Chapter title: Invincible

Author's Note: So, I don't know if any of you will be disappointed, but this is the final chapter! I would like to thank you all who have reviewed, followed or alerted and otherwise showed their support. It means a lot, so thank you! And please continue to do so, after this chapter as well.

Also, I have now seen the final movie and it absolutely broke my heart! Go see it as soon as possible. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

Crimescenelover out!

Disclaimer: HTTYD is the property of Dreamworks and I claim no ownership of any characters or places you might recognize.

Hiccup was aware enough to know he should be feeling pain. He knew because even as he was floating in darkness his limbs still felt heavy and his muscles hummed with exertion and fatigue.

He didn't know why he didn't feel the agony. He didn't even know what had put him in that position to begin with. His mind was muddled and fuzzy and his thoughts couldn't grasp at a single coherent sentence. It should worry him. It should nag and bite at him, that he couldn't remember where he was or why he was here. He should be trying to escape. He didn't.

He just existed in this dark, where hopelessness and torment didn't exist. There were only pleasant oblivion keeping him company. He felt like he could stay here forever. Just leave his life behind and float away into this dark realm of cherished memories and painless existence, content. Then voices penetrated the darkness, shining a bright light onto him. At first, they were muttered and incomprehensible and he couldn't recognize who they belonged to.

The first he did recognize was his father's. The thunderous speech of Stoick the Vast boomed in his ears. It was full of pride and love as it guided him through the thick fog, always a steady presence by his side. Astrid's voice chimed in then. Her light words were filled to the brim with encouragement and affection as she cheered his every step towards the light. Toothless' call echoed with steadfast loyalty and unwavering trust, his constant companion in the skies who would never leave. He discerned several more as a whole chorus joined in over the three most prominent voices.

With the many sounds in his head, everything suddenly came rushing back to him. He remembered the flight on Toothless that day. The brutal storm that tore them away from each other, all because he thought he could outrun the elements. He remembered the Grim Gnashers attacking a defenseless Toothless and the subsequent agony that followed after, trying to protect him. The thought of Toothless sparked a flash deep within. He needed to get back to Toothless. His dragon needed him.

The struggle back was hard. The voices urged him on as he fought against the alluring dark swirling around him. He tore at the edges and little by little, the illusion was peeled away, and he almost wished it hadn't been. Feeling was the first to return. His chest was on fire, shooting daggers of agony down his legs and arms. Everything seemed to throb in time with his heartbeat. Every scratch pulsed, every bruise tightened on his skin and the burns and gashes flared with discomfort. The soft pricking feel of bandages wrapped around his torso almost constricted his breathing. He felt worn down and heavy. Like the largest dragon on earth had sat down in his chest and stayed there for the night. Sound came next. He heard the faint sound of wood creaking and deep, ragged breaths. It took him awhile before he realized it was his own labored breathing he could hear.

He wanted to move, to test the limits of his aching body. He wanted to see Toothless and make sure he was alright. But simply moving his finger seemed like the biggest challenge in the world. He opted for focusing on opening his eyes instead. That proved just as big of a challenge. They felt sewn shut. With tremendous difficulty, he slowly managed to pry them open. He blinked a couple of times as his surroundings blurred into focus.

He was in his home, on his father's bed on the ground floor, a thin blanket keeping him warm. A fire burned in the fireplace, the flames cackling and popping peacefully. And there, in a chair by his bedside, sat Astrid. Her eyes were closed, and her chest moved up and down in a slow, steady rhythm. She looked tired, he noted, faint bags present under her eyes. She was still the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. She frowned in her sleep then and as it eased out, her eyelids parted to reveal her shining blue orbs. Her piercing gaze found him. A second passed.

"Hi," Hiccup faintly croaked. His voice was raw, and his dry throat hurt when he spoke.

It seemed like something clicked. Astrid tore out of her chair and leaned closer to him as gleeful relief lit up her face. "Oh my gods, Hiccup!"

Her hands hovered hesitantly over his body and he had rarely seen her so unsure. Eventually she elected on simply taking his cold hand and wrapping it in both of hers as she held it close to her chest. She smiled tearfully at him and he returned the gesture gladly. But one piercing worry still nagged him relentlessly, refusing to let go of his heart.

"Astrid, where's Toothless?"

Her face fell slightly at the question and he almost feared the worst. Then it warped into something along the lines of amusement and absurdity as she eased back into the wooden chair. Her voice was still warm and loving, as she responded, "You almost died and the first thing out of your mouth is about your dragon."

"Astrid, please." He didn't like how weak he sounded or how he pleaded, but she didn't understand. He needed to see him. He needed to know. After everything, he had to make sure.

"Toothless is fine, he's right here," Astrid picked up on his desperate tone and tilted her head to her right. Hiccup followed her indication and saw Toothless curled up on the floor right beside the fire. He was breathing deeply, his chest moving up and down in a steady, sleepy rhythm while he vibrated with a soft rumble. Bandages had been wrapped around his most serious wounds, while the rest was barely visible against his black scales.

"It's gonna be while before he should fly again, just like you-", that was followed by a hard, pointed glare in his direction, "- but he's gonna be fine, Hiccup. He wouldn't leave your side, even to get treated. Almost tore off the last of Gobber's legs."

"At least, that's one adventure without any more missing limbs, right?"

"Hiccup…" Astrid warned.

Hiccup held up his hands defensively. "Okay, sorry. Still touchy about the whole nearly dying thing, that's fair enough. How long was I asleep?"

"More like comatose… You've been out about a day or so."

Hiccup looked away at the information, guilt clenching in his chest. That would explain why she acted like that to his small jest. He had really scared her this time. He decided not to dwell on it for too long, before those emotions overpowered him. There was enough guilt and remorse in his heart for the time being.

"So … How did you guys find me?"

"Actually, you found yourself. You flew back to Berk – or crashed, is probably a better word for it. Practically scared the wool off some of the sheep," Astrid explained and then frowned as she took on a more somber tone, looking at him questioningly. "You don't remember?"

"I… I guess not," Hiccup honestly answered. He vaguely recalled the urgent feeling of needing to stay awake. He remembered telling it to himself over and over as the darkness had beckoned closer. But he couldn't for the life of him recall why, when or where. He knew he had fixed Toothless' tailfin; he vividly remembered them working most of the day on it, fighting through their fatigue. The ride home though… That was lost in the haze of pain.

Astrid's eyes flickered as she searched his face and pondered his answer. It was clear she still wasn't done asking questions. She was never shy to withhold her opinions or thoughts so the silence between them didn't stretch on for long before she hesitantly asked, "Hiccup… what happened out there?"

Hiccup sighed heavily and then winced as his body protested. "I made an error of judgment. And Toothless almost paid the price for it."

He then told her how they had crashed onto that island; how he had found Toothless on the ground and how he had never been so scared the Night Fury would die before him and there was nothing he could do. He explained how he had fought off the Grim Gnashers to protect him, how Toothless had returned the favor and how they had worked together to rescue themselves. He left out the part where his world only consisted of weary hurt and that was why he couldn't call to mind the flight home. Instead he opted for, "… And I guess it worked, 'cause the next thing I remember is waking up here, with you."

Astrid had remained silent through the entire story, only asking a few clarifying questions here and there but otherwise let him talk. When he was done, exhausted by all the haunting memories he had to relive, she tightened her grip in his hand and delicately kissed his fingers, her lips soft against his rough skin. Some would describe the look on her face as pity. But Astrid didn't do pity. To Hiccup, her eyes were filled with nothing but compassion and even a hint of pride. He felt his heart skip a beat at the amount of emotion directed his way and once again counted himself lucky to have her in his life.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that alone," she eventually said.

"I wasn't alone," Hiccup confidently answered. "I had Toothless with me."

"As it should be," Astrid wryly smirked at the response. She leaned over to plant a kiss on his forehead, her hand gently brushing his tousled hair. "I'm gonna let your father know you're awake. He didn't leave your side either until he was sure you were going to be okay. He sat with you all night."

She rose from her chair nimbly and Hiccup grasped her hand as she turned to leave. He knew his father hadn't been the only one to keep a close vigil. She looked down at him, surprised at his quick reflex. He sent her a warm smile, gratitude shining in his eyes.

"Thank you."

She flashed her wide grin before heading out the wooden door. Hiccup watched her leave and as the door creaked shut, he turned his gaze towards Toothless again. He was surprised to find the big, green eyes staring back at him.

"Hi, Toothless. You okay, bud?" Hiccup warmly greeted and held out his hand tryingly.

The Night Fury crooned at him happily and rose to his feet. He did so without his usual grace and when he gingerly waltzed over to his Rider's bed, it was hard to miss the noticeable limp in his step. Agonizing guilt once again swarmed his thoughts and his chest tightened at the sight. It had been partly a lie what he had told Astrid. While he hadn't been completely on his own, there were several moments where he felt utterly abandoned. When Toothless had been unconscious and barely responsive and Hiccup had no idea whether he would make it through the night, he had found himself deserted. He had handled a lot on his own; before Toothless, he had been by himself for most of his life. But that had all changed over the years and it had been terrifying to suddenly face all of it alone again. Especially since it had been his own fault. He had almost gotten his own dragon killed and that knowledge clenched his heart painfully. Still, his dragon had been with him through it all and he was here now, by his side, alive and well.

Toothless pulled him out of his despairing thoughts as he licked his out-stretched hand. Hiccup felt the guilt slowly ebb away as he petted his best friend, who seemed to carry no grudge against his mistakes. There was only love and loyalty. The Night Fury moved closer with a warble and when his head was close enough, he ran his tongue over his Rider's face, relieved to see him finally awake. Hiccup laughed at the display of affection, wiping the saliva away from his eyes with a flick of his wrist. He stared at him with as much love as he could muster, the feeling of protectiveness and trust soaring in his heart.

"You will never cease to amaze me, will you, bud?" he wondered aloud as he scratched his chin.

Toothless hummed in response, his chest rumbling with the sound. The Night Fury crawled onto the bed, the wood creaking under his weight as he settled his upper body next to that of his human and rested his head next to Hiccup's. Hiccup placed a comforting hand on top of his head, absently stroking the spot. Exhaustion pulled at his thoughts and soon he succumbed to the whispering promise of sleep, feeling safe for the first time in days.

Both dragon and boy slowly drifted off, in much the same way they handled the rest of the world. Together.

The End