A/N: Yay! Another chapter! And…eh, I don't know, this one doesn't thrill me as much for some reason. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. I'll let you be the judge.

And this story has over 200 reviews now! Thank you all so much! I'll try my very best not to let you guys down.

On with the show!

Chapter Nine

The Visitor

"Where is he?" Fishlegs asked, sighing impatiently. "Why are we always waiting on him?"

Hiccup didn't answer, but he shared Fishlegs' irritation. Snotlout was almost half an hour late for the lesson. Granted he was often late, but usually by no more than ten minutes, fifteen at the absolute most.

"Do you think he forgot?" Astrid asked.

"He's probably sleeping," Tuffnut supplied.

"It's two in the afternoon," Fishlegs objected.

"So?" Ruffnut inquired with complete sincerity. No one bothered to answer her.

"We'll just start without him then," Hiccup decided.

"You sure?" Fishlegs queried. "He'll be pretty mad…"

"Then maybe he'll learn to be on time," Hiccup said shortly.

No one countered him, but the teens exchanged silent glances. All of them, including the twins, had noticed that Hiccup hadn't been quite himself that day. He was more short-tempered than usual, even by his post-suicide-attempt standards. Each of them wondered what had caused this change but no one dared to ask the question aloud.

Hiccup could sense their silent musings and confused looks to one another but pretended not to notice. "All right," he said in a businesslike tone. "Today we're going to start with…"

He trailed off, looking around as the sound of whooping caught his attention. Snotlout came streaking into the arena atop Hookfang, looking happier than he'd been for a long time. "You guys will never believe what I just saw!" he called, not even bothering to land his dragon. The Nightmare swooped in a big circle overhead, much to the annoyance of Toothless, who growled quietly in his throat.

"This again?" Astrid said with a huff. "You're going to make us guess instead of just telling us?"

"Was it a rainbow-colored chicken?" Tuffnut asked. "Because if it isn't, I'm not interested."

"Was it a rainbow-colored yak?" Ruffnut inquired excitedly.

"Ooh, I'm interested again!" Tuffnut said quickly.

"What is it, Snotlout?" Hiccup called up to his cousin, his voice betraying his impatience.

"Not gonna tell you!" Snotlout replied, grinning infuriatingly down at them all. "You'll have to come see for yourself!"

And with that, he flew out of the arena. The other exchanged disgruntled glances before they followed suit, taking off into the clear afternoon sky and soaring over the ocean surrounding the island.

Hiccup saw the boat first and squinted down at it. The sail was unmarked, so he couldn't tell at first glance if it might belong to an enemy tribe. But then he got a closer look at the passengers, and his eyes widened.

Astrid saw them at the same time. "Oh my gods," she breathed. "It's…"

"Heather!" Fishlegs cried excitedly.

The black-haired beauty waved up at them happily, if perhaps a bit nervously. After all, the last time she'd been on Berk she had tried to trick the teens into spilling their dragon training secrets to the Outcasts. She'd had a good reason to: Alvin the Treacherous was holding her parents captive and threatening to kill them if she didn't deliver. The plot hadn't gone according to plan at all: she'd been found out and Hiccup and the others had had to battle Alvin and the Outcasts to re-obtain their Book of Dragons as well as free Heather's parents. They'd departed on decent if shaky terms, and she clearly wasn't sure if she was still welcome on the island.

"Hello," she called up to them as they all hovered around the boat. Behind her, her parents were looking quite nervous. They obviously weren't as trusting of the dragons as their daughter was. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise," Hiccup replied, smiling. Heather looked relieved at his reaction. "What brings you out here?"

"We got caught in a storm," Heather explained. "It blew us off-course. We've been trying to find our way home for days with no success and we're almost out of food. Do you think we could dock at Berk?"

"Of course!" Hiccup said. "We'll lead you there. This way!"

The dragon riders swooped around and directed the little boat toward the island. Heather and her parents disembarked as Hiccup landed Toothless, holding out his hand to help them step onto the pier. "Thank you," Heather said sincerely, smiling sweetly at him.

Hiccup blinked and stammered in reply, "Uh…y-you're welcome."

Stoick greeted them at the entrance to the village. "Welcome, friends," he said. "How can we help you?"

Heather's parents proceeded to explain their predicament, and Stoick graciously allowed them to stay on Berk for a few days while they rested up and restocked their supplies. "Looks like I'll be here for a little while," Heather said to the other teens, sounding happy if just a little apprehensive.

"That's great!" Hiccup replied with perhaps a bit more enthusiasm than was strictly warranted. In some vague corner of his mind, he noticed that Astrid didn't look too excited about this news but she didn't say anything.

"Well, we were just about to start a training session," Hiccup went on. "Would you like to join us?"

"Sure!" Heather said, and then she added with a quick glance at the others, "If that's okay."

The boys had no problem with it and Ruffnut seemed not to care either way. Astrid was the only one who seemed to have reservations, but she merely shrugged and made no objection.

Heather stayed by Hiccup's side throughout the entire afternoon, keeping slightly back as he instructed the other dragon riders but close enough to be part of the action. The other boys, none of whom seemed much bothered by the fact that this was the same girl that had once tried to betray them, constantly vied for her attention, and she treated them all with equal kindness and (especially in Snotlout's case) patience.

Astrid alone seemed to remember that Heather had proven herself to be a conniver and a thief. Every time Hiccup pointed something out or explained a concept to her, she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from telling him off for it. Don't you remember what she did last time? she thought. Have you forgotten how she tricked all of you? Am I the only one who knows or cares that this girl is capable of so much trouble?

Apparently she was. But she and Hiccup were on such unstable terms that she didn't dare speak against the girl. Besides, wasn't it possible that Heather was being true this time? After all, she had been trying to save her parents when they'd first met, and her parents were both safe and sound. So there was no reason for her to suspect Heather of anything…right?

The lesson ended and the group headed up to the Great Hall for dinner. Hiccup hung back slightly from the rest, his prosthetic slowing him down a bit. Heather and Astrid hovered alongside him, though Astrid couldn't help but notice with dismay that he seemed to prefer the black-haired girl's company to her own.

"I'm starving!" Tuffnut declared as they neared the Great Hall. "I hope there's mutton!"

"I hope there's yak butter parfaits!" Snotlout said. "I've been craving one for weeks!"

"We know," Astrid remarked. "You haven't shut up about it."

"What do you hope they have, Hiccup?" Fishlegs asked, looking back over his shoulder at him.

Hiccup barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Food."

The others roared with laughter. "Good one, Hiccup!" Ruffnut chortled.

Heather noticed that Hiccup's smile seemed forced. She frowned. Something was wrong, she could sense it. She'd thought there'd been something off all day, but the tension was so thick now that it could be hacked with an axe. Why was everyone acting so overly-cheerful? And why was there an unmistakable trace of misery behind the happy mask Hiccup was wearing?

"Hey," she said, and Hiccup looked up at her. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he replied a little too vehemently. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Heather couldn't come up with a good reply to that, so she said nothing. Glancing around at the others, she thought she saw them exchange looks that might have been guilty. Her confusion mounted but she didn't comment further.

Things continued to be uncomfortable throughout dinner. They all sat together at the same table, and while the other teens did their best to carry a conversation, Hiccup refrained from contributing unless he was spoken to directly. Any replies he gave were no more than two or three words. This from the boy who'd always loved to talk about dragons? Heather wondered. What happened to change him so much?

The moment he was done eating, Hiccup stood and said, "I'll see you all later." And without another word he departed, not even glancing back at his friends. The other teens slumped a little in their seats. Astrid in particular looked dismayed at Hiccup's sudden departure.

"Uh…" Heather hesitated. "Is…is everything okay…?"

"Everything's fine," Astrid snapped, glaring at her. Heather flinched back and dropped her gaze. Astrid's face softened a little bit, and her voice was slightly gentler when she added, "It's a personal matter between us and Hiccup. That's all."

Heather didn't press any further, but she excused herself not long afterward. She slipped out of the hall and looked around in time to see a big black blur dart across the sky. Following it with her eyes, she recognized it for what it was at once: Hiccup riding his beloved dragon Toothless. And they were landing on one of the cliffs that overlooked the ocean.

She paused for just a moment. Then she started walking toward them.

…

Hiccup loved to watch the sun set. There was something so utterly peaceful about seeing the big ball of light sink lower and lower, showering the ocean with its golden rays. The sky hosted a range of colors from orange to pink to dark blue. The scene was breathtakingly beautiful, and Hiccup sighed as he observed it from his spot on the cliff. Behind him, Toothless crooned, and he smiled easily.

"It's nice up here, isn't it bud?" he said quietly, wrapping his arms around his knees. "Peaceful and quiet. No fathers trying to cater to your every whim, no Gobber to shower you with worthless praise, no friends to try including you in their conversations, no Astrid trying to win you back…" He trailed off, his smile fading.

After several minutes of silence he muttered, "She's never going to give up, is she?"

Toothless hummed in his throat, a sound Hiccup took to be an agreement. He huffed. "Perfect. So she's going to keep fighting until I either let her win or throw myself off the cliff. Whichever comes first."

Toothless growled faintly, displeased by Hiccup's suggestion of ending his own life.

"Figure of speech, bud," he quickly added. Then he sighed. "Oh Thor, what am I gonna do?"

"Well, I've heard that confession is good for the soul."

Hiccup twisted around, his heart leaping into his throat. Heather was standing at the edge of the forest, her arms behind her back. She looked as if she wasn't sure she was supposed to be there. She seemed ready to turn and bolt at the slightest sign that her presence was unwelcome.

When Hiccup didn't speak, she asked, "Um…may I join you?"

Hiccup unstuck his throat. "Sure! By all means." He gestured for her to sit beside him. Smiling in relief, she did just that. She glanced at Toothless, who observed her warily but not unkindly. He seemed to understand that she held no ill will toward them.

When Hiccup didn't speak, she said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Hiccup shook his head. "Don't worry about it. To be honest, I have been a little lonely lately. It's nice to have some company."

Heather raised her eyebrows. "But what about your friends?"

Hiccup looked away and didn't answer.

"I'm sorry," she went on quickly. "I don't mean to pry. It's just…" She hesitated. "…well, all day I've gotten the impression that something's wrong. Do you, I don't know…want to talk about it?"

Hiccup opened his mouth to speak, could think of nothing to say, and closed it again.

Heather tried a different tactic. She looked out at the ocean and sighed, "It's so beautiful, isn't it? The sunset, I mean."

"Yeah, it is," Hiccup replied, relieved at the change of subject. Then after a moment he added, "I used to come up here all the time when I was a kid. It's always been a great place for me to relax and try to shake off whatever's been weighing me down lately."

"I understand," Heather said, nodding. "There's a little spot in the forest back home I like to go to. When the sun's in the exact right spot, it shines through the leaves of the trees and reflects off a little pool of water. It's one of the most beautiful spots I've ever seen. I like to go there when I'm upset. It helps clear my head."

Hiccup smiled. "Exactly." Then he leaned back and sighed, "I could just go to sleep right here and now."

To prove his point he yawned widely and stretched his arms. His right sleeve fell back slightly, revealing a thin white scar on his wrist. Heather frowned. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to it. "I don't remember seeing it last time I was here."

Hiccup followed her gaze and his face went pale. He hurriedly covered his scar with his sleeve again and didn't meet her eyes, nor did he answer.

"Hiccup…?"

He looked at her, and she was startled to see that his eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

"Oh Hiccup," Heather gasped. "What is it? What's wrong?" When he didn't answer, she added, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But…if it'll help…?" She fell silent, waiting to see what he'd do.

Hiccup took a deep breath. "I…I don't know where to start," he admitted.

"Try from the beginning," Heather replied with a gentle smile.

Hiccup grinned weakly. The expression quickly faded. "I…I tried to kill myself," he mumbled.

Whatever Heather was expecting, this wasn't it. Her jaw dropped and she didn't speak for several seconds. "But…why?" she managed to breathe at length.

Hiccup sighed. "A few months ago, my dad got a letter from Mogadon, the chief of the Meathead Tribe, saying that he was interested in meeting the 'Dragon Conqueror.'"

"You?" she verified. "Mogadon wanted to meet you?"

Hiccup nodded. "Dad was worried that Mogadon would try to kidnap me and force me to train dragons for him, so he came up with a plan to protect me. He…called a meeting and told the entire village to treat me like, well…a hiccup. Like I was worthless. They pretended that Snotlout was the Dragon Conqueror because Dad figured he was strong enough to deter Mogadon from trying to kidnap or attack him. And to make me as insignificant a target as possible, everyone turned on me and acted like I was…useless…" He made a face at the word. It still left an unpleasant taste on his tongue when he said it, even now.

"That's…that's awful," Heather said, looking stunned. "The whole village was in on this?"

"Yes," Hiccup confirmed. "Everyone. Dad, Gobber, Astrid…they all beat me down and made fun of me and made my life miserable. It went on for about two months. Toward the end of it, Dad took Toothless away from me." He looked back at his dragon, who whined as he sensed his human's inner turmoil. Heather looked at the Night Fury too, feeling her heart break for Hiccup. She knew how close he was to Toothless. She could only imagine the kind of pain he'd felt.

"It was too much for me to handle," Hiccup went on. "So one night I…I slit my wrist. I decided that I didn't want to live with that kind of pain anymore, especially if I couldn't have Toothless with me to help keep me sane." He paused. "You must think me a total coward."

"No!" Heather protested fiercely. Hiccup's eyes widened a little. "No, not at all, Hiccup! You're one of the bravest, strongest people I know. The fact you tried to commit suicide doesn't tell me that you're a coward. It tells me that they all hurt you in ways I can't even comprehend."

Hiccup stared at her for a moment, stunned. Then he smiled weakly. "Thank you, Heather. It…means a lot, to hear you say that." He took another deep breath and continued, "Anyway, Dad found me before I could bleed out and got me help in time. When I woke up he explained everything." He let out a hollow laugh. "I, ah…didn't take it too well."

"I bet you were pretty angry," Heather mused.

Hiccup snorted. "That's a massive understatement. I yelled at him, said he didn't think, pretty much called him a terrible father, and told him I hated him. Him and everyone else. I just couldn't believe it. They thought deceiving me like that was better than telling me the truth! It still doesn't make sense to me, and it's been months!"

He breathed rather heavily for a few seconds. Then he calmed down and muttered, "I…I just can't move on from it. I've tried, believe me. I tried to forgive them all for treating me so badly, but it's been a lot harder than I thought it would be. Every time I see them, I can't help but think about what they did, and no matter how many times I tell myself that it's over and they were just trying to protect me, I can't forget the pain they caused. I can't trust any of them, not even my own father…especially not him."

He fell silent. Heather reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What happened with Mogadon?" she asked at length. "Did he ever come and try to kidnap the Dragon Conqueror?"

Hiccup huffed. "Well, he came here. But he was nothing but nice the whole time he was on the island. We stopped pretending that Snotlout was the Dragon Conqueror and were totally honest with him. I showed him how to train dragons with patience and kindness and he seemed pretty receptive to it. He never once lifted a finger to cause me harm…unlike my own people, who cut me down in an attempt to keep me safe." He cracked a cold smile. "Ironic, huh?"

There was a moment's silence.

"So that's why everyone's acting so strange?" Heather asked. "They're trying to erase what they did to you?"

"Pretty much," Hiccup said. "You see, I told them all that I would try to forgive them, but I couldn't trust them. So now they've all been trying to earn my trust back by making me feel important." He shook his head. "It's not enough. And the trouble is, I don't know what they'll have to do in order to repair the damage." There was a beat. "Astrid's the worst. We broke up after what happened, and she's been trying every trick in the book to win my affections again. To be honest, it's starting to drive me crazy."

"I can imagine," Heather murmured. She was thinking about Astrid's reaction to her question in the Great Hall from a new perspective.

Hiccup inhaled deeply. "Thank you, Heather," he said after a moment. "It's nice to have someone to talk to about it." Toothless barked indignantly and he quickly added, "Someone who can speak Norse, I mean."

Heather giggled and then leaned in a little closer. "You're welcome, Hiccup. I…I am so sorry that this has happened to you. You didn't deserve this. You…you are a sweet, kind, and wonderful young man. You deserve to be treated with love and respect, and I am so very sorry that you were subjected to such pain."

They gazed at each other for a moment.

And then, without even making a conscious decision to do so, Hiccup bent down and kissed her.

Heather's eyes flew wide open in shock, but she didn't fight back. Instead she pressed herself into him, wrapping her arms around him and relaxing into his embrace. A moment later she let her eyes flutter closed and started kissing him back, blissfully unaware of everything around her. She forgot that Toothless was watching them with bright, confused eyes. She forgot she was sitting on a cliff on the Isle of Berk while her parents ate in the Great Hall. She forgot everything except her own name, and she was starting to wonder if she was about to forget that too.

They broke apart after almost a full minute, gasping for breath. They looked into each other's eyes warily, as if surprised at themselves and afraid that they'd overstepped some kind of boundary. But the feelings of guilt never came, and soon they were smiling sheepishly. Then they leaned in and kissed again.

Neither of them noticed the dark shape standing just within the forest's shelter. Neither noticed the thin figure as it peered out at them from behind a tree. Neither of them heard the faint gasp it let slip as it watched them.

And neither of them saw Astrid as she whirled around and ran away, heartbroken tears streaming silently down her face.

A/N: I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. Thank you for your continuing patience with me as I attempt to finish this story. I hope you're still enjoying it!