*authors bask in reader screams* you guys really earned this update.

-HTTYD-

Anxious as they waited, Hiccup was just getting finished over the cooker when the door knocked.

"Eret, can you get that?"

He called out to his brother, who was in the bedroom changing into his comfy trousers for the evening after his jog and shower. Said brother trotted past obediently, as visibly anxious as Hiccup felt, hoping their mom was ok. She'd been secretive about seeing them and talking to them for over a year, but earlier she'd asked to see them right away, and in earshot or even right in front of Eret Sr. They were worried.

"Hey mom."

Hiccup turned the oven off and headed toward the door, silently relieved to see no visible injuries. Not that they'd ever seen them, but it was a worry that lingered in the back of his mind.

And gods, when had it come to that?

She hugged them both, sighing softly when they hugged her in return. No information was immediately forthcoming, but when he and Eret talked earlier, their assumption was that their parents had had some kind of big argument, and their mother needed to get away.

"Why not go sit down? I'll get you a drink. Water? Tea? Something stronger?"

While she'd driven over, it didn't mean she was driving back that night.

"Water's fine son. Thank you."

Hiccup nodded, left Eret to take her through to sit down while he went to fill up a glass of water. The dinner was fine to wait a few minutes. As he carried the glass back through, Hiccup heard Eret asking what was going on.

Her words shocked him so much he dropped the glass.

"I saw Astrid."

The shattering sound seemed to amplify her words somehow - it was certainly an earth-shattering revelation. They'd stopped even asking if she'd heard from Astrid months ago. What was the point, other than to make them all miserable?

"What?"

Hiccup exclaimed, making to take a step forward.

"Hiccup, don't move!"

Eret insisted, already moving to retrieve his shoes so he could come and deal with all the sharp things Hiccup almost stepped on. He froze in place, water seeping into his now-glittering socks. Eret scooped up most of the mess, lifting Hiccup up and over to sit on a stool so he could take off his socks, then sent him to get his slippers while he cleaned the rest of the shrapnel and little bits away. When Hiccup came back out, Eret had gotten a fresh glass of water for Valka, who took it while watching her sons sit down in front of her.

"You saw Astrid?"

"I did. And... I met her son."

Hiccup felt his breath catch in his chest.

"You..."

She held out her phone, which was displaying a picture as Hiccup reached out for it. It didn't take long to realise what the photograph was of. Or rather, who the photograph was of.

"Oh my gods..."

He could feel tears well up in his eyes, let them fall unheeded. Eret was no better, as easily broken by the sleepy face of a child as Hiccup was. Their child. Valka left them to absorb it in silence for several minutes, her phone cradled in his hand as though he feared moving too fast would break it, would take away the image. Throat thick, Hiccup tore his eyes away at last to look up at their mom.

"Where are they?"

Hiccup felt physical pain when she shook her head. She wasn't going to tell them? After showing them the picture, dangling the life of their son in front of them?

"You can't tell us you know where they are, and not tell us where!"

"Of course not. I just wanted you to be thinking clearly first. You can't just rush over there right now."

"Why not?"

She gestured to the window, where darkness was already falling.

"By the time you got there, Henry would be asleep. And, given how tiring a toddler can be, Astrid might well be too. I'll tell you when I know you understand you have to wait until tomorrow."

Feeling scolded, Hiccup fell silent. Eret too, until he choked out a question.

"His name is Henry?"

Oh. He hadn't even asked. Valka nodded.

"It is. He's a sweet little boy. Very affectionate and energetic. Actually, he's not that little... he's very much like you as a babe."

She nodded at Eret, who sniffled.

"Is she taking good care of him?"

"You doubt she would?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"No. But she's been alone for a long time. Is she struggling?"

"No more than any other single mother. And... she's not alone."

Those three words were enough to send a sharp pain through his chest. Had Astrid met someone? Was someone else raising their son?

Wait. Their mom said single mother.

"She's not?"

"She has Heather, and from what I understand, Heather's girlfriend is a part of their lives too. Henry was definitely very fond of Heather."

Heather? Heather knew where Astrid was?

Though he wasn't hungry any more, Hiccup went to plate up dinner - he knew Valka hadn't eaten either. Eret stayed to stare at the picture of Henry, handed it back to Hiccup when he returned. The brothers picked at their food while their mother ate, whole world feeling turned over.

When they agreed to wait until morning, they got what they needed - Astrid's address.

"Are you spending the night? There's a spare room."

They had a two bed for appearances sake, but the second room was never used. And it wasn't like there was anything left to hide from her - she was there giving them the address of their sister, who had given birth to her own brothers baby.

"No, no. I'll want to come with you in the morning, and I'm fairly sure Astrid will be angry with me as it is without making her feel ganged up on."

"Angry?"

"I promised not to tell you anything. She let me take that photo on the condition it was only for me."

Hiccup fiddled anxiously with the hem of his jumper.

"You're risking a lot so we can meet him?"

"You're my children. I know how agonising it is to be missing a child, to not know where they are or if they are safe. How could I knowingly choose to keep putting you through that?"

She was choosing the risk of alienating Astrid permanently so they could know their son. They'd felt like it was a miracle when she was willing to speak to them again after what came out before in that bathroom. But that...

"Thank you."

With desperate hugs and promises that they'd wait until morning and she would let them know she was safely home.

"Let me know how it goes tomorrow?"

"We will. And thank you, again. You sure you're not staying?"

"I'm sure. Get some sleep."

She patted their hair, hugged them again and turned to leave. Every cell in his body wanted to run down after her, dragging Eret to the car so they could get to Astrid. But their mother was right - Henry and Astrid were probably asleep.

Valka had sent the two photos of Henry she had to them, so they could keep looking at them after she left. Laid on his side with Eret spooned against his back, the two of them did just that. Sleep seemed elusive, even if it was going to make the hours go by faster.

It had been so long... was their search really almost over?

Astrid felt thunderstruck. After so long only seeing their faces inside her head, it was actually a little surreal to have them standing in front of her.

And yet, some part of her wasn't surprised.

Of course mom told them.

"Astrid? Who is it?"

She heard Heather speak, but Astrid couldn't answer, words frozen in her throat as she stared at them and they stared at her.

"Mama?"

That was enough to jerk her out of it, instinctively responding to her son's voice. She turned, looking down to see him hiding shyly behind her leg, that cushion in his arms and a corner of it in his mouth to chew on.

She picked him up and took a few steps back but even without looking up at them, she saw that neither of her brothers moved. Were they just as stunned to see her as she was? But they must have known they would find her here...

"Astrid? Who is– whoa…"

Heather's voice came from behind her again, but this time, she must have seen who was at the door. What was she supposed to do?

"Ok... you gonna invite them in, Astrid?"

She hesitated. Part of her wanted to say no, to just slam the door and ignore them. She didn't want to have to deal with all the things their presence meant, all the things that might be said, the questions asked. But she also didn't want to have any of those conversations in the hall of her building, where the neighbours would hear. And she knew how stubborn they could be; they wouldn't just leave again…

Swallowing heavily, Astrid nodded.

"Come in."

It was almost like they didn't hear her at first. As soon as she picked Henry up, their eyes zeroed in on him, as if he was all they were interested in. Which probably wasn't so far off... Henry was turned a little away but still keeping an eye on the new people, but even with his face half-buried in the pillow, , Hiccup looked like he was close to crying.

Finally, Eret nudged him, and the two stepped through the door, closing it behind them. At least they wouldn't have an audience, but if she was honest, Astrid felt a little trapped. She was still in her pyjamas, feeling like she'd barely woken up before they appeared at her door. And now… They! Were! There!

"Astrid..."

Hiccup breathed her name, and while that might have been something she was in to a couple of years ago, just then it made her feel even more anxious. Her arms tightened around her son.

Their son.

"Hi."

Just that one little word took nearly all her strength, but it didn't seem to be enough for Eret.

"Hi? Hi? We haven't seen you in a year and a half, and all you have to say is hi?"

His voice got louder and louder toward the end, and Astrid felt Henry start to fuss in her arms as he responded to the rising tension in the air.

"Don't raise your voice around him!"

She fought to keep her voice calm but firm. For Henry, she had to be strong. And, to his credit, Eret immediately backed down, turning his eyes to the boy again.

"Sorry."

After a little more awkward silence by the door, Astrid shifted Henry to rest against her hip, holding him one handed and using her now-free hand to gesture to the twins to follow them in and sit down. Now the volume had gone down, Henry was a little less shy, a little more curious, peering over his cushion at the two new people.

"Drink?"

It was pretty early and Astrid was still breast feeding her son, so alcohol wasn't an option but gods she wished it was just then. As was pinching the inside of her forearm, lamenting that she didn't wake up from a dream. No matter how anxious as their presence made her, it was still so good to see them.

However, the twins barely reacted, just mutely shook their heads. They only spared Heather a glance where she hovered at the door, their entire attention on Henry. He was squirming in her arms, staring at Hiccup and Eret, but even his interest in the strangers waned before long, and the one year old began to grow bored.

Sighing, Astrid gestured for Heather to come in. Glancing between the three of them, she held her arms out for Henry without prompting. He looked up at Astrid, wanting to know if he was going to Heather or not.

"Shall I just take him through to play? Let you talk?"

Astrid shook her head, looking down at her attire. Still in her pyjamas...

"No, I'll take him. We need to get dressed for the day anyway. Can you stay here for the moment?"

Heather nodded and Henry happily gurgled away as Astrid went to her room and closed the door behind them. She felt a little bad for just leaving Heather out there, but also knew that she didn't feel up to facing the twins in her rumpled pyjamas that still had a bit of Henry's breakfast yoghurt on.

Whether he wanted to cheer her up, or was simply unconcerned by the appearance of new people - he wasn't quite as anti social as his mother had become - Henry was in a playful mood, rolling around on her bed. When Astrid grabbed him so he wouldn't roll clean off of it, he turned his attentions to clambering all over her instead, leaving drooly kisses on her cheek and giggling when Astrid squeezed his pudgy little belly. He was a very welcome distraction from the mountain of anxiety waiting just outside the door, but Astrid knew she couldn't just hide out in there forever.

Tempting as the prospect was.

Managing to wrangle Henry into sitting still for a few seconds, she pulled off his sleepwear, checked his nappy and re-dressed him. Occupied with a toy, at least for the moment, Henry wriggled on the bed while Astrid took off her own pyjamas, dragged a brush through her hair and put on some clean clothes. It was delaying the inevitable, she knew, but Astrid did feel a little better when she no longer looked as bad as she felt, and had gotten a big Henry hug from her baby boy.

"Heather's gonna come sit with you and play, ok? So you be good."

Dragging a hand over her face, Astrid put him back down on the floor, ruffling his soft hair and feeling just a little stronger when he beamed up at her.

A shaking hand reached for the door handle, the breath she didn't know she was holding coming out in a rush as Astrid pulled the door open and stepped through.

-HTTYD-

This may or may not have been uploaded quite early, because we were so excited we couldn't wait to inflict it upon you all. However, it does come with the warning that the next one won't be done so quick, cus there are fics I haven't updated in over a month awaiting my attention.

But... we had too much fun not to share this!