Chapter Eighteen

A/N: Okay so...apparently this is the second to last chapter. WOW! (I hadn't anticipated it going this quickly!)

But I just wanted to say: This has been a wonderful adventure for me and I'm so happy you guys enjoyed it so much! Thanks for sticking around and putting up with my antics, as well as leaving all those wonderful reviews.

This chapter might be a tear-jerker...I don't know. (It's hard to tell when you're the writer sometimes...plus, I don't cry at movies/books so...meh. You tell me.)

The whole time I was writing this, I was listening to the HTTYD ost "Where's Hiccup" so...DRAMA INCOMING!

"Take that, ya' brute!" Gobber barks as he slams the butt of his axe over the last Berserker's head. The enemy soldier crumples to the floor under the weight of the blow, right beside his fallen companion. The burly viking nods, satisfied. He claps his hands together as if to dust them off and flashes a smirk at Astrid. She is standing in the corner, where Gobber found her when he first arrived. A rather uncomfortable looking cut runs along her left cheek, trickling blood down her chin. "Are you alright, Astrid?" He asks.

The blonde girl nods. "This is nothing..." She says, wiping some of the blood off with her thumb. "Where's Hiccup?"

"I left him at the Forge. It didn't look like he could walk anymore..."

She frowns but seems to understand why he left him behind. "Let's go find him before something else happens."

Gobber nods at her. "Good idea."

Toothless, who has started to recover from the effects of the dragon nip, also stands up. He shakes his head, as if to clear it from the fog and coos at them. Astrid smiles and motions for him to follow them.

"Come on, boy. Let's go get Hiccup."

Astrid's boots crunch through the snow as she runs toward the blacksmith shop. Toothless is several feet in front of her, his green eyes focused on the building where his Rider is. He lifts his nose and sniffs the air, his eyes growing wide as he suddenly picks up pace. Seeing this, Astrid's expression turns grim. That can't be good, she decides.

Seconds later, they burst into the front door of the Forge. Astrid immediately calls Hiccup's name. She looks around, furiously...her eyes falling on the battered figure in the far corner. Hiccup is asleep, his broken body resting against the wall. Or...is he? She draws closer, noticing the deathly pale coloring of his skin, the dark bags beneath his eyes, the blood-stained bandage around his stomach... Could it be...? She kneels down in front of him, reaching out with a shaking hand. A shiver goes through her when she touches him. So cold... "H...Hiccup?" She asks, gently shaking his shoulder. "Hey, wake up."

He doesn't respond. His head lulls, limply to the side when she moves him.

"Hiccup...?" She whispers, her voice trembling.

Toothless whimpers, his ears going back as he cringes toward the floor. It can't be... No...

"Hiccup...please." She takes his other shoulder and moves closer, her hands shaking violently. Her eyes sting with the tears that are welling up inside them. "Please don't do this...wake up. Come on..."

He remains perfectly still, his eyes closed. If he is breathing, it's too shallow...she can't see his chest moving.

"No..." She shuts her eyes, not caring that tears spill onto her cheeks. Her breaths hitch and she leans her head against his motionless chest, wrapping her arms around his shoulder. "Hiccup...please wake up..."

Gobber leans his face in his hand, slowly shaking his head at the anguish that fills the room. How did this happen...? And to Hiccup of all people...

Astrid sobs against her friend's body, refusing to believe it. No way... Not Hiccup. But she cries anyway because the evidence is right in front of her. He's just too cold, too still. She vaguely hears Toothless's own mournful whimpers, as well as another noise. She can't quite place it, but right now, she doesn't care. It sounds like whispering. Is someone else here? She holds Hiccup as close as she possibly can, practically cradling him in her arms as more tears flow down her cheeks. Gods... What is she going to do now...? What will she tell Stoick...? What about-

She nearly jumps at the sound of the whispering again. Pulling a bit away from Hiccup, she glances out the window. No one is there. So where did it come from? She can still hear it, slightly. Looking back, she notices Toothless's ears are perked. He hears it too...

"Astrid...?"

Her breath catches. The whispering is... She almost doesn't want to look down. She's so afraid she's wrong...that she's fooling herself...or going crazy. But...it sounded like... "HICCUP!" She cries.

His tired, green eyes are open. A weak little smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "Are you crying...?"

Every eye in the room shoots up, hearing his voice. Toothless jumps to his feet, staring at his Rider in shock.

"Hiccup...!" She sobs again. Only this time, it's not from sorrow. Butterflies dance in her stomach as she laughs in relief. "Oh gods..." She breathes, throwing her arms around his shoulders again. "You scared me to death...don't ever do that again...!" She feels him chuckle beneath her.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to..." He reaches up with a heavy feeling arm and brushes a tear from her cheek. "I didn't think it would be so hard to wake up..." He admits.

She only smiles, brushing a strand of his hair out of his sleepy eyes. "I guess it's okay then..." She jokes. "I won't punch you this time..."

He smirks. "Thanks."

After a moment of thought, she leans down and kisses him. His lips are as cold as the rest of him but she doesn't mind. He's alive... Hiccup's alive... Being this close, she can feel his shallow, gasping breaths as they escape him but just barely. If he wasn't talking to her, she would probably still think he's dead... That thought chills her to the bone. She pulls away, smiling gently at the dreamy look on his face as he looks at her.

"What was that for...?" He wonders, grinning.

She laughs. "Just for being alive..."

Soft, morning light gleams in through the windows of the Haddock house. Astrid, Gobber and Stoick are sitting in the main room, warming themselves by the fire as it crackles, throwing little glowing embers into the air. Toothless is curled up beside them, seeming more relaxed than he has for days.

"So...now what?" Astrid asks, slowly. "What about Dagur...are we just gonna let him off the hook after what he did to Hiccup?"

"Of course not." Stoick replies immediately. "He'll pay for what he's done...but for now, I want to stay here and care for my son. He's more important that finding Dagur."

Astrid nods. For a while, they all sit in silence. That is, until they hear the sound of footsteps coming downstairs. Astrid jumps up, eager to hear what Gothi has to say. Or, well, what Gobber has to translate...

The old woman hobbles into the main room and stops beside them. Gobber gets up as well and goes over to her, prepared to translate whatever she writes. However, his talents aren't needed. Gothi smiles at Astrid and nods her wrinkled head.

Hiccup is going to pull through.

A/N: So yeah, not a whole lot of 'action' in this chapter...but I liked it, regardless. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the conclusion! (As well as the sequel, entitled Escarpment)