime," Hayden remarked as he untucked his pant leg from his his boot and a small grenade fell out into his hand, "Never fly into enemy territory unprepared. If Toothless couldn't get us out, I would of just blown the cell up." he added.
"Incredibly clever son." Valora chuckled softly.
"You checked out and cleared?" Hayden asked as she nodded, "Good, Lieutenant General Evans. Given the circumstances of the situation and time frame of her imprisonment...I'd say she's earned discharge so that way she may go home with the family."
"Of course, would you like to go home to? Full discharge from the military, you've more than served your time here," Lt. General Evans asked him.
"No. I'll stay here thanks." Hayden remarked.
"Hayden, no! This is your chance to get out of the military, please take it and come home!" Camille said now.
"I don't want to get out of the military, Camille," Hayden informed firmly with his arms over his chest now, "I'm staying and that is final. Now you can accept it and we'll finish celebrating Christmas or you can give me a hard time and I send all of you back to Berk. Your call, sis."
Camille didn't say anything else, she just nodded to him with her head down. "Easy son, they are just worried about you," Valora kissed his forehead.
"Yeah they worry to much. Hello, I was a POW for fifteen hours and broke out along with saving you. I think I've more than proven that I can handle myself here." Hayden stated.
"True that, I'm just glad you're okay kid." Anderson hugged him again, without warning he pulled Anderson's gun from it's holster and turned out with it pointed straight ahead of him at where an enemy with a knife aimed for his back stood in a frozen state with the barrel of the gun just inches from his forehead.
"I wouldn't if I were you," he warned coldly, the soldier quickly backed up and ran for it. Hayden turned the gun and handed it back to Anderson, "That's what I thought."
"How the hell did you know he was there!" Seth said.
"Awareness to my surroundings, I know when something feels off and I just react. Want to see another fun trick?" Hayden asked as he pulled the grenade, yanked the pin and tossed it over his shoulder to right in front of the enemy who had been running with a small group of others. "I also know he wasn't alone. You sneak into this base with intent to harm or kill and no amount of running will save you," he remarked.
"I really don't have the words to express how well you did Hayden and I'm very impressed. Your skills are as sharp as ever, you never disappoint. And finding your mother, that's just...amazing. Go on and enjoy time with your family, you've earned it." Evans said.
"Much appreciated, Lieutenant General. Back into the tent, you know the rule." Hayden ushered them towards his office, once there and the flap closed-Hayden laid against Toothless sighing out. "Finally...Been waitin all day to get back here." Hayden looked around as Gerald was hugging Valora now, clearly the two happy to be back together. "Well, I think this is as good a time as any to start celebrating." Hayden smiled sitting up now.
"Yes, I completely agree!" Valora smiled wide. From there, it was as if nothing changed. Valora adjusted well to being around family and friends again, and surprisingly she didn't have any issues while imprisoned for ten years. According to her she really just sat in the cell, was only moved a few times and got forced to work for them but she'd never been abused or raped which Hayden was grateful for because he might of flown back out just to destroy the Iraqi prison base. They were all laughing it up, opening presents to enjoy a family Christmas together like they hadn't been able to in years-which was of course very true. Valora hadn't been with the family in ten years, and Hayden missed all major holidays. While they sat around talking and eating, Hayden just watching recalling everything he'd told his mother when they were in the cell.
Hayden never told her about Avery getting pregnant, or the miscarriage. Hayden never told her about all the friends he had lost over the last four years, or the things he'd seen and done. He couldn't bring himself to, he was just glad she was alright and as long he knew that then he'd be just fine. They were only there two more days, Hayden was ensuring his mother went home with them since there was a lot of things to clear up with her not being dead and all. Hayden thought back to his choice; Evans offered him to go home and not on leave. It was an offer to leave the military to be with his family again, and he had turned it down, saying he wanted to stay. Why had he said that though? He had a chance to get out, have a normal life and he chose not to take it but now he had no idea why he'd said it. He had his eyes closed when he felt someone standing near him, looking he saw Avery there. "Why you sitting by yourself?"
"Just relaxing is all. I have been up since 2am, running on two hours of sleep." Hayden shrugged.
"Can I join you?" Avery asked, Hayden nodded as Avery smiled and sat down in his lap-now relaxing against his chest with her eyes closed, "You scared me earlier, Hayden...when the Lieutenant General rushed in at 6am telling Harry that you were captured..."
"I know, I never meant to go as far out as I did. But when Toothless heard a dragon calling for help, I couldn't just look the other way and when I saw it was Cloud Jumper...I just froze, I wasn't even paying attention to possible enemies being around. When the captured me, it made me wonder if Mom was still alive so I let myself go with them so look around: call it a unapproved infiltration mission..." Hayden replied.
"It's amazing she's alive...but I have to know why you didn't take the offer to leave the military?" Avery asked.
Hayden sighed now as he looked at her, "Because there is still a war to fight. I said I wanted to make this place safer, to do greater things towards a better future. I understand that I could of left and just put it behind me, been home with family and you again but how is that fair to any of the other soldiers stuck here still serving? I can't just leave, Avery. I was brought here to protect the Archipelago, and even though I was captured, saved my Mom and her dragon, doesn't mean the war ends. I made a vow, and I'll live by it. I told you why I do this, its for all of you so I'm not gonna stop until its safe to stop."
"I understand. I'm just glad you're safe..." Avery sighed out softly. It was around 7:00pm when everyone was settling down and relaxing, Valora would be sleeping on the cot Anderson had used the night before. It was a great day, even with the imprisonment which had scared everyone. They couldn't believe he'd gotten captured, then found his mother, and saved them both. It was nothing short of a miracle and shockingly enough, Hayden managed to fall asleep for a few hours: they left him be to sleep though, they knew he was tired from everything the last few days since they got there. As it neared 10pm, Hayden was fast asleep against Toothless-hat covering his eyes until the fabled sound of the war horn was heard and as if he'd been awake the whole time, he got up and got himself ready.
"None of you leave this tent. That goes for you to, Mom." Hayden ordered firmly, "Toothless...Let's go." his dragon snorted affirmatively and followed him out after he got his helmet on and gun stated over his chest.
"Be careful!" Camille called. Hayden wasn't going to move far from the tent and his eyes would be on it the entire time while fighting, he didn't want to to leave them unprotected. Most of the attack was centered to the front line which Hayden wasn't near right now but they had to stay on the ready for any enemies that slipped through.
"Hayden! They need you at the front!" Anderson called to him.
"On, cover my family!" he shouted back then rushed forward towards the front lines to help with the attack. As soon as he was up there he started firing, it was like this for hours and got chaotic quickly. Anderson got called to another position and now the tent was left completely unguarded.
"Haddock! I got pulled away for another situation, the tent is unguarded!" Anderson said to him over the radio.
"Strike One! Move to my tent and protect my family, Toothless, help out the front lines. Blast the fuckers!" Toothless warbled with a grin almost as Hayden rushed off with his unit towards the tent, they arrived ten minutes later to find enemies making their way in and already he heard the girls screaming in fear. Anger took over as Hayden headed around the back of it and slipped in, making his way to the front he tackled the enemy down.
"Someone shoot the enemy!" Avery cried out.
"We can't, we'll hit Haddock if we try!" Dylan shouted back as Hayden felt a knife jab him in the side and he yelled out from the pain, he grabbed his side pistol from his leg as he kicked the enemy back off of him and sat up slightly shooting him in the neck and killing him, panting Hayden held his side cringing but he didn't have time to worry about pain.
"Heather...Ethan, Medic now! Haddock was stabbed in the side!" Theo commanded. The two rushed out to find the medic as Hayden, Theo and Dylan kept him still as they got off his vest, and coat to check the wound, "Yeah that's pretty bad..."
"And being stabbed is supposed to be good?!" Hayden muttered sarcastically.
"Glad you're still you." Theo chuckled some.
"Fuck you..." Hayden panted, "Lanvik, go help Anderson. They are down three men...you go too, Theo."
"Someone has to stay with you until medic arrives." Theo said.
"We got him. Val and I can take care of it," Gobber interjected quickly, Theo looked to Hayden who nodded as Theo and Dylan rushed out with their guns. Hayden forced himself up holding his side-the area was getting quieter so they must of pushed back the attack-thank Thor to. As Hayden was trying to get up another enemy came in as Gerald instinctively pushed everyone behind him firmly. Hayden saw the enemy go to fire as he fought through the pain and moved between the enemy and his father as the shot rang out. It happened so quickly, they saw Hayden move from the side of the room in front of his father. Everything was still, and quiet now as Anderson and Strike One, along with the medic rushed in just in time to see Hayden with his gun out and panting hard as he pulled the trigger shooting the enemy in the head. The enemy fell dead to the floor as Anderson could now see Hayden standing there, blood seeping from his mid-section.
"Haddock..." Anderson whispered in fear as he say Hayden wobble slightly then hit his knees after dropping the gun. "Hayden!" Anderson rushed over to catch him before he fell, being closer now he could see that Hayden was shot in the stomach, as well stabbed on the right side near the rib cage. Boggs, Greenhalgh, and Evans rushed in now seeing the sight.
"What the hell happened?!" Boggs yelled.
"Hayden! Come on, stay awake...you're not dying on me you asshole." Anderson said shaking Hayden to stay awake.
"Lay him down, quickly!" The medic ordered, Anderson laid Hayden down watching with deep concern as the medic had him apply pressure to the stab wound, she checked over the bullet wound to the stomach. "The bullet it still in there and we don't have time to move him, I have to take it out now." The medic said pulling on a glove and looking at Anderson-who just nodded. The medic reached her hand in and found the bullet, of course Hayden was still partially awake and felt everything so it hurt like hell and he didn't hide the pain he felt. The medic found it it and pulled it out as she then put a towel down over the wound. Treating Hayden's wounds took close to an hour or so and he went unconscious after ten minutes in from the pain of stitches without pain medication. Anderson and Theo moved him to one of the cots and let him rest.
"Is he...going to be okay?" Avery whimpered out kneeling beside the cot he was on.
"He's alright, he's been shot before. Normally we don't do stitches without pain meds and he needed them twice this time. He'll be recovering the next two weeks or so, he should wake up in an hour if not then come get me." the medic insisted, they nodded as Anderson just sighed.
"Why on earth did you leave him alone in here after he'd been stabbed. You know the protocol...he was down and needed cover to avoid situations like this," Anderson asked Theo and Dylan.
"He told us to help you..." Theo said sadly.
"It doesn't matter, he was down and wounded. He could have died tonight...What the hell happened in here after those two left?" Anderson asked looking towards Valora and the others.
"After they left, Hayden tried to...get up but another enemy came in, he aimed for my husband and Hayden jumped in front of it, then shot the enemy down...It all happened so fast." Valora answered softly.
"He'll be alright...he's a trooper," Anderson sighed as they all looked at Hayden who laid there pretty motionless, the only sign he was alive they had was that he was breathing still.
