Thirty One: The last straw

Head snapping up, Hiccup scrambled to his feet in utter shock at the woman standing in the doorway. Bella inspected him, a little smile on her plump pink lips, her hands on her hips.

"Well?" she smirked. "Haven't you got anything to say to your girlfriend?"

"B-Bella…what are you doing here?" he managed to gabble. She advanced a pace, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Silly boy-I live here," she told him. "Honestly, Hiccup-you haven't got any less stupid since you set me up…"

"I know you live on Berk but what are you doing here? In this house?" he asked her desperately.

"I came to see you," she said as if it was obvious.

"Bella-there is a restraining order against you," he told her carefully. "You're not allowed to come within a mile of me."

"But you came back," she said reasonably.

"To Berk," he cut in. "Not to you…"

"DON'T CONTRADICT ME!" Bella shouted and he flinched. He backed up a pace, breathing heavily because he could read the look in her eyes that he had learned to fear. But you don't need to fear her any more. She has no hold over you now. So he lifted his chin and stared into her eyes.

"Bella-you can't be in here," he said. "I want you to go. Now."

"You don't tell me what to do!" she snarled. "Where's that woman now? Oh, I forgot-you left her because you're so pathetic you couldn't cope with her lifestyle. I told you that she wasn't for you. Why do you persist in ignoring me, Hiccup? You really aren't able to cope on your own."

"I think that's my decision, Bella," he said firmly. "And I want you to leave."

"What are you going to do?" she sneered. "Throw me out? How do you think that will play to the cops, a man attacking a small, innocent girl…?" He stared into her wide blue eyes, reading the callous cunning and forced her to glare back.

"I think the fact that most people in the Archipelago saw you attack me on live TV would make it very plausible when I tell them you broke in and threatened me," he told her, reaching for his phone. "Not to mention there's a restraining order and you are not permitted to come within a mile of this house. And how did you get in here...?"

"You Bastard!" she yelled and slashed out with the kitchen knife she had grabbed from downstairs. The edge sliced across his wrist and he dropped the phone, scrambling away to try to keep out of range, eyes wide with shock. She deliberately walked forward and slammed her heel onto his phone. "I've been wanting to do that for years," she snarled. He gaped and staggered back, eyeing the knife edged with his blood, his hand clamped onto the shallow cut.

"Bella-please leave!" he said firmly and she just laughed at him.

"You know-I always said you were a disappointment-but you were even a disappointment as a runaway," she sneered. "You came back. You gave up your way out and came back to Berk. Did you think I would let you get away with humiliating me, with getting me arrested and charged with assault? With stealing what should have been mine anyway? You owe me for giving your scrawny ass the time of day and you think that Astrid Hofferson wanted you? That engagement was fake, staged. You think I don't know that? And now you end it when you have everything you want in your grasp? It's all a sham…and I won't let you get away with making a fool of me…"

"You really don't need any help with that," Hiccup told her, seeing her eyes flatten with fury. "If you leave now, I won't press charges for breaching your restraining order…"

"Aagh!" Bella yelled and lunged at him…but a sudden calm came over him, the words of Dagur echoing through his memory. He swayed back to avoid the lunge and then his arms snapped up, dragging her arms above her head and forcing her to drop the knife. She kicked at him, her heel catching him in the side of the knee and causing his leg to collapse. He staggered back and she lunged at him, nails clawing at his cheek. In desperation, he swung out and a glancing blow caught her across the face. She went down, shrieking in fury as she felt her stinging cheek. Immediately, she was rolling to her feet, snatching the knife and lunging after him as he staggered towards the stairs, desperate to get to a phone so he could call for help. Their house was at the top of a long drive and he couldn't just run out into the road and yell for help…even if anyone would bother.

He had only just made it to the top of the stairs when felt an enormous blow to the back. With a cry, he pitched forward, missing his step and plunging forward, down the long and winding flight towards the hall, a long way below…

oOo

Heather had arranged Astrid a rental car which the soccer star had collected at the airport. She had swiftly showered and changed before leaving Archi and when she emerged on Berk from the private plane, she had passed swiftly through security without acknowledging the stares for once. Her shape-in simple jeans and boots, azure shirt and her oxblood leather jacket had made a beeline to the rental care area and collected the HOOLIGAN HIRE Porsche urgently. Astrid knew Berk well and had been to Hiccup's family home when they were children so she knew the way. And driving like a lunatic was an advantage in a high powered car.

Ripping through the traffic with a cacophony of horns, she had ignored her image and floored the gas pedal, almost running lights and screaming though the town like a maniac. The mutters she had heard as she walked to the HOOLIGAN HIRE stand clearly all blamed Hiccup for abandoning their favourite daughter and she knew hearing this wouldn't help his self-esteem any. All she wanted to do was get to him and talk to him, to beg his forgiveness and prove that she loved him and didn't want to be without him. No matter what she had to give up.

Finally, she broke through the rush hour jams and headed out of the town centre towards the Upper Town, finding the long exclusive lane that was Night Fury Rise and, at the end, Dragehus. The Chief's House. But as she pulled up, she saw a red Mini and she frowned as she unfastened her safety belt and leapt out of the car. The door was ajar and she paused-and then pressed her hands flat on the old, dark wood, even the knots familiar from her childhood.

"Hello?" she called softly as she pushed the door open and peered into the oak hallway. The area was huge with a wide staircase sweeping up to the landing and the upper floor, a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling high above. The doors to the various rooms were closed, making the space seem a little gloomy with only the natural light from the door behind her illuminating the space. She could see light leaking through the half-open kitchen door at the far side of the hallway and could see Toothless's carrier resting against the wall. "Toothless? Are you here, boy? Where's Hiccup?"

There was a yell from upstairs and she walked into the Hall, her head craning to see what was happening. And as she watched, Hiccup appeared at the top of the stairs, a look of fear on his face-and then he lurched forward and tumbled down the stairs, striking the bannister and the treads on his way down, before he landed in a heap at the foot of the stairs, unmoving.

"HICCUP!" Astrid shouted and ran forward, skidding to her knees and gently turning him over, seeing his eyelids flutter as she moved him. "Hiccup? Oh Thor-are you alright?"

"…'strid?" he mumbled. "Y'came back..." She tenderly stroked his face, seeing bruising already starting on his forehead.

"Are you alright?" she gasped.

"Leg…" he mumbled and she glanced down, her eyes widening in shock at seeing his left ankle already swollen and deformed. She gasped.

"Oh my Thor..."

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Looking up in shock, Astrid saw Bella approaching, a knife raised with fresh blood on the blade.

"Hey, 'Strid…you rem'ber Bella?" Hiccup mumbled, blinking muzzily. "She doesn't know what a Restraining Order is…"

"GET. OUT!" Astrid snarled, balling her fists and rising to her feet. Bella waved the knife wildly.

"Oh no-bitch! You don't get the better of me now!" she hissed. "I'm going to make you both pay for coming between Hiccup and me…"

Suddenly, a black blur landed on her head, an unearthly yowl filling the air. Bella shrieked and spun around, trying to remove the furious cat that was clawing at her face and neck.

"Hey, bud…" Hiccup murmured, struggling to sit up. "Watch out…she's a mean one…and she doesn't like cats…"

Bella gave a shriek as claws raked her cheek and she lashed out with the knife. There was a high pitched yowl and Toothless zoomed away, his black fur smeared with red. Hiccup stared up at the knife, freshly smeared with blood and his face filled with guilt.

"TOOTHLESS!" he shouted and ignoring his injuries, he flung himself towards Bella, shoving her back. He glared at her in anger, his voice loud and commanding. "Get out of this house. You have no right to be here. I don't love you and never did-and I want you gone!" Bella wiped the blood from her face with her sleeve, her clawed cheeks oozing and snarled.

"Strange-I want the same," she hissed. "Permanently." She gestured with the knife. "And you, bitch!" Astrid stood at Hiccup's side, eyes narrowed and fists bunched. But as Bella lunged at her, Hiccup pushed her back and made to block Bella. She shoved forward and he grabbed her wrists.

"You can end this by leaving," he said urgently, feeling her astonishingly strongly writhing and twisting in his grasp.

"And why would I want to do that when I'm having so much fun?" she hissed.

"Astrid-call the police!" Hiccup ordered suddenly and the soccer player realised they were on their own with no backup. She fished the phone from her pocket and thumbed in 9-1-1.

"No!" Bella yelled and lunged forward, trying to get to her. Casting a glance at Astrid that held every emotion he held for her, ending-despite everything-with love, before he closed his expressive emerald eyes and he swung Bella round so he was directly between her and Astrid. His hands switched to the blade, refusing to let Bella get past him at the woman he had left-but still loved. Bella screamed, twisting and putting all her weight behind the blade. Unbalanced, his left leg unable to even touch the floor because of the blinding pain, he swayed but remained firmly between his demon and his angel.

"You're never hurting Astrid," he said as the knife slid through his fingers, the edge cutting his hands-and then the blade sunk into his body.

"I'll take killing you first...and then I'll finish Miss Not-So-Perfect!" Bella hissed as he collapsed.

Astrid saw him fall and she dropped the phone, and incoherent scream exploding from her mouth. She grabbed Bella's hand and twisting the wrist back furiously. She had taken lessons from Dagur and done a lot more practice with him after her stalker and she was furious. As the other woman cried out in pain, Astrid hauled her away from the fallen Hiccup and the knife, slamming a kick into her body and crashing her against the wall. Bouncing back, Bella leapt at Astrid, but quicker and stronger, Astrid dodged and thudded a punch into the other woman's middle. Bella landed on her face with a gasp, the air knocked out of her. She reached for the knife but Astrid thudded a kick into her side.

"Try fighting someone who can fight back!" she sneered and that stung. Bella scrambled up and leapt at her face, clawing at Astrid's eyes and snagging her hair, pulling and clawing. Shocked, the soccer player had to force the woman's hands down and then head-butted her. Bella shrieked, blood running from her nose and slapped at Astrid, a blow catching her cheek with a ringing SLAP. Head snapping sideways, Astrid gasped and then spun round, a booted foot slamming Bella into the wall once more. But Bella snatched the vase from the table and threw it at Astrid, who parried…and found the other girl grabbing the bloody knife. But before she could advance, she tripped over Toothless, who bit her ankle hard. She yelped and crashed to the floor as Astrid stamped on the hand holding the knife and then kicked it to the far side of the Hall.

"AGH! I should have killed you!" she yelled, grabbing the cat. Toothless hissed and sank his teeth into her wrist, drawing blood, his legs wrapped around her arm. "Get OFF!" Astrid grabbed her and pulled her arm back.

"As you wish," she growled and punched Bella full in the face. The woman spun round, with Toothless leaping away as she crashed into the Hall Table. The loud thud as her head collided with the solid oak was followed by her bonelessly collapsing to the floor, unconscious but the little cat was already padding up the supine Hiccup, curling up on his chest and purring desperately. The young man's eyes were wide with pain and acceptance and a hand pressed against the ragged hole in his abdomen. Astrid grabbed the phone and dialled once more.

"Get me an ambulance and the police to Dragehus, Night Fury Rise in the Upper Town," she said breathlessly. "A man has been stabbed by his ex-girlfriend. She's now unconscious. Please hurry-he's bleeding badly…" And then she dropped the phone and leaned over his shape, taking a breath and moving his hand before pressing her own fist hard over the knife wound.

"Ow…" he gasped. "Thought…you were on…my side…"

"I am on your side, muttonhead," she told him irritably. "I've raced here from Archi to be with you…because I can't lose you…Gods, please...don't let me lose you..." He gave a weary smile.

"S'okay, Milady," he murmured. "I'll always be your friend. But now you can have a soccer player you can go out with and not be ashamed…"

"Hiccup-I don't want any of them!" she told him, staring into the wide emerald eyes. Toothless was purring furiously and the man lifted his bloody hand to rub the soft fur. The little cat rubbed against his hand. "I just want you, Hiccup. I came here because I realised that I can't imagine a world…I can't imagine my life without you in." He gave a small smile.

"No one has ever said that to me," he breathed, smiling. Astrid was pressing more fiercely, slowing the blood down to seeping ooze and he gasped.

"I am so sorry," she told him urgently. "I have no excuses. I was stupid and selfish and-and behaved like an ass and a muttonhead and..."

"Snotlout?" he mouthed. "You're describing Snot..." She sighed.

"Yes," she conceded. "That is really embarrassing...and nauseating as well. Kind of. But worse. Gods, I should have come for you myself...but I asked Thug and I guess I knew he wouldn't get you. I wanted to have fun and be the centre of attention in the club and part of me wanted to just be carefree and that High School girl once more. And I knew he would not get you when he said he would because he was an ass and you would be sensible and make me be safe. I was so stupid...I should have come for you...and stayed with you..." He swallowed, feeling Toothless muzzle into his hand.

"Yes, you should," he admitted. "And I-I can't tell you how much it hurt when you brought Thuggory back to the apartment. I knew you had chosen him." She shook her head.

"No! I knew he was the wrong one but I...I needed his help getting home and then...well, he's an ass and he was betraying his girlfriend...I wanted my bed and I should have told him to leave me...but I let him walk me up and I just very very drunk...I was a stupid girl...because I knew I loved you."

"Weird way to show it..." he breathed painfully.

"I was scared," she told him. "I had fallen for you and I knew I wanted to be with you...but part of me knew that would mean settling down and being sensible and I guess...I thought I wasn't ready. Thuggery was everything that life was-but when we got back, you were there, waiting for me and looking out for me. And I felt so guilty when I got back. I said the wrong thing."

"You broke my heart," he told her softly. "I love you. I had hoped...you felt the same. But you showed that you didn't. When you said that...I knew you didn't."

"I was wrong-Gods, I was wrong," she said, glancing at the sprawled Bella. "And I almost lost you because of that..."

"But I left..." Hiccup said. "I gave you up. You said it wasn't real."

"I don't want to be given up on," she said. "And I realised too late...you were the only real thing in my life. The rest...is nonsense. Soccer is just a game. Team Astrid is...just a diversion for me. But you...with your amazing sass and kindness and thoughtfulness and ability to cook and draw and your terrible ex and your determination to protect me despite my being so in the wrong...you're real..."

"Well, that's a relief," Hiccup murmured sarcastically. She grimaced as she felt a cramp stab her forearm from the pressure she was exerting to prevent him bleeding out.

"Better believe it, Engineer boy," she said, checking Bella was still unconscious. "Because there should always be a Hiccup and Astrid. Always."

"Whatever it means?" he asked, his tone very slightly hopeful.

"Whatever you want it to mean," she confirmed. "Hiccup-I'm begging you to give me another chance. Not for money or image or any of those-those nonsensical things that don't matter at all. But because-because I don't want a life without you-not any more. I love you."

"I have always loved you," he smiled, his lips pale. He raised a hand and managed to stroke her cheek, leaving a bloody smear. "But after you said…"

"I have no excuses," she apologised, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I have been pampered and indulged ever since I came to Archi Valkyries. And I got used to doing what I wanted. I have never had a proper relationship because I think I always knew Dag was playing a game, a charade. I hated it. But then I persuaded you to do the same thing with me...and I was horrible to you…"

"Wasn't…quite that bad…" he reassured her haltingly.

"I can never apologise enough," she said. "And you have no idea how I felt when you ended it."

"I can guess," he breathed. She sighed.

"And after all of that, how badly I behaved...you still saved me when she wanted to stab me. Even when you were hurt..." He gave a wan smile.

"I couldn't let her hurt you," he admitted. "She was my problem, my fault. You should never have had to deal with her."

"Neither should you-if I had just made that call..." she sighed. "This is all my fault..." He sighed.

"Astrid...I prayed for a way out of my relationship with Bella...and when you ran into me in the airport, I had the choice to own up about her...but I chose not to. I knew she was awful and what I risked...but you were worth the risk. Moving in with you, being in your life...was wonderful. Not always but mostly. And it showed me the kind of life that I could have... And though you are sometimes thoughtless and a bit immature and have some anger issues, I believe you are sorry...and you came back for me. You travelled across the Archipelago when I was in danger. I mean...what an awesome friend..." He smiled. "You protected me. We can work on the rest..."

"Teach me," she said quietly. "Teach me to be a person who deserves you, Hiccup. Whatever you want…please. Just stay. Hold on…and don't leave me…I love you." He gave a pained smile and a trickle of hot blood oozed past her hand.

"Well, when you put it like that…I'll try, " he gasped and grimaced as the first sirens sounded. "Astrid?" Will you marry me?" She stared at him and then she nodded.

"Yes," she said, nodding wildly. "Yes."

"Oh thank Thor," he breathed, his eyes fluttering closed. "At least I can die with it being real."