Someone To Watch Over Me- Set shortly after HTTYD 2. With Berk needing a new chief more than ever, Hiccup is pushed past his limits. Only then does everyone realize just how hard he's been working himself. Requested by Nindragon

Heyyyyy guys, today is Nindragon's birthday! Go on, and please do wish her a good one. She deserves it for being the awesome person she is! :D Oh, and I'm SO sorry this isn't longer, but I'm not feeling too at the top of my game today, and school's been a menace lately, so I couldn't force out any more. *shrug* But the Whump is still there, so I hope that makes up for it. :)

Ack, I know I haven't updated in like a month, but good news: I'll be updating more and more in the very near future! Fall break's coming up, and I'll try to get up a few more chapters during that extra time. ;)

Enjoy!

Hiccup hadn't meant to fall asleep.

But, still, it had been a long past few days. He hadn't slept at all in what seemed to have been a week ago. Chiefly matters always were too important to ignore. Treaties with other island had to be renewed. And then there had been that scuffle in town today between a few of the villagers that he had to put an end to.

It had taken nearly a half hour to calm things down. Even then, he had had to jump into the fight and had taken some of the worst blows.

Now his whole body ached with the pressure of the day, and his knees had trembled as he limped towards the one place he knew he could find some peace and quiet: the forge.

By a stroke of luck, Gobber wasn't there, leaving the forge empty. Somehow, Hiccup had made his way into the back room, where he lowered himself tenderly into his chair and looked down at his old desk, where old papers and dreams laid.

Before he knew it, his head was resting on the hard wood beneath him and he was fast asleep.

"Hiccup?"

A gentle shaking on his arm. He grimaced, trying to shrug it away. He wanted more sleep.

No, it wasn't just a want. He needed it. His eyes refused to open for anything.

"Hiccup? Babe, wake up…"

Astrid.

Suddenly, everything crashed down on him. What needed to be done, what had to be fixed, who he needed to talk to, where he needed to go…

"Mm…" He slowly lifted his head from the table, finding his eyes groggy as he blinked. "Ast-Astrid?"

Her face was hovering inches from his. Her eyes widened as she took in what he looked like. "Hiccup, gods... you look terrible."

Hiccup yawned, giving a small shrug. "Just a little… tired."

"No, Hiccup, you've got a huge bruise on your cheek, and your eye…" Astrid bit her lip, then moved her hand upwards until she was cupping his chin. "What happened to you? I haven't seen you at all today."

"There was a small fight in town earlier. It was nothing…"

He wasn't about to admit that he was hurting. He needed to be strong, fearless, unbreakable; a true chief.

"I wouldn't call this nothing." She frowned, observing him once again. "Hiccup, when was the last time you slept? Or ate, for that matter?"

Hiccup tried to recollect his last full night's rest and full meal, but couldn't. He shook his head. "I guess I've just been too busy to sleep well lately. I ate a little yesterday morning, though." He offered a weak smile, like that would change everything. "I'm fine, Astrid. If Dad could do it, I can too."

Her frown deepened. "So you haven't eaten since breakfast, yesterday? And it's noon today?"

"I guess."

"Hiccup…" Astrid's blue eyes met his green ones. "You can't keep on doing all of this. At this rate, you'll kill yourself!"

Hiccup flinched. He couldn't deny the truth of her words… but he couldn't agree with it, either. So he went back to his trusted line that seemed to always work in getting him out of trouble.

"I'm fine."

Astrid slapped his desk angrily. "You're not 'fine'! If you could just see yourself in the mirror…" She turned to him, expression softening. "Hiccup, believe me, you need a break. All of this chiefing, all of your work- it can wait. You have friends, you know. You have your mother, you have Gobber… you have me." Her voice rose. "We can help you, Hiccup. You don't have to do everything by yourself."

Hiccup lowered his head. "I can handle it. I don't want to force you guys into something you don't want to do." His head swam, but he shook it off. "Don't worry about me, Astrid. I can take care of myself."

"How can I not worry about you? You're as thin as a broomstick and have about as much sense as one too."

"Now that, milady, is a little insulting."

"I only speak the truth."

Hiccup yawned again. True, he admitted to himself, he could be a bit stubborn at times, but he was just doing what he thought was best for the village. His father did it, after all. Couldn't he?

Oh gods. His father.

How his respect for him had grown in these past few months. How had he done it? Gotten all his chiefing done and still had time to spend with his son, friends, and still had free time left?

And Toothless. He hadn't seen the dragon for a week now; an Alpha had responsibilities to his kind, of course, as so did Hiccup.

He rubbed at him eyes, finding his vision slightly blurred from lack of food and sleep he'd had lately. His left leg was starting to pound again, and he hoped another phantom pain wouldn't come on tonight. That was the last thing he needed right now. More problems.

Astrid suddenly let out a breath from above him. "Hiccup, we're going home. Right now. Come on, get up. You're officially on vacation until you start thinking clearly again."

He looked back up at her, sighing. "Astrid-"

"Don't you 'Astrid' me, Mr. Haddock. I am your future wife, for Thor's sake, and it is my job to watch over you."

She grabbed his arm, dragging him upwards.

But as Hiccup was forced to stand, although he had showed some signs of weariness earlier, his skin colour had been normal and he appeared to be healthy enough. Now looking at the pasty white skin that was sweating and clammy in the touch, Astrid was truly concerned about Hiccup's state of mind and health.

The chief's vision blurred, and he knew that he needed to sit back down immediately so the world would stop spinning around him. But why was everything getting so fuzzy? Why wouldn't his knees stop trembling?

"H-hurts," he managed out as his face and left leg began to pound relentlessly once more.

His mind decided that enough was enough, and he lost whatever pallor he had left. He felt his legs underneath betray him and lose all of their strength. They now felt like mutton and no longer had the willpower to hold him upwards. He felt himself start to topple forward but couldn't prevent the descent.

Astrid could see what was going to happen, and only just managed to grab a hold of Hiccup before he fell unconscious to the floor.

"Hiccup, oh gods, oh gods," she gasped aloud as she cradled his body, slowly lowering him to the ground. "Hiccup. Hiccup can you hear me?"

But Hiccup had fainted dead-away, and it didn't look like he was going to wake up any time soon.

Waking was painful, but there was a persistent voice in Hiccup's head that kept telling him that he needed to get up, so, quite unwillingly, he obliged and forced his eyes open.

Everything was a haze around him. He was still somewhere in the forge, he noticed, and Astrid was hovering above him. Was that Gobber beside her? And Snotlout? And Fishlegs, and even the twins?

"C'mon, laddie, don't pass out again," Gobber chided from above him..

Hiccup blinked. "What…" His voice was scratchy, and he coughed to clear it. "What happened?"

"You fainted," Astrid told him, her tone serious. "Hiccup, you see? You're not fine?"

Hiccup forced himself upwards, using his elbows to prop himself up. He was on a small makeshift cot, pushed away to the side in the forge. When he was younger, he had used to use this cot on nights where his father wasn't home and Gobber invited him to sleep over.

A pang of loneliness stabbed at Hiccup's heart. How he wished his father was here with him now.

"Astrid got us after she couldn't wake yeh up," Gobber explained. "Figured yeh were out cold. Now, 'iccup, what've yeh been doing to make yeh so weak lately?"

"I…" Hiccup trailed off, too embarrassed to admit that he wasn't strong enough to take on the responsibility as Chief alone yet. "I guess I…"

"You fainted." Snotlout was unable to stifle his laughter. "Hiccup, the great Chief of Berk, fainted… oh gee, wait till the rest of Berk hears about this."

Astrid turned to him, furious. "He passed out from serve exhaustion and malnutrition, Snotlout! That's nothing to be laughed at!"

"Yeah, can you blame him?" Tuffnut clucked his tongue. "He's like a damsel in distress half the time. Needs constant watch over him."

Ruffnut brightened. "I do enjoy babysitting. Astrid, what d'you say? How much do I get a week?"

Astrid brushed them aside with a shake of her head. She looked down at Hiccup, her expression one of concern. "Hiccup, babe, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You know that. I know you're stubborn, but there is a limit. And you've just crossed it."

Hiccup shifted on the cot uncomfortably. "I guess…. you're right." He sat all the way up, pressing a hand to his aching forehead. "I overdid it this time."

Gobber smirked. "Yeh think?"

"I probably should have asked you guys for help," Hiccup continued, looking at them all. "I don't know how my father handled all of this, but… I'm not him. I can never be as strong as he was… no matter how hard a I try."

Gobber barked out a laugh. "Hiccup, lad, yehr father couldn't run an entire village alone either! No, I helped him when he needed it, as did many other people. Even the strongest need help at times."

Hiccup released a shaky breath. "Then, I guess…" He looked up at them all. "Will you guys… help me with a few things sometimes? If you want to, of course. I don't want to pressure you into anything..."

"Of course, Hiccup!" Fishlegs exclaimed, waving it off like it was nothing. "I'll do whatever you need me to, you know that!"

"We'll do some stuff too," Ruffnut offered. "Just as long as it has danger involved. And fire. Ooh, can there be fire?"

Snotlout grunted, and crossed his arms. "I mean, I suppose I could take some time out of my busy schedule if you needed me for some important task you're not able to do by yourself. Only if I feel like it, though."

"And yeh know where to find me, lad," Gobber grinned, tipping his head.

Hiccup was suddenly overwhelmed with indescribable gratitude, and for once, he didn't know what to say.

"I-I just… thank you, guys. It means a lot," he whispered.

Astrid put a hand on his shoulder, and he placed his on top of it with a gentle smile.

"Ready to go back home, Hiccup?" she said.

Hiccup hesitated for a moment, but then gave a nod. "And I don't know about any of you guys, but," he chuckled, "I'm ready for a nap."

Astrid laughed, as did the others. "Well, I'll watch over you while you do," she teased. "I don't want you waking up and secretly going off to do another 'chiefly duty'. We'll get whatever you need done. We're your friends."

"That's what we're for," Tuffnut finished proudly.

"I know," Hiccup smiled, and he took them all in again.

The gang was together once more. His father may have been gone, he may have been the new chief of Berk, but life was still moving along, no matter how quick and difficult it seemed at times.

It was time to put his old world behind him.

So, he did.

And he stepped into a new one.

Reviews are VERY MUCH appreciated! Happy birthday again to Nindragon! Happy reading!

-thepurplewriter333

(Update: Thanks for the critique, imagination-running! :D)