Twenty Five: New Reality.

Waking with a pounding head, the hot pain from an injury and disorientation about what had happened wasn't that unfamiliar to Hiccup and the young man forced his eyes open. Above him, a white ceiling was featureless and as his eyes regained their focus, he realised he was in what appeared to be a hospital room. There was an IV taped to his hand, the hot sting of the needle making him wince. His head was pounding and his face felt stiff from the blow. Raising a shaking hand, he ghosted a touch of the swollen skin and hard bruising from Bella's punch and he winced. He knew she could hit like a man, despite her deceptive appearance as a small innocent woman and she had been furious.

Remembrance swirled back and he felt himself shrouded in a mixture of astonishment and cringing fear. How had he ever found the courage to defend himself against her and worse-attack Bella? She knew he had been to the police, had reported her for stealing his money and she knew he had recognised she was using him as a meal ticket-ironically, the same accusation she had made against him about Astrid.

If only she knew the truth.

Thor, she must never know the truth.

His hand drifted up to the lump on the back of his head, feeling the sharp scratch of stitches against his fingers. He had been shocked that Bella had attacked him in full view of the national audience, screaming insults and threatening to kill him. She was his private monster, always acting so innocent, always the wronged party, the person who gave and who was doing him a favour in putting up with his disappointing presence…but for her to lose control so catastrophically and publicly had finally freed him. No longer the perfect girlfriend, never putting a foot wrong…she had revealed her true face to the whole of the Archipelago and more, he had defied her. And all it took was Astrid.

He cringed inwardly. Astrid! Gods, she had seen and heard…everything. She knew what a pathetic excuse for a man he was, what an utter disaster his life and relationship was. She had seen Bella tear him apart, seen him cringe like the worthless article he was as she attacked him. In fact, everyone had seen…and they had all watched, shocked, as he had allowed it to happen.

Except Astrid. She had come to his rescue, punching Bella and standing over him like the protective Valkyrie she was. She had called him…'her Hiccup'. And she had said…she loved him.

It must have been the concussion…

There was a window and sunlight was leaking through, revealing it was morning and somehow, he had managed to mess everything up. He was alone and he wondered if Heather would engineer the end of their supposed engagement now, maybe citing the fact he was irrevocably damaged and unsuitable as a fiancé for the Soccer Valkyrie. He closed his eyes and sighed the beeping of his heart monitor accelerating. The truth was that he couldn't love Astrid more, that being with her was the best part of his life and even if she dumped him now, the fact she had protected him would remain with him forever. Even if the dream came to an end now.

Even though that would shatter what remained of him after Bella had ruined most of Hiccup.

The door opened and he started, eyes fluttering open to see the concerned shape of Astrid peeking round, her face filling with relief as she saw him awake. Her hair was just pulled back in a casual ponytail, a loose baby blue 'Team Astrid' hoodie slung over a deep navy lycra top with navy training pants and aquamarine Skechers completing the outfit.

"Hey, babe," she smiled as she walked in, closing the door behind her. "How are you feeling this morning?" She leaned forward and kissed him, her lips gently brushing his in a casual gesture that meant far more than it should to him. He kissed her back automatically and as she wrapped her arms around him, he hugged her back, feeling her breath soft against his neck. "I was so worried, Hiccup," she whispered. "When you passed out…"

"I think I was concussed," he mumbled. "Sorry…" She squeezed him firmly.

"Hiccup…" she said and pulled back, drawing up a chair and sitting by the bed, her hand locked around his. "I-I don't want to upset you or make you feel uncomfortable but…was that…how she always is?" He gave a small nod.

"Not if I don't annoy her…and in public," he amended wearily. "I mean…when we first got together, she was funny and kind and caring…but she was always a bit…high maintenance. And as we got closer, she started to tell me that she was the only person who would ever put up with me and that I should be so grateful to her for that. And the fact that the only person I cared for never knew and left before I could ever tell her meant I believed her. I mean, no one else ever wanted me or asked me out…and she was right. I am clumsy and weird looking and stammer and have no social skills and…"

"No," Astrid said firmly. "No." The word was softer. Emerald eyes widened and he stuttered to a stop. "Hiccup-she isn't right. You're not buff-I grant that-but you're lean and tall and self-conscious…"

"See? Clumsy…"

"And yet, in the apartment, you cook like a god, you're thoughtful and caring. You have a great sense of humour. You work hard with your job as a design engineer, you've become a friend to Dagur and Cami respects you. Damn-you should have heard her cheer when you told Bella off!" He blinked and shook his head.

"But I'm just…"

"Perfect," she said quietly. "Handsome, caring, funny, kind…I was the stupidest girl on Midgard when I left without you. And that's a mistake I'm never going to make again."

"You don't need to act now-because no one would blame you for dumping me after seeing how pathetic I am…" he said dully.

"This is no act, Hiccup," Astrid told him sincerely. "I know you care for me-and I really hope you meant it all the times you said you loved me…because I love you." She looked down and she aimlessly played with the sheet over him, wrinkling it up and then smoothing it out again. "I mean…you were so great and played along when this whole thing happened when you could have spoken up and said it was a mistake. You were left with all of the fallout while I went off on International Duty…and I guess Bella was…very unpleasant?"

"She destroyed my dragons," he said and sighed. "Including the Night Fury Mom got me…before she died. I mean, I know it's not important but they were to me…and she smashed them purposefully to make sure I knew that I had nothing." She looked up.

"I-I think I was trying to hope her attacking you, the way she behaved was…a one off…" she mumbled. "But the way you spoke about her…when you mentioned her…hinted that your life with her was horrible." His hand tightened on hers and smiled.

"Got a better one," he told her hesitantly. She inspected him for a second-and then leaned forward and kissed him.

"You should have told me," she said quietly, staring into his eyes.

"I love you too much to risk you thinking I was weak and a total loser…" he mumbled.

"Hottie McHottie, my scorching boyfriend, the man who did a four year Aeronautical Engineering degree in two years and works for Berk Aero, who cooks like a god, who is unthinkingly kind and brave…a loser? Lemme find who said that and I'll kill 'em!" Astrid told him firmly as his eyes widened.

"Oh Thor…I am a loser, Astrid. I was beaten up live on TV…"

"You never struck back," she realised gently. "No matter what Dagur had taught you, you didn't defend yourself…" He gave a pained smile that turned into a wince as he pulled his bruises.

"Too long with her," he murmured. "I had learned to believe her. That if I hit her, she would have me arrested for abuse…" Astrid looked stricken.

"Had she hurt you before?" she asked softly and he nodded reluctantly.

"The first time, I claimed I was mugged because it was just so embarrassing, so humiliating, so…demeaning to be beaten up so badly by a small woman," he admitted. "And then she began with just little things…a slap here, a tug of the hair there…maybe jabbing me with scissors, a cut with a knife…or burning me with hair straighteners or the iron…" He shrugged, eyes downcast and missing the utter horror and pity in her eyes. "I mean, who would believe me? I tried to tell that officer in Archi Police Station when I reported her for stealing all of my money from my bank account and maxing my credit card…and he just laughed at me. I mean…we're Vikings, right? And a Viking is brave and strong…not some pathetic spineless loser who gets beaten up by a girl…" The self-loathing in his voice was painful to hear. She caught his face between her hands and stared into the green eyes.

"A Viking is brave and strong…and that inner strength carried you through when you saw no way out," she murmured, gently kissing him again. "It helped you hang onto who you are, not becoming a bitter hollow shell of the boy I knew…instead, you became you-the man I love. You escaped from her…" And it clicked. "She took your wallet, your money and ID to stop you escaping, didn't she?"

"Only the fact you had the ticket waiting meant I could get away," he confessed. "I was running away from her when I came to you. If Elsa Larson hadn't let me on the flight without an ID because she recognised me from the photo in the paper, I would still be there. And…probably dead. You saved me…" And then his face fell. "But I understand if you want me to go. I mean…I lied to you. I never confessed I had a girlfriend when we met up…and then I drag all my disastrous life into yours…"

"Hiccup…I want you in my life…no matter that you have a psycho ex-girlfriend," she reassured him. "I want your amazing green eyes and sarcastic wit and sass and goofy smile and-and all of you!"

"Even this bit?" he asked, tenderly touching his stitches. She smiled and leaned forward, pressing a light kiss onto the injury.

"Yup."

"How about this bit?" He gently touched the black swelling where he had been punched. Smiling, she leaned over and kissed the bruise.

"Definitely." His eyes sparkled.

"And…this bit?" He quietly brushed a finger over his mouth.

"I thought you'd never ask," she grinned and leaned in, kissing him passionately. His arms wrapped around her and held her close, kissing her back. She filled his senses, her touch and scent and warmth and he wanted to remain in the moment forever…

"BROTHER!"

The door burst open and Dagur erupted in, freezing when he saw what was happening and blushing scarlet. He face-palmed.

"And I think I'll go and swim to Berserk…" he muttered in embarrassment. Astrid looked up and reluctantly broke away from the kiss.

"Close the door," she murmured as Heather sauntered in, carefully closing the door behind her and clapping her brother on the shoulder.

"Morning, sleepyhead," she greeted the invalid. "And morning, Ast! Have you seen the papers?" Frowning, the soccer star shook her head.

"Imagine I've been camped at the hospital with my unconscious fiancé after he had his head stitched up from being attacked live on TV," she said sarcastically as Heather and Dagur pulled up chairs from the corner.

"Boy, that sarcasm is catching," she commented, smiling. "I'm sure you're happy to know you're front page on all the island papers and the Archi National."

"Woo us," Hiccup grumbled from the bed. "Nice to see you too, Heather. Yes, I'm feeling great apart from a headache…" There was an awkward silence and the raven-haired woman blushed as she realised she had completely forgotten all semblance of manners. Dagur laughing didn't help either.

"Sorry," she said with contrition. "Seriously, Hiccup-are you okay?" He grimaced as he moved and felt Astrid's hand slide around his.

"My head is killing me and I feel a bit sick but otherwise…I seem to have all my limbs still intact…" he admitted and realised that the hospital gown he was in had short sleeves. The scars were on display, the burns, some cuts and something that no one recognised: small circular marks. Self-consciously, he rested his left hand over his right arm, though that exposed the couple of scars on his left forearm. Heather's eyes widened and she gasped.

"How didn't we see that?" she breathed.

"He always wears long sleeves to cover the scars," Dagur told them quietly and both women stared at him. "What? Of course I knew! He's my brother!"

"And you couldn't say something?" Heather asked him pointedly as he grinned.

"I promised Hicc I wouldn't give away his secret as long as he told me if that women was in touch…which he did," Dagur said calmly. "It takes a lot of trust to reveal your worst secret." There was a pause as Astrid turned to look at Hiccup and he shivered.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I…"

"I knew there was something wrong," she said quietly, a finger lightly sliding along the white healed arrow straight burn of the hair straighteners. "Your father spoke to me when we became engaged. He worries about you…and he guessed Bella wasn't treating you well…though I don't think he knew about the physical abuse. He warned me to be kind to you because you deserved more. And I agreed." Hiccup felt the bottom drop out of his stomach, guessing Astrid's kindness towards him had just been an act… "But when you arrived, you were just…perfect. And I suddenly had my best friend back…except you were handsome and kind and caring…and I knew what your Dad meant. You still had flashes of that old Hiccup sass but you had lost most of your confidence. And I just wanted to hug you and tell you it would be okay. And I was waiting so badly for you to open up to me…" She sighed. "I'm glad you spoke to Dagur, at least…"

"Didn't give me much of a choice…or I'd still be on the boating lake," Hiccup mumbled. "But I didn't want to let you know how pathetic I was, how little I deserved you now and…"

"Stop." The word was firm as Hiccup stared at her, seeing her azure eyes determined. "Hiccup…I'm sad you didn't feel comfortable in trusting me with your secret…but given how Bella treated you, I can understand." Her tone was sad. "It doesn't matter because I still love you and I will make you believe how much you are worth. That you are worth me and them and-and the world!" She kissed him. "Trust me-please?"

He blinked at the plea and nodded.

"I-I'll try…" he managed as she leaned over and kissed him again.

The door burst open once more.

"SON!"

Suddenly the room was crowded with the huge shape in the doorway, the bulk of Stoick Haddock looming as he surged forward, his face anxious as he saw his only child in the hospital bed. Hiccup's head snapped up and his eyes filled with relief.

"Dad!" he managed before his father scooped him in his arms and hugged him fiercely. "Gah! AIR!" he choked as the man self-consciously released him.

"Son-I was so worried when the programme cut off," Stoick said. "I tried phoning the studio and when I couldn't get an answer, I found a flight here…" Eyes widening in guilt, Hiccup grimaced.

"Sorry, Dad," he said tonelessly. "I lost consciousness and…"

"It's not his fault," Astrid said. "It's mine. I should have phoned you but I was so worried about him…" Stoick looked up and reached out, his hand finding her shoulder.

"It's okay, lass," he said sadly. "I forgot that he actually has someone who cares for him as much as me. Unlike that witch…" Astrid's scowl was eloquent enough. Hiccup shuffled up the bed and manage a small smile, his hand finding Astrid's once more.

"Dad-I'm just happy that you came," he said honestly, knowing how busy his father was. "I-I'm sorry I let you down. I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment and…"

"Hiccup-you're not a disappointment to anyone," his father said quietly. "You're a decent hardworking brilliant young man who wouldn't dream that the person he was with would be so abusive. And you lack confidence in your own worth, which has made you vulnerable to Bella…"

"Who demonstrated to the entire Archipelago that she is an evil witch," Heather commented. "And she's in a jail cell right now."

"I've told the police that we're pressing charges," Astrid said quietly. "And Heather has instructed my lawyers to get a restraining order against her. We have more than enough evidence, after all! She's not getting away with this, babe." He blinked: for someone who believed he was completely worthless, the fact that all these people were fighting for him warmed his heart and made him believe-just a little-that he didn't deserve Bella.

"Thank you," he murmured, looking at them all gratefully. "And thank you, Milady," he murmured, pulling her close to him. She smiled and leaned close to him.

"That's what fiancées are for," she reminded him.