Chapter 72: I Do Know Some Things

(Eret's POV)

It's another sleepless night for me and Becky. Ruby is about four months old at this point, and still sleeps in her cradle in our bedroom in our house on New Berk.

"Eret?" Becky asks me when she's feeding Ruby.

"Yes, my love?"

"Do you remember when Valka said that you were blessed with brawns but Snotlout has the brains?"

"I do."

"Does that ever get to you?"

"Sometimes, yeah, it does. I may not be the smartest person in the bunch, but I do know some things. I know I love you."

"Oh, really? What else do you know?"

"I know that I love our little family, and our friends. I know that you love me and wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Speaking of, after Ruby, I can't even think of hurting you, let alone hurt you like I did before we had Ruby. I'm so sorry about that, by the way. I was so frustrated about the miscarriage, that you were suffering so much, and I was suffering along with you, but I took it out on you when I shouldn't have."

"Eret, honey, I forgave you for that a long time ago. All is forgiven. And, of course I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

"Thank you, my love. I don't know what I'd do without you, and that really scares me to think about."

"It scares me, too, honey. I don't think I would've been able to survive what I went through with you-know-who if you weren't around."

"You probably wouldn't have even had to be around you-know-who if I weren't around."

"Despite everything you-know-who put us through, I'm glad you're around."

"Me, too, darling."

We suddenly hear small hiccups coming from our daughter.

I still can't believe I have a daughter, no, that we have a daughter.

"Whoa, there, baby girl! You okay?" Becky asks Ruby. Obviously, as she's an infant, Ruby doesn't reply; she just keeps hiccupping away. She whimpers because, I'm assuming, she's tired of having the hiccups.

"May I?" I ask my wife.

She nods and passes Ruby over to me before covering herself back up. She's modest, my wife.

Ruby keeps hiccupping and whimpering.

"Shhh. You're okay, my little love. Hiccups are new to you, aren't they? Yeah." I pat Ruby's back to make her hiccups go away. Ruby's hiccups soon stop and she falls asleep on my chest.

There's a knock on our front door.

"I'll get it." Becky whispers to me. She redresses herself and heads downstairs.

She opens the door and I hear Hiccup.

(Becky's POV)

"Hey, Hiccup. Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. Just came by to check on you all."

"Any particular reason?"

"Just doing my weekly check on my neighbors. Any complaints from anyone in this household?"

"Well, Ruby would probably complain about her hiccups if she could talk."

"Poor little girl."

"Eret got them to stop and now she's asleep."

"I am glad to hear it."

"Thanks for stopping by, Hiccup. Same time next week?"

"Yep. And it's not a problem."

I hear a shout from upstairs.

"Eret? Honey, you okay?"

No answer.

Hiccup and I race upstairs.

When we reach the bedroom, we see…Drago with his bull hook piercing Eret's chest through Ruby's small body.

I collapse.

"No…no, no, no, no, no."

I begin to hyperventilate and I bolt up, breathing hard.

I'm…I'm in bed.

It was all a bad dream.

"Love, are you alright?"

"Is Ruby okay?"

"She's fine, love. You fell asleep right after she did after her bout of hiccups."

"Did…did Hiccup come by?"

"No…baby, what exactly did you dream about?"

I recount the nightmare to Eret.

"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry you dreamt that."

"Me, too."

"Are you alright?"

"I – I think so. Thanks, Eret."

"You're welcome, my love."

Eret puts Ruby back in her cradle and I snuggle against Eret. We soon go back to sleep.