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

74; What I Do Best

He felt good, he could admit that without a doubt in his mind. The day started really bad, the last few months had been horrible but today-after all that had happened, he felt really good. His evaluation was cleared and scored perfect enough to get him back on active duty but in a turn of events that surprised everyone was that Hayden declined the offer. Hayden was thrilled that his commanding officers thought he could handle another war but he knew he couldn't. Anderson's death did it for him, he couldn't go through that again. He barely handled the six years he was in the military already and while he wouldn't quit the military-he refused active duty. The others were off active too-since they were working for Hayden at Beyond The Clouds when it opened in June after Hayden and Avery got married in May-then enjoyed their honeymoon. Hayden was taking her to Isle of Night. An island resort for couples to relax and enjoy all the amenities: spa, swimming, dragon riding, surfing, hiking, room service, and so much more.

They were going for a week-taking their dragons right after the wedding party was over. They'd be flying most of the night. They'd planned their wedding for 1pm, then they'd party until 6ish, a two hour flight to Isle of Night-getting them there are 8ish to check in, unpack, and relax before enjoying everything for the remaining remaining seven days. They still had a few things to figure out, like songs for dances that hadn't been picked out yet because they couldn't find anything they liked or that represented them: Hayden was seriously considering Theo's idea of writing a song for them but didn't know if he'd have time between now and the wedding to write one to represent his and Avery's love. He guessed he'd have to give it a shot while still looking for another song as back up in case his idea failed miserably. By this point after the officers left: they all sat around relaxing. Theo was actually on the computer tracing the files of the SD card to find out who took the videos that Hayden had never seen before.

"Any luck, Theo?" Hayden asked looking over to him.

"Working on it," Theo stated as Hayden mumbled.

"So, still haven't decided on a song for you two yet huh?" Camille asked softly.

"Not a clue, we've been through hundreds of songs and can't find we like or agree on," Avery sighed heavily closing her eyes, Hayden chuckled as he put his arm over her shoulders.

"Relax babe, we'll find somethin. And if not-I'll make something." Hayden smiled at her as she glanced at him curiously.

"Make something? You mean write a wedding song for us?" Avery asked, he nodded. "That's brilliant! Could you really? I think that would make it even better!"

"Well, I can try. There's only two months left. My songs take a while to finish..." Hayden shrugged.

"I'm sure you can come up with something on the fly," Heather smiled.

"Glad you have so much confidence in me," he rolled his eyes slightly now.

"Oh, Hayden...what about this one? The one you wrote in Afghanistan right after you two got back together?" Theo offered to him. Hayden leaned over and looked at it now.

"Where the hell did ya find that? And it's not completed-I only got half of it done," Hayden stated.

"It was in your document files-no clue why though." Theo shrugged.

"Can I hear it?" Avery asked, Hayden shrugged as he handed her his headphones while Theo opened the file and let it start-no one else could hear it but the surprise and joy in Avery's eyes told them all they needed to know, she loved whatever she was listening to. After about a minute, she pulled the headphones off with a smile. "Finish that one because I want it as our wedding song babe," Hayden blinked at her sudden response to the song.

"You serious?" Hayden asked, she nodded her head wildly to him, "Well, okay then-if you really want me too, I will for you." Avery hugged him tightly now.

"You're the best," She said happily.

"I guess so? How can you tell you want that one, it's not even done..." Hayden asked.

"I love how it sounds so far-finish it, please? And I want you to sing it live when we dance to it..." Avery blushed.

"Now you're pushing it but fine, its our wedding-I won't deny you what you want," Hayden sighed with a smile as he kissed her cheek.

"Awe, that's so sweet," Rachel beamed brightly as Avery leaned against him with a content sigh.

"So can the rest of us hear?" Camille asked.

"You'll hear it in two months when I finish it," Hayden chuckled as they huffed mumbling. "I'll work on it babe," Hayden stated

"Would you do it now or no?" Jasmine asked.

"I suppose I could-need my laptop though and Theo's trying to track down the fucker who shot those videos..." Hayden stated softly. He really did want to know who took them-how did they get on his SD card and how had he never seen it before today. It just...seemed to so weird that everything going on-how upset he was, that he saw the messages from his friends on the video, telling him thank you for him being their friend. He wasn't upset about that video-whoever took it was using his phone, the guys admitted they had stolen it from him. But who had taken the video from the day he got the letter from his dad, and the fight where they lost Ritka-who the hell would of recorded something like that and then purposely made sure it was on his SD card. He felt like it was someone who wanted to hurt him and he didn't want to hurt anymore.

"You alright?" Avery asked him, he nodded to her with a light smile then got up to grab a soda, ice pop, finally his guitar from his room. He set down the soda and guitar-he kept the ice pop in his mouth while moving to the picture where the safe was. Hayden did all the steps to get into it as he dug around for a few things then finally found a folder marked: Songs. Hayden smiled as he pulled it out then shut the safe, span the dial, pulled the key out and put the picture back up and made sure it was straight before sitting back down on the couch and opened it while filing through a few papers until he found the one he was looking for. To Avery and Theo-who were sitting closest to him, they could see it was papers with lyrics or possible ones. Another sheet had the notes to be played by instruments-obviously a vast collection of them too.

"Here, use your laptop-I'll go get my laptop from next door and keep searching this SD for any sign of who might of taking those videos," Theo said sliding it over to Hayden while he got up to leave the apartment and go next door to his own and get his computer. Hayden brought up his program to work with instruments-then he plugged the HDMI cord into the TV to give him something bigger to work with since the flat screen was fifty-five inches and mounted to the wall.

"So I'm curious as to how you only use your laptop to create songs-don't you need other instruments and stuff?" Avery asked.

"I'll show ya. It's a program that allows me to use the keys on the keyboard as notes in music. All I have to do is the program to the instrument I want to use. Like-piano for instance," Hayden changed the instrument over to piano as he put his fingers on the keys and started playing light notes, "Or...electric guitar," he smiled changing it again as he fixed his fingers to just one hand on the keys-playing a few notes like that, "And...flute, clarinet, sax, trumpet, drums," Hayden listed off for her.

"But like, how do you play them all at once?" Rachel asked him.

"What I do is create one section of just that instrument, once I put it all together I start cutting, copying, and pasting that section among others to blend it in. Normally last is when I sing after I have the music settled since it takes the longest. You noticed earlier babe, listening to that song that after a minute-it was just music but no lyrics and that's because I haven't thought of the rest but when I do, it'll all go together." Hayden explained.

"That's pretty cool actually," Dylan smiled.

"Meh, call it a hobby. I like mixing different sounds together to see if it'll make something, or like with the Soldiers Memoir song, I created the lyrics first based off a line Gobber gave me. I did the music for that on mainly just my acoustic and added a few extras. It only took so long because every battle brought something new to write about. Like-couldn't use the first verse of 'my Momma says I look the same as before I left but if she could see inside of me-it would scare her to death', that's something I couldn't write until after I'd saved her and came home for that leave for two weeks. Because she said I looked no different-I remember thinking that I might look the same on the outside but you don't know me inside anymore because I don't even know who I am," Hayden shrugged.

"So right now do you have any music that's already done with unfinished lyrics-well besides the one for the wedding?" Avery asked.

"Plenty," he replied pulling up the folder then leaning back, "Take your pick-ten to one I have lyrics started but not finished in the folder. Normally, I get inspiration for a song then work on music for it, then add lyrics while moving the sounds around to blend-that's my method anyway," Hayden added.

"What that one right there, the one one labeled 'SOTD'?" Camille inquired.

"Shadow Of The Day, something I started after Ritka died-kind'a stopped after Tarelto's death because I lost the desire to finish it," Hayden shrugged.

"Can we hear it-well the music to it?" Heather asked him.

"I suppose if you really want to," Hayden stated clicked it and let the music start after clicking the folder as the music began for it-just a simple beat to start while the screen changed to the main one where the selection for instrument to be played was electric guitar. The room seemed to fall silent now listening to it as Hayden moved onto the floor to get a better angle at the computer. He'd pulled out the sheet for it where there were very few lyrics written on the paper. Hayden closed his eyes as just after the beginning started-he took a breath, "I close both locks below the window. I close both blinds and turn away. Sometimes solutions aren't so simple...Sometimes goodbye's the only way, oh!" were as far as the lyrics were written only Hayden didn't really stop, "And the sun will set for you. The sun will set for you. And the shadow of the day, will embrace the world in gray. And the sun will set for you..."

"In cards and flowers on your window. Your friends all plead for you to stay. Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple...Sometimes goodbye's the only way, oh!" the others just watched, hadn't Hayden said he didn't have the lyrics finished to this yet? That he gave it up? "And the sun will set for you. The sun will set for you. And the shadow of the day, will embrace the world in gray. And the sun will set for you!" without warning he just put his hands on the keys and started playing more notes which came off as electric guitar-almost like solo for it.

"And the shadow of the day-will embrace the world in gray! And the sun will set for you!" he kept playing the notes now-really just winging it since they hadn't been pre-planned already. Hayden had already hit the merge button so it would instantly write in with the rest of the music playing. "And the shadow of the day! Will embrace the world in gray! And the sun will set for you!..." the music seemed to finish off with lesser beats-a way to calm down almost before ending. Hayden pulled off his hands off the keys with a smile.

"Thought you said it wasn't done?" Avery blinked.

"Is now. Sometimes it just comes to me and works out, thanks for staying quiet while I was recording." Hayden chuckled now.

"That was awesome guitar playing-did you wing it?" Ethan asked, Hayden nodded to him as he glanced over to see Theo still combing through the video that had been played earlier. Hayden could tell he was trying to see if there was any clues to who the person who was recording it.

"Ugh, I got nothing, Hayden...I've checked the video a thousand times-nothing gives who the recorder is away. No reflections, no one saying his or her name," Theo sighed with a groan.

"And you can't trace the original file? It was taken with a phone-not mine though. I wouldn't of taken my phone on a mission," Hayden stated.

"What do you mean trace the original file? It's on your SD card, Hayden-someone had to of gotten a hold of it and added this themselves with a computer or something-there's no other way it could have been placed there without one unless this person had your phone," Theo stated to him.

"If it wasn't taken with mine and someone moved the files onto mine than the original file must have where it was taken from encoded somewhere, let me see it for a sec?" Hayden said as Theo took it out as Hayden closed down his music program then slipped the SD card into his computer and it came up on screen-also on the TV since the two were still connected. Hayden went through the files until he found that video and brought up its main coding as his eyes scanned over it-to the others it looked like a bunch of random numbers and letters but Hayden seemed to understand it just fine.

Hayden mumbled as he started the video again, fast forwarding it to the end when that scene played of the day Ritka died. Hayden's eyes were glued to the screen as he got up and moved closer. After about five minutes, "Theo, would you rewind it to about thirty seconds ago and slow it down for me?" Theo nodded as he did what Hayden asked him to do then played it through only slower for him. "Pause it," the video stopped on a section where someone was running across the screen, "That's...Sanchez right there after I gave the order for everyone to get to the extraction point-his head is turned and facing the camera so he saw whoever the recorder was. "Enhance the sound and play it from about ten seconds ago..." Theo rewinded it slightly then played it with enhanced sound as Hayden watched closer before grinning, "Caught ya asshole..." he said.

"Who did it?" Ethan asked.

"Listen closely..." Hayden said moving near his laptop now and sitting down as he took just that clip from the video and uploaded it into his music program, he used a brief five second clip and cut out all other sound but what he was looking for. Hayden hit play as one name was heard, "Palmer! Move your ass, come on!"

"Palmer shot those videos?" Theo said in shock.

"I don't know if he shot the others-but he shot this one and that's all I care about..." Hayden growled a bit as he stood up and got his phone out. "Don't you 'hey Hayden' me, you asshole. Get over to my place right now...YES IT'S AN ORDER!...Because I'm still your commanding officer and I said so! If you're not here in five minutes-I'll find out with Toothless," then he hung up. Five minutes later there was a knock on the door as Jasmine opened it revealing Palmer, Sanchez, and Shaw standing there.

"What gives, Haddock?" Shaw mumbled.

"Zip it..." he warned quickly as his eyes stayed on Palmer before bringing his fist back and punching him right in the face. Palmer stumbled back as the other just watching in shock-Hayden grabbed Palmer's arm and dragging him inside to sit him before the TV where Hayden played the video with his arms crossed over his chest-an almost dangerous look in his eyes, when it was over he saw Sanchez and Shaw gulp. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" he asked now.

"You can't prove it was me," Palmer stated calmly. Hayden brought up the music program and replayed the scene with enhanced sounds for him.

"Actually, I can. So let's try again, did you really think I wouldn't find out who the fuck shot the video of the day Ritka died? A video I didn't shoot, on my phone, that played earlier in front of everyone? You think I'm not gonna find out who had their phone out and recording during a mission!" Hayden stated. Palmer didn't say anything now, "It's forbidden! My rules as commanding officer on missions were that all cell phones stayed in the barrack because if Odin forbid one went off during a mission we would have been so screwed! You're little act could have gotten a ton of other people killed because you rather recorded than fired back and offered cover!"

"We were screwed anyway!" Palmer said now.

"We wouldn't have been if you'd been doing your damn job! In a fire fight, we don't pull out our cell phones and start recording-we fight back! You could have gotten someone killed!" Hayden scolded him.

"One gun wouldn't have made a difference!" Palmer replied quickly.

"In order for you to get the shot you did-you had to be pretty damn close to me since the camera was focused on Ritka, me, and Lennox! If you'd put that phone away and fired back then Ritka might not have had to run off into the building to cover me! The building that blew up right after everyone ran for extraction! The building that he got trapped in and I couldn't get him out of because I'd gotten shot in the arm! The building that was hit a second time and Ritka died in! The building I had to dig his body out of the rubble and bring back! If you had shut that damn phone off and fired back offering cover-Ritka wouldn't have died!" Hayden yelled angrily.

"He chose to run off!" Shaw said, "You can't blame anyone for his choice!"

"Oh yeah, and what if I can prove that Ritka knew someone wasn't doing his job?" Hayden remarked as it fell quiet now.

"You couldn't possibly be able to do that," Sanchez interjected now.

"I think you'll find that I can," Hayden said as he rewound the video and slowed it down to when they saw Hayden shoot the gun and turn to avoid being shot but got hit anyway. They saw Ritka's face almost glaring at the camera with a shake of his head before getting down to check on Hayden-then he looked back at the phone before saying he'd go higher to offer cover. "Ritka's position in the fire fight was to stay near me because he was the second best shooter in Strike One. My group never disbanded during a fire fight-we always had one another's backs. Ritka wouldn't of broken from the group unless he had to. And he had to because he saw you recording on your phone rather than shooting back! The bullet that hit me was close range and I know because Ritka is the one who shot that soldier who shot me down! If you had put the fucking phone down then you would of seen it because your focus should have been the fight!"

Palmer didn't say anything now, "Not to mention, the camera jolted after Ritka glared at it, right before checking on me he fired one to kill the guy who shot me, then one more to shoot the guy who tried to kill you. You ducked when Ritka's gun was aimed near you. He saved your ass when you failed to do your job, and he lost his life because of it...Ritka knew you weren't doing your job and he went higher to cover for your mistake-he went higher to cover us so we could get away and he would have lived if he he hadn't had to go higher to cover for what YOU DID!"

"I'm sorry..." Palmer said looking down.

"Why the hell were you recording, that's what I want to know! For fuck's sake even after you realized what happened-you kept going after I said get to extraction, when I got in the plane, and when we landed before I hit the ground in grief because I had to leave behind one of my best fucking friends who died because he was covering a position you were supposed to be in! Do you know how fucking hard it was for me to leave him in that building-to listen to him tell me to run and he'd cover me so I could get away?!" Hayden glared.

"I-I don't know," Palmer replied quietly.

"Aside all that-why is it on my SD card! Why the hell would you make it so I'd see it again?! That was one of the worst days of my entire life-the only soldier I ever had to leave behind, then go back for two days later. Are there any other fucking videos from missions that are on my SD card? Any other deaths I'll have to re-see because I don't fucking see them enough in my head that prevent me from sleeping?"

"No...sir...nothing..." Palmer said.

"You best hope not because when I saw that video-I nearly lost it completely." Hayden stated firmly.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel...You weren't...supposed to see that. I-I was the one who recorded the guys of Strike One and Anderson sending you thank you messages and I transferred it by accident. Those two videos were in the same folder I transferred...by the time I realized that I'd put them on your SD card, you had your phone back and...I didn't...want to tell you why I needed it back because I knew you'd get mad...I didn't want to get in trouble," Palmer told him truthfully.

"Damn right I'd get mad, first of all: you shouldn't have been taking videos on missions. Secondly, you shouldn't have been touching my phone without permission-I don't care what it was for. Ritka's death was one of the hardest ones to hit me-and maybe he wouldn't have had to die if you'd been doing your job. I don't know how many times I've said it, 'you fuck around in this job and someone dies', maybe now people will believe me. I would have rather you told me the truth back then, rather now when I find out while I'm trying to heal. And I was in a really good mood until I found out who took the videos. Sorry for punching you, but who could blame me after the last two days I've had-then find out one of my friends recorded something like that..." Hayden stated coldly now with his arms over his chest.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Hayden...I know I should have told you. I'm...responsible for...his death-I had a part in it. I was...supposed to be covering you and Lennox with Ritka...are you...gonna tell the others?" Palmer asked.

"No," Hayden replied which made him lift his head in shock, "They find out you did something like this and you could be charged with so many things. Endangering fellow soldiers, assisting the enemy, and a vast variety of others too. But rather than throw you to the wolves-I'm choosing to do what I do best: protect my friends and cover them from trouble," Hayden said as he reached over to the laptop and completely deleted the video from Ritka's death off his laptop. "I could easily turn you over for it, but that's not the kind of guy I am. Alpha Fire is my squadron and a group of people who were and still are my best friends and no matter what some of them may do to piss me off, I'd never not protect them from danger,"

"I don't deserve this," Palmer said, "You should hate me for what I did,"

"I should, but I don't. I don't hate anyone, life is way to God damn short to be hating people. We had enough hate in war, I've had enough of it." Hayden replied now, "I'm choosing to forgive you, don't make me regret it. Now go, I've had a long two days and I just want to go to sleep..."

"Yes sir. Thank you, and sorry again." Palmer said as he got up.

"Uh huh. See you at the wedding in two months," Hayden stated, the three guys left as Theo shut the door.

"You good?" Theo asked.

"I'll live, but I am really tired..." Hayden said as he disconnected the wires, shut his computer-then flopped on the couch holding Avery against him. Closing his eyes they saw how quickly he managed to fall asleep there. It had been a long few days for him-they knew that so they'd let him sleep. It was only about 3pm but they knew he needed it-Hayden admitted to barely being able to sleep. Avery knew he was okay right now, he'd told her himself that she kept the nightmares at bay. The others hung out a while before clearing out. Jasmine shut the shades and turned off the lights to let Hayden sleep while she went to her room to relax. Avery fell asleep not long after and it was peaceful the remainder of the day.