Author's Note: 122 follows…you guys are amazing. Thank you so much, all of you.

This chapter is part one of three, so the last scene will be continued.

It is now November 23rd in the story. There will be a two part holiday chapter coming up soon.

Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train Your Dragon, Titanic or Gone with the Wind.

4 months, 2 weeks and 2 days

Astrid woke up to the sound of the TV blaring in the other room. She could see through Heather's open door across the hall that the dark-haired girl was already out doing whatever it was she left to do every morning. She pulled her pillow over her head to block out Ruffnut's one-sided argument with the TV, wishing for just a few more hours of sleep.

She forced herself out of bed and grabbed a hair tie from her nightstand before following the angry voice into the main room.

"Oh come on! It's just water," Ruffnut growled. She glared at the TV from the couch, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What are you talking about?" Astrid asked.

"It's just water. They're going to be fine." Her friend gestured to the movie on the screen with a huff.

"Titanic?" she snorted. "I never took you as the romantic drama kind of person."

"I'm not. There's nothing else on," Ruff groaned.

"If you hate it so much then why are you watching it?" Astrid asked as she went into the kitchen.

"Because it's so stupid. It's impossible to not see all the things they did wrong. I mean, she should have stayed on the stupid boat! Now he's gonna die and it's her fault. He would have been fine if she listened for once."

Astrid raised an eyebrow at the taller blonde. "It's so weird to see you like this," she admitted.

"Like what?" Ruffnut growled.

"Acting like… like a girl."

Ruffnut gaped at her. "Take that back!" she shouted.

"It's true," Astrid laughed as she backed into the counter.

"No. It's. Not."

"Yes. It. Is."

"I'm gonna kill you…" Ruff seethed. She jumped over the back of the couch and ran at Astrid, the look in her eyes almost murderous.

"Rachel!" Astrid ducked under her arm and sprinted for the bathroom, grinning. She grabbed the blanket on the couch and threw it at Ruffnut as she turned down the hallway.

"Hey!" The other girl cried as the blanket hit her square in the chest.

"All is fair in love and war!" Astrid called over her shoulder.

"If this is love, then what do you consider war?" Ruffnut asked.

"Who said it was love, Rach?" She teased as she reached the bathroom. She made a face at Ruffnut before slamming the door shut. She locked it and snickered as her friend kicked and banged on the door.

"Get out here!" Ruffnut growled.

"Why? So we can watch Gone With the Wind together?" Astrid asked.

"You're the worst!" Ruffnut groaned.

"That's why you love me."

The banging and threats came to a stop. Astrid pressed her ear against the door and listened as Ruffnut's footsteps grew quieter and quieter. The TV was shut off, and the apartment suddenly became a war zone where any wrong move could get Astrid killed.

She backed away from the door, knowing better than to open it and let Ruffnut pounce on her. The other girl was probably right outside the door, just waiting For an opportunity to strike…

The front door open and shut with a click. There was nothing after that. Not even the sound of someone breathing. For a second she might have considered peeking into the living room to make sure Ruff was really gone, but she banished the thought to the back of her mind.

Until one of them have up she would be stuck in the bathroom with nothing but a hair brush and a bottle of shampoo to protect herself with. Her phone was still on the nightstand in her bedroom all the way across the hall. Making a run for it would be suicide.

But then again, Ruffnut wouldn't go as far as turning the TV off and pretending to leave the apartment to lure Astrid out of the bathroom over such a small thing. She could barely refrain from talking for that long. But then again, she was Ruffnut.

Astrid grasped the knob and turned it as slowly and quietly as possible. She took a deep breath before poking her head through the small crack, half-expecting Ruffnut to be standing right in front of it. But she wasn't. The apartment looked completely empty.

Had she really been hurt by what Astrid said? Ruff had never taken kindly to being treated like a girl before, so maybe that was it, and she just needed a little bit of time to cool down before coming back to the apartment.

But when did Ruff ever try to control her anger? Never.

Astrid opened the door and stepped into the hall, wincing when the floor freaked under her foot. She looked both ways before walking into the living room. The TV was off, the blanket still lying on the floor where it had been dropped.

"Ruffnut?" Astrid called. There was no response, which worried her even more. She looked into the kitchen. Nothing.

"Oh come on. What do you want me to say? I'm-"

She turned to go back into the living room and found herself face to face with Ruffnut, who grinned when she saw her look of absolute shock. She stumbled into the counter, pain flaring in her hip when it connected with the edge of the counter.

"Holy shit! Where- h-how did you…"

"Don't be such a girl, Astrid. It doesn't look good on you," Ruffnut snickered.

Astrid punched Ruff's shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest, frowning. Ruff pretended to be in pain and groaned as she jumped up on the counter.

"Ow, my dignity," she teased.

"Shut up," Astrid mumbled.

"Hey, don't be such an Ice Queen. You have to admit that I got you good."

"Fine. You got me. Happy?" Astrid said.

"I am actually," Ruffnut chuckled, "But you're not. What's up?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine, Ruff." Astrid said as she grabbed a glass from the cupboard.

"Lying doesn't work with me. I know you too well. It's about Hotcup, isn't it?" Ruffnut asked.

Astrid held her glass under the sink faucet and watched it slowly fill up. "Hotcup?" she scoffed.

"Pretty good, huh?"

"No. I was going to the opposite actually," Astrid said. She turned the faucet off and lifted the glass to her lips, smirking.

"Hey, he's pretty easy on the eyes. I mean, for a nerd and all." Ruffnut shrugged and tapped her fingers on the edge of the counter.

"He's not a nerd," Astrid sighed.

"Only a nerd would say that… Oh Gods, you're becoming one of them!" Ruffnut cackled.

"I am not a nerd!"

"Yes you are! Just give up and admit it! It's so obvious," Ruffnut said.

"I'm not a nerd, Ruff."

"Sure you aren't…"

Astrid groaned and rolled her eyes as she set the empty glass in the sink. "Whatever. I have an appointment at one and then I have to check out that apartment. I don't have time to argue with you," she said.

"Ice Queen!"

"What do you mean you can't let me in until two? I have an appointment at one, that won't work," Astrid said to the voice on the other end of the line.

Apparently her landlord was visiting her father and couldn't give Astrid the keys to the apartment until she got back, which would be when Astrid was still on her way back from her appointment.

"But isn't there someone who… Yes, I know. I just want to see the apartment," she sighed. She glanced at the wooden door behind her, 10A. The apartment Hiccup was supposed to be there seeing with her.

"Please, there has to be a way." Nope, not unless she drove halfway across town to get the keys and then drove all the way back before her appointment in an hour.

"Fine. Can I come back tomorrow?" she asked. "Great. I'll see you then."

Astrid folded a hand over her side when the subtle ache returned from when she had backed into the counter that morning. It seemed to slowly be moving forward and growing more intense. Just great. Another thing to add to her to do list.

She looked down at her phone and chewed her lip. With the mood she was in after talking to her landlord and the pain in her side, having a sonogram really wasn't a good idea. She scrolled through her contacts and lifted the phone to her ear as she walked down the steps.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I need to cancel an appointment for Astrid Hofferson…"