This is my SECOND update today, you guys are so awesome. :) Shout-outs:
HiccupHaddockIII: Thanks for all your awesome reviews! I agree with what you said about Astrid. She is still rather violent, but yes, she has learned that there are different ways to communicate than punches and stuff. :)
Guest: Thanks for reviewing! It really makes my day! :D And I'm glad you like all my stories so much. It means a lot to me to hear. :) THANKS! :D
It took a tremendously short amount of time for Valka to get there. As soon as she burst into the room, without hesitation, she raced forward and threw her arms around her son. Hiccup hugged her back before they both pulled away and stared into each others eyes.
"Oh Hiccup," said Valka. She laughed softly, tears in her eyes. "I was so worried."
"Three weeks," said Hiccup. "That's really how long ago it was?"
"Yes," said Valka. "You scared nearly everyone you know."
"Yeah, sorry about that," said Hiccup. Don't think about your leg, don't think about your leg, don't think about your leg, he told himself over and over and over again, not that it helped.
"Um...what about my leg?" he said, and instantly wished he hadn't. Nailed it, Hiccup, he slapped himself mentally. Absolutely nailed it.
Astrid and Valka didn't seem to mind.
"We've already constructed a prosthetic for you while you were out," said Valka. "It's ready when you are. Oh, speaking of which, I should probably go tell your doctor that you're awake. He'll like to look you over a bit."
Hiccup nodded as his mother stood and left the room. Hiccup turned back to Astrid.
"What?" he said.
"Oh nothing," she said. "You know Hiccup, since you've already pretty much healed in the time you've been unconscious, they might let you out in another week or so."
"That'd be nice," said Hiccup. "I'm not too big a fan of being bedridden."
"Is anyone?" said Astrid.
Another second later, before Hiccup could reply, Valka reentered the room, followed by a tall, slender looking man with a name tag that read "Dr. Gavin."
"Hello, Hadley," he said. "It's really good to see you awake."
"Well, it's good to be awake," said Hiccup, shrugging.
"How do you feel as a whole?" Dr. Gavin asked. "Does anything feel especially strange?"
Hiccup shook his head. "Not really," he said.
"Good," said Dr. Gavin. "He lost a lot of weight during his unconscious state," Dr. Gavin said to Valka, turning in her direction. "We'll have to put him on a strict weight gaining diet."
"I could be wrong, but normally, you go on diets to lose weight," Astrid whispered to Hiccup, trying to cheer him up.
"Oh, shh," Hiccup whispered back with a half-smile, pushing her away playfully.
Valka nodded, her eyes moving from Hiccup to Dr. Gavin, back and forth, in a constant manner.
"I would like to keep him checked in the hospital for another week just to make sure everything's alright," said Dr. Gavin, scribbling on his clipboard for a few seconds. "If you like, we could try out the prosthetic as soon as you want."
Valka nodded. "What do you think, Hiccup?" she said.
"Hmm?" said Hiccup. "Oh...um...well, the sooner the better, I guess. If I'm going to be living with it for the rest of my life, I might as well get used to it."
"Good boy," said Dr. Gavin. He flipped a few pages back on his clipboard and then made for the door. "Well, I'll tell them you're ready, and we'll see how it all works out. Alright?"
"Sounds good," said Valka. "Thank you."
Dr. Gavin smiled, turned the door knob, and then left the room, all in one motion. As soon as he was gone, both Astrid and Valka turned their attention to Hiccup.
"Are you really ready for this, Hiccup?" Astrid asked.
"Nope," Hiccup frowned with a shake of his head. "I can't say that I am."
...
Hiccup glared at the piece of metal they were trying to make his left leg. They had brought it in only five minutes ago, and so far, all he did was stare at it.
"Um..." The first thing said in five minutes, said by Astrid, who was twiddling her thumbs nervously, trying to think of something to say. "So...are you...um...ready to try it out?"
Hiccup wasn't ready. No, he most certainly was NOT ready for this. He was perfectly fine with having one leg.
...Well, okay, no he wasn't, but there wasn't much he could have done about it. It wasn't like it was his fault, or anything. It was that car. No, not even the car. The driver.
"Um...yeah, yeah, I'm ready," Hiccup lied. He reached down, and started strapping on his prosthetic. He hated the way it felt, but it wasn't like he had the choice. "Okay, are we done now?" he asked.
"Not quite," said Valka.
Hiccup groaned, and pushed himself off the bed, shifting all his weight to his right side. He still wobbled uneasily, but that could have meant near anything. He could have just been wobbling because this was the first time he had actually stood up in three weeks. That could have meant something. Or, maybe it was just him.
"I'm not ready for this..." Hiccup mumbled.
"I know," said Valka gently, trying to find the words to say. "But if you're not ready now, what will make you more ready later?"
She had a point. Hiccup hated it when she had a point.
So, he swung his left leg forward and stepped down. It was actually easier said than done. He only put weight on it for a second before bringing his right leg right up next to it to finish the step.
"Done," said Hiccup.
"One more," said Astrid.
"Come on," Hiccup groaned. "You have no idea what I'm going through."
Hiccup had a point. Astrid hated it when he had a point.
So, he took another step forward. The second one was easier than the first; of course, his leg had probably healed in the time he was unconscious. This was weird. He was hurt, but at the same time, he wasn't.
Confusing much?
"Yay!" Astrid clapped. "Not too bad!"
"Well, thanks," said Hiccup. "It might take a while to get used to."
"It will," said Valka. "But we'll help you through it."
Hiccup smiled. Maybe walking with one leg wasn't going to be so hard after all.