She groaned, reaching out an arms to feel beside her. At finding nothing but messed up hides, she frowned and forced her eyes open. "Hiccup?" She drawled. Rolling over, she smiled. In the corner, he sat in the rocking chair next to the crib. His arms held their newborn daughter close and he was staring down at her with the biggest smile on his face.

She watched him with her own smile, sitting up with her head on her hand. She knew how much he loved their daughter, even with the few days they'd had her. She was his most precious treasure. It wasn't hard to see the absolute adoration he had for her.

He seemed to sense she was watching him, because he looked up and over at her. He smiled her way as though knowing exactly what she was thinking. "Hey, milady." He whispered, so as not to wake Nessa.

She slowly folded back the hides, got out of bed, and put on her robe before walking over to him. She sat on the edge of the rocking chair and looked at Nessa cradled protectively in the crook of his arms. "She cried at all?" She asked, stroking the baby girl's soft, brown hair.

He shook his head. "Not really. She started fussing a little about an hour ago; that's when I got up." He told her.

"She might have been hungry. Why didn't you wake me?"

He snickered and leaned up to kiss her cheek softly. "You need to rest, Astrid. After all, you were in labor with Ness for two days. You're still recovering. I didn't want to wake you when I could just as well take care of her. Besides," he looked back down at their baby girl and stroked her tiny, pink face. "it gives me a chance to spend more time with her. I love her so much, and I don't want her to doubt that I do. Does that sound cheesy?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "It sounds like a sweet father." She rested her forehead on his head and kissed his temple. "I always knew you'd make a wonderful father." She whispered.

"You did?"

"Yes. Hiccup, you're not like everyone else. You're…unique. Special. You have this…caring and understanding that not many other people understand. This little girl," she gestured down to Nessa, "she couldn't possibly have a more wonderful and amazing daddy."

He leaned his head against her and turned to press a kiss to her shoulder. "I love you, Astrid Haddock." Then he looked back to their daughter. "I love you too, Nessa. My dragon princess."

…

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Hiccup was a proud father to his little girl. After she turned two months, he began taking her out almost every day. He would carry her in a hide wrap that he tied around his back and shoulder; that way he wouldn't have to hold her directly, all day.

As he would make his rounds of the village, Nessa in the wrap, he would walk tall and proud, with the biggest smile plastered on his face. When villagers would walk by, he would hold up his baby girl and take her hand in his own to have her wave to the passersby's. The men would smile and wave back, some even pinching her chubby cheek lightly, while the women would fawn over her, or give Hiccup disapproving looks.

Many of the women of Berk didn't think men should be the caretakers of the children. They thought that was their job. So when they saw Hiccup around town with his daughter, Astrid being nowhere nearby, they would often give him frowns of disapproval. But none such was more annoying, than the day Hiccup officially welcomed Nessa into the tribe. Oh, what a day.

When a baby was born, the chief preformed a ceremony to welcome that baby into the tribe. But when welcoming his own baby into the tribe, it was a much glorious occasion; even more so when it was his first son. The reason being, the firstborn son was traditionally who the chiefdom would be passed on to. But Hiccup, being Hiccup, did things much more unorthodox. He made Nessa his heir.

Man, did the women of the village put up a fit about that. They fought against it, telling Hiccup that the strains and heartaches of being chief was no place for a girl. What would happen when she got married and had children of her own? But none the less, Hiccup was adamant that Nessa was meant to be the next ruler of Berk. So though the notion was fought, he was clear in his decision.

It hadn't all died down yet, but the majority of people had moved on from the petty and pointless argument. After catching even just a glimpse of baby Nessa, it was hard to stay angry for any longer.

Despite those who still saw wrong in it though, Hiccup still delighted in taking his daughter out with him. She was his pride and joy, and he wouldn't trade her for anything. Between her and her mother, a void in his heart that was left by the dragons leaving, was once again filled. He had meaning, a purpose, in his life. The purpose of a husband, and the meaning of a father. His girls were his life.

…

"I'm home!"

"Ahh!"

Hiccup beamed proudly as he bent over to pick up his nine month old daughter. "How's my girl?" He asked goofily.

She made a sound that was between a laugh and a growl as she gave a smile that looked so sweet. She had a single tooth peaking from her gum. The poor girl had started teething in the last few months, and it had been hell to pay. She would wake at ungodsly hours of the morning/night, and scream until Hiccup or Astrid felt they were losing their minds. They loved her, but she was so loud.

On the other hand, they felt horrible for her, because she was obviously in pain. The only thing they had found really worked was honey mead. Gothi had told them that honey mead worked well for many babies that were teething. And while, at first, they hadn't been too keen on giving their baby girl alcohol, they finally resided, wanting to do anything that would soothe her pain, and let them have a good night sleep.

He looked at her tooth and smiled proudly. "Look at that! You're such a big girl, Nessie!" He said and then ruffled her wild, auburn hair.

She bounced in his arms and squealed. Then she began to crawl over him like he was a jungle gym.

Astrid came in then and laughed at the sight of her daughter reaching out for one of Hiccup's braids. "She is going to be hard to get a grip on when she's older, if you keep letting her run wild like that." She said to her husband with a hand over her mouth.

He chuckled and nodded. "Ah, she's just having some fun with her daddy. Ow. Isn't that right- ow- Ness- OWWW!" He barked when she yanked super hard on one of his braids. "Man, this baby has one hell of a grip." He told Astrid as he rubbed his head with a smile.

She snickered.

"Pa."

The Haddock couple looked down at their daughter. Hiccup raised a curious eyebrow and shifted her a bit on his hip. "What was that, sweet girl? What are you trying to tell us?" He asked as though she would reply.

She only looked at him and shook her fist excitedly. "Pa- pa- pa…pa. Papa!" She squealed.

They looked at each other with wide eyes, then back down at their daughter. "Did…did she just say…papa?" Hiccup stuttered.

Astrid, mouth still agape, nodded. "Yeah." She took a moment to process it, then shook her head. "…I can't believe this! Papa? Not mama? Damn." She muttered.

He chuckled and kissed her forehead softly. "She'll say it, darling. Just watch that be her next word." He said surely.

"Fff…fff…fffwwwy. Fwy!" Nessa laughed, looking right at her mother, then her father. Back and forth, cheekily.

"….oh come on!"

…

Little Nessa smiled as she took the last few, tiptoed steps behind her father. Then moving quickly, she wrapped her small arms around his peg leg. "Got you, papa!" She laughed excitedly.

Hiccup looked down at her from talking to one of the villagers, and smiled lovingly. "That you did, love." Kneeling down, he gently pried her off his legs and kissed her head. "Does mommy know you're out here?" He asked softly.

She nodded with her sweet, innocent smile. "Yes, daddy. I towd hew I was going out so see couwd west. See weawy tiwed."

He chuckled and bopped her nose. "That's a good girl." Then he stood tall again and faced the villager he'd previously been talking to. "Could we finish this discussion later, Arvid? I have some things I need to get done in the Forge." He told the older man.

Arvid nodded. "Of course, chief." He nodded respectfully and then walked off.

"Wanna come with daddy to the forge, darling?" Hiccup asked Nessa, who jumped and nodded excitedly. So with a smile, he reached to take her small hand in his own, bigger one. But after a few minutes of being hunched over, he grew tired and bent down to pick her up, under her shoulder. "Upsy daisy." He said while putting her up on his shoulders.

She laughed and gently drummed on his head. "Woo hoo!" She hollered. Placing her hands on his head, she rested her chin on the backs of her hands and smiled contentedly. "Daddy?"

"Yes, love?"

"When wiw my baby bwovew be hewe?" She asked.

He laughed softly. "What makes you so sure it's a brother? What if you have a baby sister?" He asked, avoiding her question for a moment.

She could be felt sighing against his head. "I don't want hew to steaw you. A bwovew won't steaw you." She told him matter-of-factly. "So when wiw he be hewe?" She asked again.

He just laughed at how cute she was being. Even more, that she didn't know HOW cute she was being. "He has to stay in mommy's tummy for a few more months, sweetheart. That way he can be strong and healthy, just like his big sister."

"And I get to teach him tuff?"

"Yes, Nessa. You'll get to teach him stuff." He brought her down from his shoulders and held her close to his chest. "You're going to be a wonderful big sister, darling. The best big sister a little boy could ever want."

…

"Nessa. Nessa." Hiccup whispered as he brushed his young daughter's messy, auburn hair out of her sweet face. She was like an angel when she was asleep. His angel. He loved watching her sleep; but right now, he needed her to get up. "Come on, sweetheart. Time to wake up." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her tiny forehead.

The girl woke and looked at her father through lidded eyes. "Daddy? What going on?" She asked in that tired, lisp that he couldn't help but love.

"I'm going to take you out for a little bit, darling. Do you want to come with daddy?" He asked softly.

She nodded.

"Alright. Why don't you get dressed, and I'll meet you downstairs." He told her. With one last kiss, he stood up and left the room.

It took ten minutes before the small girl sauntered down the stairs. Her hair was still a mess, and she looked almost like a zombie. He chuckled and knelt behind her. Gathering up her already thick hair, he brushed his fingers through the knots and then braided it. Finishing it off, he tied it at the end with a leather band he had on his arm.

"Ready to go?"

She nodded again and lifted her arms up, telling him she wanted him to pick her up. He did so happily and carried her out the door. They took some time, wandering around a dead village. Everyone else was still asleep, exactly what Hiccup wanted. They finally made it to a cliff, and he sat down on the edge, setting her on his lap.

"What awe we doing hewe, papa?" Nessa mumbled as she nestled her cold nose into his warm, fur vest.

He smiled, wrapping a loving arm around her to warm her body. "Nessa, did you know that there were once dragons?"

She was wide awake when he said that. Pulling away, she gaped up at him. "Dwagons? Wike big, scawy monstews?" She asked fearfully.

He shook a disagreeing finger. "One might think they were scary; but really, darling, they were kind, amazing creatures. Mommy and I used to ride dragons." He told her with a smile.

She stared wide-eyed. Surprise and admiration etched over her features. Her father rode a creature she thought was but a legend. A creature she'd heard many tales of, but didn't really believe. A creature she thought would be monster, if it were real.

He loved the look. It was…amazing. He suddenly felt what he hadn't felt in almost four years. The feeling he got when she was places in his arms. This little girl was his daughter. And he knew just by the look on her face that one day, one day soon, he would have to take her to the dragons. He would have to introduce her to the world he once knew; the world he grew up in. A world he knew she would have loved. A world he knew she would love, when he could finally take her to it.

:::

So I've had quite a few people check out my oneshots already! Yay! And a lot of them have asked me if I would do one where Toothless and (luna) Have their babies. SPOILER: the Light Fury does not really have a name! END SPOILER! So, I figured, what the hell? Why not? I'll do a oneshot of Toothless and Luna's family of Night Lights. I might wait until after the next chapter though; SPOILER: the next one is the birth of Hiccstrid's son! END SPOILER! So it'll be a few days, but I will definitely do it. I'm glad all of you are enjoying my story. Peace out people!