Surprised to see me? I have literally no excuses for abandoning this for so long but if I'm being honest, I got really busy really fast and had to put this story on the back burner for a little bit. I was always committed to finishing it though! My mantra is I can't start a new story until I finish my current one. I've wanted to get back to writing fanfics for a while but couldn't until this story was done. So here we go, the last chapter/sort of epilogue.

Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me thus far. You're all the reasons I wanted to get back to this and my motivation for finishing.

And with that, we begin.

Chapter 13

A shrill, reverberating cry cut through the cool night the air like a knife. It echoed off the many walls of the Haddock house and reached the ears of all the sleeping forms within it. On any other day such a cry would be cause for alarm and responded to immediately. However today, it was responded to by many groans and a severe reluctance to address the situation... as this was the third time it happened in the last hour.

Hiccup rolled over nearer to the end of his shared bed and let his arm hang down. He sighed heavily and peeled open his sleep deprived eyes. Taking in the room around him, he assessed that it was indeed not a dream and therefore he must deal with it. He slowly slid himself out of the bed and onto the floor, hoisting himself up and feeling nearly every bone in his body crack. He stretched himself out, hearing a stinging noise in her ear as he did, and paid careful attention to not put too much weight on his "good" leg as it was still in the last stages of healing. He opted to lean more on his prosthetic instead. Usually Toothless would assist him if he needed help orienting himself but the black scaled dragon was sound asleep, moss plugs fitted snugly inside his ears.

Hiccup trudged along in total darkness and followed the sound of the cry. It was a familiar path so no candle was needed to light his way. However, in his tired state he still managed to nearly trip over an object on the floor. Too exhausted to even react he merely clunked past it and kicked it to the side, muttering a few profanities in the process. He limped on, the rhythmic, mechanical noises of his makeshift leg now mixing with the shill cries.

Slowly but surely, he reached his destination. It was only across the room but it was still a trek- especially at such an ungodly hour in the morning. Before Hiccup was a bed partially of his own, partially of Gobber's, creation. It was a small bed modified for the safety of the precious form sleeping in it. Wooden bars adorned the open portion of the bed so that the being inside had no chance of slipping out, however the top remained fully open for easy access. The contraption was new but worked amazingly. It wouldn't be long before everyone on Berk wanted one.

Inside the barred bed lay the source of the shrill cry. A small, warmly dressed baby boy was fussing about and causing the loud noise. Hiccup reached over the bars and carefully took the small child in his arms. As he lifted him, he whispered a string of quiet "sh's" in an attempt to calm him down. Upon being lifted, the baby calmed down quite a bit and only mildly squirmed around.

"Let's go downstairs so we can let your mother sleep, huh?" Hiccup whispered as he grabbed a cloth from the bed and placed it on his shoulder. He brought the bundle up toward him and placed a delicate hand on his head. Carefully, he placed him so that he was resting gently upright against his chest. Hiccup innately placed a comforting kiss on the baby's head as they began their careful assent down the stairs.

Only two short months ago Hiccup and Astrid had welcomed their new son to the family. They'd named him Jasper after the gemstone, since a gem saved Hiccup and allowed for him to be there. Jasper was a healthy baby due to the fact that Astrid took extra care of herself while carrying him. His birth was painful yet relatively smooth. It wasn't anything Astrid couldn't handle.

All throughout the pregnancy, however, Hiccup was the one really hurting. The spar had merely brought him back to life, not healed him. His excursion on Toothless and subsequent fall caused a host of injuries and problems from which he had to recover. For months he was bedridden and unable to walk due to the fact that his good leg had nearly shattered. The effects of the poison still riddled throughout his body as well. Yet none of the struggle mattered for Astrid was right by his side resting with him. For those seven months, the Haddock family trio was perfectly pieced together in a picture of true family.

Now, two months later, Hiccup held his son in the hearth of his home, gawking at how amazing he was. In front of the fireplace which he had lit, he locked eyes with the small pair below him that looked back with a sense of wonder. Freshly cried tears still remained on Jasper's soft cheeks but now, in his father's arms, he was content.

"Why are you crying? It should be me who's crying. I have more to cry about then you do. Oh, if only you knew what lies ahead of you. I'm pretty sure my own father said the same thing to me when I was your age. I didn't have a clue. And when it finally came time to face it, I just pushed it off and ran away. Now look at me. I still don't know the first thing about being a chief. I refused to accept it and when I finally had no other choice I was thrown into a world I wasn't ready for. I was still just a kid who liked flying on dragons. I didn't know it would start wars and morally offend everybody. Jeez.

"But I'm not a kid now. I'm your father. You're the kid. And I still don't know what I'm doing. Grandma, that's still so weird to say, she's helping as best she can but she doesn't have a clue either. I mean, she left me when I was around your age. Not on purpose but I know why she did it. I'd never do it to you but I get where she was coming from. I do. We're figuring it out together. For the better part of my life I've never known what I'm doing. Gods, I hope that doesn't happen to you. You've got a lot ahead of you. But I promise I'll help the best I can.

"I envy you, Jasper. I do. What I wouldn't give to be small and innocent again. To just... exist. To not have any responsibilities, villages to rule, wars to stop, you know. Treasure this time, my son. Before you know it you'll be fighting your mortal enemies, getting poisoned, and being miraculously brought back to life. Treasure your life. You're still so small, so full of wonder. You're not even going to remember these early days when you reach an age like mine. But still, just treasure life. It's so worth living.

"Getting to watch you grow up is worth a thousand lifetimes to me. I'd never miss this for anything. I can't believe I almost did. You are my world and a piece of me. Having you is the light I was looking for. I got a second chance at life... and a third when you were born. I am constantly in awe of you. You are everything to me. I hope you never forget. You're my life. And I will always love you."

Hiccup placed a small kiss on his son's small forehead as he gently rocked him out of habit. Jasper's eyes were blinking up at his father's almost as if he'd heard and understood everything being said to him. The two were connected and nothing could ever break it.

"Hiccup." A feminine voice whispered from behind him. Hiccup turned his head and saw Astrid standing at the base of the stairs with a smile plastered on her face and tears welling in her eyes.

"That was beautiful." She said.

"I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry." Was Hiccup's reply.

"You didn't. I was already awake from the last time."

"Oh." Astrid walked over to the couch were Hiccup was sitting and placed herself beside him. She reached for her son and brushed a stray, dirty blonde lock of hair away from his eyes, eyes that were already blinking closed. She mouthed a silent "hello" to Jasper and widened her smile, pursing her lips.

The scene before Astrid was one she never thought she'd have. In her early years as a shield maiden, she never even imagined nor wanted it. She was content to live her life killing dragons and becoming a fierce warrior, perhaps even challenging Hiccup for the chiefdom one day. Never would she have considered that she'd be married to him with a child, no less.

But yet, here they were. In the calm peace of the warming fire, Astrid counted her blessings. Her world was shaken, rocked, and turned upside down within the course of a few days, and it took even longer to flip it back. Her new normal took some getting used to but when she did, she wouldn't have it any other way. If anything, the ordeal brought her family closer together than ever before. It made her realize just how much others mean to her and to always appreciate them, for life is short and at any minute could be cut even shorter.

Hiccup too was almost grateful for the experience. Dying had showed him how much he really wanted to live and what was really important at the end of the day. Maybe he wasn't the chief his father was and maybe he never would be but he was Hiccup, the chief Berk needed now. His people, his family, were far more important than wallowing in self doubt. Hiccup was also a father and his son needed him more than ever. The events that transpired only made him stronger and his will that much greater.

"Looks like he's nodding off again." Hiccup whispered to Astrid.

"I guess he just missed his father." Astrid stated as she placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder.

"I guess so."

"I'm glad you're here." Astrid let the words slip from her mouth abruptly, most likely due to the lack of sleep.

"Huh?"

"I couldn't have done this without you. I mean I would have... I was going to. But, I'm just so glad you're here."

"I'm not going anywhere ever again, Astrid."

"What was it like?" Astrid's question hung in the air as Hiccup sighed. He knew what she was asking without needing her to clarify. He took his time collecting his thoughts, thoughts he wasn't even sure he could interpret, before he spoke.

"I saw my father. He was kind of... standing there on the beach next to you, with his palm open. He didn't say anything but... I took it. I just reached up and took it. I felt- good. Warm. Safe. But next thing I knew I was gasping for air and I heard you talking, something about being alive. I didn't even know I died."

The only thing that could be heard was the breathing of the three souls and the crackling of the fire. Astrid didn't know how to respond to Hiccup's story other than to move her hand to cup his cheek and gaze into his eyes.

"It was good to see him one last time." Hiccup added. Astrid exhaled a small amount of air and ran her thumb against his skin.

"Oh, Hiccup. He'd be so proud of you now."

"I hope."

"I know." Astrid leaned in and gave Hiccup a small peck, the action and quick, close lean causing Jasper, who had fallen back asleep, to slightly stir. Astrid pulled back and adjusted the blankets which her son was wrapped in absentmindedly.

"We should get back to bed," she sighed. "He'll wake up hungry again in an hour and I need the sleep before then." Astrid stood up and offered her hand to Hiccup to help him stand up. Since his injury she'd been nursing him to health, including aiding him in daily necessities like standing and walking. Although he pretty much healed, it was natural instinct at this point and neither one of them noticed or minded.

Hiccup made sure his son was secure in his arm before grabbing Astrid's hand and standing, swaying a little bit quickly regaining balance.

"Astrid." He started rather than asked but Astrid still replied.

"Yes?"

"I have a question."

"Shoot." She said as they began walking back toward the stairs arm in arm. However, Hiccup stopped at the base and handed Jasper over to Astrid as to free both his hands so he could place one on her shoulder.

"Well, I know we haven't really talked about it since because things have been so... what they've been. But we're back now. And I want to be doing this right. Since we're technically, in the eyes of the law, divorced, I was wondering if maybe you'd..."

"Hiccup," Astrid interrupted. "Divorce annulled, retracted, whatever I didn't mean it."

"But you did it. I'm not mad, I would have done the same thing- maybe. But anyway, Astrid I love you, and I never want to lose you. So... will you marry me? Again? For real this time?"

Astrid couldn't help but laugh, a real genuine laugh. She hadn't laughed, really laughed, in a long time. Perhaps even before any of this even happened. But once it started, like crying, she couldn't stop. She'd have broken out into a full blown fit if she weren't conscious of the baby in her arms. It felt so good for her to finally release everything she'd been holding in the past months. All the tensity, the hurt, the pain, just melted away as she laughed. A few tears sprang to her eyes but this time, welcome tears.

"Oh my Gods." she responded to a confused Hiccup.

"Astrid?" He asked.

"I hadn't even thought," she spoke through now dying down laughter. "But, oh Gods. Yes, of course. I'll marry you again. Are you crazy?"

"What, what was so funny?" Hiccup found himself beginning to chuckle too.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know." Astrid's reply was sincere.

"It was kind of a lame re-proposal."

"It's just... it's over. It's finally over. And..." Astrid smiled a relieved smile and glanced down at Jasper who was still sound asleep in her loving arms.

"We promised till death do us part. And it did. But we're still together. It's ironic." Astrid laughed a short, final laugh.

"I think we need stronger vows this time." Hiccup suggested as he and Astrid began to ascend the stairs.

"How about... till the last sunrise?"

"Too corny."

"Till the end?"

"Too vague."

"Till time stops turning?"

"Time is a social construct."

"Ugh! How about... till nothing do us part?"

"Nothing... hmmm."

"Because apparently nothing ever can."

"I like it. Till nothing do us part, because nothing ever can." By now they'd reached the top of the steps and Hiccup turned to Astrid, glancing at their son, and then back to her. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled like the night stars and Hiccup knew he was home.

"Amen."

Astrid planted another quick kiss on Hiccup's lips before grabbing his hand with her free one, partly to help him walk but mostly to never let him go again. They headed toward their bedroom where they would both remain together, forever, until the last sunrise, until the end, until time stopped turning, until nothing, not even death, did them part.

Well I can finally say that now I finished the story! Woo! I realllyyy don't like abandoning without notice so again I'm super sorry I did. Thank you for everyone for your support and reviews! It's really what pushed me to complete the story. This was also my most reviewed story (of my two, haha) with a little over 100 reviews! When starting this like two years ago I never thought it would get this far but that's all thanks to you, so thank you.

In the near future, look out for perhaps another story that may be coming your way soon. I have some ideas and I'll be working on them, this time probably trying to stay a few chapters ahead so I can actually publish on time.

Anyway thanks for sticking around, everyone and I hope you enjoyed the ride! I sure did! :)