Hey guys guess what!? CHAPTER 12! This will be one of the last chapters in this story, but no worries, there will be a sequel! Thats all for now, on ward!

It was finally Christmas eve, and all the kids were piled in the cafeteria for Christmas eve dinner (for some reason they were having two Christmas dinners.). Hiccup and Astrid were at there regular table munching away at there food (accept the carrots of course). Astrid was telling Hiccup about what the nurses had said to her earlier that day when she had her checkup.

"They said my ribs were almost healed, the nurses said only a few more days, and a week at the most before I could take my bandages off!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"That's great! I told you it'd be around New Years!"

Astrid sighed, something wasn't right, he sounded a bit guilty. "What's wrong Hiccup?"

"I'm sorry for breaking them in the first place Astrid."

"Hiccup," Astrid said with a smile and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "It's not your fault, if it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead."

"I believe we've had this conversation before."

"Yes we have, and I believe you were the one saying it to me."

"So we're even now."

"What?! Even!?"

"You saved my life, now I've saved yours, we're even!"

"I guess so!" Astrid said just before Jackson made an announcement.

"Ok kids time to head back to your rooms for bed, but I'll warn you, the halls are covered in hidden mistletoe!"

"Great." Hiccup comments sarcastically.

"Lets go Hiccup." Astrid said and grabbed his hand. On the walk back to there room they carefully scanned the walls and ceiling, and dodged the few bundles of leaves on the way. Once they were settled on Hiccup's bed in there onesies he pulled out a book called 'The Night Before Christmas'.

"It was family tradition to read this book on Christmas." He said with a smile.

"Are you gonna go read it with the twins then, there all you've got, but at least you have them." Astrid said sadly, Christmas was suppose to be spent with family, but she had no one. The thought of her family, and the fact that they weren't there with her this Christmas brought tears to her eyes. And to make madders worse it was three days until the day her father was killed the year before.

"Astrid, what's the madder?" He said and brushed the tears off her cheeks.

"I miss them." she sobbed.

"Astrid-" he pulled her close and she buried her face into his chest.

"I miss them Hiccup!" She cried even louder, her body shaking with every heartbroken sob. "I've got no one, no family, no-"

"Astrid, listen to me, do you know what my mother once told me?"

"What?"

"Friends are the family we choose for ourselves."

"What's that have to do with it?"

Hiccup sigh, lifted her chin and looked strait into her icy bleu eyes. "What it means is, your not alone, and you have family, just not your birth family. You've got me. And I consider you family."

"Really?"

"Yes and I love you like family."

'Only like family eh?' Astrid thought to herself 'at least he says he loves me.'

"Thanks Hiccup." Astrid said and smiled, her sobs had ended but her ribs now stung.

"Shall we begin?" Hiccup asked, and Astrid crawled into his lap like they did every time they read something. Hiccup had been getting taller, he had some sort of growth spurt over there two months together and was about as tall as she is, maybe even a bit taller.

"It depends, are you going to make me read?"

"Well yes, you said you wanna learn so practice makes perfect!"

"Just start reading Hiccup."

"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there." Hiccup read then nudged Astrid and she began a tempting to read.

"Thh-the ch-ch,"

"Children."

"The children we-re, were nesteled?" she questions.

"Nestled."

"The children were nestled all sn-snug?" She asked about a word again, and when he nodded she continued "all snug in th-their beds,"

"Do you want me to read now?"

"Ya."

About 20 minutes later they finish the story, curled up in bed and drifted off to sleep.