Author's Note:

Hello everyone and welcome to the final chapter of this story. This one does have some extensive alterations to several of the scenes which I hope you like. If you liked this there are three other stories of mine set in this 'verse' and an ongoing one shot collection. The three stories are 'Unnoticed and Unsaid', 'Glacial Bloom' and 'One which isn't your Own'. The one shot collection is 'Happenings of Berk'. Thank you for your support of this story and I hope you enjoy the final chapter.

I own nothing.

Endings and Beginnings

With most of the ships burned to ashes it was going to take a lot of effort to get all the Vikings back home.

Only one of the boats was salvageable and even that would take awhile to get seaworthy and with Hiccup's injuries the only option left was to fly him back to Berk on a dragon. Gobber had done what he could for the boy but Hiccup needed Gothi's expertise if he was going to pull through this and he needed it soon. Many Vikings were very wary at sending him back on a dragon but Stoick was determined to do whatever he needed for his son and if that meant trusting one of Berk's oldest enemies then so be it.

What dragon they could use was limited, Toothless, Astrid's Nadder and Fishlegs' Gronkle were out as they were all too small to carry Stoick, Hiccup and a rider as well as the fact Toothless was now missing a tailfin. No one really wanted to trust the twins on their Zippleback with this so that only left Hookfang but Snotlout was staying behind with Toothless, the Night Fury was very uncomfortable amongst the Vikings and no one could really blame him after everything that had happened. Snotlout was about the only other person he trusted except Hiccup as he'd made it clear he still wasn't that fond of Astrid yet so he sort of had to stay with the grounded dragon. This however meant he couldn't fly Hookfang and so the debate went back and forth as they all argued about it loudly the way Vikings did.

In the end their dilemma was solved by Hookfang himself walking over and gesturing for Stoick to get on with Hiccup. Snotlout's uncle was understandably tentative but soon climbed carefully onto the Nightmare's back keeping a firm but gentle grip on Hiccup and his hastily bandaged leg. Hookfang then lowered his head and allowed Astrid to climb onto his neck, as he prepared to take off Snotlout patted him on the snout.

"You get them there safely Hookfang."

His dragon growled reassuringly before gently taking to the sky and flying to Berk with his precious cargo. Snotlout stood with Toothless and they both watched the Nightmare vanish into the distance, Toothless made a worried whining sound and he patted the Night Fury on the head, "Don't worry Toothless. They'll make sure he's fine."

He smiled encouragingly at Toothless but the Night Fury wandered away and sat himself at the very edge of the sea to stare at the horizon. It was obvious that Toothless wasn't happy about letting them take Hiccup back without him but he seemed to have realised it was the best thing to do as he couldn't currently fly. Snotlout sighed and someone's hand was placed on his shoulder. Looking round he saw Gobber beside him and the man spoke comfortingly, "Hiccup's tough, he'll be alright." He gestured over at the Night Fury, "Right now I think ye should stay with that one, the poor beast looks like he needs someone right now."

He gently squeezed Snotlout's shoulder before shuffling off to help those who were trying to get the only salvageable vessel seaworthy as the teen slowly approached Toothless and stood beside him. The dragon didn't even look at him and Snotlout sat beside him and placed his arm over the Night Fury's neck, Toothless looked at him in surprise but then warbled and nuzzled him before returning his attention to the horizon. Snotlout gently scratched the dragon and the two of them sat there looking out towards Berk and waited.

It wasn't until the next day that Astrid and Hookfang returned and Snotlout and Toothless were right there to meet them.

The Night Fury had stayed close to his rider's cousin as the two were united in their concern for Hiccup, as they waited together Snotlout had found himself talking to the dragon a lot about all sorts of things and Toothless had proven to be an excellent listener. It seemed to keep them both distracted as they waited impatiently for news on Hiccup and it was late into the night before Snotlout finally fell asleep leaning against Toothless' side. When he woke he found that the Night Fury had shifted so he was curled around the teen but was still wide awake, they stayed like that until Hookfang appeared on the horizon bringing Astrid with him and the two quickly got up to meet them as they landed.

Hookfang gave Astrid just enough time to dismount before running to his rider and Snotlout obliged his friend with scratches but questioned Astrid as he did so, "How is he?"

She replied with a worried frown, "It's bad but Gothi says he'll definitely survive."

Snotlout sighed with relief but noticed that Astrid still looked worried, "Why do you looked so worried?"

She took a deep breath before answering, "She also said that his lower left leg was completely ruined. She had to amputate it."

He grimaced, they were used to amputees and many carried on pretty much as normal but he knew it would take Hiccup awhile to get used to a fake leg. He eyed up what was left of Toothless' tailfin controls and was struck by another thought, how could Hiccup control an artificial tailfin without his foot? Astrid must have been thinking the same thing, "Do you think he'll be able fly Toothless again?"

Snotlout couldn't see how and was about to say as much when he was struck by an idea and grinned, "I know how to make sure he will. C'mon Toothless!"

He left Astrid standing there in confusion as he, Hookfang and Toothless sprinted off to where Gobber was supervising the ship repairs. The blacksmith saw their approach and as others backed away from the incoming dragons he stayed put, "What are you rushing about for lad?"

The boy looked up at him, "Gothi says that Hiccup is going to survive…"

"That's great news lad!"

Gobber and the other nearby Vikings gave cheers at this news but Gobber's smile quickly fell when he saw Snotlout's expression, "But there's something else isn't there."

Snotlout nodded, "His lower leg was far too damaged to save. She had to amputate it."

As the other surrounding Vikings muttered to each other Gobber nodded sagely like he'd been expecting the news, "I see lad." He eyed Toothless' saddle, "That might make it difficult for him to fly again."

"I have an idea about that Gobber."

The blacksmith looked at him in interest, "Oh?"

Snotlout looked hopeful, "When we get back to Berk can I use the forge and some of the materials?"

The man smiled once more, "Certainly lad. Whatever you need."

The boy grinned, "Thanks Gobber."

It took two more days before the ship was ready to get everyone back to Berk.

Fortunately the fog surrounding the island had dissipated for the first time in any Viking's memory allowing a clear sail home. The ship wasn't big enough for everyone so it was going to have to travel there and back several times to get everybody home and it wasn't questioned that Toothless would be one of the first to leave. The Night Fury perched on the bow gazing at the sea ahead as Snotlout and Hookfang flew close by moving at the ship's slower speed in case it needed any help.

Eventually they saw Berk on the horizon and Snotlout flew on ahead to let the village know they were coming. As he approached he could see people either staring or running for cover at the sight of Hookfang. Though the teen's dragons had been used extensively to carry messages and supplies between Berk and the island it would be awhile before people got used to seeing them and not expect an attack. He landed outside his house and went inside; his uncle was sat next to the large bed that had been placed in the downstairs room keeping watch over his son. Hiccup was still unconscious and he was far too pale for Snotlout's liking but apart from that he looked well, if you didn't look too closely at the flattened cover where there should have been a bump caused by his left foot.

Stoick turned as he entered and smiled at his nephew, "Snotlout."

He smiled awkwardly back, "The ship will be in with Toothless and the first of the villagers soon."

"Thank you."

There was a tense silence and Snotlout felt a sudden urge to get out of the house and away from his uncle, "Well I should go and meet them and make sure Toothless doesn't charge through the village and freak everyone while trying to get here."

His uncle looked like he was about to say something but Snotlout was out the door and off down the hill before Stoick got the chance.

Days passed and Hiccup still hadn't awoken though Gothi kept saying he was improving.

Snotlout had spent a lot of that time in the forge working on a brand new saddle for Toothless. It was taking a great deal of effort as he didn't have Hiccup's talent for creating things but he persevered and Gobber was always on hand to help since he was working on Hiccup's prosthetic leg. The teen had found Hiccup's plans and designs for the first tailfin in the forge's back room and they'd proven a big help in the second one's creation. He'd also had a suitable sized piece of red canvas for the actual fin, Snotlout had got it off Trader Johann a while ago and was saving it for something special and he felt this was the time to use it. He'd even got Bucket to paint a design on it and it proved to be an excellent replacement for the old brown one.

Whenever he wasn't working in the forge he was with Hookfang as he and the other riders tried to help the village deal with the sudden influx of dragons, many had chosen to remain on Dragon Island, as it was now named, but quite a lot seemed to have taken a liking to Berk, mostly Terrors (who'd taken to stealing any shiny or edible object not nailed down) but a good few of the other species as well. Miraculously there weren't nearly as many incidents as everyone had feared as it seemed that the teen's dragons held some sort of authority over the others and could help stop incidents before they even happened. Another aspect in their favour was the fact that everyone was so relieved that the endless fighting was over they were willing to give dragons a chance if it kept the peace, of course there were those who firmly remained against them but they were greatly in the minority. As the day's passed the dragons became more and more integrated into Berk and soon other dragons were showing an interest in pairing up with certain Vikings and a couple of these pairs had even gone on experimental flights.

The rest of Snotlout's time was spent at Hiccup's bedside with Toothless but that was only when Stoick was not around because his duties called him away. He was largely avoiding his uncle as whenever he saw him he clearly remembered Stoick's final words to him before he left to attack the nest. He knew the man regretted what he had said but he still couldn't bring himself to spend too long with him; he was torn on either forgiving his uncle or screaming at him for not listening to either him or Hiccup when it mattered.

This was why he was now sitting on top of one of the east facing cliffs above the sea late at night.

This particular cliff top was an odd place. It didn't look any different from any other cliffs around the island and it had nothing particularly special about it but it was where Snotlout always went when something was really troubling him. He'd sat in the same spot many times when he'd first lost his parents. He remembered sitting there all night after their bodies had been brought back in their half-wrecked boat. He'd never actually seen their bodies properly but he'd heard some of the men say that it looked like they'd been killed by pirates. Their bodies were burned at dusk and Snotlout had made his way to the cliff top after the ceremony, he didn't move for the rest of the night. Each night afterwards he would wake and sneak out of the house to the cliff and remain there until dawn, this continued until one night his uncle came and sat with him. There was no meaningful or deep conversation, no empty words about how great his parents had been or any useless speeches filled with pity or sympathy, Stoick just sat with his nephew until Snotlout buried his face into his side and cried and his uncle just held him until dawn came again.

Now years later Snotlout was once again sitting on the cliff and his uncle once again sat with him.

The hours slowly passed by as a full moon silently moved through the sky towards the west and they still didn't speak. The moon was well on its way down into the west before Stoick finally moved. He looked at his nephew and opened his arms, silently asking for forgiveness. Snotlout stared at him for a moment various memories playing through his mind, his parent's death and the days after, all the times his uncle comforted him when his sleep was ravaged by nightmares, the times the man tutored him in his weapon wielding skills, giving him his mother's harp and his father's belt, giving him the mace for dragon training, the arena and the enraged words after and finally his heartfelt regret and apology in the moment they thought Hiccup hadn't made it. Then with no further thought or deliberation he slowly moved and told his uncle everything he was feeling in one hug. Stoick returned it relaying as much emotion as his nephew and, like the first time years ago, they remained that way until dawn came clearing all remnants of the past night.

It was two weeks after the now dubbed Red Death's defeat when Hiccup finally woke up.

Gothi had informed them he would be soon and Snotlout tried to not be too far away from the house if he could help it. It was easier said then done since without Hiccup, he, Astrid and the other teens were the go to people in the village for any dragon issues. There were now fewer and fewer and although the teens were the only regular flyers several other dragons had been adopted by different Vikings and were now working side by side with their former enemies like it'd always been that way.

Snotlout had been in the middle of a lap of the island with Hookfang when a shout from below caught his attention.

"Hey look! It's Hiccup!"

He looked down to see villagers flocking to his cousin who'd obviously just come out of the house. Stoick had his arm around Hiccup both to steady him and to slightly shield him from the happy Vikings gathered around them. Snotlout quickly landed beside the forge and gathered up the new saddle he'd finished a couple of days ago and ran up towards the gathered crowd. They saw him coming and quickly parted to let him and Hookfang through just in time to see Hiccup and Astrid break apart from a kiss. Snotlout stopped in front of his cousin and Hiccup looked at the bundle in his arms in amazement, "Snotlout, did you make that for me?"

The younger cousin smiled, "Well you're old one was wrecked so you need it if you and Toothless are going to fly again." He held it out, "Welcome home."

Hiccup took the new saddle and tail fin thankfully and pulled his younger cousin into a hug, Snotlout returned it as a call sounded from the back of the crowd.

"Night Fury, get down!"

Toothless bounded through and over Vikings like an overexcited puppy and the two cousins found themselves wrapped in scaly arms and a pair of wings as he joined the hug, liberally licking them both as he did so.

He eventually released them and sat down looking exceedingly happy as Snotlout and Hiccup both tried to wipe the dragon saliva off their faces.

"Ack Toothless!"

"Seriously!"

The dragon laughed along with the crowd and soon the two cousins joined in.

In no time at all Hiccup had Toothless saddled and the two took to the air.

Snotlout and Astrid followed close behind and soon they were swooping and darting over and through the village. Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut soon joined them and the teens and their dragons powered into the sky and on towards the start of something new.

PS-Please let me know what you thought of this story and I hope to see you soon.