Chapter Eleven

A/N: We're about halfway done... Act 2 is going to end in ABOUT four or five more chapters. Then...we have the climax! (I'm pretty excited about this!)

In response to...

The Wolf Raven: Thanks :) Hopefully it works out...

LittleDragonRider: Yeah, it had to be so you guys could understand what the kids are going through. And thanks! I try. XD

Warrior of Spectra: ...I literally just started watching a play through of that today. Are you psychic or something? XD (And yes, he is hardcore. I also recommend Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Altair Ibn La Ahad, Conner Kenway, or Desmond Miles...)

Yondaime Namikaze: I'm glad things are starting to come together for you :) And yes, I'll be going to college in PA. (Can't stand cities so I don't want to go to New York or New Jersey or anything like that.)

Tasermon's Partner: Yes they did. XD And yeah, Astrid and Hiccup are probably really used to thier friends screwing them over. But you know... XD

Without any of them realizing it, the teens eventually fall asleep. What else is there to do in a dark cell, anyway...? So soon, the only one still awake is Hiccup. His eyelids are fighting him, drooping down so he nods off a few times. But he refuses, snapping awake again almost immediately... After all, time will go faster if he falls asleep and right now, he needs all the time he's got.

By now, I've only got two more days until... He shakes his head, not wanting to even think about what will happen. I've got to figure out a plan to save my dad. After that, we can work on getting the dragons free and taking Berk back. Deciding sitting around won't help him stay conscious, Hiccup climbs to his feet and starts pacing his cell. Walking always helps his thought process.

After a few minutes of wracking his brain for a plan, Hiccup groans and runs a hand through his hair. Why can't he ever come up with an idea when he really needs one?

Then again, I guess not having any idea of what condition the village is in doesn't help either. He notes dryly. I don't even know if the villagers would be on my side if they saw me...and now that Astrid and the others have been arrested, I don't have any allies on the outside...

That's when he stops pacing, a thoughtful light flickering in his eyes.

Except, of course... Smirking, the teen shoves his hand into his vest and fishes out the key. He hurries to the door, checks the hallway, and then unlocks himself. I can't believe I didn't think of him before! Of course he'd be on my side!

Hiccup hides his cell key under the stones again and rushes off down the hall, a new spring in his step now that he's got the starts of a plan. And if he's right, this might just be the edge he's needed from the start...

Astrid is woken up by a familiar sound. With a small yawn, she sits up, straining to hear what it is. After a moment, she stands and moves toward the door, peering out into the gloomy corridor. The noise is growing closer... But that's when she realizes what it is.

"Hiccup?" She calls in a hushes voice. "Is that you?" The sound of his metal leg stops for a second.

"Yeah." He responds before continuing toward her. After a few more steps, he appears through the darkness and comes to a rest in front of her cell.

"Where are you going?" She whispers, concern written plainly on her face.

"I'm going to find Gobber." He tells her. "If anyone is still loyal to my father, it's him. He might be able to help us."

She bites the inside of cheek in thought, nodding slowly. "I guess you're right." She admits. "But do you think you should be going now...?"

"There's no better time, right?" He points out. "It's night time so it'll be easier to sneak by without being spotted. Besides," His expression darkens a bit. "I don't exactly have a lot of time to waste."

Again, Astrid nods, knowing he's right. "I wish I could go with you..."

He smiles, gently and shakes his head. "Don't worry." Hiccup whispers. "I'll be careful. If it gets too dangerous, I'll turn back."

"Promise?" She urges.

"I promise." With that, he stands back from the cell and turns to continue his escape.

"Hiccup, hold on!" She calls after him. "Remember what the twins said? They mentioned us wanting to break you out of jail." She reminds him. "There's probably a lot of guards around here tonight. It'd be too dangerous to leave out the front door."

Hiccup groans to himself. She's right. The front entrance has got to be crawling with soldiers... "Is there any other way out of here?" He asks her, hoping she might know something he doesn't.

"Actually, yes." Astrid says with a smirk. "Something I helped Gobber install last month when the south cell block caught on fire."

Hiccup stares at her, curiously. He remembers that fire well...he'd been busy training with his father at the time. Otherwise, he would have helped Gobber construct whatever it is she's talking about, being his apprentice and all. "Okay...what is it?" He wonders.

"We're calling it...a 'fire escape'!" She says in a cunning voice. "We've built one in every wing. This one's is right at the end of the hall, on the left."

Hiccup grins at her. "Astrid, you are amazing! I'll be back in a few hours!" With that, he turns around and sprints to the end of the hall, at the same time curious what his friends had come up with for this 'fire escape'.

Astrid watches him go, a pleased little smile on her lips. She wishes should could have taken care of everything herself, the way she'd promised. But she also knows that if anyone can fix this mess, it's Hiccup.

He finds the ladder right where Astrid said it would be. At the top of it, there's a hatch which is locked in place by a metal slider. That way, it's only accessible once it's been unlocked from the inside. Smart. He comments. I'll have to leave it open so I can come back this way. Hopefully, no one will notice it...

Climbing up the rungs of the ladder, Hiccup tugs the slider across and throws open the lid, relishing in the cool breeze that gushes over his face once he's outside. He's been stuck in that hot, humid prison for over a week. It's nice to be out in the fresh air again...

He stays low, not wanting to be seen by anyone who might be passing by on the ground. Then, sliding down the angled roof of the jail, he finds a stack of wooden crates placed below him, perfect for getting down from the fire escape.

He shifts his weight, lowering one leg down just to make sure his foothold will be steady. But just as he's about to jump down-

Hiccup gasps and yanks his leg back, pressing himself to the roof as the glow of a lantern floods the alleyway below him. Then, another...and another...and...another. He clamps a hand over his mouth to suppress the sound of his fearful breaths. There must be at least four guards passing by. He can hear them muttering to each other in their odd language, the muted thumps of their boots in the dirt, the clank of their heavy armor...

His whole body trembles with the effort of staying perfectly still, while at such an inconvenient angle. And things only get worse when the soldiers decide to stop walking for a while.

"Audisti?" One of them whispers.

"Quod audire?" Another replies. He glances feverishly around, waving his lantern as if he's looking for something...

"...Nihil. Id est fuisse imaginationem." After another few seconds of looking around the alley, they move on. However, the first guard draws his weapon, still looking a little on edge.

Once they're out of sight, Hiccup relaxes. His sighs in relief and leans his head on the roof, struggling to steady his breathing. Gods, that was almost really bad... He sits up then, not wanting to stay up here any longer than necessary. And as quietly as possible, lowers himself onto the stack of crates and immediately darting into the adjacent alley.

All he has to do is get to the Forge. If he can find Gobber, he's sure they'll figure something out. After all, if there's one thing his old mentor is good at, it's fighting for his home and his people.

Let's just hope he hasn't gotten himself arrested too...

A/N: Little things are beginning to pull themselves together! :)

The conversation as the guards (supposedly (I just googled it)) is this:

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"...Nothing. Must have been my imagination."