So, guys, this is THE LONGEST one-shot I have EVER written. It's a what-if for HTTYD2, and in it, something happens, and...

Well, SPOILERS! :D Sorry, can't tell you. It really speaks for itself. Hopefully you guys enjoy this take. I know I enjoyed writing it, even though it took me forever...

So, yes. Enjoy! :D

For as far as I know, Drago and Hiccup could be discussing the pains of prosthetics. I don't know what they're saying, and I can't get Stormfly close enough to figure it out, either, despite how badly I desperately want to.

I can't fully believe all that has happened. First, me and the other dragon riders (all save Hiccup) were captured by Drago's trappers, and the next thing you know, one of them turns on his master and helps us escape (Eret son of Eret, was it?). Then, we followed Drago to a replica of the same ice formation Hiccup and I found only hours before. Then, the world around us exploded into war. Drago's dragons went against the dragons of Hiccup's mother (his mother...I still haven't fully gotten over that, you know. Still a bit freaked out about the whole affair), and us dragon riders are working to free the captured dragons from Drago's traps.

All except Hiccup, who took Toothless down to Drago in order to talk to him. I don't trust Drago, and I honestly don't know how Hiccup thinks he can change his mind, but I do know that if anyone can do it, then it's Hiccup. He's very persuasive, even to the point where sometimes I'm a bit taken back. I had thought before that Hiccup could change anyone's mind.

But now...now that I'm seeing Drago with my own eyes, the way that he shouts for his dragons to destroy the others, my mind is beginning to differ. I don't understand what changed, but something did for certain.

I can't help but stare at Hiccup as he and Drago talk to each other. Neither one of them looks particularly angry, but then again, Hiccup's normally pretty good with hiding his fear and anger, and Drago...well, from what I've seen so far, he always looks angry. He just doesn't look angry-er right now. Maybe Hiccup is actually doing it. Maybe he's changing Drago's mind.

All my hopes are crushed when Drago shouts something...no, actually, it's not a word. He screams, mostly, swinging a staff over his head in a circle. I stare at him, and my eyes go from him to his Alpha as the monstrous class ten dragon (according to Fishlegs, that is) stomps towards his master, his footfalls shaking the Earth.

I'm not sure what's happening, but I know enough to know that whatever's going on isn't going to be particularly high on friendliness. I turn around. Stoick and Valka are coming in the direction, but they're much too far away. My gaze goes back to Hiccup, just as Toothless starts approaching him, snarling.

Wait…

That isn't right. Toothless has never, ever been aggressive towards Hiccup; not unless the boy was in danger, or before we made peace with the dragons. Seeing Toothless approach Hiccup, with the dragon's eyes narrowed to slits, and his teeth unsheathed, makes my heart skip a beat.

I don't want to imagine what's coming next.

"Hiccup!" I shout, but I'm sure he can't hear me. I'm too far away. I watch in earnest, my mind racing, until I come to a conclusion.

I feel like such an idiot. I've been on Stormfly's back this entire time. I quickly tell the Nadderhead to fly lower, and she obeys instantly. When we get close enough, I can hear Hiccup's pleas.

"Toothless!" he says desperately, holding his hands out to his dragon in a clear "Stop" motion. Toothless doesn't stand down, and he doesn't waver in his steps. He continues to approach Hiccup, that menacing snarl as plain as day on the dragon's face.

It's not Toothless. It is, but at the same time, it isn't. Something's wrong. Toothless would never not ever hurt Hiccup. He would rather die before he let anyone hurt his rider. But now, he's approaching Hiccup head-on, and it's terrifying me.

I can't get close enough. Stoick and Valka are running, but they're both still a good hundred or two hundred feet away. Stormfly, even at top speed, won't reach Hiccup before Toothless ignites that plasma blast.

"TOOTHLESS!" Hiccup screams as he's backed up against a large hunk of ice by his own dragon. Never before have I heard Hiccup sound so desperate; so terrified. Normally, he hides whatever emotions he has behind sarcastic remarks and dorky, lopsided smiles, but now, he's not even trying.

He's genuinely terrified.

Toothless is going to kill him.

I need to think. What can I do? Nothing. I hear a horrible, telltale growl; the one Toothless always makes just before he ignites his plasma blast.

"Toothless, STOP!" Hiccup shouts.

This time, I can't stop myself screaming. I scream Hiccup's name without hardly thinking about just what it is that I'm doing. I can't help it. I can't hold it in. It's useless to try or even think about trying. At this point, I might be as terrified as Hiccup.

Because I can't lose him.

I can't lose my Dragon Boy.

Dragon Boy. That stupid little nickname I game Hiccup one day that stuck afterwards. That stupid, stupid, pathetic, meaningless little nickname that Hiccup pretended to hate, although I could see that he secretly liked it. That stupid little nickname in which I will forever remember, no matter how today ends.

I close my eyes, because I can't watch it. I can't watch Toothless fire that plasma blast. I just can't, and even if I wanted to, I know it would be impossible to turn my head in the direction of my best friend and his dragon.

However, after a few seconds, nothing happens. I open my eyes and look down just in time to see Hiccup cowering, his hands shielding his face, and Toothless standing in front of him, his head cocked to the side.

Hiccup opens his eyes, staring at his dragon. I watch with worried eyes. What's going on?

Hiccup then puts his hand out towards Toothless, and Toothless dips his head to meet it. My breath escapes me, just because I'm so relieved. Toothless is no longer approaching Hiccup with that snarl on his face. He's back to being the incredible Night Fury Berk knows him to be.

"No!" Drago shouts. At the moment, I'm tempted to just let Stormfly finish him off, but something holds me back. I don't know exactly what it is…

No, wait, it's not me that's being held back. It's Stormfly. She's shaking her head back and forth, growling and whimpering as if she is in immense pain.

"Stormfly!" I shout. "Easy, Stormfly!"

If she is trying to listen to me and obey, then I wouldn't know, because before I even know what's happening, I'm falling. Stormfly threw me off her back.

As I fall towards the Earth, screams tearing through my throat, I look back at my dragon. Her eyes are like Toothless' were before Hiccup got the dragon under control again. She flies off, joining a flock of other dragons surrounding Drago's Alpha.

Then it clicks. Drago's Alpha must be controlling them somehow. I don't know how, but I know that he is.

I'm close to the ground now, and I know it. However, before I slam into the ground and have my life ended, something swoops in underneath me, catching me effortlessly on its back.

Toothless.

Only thing is, Hiccup isn't riding him. He must have not had time to mount the dragon before I hit. After all, he and Toothless were still a few feet away from each other. Hiccup probably just told Toothless to catch me.

Toothless instantly turns around and flies towards Hiccup again, but now we're farther away then I wish we are. Drago is approaching Hiccup, and Hiccup is stepping backwards, almost as he had done when Toothless was under the control of the bad Alpha.

We're getting closer. Toothless gets ready to fire a plasma blast. That same growl permeates from his throat, and I hold on tight. I try not to imagine what is coming next.

However, Toothless doesn't fire his plasma blast before it happens. My breath escapes my lungs as I watch Drago draw his sword and thrust it at Hiccup. I scream, loud and long, as he retracts his blade, laughing as Hiccup collapses.

That's the final straw. Something snaps inside of me, and I am certain that if Hiccup isn't bleeding out, I would be telling Toothless to go towards Drago so I can finish the madman off myself.

Of course, though, I can't do that. Hiccup needs me with him, not chasing Drago. Maybe Stoick and Valka can take care of Drago. Hiccup needs me. My stupid Dragon Boy needs me with him.

I jump off Toothless before he even lands. He's close enough to the ground to the point where it doesn't cause me pain, yet also a high enough drop for me to stumble on my first few steps. I never stop moving, though, running towards where Hiccup is lying.

I collapse on my knees and lean over him, my face directly over his as I stare into his closed eyes. He could be unconscious.

Could be…

"Hiccup," I say desperately, patting his cheek lightly in hopes of regarding a reaction. "Hey, Hiccup...Hiccup?" Is he dead? If he's dead, I'll never forgive myself. If he's dead, then I won't kill Drago. No, I'll throw the madman in Berk's dungeon, and make sure he never forgets what he did. I'll make every waking moment of his worse than death. I'll make him beg for death on his knees, but I won't give it to him.

Maybe it's wrong, and I know it's definitely not what Hiccup would want me to do, but at the moment, I can't bring myself to care. If Hiccup is dead, I will make sure Drago pays for it, because no one can hurt Hiccup and get away with it.

Today hasn't exactly been the best day I've ever had. Hiccup and I were attacked by dragon trappers, me, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Fishlegs were captured by them, we watched the good Alpha - the only true hopes of winning the war against the other Alpha - be killed…

Which really doesn't bother me too much, since it's an occupational hazard of a viking warrior to have really, really bad days...

But now Drago's hurt Hiccup. He just crossed the line. If I didn't hate Drago before, then I most assuredly hate him now. Hiccup is off-limits. No one is allowed to hurt Hiccup.

No one.

So where does Drago think he gets the rights?

It doesn't matter to me that Hiccup's the heir of Berk. It doesn't matter to me that he's the one who established peace between the dragons and the Berkians. All that matters to me at that moment is that Hiccup is my friend.

And if he's not dead yet, then he's dying.

Snotlout's joked about it before; in fact, we all have. We were discussing it one time: what would be the thing to get each of us killed.

Fishlegs said that the thing that would kill me would be the fact that I'm too quick to react. I don't usually take the time to think. Snotlout told Fishlegs that Fishlegs would probably end up being killed because he's a coward (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just the truth). Ruffnut and Tuffnut's fatal flaw is obvious: their stupidity would get them dead during a battle. Snotlout's is his arrogance and pride. Hiccup said that it was his sarcasm, and that he would probably end up saying something stupid like, "What are you gonna do? Stab me?" and then have his enemy react accordingly.

For the most part, we got our flaws right: I don't really think about what I do before I do it. Fishlegs really is a coward. Ruffnut and Tuffnut are ignorant. Snotlout is arrogant and prideful. But Hiccup's fatal flaw isn't his sarcasm.

If anything, it's his willingness to put his life on the line to stop a war. He's done it many times in the past: the Red Death, the battle against the Outcasts, and then now. It's not his sarcasm that's most likely to get him killed. It's his selflessness.

"Hiccup," I say, breaking myself from my thoughts, my mind once again focused on my friend. "Hiccup."

He coughs once, and I am relieved beyond measure. So he's still alive. Alright. Now I need to do something about his wound. It then occurs to me that I don't know the first thing about stuff like this. I had a bit of medical training in the past, but that was a long time ago. Anything I learned then is long forgotten now.

"...Astrid…?" Hiccup whispers. I look at his face, my ocean blue eyes meeting his forest green ones. I nod, putting my hand on his forehead.

"Yeah, it's me," I say, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. The best way for me to do that is for me to sound angry at him. "What were you thinking, moron?" I ask. "You shouldn't have been so stupid."

"Duly noted," Hiccup says. "No, actually...not noted at all."

I can't help but smile against the tears stinging my eyes. Hurt or not hurt, Hiccup is still Hiccup.

"Doesn't matter," I say. I just can't be angry with him. I can't even pretend to be angry with him anymore. Just the fact that he's being so calm, and the way he just won't stop smiling at me, despite the fact that it's meant to be reassuring when it's most definitely not reassuring. He always tries to be the brave one, mostly for the sake of those around him.

"I know it doesn't," Hiccup says as I try to find something to stop the bleeding with. "You'll forget you ever said that to me by tonight."

I glance back at him, and he closes his eyes. Part of me panics. No, no, he has to stay awake. He has to, so then I can make sure he's alive. I don't know what else to do, so I slap him.

Hiccup's eyes fly open. "Oww!" he shouts. "Why would you-!?"

"Sorry, sorry!" I say. The look of confusion on his face is priceless; or, it would be, if he wasn't dying. It's the first time I've actually apologized to him when I punched him or slapped him. I've told him before that my violence is a way of communication. Perhaps not a good way, but a way all the same.

"Why would you...apologize?" he asks.

"Because," I say, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You...didn't really," Hiccup says. "I'm used to it by now...always getting beat up...one way or another...I don't mind it as much when you do it…"

I already know this. He's told me it before. I guess I really just didn't think about it much until now.

It takes me a moment before I realize Hiccup's breathing is sporadic and uneven. I clamp my hand over his wound simply because I can't find any fabric on hand, but it only does so much. He hisses through his teeth in pain, and his breathing worsens.

I can't have him stop breathing. That would be horrible.

"Breathe, Hiccup," I say. "Breathe in...breathe out."

"I can breathe, thank you," Hiccup says, not rudely. I let his comment slip, remaining silent. Another instant later, when I put pressure on his wound, he gasps.

"Okay, okay, can't breathe…" he says. "Astrid."

I don't even think twice. I grab his limp hand with my free one and put it against my chest. I exaggerate my breathing so he could feel my chest rising and falling against his hand.

"Copy me," I say, trying to stay calm on the outside when in reality, I'm freaking out. "Deep breath in, deep breath out."

The first few times, he can't get a breath without nearly coughing up his lungs, but then it comes easier. By the time it does, all color is drained from his face, and his breath isn't deep, but even. At least he isn't struggling to get oxygen into his lungs anymore.

"Astrid, I ha...have to tell you something…" Hiccup says in a broken voice. His consciousness is fading, despite his adamant efforts and strong will of mind.

"No, no, you don't have to say anything," I say. I'm losing him. I'm losing him, and there isn't anything I can do. I honestly can't bear to listen to him speak at this time, in a voice that's raspy and barely audible.

"I do," Hiccup insists.

"No, please…" I say.

"Astrid." His voice isn't stern, but it's serious. Whatever he has to tell me has to be important, or else he wouldn't sound so grave.

"Wh...what?" I'm choking on my own tears now. They're falling, and I can't stop them.

"I was...all...the mapping…" he says. I know what he means, even though I'm only catching every other word due to his stuttering. The map of the isles he's been working on for months and months now. He told me he was mapping the world. Why is he telling me this now?

"It's not important, Hiccup," I say. "It's not worth wasting your strength-"

"No...let me finish," he says, and I instantly shut my mouth. "The mapping. It wasn't...I wasn't really...j-just mapping…"

"What do you mean?" I ask, trying to keep my voice from wavering.

"I was looking," Hiccup says breathlessly. "For-for something."

By the way he says it, I can tell he's implying I ask a question in response. Of course, the question I'm going to ask is already obvious.

"What were you looking for, Hiccup?" I ask. I genuinely want to know. If he wants to tell me with his dying breath, then it must be important.

"The...the perfect spot…" Hiccup says. He's whispering now, and I'm close to a panic attack. I'm losing him. He's dying in front of me. The rest of the battle barely matters in my mind. I haven't been listening to it at all. The only thing I can hear is Hiccup's few words and raspy intakes of air along with my sobs.

"The perfect spot for what?" I ask softly.

"P...proposing…to you..." Hiccup replies.

My breath hitches at those three small words. Proposing. He was going to propose to me. He was going to ask me to marry him.

"I t-talked to your parents," Hiccup says. "They...they were o-okay with it. I talked to my Dad...I just...needed to talk to you."

I'm shocked. I can't speak, and I certainly can't think.

"I didn't...want it to go down like this…" Hiccup says. "I didn't...imagine me telling you...on a battlefield…"

"No, no, I know," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. I can't think straight. Was he seriously going to propose to me?

"Would...would you...have said yes?" Hiccup asks.

I don't know why, but for some reason, I don't hesitate. "Duh," I say. "Of course. A million times yes."

"Wh...what?" Hiccup says. He sounds so confused, but I don't know why. "You were...you weren't supposed...I had...I had a speech planned out, and everything…"

"You didn't have to," I say. "I would have cut you off anyways. I don't want a speech from you, Hiccup. You'd probably get nervous in the middle of it and end up getting frustrated. No, I don't want a speech. I don't need one, because, Hiccup, I love you."

It wasn't something that we never said to each other, those three little words, but he still looks shocked. Not just shocked, either. He looks so...hurt, which is an underestimate. He looks absolutely crushed. "I'm sorry…" he sobs.

I shake my head feverishly. The last thing I want to listen to right now is ten minutes of Hiccup giving me all the reasons why he should be sorry. "No, no, don't be," I say, effortlessly cutting him off. "Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong, Hiccup."

"B-but...I let...I-I...let you down…" he says.

"No you didn't," I say determinedly. "And do you know why? It's because I'm going to marry you, Hiccup. I'm going to, but you have to do something for me first."

"What?" he says after a pause. His eyes are glazed over. I don't have much time.

Neither does he, but thinking about that makes me want to cry for the rest of my life, so I refrain from too much thought.

"You have to stay alive," I say simply. I'm squeezing his hand so hard I'm sure I'll break his fingers. He either doesn't notice or doesn't care, because he says nothing. "Stay alive, and I'll marry you. Can you do that, Hiccup?"

"I'll...I'll try…" he says. That's the best he can do. He doesn't have control over whether he lives or dies. In fact, it doesn't even look like he'll be conscious for much longer.

Or...or even alive for much longer…

"You'd better," I say. My tears are falling freely now, and there's nothing I can do about it. "Because if you die, I'll kill you."

"Wonderful," Hiccup says. I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not, although I'm silently leaning towards the not. "Sounds like a plan." He's struggling to breathe again, and his eyes are closing, to death or unconsciousness, I don't know.

I don't want to think about it.

"Alright," I say. "I'll...I'll see you, Hiccup."

"Right...back at you," Hiccup says. "I love you, Astrid."

Before I can respond, his eyes slip shut, his hand going even further limp in mine. I don't want to believe he's dead, but...if he's breathing, it's too shallow for me to notice.

If.

If.

The dreaded if. I don't know if I want to figure out one way or another just yet, but I can't stop myself. I lift his upper body off the ground and hug him, my head resting against his chest.

I can't hear anything. Maybe it's because my sobbing is so loud. Or maybe it's because...maybe he truly is dead.

Behind me, Toothless wails in sorrow, but I dismiss it. Part of me wants to comfort the dragon, but the other part of me refuses to leave Hiccup. Just the thought of leaving him - even if he is dead - makes me feel shameful. I can't leave him. How can I leave him?

I hear Toothless roar, but this time, it's full of fury and anger. I watch as the dragon turns and runs, straight towards Drago Bludvist just as the man is approaching his Bewilderbeast.

I don't know what the dragon is planning, but I have a pretty good idea.

Snotlout, Fishlegs, Eret, and the twins run up to me and Hiccup. I look at them, and if my tear soaked eyes and tear stained cheeks aren't enough indication, then Hiccup's body really does it. I put my face against Hiccup's chest once again and sob. Snotlout and the others take off their helmets - all save Eret, who drops his head instead - in silent sorrow. Then, Snotlout's face instantly is filled with rage. He looks behind him, just as Toothless pins Drago to the ground.

"Toothless, stop!" Snotlout orders. "He doesn't deserve to die."

At first, I'm preparing to yell at Snotlout. What is the Jorgenson thinking!? Drago just killed Hiccup - Snotlout's cousin - and yet Snotlout's telling Toothless that the man doesn't deserve to die?

I stop, however, by a small, almost unnoticeable sound.

Thump.

It's so insignificant, and I ignore it, my sobs picking up dramatically. After a few seconds, however, I hear the sound again.

Thump.

Toothless gets off Drago, and Snotlout walks forward as the madman rises to a stand. I hardly notice them.

Thump.

Could it be? No, it's impossible. No way. There's just no way.

"Couldn't kill me, aye, boy?" Drago says. "Your friend over there is weak. He died begging for mercy."

I hear a sound of something hitting flesh. Snotlout must have punched Drago, because when I turn around, Drago's face is turned, and Snotlout's fists are balled.

"Shut up!" Hiccup's cousin shouts. I have never, in my whole life, heard Snotlout sound so angry before. "If you think for one single solitary second that we're going to let this go, then you're wrong. Toothless, don't let him move." Toothless nods, more than happy to do as Snotlout had instructed.

I hear it yet a fourth time.

Thump.

This time, it persists rapidly. I try not to get my hopes up, but they rise anyway, without my permission.

"We'll put you in Berkian court, and see what the others think," Snotlout barks. "About you, killing the heir of Berk."

"You cannot take me to court," Drago says. "I was not born on Berk. I should be sent back to my homeland."

"Oh, and what?" Snotlout says. "You think we're gonna honor you after you kill our heir? My cousin?"

Thump...thump...thump…

"Snotlout," I say, almost without thinking about what I'm doing.

"Not now, Astrid," Snotlout says, and the tone of his voice makes me pause. He's never spoken to me in that tone, not once. The insane amount of compassion laced in every syllable takes me by surprise. "Let me deal with this guy first."

I almost don't speak, but when I hear the noise again, I can't stop myself.

"Snotlout," I repeat.

The sound...it's not just anything.

It's Hiccup's heart.

He's alive.

For now…

"Astrid, hold on," Snotlout says.

Hold on? How can I hold on? I want to scream. I want to shout it to the world.

Hiccup is alive.

"Drago," Snotlout says, "you will die...eventually. But not directly. The agony you will go through for this crime will be different than anything you've ever felt before. Do you understand that?"

"Snotlout!" I shout earnestly. Someone needs to help. Hiccup may be alive, but he's also still wounded. His wound hasn't stopped bleeding, either. If I don't get help soon…

There is no positive way to finish that thought.

"Astrid, hang on!" Snotlout says, spinning around to finally face me. His eyes widen at my expression. I'm not sure what it is, but I think I'm smiling, or else he wouldn't look so shocked.

"Snotlout," I say breathlessly. "He's alive."

"He's what!?" Snotlout shouts, rushing forward. Before he gets far, he spins around, shouts "Toothless, DO NOT let him go, no matter what!" over his shoulder, and then runs up to us. He curls his fingers around Hiccup's wrist, and pauses.

"His pulse is weak," Snotlout says, sounding relieved, shocked, and desperate all at the same time, "but it's there." I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. Snotlout then turns and shouts for Fishlegs, and he comes running forward.

"We need gauze," Snotlout says. "Or bandages, or something. What do you have?"

"Here!" Fishlegs says almost instantly, taking a roll of gauze out of his pocket and handing it to Snotlout. Snotlout reacts as soon as he has it, kneeling down next to his cousin once again.

"Astrid, hold him up while I bandage it," Snotlout orders, and I do as I'm told, moving Hiccup so that his back rests limply against my chest, his head lolling to the side.

Snotlout gets to work instantly, winding the gauze around Hiccup's stomach multiple times. Hiccup makes no move, which both relieves me and worries me. He's so out that he doesn't feel any of this. I don't know how I should feel about that.

"Ruffnut, Tuffnut," Snotlout says, "go find Stoick-"

"HICCUP!"

"Oh, never mind," Snotlout finishes lamely. Stoick, Gobber, and another woman (Hiccup's mother, I assume, named Valka from what I learned from Hiccup a few years ago) rush up to us, the three of them staring at Hiccup, me and Snotlout.

"Hiccup," Stoick whispers.

"He's alive," I say as calmly as I am able to as Hiccup's terrified parents hastily approach me and their unconscious, wounded son. At the moment, that's all I can think about. Hiccup is alive. He's alive, and that's the important thing.

"There," Snotlout says at length, stepping away from his work. "That should hold, but we need to get back to Berk. It's a deep wound."

A dragon roars, but the roar isn't from Toothless. I turn and watch in both anger and worry as Drago's Bewilderbeast stumbles around blindly, roaring for the other dragons. Toothless shakes his head against the mind controlling power of the dragon, but it only does so much.

"Someone has to go hold Drago," Fishlegs says.

"Yeah," Tuffnut agrees. "Toothless doesn't look like he can do it for much longer."

"I'll do it," Stoick says, anger coating and filling every syllable of his words. He must have pieced it together; Toothless pinning Drago down, Hiccup injured like he is…

It isn't hard to put two and two together.

"Are you su-" Valka starts, only to be cut off.

"I'm positive," Stoick says. "Just take care of Hiccup."

I don't need Stoick to tell me that in order to take care of Hiccup. At this moment, I don't think anything could keep me from taking care of Hiccup. There could be thousands of soldiers, and I wouldn't care unless one of them tried to take Hiccup away from me. Then I would probably kill them.

Stoick rushes off towards Drago and Toothless. He grabs Drago roughly the instant Toothless steps away, and then ties the man's hands behind his back with a thick leather cord. He holds Drago so tightly, I'm certain it's causing the madman pain.

Well, so be it, because I sure ain't going to stop Stoick.

My future father in law.

I think for a moment. Earlier today, Stoick called me his future daughter in law. He's actually been doing it for the past few days now, and Hiccup told me a few minutes ago that he had talked to his Dad about asking for my hand.

I thought before that it was just Stoick goofing around with us - he does want us to be a couple, after all - but now…

He had been serious. Hiccup was going to propose to me, and he knew it. When he called me his future daughter in law, he wasn't just joking.

If Hiccup stays alive, I'm going to be Stoick's future daughter in law.

I said if. No, I need to stay in the positive. When Hiccup stays alive. Not if. When.

When.

When.

When.

However, a part of my mind still says if. Because in honesty, I don't know. Hiccup could live, or Hiccup could die. It's just as simple as that.

Toothless roars, and I look over as he approaches the Alpha much like he had approached Hiccup when the dragon was under mind control, only this time, the dragon looks even more furious than he did before. The Alpha looks taken back. Toothless isn't under his control. Toothless is angry. No, not just angry. He's much, much, much more than that.

Toothless is absolutely furious, and now the Alpha is going to see why the dragon is called a Night Fury.

Toothless fires a plasma blast and roars.

"What's he doing?" Tuffnut questions.

"He's challenging the Alpha," Valka states in awe. I turn to the direction in which her voice came, and see that she's crouching beside me, her hand on Hiccup's forehead. Funny, I didn't even see her move next to me.

"What does that mean?" Tuffnut asks.

"Toothless is challenging the Alpha for control over the nest!" Fishlegs states triumphantly. "Is that right?"

Valka nods, and I notice but do not acknowledge it. My focus is once again set on Hiccup. I don't know what else to do. I know Toothless can defeat the dragon, so I don't even look. The others shout and whoop in awe as Toothless battles the monstrous Bewilderbeast, but I don't even turn my head.

I don't need to, and I don't want to, each for one reason: I don't need to, because I know when Toothless is angry, he can do pretty much anything and defeat anyone - especially if that someone is the reason he is angry and even more so especially if it has to do with Hiccup getting hurt - and I don't want to because I'm afraid that the minute I look away, Hiccup will be gone.

That just isn't something I'm willing to risk.

The sounds of plasma blasts meet my ears, along with Drago shouting, "No! Fight back!" from within Stoick's iron grip. I hear a sickening crack, and look in the corner of my eye as one of the Bewilderbeast's tusks snaps off by the sheer force of Toothless' blast.

The Alpha roars in both fury and pain. The dragons surrounding him fly over to Toothless' side and hover. Then, Toothless roars, and the dragons fire everything they have at the Alpha.

No. The Bewilderbeast isn't the Alpha anymore; Toothless is. Toothless is the new Alpha.

That relieves me beyond measure.

"NO!" Drago shouts as his Bewilderbeast retreats into the water. "What are you doing!? Fight them! Fight back!"

Stoick yanks on Drago's arms and says something I can't catch. My attention is on Hiccup again. His breathing seems shallower - if even possible. As soon as the Bewilderbeast is gone without a trace, Toothless snorts, and then runs back towards us. The look on his face has changed completely. He looks like a harmless puppy dog, with his wide eyes and look of terror on his face.

"We need to get Hiccup back to Berk," Valka says. "He's already getting a fever."

So that's why she's keeping her hand on his forehead. Or maybe it's just for comfort, for both him and her? I actually don't know.

"We have the dragons again," Snotlout says. "We can take him back to Berk."

Toothless nudges Hiccup's limp hand, and then looks up at me. I comfort the dragon this time, putting my hand on his muzzle.

"He'll be alright," I promise. "We'll get him home, and then it'll be okay. Okay?"

Toothless doesn't look convinced, but he nods anyway.

"I'll take Drago back on Skullcrusher," Stoick says as he drags his captive forward even harsher than is necessary. I don't blame him. I would have done the same thing if I were Stoick. "Someone has to take Hiccup."

"I'll take him on Toothless," I offer instantly without even giving it a second thought. "I know how to work Toothless' tailfin, and Toothless is the fastest dragon here. It's the best chance Hiccup has."

"Alright," Stoick says. "Are you sure you can, Astrid?"

"Positive," I say. I can see the anger behind Stoick's eyes, and he's hiding it as best he can. He's angry with Drago. That's what it is. I, once again, do not blame my Chief. I'm angry with Drago, too. In fact, Drago's lucky I'm not the one keeping him in place. I'm not as good at hiding my anger as Stoick is. I might draw my axe and do something drastic on accident.

I don't think before I act. That's what is said to be my flaw. The more I think about it, the more right it seems to be.

"Come on!" Snotlout shouts. "Let's go, already! We have to hurry!"

Stoick calls to Skullcrusher, as the rest of us do with our dragons shortly afterwards. After a brief reunion with our beloved dragons, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs mount their dragons. Stoick orders Skullcrusher to hold Drago down, and the dragon obeys. Stoick then takes Hiccup from me (I hide my discomfort, because I trust Stoick), and I mount Toothless, holding my arms out for Stoick to hand Hiccup back once again. He hands his son to me with gentleness only a father would know, and I hold onto him tightly, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Be safe," Stoick says. "We'll be right behind you."

"You know me. When am I not safe?" I say. I doubt that's very reassuring, but before he says a word elsewise, I put Toothless' tailfin into the mode Hiccup calls "Airborne" and then take off, towards Berk.

Towards home. Towards the healers Hiccup so desperately needs. Toothless flies faster than ever, being careful as so neither me nor his rider falls off, and he accomplishes this without problem.

"Hang on, Hiccup," I whisper, kissing his temple. "We're gonna be home soon."

Three days after the battle, and the healers aren't letting me see Hiccup.

They aren't letting anyone see him, except Stoick and Valka. I spend my days pacing in front of the healer's house, hoping silently that Hiccup would be alright. By their first reactions when I landed Toothless in front of the hut three days ago, Hiccup wasn't doing very good.

I had heard the healers shouting to each other, things such as, "It's a deep wound"; "He's lost so much blood"; "We need to stitch it up"; "Too deep"; but since then, I haven't heard anything else. I'm scared out of my mind. That's the only thing I know for certain.

After another hour of pacing, the door finally opens, and one of the healers steps out. My head whips around in her direction, and I stumble forward, awaiting whatever it is she is going to tell me or do.

"Well?" I say after a moment. I mean for my voice to come out demanding, but instead it comes out as a strangled, choked voice of one who has been crying and panicking for days.

Well, actually, I am one who has been crying and panicking for days. I would never admit it to Snotlout or the other villagers, but at night, when the healers would tell me that I have to go get some rest, I would lay awake half the night, crying until my throat was sore and my eyes were red. By morning, all the evidence was gone, but the hurt was and is still there.

I don't know if Hiccup's going to live or not.

"H-how is he?" I ask shakily. Part of me doesn't want to know, but the other part of me is dying to find out.

"He's in a coma," the healer says quickly, not taking her eye off me. "We stitched the wound, but he's lost a lot of blood."

I don't want to assume anything. I don't want to assume. I can't assume. All it does is make me feel worse. "What are you saying?" I ask.

"We don't know when he'll wake up," the healer says.

There's something she isn't telling me, and I know it. "What are you hiding?" I say. Call me crazy, but I think when a healer refuses to tell you the truth, then it must be pretty bad.

"We…" the healer hesitates. "We don't know if he'll wake up."

There it is. The thing I have been dreading. I can't breathe. My lungs refuse to work. The edges of my vision go fuzzy.

We don't know if he'll wake up.

After a few moments - it could have been minutes, or hours, and I wouldn't know - I finally manage to speak. "Can I see him?" I ask. That's my first coherent thought. I need to see him myself. Maybe it will break my heart, but I need to know. I need to see him.

The healer nods, stepping aside, giving me room to enter. I push past her, my shoulder brushing against hers by mistake in my rush to get inside.

I see him, and my feet stop moving. My legs freeze. I feel tears spring into my eyes again, and I make no move to stop them.

He's pale; paler than I've ever seen him before. So pale he could be dead. He could be a corpse, that's how pale he is. He's so pale it hurts me to look at him, yet I find that I can't tear my eyes away. From where I'm standing, I can't see the rise and fall of his chest, just because his breaths are so shallow.

After I finally gather my courage, I approach the bedside and put my hand on his forehead. His skin isn't cold, like I half expected it to be. No, instead, it's hot. He has a fever. My heart breaks just a little more.

The healer steps outside and shuts the door behind her, leaving me alone with Hiccup. It's not the first time I've seen Hiccup in a coma, but the first time, the healers told us that he was going to wake up, and that he was going to live.

Now…

They have no idea one way or the other, and that fact terrifies me more than I wish to admit.

Taking in a breath, I sit down on the edge of the bed and bite my lip nervously. My mind is racing.

"So," I say without hardly thinking about it. "The healers are worried. I can see it in their eyes." I don't know what I'm doing, or why I'm speaking even at all, but for some reason, I don't stop. "They don't think you'll make it." My voice wavers. "But I...I guess...I guess…" I guess what? What do I guess? "They could be wrong," I say. "I know you, Hiccup. You wouldn't…" I pause, taking in a deep, shuddering breath. "You wouldn't die on me. Not after everything..."

I pause for just a moment. Memories flash through my mind; the Red Death; the day we started the Academy; D.U.M.B. club; the time Hiccup got himself struck by lightning; the day he and I got trapped during that avalanche; when Hiccup saved Toothless from Dagur; when Hiccup brought peace between the Outcasts and the Berkians, and all the memories in between.

"Not after everything we've been through," I say. "I don't care what the healers think. They don't know you like I do. I know...you've never let me down before, and this time shouldn't be any different."

I don't know what I'm doing. It's not like he can hear me.

"Look," I say, "I know I don't say it often enough, but what I really want to say is...Hiccup...I don't know what I would do without you. I don't know where I would be, how I would be, or even what I would be. I don't know how I ever got along without you before. You're brilliant. You're fantastic, smart, creative, a bit crazy, selfless, compassionate, sarcastic...seriously, there is an insane amount of sarcasm involved."

Stupid thing to say.

"But really," I say. "I don't know what I would do, if...if you weren't to ever wake up, and, I guess...I guess that's it."

That's it? That's really all I have to say to him? I have so many things I want to thank him for, and say to him...but then again, it's not like he can hear anything I'm saying. He doesn't even know I'm next to him. He doesn't know where he is. He probably isn't even thinking, locked deep in the depths of his coma.

"I just have...one favor to ask of you, Hiccup," I say. "Just, you know...one little thing. Really insignificant...but...if you could just...open your eyes. Maybe...maybe let me know you're alright. Say something, I don't care what it is. Sarcasm, a joke...even though I hate your jokes. They're normally dry and stupid."

Once again, stupid thing to say.

"Just open your eyes," I plea. "I'm begging you, Hiccup. Just open your eyes, and say something, maybe. Let me know you're okay. Please."

It's been three days since the battle. He should be able to wake up by now. However, when I look at him again, I see that he has his eyes still closed, his breathing still shallow, his face still white. I can't help what I do next.

I lean over him and sob. I sob and cry, feeling helpless, because I can't help my friend. Well...not exactly just "friend" anymore. I'm his fiancé. I'm going to marry him if he wakes up.

When. I meant when he wakes up. Not if. I have to stay in the positive. But...as I l'm practically laying on top of him, my tears soaking his shirt, it becomes harder and harder.

I stay there for longer than I wish to think about. My sobbing doesn't lessen, and my tears flow like miniature rivers down my face. I make no move to wipe them away. It would be pointless anyways, in the end.

Then, I feel something touch the top of my head. My normal instinct would be to fight it, but right now, my "normal instincts" are crushed. My normal instincts would be to hide my tears, even if I was alone. My normal instincts would be to keep on keeping on, even when it's hard.

My normal instincts are jumbled. I can't think straight.

Then, I consider the thing against my head. For a moment, I think it may be the healer coming back, but then I realize that I'm alone with no one else besides Hiccup. But Hiccup's in a coma. It couldn't possibly be…

Could it?

I pull up abruptly at the thought. I know I shouldn't get my hopes up, but I just can't help it. I can't help getting my hopes up. I stare at Hiccup's face, and the first thing I notice is this:

His eyes are open.

"Hiccup?" I ask, just because I'm so shocked. I can't think straight. My mind goes fuzzy. He's awake. "You're...you're…" I can't even talk right, I'm so shocked. He's awake. He's awake. Or maybe my mind's just playing tricks on me. Maybe I'm just going crazy.

Or maybe he really is awake.

"You're alright," I say breathlessly.

"No, I'm the ghost come back to haunt you," Hiccup says, but he's smiling. The tone of his voice makes it obvious that he's joking.

I can't stop myself. I half laugh and half sob, tears still falling down my face for a reason different than sorrow.

"Hiccup!" I shout, throwing my arms around him, squeezing him so hard I know it's bound to cause him pain. I can't help it. I don't let him go. Never again. I feel him hug me back, though his hold is weaker than mine, and less fierce.

"Yeah, hey, Astrid," Hiccup says. He's just so casual about the whole thing, and I can't help but smile. He's still Hiccup, no matter what his circumstance is. I still refuse to let go of him. I had just come so, so close to losing him, that the mere thought of ever letting him out of my sight terrifies me.

At length, when I remember that Hiccup has to breathe and I'm probably cutting off his air by how hard I'm hugging him, I pull away, my hands on his shoulders.

"I'd punch you if you weren't hurt," I say, one of my hands on his shoulder while my other hand wipes furiously at the tears still falling from my eyes. I'm not crying out of grief now. I'm crying out of joy.

"Noted," Hiccup says. "Are you alright?"

"Idiot," I mutter with a half laugh, brushing my damp bangs out of my face although they fall right back into place afterwards. "I'm fine. You're the one who narrowly avoided death."

"I do that a lot," Hiccup says with a shrug.

"No, Hiccup, you don't understand," I say, trying to keep my tone as serious as possible. "Out of all the near death experiences you've had so far, this...this would have to be one of the closest getaways you've had. We...I almost lost you."

Hiccup swallows. "So I take it you're angry," he says.

"Yep," I say. "But not right now. I'll take it out on you when you're better."

"Wonderful," Hiccup says. He pauses, and for a brief moment, looks torn between talking and staying silent. "Listen," he says, "about the whole proposing thing...I never really got to ask you straight on. And I know this isn't really the most romantic of times-"

"Hiccup," I say.

"-but I just figured, well, I don't know," Hiccup says. "I had-"

"Hiccup," I say again.

"I mean, it's not like I'd blame you if you changed your mind-"

"Hiccup!" I shout suddenly. "What makes you think I changed my mind?"

"Well, the fact that I asked you right before...nearly dying," Hiccup says.

"You think I'm having second thoughts about accepting your proposal?" I say.

"Um...I normally don't know what in the world you think," Hiccup says.

"In that case," I say, "why don't you ask me again? You know, just to make sure." I'm suppressing a smile as I speak.

"Um...well, okay," Hiccup says. He takes a breath. "Astrid Hofferson," he begins, "will you-"

"YES," I shout, yanking him into a hug once again. "And no, I don't want to listen to you babbling about having a speech. I don't want a speech, weirdo."

"Oh, alright," Hiccup says, hugging me back. "So…"

"So…" I say. I can tell that both of us are at a loss of words.

"So we're good now," Hiccup says.

The line echoes a memory. When we were trapped in that cave, our dragons having just saved us from the avalanche. It was nearly five years ago, but yet I still remember it as if it just happened yesterday.

"So, we're good now," Hiccup said.

"Yeah," I responded. "Good as new." I pulled my hand back and whacked his forearm.

When the memory finishes playing in my head, I nod against his shoulder. "Yes," I say. "Good as new," I repeat the line I had said all those years ago.

I pause for just a moment. "But if you ever scare me like that again…" I begin in a threatening tone.

"Don't worry," Hiccup says. "I wouldn't dream of it."

I sigh. "Good," I say. "Very good." I pause and take a breath. "I love you, Hiccup," I say.

"Love you, too," Hiccup says in response.

Author's Notes:

So, yes, I believe you all get the idea of this here one-shot. It's over 9,000 words, wow...my longest one-shot yet. Which really isn't that big of a deal. I mean, I'm sure there are other people who have done one-shots longer than that before…

But yeah, it's just sort of an achievement for me, if you know what I mean. So...I hope you enjoyed this. If I get enough people to like it, I may go over it again, make it longer, and then turn it into a full story. But, yeah. Only if enough people like it. :)

Until next story! :D

-BeyondTheClouds777