"Mm," Hiccup moaned softly as he gradually came to.

Golden sunlight shined through his closed eyelids, enveloping him in warmth. Distantly, the birds chirped a sweet song as a lazy breeze gently brushed against Hiccup's face. His back felt the lumpy bark against it, the soft grass brushed against his legs. Opening his eyes, Hiccup blinked in the light of the sun. Drowsily, Hiccup passed a hand through his hair.

"What am I doing outside?" Hiccup murmured. "Where. . ."

Then, as his eyes adjusted, he realized where he was. He was on the cliff on Dragon's Edge. How did he get here? He was back at home last thing he remembered. There was no way he should be here. Then, suddenly, he heard an all-too familiar growl, but it could not be. It was too good to be true. Turning his head, he saw the Night Fury, his Night Fury. After scrambling to his feet, Hiccup and Toothless rushed to each other and locked in an embrace.

"Toothless, I can't believe it!" Hiccup laughed. "You're here! How are you here?"

Toothless looked at him joyfully. I don't know. How are you here?

"I have no idea!" Hiccup cried, jubilantly. "What does that matter? I'm just glad to see you. I've missed you so much."

I've missed you, too, Toothless cooed. I've never stopped thinking about you.

Caressing his friend's scaly head, Hiccup smiled. "I thought I'd never see you again."

He embraced his friend once more, and Toothless swaddled Hiccup in his wings. Closing his eyes, Hiccup sighed contently.

"I don't want this to ever end," he said.

Don't worry. I won't leave, Toothless cooed in response.

Hiccup snuggled his head closer to Toothless' scaly body. He had missed his touch so much. It was more precious than anything he ever felt. Hiccup gripped Toothless tightly, feeling peace for the first time in a while.

"I love you, bud," Hiccup whispered.

I love you, too, Hiccup.

Suddenly, Hiccup felt himself being shaken lightly. His eyelids were closed so tightly that for a while he could not open them. His relaxed body felt heavy and limp. Numbing drowsiness hung over him.

"Mm," Hiccup sighed, as he slowly came out of sleep. "What's going on?"

As his eyelids fluttered open, his blurred, unfocused vision saw a pair of green eyes staring at him.

"T-Toothless?" Hiccup mumbled sleepily.

But when his vision cleared, he saw his mother leaning over him.

"Oh," Hiccup murmured, rubbing his eyes. "Hey, Mom."

"Good morning, my beautiful boy," Valka smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

"Ah, yes," Hiccup yawned, then for a moment, he could do nothing but look around.

He was back at home again. Toothless was nowhere to be found. So, it was all a dream? But it did not seem like a dream. It felt too real to be one.

"Are you alright?" Valka asked.

"Yes, just," Hiccup began quietly. "I. . .had a dream that Toothless, he came back and. . . It just felt so real. It was like he was really there with me."

"You were fast asleep," Valka remarked. "After you closed your eyes, you were out. This is the longest I've seen you sleep in a while."

"What time is it?" Hiccup asked, absently.

"Nearly nine o'clock," Valka answered.

Then, Hiccup jerked back to reality at this. "Nine o'clock! Oh, Mom, why didn't you wake me up sooner? I was supposed to-"

"You needed the rest," Valka explained. "And you looked so peaceful asleep, I didn't want to wake you any sooner than I had to."

Hiccup jumped out of bed, hastily pulling on his leather armor. "Oh, I'm late, I'm so dead. I promised Astrid I'd be up at six to help build her parents' house! Oh, why did I have to sleep so late?"

"I made breakfast if you-" Valka began.

"Uh, sorry, Mom, thank you, but I really have to go," Hiccup stammered as he headed towards the door.

"That's probably best," Valka muttered. "I'm not the best cook."

"What, no, Mom! I love your cooking, I just- I really have to go. I'll be back soon to finish the roof. Love you!"

Hiccup rushed out the door, his feet pounding rapidly against the ground. As he passed various people he knew, he exchanged a brief "hello" or "good morning" but never stopped until he reached Astrid's house. There she was with Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins.

"Chicken, what did I say about plucking my beard?" Tuffnut scolded his avian friend.

"It's not a beard," Snotlout scoffed. "It's just a lump of useless hair."

" 'Ilence, Notlout! How dare you 'ay such thing!" Tuffnut snapped.

"What was that?" Fishlegs asked.

"Sorry about him," Ruffnut said. "Sometimes when he's upset, he relapses into the dropping S's thing that we had for a while."

Then, Astrid noticed Hiccup standing there, catching his breath. "Hiccup, you're here."

"Sorry I'm late," Hiccup gasped. "I know I should've been sooner-"

"Hey, it's totally fine," Astrid said with a quick kiss on the lips. "You're doing enough as it is."

Taking a board, Hiccup asked casually, "So, you sleep well last night?"

"Pretty well," Astrid replied. "Did you sleep at all?"

Hiccup was slightly hesitant as he remembered the dream. "Uh, y-yeah, I kinda was out like a candle when I got home, but then I slept in late."

"Oh, so that's why you were late!" Snotlout laughed. "The chief was getting his beauty sleep in."

"Hey, considering he's been working night and day without any rest," Astrid retorted, "I'd say he earned it."

Tuffnut let out a groan. "For heaven's sake, this is ridiculous."

"Wh-what's ridiculous?" Hiccup stammered.

"You two," he answered, pointing at him and Astrid. "You guys are taking forever. I mean, when are you going to get married already? I mean, my gosh, you've been betrothed for, what, almost three years?"

"Yep, that was what I counted," Ruffnut added.

"If it pleases my matchmakers to know," Hiccup replied dryly, "we have set the date."

"Ooh, the date?" Fishlegs squealed. "When?"

"December fifteenth," Astrid replied, laying her head on Hiccup's shoulder.

"Yeah-ha!" Ruffnut cheered.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Tuffnut groaned. "I didn't put all that time in for those dances and kisses just you guys wouldn't get married. Ruff, our work has finally paid off."

"How awesome are we?" Ruffnut exclaimed.

The twins exchanged a series of high-fives.

"At last, Hiccup's gotten his triple B," Tuffnut chuckled triumphantly.

"Triple B?" Astrid asked confusedly.

Embarrassed, Hiccup facepalmed. "Berkian Blonde Babe. Tuffnut came up with it that year we spent Snoggletog on the Edge."

"Ohh, so that's what it meant," Astrid giggled. "That makes much more sense than what you said it was."

"Uh, okay, c-can we get to work?" Hiccup said uncomfortably.

"Sure," Astrid smiled, giving Hiccup another kiss.

As Hiccup picked up a few nails, he felt a strong wind rush past him. It was very gusty today. Gazing up at the sky, Hiccup smiled as he watched the fluffy clouds slowly move across the azure dome. It was a perfect day to fly. Maybe after work, he and Toothless could. . .

Then, a pang of sadness stabbed him as he remembered. Toothless was no longer here. He was gone. He was free. Free, Hiccup thought. Happy. He probably doesn't even miss me. But did he? What about that dream? Toothless seemed to miss him as Hiccup missed him. But that was only a dream. Or was it?

Hiccup tried to push these thoughts away and think of something else, but they kept surfacing. His mind drifted back to Toothless, but the pain was too much. It seemed like it would remain constant, that Hiccup would carry it the rest of his life. Don't think about that, Hiccup thought, a lump in his throat. Toothless is happy, and I should be happy that he is. But I just wish-

Wishing. From a young age, the one thing that Hiccup learned to do to make it through each day was wishing. Wishing that his father would grow to love him, wishing that the Vikings would love dragons, wishing that he and Astrid would be together forever. Now, instead of his wishes giving him hope, it made him bitter. What was the point of wishing for something that would never happen? It was a waste of energy, of time, of emotion. It brought pain he did not need.

But secretly, some small part of him believed that Toothless did miss him, and that he might want to see him again. Hiccup knew Toothless better than anyone. If he knew him, Toothless felt as he did. Maybe there was still hope of seeing him again. Taking it out his sketchbook, he flipped through it to find a blank page. As soon as he did, he scribbled on it furiously.

Toothless,

I'm not even sure if this will reach you, but if it does, I want you to know I've missed you like crazy. I can't stop thinking about you. I know you're happy with the Light Fury and your new life, but I was just wondering-you don't have to-if we could see each other again. I'll be at the west cliff at dusk tomorrow. If you don't come, I'll be completely fine. I'll always love you, bud, both far and near.

Your friend,

Hiccup

Tearing the page out, he took an empty glass bottle and stuffed it inside. With all his speed, Hiccup rushed to the west cliff to hurtle the message into the water. The water ran straight into the Hidden World. It just had to reach him. As he got ready to cast it into the sea, his arm stopped in midair. What was he doing? A message in a bottle? What kind of idiot was he? It would not reach Toothless, and he probably cannot even read. Even if Toothless could read, why would he want to come back to him when he had everyone in the Hidden World, including the Light Fury to make him happy? Did he actually believe that Toothless would want to come back to his human friend when he had all that? Hiccup felt pathetic. He was so desperate to see Toothless again that he was trying to contact him and get him to leave his new home where he was happy. Furious at himself, Hiccup flung the bottle into the sea, never wanting to see it again. What did it matter? Toothless would never read it, let alone see it.