My Hope
Author: Nightstar Fury of Nightstar Productions.
Rating: M for Mature.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Dreamworks HTTYD or Dreamworks Dragons. I also don't own any of the songs I may use.
12; Hear Him Out.
{Astrid's POV}
So fast. Everything happened so fast that day, two days ago when Hunter's secret he'd been hiding came out. That he was a father to a little girl named Hope Haddock. I remember gathering the courage to finally tell him how I felt about him and he rejected me saying he couldn't be in a relationship right now, that he needed time to figure things out out which was okay with me. I did sort of throw it on him out of the blue but then I decided to push more by asking about the last two years when he was gone. I knew he changed, he tensed when I asked him about it. He said nothing but I just...snapped at him and demanded he tell me what he was hiding, that he was having Heather hide too, and his father. We argued, then Gobber came and we had to do training. I was getting the truth today if it was the last thing I did but then things went...chaotic.
Hunter's mom showed up, she was holding a little girl that fell. Hunter wasted no time diving for her, he caught her and Strykeout caught him. That little girl clung to him like a security blanket, at first my friends and I thought this was his and Heather's little sister judging by her hair which was dark brown with some lighter streaks in it. We thought that was the secret, that they had a sister. But as I watched how Hunter reacted when she fell, and after the fact soothing her...I began to feel like it was deeper than sibling. None of us heard what Hunter's mother said about why the little girl was there, only that he was going to take her home. That was odd, why wouldn't Hunter let his mom or dad take the kid? It was...theirs right? But that little girl clung to Hunter tightly, refusing to leave him.
Rylee made a comment about her not wanting to leave her brother and we saw the looks on confusion cross their faces. Why would they look at us like that? What did Rylee say that was wrong. Violet, Hunter and Heather's mother made a remark about us not knowing, that's when Samuel said it was time Hunter told us. At that point...I already had a feeling about what it was. Everything made sense, Hunter's phone calls to a school that we assumed he could take after high school hours were over, him darting off the other day on Strykeout, how well he was with the doll Melody...I only looked at him sadly and with shock. And then he said it.
"She isn't my little sister...She's..." He had trailed off as we saw this little girl's eyes. They were exactly like Hunter's. She had his eyes, right down to color too. And seeing the hair again beside Hunter's, we understood where it was going. The little girl had said 'Dada' and shock hit us all like a pile of bricks. Then the two words came out as Hunter finished his sentence, "My daughter."
His...daughter. Hunter had a daughter and she was right there in his arms. I didn't even know what to say or do. Everything since he had come back had been a lie, his secret that his family was keeping for him. I listened to him say he was sorry for lying and more but all I felt was...betrayal in a way. In health and home ec, he never raised his hand to having sex, or any of that. But it made sense now why he got so defensive in that health debate. Because he was a teenage parent, Samuel even said that when Hunter took off. That he knew it was a sensitive subject for Hunter. Everything fit not but that didn't make the pain any less harder to deal with. He said he had never wanted to hurt me, or any of us. He said when we were ready to hear the truth, to come to his house. But two days had passed since then and we hadn't gone, also Hunter hadn't been to school. Heather missed one day but she was there the day after.
Now sitting in lunch with my friends, we were all silent. We hadn't said much about anything after that day, all of us couldn't believe it. That Hunter was a father, that he lied to us and we were supposed to be best friends. Heather lied too, we always asked and she brushed it off. And when we caught her hiding something she said she wished she could tell us and was sorry. That made sense now, she was covering for Hiccup. His whole family was. I was hurt, I actually cried when I got home that day after school. I loved Hunter, even after this I still loved him. I wanted to know his secret but I didn't think it would be him having a child.
"What do we do guys?" Shaun asked breaking the silence.
"About what?" Eric sighed.
"Hunter, and Heather...And...the fact Hunter has a kid, and lied to us about it. He said he was gone for two years because Heather lost her mom and didn't want to face anyone...But...It wasn't just that." Rylee mumbled.
"He lied to us. We asked over and over again what happened but he didn't tell us. Plain and simple, he didn't trust us...So much for being friends." Shaun huffed. Heather walked by the table now, she almost glared at us.
"Can you not talk about my brother behind his back." She retorted coldly.
"Can you and him not keep secrets behind our backs?" Travis said.
"Look, I know it was wrong that he hid it from you...I told him over and over again to come out about. But he had his reasons..." Heather sighed.
"Why didn't you tell us?" I finally asked.
"Because it wasn't my secret to tell. I agreed to keep it for him...Its his business." Heather replied. "You don't know...what he's been through. Okay? I'm not saying you have to do anything but...You should at least hear him out. You don't know his side of the story. You just see a lie, and yes...It was. But you have to consider how hard it was for him to become a father two years ago when he was only 15 years old...That's...really scary. You all admitted that in home ec and health class...Hunter lived it, still does. And he may not show it...But he is still scared and he really is sorry. The invitation is still there...for you to come to the house and get the story..." Heather said as she put a piece of paper down. "That's our address...Do with it what you want. You said you wanted the truth, the only way you'll get it is if you come over." With that she walked away.
"I know it might...not be my place here but...You guys did say you wanted the truth about what happened so...Maybe go and hear the guy out...I mean everyone has their reasons for keeping things to themselves." Damien said, they all looked at him now.
"He's right...So is Heather...We wanted to know the truth. We know he has a kid...but we don't know how it happened." Rylee stated.
"I don't know about any of you...But I'm going, after school today. I want to know..." I stated.
"We're coming too." The group replied nodding. With that decided on, we finished our lunch then went to dragon training for the rest of the day. Afterwards the last bell we all decided to walk to Hunter's. According to the address it wasn't far, a 15 minute walk. No wonder Hunter always few back and forth to school. Heather had gone home with Samuel.
(The Haddock House)
When we reached Hunter's house we couldn't believe we'd never seen it before. I saw Samuel's and Violet's cars there, so they were both home and Heather too. But we were only there for one person, Hunter and there for one reason. The truth about the last 2 years. Before I could even knock, Hunter opened the door and stood there holding Hope. "Decided you wanted the story?" We nodded quietly. "Very well then. Come on inside...I'll tell you..." He said to us, he sounded...cold almost. Not cold as in weather cold, just...no emotion which wasn't like him at all. He moved aside letting us in, we all sat around the living room seeing Samuel, Violet, and of course Heather. Hunter shut the door then walked over to the playpen laying Hope down in it, he covered her up and stepped back slowly.
{Hunter's POV}
I'd had a feeling they would come tonight, Heather told me she confronted them during lunch about giving me a chance to explain. I hadn't cared if they came or not, it was up to them if they wanted to know everything. I hadn't gone to school in two days since the reveal of me having Hope, I wasn't in the mood and it wasn't like I was missing anything vital, so after school I gave it all of 30 minutes before they'd come. I actually watched from the window when the arrived and decided to answer it before they knocked. I'd just gotten Hope to sleep. I invited them in knowing why they were there and they filed in slow sitting around the living room.
"Well I think its time we leave Hunter alone to talk. Vi, Heather..." Samuel said. They got up to go into the kitchen.
"Want us to take Hope for you?" Heather asked.
"No its fine, she's asleep right now. I got her." I replied calmly. They nodded and left, now it was just me and the gang. Well me and the others, I didn't know if they still considered me a friend after I lied to them for months, and I guess years. I never told them when it happened either. Before I told them the story, I still had one other thing to show them. My other secret, being Shadow the dragon racer. "Before I give you the story, I have one other thing to tell you. Another...secret I guess you can consider it. And if you yell and wake my daughter, I'll kick you out..." I warned seeing them about to yell.
"Okay...What other secret are you keeping from us then?" Rylee asked.
"Follow me, quietly..." I said moving into the kitchen as they did right after me. "Keep an ear for Hope...I'll be back in a second." I told my parents and sister. They nodded as I opened the back door leading to the yard where there was a barn with the main doors open, it wasn't a long walk there maybe 2 minutes. "Try not to freak out..." I said, they gave me confused looks as I sighed. Here goes nothing, well actually...Everything. I put my fingers to the corners of my mouth and gave a whistle.
"If you're going to show us that Strykeout stays here too, we know that...He never stays at school unless you're there." Shaun mentioned.
"Just be quiet and look...Come here bud!" I called out to Toothless. They all looked towards the barn as Toothless emerged and I heard their gasps of shock. Yep. Here we go. Toothless bounded towards me happily and saw them panting with his tongue out.
"Hunter...You have...a Night Fury?!" They asked in unison with wide eyes.
"Like Heather who has Windshear as her bonded dragon...I have him. He's my bonded dragon..." I told them.
"How did...we miss this?! Why haven't you brought him to school and trained with him?!" Asked Travis.
"Because no one would leave me alone if I brought a Night Fury to school...He's the rarest dragon known to man, also the fastest and smartest." I stated.
"Wow and we thought Shadow was the only one with a Night Fury...What the hell Hunter! This is amazing..." Rylee smiled. Yeah, smile now. You're going to hate me in a second when I tell you that I'm Shadow.
"What's his name?" Astrid asks now. Moment of truth.
"His name is Toothless." I watched their smiles disappear, eyes widen with shock again.
"But wait...Toothless is...Shadow's dragon..." Rylee pointed out. I faced them now as I reached into Toothless's saddlebag and pulled out Shadow's mask for races and their mouths turned to a large O shape. I put the mask on and stood in one of Shadow's signature stances, arms crossed and leaning against Toothless.
"Yes, I know. Toothless is Shadow's dragon. And I'm Shadow, the dragon racer." I stated through the mask.
"No way...I don't...believe it...It can't be you. You can't be Shadow..." Astrid said.
"Can't it?" I pulled the mask off now. "Has anyone ever seen Shadow without his mask during a race? Shadow races with a Night Fury named Toothless. And if you recall...The day you all came to the race track, I wasn't there. I had food poisoning, remember? But Shadow and Deranged Spark had a one on one race, and Shadow one that race plus the main race. Whenever there's a race, I told you that you couldn't come over and I couldn't hang out. When Damien transferred to our school, I walked out because I'm Shadow and he's my rival. I started racing before Hope was born about a year and a half ago. I have the dragon, and the mask. What more proof do you need? Me in full racing gear. Its in the barn, I'll go get it if I really need too." I stated.
They were quiet as Heather came out now and stood beside me. "You knew he was...Shadow?" Shaun asked.
"Of course I did...I was around when he became Shadow. The only racer in the league to conceal himself behind a mask. I'm surprised none of you saw me nod to him before we left that day and he nodded back. When there's a race, Hunter doesn't come to school if you noticed...He's 'sick' those days, or working. Technically its not a lie because dragon racing is his job." Heather said.
"I cannot believe you didn't tell us this either!" Astrid grumbled.
"What choice did I have...I'm a famous dragon racer, a father, a high schooler...I didn't need all the extra drama in my life. Not saying you're drama but I mean with the press and shit...They are all over the other racers, I don't want to be like them. Yeah, I like to race but I also want a normal life...If you recall, I said this when we talked about Shadow. 'He's a normal guy like the rest of us and racing is a hobby. He conceals himself so people won't bother him or his Night Fury, no one has seen him with the mask off so it makes it easy for him to blend in with a normal crowd'. Ring any bells?" I sighed.
"So its...been you the whole time? Anything else you're not telling us?" Eric asked.
"That's all of it. I'm Shadow the dragon racer, I bonded with a Night Fury, and I'm a father..." I say firmly.
"If you wanted to be concealed as Shadow...Then why tell us you're him?" Astrid asked.
I looked at them seriously now. "Because you're my friends, and I didn't want anymore secrets...And I don't care how much you hate me for keeping these secrets...I will ask you to not say anything about me being Shadow...I know it's a lot to ask but if not for me...Do it for Toothless. He's the only Night Fury seen in 300 years...He'd never be left alone if people knew he belonged to me, and that's...not fair to him." I look down.
"You don't deserve it, Hunter...But...We won't tell anyone you're Shadow, if you agree to tell us everything about the last two years...starting with the day you left after freshman year ended...Deal?" Astrid stated.
"Done. Thank you...Lets go back inside and...I'll tell you everything from when it started..." I say. Nodding we all headed back inside the house and took a seat in the living room. Heather sat with mom and dad in the kitchen, I checked on Hope before sitting down on the couch looking at them, all of them waiting for me to start. I had agreed to tell them so I couldn't go back on it now. I had to tell them everything about Olivia, Hope, Toothless...It was going to be a long night but I had to do this. I said no more secrets...And I meant it.
