After a long day of chiefly duties, I was ready to get home to enjoy a nice meal with a cool mug of mead before I hit the sack. I could see the smoke stack on top of the Haddock household already smoking, indicating that Astrid was probably already home and cooking dinner.

Astrid being in the Haddock household was a blessing in disguise. After Hiccup had left, I didn't realize how much he was part of my life even though I felt like I was never a part of his life. I would come home to a fire blazing with dinner simmering over it, filling the house with a beautiful smell. I'm not sure where Hiccup had learned to cook, but I felt like it had something to do with the Hoffersons because he spent most of his time over there with Astrid when they were younger.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day. Tomorrow is when Shadow, his riders, and the young warriors will lead us to Helheim's Gate so that I can finally get my revenge for my lost wife and son. I spent most of the day making sure that preparations were being done to leave in the early morning hours. Ships were prepared, weapons were sharpened, food was packed, and vikings were readied. The village was eerily quiet as everyone was home early to prepare for the cast off in the morning.

I entered the Haddock home, the smell of the stew hitting my nose the same time I felt the heat from the fire hit me. I hung up my helmet on it's special peg near the door, followed by my warhammer and cloak. "Whatever you are cooking Astrid, it smells amazing."

There was no response as I turned around. Astrid was nowhere in sight, but the fire was blazing and I could see the pot simmering over the fire with whatever stew was being kept warm. I couldn't see the front of my favourite chair, but I instantly noticed someone was sitting in the chair when they brought a mug down and held it on the armrest.

"It's something I picked up along my travels." The male voice startled me, before I jumped into action and picked up my warhammer, preparing to threaten whoever was sitting in my chair. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." The hand let go of the mug before he pointed towards the ceiling of the home, in which I followed and found two green eyes looking back at me from the rafters of the house. I knew those eyes, and they belonged to Shadow's night fury.

"What. Are. You. Doing. In. My. Home." I said angrily but very quietly, trying to suppress the rage that was building inside before I made a move that I would regret. "And what have you done with Astrid?"

"If you must know, Astrid is fine, but she's not here right now. She's getting ready for what tomorrow brings." He raised the mug out of sight again before he returned it to the original position, most likely taking a sip but was hidden because I could only see the back of the chair. "And what am I doing here? I have come to speak with the Chief of Berk of course. Come, sit."

"I think I'll stand."

"Suit yourself." It was quiet for a while before the mug disappeared before it landed on the armrest again. It felt like seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours before he finally spoke up again. "After tomorrow, everything will be different for Berk. Whether we succeed or fail tomorrow, you will have to accept what happens."

"And what will happen? Are you threatening me?" Shadow gave a small laugh.

"Threatening you? I have no need to threaten you, Stoick." That laugh and that voice sounded so familiar but I couldn't think straight to figure out why it did. "No, if we fail tomorrow, most of Berk will be wiped clear of Midgard and who knows after that. If we succeed, well, I am not sure what will happen. The dragons in the nest will have to go somewhere and with Berk being so close, my guess is that some will find their home on this island."

"And we will succeed. A few extra dragons on the island? We can handle them."

"Ah Stoick, you still don't believe the info I told you about the Red Death. We will be very lucky to succeed if we even stand a chance."

"Of course I don't believe you. There isn't a dragon that vikings can't take care of! We will succeed." Shadow sighed and was quiet for a bit. The silence seemed to drag on for what seemed like forever, the only sounds were from the crackling fire, the simmering pot, and the odd stress creek from above. The mug disappeared and reappeared again, at which I noticed that it was Hiccup's old mug that hasn't been used since he disappeared. I could feel the rage building on the inside. This stranger is in my home, sitting in my chair, and using my son's mug. I took a step towards the stranger ready to attack, dragon or not, this person was going to pay.

"Would you believe your son?" That stopped me dead in my tracks. I stared at the back of my chair, trying to burn right through the chair and the stranger sitting in it with only my eyes.

"Don't you dare bring my son into this." The words escaped my lips as quiet as a whisper before I could even register that I had said them.

"Did you really care that much for your son?" The question was very quiet, and I had to strain to hear it. How dare he even ask me that question. Of course I cared for my son! I did everything I could to protect him! I put him in the forge to toughen him up and protect him from dragons. I made sure that he had everything he always needed. I always put up with him and his inventions, even if they destroyed half the village! "Because he told me otherwise." WHAT!

"You've talked to my son? When? Where?" I lowered my warhammer, hope filling my chest again.

"It doesn't matter. You wouldn't recognize him if he was right under your nose."

"It does matter! He is my son and I have been looking for him since he disappeared! I would recognize my son anywhere!" The stranger snorted, and the mug disappeared for a few seconds before it reappeared. Shadow slammed it against the armrest with strength that I didn't even know the skinny stranger could manage, indicating that he had finished his drink.

"Really?" Shadow tapped two fingers against the armrest and the dragon from above dropped to the ground between Shadow and I before he stood.

From the back, I could see that Shadow had discarded his hood and mask, and I instantly noticed the auburn hair from behind. It stuck out in all directions as if he just woke up from a deep sleep. I noticed two braids at the back of his head on the right side behind his ear. He was still wearing his armour that matched the night fury, but he carried no weapon of sorts that I could see.

I staggered a step back, recognizing why the laugh and voice seemed so familiar now. The hair clicked everything into place. I had dropped my warhammer, not even hearing the sound of it hit the floor as the stranger in front of me started to turn around. The forest green eyes were the same ones that Valka had, and the freckles that were covering his face matched my own, even though you couldn't see mine with my beard. On the right side of his face, right above his chin, was an old scar that he received when he was just a babe from the dragon that took my Valka away.

"Hiccup…"

"I ask again, would you believe your son about the Red Death?" Hiccup wore a hardened expression, trying to hide all emotion. Even his eyes were dark as if he was trying to hide something.

"I- I- I-" I was at a loss for words. Hiccup was finally standing in front of me, after three long years, he had come home. But this Hiccup wasn't his little Hiccup anymore. No, this was a hardened man that had to survive by himself in the wilderness with only the help of a dragon. This man in front of me should be considered a traitor to every viking law possible because he has sided with dragons. This man defiled all odds of being weak and scrawny and became someone who could easily lead and protect the village. "I've missed you."

"I wish I could say the same." Hiccup's voice was like a sword that pierced right through my heart. I fell to my knees in front of the dragon, while I looked at Hiccup's hardened expression, before closing my eyes and sitting on my legs, hands hitting the ground.

"And I'm sorry…" I said quietly, whispered just loud enough that I could barely hear it.

"What was that Stoick?" I lifted myself off the ground, resting on my legs once again, opening my eyes to look at my son standing in front of me.

"I'm sorry Hiccup. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for being such a bad Father. I just wanted to protect you the best way I knew how. After I lost Valka, I couldn't risk losing you too."

"So that's it? You wanted to protect me? Instead of training me how to use a weapon, you threw me in the forge with Gobber at the first chance you could! Instead of encouraging me that my inventions could be helpful for the village, you told me I was a nuisance and that all I knew how to do was destroy the village! You never listened to me when I protested against anything you ever did. You never took me to any tribe meetings because you were scared to show them your scrawny son!"

I flinched at everything he said, knowing they were all true. "For years, I was beat up by the other kids my age and you did nothing! Even my own blood was doing it and nothing was done! You even said it yourself, I was the worst viking that Berk had ever seen. And you know the only time you were proud of me? Was when I was cheating in the ring, training the dragons instead of attacking them." Hiccup scuffed and turned around, towards the fire, watching it as if getting lost in the flames.

"You were right about one thing though," Hiccup started off more quietly, "I am the worst viking that Berk has ever seen. After I shot down Toothless, I found him in the forest. I couldn't kill him because he was as scared as I was, and so I released him." Toothless crooned between us, looking towards Hiccup but never moving from his spot. "I tore off his tailfin, grounding him. So I helped him by making a new tailfin and learning how to fly with him. I knew from that moment that dragons were not what we knew them to be." Hiccup sighed and shook his head. "But who would believe me? You definitely wouldn't have. Gobber probably would have thought I was joking. Astrid wasn't talking to me. Anybody else would have laughed it off. So I left.

"But even after everything you had done or didn't do, after everything the village had done, I still came back to protect it." Hiccup turned around and faced me again. "Berk was my home, and I can't stand idly by while it is destroyed by dragons that have no control over their own actions." It felt as if Hiccup was looking directly into my soul, knowing everything he felt, knowing every wrong that I had done, and yet he was here ready to protect Berk. "So I ask again, do you believe me now about the Red Death?"

"Yes." I said without hesitation. I knew that my son wasn't a liar, and I trusted every word that came out of his mouth. I stood up slowly, still focused on where Hiccup was standing and forgetting the night fury that was still in my home. I stumbled forward and the dragon moved out of the way before I grasped Hiccup in a bone crushing hug. "I've missed you so much."

"Can't… Breath…" I heard quietly and felt a panicked tapping against my arm before I released him.