Weeks passed by and many things had happened in Berk. Gobber had gotten the job to make dragon teeth and fix them while also going on about his weaponry job as a blacksmith. The animals learned to finally trust dragons, heather was brought back to her island along with her parents, dragons got poisoned but somehow Hiccup and his friends managed to fix that. Let's just say it didn't end very well for Tuffnut's butt, though he did 'enjoy' the pain a little. Stoick got his own dragon after a long, very long day of fighting and saving his now new friend, Thornado, which is the first trained Thunderdrum on Berk and probably the rest of the archipelago. Other than that, nothing's changed except maybe the not so good foot anymore.

Hiccup didn't want to admit it or even talk about his pain from his left leg. At the evenings before bed he would get a few healing herbs to ease the pain when it was at its worst. His leg somehow had turned back to its normal color a few weeks ago, but then it began to get redder and redder as time passed. It almost looked blood soaked as his normal blood veins showed through his skin, but down there it looked almost like poison.

It was bright and early, sky bluer than ever as Hiccup took in the sight of a winter seasoned day. Only a few days away from Snoggletog, their traditional celebration in the winter season. Over Berk lay layers of snow, and Hiccup couldn't help but feel happy at the sight in front of him, but impatient night fury kept jumping on the roof tops in hope to get its riders attention. "Okay, okay Toothless, I'm coming," He walked down his doorsteps, feeling pain shoot through his foot at every hard step, but ignored it like the other days and walked lighter, almost limping.

Toothless jumped off the roof, landing in the snow as he swam around in it. He could hear Hiccup laugh behind him and stood up properly, but failed as the ice beneath him took over his balance. Struggling, he walked over to the snow, almost falling on his stomach every step, but managed to get over there. "What do you say? Take a day off from saving everyone again?" Hiccup smirked, scratching his best friends chin and received a purr in pleasure. Toothless broke out of the trance, licking his face as a yes to his question. "Okay Toothless, slow down. Eww," He said, trying to get the saliva off him but failed. He shrugged it off and climbed onto Toothless and they both set off to relax.

Hours passed as the duo stayed in a clearing where the snow or cold had yet to reach. It was still hot as in the summer and the grass was softer than ever. Toothless lay curled around his rider as he sleeps on his paws. Hiccup had his palms under his head, leaning onto Toothless stomach to keep warm. He had gone home a few hours back to get his fur coat that he had gotten from Ruthus. He really does miss him. Wearing it feels right, just to remember him better and it helps to make him feel closer. His thoughts were broken to pieces as wings flapping behind him caught his attention. Turning around, tensed up, he saw the familiar dragons and the riders on top, and relaxed his clenched fists.

"Hey, guys," He greeted them as they landed behind. He turned back around, facing the beautiful ocean that shone underneath the sun's reflection. They sat down next to him, looking out at the ocean along with him.

"So, what are you doing?" Astrid asked, breaking the awkward silence between them all. She couldn't bare the silence any longer and noticed she hadn't bothered to ask earlier. All the attention was led to Hiccup who was staring down at his feet, well, foot.

"Nah, I'm just thinking about stuff," He said, leaning back against Toothless and closed his eyes, but he wish he hadn't as the darkness took over his eyes and dreams.

Hiccup was back on Outcast Island, lying in fear for Alvin to return. He had enough of Alvin's torture and wanted so badly to know how it felt like to be whole. How it felt like to walk without pain and most of all, how it felt like to be free. Free from this smelly prison that had two scents he had gotten to used to for all those days. The smell of blood and metal. Mostly his own blood as he had to change places so he wouldn't drown, and other than that it smelt like metal because of the guards passing by and the huge metal door before him.

He tried to relax, but there was no use. The pain was unbearable and once he fell asleep he either had a nightmare or the pain woke him up from an unknown move in his sleep. Sometimes he would just lay in a ball, cry and cry of pain and sorrow, but surprisingly most sorrow. He thought how it could have been if he didn't find Toothless, and how his life would have been without him being the newest hero or now, a traitor to his own people. When thinking about it, the words he heard every day hurt him more than the whips to his skin or the hammer crushing his bone. It hurt something that couldn't be healed as easily as normal gashes on his skin. It hurt his heart every word he received, walking to the forge or out of his house to get food for his father and himself.

Hiccup couldn't tell precisely what time at the day it was, but he could always tell the time when Alvin came to get him. His thoughts broke to pieces as the sound of metal hitting metal came closer and closer. Then the biggest fear of his life appeared in front of his cell door, holding a new and more improved whip that could leave holes in his skin if it hit the right positions. He backed away as far as his body would let him, knowing it was no use but couldn't think of anything else.

Alvin came in, locking the door behind him and walked closer. By every step he took, his hand rose along with the whip, higher and higher until it was behind his head. He kneeled down to hit him better and used all his strength to bring it down on the boy. Then it hit.

"Hiccup!" Astrid yelled, shaking his shoulders harder and harder for the seconds that passed without him waking up. He took them by surprise as his body flew up in fast speed, letting him sit up straight. His hands examined his body as his eyes looked deeply into the ocean blue ones. He could tell they belonged to Astrid, and noticed the worry in her eyes. His breathing relaxed as he took in his surroundings and the peace in it. He could still feel the sweat on his skin, dripping off his forehead. "You fell asleep, and had a nightmare! Do you… want to talk about it?" She asked calmly, looking deep into his eyes.

This time he knew there was no escaping, and maybe the nightmares would stop if only he let it all out. Taking a deep breath, changing position he said, "I was back on Outcast Island," He said, looking down to the water splashing onto the shores underneath them.

"It was more like a memory… to me, back to when I lay in that cell, hoping one day I would get out of there. There wasn't much I could do other than lay there all night in pain until Alvin would come back to… to get answers out of me on how to train his dragons. The first thing I remember was waking up on his ship a few hours before we reached his Island. My leg was badly injured before I even set foot on the Island," Hiccup paused, wiggling his leg a little.

"Right away, he put me in a cell and already the first night he had tortured me. He sent two guards down to my cell, one had a hammer and the other had a dragon bone in his hand. The last thing I remember from that night was them hitting me until I passed out. The next few days he brought his 'favorite' whip as he called it, and every time I refused to tell him anything, he used it. Then at the day I… you know… died… I had escaped but they managed to get me back to Alvin and he gave me a little punishment for running off. That's when he ordered his best man, Savage to get rid of me. The rest is still blurry though," He finished, not taking his eyes off the horizon once. It was as if his eyes were glued to the water while he had spoken. The others couldn't do anything but feel worse than they already were. They had wanted so badly to know what had happened, but were too selfish to think of what he had actually been through. After all he was found when he had died.

"H-How did you survive?" Astrid asked, her voice cracking as she imagined what he had been through. He looked into her ocean blue eyes which was filled with tears being held back. He sighed and looked back at the horizon.

"I don't know. All I know is that I went to Valhalla, and… and met my grandfather there, he told me to get back before something he called a reaper came and found me. Though he said something unbelievable to me," Hiccup paused, thinking if he should tell them or not.

"What did he say?" Fishlegs asked, changing position to get a better and more comfortable position.

"He said… he said my mother… wasn't there."

"Am I crazy or did he just say what I think he said?" Tuffnut asked, earning a punch from his sister. Hiccup sighed, looking down at his feet again. Astrid moved closer, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder as she pulled him in for a hug. She allows him to rest his head on her shoulder as they all look out at the sea once again.

Hiccup remembered something he had wanted to ask her for a long time but didn't think he'd have a chance of getting the honor of doing it, but now with everything happening and him being the hero, who also happens to be closer to Astrid, he thought he'd have a good opportunity. After all it was a beautiful day. "Hey guys? Can I talk to Astrid, erhm, alone?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck as he sat up, looking at them. They nodded, walking away to their dragons as they said things like,

"Love in the aaair,"

"Don't get too comfy,"

They both just rolled their eyes, staring back at the horizon with faces blushing. Astrid decided to break the awkward silence, once again, and asked, "So… what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh right, cause I was thinking thaaat, you know, Snoggletog is coming up and the traditional dance and all that, and I was wondering if y-you… may… happen too… want to go with… m-me,?" Hiccup stuttered terribly, scratching his neck nervously for the answer.

Astrid was shocked at the question, but sort of figured out he would ask when he mentioned Snoggletog and the dance. She laughed at his way of saying it, looking into his now disappointed eyes that were leaving hers, but she refused to let that happen. She lightly lifted his chin with her finger, looking deeply into the disappointed boy's soul, giving him a warm smile. Out of nowhere she pulled him into a quick kiss. "I would love to go to the Snoggletog party with you," She laughed once they pulled away. Hiccup could help but fist bump in the air, standing up quick as lightning as he jumped up in the sky, still fist bumping, but as he landed back on the ground after his first jump, Astrid noticed him wince in pain. Hurriedly, she stood up, her happy expression changing into a worried one.

"Are you okay?" She asked, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"I-I'm fine," He stuttered, standing up straight. His palms felt clammy as the wind tried to dry it but failed over and over again.

"No, you're not. I'm taking you back to your father whether you like it or not," She said, grabbing his hand, pulling him over to Toothless who was playing with Stormfly. They stopped and walked over to their riders, letting them on their back and then they set off towards the village.