Fluff mixed with a little bit of angst here because I felt like it.
As I wrote in the first chapter this does NOT follow a chronological order :)
Here you go!
Hiccup woke up to piercing scream echoing in his head.
He sat up abruptly and touched the other side of the bed as a reflex just to find it empty.
His head snapped around and in the dark he could make out the slender silhoutte of his wife holding a little bundle in her arms.
"Shh" she was whispering to the crying baby "Come on, sweetie. Don't cry, Mommy's here. Shh, my love, everything is okay"
"Astrid" he called, but she didn't even seem to aknowledge his presence.
Rays of moonlight lit up the room a little and Hiccup saw tears on his beloved face.
He suddenly jumped out of bed and ran to her.
"Hey, babe, it's okay" he said softly pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Astrid's body shook "She won't stop crying" she sobbed "What if something's wrong with her? What if she has a fever? Kids die of fever!"
Little Halla only cried harder upon hearing her mother's exclamation.
Hiccup frowned "Astrid, you're scaring the baby, come on, take a deep breath" he tried to sound calm but that only sent her off the edge.
Astrid narrowed her eyes "Oh, Frigga, what a horrible mother I am!" she looked down at the baby lovingly "I am sorry, my little warrior. Shh, please don't cry"
Hiccup sighed.
He walked over to them and gently took Halla from his wife's arms.
Astrid plopped on the bed, her expression empty.
He cradled the baby in his arms and lulled her slowly.
"Hey, little dragon. Everything is okay, daddy and mommy are here. Shh, don't cry"
He wiped the tears away from his daughter's face and she took the opportunity to take his fingers with her tiny hands.
He chuckled realising her cries had stopped.
Halla watched him with her big green eyes so much like his own, those few blonde hair messy on her little head.
She let out a little giggle when Hiccup bent over and nuzzled his nose in her belly.
He held her until her breath slowed and she fell asleep.
Then he gently placed her in the crib he had made himself.
He kissed her forehead.
He let out a sigh of relief when he felt it cold and not burning with fever.
He turned to find Astrid staring at the wall, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.
He knelt in front of her and took her hands.
"Hey, Astrid" he called.
She looked down at him "I'm so sorry" she murmured.
"What for?" he asked stroking her cold legs.
"I'm not exactly the mother someone would whish for their kids"
Hiccup snorted and sat next to her.
Halla had been really hard.
She was born in early October, just before the freezing winter had started. Now, in December, it had only intensified.
Kids often died because of the cold, leaving their parents mourning over their little bodies.
Hiccup and Astrid were worried sick that would happen to their baby as well.
But while he tried to look calm and controlled, she freaked out every time Halla sneezed and covered her with thousands of furs.
He took her by her armpits and leaned his back on the wall, placing her beetween his legs.
"You are the mother everone would dream of" he said.
"I made her cry even more" she muttered.
"It's not your fault. You're tired and worried. You should just sleep a little more, then you'll see how more lucid you'll be.
You'll handle this situation in a different way"
She shook her head "I can't afford to sleep" she deadpanned "What if she needs me and I'm asleep? No, I can't, Hic"
Hiccup pressed his lips on her neck.
Astrid shivered at first, but then relaxed into his embrace.
He smiled. He knew that would calm her down.
He trailed kisses up and down her throat and she leaned onto him, tangling their fingers together.
"Now we'll sleep some hours" he said against her skin "And tomorrow morning we'll think about it, okay?"
She turned her head and kissed him lightly "Thank you" she whispered.
He stroked his nose against hers "Anything for you, milady"
Astrid looked at the crib and Hiccup kissed her temple "She's snoring, do you hear her? She's a warrior just like her mother, she'll be alright"
She let out a nervous little laugh.
"You should sleep as well. I'll be here awake to see if she needs anything"
"Thank you"
Astrid snuggled against his body and he held her tightly.
All of her desperation and problems crushed her and she fell asleep swiftly in his arms.
Hiccup watched his women's sleeping forms and swore to himself that he would let nothing hurt his family, not even that stupid winter.
Aaand there it is! Hope you liked it!
Hopefully I'll keep this name for Hiccup and Astrid's daughter in the future! :)
Love you guys!
-Clary Chase