Part 2

The sun was going down. Another day had passed and Hiccup showed no sign of waking. I was concerned. Hiccup was usually fine after a day or two. It had been three days now. The only sign that Hiccup was alright was the occasional groan or gasp of pain that came from his so-still form.

It hurt to know that he still felt pain, even when unconscious. My poor Bud. He had never been hurt like this before. And to know that he did it to himself made me even more upset. Hiccup didn't deserve this.

"How is he?" Astrid asked as she walked into the room, carrying a plate of food for Stoick and a few fish for me. I wasn't going to eat, but the thought that she went through the trouble to bring me food was nice.

"No change." Stoick said tiredly as he took the food and began eating.

He didn't notice, but I did, that Hiccup began to move slightly. I walked over to Hiccup's side and waited to see if he was going to wake.

"I can't believe he's still out," Astrid commented," He's usually awake by now."

Hiccup shifted under the blanket, not enough for his dad or Astrid to notice, but enough that I saw. Was he waking up?

Hiccup groaned and shifted under the blanket. He started breathing a little bit faster. Then he stopped breathing altogether.

"Hiccup?" I growl.

"Son!" Stoick realized what was happening. His plate of food fell to the floor, but I don't think he noticed.

Oh Gods. Hiccup wasn't breathing. He wasn't breathing! HE WASN'T BREATHING!

But, as suddenly as he had stopped breathing, he started again. He was okay.

"Thank the Gods." Stoick said as he breathed a sigh of relief. He started cleaning up the mess on the floor.

Astrid walked over to Hiccup and readjusted the blanket. She bent down and gently ran a hand through his hair. She stopped for a moment and then announced "He's so warm, Stoick."

Stoick walked over to his son and felt his forehead. The expression on his face said it all. Hiccup was sick on top of being hurt. My poor Bud.

I knew that the next few days were not going to be pleasant for anyone.

~Defiant one~ Part two~

The next couple of days were spent trying, and failing to bring down Hiccup's fever. Gobber was in and out constantly bringing ice to cool Hiccup down. Stoick only left his son to sleep. I never once left Hiccup's side.

Astrid made sure we stayed fed, even though I didn't eat much. I was too stressed to eat. Hiccup had never gotten this bad before, even after the battle with the Red Death.

I was beside myself with worry. I found myself wondering if Hiccup was ever going to wake up.

Days passed in a blur and before I knew it...

~Defiant one~ Part two~

"He's lost so much blood. It might take a while to get his strength back. That is, if he wakes up." Gobber says to Astrid.

"What do you mean IF he wakes up?" She shrieks. Gobber takes a deep breath. I recognize the look on his face. It was the same look he got when he had to tell Stoick Hiccup's leg couldn't be saved. So, I knew this wasn't going to be good news.

"He's been unconscious for a week. If he was going to wake up he would have shown us a sign by now. There is a chance that he could never wake up."

"WHAT?" Stoick yelled. He had walked in the room just in time to hear the news. His expression is a mix of sadness and shock. I recognized that look too. This was the exact face he made when Gobber told him about Hiccup's leg. But what happened next was something I had very rarely seen before: Astrid started to cry.

"This is all my fault. I never should have let him fly so far away. I should have asked the others to come along. I should have done something." She sobs, shocking everyone in the room.

"Nobody blames you, Astrid." Gobber quickly says.

"He did this to save me."

"The only one we should blame is Alvin," Stoick says," And if what you said is true, then we need to prepare for an attack. If Alvin thinks Hiccup is dead, he will try to get the book of Dragons. And I will NOT let that happen."

Suddenly, there's a sound from Hiccup's previously quiet bed. His breathing, which was slow and steady before, is now erratic. "Is he waking up?" Astris asks. As if to answer, Hiccup softly moans. His face is clearly showing how much pain he's in as he starts to move under the blanket. I growl at Hiccup to gently wake him up. My heart pounding with excitement.

"Son?" Stoick asks with happiness in his voice. We hold our breath hopefully waiting. Happiness welling up inside us.

But our happiness is short lived. Hiccup is not waking up. His breathing slows and resumes its gentle rhythm. We watch the blanket rise and fall as Hiccup breathes. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Then with a single shuddering breath down. Then nothing.

"Hiccup!" everyone yells at once.

This was just like a couple of days ago, except Hiccup didn't start breathing again. This was different, I realize. I feel my heart skip a beat and it feels like my chest is tightening. All of the times Hiccup and I shared together flash through my mind as I watch his father pushing on his chest. "Toothless? I could have sworn you had... teeth."

Astrid and Gobber watch in silent shock as Stoick tries to save his son's life.

Hiccup. Please. I can't stand to see you like this again. "We're vikings. It's an occupational hazard." Hiccup. Please breathe. Don't die. "Come on son," Stoick says,"Come on Hiccup."

"Hiccup. My Bud. Please don't give up. Fight this. I know you can. You fought a giant Dragon and survived losing a leg. You can beat this." I think as I watch Stoick try again and again. "Hiccup. I can't stand losing you. You need to beat this so we can go flying again. You need to beat this so..."

A loud gasp interrupts my thoughts. Hiccup is breathing again. I can feel my heart pounding as I let out a breath I hadn't even realized I was holding."He's going to be alright. He's okay." my mind tells me. But I'm finding it hard to believe. Something is still wrong. And as I watch my Bud laying there, it slowly dawns on me. Hiccup may be breathing again, but he is absolutely not okay. He's bleeding.

"Blood!" my mind shouts, but my voice seems stuck in my throat. The substance slowly staining Hiccup's bed is blood. His blood. Luckily, Astrid turns around and notices what's wrong."Stoick! Gobber!" she yells to the men who were just about to leave,"There's something wrong with Hiccup!"

And that's the last thing I see before I suddenly feel a wave of dizziness and exhaustion, the past week of little food and even less sleep finally taking their toll, and pass out.