GUYS, I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE YESTERDAY. I WAS VERY BUSY WITH...STUFF. AND LIFE. LIFE IS BUSY. But you know what they say. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

But of course, unless life also gives you sugar and water, your lemonade's gonna be awful...

UGH, okay, I'm random. Sorry. I'll do shout-outs next chapter, I promise. My Doc manager's having difficulties at the moment. But yes, and I'll try my best to get another chapter out tonight, WITH shout-outs. :D Thank you all for reviewing! I dare say this story's done yet...

Astrid reached Hiccup's house, rushing up the stairs an instant later. Valarie was the only healer there, who, at the moment, was washing Hiccup's infectious wound.

"Valarie," said Astrid, and then glanced at Hiccup, crossing the room and sitting down on the edge of the bed. She glanced up at the healer with worry in her eyes. "Is he getting better?"

Valarie shook her head. "Not really," she said. "He's eating a little bit, at least, but he's still not putting on weight. His wound is still infected pretty badly, Astrid. He's not really as badly dehydrated as he had been before...but he's still very weak."

"We killed the Gemsho," said Astrid. "It's gone."

"I heard the commotion outside," said Valarie. "I figured you had." Astrid stole a glance at Hiccup's gash, and then quickly averted her gaze. No, she didn't need to look at it more than a quick look. Just from that, she could have said confidently that it looked worse than it had before.

"What do we do about the infection?" Astrid asked. "There has to be something."

Valarie shook her head. "We really just need to keep doing what we're doing and hope that he improves," she said. "He's strong, Astrid, with willpower and stubbornness. I'm sure he'll be alright, in the end."

"But who knows," said Astrid, sounding like a child. "You don't understand, Valarie. You can't just tell me what I want to hear. Tell me what I should hear. Tell me the truth. Does he have a chance?"

"He has a chance," said Valarie, "but I must admit, is his body doesn't get stronger fast, it's a slim one."

Astrid nodded after a moment of letting the shock sit in. She felt Hiccup's forehead, and then looked at Valarie.

"He has another fever," Astrid said.

Valarie nodded. "It's been happening more frequently recently," she said, dipping a cloth in a bucket of water by the bedside and then handing it to Astrid. She took it from the healer and laid it on Hiccup's forehead. "They normally don't last for very long," Valarie continued. "Plus, they're easy to break."

"I don't understand why there's nothing we can do," said Astrid. She hated feeling powerless; she was a warrior. She wasn't used to being useless and helpless, especially towards something like an infection.

"It's an interesting infection," said Valarie. "It's not really getting worse with what I can see, but it's not really getting better, either. When he gets stronger, I could probably drain the infection...but I don't know when that will be."

Before Astrid could speak again, Hiccup started mumbling. "No…" he said. "No...Astrid, no…"

Astrid looked helplessly to the healer to see if she had an answer.

"It's happened once, too, earlier," said Valarie. "He said your name a few times, screamed, and then woke up. I don't really know what's causing it."

"The Gemsho," said Astrid. "This could be an aftereffect, or one last vision before they stop, but the Gemsho told me that it takes fears and uses them against people. And so if he's afraid of me dying, the Gemsho will show him images of me either dying or dead."

"Clever," said Valarie. "And rather creepy."

Hiccup shot awake, sitting up in his bed with a shout of, "NO!" before he cried out in pain, falling backwards. Astrid caught him before he could hit his head against the headboard, holding him in an upright position with his head on her shoulder, her hands across his chest.

"Hiccup!" Astrid said almost without thinking about it. Hiccup didn't respond, panting as he tried to get his breath back. Astrid didn't push him, either. She could feel his heart hammering against his ribs, along with each and every one of his shuddering inhales and exhales.

Valarie took to rewrapping Hiccup's stomach at that moment, working quickly as to finish hastily. Once she was done, she rolled Hiccup's shirt back down over his abdomen and took a step back, clearing her supplies and repacking them.

"Astrid…?" Hiccup said, his voice raspy and barely audible.

"Yeah?" said Astrid.

"Did you do it?" Hiccup asked her hesitantly.

"Do what?" Astrid replied.

"I told him about the search party," said Valarie. Astrid instantly looked up at her as she continued; "He woke up earlier calling your name, and was wondering where you were."

"Oh," said Astrid, and then turned back to Hiccup. "Yes, Hiccup, the Gemsho is gone," she said. "It's gone, forever, Hiccup."

"Mmm...good," Hiccup mumbled, his eyelids flickering. "Is everyone okay, though? No one got hurt? Everyone got back safely?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Astrid said. "Are you okay?"

"Well, I've definitely been better," Hiccup said, and winced. "Actually, I guess I've been a whole not worse now, too."

"Um, yeah...don't remind me," Astrid said.

"Yep," said Hiccup slowly. "Like the time we went sledding during avalanche season?"

"That was trouble," Astrid said. "It took us four days to finally dig ourselves out."

"Or remember that time we went skydiving off Stormfly?" Hiccup said.

"I'm pretty sure I told you not to remind me," Astrid said.

"Well...I suppose you did," said Hiccup offhandedly. "Never mind. Forget everything I just said."

"Easily done," Astrid said. She hesitated, remembering what the Gemsho had said. "Are you shaky, or anything?" she asked. "Nervous? Scared?"

"Well, yeah," said Hiccup. "But it's better now that I know the Gemsho is gone. I'll probably have nightmares about it for the rest of my life, though."

"It'll get better," Astrid promised. "You know, for all you've been through, I'm impressed you're still standing."

"Um...I'd really hate to break it to you, Astrid," said Hiccup, "but I'm not standing. I'm sitting, leaning against you because I can't sit up on my own-"

"You know what I mean," said Astrid. "It's a metaphor."

"I don't like metaphors," said Hiccup. "They're confusing. And rather irritating..."

"I'm going to get you some broth," said Valarie, and then left the room.

"She's been doing that every time I wake up," said Hiccup. "Is there a reason?"

"Well, yeah," said Astrid. "You're underweight."

"Of course, but that's natural," said Hiccup. "I know ninety pounds isn't exactly what you would expect of someone my age-"

"No, Hiccup, I mean...you're severely underweight," said Astrid. "You lost a ton of weight; weight that you need if you're going to recover properly."

"Oh," said Hiccup, and fell silent for just a moment. "Yeah, I really hope this gash heals up soon...it really kind of hurts."

"Like, how bad?" said Astrid. "Scale of one to ten?"

"Um...like a four," said Hiccup. Astrid gave him an are-you-serious? look, and he groaned. "Okay, more like an eight," he said. "You happy now?"

"Eight, huh?" said Astrid. "Well, when the healer gets back, you eat."

"Is that an order?" Hiccup prompted.

"Of course it is," said Astrid as if it were obvious. "Problem?"

"No, not at all," said Hiccup. "So demanding, though…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"