Chapter 26: Who she is.

Hiccup's POV

The rest of the morning was interesting more or less. It wasn't like I was being harassed, but I felt very much under a spotlight. Many of my classmates would stare and continue to talk about me behind my back. Even from my teachers. Though not as bad. They give a sympathetic glance and all of them so far made me stay after the period to make sure I was alright. Despite it being annoying, I didn't want to be rude about it and told them that yes I will be fine. Even though it wasn't fully the truth.

I honestly don't know how I feel. While things have been getting better for me, I still feel at fault for the attack. Especially once I saw the video of my attack.

The video brought most, if not everything, back to memory. I now know why the prosecutor wants me to press the hate crime statute on to the current assault charges and frankly, I don't want to talk about it. Especially since it made me feel horrible about myself.

I knew the attack felt like forever, or at least hours. I didn't think though that it would last though for only twenty minutes. Just twenty minutes put me in the hospital with damaging injuries.

I hobbled on my crutches until I reach the cafeteria for my lunch hour and see Astrid at a table with Ruffnut. Along with her brother and Snotlout.

"What are they doing here?" I mumbled. Not wanting to be near them. Especially since I attacked my cousin in gym a few months since back.

I contemplate moving to another table, but it seems that my arms are doing the thinking for me as they work my crutches towards the table.

"Hey Hiccup." Astrid says as makes room for me to sit down.

"Is this same cousin that we shoved into that mud pit five years ago?" Tuffnut whispers to Snotlout before receiving a punch from his twin. "Ow! What did I say?"

"Plenty." Ruffnut says.

"Are you sure it's ok that I'm here?" I asked Astrid while the twins argued.

"You're fine. Worst comes to worst, we can move." She says before I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see Snotlout.

"Oh…. Hey….." I greet awkwardly. Not knowing what to say.

"Look. You don't need to be nice to me. I kinda want to….. What I am trying to say….." He try's to say and I know where it's going.

"It's ok." I tell him. "Neither of us are the best at cousin relationships. I'm sorry for beating you up months back."

"I deserved it." He says scratching the back of his head. "Especially since I ended up needing Fishlegs to help me scrape by a class I was failing."

"When did this happened?" I asked out of surprise. I didn't think he would seek help for academics.

"When you were put in the hospital." He says. "Dagny attacking you made me think twice about what kind of person I wanted to be."

"Snotlout. You may have a problem with your words, but you would never be on the same level as her." I tell him.

"Are you still going through with the trial?" He asks.

"Snotlout." Astrid says in a warning tone.

"I can't really talk too much about my case, but yeah. I'm still pressing charges against her." I tell him.

"Good." He says. "Cause that bitch deserves to be in jail."

"Yeah." I say numbly. Not really wanting to talk about this. "I need to head to library." I say standing up on my crutches from the table. "It was nice talking to you."

I hobble away. But I hear footsteps catching up to me.

"Hiccup? Are you alright?" Astrid asks

"I'm fine." I say.

"No you're not." Astrid says frowning. "You seemed really uncomfortable when it came to him bringing up the trial."

"What does it matter? I'm pressing charges against the person that hurt me. Nothing to it."

"How do you really feel?" Astrid demands. "Do you really want to do this?"

"I know I should. My father wants me to. The prosecutor wants me to. And it's not like I want Dagny to get away with this. But…." I stuttered.

"But what?" Astrid asks.

"I don't want to press charges because I'm transgender. The prosecutor told me that our best chance at a conviction is if we established Dagny as motivated to attack people of LGBT. She attacked me. She may have permanently damaged my leg, but she didn't attack me because of that. And I don't want her to spend a quarter of her life in jail because of a lie."

"She attacked you though." Astrid says. "Dagny has a gotten away with everything for too long. Now there's an opportunity for her to get what she deserves and you feel wrong about it because of the possibility of what people will think of her. Are you serious?

"Yes." I say. "My whole life has been about what people think of me. Whether I was an ugly girl or socially awkward. Or going through a phase. For so long, I wanted to be seen as me. Not just as a guy, but me. The idea of making a lie out of Dagny just to make my life easier, it's unbearable. Dagny's a monster. But I don't want to stoop to her level just because as the victim that I'm entitled to. I want them to see Dagny for attacking me. This isn't about LGBT. It was about her getting even with me."

"Ok. Then don't." Astrid says. I look up in shock and confusion of her response. "Don't lie. If you feel that the world needs to know to Dagny for what she truly is, then show them who she truly is."

"Even if it risks losing this trial?" I ask her.

"Even if she gets off free, at least everyone will know her exactly for who she is. You are making this your fight and that's what I love about you." She says before we both blush in response to what she just said.

But then a thought enters my head. How am I going to explain throwing away the strongest case to my overprotective dad?

Stoick's POV

Even though school doesn't let out until 3:30, I arrived a half hour early. I don't want to risk being late. Not since the attack.

The school finally lets out and I see my kid hobble out of the school. I get out of the car and help into the front seat.

"Thanks." He mumbles.

"So how was school?" I ask.

"Strange. Different, but Astrid being there kind of help me sort things out." He says. "I saw Simon today. He actually apologized."

"Did he now?" I said in surprise. He usually doesn't apologize for anything. I know this given the fact I teach his Olympic class. Boy doesn't know when he crosses a line.

"Dad?" He gets my attention and turns to look at me.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Don't be mad, but I decided not to press the hate crime on Dagny. I rather that she goes to jail for attacking me rather than attacking a community." He confesses.

I was hoping he didn't say that.

"You do realize that the hate crime is the strongest case according to Tanner." I tell him in a barely calm manner.

"I know." He says. "But that's not how I want to handle the trial. I want her prosecuted for attacking me, but I don't want to make her out as homophobic. I'm sorry, but I won't do it."

I don't say anything as I start the car and pull away from the school. Now more scared for my son. Especially if Dagny gets away with it.

I'm BACK! Super sorry for leaving you all like this for over six months. I had a lot of issues dealinog with depression happening in that time and decided to take a break from writing this fanfic in the meantime to get things to be manageable. Now I'm at a better time and ready to knock this story out of the way. I hope you can forgive me.

The trial chapter is coming up and let me tell you there is going to quite some drama if there hasn't already been enough.

Please Review and see you soon. Once again I am so sorry for leaving you like this.