Three and a half weeks. She had been gone for three and a half weeks. What was Valka thinking? Hiccup needed her here and Stoick had no idea what to do with the little dragon. Toothless had begun teething; he had several teeth that had come in. It was funny watching the dragon pace around coughing as if he could spit them out. It was less funny that the legs of two tables and several benches in the Great Hall as well as most of Stoick's furniture bore teeth marks. The big problem was the creature waking in the night, which woke Hiccup. This meant cranky dragon, cranky baby, and cranky chief.

The people of Berk were reluctantly okay with Toothless because he served as an early warning for raids. Villagers who knew why the Chief was more short-tempered than usual were amused with the dragon rather than annoyed; not many people or creatures would last this long getting on the Chief's nerves. They found it particularly amusing whenever Stoick looked ready to snap at the dragon only to have Hiccup throw his little arms around the scaly neck and giggle as he sang, "Toofess, Toofess, Toofess!"

Freda continued to babysit for Stoick from late morning into midafternoon. Stoick had told her to treat Toothless like she would a dog; Stoick wouldn't stand for any abuse. He could not risk the dragon becoming dangerously aggressive nor did he want the dragon to be terrorized, though he would never publically confess to the latter. Freda didn't like Toothless but she respected Stoick's wishes and left the dragon alone.

Hiccup and Toothless were always much better in the afternoon when they'd had their nap. Stoick wished he could have a nap every day. At least it would make listening to the villager's complaints easier. Today's plaintiff was Hoark as he listened to yet another rant about Hoark's brother. Honestly couldn't they talk the issue out on their own? It's what he was going to make them do anyway; he was their chief not their mother. A giggle from Hiccup immediately grabbed Stoick's attention. There was nothing unusual with the giggle itself; Hiccup was a happy baby and giggled a lot, but he sounded further away than the harness would allow.

"Hold on," he said to Hoark, "Hiccup?" Stoick started to go into the direction of the giggles but was stopped by the leather strapped to his wrist. The line went back, away from the laughter. Stoick followed the line behind an empty stall where it was sloppily attached to a beam, wrapped around the wood and the prong through the hole, though the leather wasn't though the frame. Hiccup had figured it out. The kid had figured out the buckle. Stoick didn't know where Hiccup was. Fumbling he unbuckled the harness from the beam.

"Hiccup?" He called. "Hiccup where are you?"

More giggles. Stoick cursed; he should not have played hide and seek with the boy the other day. At least Hiccup wasn't a quiet hider. Stoick easily followed the laughter to find Hiccup behind a wagon hugging Toothless like a teddy bear. The dragon chirped when he saw Stoick, visibly relieved to see him.

"Dada!" Hiccup laughed, releasing Toothless to hold his hands up wanting to be held. Stoick picked him up relieved, that the boy had stayed close.

"I'll deal with it later, Hoark." Stoick called back. He had to go deal with the harness before anything else for his own peace of mind. "You'd be better off talking to yer brother though."

Hoark looked a little hurt by that, "But Chief-"

"No buts," Stoick said heading to the forge. Seriously could the villagers not deal with their own little problems? What was with their need for all the hand holding? Hiccup pointed toward the forge when it came into view.

"Baba." He said before putting his thumb in his mouth. Stoick took it out of his mouth and rubbed the dry skin. He would need to put more goose fat on Hiccup's thumbs when they got home.

"Yes Hiccup, we're going to see Gobber because certain babies are too clever for their own good."

"Baby." Hiccup said. "Hiccup baby."

"Yes, you are the baby." Stoick said tickling his son's tummy to make the toddler giggle. Stoick would never tire of that sound. Toothless chirped up at them as he trotted along next to Stoick.

"Toofess baby." Hiccup said frowning at the dragon. Stoick could practically see the gears turning in the boy's head as he reasoned it out; attempting to understand how the world worked. He was a clever lad.

"Yes, he's a baby too." Stoick said kissing Hiccup's downy hair as they entered the forge. Gobber was singing away while he worked.

"Hey Stoick," He said when he looked up. "Jus' give me a moment." Stoick waited while Gobber finished his project, Hiccup and Toothless watching intently. The dragon even tried catching a few of the sparks.

"Alright," Gobber said when he finished, wiping his hands on his apron, "What do ya need?"

Stoick held up the harness with his free hand. "This fixed."

Hiccup reached for it. "Mine." The harness was kept out of his reach and handed to Gobber. "Mine!" Hiccup whined until Stoick gave him a couple of chain links to play with; they were new and therefore more interesting than the harness.

"Nothin' wrong with it," Gobber said after looking the harness over.

"The buckle for the harness needs to go on the back. He figured it out." Stoick said adjusting Hiccup in his arms. "He, uh, he attached me to a beam."

Gobber raised his eyebrows, "He figured it out? You figured it out?" He asked the baby who dropped the chain links and leaned toward Gobber arms outstretched. Gobber took him, both he and Stoick had learned better than to ignore Hiccup's whims if they wanted to avoid tears. Hiccup played with one of the ends of Gobber's moustache. "He can barely hold a spoon and you think he worked the buckle?" The Chief was just glad his friend was ignoring the fact that his baby had outwitted him.

"Give it to 'im. You'll see."

With a shrug Gobber offered the harness to Hiccup. The baby didn't take it but he did play with the buckle. "Yer pullin' my leg." Gobber said, "The bug's not able ta use the buckle any more than I can fly."

Stoick raised an eyebrow, "really?"

"Really."

"What's that then?" Stoick asked nodding to Hiccup. The boy had managed to pull the strap through the buckle and gotten the bar through one of the holes. He frowned as he tugged the strap trying to undo it again.

"Well I'll be. Buildin' blocks are too easy for ya, bug." Gobber said to the baby. Hiccup didn't even look at him as he continued to pull at the strap. "I'll have ta make him a new one then," Gobber told Stoick. "You keep this one to entertain him." He gave the boy back to his father. "He can take it off too?"

Stoick nodded as he situated Hiccup, who still held the buckle, in his arms and kept an eye on the dragon who was playing with a rope randomly lying on the ground. "That's not surprising; he can get his vest off. Can't put it on yet or get his tunic off."

There was a clink as the harness hit the floor and Toothless jumped. The dragon cautiously approached the harness and whacked it with his paw before leaping backward. When that did nothing he approached it again. Hiccup pointed down at Toothless sniffing at the buckle part. The hatchling spooked again when Stoick bent to pick the harness up for Hiccup to continue playing with it. Toothless leaned up on Stoick's leg, stretching as far as he could to watch Hiccup with the buckle and trilled.

"No Toofess." Hiccup said as he frowned at the buckle trying to undo the buckle.

Gobber chuckled. "Goin' concern he is."

"You don't know the half of it." Stoick said, "Thanks, Gobber. Toothless come." The dragon fell into step behind Stoick as they left the forge. Hiccup was content to be carried if he was kept amused. At least the harness was still good for something even if Stoick had to hold it while Hiccup played with the buckle.

"Dada, mi." Hiccup said suddenly looking up from the buckle.

"Yes, I know Hiccup, we're going home for supper now." Stoick told him.

"Mi!" Hiccup yelled with a smile.

"Where's your nose?" Stoick asked to distract the kid. He checked to make sure Toothless was still following and the dragon chirped when they made eye contact. Stoick looked back at his son to see that the boy was covering his nose. "Where're your ears?"

Hiccup frowned for a moment before covering his ears.

"Where're your fingers?"

Hiccup looked at his hands then held them up for Stoick.

Stoick got up the stairs to his house and opened the door. "Where's your tummy?"

Hiccup tried to pull up his tunic as Stoick set him on the floor. "Dada, Dada!" Hiccup was poking at his belly.

"Yes Hiccup, that's your tummy." Stoick said as he checked the stew he had started earlier. He dished out some deer pieces and veggies into a bowl then put it aside to cool. "Where are your toes?" Stoick got himself a bowl and shook his head as Hiccup sat on the floor trying to pull his boot off. Toothless ran around Stoick's feet chirping as Stoick opened the cold box.

"Sit Toothless."

The dragon sat but barely remained stationary in his impatience. Stoick threw him his fish, "Try to chew them."

"Dada!" Hiccup had gotten his boot off his left foot and his sock and had grabbed his toes.

"Alright, you ready for supper?"

"Mi!"

"After you eat, Hiccup." Stoick scooped him up and sat at the table. He made Hiccup eat some of the meat and veggies before giving up and getting the kid some milk. Meanwhile, Toothless paced around the table whining as he eyed Hiccup's bowl. Stoick ignored the dragon's pleas, though, putting the bowl aside for later when Hiccup would get hungry again. Stoick was getting pretty good at holding Hiccup's mug and eating his own supper at the same time.

The front door was opened and Stoick didn't bother looking up, "You got the new harness done already?"

Toothless stopped his pacing to run to the door and Hiccup pushed the mug away to see who had come in.

"Mama!" He twisted around in Stoick's grip and stretched out his arms. Stoick put the milk down and stood up. There she was, braids in disarray, wisps of hair loose about her face, and eyes shining. She smiled broadly at Hiccup.

"Hello my wee babe." She stepped over to take Hiccup into her arms; holding him tightly she smelled his hair before smiling up at Stoick, "Hi."

Stoick smiled back and cupped her cheek, "Hi." Their kiss was cut short by Hiccup whining to be put down and Toothless who was pawing at Valka's leg. Valka knelt to put Hiccup on the floor and greet Toothless.

"How was the trip?" Stoick said as he sat on the floor next to his wife. She leaned her head on his shoulder and Stoick forgot about how long she had been.

"Oh Stoick, it was wonderful. I wish you could see it. And the Bewilderbeast."

"Bewilderbeast?" Stoick asked.

Valka nodded and took the toy Hiccup handed her. "Thank you, Sweet Thing," she said as he toddled off to get another one. Toothless crawled into her lap. "He's the king of all dragons. You'd like him."

Stoick snorted; he hated all dragons. He highly doubted he would like their king. Hiccup dragged his harness over and crawled into Stoick's lap.

"Dis." He said showing his mother the buckle.

"Oh and what is that?" she asked Stoick, giving him a disapproving look. "The old harness?"

"Yeah. Ummm," Stoick stuttered a bit, he hadn't even considered how he would explain the harness to Valka. He only now realized what it looked like: a leash. Stoick was putting a leash on his son like one would a dog. "He wanders off, now, out of sight Val. It's, uh, it's for his own safety, and uh,"

Valka was shaking her head, laughing, "a harness? And Toothless?" She scratched the little dragon in her lap as he purred.

"Well, no. No, he's good. Follows me everywhere, doesn't need one."

Hiccup pushed the buckle up closer to Stoick's face, "Engh."

"You can do it, Hiccup." Stoick said pushing the harness back into Hiccup's lap the baby frowned at it while Stoick stroked his hair absentmindedly.

"Why does he need a new one?"

Stoick watched Hiccup fiddle with the buckle; he had managed to pull the strap loose and was working on getting the hole free. "It buckle's in the front. He's figured it out and can get it off. Gobber's making one that fastens in the back. Yes, very good Hiccup. Can you buckle it up?" He said when Hiccup showed him the unbuckled harness.

Hiccup frowned. "Up?"

"Here," Stoick took the harness while Valka sat up to let him use his right hand. He buckled it and unbuckled it.

"Hiccup do." Hiccup said grabbing at the buckle. Stoick let him have it and held out his arm for Valka again. She watched their son, smiling.

"Clever little boy." She said. "He got it off?"

"Yes." Stoick said drawing out the word, "and, he uh, he buckled it to a beam." He cringed as Valka laughed.

"He buckled it to a beam? You weren't watching him I take it?"

"No. I have things I need to do and he throws a fit if I carry him but he's so small, Val. I have to stoop to hold his hand. This way he can play with Toothless."

Valka shook her head with a smile and lay her head on Stoick's shoulder scratching Toothless under the chin while she watched Hiccup play with the buckle. Stoick smiled, content.

A/N: It's back, and now I'm going on hiatus. Really sorry but I am currently on the other side of the country (which is why I posted three hours early; it's 8pm here) visiting relatives. That means not much writing/editing so I'll probably be back around the end of August, I'm here till August 5 and I haven't been home in six years so I don't plan on writing (Instead I'm going to pretend I'm a tourist in my hometown).

Can I just say that Nova Scotia is one of the prettiest places I've ever been. I'm not saying this out of bias; it really is, especially on the coast with the fog and the tide. Every time I look out the window it's a different view (My grandmother lives on the harbour). If you ever get the chance to visit do so.

Thearizona: Yeah, I didn't even try watching Saw… I will find a way though.

ValkaTheDragonMaster: Here, she came back here

Everyone else: Thank you!

(See I'm even lazy/hurrying through the comments and reviews…)

As always special thanks to CB.