A/N: Some quick replies to reviews:

sophhascoconuts and MMM: the making-of bonus I mentioned last chapter is kind of a behind-the-scenes look at what went into the writing of this story. I mentioned it a few chapters ago and asked if anyone wanted me to explain what was going through my head when I started and wrote Hiccup the Useless, kind of like a behind-the-scenes feature on a DVD. It's not a sequel, nor will there be a sequel. This story has been fun to write, but it's also been a huge challenge and, truth be told, I'm kind of glad to be finished. So I won't be writing a sequel. However, I am currently planning another writing project with similar themes within the HTTYD universe called A Life Behind the Veil. I have started writing it, but it's going pretty slowly at the moment, and since I have about fifty other projects I'm also working on, I can't say how soon it will be before it makes an appearance. Thank you for your encouragement and support. :)

Also, thank you to everyone who told me the battle scene wasn't as bad as I'd first thought. I reread it after I posted it and I'm not really sure why I wasn't happy with it before. Maybe I was just in a bad mood when I was editing it? No idea. But thank you for the kind words and encouragements! :)

Well, here it is. The final chapter. As always, a bittersweet moment. It's exciting to complete a project, but it's also kind of sad to see it come to an end. But I suppose all things must end sooner or later, and this is one journey I have enjoyed immensely. Okay, I'm shutting up now. One last time, on with the show!

Chapter Fifteen

Reconciled

Hiccup slowly turned away from the forest to look at the Vikings who had come to his aid. His gaze first landed on Mogadon, who was approaching with a triumphant grin on his rugged face. "Well," he chuckled, crossing his arms. "I doubt we'll be seeing any more of the Murderous Tribe for a while."

"I hope you're right, Mogadon," Stoick said with a sigh. "If I never saw them again, it would be too soon."

"Agreed," said Gobber vehemently. Then he turned to Hiccup and added, "But how in Odin's name did he know you were here?"

"You don't suppose he followed us, do you?" asked Fishlegs worriedly, landing Meatlug nearby. "When we came by to visit yesterday?"

"Yesterday?" Mogadon repeated, and then he shook his head. "No, I doubt it. When we docked our ship, we noticed their armada along the shoreline, and it looked as though they'd been there a while. They'd set up camp and everything. I guess they'd been there two or three days at least, coming up with a strategy."

"Yes…" Stoick mused. "My best guess is that he came here straight from Berk." He looked at Hiccup and went on, "He probably deduced that you were here when he found you weren't at home. I don't think he believed me when I said you were touring the world."

Hiccup nodded. "He's smart, Madguts. I can't deny that. Far smarter than I gave him credit for."

There was a pause as Hiccup and Stoick gazed at each other. Go on, said a voice in Hiccup's head. Just say it. You know you want to…have to… Yet he found he couldn't make his mouth form the words. How in the world was he supposed to…?

There was a faint moan, and Hiccup suddenly remembered…

"Astrid!" he cried, whirling around and hurrying to his fallen…friend? Girlfriend? Ally? Whatever, it made no difference now, any of it. What mattered was that she was hurt. How badly, he did not know.

He knelt down beside her and took her hand gently into his own. "Hang in there, Astrid. We're gonna get you back to Berk, and Gothi can take a look at you. You're going to be all right."

Astrid didn't reply. She merely smiled tightly and nodded.

Stoick turned to Mogadon and welcomed him to come back to Berk, and the Meathead chief agreed before leading his men back into the forest, starting the trek to the spot where their ship was docked. Hiccup paid no attention to any of this: he was too busy helping Astrid onto Toothless' back, being careful not to disturb the arrow still protruding from her shoulder. She winced a couple of times but made no sound, and Hiccup couldn't help but admire her for her stubborn determination to show no sign of pain.

He climbed into the saddle behind her, cradling her against his chest, and then they began the long trip back to Berk.

For the first few minutes of the flight, Stoick explained how Heather had informed them of his situation, telling him that she'd met the Meatheads in the ocean on her way to the island. Hiccup called a thank-you over to her, but apart from that he didn't speak for the duration of the journey. Stoick, Gobber, and the other teens shot curious, questioning glances at him, but the young Viking neither noticed nor cared. He was far too busy trying to sort out his own confused thoughts.

What happened back there?

Well, the answer to that seemed rather simple: these people, the people he had all but turned his back on, had come to his aid. The very same people that had once belittled him had done a complete turnaround and had not only protected him from a greater enemy, but fought alongside him. It was such a novel concept, and yet…and yet…he found he couldn't quite wrap his mind around it.

It's true then, he thought. They've finally figured it out. They came to the rescue, but instead of telling me to stay out of the way and get where I was safe, they fought with me, let me join them in the battle, even depended on me to call the shots. They trust me enough to give me that responsibility.

But do I trust them in return?

Well, why shouldn't he? Stoick had lied to Madguts in order to keep him safe, and then when that failed he rushed to his son's defense, swore to protect him at all cost, put his own life on the line for him. And not just him, but Gobber and his friends as well. Surely that ought to count for something, right?

An hour or so later, they reached the shores of Berk, and a great cheer went up among the villagers when they saw Hiccup and Toothless. However, the celebrations abruptly quieted when he helped Astrid out of the saddle. Her face was pale, but her face was set in determination. Still, Hiccup wasted no time in handing her off to Gothi, who silently ordered a pair of strong young men to help her to the girl's house, where she could do her work in peace. Hiccup watched them go, wishing he could have said something to the brave young warrior who had saved his life and not really knowing what he would have said at all.

Then he turned to face Stoick.

The chief and his son just stared at each other for several silent seconds. For a moment Hiccup wondered if he was about to be scolded. There was an odd light in Stoick's eyes that he couldn't quite place. It didn't look like anger – and he'd been on the receiving end of that particular expression enough times to be able to recognize it at once – but rather something else, a mixture of emotions, a whirlwind of activity raging behind his father's stoic face.

At length, Stoick sighed and began, "Hiccup, I…I'm sorry. Once again I have misjudged you. I believed that you wouldn't be able to handle Madguts should you ever face him, and you have proven to have a greater strength than I imagined. I…" He swallowed thickly and continued, "I hope that someday I will begin to understand how much you have grown and changed over the past year and a half. And…and I hope that you can somehow find it in yourself to forgive—"

"Stop," Hiccup interrupted.

He said the word quietly, softly, gently, but Stoick fell silent at once as if struck dumb. The Vikings around them all drew in their breath as one, their eyes wide with shock and, yes, even fear. What was he going to do now? Was he about to berate his father again for underestimating him, for not understanding his own son? Was Hiccup about to leave the tribe for good for their failure to accept him as he really was…?

Hiccup looked incredibly uncomfortable for a second or two, and it was no surprise, really. He had to let go of a great deal of pride in order to say what he was preparing to tell Stoick. "Dad," he finally began, haltingly, hesitantly, "it's…it's I who should be apologizing."

Stoick blinked, looking baffled. He was by no means the only one, either. But no one said a word, waiting for him to go on.

"I…to be honest, I…I couldn't handle Madguts, not on my own," Hiccup finally confessed. "Dad, you were right. You were right about him, and I was so blinded by my anger and…and my arrogance that I didn't realize it until it was too late. Dad, he had me captured. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I…I don't know what would have happened. I probably wouldn't even be alive right now. I…" He took a deep, shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry for storming away from Berk without giving you a real chance to show me that you were really changing, for not letting go of the past and clinging to my pain. I…" He paused. "I'll never pretend that your plan, your original plan to make me appear useless, was a good one. It caused a lot of harm and drove me to a point I never want to return to again. But…when I should have tried to forgive you and move on, I dwelled on what you'd done and refused to even make an attempt to put it behind me. I chose not to forgive you all, and it was causing more harm than I even realized. Yes, what you did was bad, but I think we all know that. What I'm just now realizing is that…well…I'm not much better."

He glanced over at Heather, who smiled reassuringly at him and nodded so slightly that no one noticed except him. Feeling a little emboldened by this, he continued, "Instead of sitting back and watching you struggle, I should have told you what was wrong. I should have told you that what you were doing to regain my trust wasn't working and given tips to help you figure it out sooner. If I had…well…none of this mess with Madguts would have happened. So…" He stood a little straighter as he declared, "I accept full responsibility for what happened today, Dad. It is my fault that I was trapped by Madguts. If I hadn't been so proud I wouldn't have walked right into his hands. I'd have been here with people who care about me, who could have protected me and…and let me fight alongside them against him and his army. Instead I acted like a stubborn child and almost got everyone killed and…Dad, I'm so sorry." He bowed his head respectfully and added, "Can you forgive me?"

There was a beat. Then two. Then three.

And then Stoick rushed forward and pulled Hiccup into a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh my son," the chief moaned. "My little Hiccup…of course I forgive you, son. I…I have never been prouder of you than I am today. Today you have displayed strength of character that I didn't even know you possessed. Perhaps what you did was foolish, I'll admit that. But what I did was wrong too. So…perhaps it is best that we both accept our own failures and forgive those of each other." He drew back slightly so that he could look Hiccup in the eye and asked, "How does that sound?"

Hiccup positively beamed up at him. "That's a plan I can get behind one hundred percent."

This time it was Hiccup who initiated the hug, falling back into his father's embrace. Stoick held him close, smiling with more joy than he'd felt in months. "I love you, Hiccup," he murmured. "I love you more than I can ever say. I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. I…I hope we can start over, be a family as we once were. I know it won't always be easy but…"

"It won't be easy," Hiccup said. "But it's possible. I promise to do my best to put it all behind me. I won't forget it – I can't forget it – but I will try as hard as I can to move on and leave the pain behind." Then, after an almost nonexistent pause, he added, "And I love you too, Dad. Thank you. Thank you so much…for everything…"

Stoick's relief and joy were too strong for words, so he settled for merely holding Hiccup tighter. Tears slid from his eyes and into his great beard as the people around them started to cheer once again. For the first time in over four months, it looked as though peace would be returning to their tribe at last.

Hiccup eventually drew back, and the moment he extricated himself from his father's arms he was swept up into the crowd. Left and right he faced people promising to do better, to treat him like a person and not an ice sculpture, to give him the respect and honor he deserved. Gobber sobbed openly over him, declaring that he'd missed the lad like a long-lost nephew. Fishlegs gave him a hug that nearly cracked a couple of ribs. Even Snotlout shook his hand, admitting that the island had been pretty boring since he'd left and that he was glad his cousin had returned at last.

And then, in the midst of all this…

"Hiccup!"

He looked around just in time to be tackle-hugged by a young woman with beautiful blond hair. The force of her impact nearly knocked him off his feet, but he managed to regain his balance and gasped, "Astrid! Are…are you all right?"

Astrid drew back, and now Hiccup could see that her right arm was bound in a sling. "Yeah," she said. "I'm fine. Turns out the arrow didn't hit anything vital."

Something nudged Hiccup's elbow, and he looked down to see Gothi standing beside him, staff in hand. She started drawing shapes in the dirt with the end of her stick, and Gobber leaned over to translate. "Hmm…" he said. "She says that Astrid got lucky. The arrow hit a clone…a clone? I don't…ow!" Gothi smacked him in the head with the top of her staff, and Gobber quickly rechecked. "Oh, bone!" he corrected himself. "The arrow hit a bone. That makes more sense. And it missed all the major blood vessels and organs nearby. She just needs to take it easy for a few days so that she can deliver…ouch! For Thor's sake, woman! Recover! So she can recover!"

Relief flooded every particle of Hiccup's being. He reached out and pulled Astrid back into his embrace. "Thank all the gods," he moaned. "I thought…I was so sure that you were…I…" He floundered for a bit, unable to find the right words to properly explain his feelings. He found he couldn't quite utter his fears aloud.

And as it turned out, he didn't need to.

"I know," Astrid murmured into his shoulder. "I…I thought the same thing when I saw that man about to shoot you. I…I thought I'd lose you forever…and I…I couldn't…I had to…I was…"

She suddenly stiffened and pulled away, her eyes filling with fear. Hiccup had a feeling he knew why, too. She was afraid she was being too forward, that she was violating her promise to keep her distance from him.

To reassure her, he kept his arms firmly wrapped around her body. He smiled weakly and said, "Astrid, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that you had to do that, that you got hurt because of me and my stupidity."

Astrid blinked, looking totally floored. Then she grinned awkwardly and mumbled, "What are friends for?"

Hiccup gave her one of his goofy little smiles, and Astrid's heart missed a beat or two. "Is that all we are? Friends?"

Astrid frowned, apparently wondering if she'd hit her head during the battle or something. This wasn't the same Hiccup that had left Berk two weeks ago. "Well…" she said slowly. "I don't know…what do you think we are?"

Hiccup shrugged. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "But…" He hesitated, looking a little nervous. "But I am sure of one thing." He reached up with fingers that were trembling faintly and brushed her bangs out of her face. She inhaled sharply at his touch and unconsciously leaned a little closer to him as he whispered, "I love you."

Astrid's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. She wasn't alone in her surprise: all around them people gasped and started whispering to each other. It was the first time either of them had actually ever said that phrase aloud to the other. Sure, they had held hands and kissed and gone on flights together, but those three little words had never been uttered between them. And somehow, in a strange way that none of them fully understood, it made it more…official, final, set in stone. With those words spoken, there was no going back.

And judging from the joyous expression slowly making its way across Astrid's face, she never wanted to go back.

She beamed and opened her mouth to speak, but her sentence got lost between her brain and her lips. She struggled for a moment before Hiccup, deciding to take matters into his own hands, pulled her into a sweet, tender kiss. Astrid responded eagerly to the gesture, kissing him back with all the fervor and passion she could put into it. Hiccup held her close, so close that Tuffnut called out, "Hey, get a room, guys!" But they ignored him. Astrid ran her one good hand through his hair, feeling her heart bound against her ribs as she let the realization wash over her. He loved her! He really loved her! Heather had been right! He still loved her!

Hiccup finally broke the kiss and pulled back slightly, though he didn't release her from his grip – not that Astrid was complaining. He grinned and opened his mouth to say something, but then his eyes fixed on a point somewhere over her shoulder, and his expression fell. Confused, Astrid looked around and understood at once. He was looking at…

"Heather," Hiccup said, and he suddenly sounded uneasy. "Heather…I…I'm sorry, but…well, I…"

But Heather was smiling gently, and she held up her hand. "It's okay, Hiccup," she said. "I understand. No explanation is necessary. Just…be happy, all right?"

Hiccup blinked a couple of times. Then he smiled in relief and said, "I will. Thank you, Heather. Thank you so much."

Astrid didn't say anything, but she too thanked Heather with her eyes. Heather nodded her head. "You're welcome," she said, and by the quick little glance she sent Astrid's way, she knew her silent message had been received.

After that, the island erupted in celebration, for the chief's son had returned home at last, and it seemed as though everything was going to be all right again. The Meatheads reached Berk, and Hiccup got the chance to properly thank Mogadon for coming to his aid. The Meathead chief merely laughed and said that he hadn't had so much fun in a long time. Everyone crowded together in the Great Hall for a feast that rivaled the annual Snoggletog celebrations. There was a good deal of talk and laughter and jokes, and for the first time in longer than he could remember Hiccup was able to smile and be completely at ease.

There was a moment, just one moment, in which his tunic's sleeve slipped, revealing the thin white scar on his wrist. His smile faltered for a second or two as he gazed at it, the memories of what had led up to that wound's appearance threatening to overwhelm him once again.

But then his smile returned and he forced the sleeve down, concealing the scar from view. He wasn't going to dwell on it, he decided. What was done was done, and it was time to focus on the now.

As the sun began to set over the horizon, he had an idea and approached Astrid. "It's pretty packed in here, isn't it?"

Astrid nodded. "Yeah. Kinda hard to breathe, huh?"

Hiccup grinned and said, "Well, why don't we step outside for a little fresh air?"

If Astrid was in any doubt as to his intentions, those clouds vanished the moment he took her hand. Her heart leaping, she agreed and allowed him to lead her out of the hall and into the cool evening air, Toothless trotting along behind them.

Once outside, Hiccup turned to her and said, "You know…we never really did go on that date we talked about all those months ago."

Astrid remembered how awkward their last sunset flight had been, what with Hiccup saying that he wasn't ready to be romantically involved with her after what she'd done. She felt a heat of shame creep into her face at the memory, but her voice was steady when she replied, "No, I guess we didn't."

Hiccup gestured toward Toothless, who could tell what his human was about to suggest and started wagging his tail like an overexcited dog. "Well, would you like to rectify that?"

Astrid positively beamed. "I would love to."

Hiccup helped her into the saddle before taking a seat in front of her. She tentatively wrapped her good arm around his waist, remembering how he had tensed the last time she'd done so and half-expecting him to tense up again. But he merely asked, "Ready?" and when she nodded he added to Toothless, "All right, bud. Let's go!"

Toothless didn't need to be told twice. He spread his wings and took to the sky with a roar of delight. Hiccup couldn't help but whoop joyfully, and even Astrid laughed with the thrill of flight. What with Astrid's injury, Toothless decided to forgo his usual aerial stunts, but that was fine by his human passengers. They were far more interested in their togetherness than in the rush of dangerous tricks. Astrid leaned into Hiccup, resting her head on his shoulder. Hiccup felt his heart swell with love and contentment, but he said nothing. He didn't have to. Their silence was peaceful, tranquil, and didn't need to be broken by words.

It was Astrid who eventually spoke first. She lifted her head and observed with a faint chuckle, "Your hair's grown longer."

Hiccup grinned and shrugged. "Yeah. I never got around to cutting it when I was on Dragon Island." Astrid didn't reply to this, but after a moment he felt a soft tugging at his auburn locks, just behind his right ear. He frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Braiding your hair," Astrid said nonchalantly. Then she paused and added worriedly, "Is that all right?"

Hiccup smiled. "Certainly, milady," he said. "But are you sure you should be using that arm? Gothi said to give yourself time to recover…"

Astrid scoffed. "I'm fine, Hiccup. It doesn't even hurt." This was a lie, but she was too proud to admit it. Besides, compared to the heartache she'd suffered through, the twinge in her shoulder was nothing.

Hiccup decided to let it drop, and silence fell between them for a few more minutes.

Then he said, "I meant what I said earlier, you know."

Astrid frowned in confusion. "What?"

"When I said that I loved you," Hiccup clarified, and she felt her heart stutter. "I meant it. I…I love you, Astrid. I don't think I ever stopped loving you, not even after…all that. I was just…hurt and confused and didn't know what to make of anything. I…I just wanted you to know that. I wanted you to know that I've always loved you, and only you. There is no other girl in the entire Archipelago I would rather be with."

Astrid felt tears building in her eyes and blinked them away. Fighting to keep her voice level, she murmured, "Thank you, Hiccup. It…it means so much, to hear you say that." She paused, and then she threw caution to the winds and added, "And Hiccup…I love you too."

Hiccup smiled as Toothless, sensing that his human was happy, really happy for the first time in months, crooned and winged them a little higher into the evening sky.

A/N: The End!

The making-of chapter will be up in a few days, just as soon as I give it a quick once-over. In the meantime, feel free to check out my other work. I won't go into a whole lot of detail here (we'd be here all night if I did that… XD) but you can look at my profile for some sneak peeks of my future writing projects, including a continuation of the Sea Trilogy (Out of the Sea, Return to the Sea, and Bound to the Sea, as well as the one-shot collection Tales from the Sea), a HTTYD retelling of Disney's The Lion King, a HTTYD fairy tale, and A Life Behind the Veil, as well as additions to the one-shot collection. I am curious to see what you'd like to see more, so feel free to leave a comment on what story (or stories) interests you.

Once again, thank you all so much for your continued support and patience! I know it's taken a lot of time, but I'm so glad I got the chance to share this story with you, and I'm truly blessed to have such kind and devoted readers. Thank you all for each and every follow, favorite, and review. It all means so much to me, and I can't thank you enough. I hope to continue hearing from you in the future!

And just in case I haven't said it enough…thank you again!