Welcome to the next chapter! Let's jump right into it! Review please!

Astird and Hiccup didn't really know why or how it all started, but it didn't really matter much. They both went to bed happy and relaxed that the threat was dismissed for now. It was the time when the sun sunk below the valley's and the moon was the light that guided their windey paths that brought them together through the darkness. It was that time, could they slip away into the comfort of the large bed, their dogs tucked between them, unbothered by the lack of room. There, the warmth swarmed around them, a feeling once so distant, they now welcomed with open arms. It had gotten past the point of awkward blushes, but still remained unspoken. But that was okay. Just because things were unspoken, didn't mean they weren't there.

Astrid sat at Hiccup's desk, all his gadgets pushed to the side, with Stormfly and Toothless sleeping at her feet. She hummed softly as she worked, comparing the Dragon Nip samples from the fire and the factory under Hiccup's old biology microscope. She listened to Hiccup as he argued on the phone with his father, who's booming voice could be clearly heard. She lifted her and sent Hiccup a sympathetic nod, who rolled his eyes back. He hated dealing with his father.

"Seriously? Ugh, fine. Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, I guess. See you later." He turned off his phone and slapped it on the desk. "He's not coming home for another three weeks. Conferences got held back in Japan due to weather. Astrid nodded. Hiccup's dad was the head of the company, and when he traveled the world, unveiling his technological treasures, he was gone a lot.

"Is that a bad thing? I mean, we kind of have our hands full here." Hiccup nodded in agreement and sat down next to her, motioning to the samples. "They're a match. Now it's a matter of who knew about all this. And how did they know about me?" Hiccup thought for a moment and sighed.

"Maybe you should bring this up with the Chief." She paused, before her eyes went wide.

"Of course! I have to get these to Alvin, he knew more details about the case than anyone else. He even knew… how I kinda went "behind backs" if you will, and tried to dig up stuff."

"Wait a minute… You tried to solve the case before it was given to you?" Astrid bit her lip and nodded. Hiccup rolled his eyes and laughed.

"What!" He didn't answer as he doubled over laughing.

…

Astrid delivered the sample to Alvin, telling him everything. Hiccup and Toothless had waited outside the office with Stormfly who sniffed out the area like a patrol dog. Hiccup had watched her curiously, taking note of all her strides as she surveyed the department floor. Astrid meanwhile had been in hushed conversation with Alvin, who agreed to keep it on the down low, especially with the funeral coming up. Astrid had smiled and nodded, giving him her full trust.

Looking back, she couldn't tell where her mistake was.

…

The burial service was held two days after Astrid handed her information to the police department. Cloaked in black, her mother's pearl necklace, and hair tugged back neatly in the braid Heather had done for her, Astrid stood in the tall grass staring into the pit. Hiccup found her hand and squeezed it gently, making her heart leap. First responders, police officers, firefighters, and family gathered around the spot a great man was laid to rest. Heather stood next to her with a matching braid.

It was the first real time Astrid had seen Heather since the fire, after of course a brief reunion. Heather too, had lost everything, but she had been staying with Fishlegs the two of them official. Astrid suddenly felt selfish, as if she was too wrapped up in her own life to consider how Heather was doing.

She brought her gaze to the men across the pit. Alvin in his huge build in the center, with Johann and Dagur on the outside. Of course Dagur wasn't his real name, but it was the nickname he earned from being stabbed so many times on the job. He was… beserk to say the least, but he was a good officer and great friend of her father's. He was also the man to take her father's job, although he did spend two months turning down the position in hopes that Hofferson would return to duty. She offered them a sad smile, but nobody seemed to notice her. She sighed and squeezed Hiccup's hand harder, trying to block out the speech, block out the shining sun, block out the birds. She did however, catch Stormfly's low growl at the pit as she stood, ears high and nostrils flared in the same protective stance as before the fire.

A bad feeling, that she dismissed as grief, rose up her chest.

Two Days Later…

Astrid did what she could to keep her head up, and spent all her time and energy on the case. She paced their- Hiccups room asking herself unanswerable questions. She had a list of names, but nobody seemed to fit just right. Nobody seemed to know enough.

"How's it going?" Hiccup asked, chasing after Toothless who stormed into the room to greet Stormfly. She let out a grumble, but let her guard fall for just a moment while she played with Toothless. Hiccup came up to the board, covered in tape, tacks, and paper. Astrid groaned in response.

"Not good. Everyone on the list wouldn't know all the information that they would need to do this. Nobody would know the extent that I know to come after me. I'm just so… lost." Hiccup sighed and bit his lip.

"You need to get your mind off things." She nodded. She knew he was right, but the case called to her, pulsing her name waiting for her too, to fall down the rabbit hole, just like her father.

"Can't. Not until this is finished. Hiccup, this farther than anyone had ever gotten with the Dragon Nip case!" She groaned, kicked the chair and shook off the anger that coursed through her veins. "My father could have been murdered, Hiccup!"

"I know Ast, but if you don't take a break, it's only going to stress you out more. All of this… its been hard, I know. But you're exhausted… I presume?... Presume… Astrid, when you got to the hospital, that day with your dad, when did Johann get there?" There was a long pause before Astird spoke.

"Why are you asking?" Hiccup didn't say anything. He didn't want to say anything else. He had absolutely no idea what he was getting into. He motioned to her hoping that she would piece together herself.

"He was… already there, after Alvin. Some officers choose to go to together and see him separately… gods… you don't think that one of them killed him?"

"Who knew about the case?"

"Everyone. It was a big deal. But, if someone was part of something they shouldn't have been… then there would be a motive." Her eyes welled up with tears and her eyebrows furrowed in rage. One of their own.. Betraying them. Astrid felt sick.

She slammed her laptop shut and kicked the chair again. She cursed bitterly and whipped around, but Hiccup grabbed her wrists and kept her grounded. Kept her from spinning out of control like a tornado loose on the great plains.

"Look at me. I know, I know. But you need to stay together. And we need to not say anything else to the BPD. It could cause a lot of problems, okay?" He wanted to help, he just… didn't know how. He instead came closer, pulling her into a tight hug. She melted into him, shaking with fear and relief and stress all at the same time. Get your mind off things. His words raced through her head in the most comforting and uncomforting way. She wanted to stay like this forever. Her gut twisted, something screaming at her that she wasn't rooted. Something about… everything wasn't sturdy. Cautiously, she pulled away. She needed to find some stability, and with Hiccup, she realized, sturdy wasn't quite the right word for whatever this was. More sporadic and build on top of a broken elevator. So like she said, definitely not sturdy.

"Hiccup… Can I ask you something?" Caught off guard, Hiccup nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed. Toothless jumped up next to him and sprawled out on his side, impatiently waiting for Stormfly to join him so he could groom her. It was this odd ritual they had, where the'd lick each other's ears, face, and paws for an hour or so. This was technically getting her mind off some things. "What… what is this? This thing… between… us?" She trailed off, a blush rising to her cheeks. Hiccup twiddled his fingers and sighed. There was a stiff silence, held out by their shaky breaths and nervous glances at each other's eyes, pupils swirling with galaxies. It was the iris of Astrid's eyes that were dazzling diamonds that reminded him of the sun reflecting on the ocean in the early morning hours.

"What… do you want it to be?" His voice cracked a little, so nervous his shoulders tensed and his mouth went dry. He liked her. Really liked her, but the pit in his stomach grew larger with each silent second. He really didn't want to her to answer, or ask another question for that matter. He was so afraid of screwing up, of losing her, that staying silent was his only option. She bit her lip and contemplated her next mood, but what she did was an instinct. Not a well thought out plan of action. No she jumped head first into this thing and that's how she was going to continue it.

She lurched forward and kissed him. Even if it wasn't their first, there was a new and sturdy foundation to it as he pulled her closer, holding her face like she was his world. The tree that had fallen over in the storm, roots uplifted from the crumbling ground was replanted in firm soil, roots spreading and holding firm to the ground. This was a whole new feeling to Astrid. They closed their eyes taking in the warmth between them, embracing the feeling that was known to leave so quickly. Her hands roamed through his messy hair, keeping him as close as possible. Even a broken elevator couldn't have thrown this off balance.

It wasn't long after did they find themselves wrapped in Hiccup's blankets dozing to the sound of their heartbeats, the dogs on the outside of the bed this time. Their legs were intertwined and fingers laced as Astrid buried her head in his chest, slipping away into the best sleep she had ever had. It was so easy to fall down this rabbit hole, she had been filling her entire life, ignoring it as she focused on what she thought truly mattered. And Hiccup? He had spent so many years hiding from what he would describe a black hole, he never thought he would find himself slipping into the rabbit hole. For now, they were safe.

For now they were in each other's arms and that's all that mattered.

They fell into a deep sleep, dreamless, but that was okay. Stormfly rested her head her human's hip and slept peacefully, finally seeing her human relax. Toothless too, found himself tranced into a deep slumber, upside down with all his paws hanging in the air. They stayed like that for a while, all cozied up in their little cocoon of warmth and safety.

Stormfly's eyes flew open in the early morning hours when her nose stirred her awake by a new smell that wafted around her. There had been lots of new smells around lately. Like the scent that pooled off Astrid and Hiccup, something sweet, something that wasn't to cause her any alarm. This scent did and when she snapped her eyes open she only had a moment to let a snarl escape her muzzle as she launched into the air. Astrid, feeling the heavy force using her as a springboard, sprang forward screaming at the shadow that haunted their nightmares swung their arms into the air.

Gunshots rang through the night.

Hope it was okay! whoops, another cliffhanger. Sorry! (not really sorry. hehe) More to come soon! Review please! Until next time,

-Daisy