Modern trucker AU. After a long haul trip, a trucker returns home to her waiting family. This is loosely inspired from my discontinued chapter fic Uncharted Territory, but that one's based in EU so this is the US version. I've been out with a cough so I wasn't able to update in my usual turnaround rate of 2 days but here ya go. Slight Heather x Astrid on this one. Low M rated.

All Roads Lead Back to You

Life as an owner-operator truck driver is tough as hell, but for 28 y/o Astrid Natalia Haddock, she's the very definition of tough. Female truckers are already common in the United States trucking industry, but just like the rest of them, she constantly had to prove her worth amongst her male counterparts, especially the veterans with 30-40 years' experience. Although she can handle the job without a hitch, the homesickness is something she's never been able to overcome. She and her husband Hector, better known as Hiccup, live in Portland, Oregon with their 4 y/o daughter Zephyr. They own Haddock Transport and Trucking Co., a small Portland-based trucking company with only 5 trucks and 4 hired drivers; Astrid is an owner-operator-driver as she loves to go to new places. With her trusty parakeet Stormfly perched in her passenger seat, Astrid's homesickness eases up a bit with a bit of company.

One late night in Oklahoma City, at around 11pm local time, Astrid received a delivery order of frozen fish to a Walmart store in Portland. She's excited for this as she's finally homebound after a two month leg hauling goods in the Midwest. Astrid typically hauls general goods such as frozen food or electronics, but she's also had her fair share of hauling heavy and hazardous cargoes such as gasoline, tractors, and even sewage water. After collecting the required paperwork, she got aboard her beat up yet trustworthy silver 2010 Peterbilt 579, with HADDOCK TRANSPORT stickers on the doors and visor. Being the second owner of the truck, Astrid had traveled over three hundred thousand miles in the 3 years she's been hauling freight. (for reference, the truck had 750k miles total) She backed her rig to the reefer trailer and once she had connected the required trailer lines, Astrid set off for the 1900 mile trip back home, which would take over 2 days at her usual rate of 700 miles per day. Just as she was about to leave the yard, a raven haired woman stood in front of the semi truck's path. Thankfully, Astrid stopped right on time.

"Heather?" Astrid got off her truck to confront the woman. "What in Odin's name are you doing standing there?!"

"Where are you heading?" the woman blurted out. Astrid was taken aback by the sudden question.

"Homebound." the blonde trucker replied nonchalantly. Heather knew exactly where that meant.

"Can I ride along? Just until I reach Denver. My truck's being repaired there, and I only got here on a loaner rig." she asked. Just like Astrid, Heather Claire Thompson is also an owner operator trucker who happened to be her best friend.

"I don't see why not?" Astrid replied, gesturing her friend to climb on board the passenger side. Sensing the foreign person, Stormfly flew off the seat's headrest, before perching on Astrid's shoulder and letting out a single squawk.

"It's okay girl, she's my best friend." The blonde trucker smiled at her pet before feeding her with some bird feed. She turned her attention back to Heather, "Are you ready?"

"Alright, let's see how your trusty Pete runs." Heather smiled back.

Throughout the night, Astrid and Heather talked about their respective lives. Having a rider, especially your best friend, hitchhike along the way helps deal with fatigue as Astrid has a bad problem of driving while half asleep due to the silence of the cab. (except for Stormfly's squawks, the engine's rumble or the occasional CB transmission) Now with Heather, Astrid was even more pumped at heading home and telling her husband about her travels. Stormfly seemed to take a liking on the raven haired trucker as she often perches on her shoulder as well.

"So, you're pumped at going home huh." Heather remarked.

"Who doesn't get pumped when going home?" Astrid smirked, without even looking at her. "I mean, after 2 months I'm finally able to sleep in a proper bed with Hiccup and make breakfast for my little Zephyr." Her sapphire eyes glowed with pride at the mention of her daughter's name.

"Fair enough." was the only reply Heather could say.

While she usually just nodded along since she couldn't relate to her best friend's rantings about having a bird for company but nevertheless, she listened to Astrid's endless stories about her family. She's about a couple of months younger than her and she's also married but she haven't got the chance to settle down and start a family yet due to the demands of trucking. Maybe it's about time I settle for a few years and start getting kids. Heather thought.

Meanwhile, some 1500 miles northwest of Astrid, in the city of Portland, Oregon, Hiccup and his daughter Zephyr had just finished their breakfast and were preparing to set off for day care. His mother Vanessa, also known as Valka, volunteered to pick up her granddaughter after day care.

"Me excited...see my friends!" Zephyr giggled happily. Hiccup loved it when she giggles; it's exactly the way his wife does it.

"Yes you are, my princess." he smiled, carrying the stout 4 year old onto his shoulders. Valka was more than proud at the sight. If only my husband were here to cherish it. 5 years prior to Zephyr's birth, Hiccup's father Stoick had a cardiac arrest. It was just a couple of weeks after he and Astrid got married when Stoick left the world for Valhalla. Hiccup cried for a full month, so did Astrid. Valka knew her son must've been thinking the same way as her.

"You know love," she placed her finger above Zephyr's nose. "You would've loved your Grandpa Stoick."

"Mom, you know we're both gonna get watery eyes if we recall that!" Hiccup protested.

"Yes, but she still wouldn't understand the concept of death yet."

"Fair enough." Just then, Hiccup's phone was ringing. Upon seeing that it's his wife on video call, he immediately answered it.

"Morning babe!" she greeted her family cheerfully.

"Momma!" Zephyr cried out. Astrid smiled from cheek to cheek at hearing her little girl's voice.

"Zephie! Oh I miss you so much! How's my baby girl doing with Daddy and Gramma?"

"Me go to school early to see me fwends!" the auburn haired girl replied. Hiccup chuckled in the background.

"That's great sweetie! I'll be sure to know more once I head home." she giggled.

"Where are you heading today milady?" her husband asked. Just as Astrid was about to reply, she decided to surprise him by telling him she'd be close to home, but not delivering there.

"I'm bound for Eugene, babe." Astrid sighed, hoping that Hiccup would buy her reaction. Fortunately for her, he bought it. He may be a dork at times but at least he's MY dork and no one can take that away. she grinned.

"Oh damn, well stay safe out there as always." her husband replied.

"How's the trucker life, Astrid?" Valka chimed in.

"Tiring but worth it Mom." she smiled tiredly, "I'm at a rest stop right now. Heather's driving the second leg up to Denver while I'm sleeping."

"Well, you better get some shut eye milady. I'm taking Zeph to day care now." Hiccup added.

"Alright babe. I'll see y'all soon, hopefully. Bye!" Astrid waved goodbye as her family ended the call.

The rest of the journey went uneventful as Astrid once again switched shifts upon arrival at Denver, where Heather disembarked. She still has over 1200 miles to go with only Stormfly on her passenger seat. She travels during the late night/early morning hours and sleeps in the noon, enabling her to travel faster. Hiccup usually called her on her off-duty time when Astrid's at a truck stop resting. This cycle of driving, sleeping, eating, and calling home repeated itself until finally, she had reached her destination in Portland.

Astrid pulled into their home at 1am Pacific time. She backed her truck to their custom built garage specially for her rig. After shutting the engine off and collecting her stuff, she took a moment to inhale the cool winter's breeze of her home. Gods, how I missed this atmosphere. She thought. The fact that she's sleeping in bed with Hiccup again has got her heart pumping faster than ever. After all, when you're in love for 10 years and married for 5 out of those 10 years, you can never stop falling in love with one another all over again.

She first checked on her baby girl, who was sleeping soundly to the tune of nursery rhymes playing softly in the speakers. Instinctively, she turned the speaker off and looked at the oh so innocent face of Zephyr. "I'm home my princess, Momma's gonna wake you up tomorrow." she whispered before planting a kiss on her forehead.

She then made her way to their bedroom, where Hiccup was already deep in his sleep. Part of her wanted to surprise him while at the same time, she didn't want to wake him from his slumber. From what she could make out from his snoring, Hiccup had been tired and beat up from his work. Stripping off of her work clothes into only her underwear, Astrid scooted up the bed and spooned Hiccup. She needed to feel the warmth of her husband after two months of abstinence and secretly wished he'd stir, wake up and rip her lingerie off.

"I'm here, babe. I love you." The words that Astrid desperately needed to tell Hiccup in person had finally been said, even though he might not have heard her. As her eyes started to go down, she swore she heard a grunt coming from Hiccup.

The following morning, Hiccup woke up to a heavy feeling on his legs. Once he rubbed his eyes to see what's causing that, he was surprised to see his blonde trucker of a wife snuggled against him; her legs wrapped around his.

"A..Astrid?" he asked. Astrid stirred at the sound of her husband's voice and before he could say another word, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Two months of abstinence finally broken when their lips met and tongues dancing in between. When they pulled out, Astrid sat atop Hiccup, rubbing herself against his thigh. She undressed her lingerie and the boxers Hiccup was wearing and started to make love to him. Their room echoed with lewd cries, moans and screaming each other's names until they reached climax.

"Mmm. Oh gods, that was...wow!" Hiccup stuttered, still feeling ecstatic.

"You didn't know how sexually frustrated I was in those two months, babe." Astrid sighed in contentment.

"I love you milady."

"Aww, I love you too." Once they found their bearings again, the alarm clock rang and Astrid shut it off instinctively. Hiccup looked at her with a bewildered look.

"Uhh, what about Zephyr?" he asked.

"Shh. Let Mom deal with her today. For now, I just wanna cuddle you so freaking bad." Astrid smirked before kissing her husband in the lips again. She remained cuddled against his chest, while Hiccup wrapped his arms around Astrid's butt.

Downstairs in their kitchen, Valka had finished tending to Zephyr; she took a look at the master bedroom where Hiccup was sleeping. As she opened the door, but not all the way, Valka saw her son and daughter-in-law cuddling naked; thank the gods the blanket covered the things she didn't need to see.

"She finally found that road that led her back to Hiccup." she muttered.