Guys, I tried to inflate this chapter to make it longer, but there was just stuff that needed to be saved for the next one. It's short, but it's very important. I hope you can understand!

I had a dream a few nights ago, and it kind of organized the next few chapters for me! Which is great, so the next chapter should be longer than this one. So there! (I just hope I have the time to write it *Angrily shakes fists at finals*) I'm also praying for a snow day tomorrow.

"What are you going to do?" Astrid asked with fear, as the mermaid grabbed her wrist.

Bertha remained stone-faced.

Astrid winced. The blade ran sharp and deep thorough her palm. The sensation burned and pinched. A tear leaked through her eye.

"He needs your blood to complete the bond. Without it, he will die." She laid her bloody hand on Hiccup's chest. The slime that had accumulated began to darken as her blood spilled into it. Astrid watched in mild horror as the goo changed over his entire body. It thickened and hardened and almost became leaf-like. Hiccup tensed as the hard shell encompassed his face and cut off his air.

She lifted her hand and watched as the gunk dissolved into her skin and healed the cut in her hand, leaving a small scar as evidence.

"What's going to happen?" Astrid asked, dismayed.

"That will be for you to find out." Bertha offered. "He's a good child. But I always knew this day would come. It was inevitable that he'd be drawn back to his kin. It was obvious with his collecting."

"His kin? You mean us, the humans?"

Bertha nodded. "So you knew? Knew that he was one of us?"

"Yes. The water told us."

"That's the second time someone has mentioned the water as a sentient being. Am I missing something?"

Bertha smiled. "You will know it time."

Astrid sighed with mild frustration.

Bertha glanced over the ever hardening shell of her pup. "From the day he came to us, I knew there was something different about him. And I don't just mean by his physical appearance." A look of nostalgia graced her face. "He had this way of curiosity about him. He saw everything with a delight and goodness, and he always asked questions, never satisfied, always looking for the next best thing."

"It annoyed everyone." Camicazi blurted.

"Yes…that's why many of our kind were happy when he decided to go off and see the world. I knew I would miss him, but he didn't belong with us. So I let him go."

"We didn't think he belonged with us either." Astrid confessed.

A moment of silence passed between the two women before Bertha asked, much more calmly, "What is your name, lass?"

"It's Astrid." She provided politely.

"Astrid, a lovely name." Bertha daintily curled her tail around her while Camicazi and Heather took up spots leaning against the shelf. Astrid covered herself with furs from the hammock.

"You don't seem like most humans." The woman offered. "You're…different."

"How so?"

"Smart," Camicazi blurted.

"And small," added Heather.

Astrid laughed, "That is true."

"Gentle," Bertha finished, "And kind."

Astrid shook her head. "I'm not that kind. Gobber, the blacksmith, he said the same thing…but I don't see it."

"Hiccup saw it." Cami stated. "That's why he cried about you."

"He…he cried for me?"

Heather hit Camicazi in the head. "He missed you, as I'm sure you missed him."

Delicately, Astrid traced his sealed face. "I did miss him, so much."

Bertha simpered and reached out a damp hand to the girl. "It will take a long time for the bond to finish. In the mean time, I would try to rest. Come along girls." With a nod to the two younger mermaids, the elder slipped back into the water and dove away. Camicazi and Heather followed soon after.

It was quiet in the cave. Only the sound of labored breathing came from the cocoon.

"I don't know what to do. Or even what to think!" Astrid bemoaned. She stood and felt her damp clothes. "I mean, so what now? Are you still going to leave?" Her eyes got teary. "With everything you said, I thought you have been smarter about this. Why did you let me fall in love with you? We still can't be together, dammit!" Angrily, she wiped the tears the fought to run down her face.

"Dammit."

Toothless moaned and looked up to her.

"And now…it's only going to hurt worse."

Hours passed, and Hiccup's cocoon only grew thicker and colder. She wondered if he would ever come out. In time, her clothes had dried and she dressed, feeling cold and empty without Hiccup with her. She laid her cheek upon the dense material and sighed. "Mermaids are weird."

The sound of cracking ice hit her ears and she sat up. A thin line danced up the front of the cocoon, splitting it right down the middle.

"Hiccup?" She asked quietly.

"…Astrid…?" His voice answered from inside.

She dug her fingers into the slit and forced it apart. His chest rose and fell with the access to fresh air. Astrid sighed in relief. "You're alright."

"Only because...you were here." He pushed out of this cover, albeit weakly. "If you left once I started to seize, I would have died."

"I know," she stated, "Toothless went and got Bertha. She told me."

"That's good."

"So what, happened? What was—…" She didn't get to finish her question as her gaze scanned over his form. As long as she had known him, Hiccup had had a tail, fins and scales. But… "Oh gods…"

Hiccup sat up and examined his long milky legs. His left leg had been reduced to a stump, ending right below the knee. It made sense though, she supposed. He bent his right leg and lifted it a bit. He pointed his foot and wiggled his toes.

"Did you know this would happen?" Astrid asked, not able to move her eyes.

"Well…yeah. A bond is formed when one pledges themselves to the other. Then, with blood, they can be together…forever."

"Hiccup…" She looked to his face.

"I should have told you," he looked away. "I just didn't want you to say things you didn't mean just so I could be human. But I didn't know…" He swallowed and then met her eyes. "If you don't want to be with me, the bond can be easily broken…"

She shook her head and cupped his cheeks. "No, absolutely not!" And she kissed him. Then she hugged him tightly. "I don't care what the bond does, I just don't want to be apart from you any longer!"

"Astrid! Astrid, it's okay!" He hugged her tighter. "It's okay. I'm coming back with you."

"You are?"

"Yes! I don't have to stay away anymore. My father will let me be with you, now that I'm human." He smiled brightly at her, his disposition screaming in happiness. "Help me stand." He urged, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Take it easy! Standing is hard enough when you've never done it before, but you only have one leg."

"But I have done it before!" He argued.

"Yeah, like ten years ago!"

"Eleven, actually."

"Only proving my point." She took his wrists and stood. "Okay, plant your foot on the ground, and then bend your knee. Put your weight onto that foot."

Hiccup did as she told, and grasped her wrists as she held his. Carefully, he sat up on his foot, wobbling.

"Ready?"

He nodded.

With a heave, Astrid pulled him up. He uncoiled like a spring, as he was much lighter than she anticipated. He had to brace himself against her as he regained his balance. She steadied him with a hand on his back. While he trembled, he held himself still, only using an arm around her shoulders to support his weight.

"L-look…" He gasped. "I'm standing! I'm standing!" He looked to her with a proud smile on his cheeks. "I never thought I'd be able to do this again!"

"You're doing a splendid job." She added. "But it might be harder for you to walk."

Hiccup evaluated his stump. "I suppose so."

"Gobber can make you a prosthesis. I'm sure he'd love to."

Hiccup nodded. "He would!"

Astrid helped him hop over to the hammock so he could sit. "Let's get you some clothes first, hm?"

—

By time they actually left the cave, night had fallen. The village was calm, as most of the habitants were in bed or getting ready for it. Some remained though, such as the Blacksmith at the forge.

A Nightfury landed outside the building and Astrid slid off first. She urged the dragon to stay back and be quiet.

"Gobber?" She asked, slinking into the light.

The man's head turned around within a blink of the eye. "Astrid!" He ran to her and lifted her into a hug. "Oi lass! Don'tcha ever do that again! Scared the living daylights out of us! What happened? Are you hurt? How did ya get here? What were ya thinkin!?"

"Gobber, please calm down. There's something more important I need to show you." She raised her hands in an effort to keep him calm. Slowly, she went back outside and helped Hiccup ease off of the Toothless.

"Rest your weight on me," she whispered. "Just one step at a time."

When they reached the light of the forge, Gobber was standing silent, in shock.

"Hi Gobber," Hiccup smiled. "Think you could make me a leg?"

"Hiccup…" The blacksmith stared. "You have…legs."

"Yeah," the boy returned, breathless. "Ta-da."

Gobber whistled lowly. "Well, this is…this an interesting development. Why don't I go get the chief and we can all talk this out?"

"I think that's a good idea, Gobber." Astrid answered.

After Gobber left, the blonde helped Hiccup over to a chair, then she sat next to him.

"I'm nervous." He confessed.

"About what?"

"My father. I mean, he knew who I was, but I don't think he fully accepted it because of my tail. But…I just wonder what he's going to do now."

"Probably freak out."

He laughed breathlessly. "Yeah, probably. Then what about the rest of the tribe?"

She knocked her knee with his. "They'll just be happy that you're home."

"Home…yeah. Home." He smiled. "Astrid?"

"Hmm?"

"I never got the chance to thank you."

"For what?"

He leaned in a placed a delicate kiss on her nose. "For everything."

She blushed but rested her head on his collar bone. "No, thank you." Her hands encircled his waist.

Many moments passed, the only sound being the crackle of the fire. Then the sound of footsteps got their attention. Stoick was first to enter the building.

"Hiccup?" The man asked, his voice soft, almost as if he was afraid of scaring him off.

"Dad…" The boy returned.

Astrid stood and grasped Hiccup's wrists once again. The boy hopped to his foot and looked back to the chief.

Time stood still as the father and son studied the other. Hiccup, for his father's reaction, and Stoick, to see if this was all true.

"How is this possible?" Stoick whispered.

"It's a long story." Hiccup replied. His arm wrapped snugly around Astrid. "But I have all the time in the world to tell it."

The great man took a few lingering steps. "So then, have you come back to us? Are you here to stay?"

"If you will have me."

Astrid swore she saw a tear. The chief barked out a laugh and swooped in. Hiccup was snatched from her grasp as he spun the boy around. "Of course! You're not leaving again!" He hugged Hiccup tightly and placed a scratchy kiss on his forehead. "My son. My Hiccup, home! My son has come home!"