=Normal POV=
[Tuesday, 8/9/2022-4:00 pm]
[Isle of Berk; Raven Point Park-The Cove]

Two months had gone by since the day Hiccup and Astrid got back together, and then had to return to Iraq a week before his leave time was supposed to end. Eret, Thuggory, and Dagur returned on schedule a week after Hiccup had gone back; the first thing they did was visit Hiccup in the hospital, and were the lucky ones who got to help him back to the barrack since the doctor deemed the wound healed enough for him to continue the recovery in his own bed. During that whole week Hiccup was in the military hospital; he kept in contact with his family and friends if he wasn't sleeping. For three weeks, Hiccup was on light duty to make sure the wound stayed closed and healed up properly. Hiccup talked to everyone back home as much as he could, but when he was cleared for missions again; the contact became less and less as Hiccup knew it would. If nothing else, Hiccup made sure he contacted his parents and Astrid above all others because he knew they'd pass any messages along to the rest.

Astrid was becoming more and more used to how things worked about dating a deployed soldier. It was hard not to talk every day, but at the same time; not so bad because she also had her job to do as a Veterinarian. There were times she'd be really busy at the clinic, or just come home to shower and have enough time to eat and say an I love you and good night to Hiccup before crashing on her bed. So, the arrangement wasn't all bad because she couldn't respond all the time either. However, one thing Astrid was really looking forward to was that weekend getaway Hiccup promised her over Skype the night he got hurt. That was surely going to be interesting; just the two of them for three days. Dragon's Edge was a Dragon-themed amusement park, but doubled as a campground too. Astrid couldn't wait, hopefully, only two more months to go until she got all that alone time with Hiccup.

It would be good for them, as it had been eight years since they got to spend time together as a couple. The last big thing they got to do was go to senior prom, that was the day before graduation from high school. A lot of the trip would likely be them talking, and enjoying the park. On Hiccup's side of things; he also couldn't wait. Getting sent back to Iraq early messed up all the plans he had for Astrid and him to just chat about the past eight years, enjoy their renewed relationship. Hiccup made an effort to contact home at least once a day, or night; even if there wasn't an actual conversation; he'd let his parents and Astrid know he was alright. Today, Astrid and her friends were hanging out at the park after work to enjoy a picnic-style lunch. Mala was home with the kids, but Heather came out to join the group.

"I'm glad our lives haven't gotten so busy that we weren't able to do this anymore," Fishlegs stated as everyone grabbed an available picnic table to sit at. Snotlout and Tuffnut set down the table cloth while Adelaide and Minden put out the plates, utensils, and food.

"Right," Ruffnut agreed. Astrid was checking her phone because for once; Hiccup hadn't made contact in a week. The last message she got was him saying he had to go out on a mission and would check in once back. Astrid knew that if Hiccup had died, Stoick and Valka would have received a visit from a notification officer and chaplain about Hiccup's death, and around this time; his body would be shipped home in a flag-draped casket to be buried. That hadn't happened, and she knew from Gobber it would happen within twenty-four hours of the soldier's passing.

"I'm sure he's okay, Astrid," Heather offered, seeing the concern on Astrid's face. "I heard from Dagur last night, and he said everyone is fine; just busy,"

"I-I know," Astrid nodded. "Can't blame a girl for worrying," she added. Heather and Astrid had become really good friends over the past two months because Heather understood how the military life worked being that her father and brother were both in, despite the father passing away while deployed. Heather was able to help Astrid deal with the distance; handle things better than sitting around and waiting. Astrid was very thankful for it too, and there were no hard feelings between them about the fact that Hiccup chose Astrid over Heather. It was pretty funny actually; Heather admitted to Astrid that she had a little thing for Fishlegs.

And the group already knew that Fishlegs liked Heather. It was only a matter of time before they ended up confessing those feelings and getting together. Likewise, Ruffnut had a crush on Eret; they hit it off really well while Eret was on his leave time with the others on Berk. And Thuggory liked Camicazi, who the group got to meet because Camicazi came to Berk from Bog-Burglar to see him while he was enjoying his break from war. Astrid was positive that Camicazi and Thuggory would end up dating when Thuggory got home from Iraq. And then the other two couples of the gang, Snotlout and Minden as well Adelaide and Tuffnut, were doing great too.

The friends tried to do this at least twice a month, more if possible; just get together to hang out. Everyone worked different jobs, so it was hard to find time for them to all meet up. Astrid and Fishlegs were Veterinarians. Adelaide was a cosmetologist. Minden is going to be a doctor; she's completed her four years of college and four years of medical school, but in order to take the licensing exam, she still needs a year in a residency program, which is basically interning with a doctor. The program Minden is in is a three-year residency, so next year she can take the licensing test, but still have to complete two more years in the internship. And Astrid knew that Snotlout was a physical fitness trainer, Tuffnut and Ruffnut still worked for their parents' design store, and Heather was a lawyer.

"Well, let's eat. I'm starving," Snotlout rubbed his hands together. However, he saw Stoick, Valka, and Gobber coming closer.

"Aunt Val? Uncle Stoick? What are you doing here?" Adelaide asked.

"We came with news about Hiccup," Gobber informed. Astrid instantly tensed up as Heather held her hand. Unknown to them; Hiccup was sneaking into the cove the back way while their focus was on his parents and Gobber. Hiccup got behind Astrid and leaned closer to her.

"The news is that I'm home," Astrid whipped around as Hiccup backed up to avoid their heads colliding; she saw Hiccup standing there, still in uniform with Toothless at his side and a smile on his face. "Surprise, Milady," Hiccup said with his arms out for her.

"Hiccup!" Astrid squealed as she got off the bench and quickly hugged him tightly. Hiccup laughed a little as he embraced her in his arms. "You're back! You're home!" Astrid tried not to cry as she jumped up and down. Astrid grabbed his face and kissed him deeply; then few short ones over and over again before leaning back a bit to look in his eyes. "Wait…It's only August…What are you doing home so early? Oh, my Gods! Did you get hurt again?"

"No, no…Easy, babe. Bludvist owed me time anyway since my leave got cut in half, so here I am," Hiccup informed.

"So this is just leave? You still have to go back until October?" Adelaide wondered.

"Also no. The tour is over; the others will be along in two or three weeks. I got to leave ahead of them because Bludvist owed me from June," Hiccup stated.

"Why is it over two months before it should be?" Heather inquired.

"Well, aside from the fact we've been there for sixteen months…Our company has lost too many people for us to be considered a company anymore," Hiccup sighed. "We've got others joining in, but their new and still on the mainland to finish training. HQ decided it was best to send us home, so we could mourn our dead without war getting in the way,"

"Big memorial for them when everyone gets home?" Gobber wondered.

"Yeah. Once everyone gets back and we go through the post-war stuff; they'll hold it," Hiccup nodded.

"You been through yours?" Gobber asked.

"Tomorrow morning at the Berk Base," Hiccup confirmed.

"Been through your what, babe?" Astrid questioned.

"Post-War Psychiatric Evaluation," Gobber stated. "It's to make sure Hiccup is mentally okay from anything he saw or did overseas,"

"Don't they do all that after things happen? That's what Dagur told me," Heather looked at Gobber now.

"We do it many times before, through, and after deployment," Hiccup replied.

"It's to check for PTSD," Gobber informed. "Evaluations happen before deployments to make sure soldiers can handle going into war. Happens anytime there's a major death during to make sure the soldiers are okay to continue, and then finally, after war to ensure that they can integrate back into normal life,"

"They do it once after war, and about six months later, for late onset PTSD," Hiccup nodded.

"You're okay, though, right?" Valka asked.

"Do you want honestly or a lie?" Hiccup inquired.

"Hiccup…" Stoick sighed.

"That wasn't sarcasm; I was being serious. I don't really know, Dad. I just left Iraq this morning; I can't gage right now how I'm gonna be as the days I'm now out of war continue to pass. All I can do right now is take it as it comes, and if it becomes too much; I go get help. If the answer you're looking for is if I have PTSD; then yes, I do," Hiccup mentioned. "I've had it for a while, probably since the middle of the second tour; it's just not an overly severe case because the military monitors the status of all their soldiers. I do my evals, I do my sessions, so right now; I'm doing alright. I'm just glad to be home and around all of you, so can we not wear out the good moment? Please?" he asked.

"Stoick…" Gobber said, shaking his head at his friend; a clear look that said don't push him.

"Aye, sorry son," Stoick nodded. "We're all glad you're home too," he smiled.

Hiccup closed his eyes, sighing as he hugged Astrid again. "I've missed you like crazy," he said.

"Missed you too," Astrid replied lightly. Hiccup lifted her chin up and kissed her softly. "You hungry? We're just about to sit down for lunch,"

"Yeah, I could eat. After, though; I'm probably gonna get to Mala and Dagur's to sleep a bit. I'm exhausted; we did a guard last night until 6 am this morning, I grabbed breakfast and shower…Was about to go to sleep when Bludvist told me there was a was a plane seat waiting for me. Most of my morning has been traveling back here; he said it was his way of making up for cutting into my leave, that I get to come home three weeks early," Hiccup chuckled.

"You can come stay at my house if you want," Astrid offered softly. "My parents are working, then have a dinner thing at 7 pm. And I only work half day today,"

"I secretly think you just made yourself available to spend more time with me," Hiccup chuckled.

"No, no; she's telling the truth. Astrid only works half days on Tuesday, and Thursday with the weekends off," Fishlegs stated.

"Huh. Well, alright then. Can't argue with facts or spending time with my girlfriend, even though I'll likely be sleeping most of it. But…Maybe you and I can catch dinner later?" Hiccup asked.

"How about we just eat in tonight, babe? I'll cook for us. You just got off your deployment; you deserve to rest today," Astrid insisted.

"Are you sure?" Hiccup inquired.

"Absolutely! I'll make your favorite," Astrid tempted, hoping he'd agree.

"Alright, you win," Hiccup chuckled. "I'm come home with you tonight. Wait, do your parents still have that I can't be there past 11 pm rule like when we were teenagers, even after we turned eighteen?" he wondered.

Astrid laughed a little. "No, they stopped that," she informed.

"Thank Odin," Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now it's midnight," Astrid added in. Hiccup laughed a bit. "You know how they are, rather; always been," she shrugged a bit.

"Oi vey. Yes, I do remember. Pretty sure the limit used to be 9:30 pm until they found out we were having sex," Hiccup stated.

"Yeah, that went over real well," Astrid nodded.

"Well, I'll stay til like 9 or 10 pm then before going back to The Bazirk's house," Hiccup stated gently.

"You know, you can come home, son," Valka said lightly.

"I know, but I have my housing figured out. I'm only at Dagur and Mala's until it's finalized," Hiccup smiled.

"Where are you going to be moving?" Snotlout inquired.

"Military housing," Hiccup informed. "Should be ready in September,"

"I thought you couldn't do that unless you were married. Single soldiers with no dependents typically get a dormitory-style setup," Gobber blinked.

"It's changed a lot since you were in the military, Uncle Gobber," Hiccup chuckled a bit. "Come on, let's eat; I'll explain," he suggested. Everyone sat down at the tables they connected to make one long one and began to get their food. Once everyone was ready; they started eating and then waited for Hiccup to explain whatever it was he said he would.

"Alright, so tell us what this is all about, Hiccup," Adelaide smiled.

"I forget all the major explanations behind it, but because I'm a service member and in the officer ranks; I qualify for military housing in an actual house without being married. It's like…How do I put it…Rent-To-Own homes. Military buys them if they are owned by bank or in auction; they purchase fixer-uppers too. So they go in and clean everything up and then offer them to guys, or girls, like me who don't want to live on base in the dorms and don't qualify for actual military housing; people who are married or have children. Basically; I rent the house from the military at a cheaper, discounted rate, until it's paid off," Hiccup stated softly, taking a drink from his water bottle.

"That's pretty cool," Tuffnut said.

"But the whole house to yourself?" Heather asked. "Wouldn't you get lonely?"

"Not really," Hiccup smiled.

"And don't you have to follow military rules?" Gobber wondered.

"Nope, that's the cool part. Once I get in; it's my place. And bonus, the military takes care of garbage, lawncare, snow removal; they'll even tend to the house if I'm away training or deployed. I basically just pay rent to the housing authority every month, or they'll take it directly out of my account. Then I pay for food, my phone, car, etc.," Hiccup informed.

"And you can have whoever you want over?" Astrid questioned.

"That's right," Hiccup nodded. "I can have roommates, I can have my girlfriend move in…All choices are mine as long as I'm paying the rent," he chuckled. "That's why I went with this choice, and the bonus…With this is place; I'm always on Berk,"

"You mean…You're permanently stationed here?" Astrid's eyes widened.

"That's right. This is where my house will be, so this is where I station. I can still get called to the mainland for big things, but everything else; I go to Berk Base," Hiccup smiled as Astrid hugged him tightly.

"That's great to hear, son," Stoick beamed with Valka. Everyone loved hearing that Hiccup would be on Berk for good now, unless there was something big, or another deployment.

Hiccup was happy about it; he was glad that Viggo, Krogan, Johann, and Drago brought it up during the meeting before he returned home. Hiccup was over the moon to be home early too; he just hoped his friends were going to be okay until they got to come back too. Hiccup didn't want to find out about anymore deaths in the company; it hurt enough already. Yeah, Hiccup had some stuff going on in his head from this past tour, maybe even from the second and first tours too; he was diagnosed during the second with a minor case of PTSD, and told by the evaluation board that it was to be expected with everything Hiccup reported during the evaluation. However, this last tour was worse than the other two and Hiccup knew that he could end up having a hard time now that he was out of war. In either case, Hiccup was going to take it as it came, and if it started to become too much; he'd get help.

All Hiccup cared about at this very moment was that he was home with family, friends, and his girlfriend. Hiccup would enjoy this time with them, then go to Astrid's to sleep a bit, and have dinner with her. After that; he would return to Dagur and Mala's house for the night. The third tour was over, and he could finally relax a little and enjoy his life now that it finally felt right again.