"There won't be a next time," Alvin said menacingly while he walked up the board of the ship. He jumped onto the deck, took one look at Hiccup, and bellowed: "Raise the sails! We're headin' home!" He bowed down a little, towering over the bound teen before him. "To Outcast Island…"

Hiccup knew that he was in deep trouble. He shouldn't have trusted the Bork notes! He shouldn't have left on his own, with no protection against anything! Didn't the fake notes say that the Night Furies were hostile? At least for that he should have brought a shield or something! But now, bound, standing against a cart which held his best friend who was also bound, he knew that thinking about all that was futile. What's done is done, nothing can change that. He had to think of a plan to escape, and above all: to hide the fear he felt bottling up inside of him. He knew that if he even showed Alvin one little bit of that fear, he would satisfy the enemy immensely. A true Viking never showed fear, always stood his ground.

But didn't everyone say that he wasn't a true Viking? Sure, everyone accepted him, but they also knew that Hiccup wouldn't be what everyone expected a Viking to be. Hiccup was just a different kind of a Viking. Good different, but different nonetheless.

Hiccup looked up when he heard Alvin approach.

"Yer comin' with me," was all he said before he grabbed Hiccup roughly by his upper arm. He gave a strong tug, and Hiccup almost lost his footing. He managed to keep his balance though, and was dragged down the ship, to a cell they had below the deck. All the while, Hiccup tried to free himself of Alvin's grip. He planted his heel and prosthetic firmly in the ground, struggled 'till he was exhausted, even tried to distract him by asking stupid questions, but nothing worked.

When they had reached the cell, Hiccup was thrown inside and the cell door locked into place. A big key was turned inside the lock by Alvin, and Hiccup struggled to stand up again with his hands still bound behind his back. "You know that they'll come for me. You can't lock me up forever," Hiccup said, trying to sound defiant. "And when they find me, you're going to be in big trouble."

All Alvin did was chuckle while he pulled the key out of the lock. "I can't wait," he said, and with that, he walked away.

Hiccup watched him go, unable to escape, unable to stop him, unable to fight him and unable to go home and leave this all behind.

It was a long while later when somebody came down. Against all his hopes, Hiccup watched as Alvin appeared on the stairs and made his way towards the cell.

"We've arrived." Alvin took the key and unlocked the cell. Hiccup stepped backwards, looking for an opportunity to run past the Outcast, free Toothless and fly away, but that chance was ruined when Alvin took hold of his upper arm again. "Move, ya runt," he said as he shoved Hiccup forward.

"I'm not a runt!" Hiccup yelled when he regained his balance. He turned around to look Alvin in the eye, his fear cast far into his mind.

"If ya say so," Alvin said and led Hiccup roughly onto the deck. The light was blinding after being in the dark for so long, and while Hiccup closed his eyes, he was sure he saw a glimpse of Toothless being carried to who knows where.

"Toothless!" he yelled, knowing that it was of no use. His friend was restrained, and couldn't even look back.

"Hurry up!" Alvin pushed him once more, and Hiccup obliged. He was led into the mountain, and Hiccup realized that he'd never been to the Outcast prison before. It was a really bad timing to think of something like that, Hiccup knew that, but it still came to his mind. Would it be as the prison on Berk? Or something entirely different? Hiccup guessed that he was about to find out, as Alvin stopped at a heavy looking iron door. He knocked - well, more like pounded - on the door, and another Outcast opened it from the inside.

"Bring 'im to our Guest Suite," Alvin said, and he pushed Hiccup towards the guard. "Don't let 'im get to ya, and don't forget to take 'is foot. We don't want ta have 'im runnin' around, do we?"

The guard took Hiccup by the back of his tunic, and dragged him towards the far end of the stone hallway. Hiccup was sure that he was being led far into the mountain, judging by the distance they had to walk. All the while they passed empty cells, some still holding some bones, as if the previous inhabitant had decayed in those cells. Hiccup felt a chill creeping up his spine, and he really hoped he wouldn't end up like those unfortunate guys.

"Where are you taking me?" Hiccup asked, only to be answered by a smack to the head and a "Shut up."

Trying to avoid another hit, Hiccup stayed silent, and let him be brought towards the end of the hallway. They stopped when they had reached another iron door, only this time there was no need for knocking - or pounding. The guard took a key out of his pocket, and turned it in the lock. The door opened, and Hiccup was pushed inside.

"Do you guys really have to push me everywhere? I can walk perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much," Hiccup said sarcastically. He regretted it immediately when he received a punch in the gut. Gasping for air, he wasn't really able to prevent the guard from securing his wrists into a pair of shackles hanging from the top of both sides of the cell. It didn't take long for Hiccup to notice they were much smaller than normal sized shackles, small enough to fit him. Alvin had them made especially for him, Hiccup realized. Sick bastard.

Before the guard left, he took off Hiccup's prosthetic. As if Hiccup could just walk away with his wrists being held by those shackles.

The door closed with a bang, and Hiccup was left in the darkness.

How long he'd been standing like this, Hiccup didn't know. What he did know, was that his arms hurt, his wrists ached and his right leg might collapse underneath him any time. Hiccup wondered when Alvin or some other Outcast would get him to train their dragons, and he desperately thought of a plan to escape, get to Toothless and go home. But without his prosthetic, he wouldn't get very far. Unless Hiccup could suddenly crawl super fast, so fast that no one could keep up with him… yeah right, as if that would happen.

To pass the time, and to not think about his current situation, Hiccup often went inside his mind. Shutting of all his other senses as best as he could, and remember happier times. Like flying with Toothless, inventing new stuff at the forge, having dates with Astrid… It made Hiccup feel a little better, and it made him forget the crap he was in now. But it also kept him from realizing the door was being opened, Alvin stepped in, and was saying something.

A strong punch in the gut did.

"Answer me!" he yelled furiously. Hiccup looked Alvin in the eyes, gasping for air, but said nothing.

"Now I'll ask ya one more time," Alvin said. "Give me the secrets of Berk, and maybe, I'll leave ya alone." The Outcast folded his arms and waited impatiently.

"I won't train your dragons, Alvin," Hiccup said, giving him a look of utmost seriousness.

He expected Alvin to be angry, to yell at him and slap him. What he didn't expect, was for Alvin to burst out in laughter. "I don't need ya to train me dragons, me boy. With the observations that me loyal companion Mildew made, I think I have enough knowledge how to get the beasts to follow me. No, what I want from ya, is Berk's secrets. Tell me about hidden passageways, war strategies, weaponry and more, and I'll let ya live," Alvin said. "Don't, and ye'll see what'll happen." He looked smugly, as if he knew that Hiccup would just give up.

Well, he would soon find out he was terribly wrong.

"I'll never tell you anything, and you know that!" Hiccup said loudly. "Why even bother asking?"

Alvin only smiled. "Have it yer way." He then looked behind him. "GET IN 'ERE!" he yelled, and through the door came two more Outcasts. "It's time this runt 'ere learnt 'is lesson." The Outcasts nodded, and proceeded to walk towards Hiccup. When they'd reached the teen, they lashed out. Kicks and punched landed everywhere, and Hiccup tried not to yell out in pain. He wouldn't show weakness, never!

Alvin stood in a corner of the cell, watching the scene unfold. After five full minutes of pain, he raised his hand, and the Outcasts stopped. Hiccup had his eyes closed, not wanting the tears that started to build up a while ago to escape. His body hurt everywhere, and he was sure that he would be covered in bruises in no-time.

"Remember, 'iccup, this is all yer fault. Ya could've just told me the secrets, ya know," Alvin said.

Hiccup could smell his awful breath, and did his best not to throw up. "Never," he said.

Alvin laughed again. "Ye hear that?" he said to the two Outcasts, who chuckled uncertainly. "The runt says he'll never tell the secrets. Well, I suppose the runt's right. Wouldn't want the enemy ta defeat ya home, would ya? I would've done the same." Alvin smiled and moved his face a little closer to Hiccup's. "Maybe, we're a bit alike after all…"

"No way! You and I are nothing alike!" Hiccup yelled out furiously.

"Shut up, ya runt!"

"I am not a runt!" Hiccup emphasized every word. He was seething in anger, and he was sure that if his wrists had been free, he would've killed the Outcast right there at that moment.

"Are ya sure? Because ya look like one to me," Alvin said, and he smiled evilly. He took a dagger from his belt, and went to his left arm. "And if I think yer a runt, then everyone should think that!" He ripped the sleeve of his tunic off by his shoulder, and with one smooth cut he had it removed from his arm.

Hiccup watched with dread what Alvin did, and felt his heart beat faster every second. No way, he thought. No way is he going to do that.

But he did.

A sharp pain, beginning by his wrist, and slowly moving upwards to his elbow. He dagger made turns, curves and lines. All the while Hiccup bit his lip till he could taste blood.

And then it was done. There, carved on his lower left arm, were four letters. RUNT. Not deep enough to cause him to bleed to death, but deep enough to leave scars. This time, Hiccup didn't bother to keep his tears from escaping. He was marked what he'd always feared to be. He was marked forever.

While laughing evilly, Alvin made his way out of the cell, the two other outcasts following behind him, and Hiccup was once again, left alone in the darkness.

The beatings continued. They varied from just kicks and punches to whips and clubs. Hiccup was sure he'd broken some bones, and he was ready to lose hope. They had been here seventeen times already. Seventeen times to cause him pain. Seventeen times to beat that little spark of hope Hiccup had into nothingness. Once, he'd thought he'd heard Toothless's roar, but he waved it off as imagination. If they could beat him to near death, who knew what they were doing to Toothless? Hiccup worried for the dragon, he was after all his first and best friend.

Thinking of Toothless made him wonder about home. Would his dad know that he was gone? He'd never told him where he'd been going after all. He didn't even let him know that he'd left at all! Maybe… maybe they didn't even miss him. Hiccup banished that thought as soon as it came to his mind. Of course they missed him! It wasn't as it was before. There was no war with the dragons, Hiccup wasn't the village screw-up, everything had changed.

Sometimes during his captivity, Hiccup had wondered if it had been better if he was back to being Hiccup the Useless, instead of being on Outcast Island. If he'd had a better life then than here.

"They will find me," Hiccup softly said to himself. "I know they will find me."

The door opened, and just like the previous times, Hiccup escaped into the depths of his mind. He let his fantasy take over, imagining morning flights with Toothless, teaching the villagers the wonders of dragons, even helping his father getting Gobber to take a bath. Thinking about those things made him forget where he was, what was happening, and made the pain feel like it was nothing, most of the time. He was aware of what was happening, but didn't bother. He could feel his right hand being freed from the shackle, and being laid on a flat surface. He heard mumbling, people talking to each other. Someone took hold of his wrist, and then unimaginable pain. He was pulled from his mind, and screamed in agony. His pinkie finger hurt terrible, and Hiccup opened his eyes to see what they had done.

He had to fight the urge to throw up at the sight. Where his finger used to be, was now nothing. They had cut off his finger! Blood was everywhere, and Hiccup heard Alvin laughing somewhere.

"Get the bucket," he said, and one of the Outcast obliged. His hand was put into cold water, and a stinging pain told him it was salt water. It felt as if they were burning his hand. Tears rolled down his face, and Hiccup sobbed. He felt humiliated, he felt ashamed. He felt anger, and he felt fear. He felt so many things, and could do nothing at all.

His wrist was secured into the shackle again, and all the while Hiccup had his eyes closed. He didn't want to see Alvin, didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing the pain in his eyes. He waited and waited for Alvin to leave him alone, and eventually he did. The sobbing decreased gradually, and when Hiccup felt he was calm enough, he opened his eyes again. He was alone, but not in the dark anymore. A single torch was hanging from a holder on the wall, and Hiccup wondered why they had done that.

One look at the ground before him made it clear.

There, just four feet ahead of him, lay his finger. This time, Hiccup couldn't stop himself from throwing up. He felt something inside of him snap, and before he knew it, he was crying again. But not just normal crying. It was the crying of someone who lost all hope.

Alvin had succeeded. Hiccup was broken.

He didn't care. He didn't care that his cell reeked of puke. He didn't care that Alvin entered his cell, laughed at him, took his finger and left with the torch. He didn't care that he was alone in the darkness again. He just didn't care anymore. He didn't went into his mind to escape it all. He would not and could not. It all just didn't matter any more.

He didn't care that there was commotion outside of his cell. He didn't care that the door opened. He didn't care that his father ran into his cell and enveloped him into a hug. He just didn't care.

He didn't care that his wrists were freed. He didn't care that his father seemed to be sobbing. He didn't care that he was being cradled in his father's arms. He just didn't care.

"It's okay, I'm here. I've got you," his father chanted. Hiccup felt that he held the teen tightly to himself, shielding him from all the harm in the world. Hiccup heard Astrid saying his name, but didn't react. He heard Toothless crooning and nudging his foot, not able to reach something else. He heard Gobber telling his father that he was in shock, heard Snotlout saying that he couldn't believe something like this could ever happen. He felt his dad walking, heard the waves of the sea gently rolling on the beach, and even heard the voice of Trader Johann. He felt himself being lowered onto a bed, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, his exhaustion took over.

"Hiccup, please. We all miss you so much. It just isn't the same without you, you know. I really hope you'll wake up soon." A voice. Astrid's. A hand brushing his bangs from his forehead. The feeling of lips touching his. Then blackness again.

A soft nudge. Crooning. Toothless. Hiccup wanted to reach out, to touch the Night Fury, but his arm feels so heavy. Trying to lift it exhausted him, and he falls asleep once again.

Crying. A big hand holding his smaller one, another stroking it gently. "I'm so sorry, son. I can't help but feel it's my fault." No, it's not your fault, Hiccup wants to tell his dad, but he couldn't. It was dark all around him, and he felt something pulling him downwards. It felt like drowning.

He didn't want to drown. He moved his arms, which felt much lighter than last time, and swam upwards. He kicked his legs, looked up ahead, saw a glimmer of light in the distance, and made that his goal. He would reach the light, whatever happened. He swam and kicked and pushed himself upwards, and all the while the force pulling him down became stronger. But he didn't give up.

"If I had been there sooner, if I had realized it earlier, maybe all this wouldn't have happened," his father said. Even though Hiccup knew that what he said wasn't true, he used his words as an anchor, a beacon. He felt stronger with every word, and fought the force. The light became bigger and bigger, until it was almost blinding.

And then it was over.

Hiccup opened his eyes, and saw his dad sitting next to his bed. His eyes were closed, but Hiccup could see a single tear making its way towards his beard.

He looked around, and saw that he was in his house. Just like after the fight with the Red Death, his bed had been moved downstairs. A fire was burning in the fire pit, radiating warmth into the room. Toothless lay next to the other side of the bed, sleeping. His ears sometimes perked up, as if he heard something, and Hiccup smiled. It seemed so innocent, so normal.

"I'm sorry." Hiccup turned his head so he could see his father again. He still had his eyes closed, and the hand holding his tightened a bit. Hiccup hated to see his father like this. Stoick the Vast was a big, strong Viking. He was powerful, had respect from everyone, and was loved by everyone. This Stoick wasn't how Hiccup knew him, and wasn't how Hiccup wanted to know him. Never.

He squeezed his hand a little, finding surprising little strength in it, but it was enough. His father looked up, eyes filled with hope. And when they met Hiccup's, a light appeared in them, and Stoick smiled. "Son," he said, and he scooped Hiccup up and embraced him tightly.

"Hey, dad."

"It was really terrifying, you know." Hiccup and Astrid were sitting at the bank of the pond in the cove. A week had passed since Hiccup's awakening, and today was the first day Hiccup felt ready enough to go outside. He was scared. Scared of what the others would say, what the others would think of him. Would they think of him as weak, for not being able to stand up against Alvin? For letting him get captured that easily?

It all turned out to be completely wrong. The villagers greeted him, told him that they had missed him and that they had worried about him. Hoped that everything would turn out to be all right. No one looked down upon him, and Hiccup was glad for that. Because he now knew, that nothing was worse than being Hiccup the Useless again.

"When we arrived, we were able to go unnoticed for a while. But eventually, we were seen, and soon surrounded by Outcasts. We didn't have our dragons with us, because they would be easily recognized and then our cover would be blown before we'd even reached Outcast Island.

So we were surrounded, and we were all ready to fight. But before the first Outcast could strike, Toothless appeared and saved us all. It turned out that Toothless had escaped by himself, and the other Outcasts didn't know that yet. Well, after Toothless helped us, they did, but it still gave us some time. Toothless was able to find your scent, and led towards the mountain. Your dad knew that in that mountain were the prison cells, and that you had had to be somewhere in there.

Unfortunately, just as we entered, we saw Alvin waiting for us in the hallway. The first few cages held dragons, and they looked horrible. They were treated very poorly, and I could see that it would be very hard to gain their trust." Hiccup listened as Astrid told her part of his rescue. He couldn't remember seeing any dragons in the cells, so he figured they had taken another entrance.

"When Stoick demanded Alvin to tell him where you were, he only laughed and said that you were all around us. Of course, we didn't understand it, and then Alvin showed us something. It was a single finger. We all realized where it had come from, but before we could do anything, he threw it into a cell which held a Monstrous Nightmare. The Nightmare… He just ate it. It was really sickening to see. Alvin said: "Say goodbye to the last of your son," and laughed.

Stoick, he was so angry, he charged at Alvin before he could even blink, and had his hammer smashed against Alvin's head in no-time. Alvin was unconscious, and I guess it frightened some of the other Outcast Alvin had with him. They ran away, and we followed them. Eventually, the hall went in two different directions, and we split up. Fishlegs, the Twins and Gobber went one way, Snotlout, your father and me the other. We ran until we'd reached the end of the hall. There, we saw one single Outcast guarding an iron door. Snotlout took him out, I opened the door with the key I took from the Outcast, and your father ran inside, because we all had a feeling you were in there. And we were right.

When I close my eyes, I can still see you, hanging there, limply from the shackles, in a smelling cell. It was so awful. There was a lot of blood, and I wasn't sure if you were even alive. There was another key, and we freed your wrists. Your dad carried you, Snotlout and I went ahead to clear the way of any Outcasts that went in our direction. We left the same way we came, by Trader Johann's ship. There, we tended your wounds, and put you into clean clothes.

The rest was pretty uneventful. When we returned to Berk, everyone had heard of our rescue mission, and were worried when they saw you." Astrid leaned closer to Hiccup, minding his bruises and wounds. "But you're okay now, right? Not great, I know, but okay?"

Hiccup nodded. He supposed he was okay. His body still hurt, and he couldn't fly yet. He would always have the scars on his left hand, the word RUNT forever visible on the skin. His pinkie was gone forever, but he'd lost a body part before. Hiccup figured he could live with that. But it was still different. While he had accepted the loss of his leg pretty soon, he just couldn't accept the loss of his pinkie. Even though it was a much smaller loss than the foot, the reason he lost it was different. The lost pinkie would always remind him of the terrible things he went through on Outcast Island. The torture they put him through every half hour, Hiccup realized later.

But it would also remind him he had survived, something not everyone did. It was something to remember, something to serve as an anchor. Because how bad things may seem, eventually, things would turn out alright. And even though it seemed like it when he was on Outcast Island, he wasn't alone. As long as someone cares about you, you'll never be.

And Hiccup realized, that that was why he held on. Because he knew that people cared. Because he knew that he was not alone.

A/N

I guess I came a bit stuck at Quats (for those who think What the heck is Quats: it's short for Quiet After the Storm), because I couldn't figure out how to do some stuff... So I began this one-shot yesterday evening! Hopefully you liked it, and please let me know what your thoughts of this story are! Even if you just want to tell me that I made a grammar-error (which I probably did, sorry for that!), it's okay! I can use the criticism!

Hopefully I'll get the new chapter for Quats done soon, so... bye!

Forever Me