Twenty minutes passed when Hiccup was shook awake by his father. Hiccup sat up straight and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Stoick handed him a bowl of soup and a wooden spoon.

Here, Hiccup. Eat up."

"Thanks, dad."

"I'll go downstairs to send up your healer."

"Who is she?"

"Don't waste time asking questions. You need to finish your soup before she comes up. In the meantime, I'll go get Gobber to help me survey the condition of the village. And don't worry, Hiccup. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Before Hiccup could respond, Stoick began his journey down the stairs. Hiccup looked at his soup and thought that it looked edible. He dipped his spoon in the soup and proceeded to eat.

Moments later, Hiccup finished half of the bowl of soup and decided to take a break from eating. He gently set the bowl down on the floor before he sneezed. Toothless roused from the loud noise and stared at the sick Hiccup.

"Sorry, bud."

Toothless replied with a purring murmur.

"I wish I wasn't sick."

Toothless gave Hiccup a sympathetic look. Hiccup gave him a reassuring smile.

"At least I know I'll get better sooner or later."

Feeling that Hiccup was going to be okay, Toothless went back to sleep. Hiccup stared at Toothless wishing he could go back to sleep with such ease, but he couldn't. He felt weak and tense.

Just when Hiccup felt he could relax again, he heard the stairs creak. His back tightened up from the unpleasant sound that came from the wooden staircase. But with luck, the creaking ceased and the sound that followed were soft taps of the foot. Hiccup's back loosened up while he waited for the healer to come. He was curious which woman his father could find and convince her to help him get better. After waiting for a minute or so, Hiccup saw the healer come up. She was wearing a charcoal colored cloth cloak with a hood and she was holding a basket full of herbs. As she got closer to his bed, the healer took off her hood to reveal her face. Hiccup was shocked when he saw her face.

"Astrid? What are you doing here?"

Astrid smiled at Hiccup and then gave him a light, playful punch to the shoulder before sitting down at the side of his bed.

"For a smart guy, you sure are dumb, Hiccup. I'm here to help you get better."

Hiccup rubbed his shoulder to ease the pain when Astrid punched him even though it didn't that much. He did it more out of habit.

"I know that. But why?"

Astrid began to take out some herbs from the basket.

"Your father asked my mom for help, but she was taking care of my younger brother and sister, so she sent me in her place."

Hiccup lurched his head forward.

"You can heal people?"

Not paying attention to Hiccup's surprised expression, Astrid took out a small water jug, mortar, and pestle.

"Well, sort of. I'm good enough to be a back-up healer. You know, if all the professional healers were occupied or gone off somewhere, I could step in and help."

Hiccup was impressed by the fact that Astrid was capable of healing people. He wished he knew about her little medical gift sooner because then he could save such valuable information about Astrid for future references.

"I wish I knew sooner."

Astrid leaned forward and placed her hand over Hiccup's forehead to check his temperature. His temperature was a few degrees higher than usual.

"Knew what?"

"About your hidden talent."

Astrid withdrew her hand from Hiccup's forehead. She could swear to Thor that she had a fever herself because her face felt warm. She coughed to clear her throat and brushed her side bangs out of her left eye.

"I wouldn't really call it a talent."

"Why not?"

Astrid began to grind some herbs together with the mortar and pestle.

"It's not like I'm so good at healing that everyone would come to me for help. I'm just back-up."

"I still think you have talent. I think with some practice you could become a great healer. Maybe you could even take Gothi's place someday."

Astrid ceased at what she was doing momentarily. Her ocean blue eyes met with Hiccup's forest green eyes.

"I think your fever is making you delusional."

"I'm not delusional, Astrid!"

"Right…You're not delusional."

Astrid went back to completing the herb powder and mixed it with water in the jug.

"I'm not delusional."

Then Hiccup was deathly silent as he searched for evidence to back-up his claim from his brain. Something came to him He shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

"I thought I was delusional when I had a crush on you, Astrid."

Astrid glanced up at Hiccup for a brief moment before returning her focus on mixing the medicine together.

"I thought that I would always like you from afar and you would have never like me back and that would be the extent of our relationship with each other. But then we got closer; trusted and respected each other, and then true love grew. My crush on you, my delusion of you liking me became a reality. So, I know that when I said you had talent as a healer I wasn't delusional."

Astrid looked up at Hiccup. She felt like she was paralyzed and her nose, cheeks, and ears were burning up.

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

Astrid gave Hiccup a gentle smile and he reflected her expression. It was unfortunate that the tender moment between the two Viking teens was ruined by the alarming and persistent coughing fit Hiccup fell into. Astrid quickly finished mixing of herbs and water and helped Hiccup drink the medicine. Once he drank the last drop, Hiccup gave the water jug back to Astrid. She placed the jug, mortar, and pestle back in the basket with the unused herbs. Then she locked eyes with Hiccup again.

"Do you feel better?"

"Much better. Thank you."

Astrid smiled.

"Well, you should feel all better once the medicine takes effect. But until then you should rest up."

"Okay. Thanks again for taking care of me."

"Sure thing, Hiccup."

Then she punched him in the shoulder. This time was a little harder than the first punch. Hiccup grasped his shoulder.

"What was that for?"

"For scaring me. You really got me worried when your father said that you were sick."

"Well, that will happen to people when they stay out in the cold when it's windy, raining, or snowing."

Astrid was quiet for a little while and then leaned in and kissed Hiccup on the cheek. Hiccup stared at Astrid in awe.

"What was that for?"

"For everything else."

"But I didn't do anything."

"It's not always what you do, but sometimes what you don't do too."

Then she gestured to all of Hiccup.

"You just gestured to all of me."

"Exactly. I'm thankful that you're still yourself and for the fact that you're okay."

Hiccup's cheeks turned to a nice rosy color.

"Oh. THAT."

All of a sudden, Toothless shifted in his sleep. Hiccup and Astrid turned their attention to the lone NightFury.

"Is he okay?"

"Oh, yeah. Toothless is fine. He's just sleeping."

Astrid looked back at Hiccup.

"Well, I'd better get back home."

"Okay."

Astrid collected her things and stood up from the bed. She took a few steps toward the stairs before Hiccup called to her.

"Astrid. Wait."

The young Viking woman stopped in her tracks and turned her head toward the heir to the Hairy Hooligans tribe.

"Yes, Hiccup?"

"I hope your little brother and sister get better."

Astrid could feel her heart strings being plucked into a soothing melody and her soul tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Thanks, Hiccup."

"Sure thing, Astrid."

Then, at once, Astrid bid Hiccup goodbye and went down the stairs putting on her hood. Hiccup laid down on his bed once Astrid was out of sight and fell asleep.

To Be Continued…