AN: Okay, so it was never planned to give this story more than one chapter... And I still stand by my original idea that I want people to imagine their own ending, the one they like best. However, after talking it through with some friends, this version formed in my head. And it wouldn't go away until I wrote it down. So what you get here now, is one possible ending/sequel. If you don't like it, feel free to ignore it. :)

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Follow Your Heart: Optional Ending (Part 1/2)

A harsh gust of wind blew across the sea. It was a cold wind that came from the north, rocking the small ship and ruffling through untidy auburn hair. Hiccup pulled his jacket closer around his neck as it made him shiver. He knew that he could go inside where it was somewhat warmer and sheltered from the wind… But he didn't want to! He wanted to stay right here, standing at the railing at the ship's prow and with his eyes cast out toward the island in the distance.

Time was a strange concept. Logically, he knew that it had been ten years since he'd last been here. But with everything that had happened since then, it simultaneously felt as if it had been only weeks and an entire lifetime.

What would await him there? Was his father still ruling the island? Was his grandmother still alive? And, most importantly… Was she still living there?

Hiccup closed his eyes and gulped. He'd already spent endless hours, days, weeks even thinking about these questions. But he wouldn't get any answers, not until he set foot on his former home island again and sought them out directly.

As Berk came closer, Hiccup's eyes wandered to that spot on the island he knew best; the shore at the northern coast. Smiling, he remembered all the times he'd stood there, waiting in excitement. He even thought he could see someone standing there right now, waiting like he used to wait. They were still too far away to see more than the vague outline of a figure, but that didn't keep his mind from filling in details that, certainly, couldn't be there. Like long golden hair gleaming in the light of the rising sun.

With a sigh, he shook his head. No matter how much he hoped for this, she wasn't waiting anymore. She couldn't be. Not after ten years. Humourlessly, he laughed at himself. He'd made up countless scenarios in his mind over the last couple of months about how she might react to seeing him.; elated, overwhelmed, or breaking out in tears of joy that he wasn't dead. But all of these ideas were just wishful thinking. Chances were that she wasn't even living here anymore, and if she was then surely not because of him. She was beautiful, inside and out, and certainly had caught the eye of someone else by now. Someone who, hopefully, had made her happy.

But that wouldn't keep him from at least looking for her, if only to let her know he was alive and to apologise. To see her one more time.

Being back on Berk was strange. He felt it the moment his foot touched the once-familiar ground, this weird sense of familiarity and foreignness all at once. He used to know these docks, knew every man working here. But now, the faces around were only vaguely familiar if even that, and instead of greeting him with friendly smiles, they barely even looked at him.

Well, he had changed, he mused. His hair had inevitably grown longer and he hadn't bothered to cut it often. He had a beard now. And the peg leg, of course. Besides, it wasn't as if anyone expected to see him. They all had to believe that he died ten years ago.

Mutely, Hiccup walked past them all. He could announce his return; that might even be the fastest way to get information. However, he decided not to. If he didn't like what he found, if there was no place for him here anymore, then he wouldn't stay. He didn't even expect to stay…

Walking through the narrow streets of the town of Berk was just as strange as setting foot on the island had been before. It all looked eerily familiar, the buildings, the streets, the people. But nothing was quite as he remembered. The buildings were mostly the same except for fresh paintings and one that must have been rebuilt completely at some point. There was Gobber's workshop where he'd bought countless tools and parts in the past, but the sign atop the door was new and the display entirely unfamiliar to him. And there was the innkeeper's daughter, but she didn't look the same anymore. Her hair had streaks of grey in it, she'd become a little rounder, and she had a small boy on each of her hands. Without a doubt her sons. Swallowing, Hiccup walked on without saying hello. Life had continued without him, of course, it had. People had moved on.

He was hesitant about where to go exactly. His father's house would be an obvious choice, but… well, it hadn't been the memory of his father or even his grandma that had finally made him come here. Made him remember. He took a deep breath and then walked on, out of the town and down a small and barely-used road. He knew where Helka Hofferson's house was, after all. Maybe it was a far-fetched hope that her niece might still be there, but it was all he had.

The sun rose higher as he walked the short distance, warming his face and the air around him. It would be an unusually bright day for Berk. Hopefully, that was a good omen.

When he reached the small house, he paused. It was well-maintained with a garden and flowers in the windows. That was a good sign, meant that there was still someone living here. At least, he could hope for information. And it also looked different from what he remembered, younger in a way. The thought made his heart skip a beat, but he fought down the growing excitement. That didn't have to mean that she was living here. It could be just anyone, moving here after Helka had given the house up for whatever reason.

Slowly and with shaking knees, he stepped up to the entrance door, almost tripping as his prosthetic caught on a stone. Gods, he couldn't remember ever having been this nervous! What if a complete stranger opened the door? What if it was her, but arm in arm with her husband? Did he really want to have that image in his mind? Did he want it to replace the last memory he had of her, the one of her waving at him at the docks, with such an image?

Trembling, he leaned his forehead against the wooden door. He knew what he wanted, what he hoped for. A second chance with the woman who'd captured his heart and soul within merely a few hours. He longed for it, desperately, and he had no idea what to do with his life if that moment, that decision to leave with the Night Fury, really had ruined his one and only chance. He didn't want his hopes to be shattered.

But not knocking and leaving now without a word made no sense. He'd come all the way to get answers – to this island and this house. Now, he just had to seize them. And maybe she wasn't even here. Maybe someone else would open the door; a stranger. Maybe all he would learn today was that she'd moved away long ago.

Maybe his hopes and dreams wouldn't get crushed in a minute.

He knocked.

Nothing.

Hiccup huffed. Okay, no crushed hopes yet… But what now? Should he wait here until whoever lived here came back? If it indeed was some stranger, then he would look like a creep. He'd look like one anyway... Maybe he should go to his father's house first, after all. And come back here later. Or maybe not, depending on what his father might tell him. Sighing in resignation, he turned to leave when he heard the noises.

Footsteps.

A high voice calling something, female but unfamiliar.

A door falling close.

The noises came from behind the house where an ample garden used to be, as far as he remembered. Maybe there, he would find whoever lived here now.

Without giving himself more time to doubt or talk himself out of this, he walked around the building. "Hello?" he called to announce himself, but nobody answered him. Strange. He walked on, looking around but couldn't see anybody. Although, no, that wasn't entirely true. On this side of the house, a large window was set into the wall. And even though the reflecting sunlight made it hard to look inside, Hiccup could still make out movement behind the glass, a person moving about. And he could swear they had long golden-blond hair.

Don't be silly, he chided himself, even as his heartbeat quickened. He didn't dare to believe it could really be her, that he might actually see her again after all this time.

Without his help, his legs moved to the backdoor set near the window. He lifted his hand to knock, his head dizzy with too many emotions, and a lump formed in his throat as his knuckles rapped against the wood.

"Come in, honey. The door is open.

The response nearly caused his knees to give way beneath him. That voice! It was her voice, without any doubt or room for errors. He recognised it, the tone etched forever into his mind.

But… Honey?

With shaking hands, he opened the door and saw her.

She stood at a kitchen counter, her hands buried in soapy water as she washed the dishes. She didn't even look up as he entered and just hummed under her breath to herself.

Rendered speechless and immobile, he could do nothing but stare at her. She hadn't changed much; her curves were a little rounder than he remembered, softer, and her hair a shade or two paler. But she looked just as beautiful as he remembered, a serene smile on her lips and that inner glow still radiating from her like in that night in the tavern room.

"Astrid?"

Her name came out as nothing but a whisper, a weak gasp, trembling.

She paused in her movements, soapy water dripping off her hands. Then she turned toward him, surprise and confusion on her face – though not as much as he would have expected. She took a moment or three to silently look him over, her head cocked in thought before her lips twitched into a slight smile.

"Well, hello there. Didn't expect to see you here."

She spoke in a light tone, untroubled. It threw Hiccup off completely. This was her only reaction? Had she cared so little for him that his absence or return didn't faze her at all? Not that he'd wanted her to hurt over his disappearance, but… but…

Bewildered, he just stood still and waited as she took in his appearance more closely.

"Huh. I didn't expect a new look," she said with a strange smile. "Appropriate though, I guess. Although, it makes sense after ten years, doesn't it? You look…. older. I like the beard. And you've gained some muscles, haven't you?" Her smile became a little sad. "But your leg… You probably lost it when the ship sank?" She paused, eyes on his prosthetic, "That looks oddly complicated. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this." She took a minute longer to look at him, then chuckled, shook her head, and turned back to washing the dishes.

Stunned, Hiccup gaped at her. He'd wondered about how she might react, but this was not what he'd expected. She… she had to know that he'd gone missing, right? She had to have noticed that he hadn't come back. Or hadn't she waited for him at all, not even a few weeks? Had the connection between them that one night and all his feelings been nothing but his imagination?

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. The only sounds he could hear were the clinking of the tableware and the thundering of his own heart. He'd come for nothing. He'd found her as he'd hoped he would. But he hadn't made this journey just to see her, no matter what he'd told himself earlier. His heart and soul longed for more – but she didn't care.

He shouldn't have come in the first place...

He was just about to excuse himself and leave when something in her posture changed. Her grip on the plate in one hand and the brush in the other tightened, and she leaned forward, propping her weight up on her arms.

"Gods, I'm such a mess," she whispered.

Hiccup cocked his head. He wasn't sure whether she was still talking to him, even though there was nobody else around. Even when her eyes turned back to him, shimmering with unshed tears, it seemed as if she wasn't really seeing him at all.

"Ten years…" she murmured, still as if just talking to herself. "Ten years, and I'm still not over you. You'd think I was stronger than that. But now, I see you even here, and… and I don't even want you to go away. I should, but… but…" She broke off, choking on tears and more running freely down her cheeks.

And Hiccup understood. She wasn't indifferent toward him. She'd missed him just as much as he'd missed her, enough so that… that she'd imagined seeing him? Frequently enough so that his appearance didn't even surprise her?

He gulped. He could see it now, the soul-deep pain in her eyes. It made his heart break all over for her. Yes, the thought of her being indifferent had hurt. But her pain right now hurt so much more. Even as he stood right here, she didn't believe it to be true…

"I don't want you to go," she eventually continued. Her voice was a little clearer now but still weak and quivering, brittle. As if she was about to break into a million pieces. "I want you to stay here. And I don't care if people call me crazy, I just…" She shook her head, her eyes closed, then let it drop as she turned away from him again, her shoulders slumping.

"Gods, I wish you were truly here," she sobbed. "I wish you were real!"

Her pain didn't leave him unaffected, his face crumpling. He wanted to reassure her, but if she believed him to be nothing but a vision then just him saying so wouldn't convince her. Hesitantly, he made a few steps toward her. She didn't turn even as she must have heard his feet on the wooden floor and the rustling of his clothes, must have felt him coming closer. She didn't react and only kept sobbing quietly, even as he stood just inches behind her.

Moving on their own accord, his hands landed on her hips and he leaned a little closer until his chest was almost against her back. Beneath his hands, she stiffened.

"I am real!" he murmured into her ear. Just these three words. Trembling, overwhelmed by emotions, he waited for her reaction.

There was a loud Clang! as the plate landed on the ground slipping from numb fingers. Keening, she leaned back against him. Her knees buckled and left her weight almost entirely on his arms for a moment, and even though he was still shaking, he held on to her as tightly as he could.

Then, before Hiccup could even react, she turned around and kissed him. It was a hard kiss, bruising. Her hands were in his hair in an instant, clinging to him and tugging almost painfully as she gasped against his mouth. But he didn't have it in him to pull away. His arms held her as tightly as possible and his heart flowed over with joy, the fulfilment of ten years of anticipation.

Eventually, the kiss changed into something softer, her lips searching reassurance while her hands tried to connect his new appearance with the man she'd known before. He knew that's what she did because he did the same; caressing her arms, her back and sides, feeling her hair, her softness, and strong muscles beneath her skin. Sweet reconnecting and curious exploring. He knew that he wasn't the same man he'd been ten years ago anymore, and the same certainly was true for her, too. But during those minutes which felt like lifetime's worth of bonding, that didn't matter. They were together again, and that was all that counted.

"You're really here," she gasped against his lips after what felt like a small eternity. "You're alive!"

Gulping, Hiccup nodded. "I am."

She pulled back a little, her eyes searching his. They were just as beautiful as he remembered, deep like the sea yet warm and gentle like a summer breeze. He could lose himself in her eyes alone, and he didn't even notice her frown. Not until she spoke again.

"But… but how is that possible? The ship… everyone knew you were dead. And where have you been? What happened?"

He sighed. "That's a long story,"

"And I have all the time in the world," she replied, chuckling. "Hiccup, I–"

An unexpected voice interrupted her. "I found something! Are you–"

Hiccup flinched. His head whipped around to where a young girl was staring at them, and he reflexively made a step away from Astrid; their closeness was not quite suitable for the eyes of a child. Astrid wouldn't have it, though, held on to him as if to never let him go again. He liked that thought.

"Am I what?" Astrid asked, her mind clicking back to reality much faster than his. "What did you find, honey?"

Oh, so she's who she'd meant before, Hiccup realised. Forcing his racing heart to calm down, he looked the girl over more closely. She seemed to be around ten years old and something about her face seemed oddly familiar. Had he met her before? But no, she would have been nothing but a baby back then.

The girl blinked, confused, but her eyes never left him, scrutinising him just as closely and her mind visibly working through options. "I… I found this mechanism in the book you…" she uttered, but then shook her head as if to clear it. "Did you say Hiccup? Mum, is… is that who I think he is?"

Mum?

Giggling like a little girl, Astrid nodded. "Yes, Zephyr. Yes, he is."

Hiccup slumped, inwardly distancing himself from the woman in his arms. Of course… The girl's face looked familiar because she looked like Astrid. She was her daughter! And whoever the girl's father was, he wouldn't be happy that a stranger had invaded his home and had kissed his wife.

The girl gaped at him with wide eyes, probably thinking the same as he did, but Hiccup couldn't pay her much attention right now. His trembling hands once again settled on Astrid's waist, but this time it was to push her away.

"She… is your daughter?" he asked, unnecessarily. By the Gods, he'd come in the hopes to continue where their lives had been separated ten years ago. But he wouldn't stay to destroy her marriage, wouldn't–

Astrid shook her head at his question. Her eyes bore into his, just as intense as he remembered, the softness of her smile spreading over her entire face. "No," she breathed. "Zephyr isn't my daughter." She reached for his hands, placed them over her stomach, and laid hers over his. "She's our daughter!"

Hiccup blinked. His mind took a moment to register what she'd said. Then his jaw dropped and his eyes widened as they flickered back and forth between Astrid and the girl. "Our...? But… but how… what…" Of course, he knew how and remembered every detail of that night. But it was too much to accept at that moment, too much to wrap his head around. That girl… sh-she was… was his daughter?

With a soft sigh, Astrid leaned against his chest. "That's… a long story.

. o O o .

This was only the first part of the sequel. There's also a second part which is already written out completely. I just need to edit it a bit and will upload it in a day or two.