So sorry this took me longer than I wanted. I hurt my finger. Ouch. Yeah, so that's what I'm dealing with right now. Hopefully you can all forgive me. :) Chapter 10! Enjoy! :D Shout-outs when my finger feels better. :)

When the sun rose, Hiccup was still sleeping, and that made Valka pleased. He needed all the sleep he could possibly get if he was going to get better. Of course, she was still worried about him, and knew that she was going to be calling a healer as soon as possible, but at least he was resting now.

She looked down at his sleeping form, frowning at the dark, bruise-like circles beneath his eyes, and the ever so present flush of his cheeks due to his fever. The rest of his face was a sickly pale. However, he appeared to be sleeping soundly enough, which made Valka smile, even if slightly. Once she was sure he was sleeping deeply enough to be moved without waking, Valka untangled him from her lap, laying him down on his bed and pulling the blanket over his body. She felt his forehead, smiling with relief when she found that it was cooler than the previous day. Fishlegs' medicine seemed to be working better than she thought it would.

A few minutes later, Valka heard the front door open, followed by footsteps ascending the stairwell. Astrid stood in the doorway, looking rested yet worried as she approached the bedside.

"Good morning, Valka," the girl said. "How's he doing?"

"As well as expected," Valka answered. "He hardly got any sleep last night, though."

Astrid turned to look at Hiccup, and then gasped. "Valka, he looks awful," she said. "Are you going to call a healer?"

Valka nodded. "I think I'll have to," she said. "He said he has a headache now, and he has a hard time stomaching anything."

"Poor thing," Astrid said sympathetically. "Should I go fetch a healer?"

"I'll go if you stay with him," Valka said.

"Oh," Astrid said, sounding surprised. "Are you sure? Because I can go…I don't mind."

"No, I'll go," Valka said. "I'm sure you want to stay with him for a bit, Astrid."

Astrid hesitated, just before nodding. "You're right," she said. "If you're sure you don't mind…"

"It's fine, Astrid," Valka said, standing and motioning for Astrid to take her place. The Hofferson did so, looking back at Valka afterwards.

"And I just want to say, Astrid," Valka began, "thank you for all your help. You've helped me a lot since Hiccup's taken ill, and thank you for that."

"You don't have to thank me, Valka," Astrid said. "I know Hiccup would do the same for me. It's my pleasure, helping you and him out."

"Still, thank you," Valka said. "I'll be back soon."

"Alright," Astrid said. "I'll look after him."

Valka nodded, and then raced down the stairs, heading out the door afterwards. Astrid watched her leave, and then turned her attention back to Hiccup. She stood up after a moment, and then left for downstairs, returning with a steaming bowl of left over, reheated soup. She figured when he woke up that he would most likely be hungry, and even if he wasn't, he needed something in his system.

She set the bowl down on the desk and then sat down on a stool set by the bed. She felt Hiccup's forehead out of habit, feeling glad when she found that it was a lot cooler than it had been before. One more spoonful of Fishlegs' medicine and it should break. She found the bottle of it on the table, and then decided that she would give him his second dose when he woke up.

Speaking of Hiccup waking up…

"Hello, milady," he said.

Astrid looked down at him. His eyes were half-lidded and a bit glazed over, but despite his fatigue appearance, he was smiling.

"Hey, too, Dragon Boy," Astrid said. "How're you doing?"

"Alright, I guess," Hiccup said. "I've definitely been better, that's for sure, but then again, I've been worse, too, haven't I?"

"Nope," Astrid said.

"Oh," Hiccup responded. "Well, I suppose there's a first time for everything, right?"

"Right, a first time, and a last time," Astrid said. She took the medicine and spoon off the table, and then uncorked the bottle. "Think you can drink a spoonful of this?" she said, although she knew that no matter what Hiccup said, she was going to make sure he drank some.

"I guess," Hiccup said. "What is it?" he asked as Astrid helped him sit up and lean against the headboard before she poured some of the liquid into the spoon and held it out to him.

"Fishlegs brought it over," Astrid said. "It's for your fever."

"Oh," Hiccup said, reaching out to take the spoon from Astrid. He gulped down the spoonful, sticking his tongue out afterwards.

"It tastes like…Toothless' spit," he said.

"How do you know what that tastes like?" Astrid asked. Hiccup put his hand over her mouth.

"Shhhh," he said. "We do not speak of it."

Astrid rolled her eyes as she set the spoon and bottle back down on the desk. She took the bowl and handed it out to him. "Think you're ready to try some more soup?" she asked.

Hiccup looked at the bowl, and then up to her. "Maybe," he said. "A little bit."

"Good," Astrid said, plucking the spoon off the table. Hiccup made a move to take the bowl, but she didn't hand it to him. Instead, she scooped some of the soup into the spoon and held it out.

"Open your mouth," she said.

"I can do it, Astrid," Hiccup said. "It's my leg that's hurt, not my arms."

"Yeah, but your hands are shaking," Astrid said.

"I don't want to be babied," Hiccup said.

"Deal with it," Astrid said. "Open your mouth."

"This conversation is feeling very one sided," Hiccup said.

"Hiccup Horrendous," Astrid warned.

Hiccup sighed, yet complied, opening his mouth under Astrid's command. His cheeks went even redder in embarrassment, but he didn't stop her. He only managed a few bites before he had to stop, but at least he ate something.

"Alright," Astrid said. "What now?"

"Where'd my Mom go?" Hiccup asked.

"She went to get a healer," Astrid said. "She'll be back soon."

"Okay," Hiccup said as he sighed, sliding back down so he could lay on his back. Astrid pulled the blanket over his shoulders, tucking it around him.

"Sleep," she said. "And yes, that is a command. Sleep."

"Not gonna argue," Hiccup said. "Thank you, Astrid."

Before she could reply, he was asleep.