Hiccup sat there for hours with Toothless in the window, Hiccup didn't care about his injury. Thanks to Toothless, his time in the hospital would be cut way down. Astrid and the others were eating lunch all still worrying about Hiccup. It was now almost 24 hours he'd been gone and they had no idea what had happened to him. Stoick had called shelters and safe houses and no one fitting Hiccup's description was there. No one knew what to do.
"Astrid...relax. I'm sure he's fine...It's Hiccup after all." Snotlout said trying to get Astrid to stop pacing the floor of the house.
"Don't tell me to relax right now! I'm almost 3 months pregnant and have no idea where my husband is when he clearly left visibly upset right before a hurricane!" Astrid snapped at him.
"Yeesh okay, sorry." Snotlout said quickly.
"Astrid, he's okay...Just have faith. I'm sure he's just taken shelter with Toothless." Anna said gently.
"It's been hours...The storm is over, he would of come back by now..." Astrid said as tears formed thinking the worst.
"He's not dead, Astrid. I can promise you he's not. I'm sure he'll call soon, maybe he has no service where ever he is?.." Heather added.
"Or trapped somewhere and can't get out." Dagur offered which earned him a few glares from the others.
"Not helping..." Elsa and Rapunzel said together as the other people in their room shook their heads. It was then that her cell phone rang from the table, she quickly rushed over and answered it out of breath.
"Hello?!" She said anxiously.
"Yes, hello. Is this...Astrid Haddock, wife of Hiccup Haddock?" Came a woman's voice.
"Yes it is...may I ask whose calling?" Astrid asked.
"Of course. I'm a nurse at Berk hospital, we have your husband here with us. He asked us to call you and let you know." The woman said, Astrid's face turned to instant relief.
"Oh thank Thor! Wait...why is he in the hospital?!" Astrid asked now, fear taking over again as Stoick got up and stood beside her and their friends looked curiously.
"Well, it's hard to explain over the phone ma'am but if you could come down. I can explain everything. When you get here, just come to the emergency room and ask for nurse Julie." She said gently.
"Yes, thank you. I'll be right there! Tell him I'm on my way." Astrid said hanging up now and bursting in to tears of joy. "He's alright...He's in the hospital but he's okay...She asked me to come down." Astrid said through her tears.
"Well lets get down there. The flooding isn't bad, we can drive there." Stoick said to her. They nodded and all made it to their cars and got in. Astrid rode with Stoick, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff in the truck. Snotlout, Dagur, Eret, and Merida rode together in another car and then finally. Rapunzel, Tuff, Ruff, Fishlegs, and Heather rode in another. They drove slow but reached the hospital in 15 minutes where Astrid rushed inside without waiting for the others.
"Hello, may I help you ma'am?" Asked the receptionist gently.
"Yes. My name is Astrid Haddock, nurse Julie asked me to come down to speak about my husband?..." Astrid panted a bit.
"I'll page her for you Mrs. Haddock." The receptionist said as she picked up the phone and pressed a button. "Nurse Julie to reception. Nurse Julie to reception please. Thank you." She put down the phone now smiling. "She'll be right down, please make yourself comfortable." The receptionist said. Astrid nodded and sat down nervously twiddling her fingers as the others came in and sat around her. They waited almost 20 minutes before a woman wearing a blue nurse's outfit approached the group.
"I was told there was an Astrid Haddock out here for me?" Julie said sweetly smiling. Astrid got to her feet quickly.
"That's me...I'm Astrid Haddock. Please, is my husband alright?" Astrid asked quickly.
"Mrs. Haddock, your husband is quite fine I assure you. He's in his room resting right now, he suffered quite an injury which still has us quite baffled. Perhaps he can explain it to you, he was sleeping when we checked on him an hour ago. If you'd like we can go to my office so I can tell you what happened. I didn't think you'd bring such a group with you." Julie stated calmly.
"They are all friends. Except Stoick, that's Hiccup's father...You can tell us all..." Astrid said with her nervousness rising.
"Your husband was brought to us around 8 last night when the storm had a slight break. He was brought in by a lovely couple and still very much unconscious. I am still not sure how it happened but, your husband lost his foot. From the middle of the calf and down was completely gone." Julie explained, Stoick had to step behind Astrid before she stumbled back in shock. "Again, we're not sure what happened. We've yet to ask him. The couple who brought him to us explained that something crashed in to their yard and when they went to examine such, they found it to be your husband's dragon." Julie began.
"Toothless was with him, where is he now?..." Stoick asked curiously.
"Currently the dragon is outside of your son's window. When Hiccup woke up, he was frantic about wondering where Toothless was. I opened his window and he called for him, I must say it was a sight I'd never seen seeing that dragon react so worried when Hiccup was brought in to us, and then watching him through the night waiting to hear if Hiccup was alright. He was quite happy seeing Hiccup alright but perhaps upset we couldn't let him inside the building. Hiccup calmed him down once he saw him." Julie smiled.
"Toothless is very protective of Hiccup...Oh, sorry...please continue with what happened?" Elsa said bashfully.
"The couple said they watched Toothless unfold his wings and see Hiccup in his legs, they said his foot was already gone. But there was no blood and the wound was already closed and healed. They approached Toothless cautiously and let both of them inside the house until the break in the storm when he was brought to us. We gave him some fluids and he's been resting since." Julie stated.
"Ca–can we see him?" Astrid asked softly.
"Of course." Julie smiled as she swiped her card and the doors opened, Julie led them to Hiccup's room and peeked in first. "He's still asleep but you can go in." Julie said. Astrid nodded and walked in with Stoick behind her, then the rest of the group. Julie left closing the door as Astrid was instantly by Hiccup's side looking over him. A few scratches and bruises but nothing serious, then she saw his leg and covered her mouth sadly in shock. It was true.
"Look, its Toothless!" Eret pointed out the window. Toothless jumped up and smiled happily to see them. Astrid opened the window fully and lifted the screen as she hugged Toothless around the neck.
"Thank you! Thank you for keeping him safe, Toothless..." Astrid sobbed. There was some moaning as Hiccup turned his head a bit and started to open his eyes. Astrid gasped and went to his bed side holding his hand. "Hiccup...Oh gods Hiccup, do you have any idea how worried we've all been!" Astrid cried to him.
"Hey hey...ssh...I'm okay. I'm alright..." Hiccup whispered to her as he lifted his hand to stroke her cheek, she laughed a little before he pulled her face to his and kissed her gently. They broke apart remembering they had an audience and chuckled blushing a bit.
"Sorry I worried you babe...how are you and the baby? How's the house?" Hiccup asked her quickly.
"Everything is fine at home. We all camped out in the basement...never knew you had it so stocked with supplied for hurricanes...Me and the baby are great, especially now that we know you're okay..." Astrid said as she put a hand on her stomach smiling lightly, Hiccup placed his hand to her stomach and nodded laying back seeing everyone else now. Seeing his father, his mood changed instantly as he turned his head angrily.
"Why are you here dad...Don't think I've forgotten what happened before I left..." Hiccup stated coldly.
"Hiccup, I'm sorry. I'll never be able to take back what I did...they were your mother's wishes that you didn't find out." Stoick said coming closer to him.
"I don't want to hear it...I've had an extremely long night because of your choice not to tell me something that big...You're lucky I was with Toothless or I would be dead..." Hiccup huffed.
"I don't know what happened between you two and right now, I don't care...Hiccup...what...happened to your foot?..." Astrid asked softly.
"It was Toothless..." Hiccup said calmly.
"We know he saved you, but how'd you lose your foot!" Dagur asked now.
"It. Was. Toothless. He bit it off, saving my life." Hiccup stated firmer now so they'd understand. They all gasped now taking a step back and looking at Toothless, then back at Hiccup. "After I took off with him, we flew above the clouds out of the storm. We knew we'd have to come back, we didn't know it was a hurricane until the winds hit us...Lightening flashed in front of Toothless and he reared back to avoid us being hit, I fell off his back and was headed for the ground. Toothless screeched out for me as I called for him when he tucked his wings and dove for me. I blacked out and woke up here, realizing my leg was gone after I told the nurse to call you, Astrid." Hiccup explained with a smile as Toothless crept in the window and licked Hiccup's face affectionately.
"But if you blacked out...how do you know he did it? And why did he do it!" Stoick asked quickly.
"I know he did it because he told me he did...well showed me." Hiccup stated as Toothless sat down letting Hiccup pet his head lightly. "He showed me that I fell and he dove after me, he couldn't catch me on his back and to save me before hitting the ground, he bit my leg to catch me and pull me in to his wings as we crashed down in the couples yard...then he showed me that he used his fire to stop the bleeding and close the wound by burning the skin back together, then he used his saliva to heal the pain and anything the fire might of missed." Hiccup said calmly as Toothless warbled.
"That's quite a story, Mr. Haddock. I do believe I said the dragon had to stay outside..." Said Julie now standing in the door way.
"He saved my life, I think he deserves a little recognition for doing so...How much longer am I in here?" Hiccup asked in a bored tone.
"Well...you have no leg sir. We can't exactly let you walk out of here..." Julie said uneasily.
"Give me a pair of crutches...I'm fine." Hiccup stated.
"Its not that simple, Mr. Haddock...I'm afraid you may be in here a few weeks...while we make sure you're healed properly. A dragon fixing your leg doesn't mean anything." Julie retorted. Hiccup glared at her for saying he'd be in for a few weeks.
"You're clearly not educated enough on dragons to know that I'm fine." Hiccup seethed out.
"Hiccup, don't be rude..." Stoick said quickly.
"You have absolutely no room to talk right now. Toothless wouldn't miss anything, he's my best friend...You see my stump as it is. Closed and healed. No openings, no infections and clearly I'm not suffering any blood loss thanks to his quick thinking. All I need is crutches and I can walk just fine..." Hiccup added angrily. "Actually, know what. Forget it. Better idea. Check my paperwork, nurse Julie...I need no further medical treatment. Nothing you can provide me at least. By a legal standpoint. As long as I can stand on my own without falling or passing out...then you can't hold me here. If there is nothing further you can provide me, you can't make me stay. Isn't that right?" Hiccup asked her now.
"Hiccup, what are you doing. You can't stand, you're missing your foot!" Heather exclaimed.
"Stay out of this...I'm proving a point. Answer me nurse...isn't that legally how it goes? You have no purpose in keeping me here. My leg is healed completely, I don't even feel it. If I can stand with no support and no ones help, you have to discharge me." Hiccup said facing the nurse again.
"W–well yes...but...you don't know how hard it is to just stand after an injury like that...it takes people...months of physical training and therapy to acquire such balance...And forgive my assumptions, Mr. Haddock but I find it very hard to believe that you will be able to stand perfectly..." Julie said. Without another word, Hiccup tossed the blanket off and put his legs over the bed.
"Well, there's only way to find out. Isn't there?" Hiccup remarked with a grin now.
"In order for us to legally release you in good health...you have to be able to stand for 2 minutes on your own..." Julie said.
"Challenge accepted." Hiccup stated as he put his right foot down the pushed himself off the bed and jumped to the middle of the room. He narrowed his eyes as he tucked his other leg behind his good leg and put his arms at his side. The faces of his friends dropped open watching him stand perfectly still, he didn't even wobble. Two minutes passed as Hiccup remained standing. "Times up. I believe you have some paperwork to get started on nurse..." Hiccup said coldly. The nurse could say nothing as Astrid grinned a bit.
"I believe my husband just took everything you said and threw it out the window, nurse Julie. If you wouldn't mind getting a move on, I'd like to bring him home to our family..." Astrid stated, the nurse nodded and left the room as Hiccup chuckled. "And you! Don't you ever do something like that again!" Astrid said to Hiccup before he pulled her close against him, still holding his balance and kissing her deeply.
"Sorry babe, you know I hate hospitals and doctors. Why should I stay when I'm fine?" Hiccup asked her after the kiss ended.
"Still...You should stay at least the night to make sure everything is okay..." Stoick said now, Hiccup narrowed his eyes at his father now.
"I refuse to stay somewhere I don't need to be. I want to go home with my wife and our unborn child..." Hiccup stated as Astrid felt him put his arms around her gently.
"Okay...I have to ask now...Why do you two constantly refer to yourselves as husband and wife! Camera's aren't running so you don't have to act right now." Anna asked looking at them.
"Well we were going to wait to tell everyone but...babe, what do you think?" Hiccup asked looking at Astrid.
"No time like the present." Astrid chuckled now.
"True. Guys, Astrid and I are married. Officially and legally." Hiccup smiled.
"Well yeah that's how you're supposed to act..." Ruffnut said.
"No...we are really married. Our dads accidentally filled out the paperwork to consent us minors at the time to marry, they thought it was part of the project. Gobber thought it was a real marriage and he's licensed minister for Berk...So when we were doing our fake wedding for the project...it actually turned out to be a real marriage because Gobber took the filled out papers to the town hall. Everything was legal so the other day...Astrid got a new social security card, license, and insurance cards all reading Astrid Haddock. And we got our marriage license too. We're...legally married." Hiccup smiled as he and Astrid looked in to one another's eyes happily.
"Wait wait wait...WHAT!?" They all yelled together now as Hiccup and Astrid laughed.
"We're legally married guys. I'm his legal wife, and he's my legal husband. Just look..." Astrid said showing her new license and cards to them. Their mouths dropped open. "Its was completely accidental...but I wouldn't change it for the world...He and I planned to get married anyway, after high school when we were settled with our jobs...it just happened a little sooner, and worked out since we're having a baby and all..." Astrid giggled blushing as her hands rested on her belly and Hiccup's rested on her hands smiling.
"S–so...all this time, you guys have been married and didn't tell us?" Ruffnut asked.
"We didn't even know until Gobber showed up the other day with all the documents...We were just as surprised but after talking...we said screw it and left it alone since its what we both wanted anyway. To be married and have our family. We were going to tell you yesterday before the storm but...then the whole thing between Hiccup and his dad happened and never got the chance..." Astrid explained.
"Oooh...so on that subject...what did happen?" Rapunzel asked now. The mood seemed to shift now as tension could be cut with a knife.
"Nothing anyone needs to worry about..." Hiccup said as the nurse returned. Hiccup signed his release papers and climbed on Toothless's back. Astrid climbed on behind him and held on tightly. "You're going to have to fly him, Astrid until I have make a new rig to control his tail. Just put your feet in the stirrups, I'll tell you what to do." Hiccup told her gently. Astrid nodded as she put her feet where he told her to then waited. "Just press down with your heel...Toothless knows what to do." Hiccup said to her. Astrid pressed down as Toothless gave a roar and jumped out the window then taking off in to the sky. The flight went easy, few times they dropped a bit to far but they recovered. Hiccup made it simple to learn the controls of Toothless's tail. Once they reached their house, Hiccup noticed everything had been cleaned up and drained out. Toothless landed and they got up. Astrid helped Hiccup to the house and sat him on the couch.
Their friends did come by again but Hiccup made them leave, along with his father. He'd promised Astrid he would tell her what happened and this was something he wouldn't go back on. He wouldn't hide it from her like his father hid it from him. Hiccup genuinely understood why his father didn't tell him but there was a difference between being 7 and being 18. Sure he was over it now, it hurt knowing his mother gave her life to save his but it'd been her choice wanting to save her only son even if it meant she lost her life. As Hiccup was about to be a parent himself, he understood the need to protect what was close to him.
Once more, Hiccup didn't have cancer anymore. He knew it couldn't pass it to his own child, and the likely hood of Astrid passing her mother's cancer from her to their child was also slim. Hiccup was going to tell her but he wanted it to be just them. "Alright Hiccup...what's going on?..." Astrid finally asked when it was them sitting in silence after everyone left.
"Astrid. What I tell you...you have to stay calm okay because it was the past...and has no effect on our present or future. Can you do that for me?" Hiccup asked now. She nodded to him as she listened intently. "The reason I took off yesterday is because of what my father told me. My mother died to save me." Hiccup said slowly. Astrid's mouth hung open in shock as she tried to wrap her head around what he said to her. He'd said his mother died from cancer, why was he saying this now? She truly didn't understand.
