Life carries on through time as it always and forever will and has. Time doesn't stop and wait for change, but is the vehicle for change. Changes are the vehicle for life, and sometimes these changes are hard to accept. A change was made the day Hiccup found a night fury bound in a bola shot, deep in the forests of Berk. Hiccup wanted to be accepted and loved by the people who would scold him and reject him. He had the chance to change his own reality, for his own desires. But He instead showed mercy to not just the helpless night fury before him, but to all dragons which in turn changed his world and the people for the good of all.

But you can't change everyone. Even if you proved that there was an answer, because as Valka once told Hiccup, "People don't just change".

It was only 8 days after the dragons were led to the safety of The Hidden World by the dragon king, and Hiccup's best friend, Toothless, and his mate, The Lightfury. The Berkians had built up their new village quite quickly and New Berk was coming together nicely. It still missed and would continue to miss one thing that the Berkians had become so fond of, so codependent on, the Dragons. And Hiccup and Toothless knew they were all safer for it. Realizing that Man and Dragon were not able to coexist because of the unending evil of Man. Greed, Power, Hatrid, Arrogence. Unstoppable forces that have been destroying empires and the World since the Fall of Man. Good people suffering because of evil men and women with selfish desires.

But the dragons were different. They know only what is good and do only good if they can. They are selfless and fight for the good people who choose to understand them as a friend and ally. Becuase unity is better than having a misunderstood enemy.

Hiccup sat quiet in his tent while he listened to the busy Berkians oustide building huts and houses for storage and living. Hiccup was proud of his people for carrying on without dragons so well, even though everyone missed them and longed for the time they could return. Hiccup knew that sending the dragons to The Hidden World was the only solution to keep them safe from people. But he couldn't help but think there was another answer where everyone would be happy. He sat alone in the dark of noon on the edge of his crude bed, hands folded, looking down at the floor of moss and dirt which he rather liked. He pondered, "What is Tooth up to right now, how is his tail holding up, is he okay without me?". Hiccup knew that he wasn't okay without Toothless. His mind quickly became clouded with a sense of inescapable loneliness and grief knowing that he may never well see his friend again. A tear slid silently down his sullen face, till it dripped off the mere amount of scruff on his chin. "Why can't he be here...", Hiccup quietly asked himself, without believing the reality of the question as much as he possibly could.

"Hiccup!", Astrid yelled out jovely as she reached the flaps of his tent. Hiccup snapped his eyes to the shadow approaching his tent. "Oh there you are hon-", she paused.

Seeing Hiccup in a state of grief and defeat, something she hadn't seen him in ever since the death of his father. She dropped her basket of clothing without caring how it landed and slowly rushed to grab a hold of Hiccup. She wrapped her arms about his chest and shoulders and sat next to him, burying her head into his chest. Hiccup instinctively pulled her close and put his head on hers, reaching up to her bangs to clear them and kissed her forehead.

They didn't know what to say, no words were spoken yet she knew why Hiccup was in the state he was in. She stared at the crack of light coming through the gently swaying folds of leather as Hiccup stroked her back and squeezed her closer to him.

The noon sun was warm and yellow as it gently shown though the cloth that made up the tent, turning the inside a calming orange glow.

Astrid had been holding in her tears ever since she took the saddle from Stormfly's back, and watched her glide off into the endlessness of the sky and sea, trying to keep a strong face for the village as Hiccup had also done.

But now she wept, at first in a gasping sob and soon without abandon, burying her saddened face into her boyfriend's chest, silently letting her emotions out for only Hiccup to hear. She couldn't hold it in anymore and didn't want to. She broke down in Hiccup's loving hold, the only thing holding her broken pieces of heart and soul being the one person she wanted it to be. "I'm here", Hiccup whispered into her ear.

Hiccup laid them both down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling with teared eyes, holding Astrid's head close to his chest, and said to her, "This wasn't how I thought it would end." Hiccup spoke in a whisper, trying to deny the idea that this was it for dragons and people. "This isn't the end, I think I know that much", Astrid replied with a broken voice and shivering faith, gripping at Hiccups shirt with a shaking hand to pull them closer.

"I know... at least I hope I do." Astrid closed her eyes and whimpered at the fact that Stormfly was gone, and may never be able to return to her. "She's gone, Hiccup... they all are...", Astrid whispered while Hiccup gently squeezed her waist, softly stroking her hair, running his worked fingers through her golden strands.

"No she's not, shes just waiting for our world to make right with itself." Hiccup's legs dangled over the edge of his bed and Astrid's the same as they simply lay, embracing each other, wrapped in each others love and comfort, never letting go, knowing that they would forever have each other and never be truly alone, even if the world had fallen apart.

"Astrid, its getting late, you can go back to your tent if you-" Hiccup was cut off by Astrids silent response. She held into him tighter, wrapping her arm up and around Hiccup's shoulder as she pulled her body up closer to his. Hiccup didn't stop stroking her hair and continued to stare at the ceiling, wondering what the future would hold for Berk and him and Astrid...

Astrid remembered three weeks back, Hiccup and her sitting on a cliff, overlooking their village below, while Stormfly and Toothless played behind them with Hiccups foot... a small smile came to Astrids face at the memory. The old island of Berk and everything in its place, chaotic peace as always. Hiccup thought Gobber was right, but Astrid wasn't sure if they were ready. Everything has changed, whether for the better or worse, noone was sure just yet. But Astrid thought that maybe, just maybe, this change had readied them.

Hiccup stared in deep thought at the lantern hanging above his bed and remembered, saying goodbye to Toothless, his best friend and biggest support. Even before Astrid became his shoulder, and him hers. He was there; an intelligent, gentle creature, that needed Hiccup as much he needed him. The two had brought two different worlds together in friendship and love. Only to learn that the rest of Mankind wouldn't let them do so. Astrid was all he had now, his best friend and support. Toothless having to leave and fly on his own, finding a mate and growing up to lead his dragons to The Hidden World with her at his side. Maybe it was time for Hiccup to do the same, to grow up fully and fly on his own, with his love at his side.

Astrid broke the serene silence, pulling all her guts together to say it. "Hiccup, would you-" "Marry me." Hiccup completed the question and answered the question he was waiting to ask her for long enough. Astrid's eyes widened just a bit, then slowly closed them, with a big smile growing on her face. "Yes" "Yes I will". They lay wrapped in each others embrace throughout the rest of the evening and slept through the night, finally content and happy, knowing that they would soon begin a new adventure as a wedded couple,

Flying on their own,

Together.