A/N: Many thanks for all the kind reviews on the last few chapters. I'm glad to hear I've done the reunion justice :)

Anyway... on to chapter 15! Enjoy!

Chapter 15

When Hiccup awoke the next day, the world was waiting for him. Quite literally. From the moment he opened his eyes, Toothless was watching him astutely, fidgeting, clearly itching for him to wake up. Hiccup laughed as the Night Fury rushed to lick him the moment he sat up.

"Good morning to you too, you useless reptile!" he laughed, shielding himself from the slobber. "And thanks for the unwanted bath!" Toothless snorted, his dragon breath cold on Hiccup's now wet head, then stepped back and grunted, glancing eagerly at his saddle. Hiccup smiled. "We're bringing back early morning flights, bud?" But Toothless apparently thought he was taking too long, as the dragon rushed up to him, gripped his blanket with his teeth and ripped it off the bed. "Okay, okay, I'm up!" Hiccup laughed, raising his arms in surrender as he stood. Toothless snorted again as if to say you better be, then nudged him towards the stairs with his snout. Hiccup hurried down the stairs for fear that he'd be knocked down by force if he wasn't fast enough and ran into the room downstairs where his father was working. Stoick looked up at his abrupt entry with surprise.

"Good afternoon, son," he smiled. Hiccup furrowed his forehead, glancing at Toothless as he bounded down the stairs behind him.

"Afternoon?" he asked. His father laughed.

"We must have exhausted you with that party yesterday, you were out before we started the ninth course. I had to carry you home or else you wouldn't have made it to bed," he said warmly and Hiccup blushed, slightly embarrassed. The amount of joy in his father's face, however, was enough to quash most of his awkwardness. But when he saw his dragon's eager stare on him, he hurriedly changed the subject.

"You aren't out chiefing yet?" he asked. Stoick put down what he was doing and stood.

"I told Gobber I wouldn't leave the house until you were up. He's covering for me for the time being." Hiccup pulled a face and Stoick laughed, pulling him into a hug. "Yeah, I should probably get out there, make sure the village isn't on fire." He patted Hiccup on the shoulder, nudging him gently towards the door. "You two have fun today, hm? Just make sure you're back before sundown." Hiccup laughed as he saw his father's proud gaze.

"Will do, dad," he said, opening the door and stepping out into the open. He had hardly taken a step further, however, before he was pulled aside and off the stone steps. He blinked, dazed as he focused his eyes on the woman before him.

"Hey, Hiccup," Astrid said dryly, holding him close by the collar before planting her lips firmly on his. Hiccup felt blood rush to his face as they kissed and laughed breathlessly when she pulled back.

"Hey, Astrid," he replied, then flashed her a crooked smile. "How long have you been standing out here waiting for me?"

"Too long," she said, then smiled. "So, any plans today?"

"Well, I think he does," Hiccup replied, nodding at Toothless, who stood impatiently a few feet away from them. Astrid laughed.

"That's one eager Night Fury! Well, have fun flying, just know that you're welcome to join training later, you'll know where to find me." And after placing a final kiss on his cheek, she mounted Stormfly and flew off towards the academy. Hiccup had just enough time to watch her go before Toothless grabbed his prosthetic leg and dragged him down the hill laughing.

"Toothless, let go! We're going now, I promise," he shouted, realising they had managed to catch the attention of villagers passing by, including his father on his way to start chiefing. The Night Fury grunted, reluctantly letting go and Hiccup scrambled to his feet and jumped onto his back. He hardly had time to slot his prosthetic into the saddle before Toothless had launched them into the air, carrying them as fast as he could over the village and out to the sea, spinning with enthusiasm. Not that Hiccup was complaining. The feel of the wind in his hair, his best friend's scales beneath him and the joy in his heart made him feel like the happiest man in the world.

Toothless took them far and fast until Hiccup couldn't feel the cold anymore and they were both windswept and breathless with exhilaration. He had no clue how long they'd been away when he returned to Berk and put his feet back on the ground, but he was eager to make the most of the rest of the day. His first stop was Gobber's blacksmith, where he, much to his mentor's delight, spent most of the afternoon working on Inferno and Toothless' tailfin, which was in need of adjustment after the three months he had been away. Besides, his favourite one, the one Toothless had been wearing on that supply run just before his disappearance, had been destroyed. It felt good to work with the tools he had since childhood and to feel the heat of the forge once again.

It was after that Hiccup decided to head over to the academy to train. The other Riders' faces all it up when he walked in and they had a great time combat training. Hiccup's happiness at having the gang back together couldn't even be stilled by Snotlout managing to punch him in the face at one point. But Hiccup couldn't deny that what he enjoyed most came once the sun was setting and the others had left. Astrid had cornered him in the cage built into the arena and, when he realised what she was doing, he couldn't resist the urge to laugh.

"Are you trying to make up for all the kisses you missed in the past three months?" he asked as his back hit the stone wall. Astrid had smirked.

"Maybe. Why? Are you complaining?" She stood a few inches away from him now and for all her teasing, Hiccup couldn't resist giving in to the anticipation.

"Oh, gods, no," he muttered, stepping forward, holding her waist and pushing her up against the wall this time. Astrid didn't seem to mind though. They stayed there, just the two of them, until Toothless came looking for them, knowing it was time to head home. Only then did the two separate and when Hiccup got home, he could tell by the look on his father's face that they might have spent a little too long lip-locked.

The next day, however, was not quite as joyous. While Stoick, the Riders and the Berk Council had been patient and respectful of Hiccup's right to wait, he knew from the moment he woke up that today would be the day he had to explain his absence. So his father called a meeting and all the Riders and council gathered to hear the story. Hiccup found himself unable to put into words how grateful he was for Astrid's presence next to him. She squeezed his hand when he got to the tough parts and helped him find the words when he couldn't. And when he got to the parts about Viggo being alive and murdering Johann, he was grateful to feel his father's hand on his shoulder as the gasps rippled through the room.

After the meeting, as they filed out of the Great Hall and Astrid was about to join the other Riders at the academy, Hiccup managed to slip his hand into hers and pull her towards him. He wasn't the only one with a story to tell and Hiccup knew he couldn't bear to hear it anywhere other than the privacy of his own home. So when he followed Stoick into the house and his father looked surprised that Hiccup had brought Astrid too, he finally posed the question.

"Dad, Astrid, I…" he said. "I want to know how the war ended, what happened when I was gone." Stoick had sighed, exchanging a glance with Astrid, but neither had denied Hiccup the story. So Hiccup listened as they told him of his disappearance from their perspective, the search parties and the failed rescue attempts, how they had been so caught up with trying to find him that they had almost lost the battle of Vanaheim. He almost cried when he heard of his father's near-death experience with the Flyer ambush and his mouth fell open when they explained how the Titan Wing Dramilion fire led the Riders, A-Team and Wingmaidens to the King of Dragons. He was mystified to discover that no one had actually seen the King of Dragons, though, even though it had apparently saved all their lives numerous times during that battle on Berserker Island. When it came down to it, though, Hiccup was just glad that they had won, that Krogan was off the map, the Flyers out of commission and Johann… well, he knew what had happened to Johann.

When the story had been told and Hiccup took a deep breath to take it all in, everything he'd missed while having battles of his own, there was one more nagging thought in the back of his mind. Something he hadn't mentioned, not in front of the entire council, not when he had no idea what outbursts of outrage he might cause by the suggestion. But here, with the two people he loved the most and the dragon that was his best friend beside him, he almost dared ask.

"Um… Dad?" he asked, clasping his hands on the table in an attempt to stop himself from fidgeting. "There's something I wanted to ask you." Stoick looked at him encouragingly. "You know… how I told you Viggo was alive and helped me recover from escaping… I, um, told him before I left to come to Berk that I wanted him to come too."

"And what did he say?" Astrid asked, curiosity in her eyes.

"He said… that as long as I cleared it up with you and came back once his Skrill had recovered, he would come with me," he replied, looking up at his father's thoughtful expression. "Dad, can I bring Viggo back? I know that the people know what he did, but now you and the council have heard what he did for me. I probably wouldn't be alive now if it wasn't for him, and I certainly wouldn't have come back to Berk. I owe him a lot." Stoick paused and Astrid said nothing as he thought.

"I'll discuss with the council, son, I don't know what they will say," he said slowly. Hiccup sighed, already imagining Spitelout's incredulous face at the idea. "But…" Stoick added and Hiccup dared have a little hope for what he was going to say next. "… if it is up to me, I would welcome Viggo here after all he's done for you." Hiccup gasped, delight on his face.

"Really, Dad?"

"Really, Hiccup. You're right, all of Berk knows what that man has done. But bringing my son back? I think that calls for the benefit of the doubt… I think the council will have to agree that your judgement is better than ours in this case and if you say he isn't a danger anymore..."

"He isn't a danger, anymore, Dad. I know that for sure. Oh, thank you!" he flung his arms around his father in excitement. "And it's only a few days until I can go to bring him back!" Stoick placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Wait until I've told the council, Hiccup. But yes, I expect that you can go find him in a few days." Father and son had smiled at each other before Stoick had left the house, knowing that duty was calling him. The moment the door was shut behind him, Hiccup ran up to Astrid.

"Astrid, we have to find a place for him to stay! And Stormchaser!" he said happily. Astrid laughed at his childlike elation, hugged him as he stilled. There was a moment of silence before she spoke.

"Do you think he even can die?" she asked, a slightly puzzled look on his face. "This is the second time we all believed he died, only for him to be alive." Hiccup shrugged.

"I don't know, Astrid, you can ask him yourself when we go to get him," he replied, then hesitated. "You will come with me, right?"

"If you want me to," Astrid said, stroking her fingers over the dried tears on his cheek. Hiccup leaned into her touch.

"Thank you, milady," he smiled, placing his hand over hers, before kissing her on the tip of the nose.

And so it was decided. Hiccup and Astrid told the Riders about the plan later that day, and while there were mixed reactions at first, they quickly accepted that there was no harm in bringing the Grimborn in. When Hiccup returned home that evening, he was met by his father, who proudly told him that he had convinced the council to welcome Viggo, that even Spitelout hadn't put up much of a fight.

The next days passed quickly for Hiccup, as he filled his days with training, flying, blacksmithing and doing all sorts all over Berk. He counted down the days each morning he woke until finally, the day came. Hiccup and Astrid packed their bags for the journey, planning to leave early in the morning before sunrise in order to get to Viggo during the afternoon. They would then spend the night there before returning the next morning. They would only be gone for a day in total, but Stoick was insistent they brought enough supplies for emergencies and every contingency possible. When they were finally packed and mounted, Hiccup was sure Toothless and Stormfly would desperately need the night's rest when they got there. But first, they had 12 hours of flying to kill. They made a pit-stop on a sea stack about halfway so that they could eat and the dragons could rest and then, as the sun continued its trek across the sky, the island came into view. Hiccup could recognise the gorgeous cliffs from a mile off.

"Astrid, now we're almost there…" Hiccup said as they flew straight towards the rocky formations. "I was thinking, maybe it's a good idea if you stay on the beach until I've found Viggo and Stormchaser and told them that you're here too. I don't know how skittish his Skrill is after months of hardly seeing Vikings. And I wouldn't want to scare him or Viggo."

"Sure, I'll wait for you," she agreed. So when Hiccup landed on the top of the cliff, Astrid flew down to the beach and rested with Stormfly there. Hiccup took a deep breath as he dismounted Toothless, looking at the forest. It was odd to think that the first time he had been here, he had still been under the assumption that the war was lost, that all his friends and family were dead. He hadn't been lying when he told his father that Viggo had saved his life. Now it was time to do the very least he could in h

He started walking through the forest towards the clearing where Viggo resided and while logically he didn't see a reason for it, he started to feel an odd sense of dread sitting in his stomach. The forest was as quiet as ever, but not abnormally. There wasn't much dragon life here at all. So then why was he getting an eerie feeling, like something was wrong?

There was only one way to find out, however, and Hiccup pushed himself forward, his prosthetic leg clicking rhythmically as he strode on until the hut came into view. Toothless trailed behind him a good few metres back, watching him carefully.

"Viggo?" he called into the clearing, still approaching the hut. "I'm back!" Silence. "Viggo? Stormchaser?" But when all he could hear was the slight echo of his own voice, he stepped towards the house and pushed open the door. It was darker inside and Hiccup had to pause in the doorway, letting his eyes adjust. But even now as he looked around, he didn't notice anything abnormal. But it was quiet. "Hello?" he said quietly, slowly walking in. What was that smell? He looked at the table, noticing a plate of food lying there, half-eaten. He frowned. It was cooked, yet it didn't look warm anymore. In fact, he guessed it had been lying there for hours considering the smell that was starting to come off it. Something was off.

Having made sure that no one was downstairs, Hiccup made his way towards the stairs. He looked up.

"Viggo? Are you up there?" he called. It was late afternoon, but it was possible that Viggo had exhausted himself and had taken a nap. When he got no answer, he cautiously made his way up. But when he reached the top and his gaze fell on Viggo's bed, he froze. Viggo was here, alright. But his body was as still as a log and as pale as snow.

"VIGGO!" he shouted, rushing towards the bed, his heart plummeting to his stomach. He fumbled to grab his hand and squeeze it, only to drop it in terror. It was cold. Stone cold. "Viggo?" he repeated, looking at the man's face. The dread that had started to seep through in the forest now flooded him. "No, no, no, Viggo!" he shouted in panic. Viggo's face was vacant and pale, motionless, as if he had… oh Thor, please, no, he begged. But the evidence was right in from of him.

Hiccup stepped back in horror, his breaths coming in sharp and rapid. How could this have happened? He had only been gone for a week! He looked over the body before him when his gaze fell on Viggo's left arm. Swollen. Hiccup walked to the other side of the bed to look. There, on his hand, were two small red dots in the middle of a dark-coloured bruise. Two words echoed through his mind. Snake bite. It all fit together in his head. The venomous snakes at the spring. Viggo had warned him about them just after they had met. Höggormr, that was the name. Just a little snake…

Hiccup took another step back, chest heaving as he shook his head in disbelief. It couldn't be. After everything. After all the things he and Viggo had survived, he couldn't have been killed by a stupid snake. A stupid, STUPID snake.

Yet here he was, in the hut that had become his home for a few weeks, standing over the enemy that had become his friend. Hiccup continued to stare at Viggo's body, Viggo's corpse, as the denial gave way to an overwhelming wave of emotion. It was too much for him.

He crumbled to his knees and wept.

A/N: Please don't kill me.

Trust me, there has been something in me all along that doubted whether or not this was really how I wanted to story to go, but you know... this was part of the original story idea and I felt it would have been disingenuous of me to not write it into the story. It is called the Final Irony, after all. I'm quite proud of how I've written it too, so I hope you guys will be able to see past the fact that I've just burst the fluff bubble and let me know your thoughts in the reviews... *smiles sheepishly*

Anyway... not much of the story left to go now, I hope you guys have enjoyed this story just as much as I have. Thank you to all you readers and reviewers.

See you on the next chapter!

~httydfangirl123