Hey guys! Long-time no see huh? … Yeah I'm sorry about that… It's been a while… But I have a valid excuse! Exams… which aren't very nice but my teachers like to plaster them all into the same two weeks and these same two weeks just happen to be the two weeks with weekends I'm away on school trips…

Anyway enough of my boring life! How are you guys? This next two chapters were going to be just one but it was turning out like 6000 words (IKR! I don't think I've ever made a chapter that long in my life!;) So I decided to split it into two!:D

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4- Old times

Astrid's POV:

"You finished Luce?"

"Yes mummy!"

"Go and put your dirty bowl in the sink then."

"Okay mummy."

I watch Lucinda out the corner of my eye as she toddles over and places her empty bowl in the sink.

"She listens to you so well," My mother says with a smile watching Lucy as she washes her hands then dries them on the towel.

"I trained her well." I reply watching my daughter proudly, a slight smirk on my face as I think how hard a child I would have been. "And she's got Hiccup's patience," I add.

"What are you planning for her birthday?" Mum asks with a wink, shifting her position in the old creaking rocking chair. "I'll make a cake." She adds in a whisper.

"Okay," I whisper back, threading the needle as I loosen up another one of Lucy's outfits. She's growing too fast!

"Why are you whisping?" Lucy asks swinging on my chair with her tiny little fingers and putting her face really close to my face and looking right in my eyes with a cheeky face.

"Oy you! Get down," I say half sternly, flapping her tiny hands away.

"Pft!" She recoils flops down on the floor.

"Because whispering is fun!" Mum says in half-whisper, leaning down to tickle Lucy on the tummy. She giggles.

"I'm going to pay with my Nadder and Fury!" She exclaims suddenly and jumps over to the middle of the main room floor, crouches down on the mat, and starts messing around with her toy Deadly Nadder and Night Fury.

"Okedoke!" Mum responds.

"We're inviting a few people over; you, Olaf, Gobber, Valka, Emily… then I guess it'll be a bit of a party. I'm making some small wooden axes for her to practice with for a present: You know like Uncle Finn taught me."

"She's THREE!" Mum 'angry whispers'.

"Uncle Finn started teaching me when I was two plus she'll be FOUR in a week!"

"Yes and you went around causing mayhem at that age! I don't think Hiccup will let you..." She starts sternly.

"Well I think Hiccup's got some crazy idea for Lu too- you know how he is- but it's still a week away so plenty of time to reason with him."

"More like him reason with you," She mutters.

I huff.

"Yeah… I was thinking of buying her a few books or making some new clothes, anything that would be best?" Mum says quickly, not daring to battle anymore with me.

I smile. "Olaf will probably be buying books and she's got plenty upstairs… I think we'll make the most out of clothes."

She smiles at me knowingly. "Of course. You were a nightmare when you were younger- you grew so fast… It was like you had a continuous growth spurt."

"I wasn't that bad!" I object.

Mum breathes a laugh, "Okay, okay, I surrender."

I smile and give her a hug, nuzzling my face in her neck. "I love you mum."

"I love you too Attie." She replies softly kissing my on the top of my head. "Anyway where did this hug come from? You don't usually go and hug your old mum! Especially not straight after you've huffed at her!"

"I don't know," I say shrinking back, "I guess I'm just feeling a mix of emotions at the moment."

"Oh… That time?" Mum asks.

"No. Actually… wait…huh… I'm a week late…" I say biting my lower lip.

"They sometimes are hon." Mum says standing up oblivious to the worry creeping inside my head. "Anyways I better be off." Her words sound fuzzy in my ears. I've never been late. Not apart from…Lucy. My heart rate speeds up. No. I shake my head. I can't be, can I?

"Don't worry pet. I'm sure you'll come on soon." She pats my head, says goodbye to Lucy with a kiss on the head and disappears out the door. I push the thought to the back of my head and concentrate on Lucy's birthday.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hiccup's POV (one week later):

"MUMMY! DADDY! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

I groan and cover my head with my pillow, only to have is yanked off and thrown on the floor milliseconds later. "DAAAAAAADDDYYYYYYYYYY!" I whine at the scream in my ear. "WAKE UP!"

"Meh…" I open my eyes drowsily to see a bunch of red hair shifting dizzily in front of my face. I blink a few times to clear my vision to reveal bright emerald eyes staring down at me. "Daddy! Wake up you lazy yak! Guess what it is today! Guess guess guess!"

I brush a hand across my face and shift into a sitting position, pulling Lucinda onto my lap as I do so. "Hmmm," I tease. "Snoggletog?"

"No silly! That's AGES away!"

"Okay let me guess again… Thawfest!"

"NO! That was last mont!"

"Okay!" I raise my hands in surrender, "Well… it definitely CAN'T be Lucinda's birthday… I distinctly remember that was last year so it can't be this year too."

She giggles and smacks my shoulder, to which my eyes drift over to Astrid's form: Snuggled down in the bed- pretending to be asleep while I do all the entertaining.

"Yes it is! It's MY birthday daddy!"

I gasp and pretend to be shocked. "But it can't be twice!"

"Yes it can, it can!" She yells excitedly. "It's my fourth birthday!"

"Your fourth birthday?!"

"Yes daddy!"

"Well- you know what birthdays call for?"

"Presents!"

I smile slyly and whisper an idea in her ear. Her eyes light up in mischief when she leans back and we sneak to the bottom of the bed. I grasp hold of the covers, give Lucy the signal, and pull the feather filled sheets from the bed: Leaving Astrid with nothing warm to cuddle up to.

Astrid squeaks in protest then Lucy jumps on her and starts tickling her. "I got you!"

Astrid squeals, a smile lightning up her face. "Oh no you don't little warrior," Astrid yells tickling Lucy back until she's the one squealing and rolling around on the bed. I watch all this with amusement plastered to my face. Finally, both gasping and panting for air, they lie back on the covers and catch their breaths.

"Well that was entertaining," I say with a wink.

Astrid narrows her eyes, "You stole my covers."

"You didn't get up when Lucy called you- you laid all the weight on me."

"I needed my beauty sleep."

"That's not a valid excuse."

"Oh really?"

"Oh stop fighting! I want to open my presents!" Lucy says jumping up and rushing to the door.

"I'll get you back later," Astrid says, her voice turning deep. I smirk and, taking her hand, follow our daughter down the crooked stair case.

Lucinda throws open the curtains in the living room and sits, shaking with excitement, in the middle of the floor waiting for us to give her the presents.

"You are a demanding child Lucinda Haddock," Astrid says dumping a large box in her hands.

Lucy tackles the box to the floor and tears the wrapping paper to shreds. I frown but Astrid just smiles at the mess our daughter is making. "I think we've swapped faces," Astrid whispers to me. I smile at that.

She gasps in wonder and she pulls out four smooth wooden axes. "THANK YOU MUMMY! YAY!" She screeches leaping into Astrid's open arms. I shake my head at her excitement over the miniature killing machines- I've FINALLY agreed to let Lucy have the axes- and hand her my box.

She also tackles it to the ground and rips the wrapping paper to shreds. Her eyes widen as she peers inside and she pulls out a shining armoured skirt. "It's just like mummy's!" She exclaims tugging it over her pyjama bottoms and prancing round the room, axes in hand.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Astrid's POV:

I sigh in relief as I leave the madness of Gobber, Hiccup, Olaf and Lucy playing a board game Olaf got her. It was becoming increasingly dangerous and competitive. Olaf had created it himself and had called it… Berkoply was it? I have no idea: Something about buying dragons and houses to put on Pieces of land and becoming money- less. Nothing that interests me at the moment.

Lily and my mum follow me into the warm, cosy kitchen minutes later. "Gods one of them is going to break the others arm in a minute!" Lily exclaims aghast.

"Well with Gobber in the house I wouldn't be surprised." I reply shaking my head. Becoming a mother has made me annoyingly mature. I just can't seem to escape it!

"So… Did it come on in the end Astrid?"

"What did?" I ask oblivious.

"I was talking to Lily about how earlier in the week you were worried because you'd been a week late. I'm guessing as you haven't mentioned the subject, it did come on." She says surely.

But I'd tuned out as soon as she'd started speaking. It hadn't come on. Two weeks late. I gulp. No. I can't… I bite my bottom lip.

"Astrid?" Lily asks concerned.

"It… hasn't actually… I'm two weeks late." I say, panic rising in my voice.

"Hey, hey it's alright Astrid. Are you sure you're two weeks late?"

"I think I know when I'm late Lily and I've already said I'm two weeks late." My mother purses her lips as I snap at Lily.

"Okay, well…"

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hiccup's POV:

I scowl and edge closer to Gobber's face. "500 hundred Gobber. No less!"

"I won't buy it off you for that amount!" Gobber howls.

"Fine by me! I don't need your money anyway!" I yell in his face. I hear a small snigger and a little giggle from my side.

"Oh yes you do!" He spits, his face turning red.

"Oh no I don't!"

"Oh yes you do!"

Out the corner of my eye I see Olaf snort, then cover his mouth quickly and tries to obscure his laughter. This only makes Lucy giggle harder too. I ignore them both and turn back to Gobber. "Don't!"

"Do!"

"DON'T!"

"DO!"

"DON'T!"

"SHUT-UP WILL YOU!" I hear a distinctively feminine and annoyed voice screech from the doorway. Both I and Gobber wince and turn to face Astrid Haddock. She stands, her face glowing, hands on hips glaring at the two of us, her face filled with half annoyance, half amusement.

"I have some news," She declares. Her voice bubbles with excitement and I frown in anticipation. "Hiccup, we're going to need to build an extension."

"Oh not again…" I groan. "I've already told you: use the bathroom for washing. We don't need a 'washroom'. The kitchen sink or the bathtub will do!" I exclaim, sighing and turning back to the brain frazzling board game. Gods Olaf is clever.

"It's not for the washroom." She says haughtily.

"You can't have a sewing room either." I say in monotone. Lily and Hope, Astrid's mother, snigger. I huff.

"It's not for that either," Astrid says smiling slightly and leaning against the door frame.

"What is it then?" I ask tiredly.

"For the baby of course."

"WHAT!?" I explode leaping from the floor, my mind becoming a tornado of somersaulting questions. Baby? What baby? OMG! Is Astrid pregnant? Is it a boy or girl? PREGNANT? TWO KIDS? Oh my… I'm going to be a daddy to two little people! Is Astrid okay? When did she find out? How did she find out? Well that's obvious. How did she find out? Pah- stupidest question that has ever entered my brain.

"Yes Hiccup we're going to have another baby," She explains to me, in the exact same tone she used when I found out about Lucinda, in a calm and slow voice- like she's talking to a child. How on Earth can she stay calm in these situations!?

"Oh Gods…" I say, gasping for a breath. But my face slides into an easy grin and I turn to Lucy, who's looking at us with slight confusion.

"Hey Lucy guess what?" I say, my insides dancing with excitement.

"Mummy's going to have another baby."

"Correct!" I yell, completely off my rocker.

"Well… Mummy did just say and I can hear and… wahh!" She yelps as I pick her up and twirl her round in circles.

"You're getting a sister!" I yell.

"Oy! It could be a boy!" Astrid says, hands on hips.

"Okay, okay! Just saying it might also be a girl."

"I'm just saying it might also be a boy." She retorts.

"Yeah…" I say failing to come up with a response. I give her a shy grin and place Lucy down. She smiles back, her face lighting up in that smile and turning her eyes to sparkling jets of rainbow colours. I wrap her in my arms and connect our lips. And then my mouth fills once again with her sweet sugary taste.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Astrid's POV:

"Lucinda Valka Haddock will you settle down!" I shout in a sigh, my eyes growing tired from watching her bouncing form. There was once a time, five minutes ago, when the bed covers were creaseless. Now they're a jumbled mess.

"But I'm not tired!" She protests as she lets out a large yawn, stopping her bed bouncing for one second before continuing with what seems like even more energy before. I groan and lean my head against the back of the rocking chair.

"Are you sure about that?" Hiccup asks her from the bottom of the bed, raising his eyebrows, as he gets jolted around from her vigorous jumping.

"Extra EXTRA sure!" She squeals delightedly.

"Well then I guess we'll just have to leave you and then you'll get no bed time story," Hiccup says, matter of fact, lifting himself off the bed and sauntering over to the door.

"No no no! Don't leave daddy! I want a bed time story!"

"Well you'll have to get into bed then."

"Okay," She immediately throws back her covers and shimmies underneath them with a cute grin.

Hiccup smiles back and settles himself on the, now calm, bottom of the bed. I sigh calmly at the brilliant effect my husband has on children.

"What story do you want tonight?" I ask, rubbing my tummy gently. Hiccup notices this action and smiles at me reassuringly.

"One about when you two were little!" She giggles.

"Okay… how about… have I ever told you about when Mummy and I went behind Grandpa's back?" Hiccup asks her.

"Nope! What happened?" She edges forward so she's closer to Hiccup; her eyes alight with imagination and innocence.

"Well…we were all sixteen years old and we knew that Alvin and the Outcasts were on their way so Grandpa decided to…"

Hiccup's POV:

I yawned as I stumbled down to the docks. My father's note asking me to meet him there crunched up in my hands. The morning sunlight blinded me and Toothless as my Father's dark silhouette came into view; barking orders at fellow Vikings as they hammered away at large wooden walls.

"Hey dad!" I called out, still half asleep.

"Ah Hiccup! I see you got my note then?" I nodded and yawned again, looking at him through drowsy eyes.

"I've decided, as chief of Berk, to ground all dragons, in order to keep this village safe should Alvin attack."

I gasped: My tiredness blown away in an instant by my father's horrendous words. "Grounded? All the dragons? Are you serious?"

"Deadly serious," He replies solidly. "From this point forward, there is a ban on flying, period."

"But- But what about patrolling, training?" I ask aghast.

"What part of "ban on flying" did you not understand, Hiccup?" He says his voice becoming deadly in that way I know he's about to get angry.

"But that's... That's ridiculous!"

"Are you calling your father ridiculous?"

"Of course not. I would never call my father ridiculous." I say, "I'm calling my chief ridiculous."

Stoick's face freezes in position- shock- then he says, "Careful, son: You too dragon." He turns away, hinting that the discussion is closed. "Put your backs into it boys!" He yells at his workers.

I rack my brain for something that could change his mind. I mean he can't ban dragons! Who woulld protect us? It really is ridiculous! "Dad, Alvin has his own dragons. Changewings, Scauldrons, Whispering Deaths... I saw them with my own eyes." I half beg.

"Yes. When you were kidnapped and locked up in an Outcast prison," He says undeterred, turning away once more and continuing up the docks.

I growl in annoyance, "He's also read The Book of Dragons, He's seen Astrid train a Monstrous Nightmare, and he still has Mildew, who, by the way, I really doubt will hold up under questioning." I say quickly, Mildew's haunted face swimming into my head. He was a disgusting, moody old man, but he'd really proven himself a hero. He actually did care.

"Hiccup…"

"If Alvin learns how to train his dragons and he attacks with them, our only chance is to fight back with ours."

"I understand that. But I'm not gonna risk your life or the lives of any of your Dragon Riders. This is my final word."

And with that he turns his back to me and stomps up to the village. I sigh, wishing there was some way to show him that banning dragons is probably the worst thing he could be doing to protect the village right now. Toothless nudges my hand with his nose. "Don't worry bud… I'll get him to change his mind. He'll see." And with that I jump on my saddle and head toward the academy: dreading the riders' reaction when they find out what my dad has ordered.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And you agreed? Just like that!?" Astrid exclaims, staring at me in half disgust as I finished telling the guys what my dad had just told me.

"What other choice did I have? He's the chief, who also happens to be my incredibly overprotective father." I say with a sigh, throwing my hands around.

"Well, we have to get him to change his mind." Astrid says strongly.

"Stoick the Vast? Um, good luck with that." Fishlegs points out.

Astrid huffs, biting her lower lip as she tries to think of a way to change the chief's mind.

"So what am I supposed to do with Hookfang if he can't fly?" Snotlout shouts and we all turn to him in unison. Hookfang's tail steams then flames lick across his skin. "You know what happens when is inner warrior is caged up?"

As if to show the consequence Hookfang immediately whacks Snotlout across his bum, sending his sprawling into Astrid's boot. "That is what happens!" He shouts hoarsely from beneath Astrid's boot.

"Whoa, we should have caged his inner warrior a long time ago. That was awesome!" Tuff exclaims staring at Snotlout with a mischievous light in his eyes.

Ruff chuckles manically, "Yeah!"

I sigh at the quickly increasing mayhem in the academy. There was once a time, five seconds ago, when the academy was quiet. "Look, I know this is going to be hard, but I'll keep working on my dad, and hopefully he'll change his mind." I say ignoring Ruff and Tuff.

"And what if he doesn't?" Astrid asks, I sigh and decide to place that comment in the back of my mind.

"Right then guys let's get on with some non- flying training exercises." I say clapping my hands together.

"Erm… I don't think there are any 'non-flying training exercises'," Tuff says.

I groan.

Astrid's having another baby! Astrid's having another baby! Thoughts? Criticism? The rest of Hiccup's story will be told in the next chapter! Have you guys figured out the episode yet?;) Don't forget to review!

Also I just uploaded a short few fluffy one-shots about relationships in Race to The Edge so if you want to check that out it's called 'Love at the Edge' ;P

Acia xx