Chapter 6:

"Dagur?" Heather all but whispered. Her lege began to wobble as she clung to the stair railing to keep herself upright.

"Whoa, easy there, sis," Dagur called as he handed Annly back to Astrid, took Heather into his arms and helped her the rest of the way down the steps.

"Dagur?" she asked once more, letting Daugr guide her to a chair. "How...how are you...I thought?"

"Yeah, I know, everyone did," Dagur shrugged.

Heather's look of shock changed to one of anger and she punched Dagur right in the nose.

"Ow! Why!?"

"Why would you do that to me? Let me think you were dead! Did you have any idea what I was going through?"

"I thought you hated me!" Dagur insisted as he rubbed his bloodied nose. "And besides, I didn't want to put you in any danger."

"And what kind of danger would letting your own sister know you're still alive cause?"

"The dragon hunters are still out there! I was-"

"We know! They've been attacking us for a year now!"

"And I was trying to avoid that, hence keeping me being alive a secret."

"That makes no sense! And even if it did, why not tell me you were alive a year agon when they came back, since clearly your plan didn't work!?"

"I didn't know it didn't work until tonight! Or last night? What night is it! I don't know anymore! Man, you pack quite the punch for being so pregnant."

Heather reared back to punch Dagur again, but Hiccup stepped in between them.

"Okay! Okay, let's not do that again."

Heather seethed, crossed her arms, and turned away from her brother.

"Clearly this is a shock for you Heather-"

"That's one way to put it!" Heather cut Hiccup off.

"-...so, why don't you take some time to, I don't know, take it in? Erm, Fishlegs will be back soon, maybe you should go home so you can tell him when he gets back."

Heather huffed, then began struggling to stand up. Valka helped her to her feet and she stormed out the door.

"Well, that went better in my mind," Dagur said.

"She...um...she's happy on the inside," Astrid tried to cheer him up, patting his shoulder.

"Way on the inside," Hiccup muttered under his breath. "But, um, yeah. Just give her sometime to let the shock wear off."

"And what after that?" Dagur asked gloomily.

Hiccup sighed and shrugged. "I dunno. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

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Fishlegs sighed as he stumbled sleepily into his house. Heather was waiting for him, furiously stirring what was probably supposed to be hotcake batter, but it appeared she'd not put the right ammount of any of the ingredients into the mixture. She didn't seem to be focused much on cooking, though. She seemed angry. Fishlegs tensed as he tiptoed closer. A normal angry Heather was frightening enough, but a pregnant angry Heather had proven to be very dangerous.

"Hello my sweet morning blossom, how are you?"

"Fine," Heather muttered through gritted teeth. "Oh, Hiccup found Annly, by the way."

"Really? That's great! How did he do it?" Fishlegs cheered.

"Apparently," Heather began furiously beating at the dough. "My no good brother oulled a fast one on us and is alive, but decided not to tell us because he wants to be a hero, and he found Annly and somewhoe told Hiccup, but failed to tell me over the past seven to eightt years that he infact, did not cease to breathe during that-"

Crack!

The bowl broke under Heather's constant battering.

"Okay…" Fishlegs cautiously pushed the lumpy dough and cracked bowl aside. "Let's take some calming, clensing breaths shall we?"

Fishlegs lead his wife through some breathing excercises before asking: "Now, tell me-calmly!-what happened."

Heather sighed and explained the whole story.

"And he never thought to tell me!" Heather's anger began melting into tears. "I'm his sister. I'm the only family he has, he couldn't have-"

She broke down. Fishlegs pulled her into his lap and began rocking her.

"There, there, Sunshine. It's all going to be okay."

"But why didn't he tell me!"

"I don't know, but I'm sure he had a good reason," Fishlegs tried to cheer her up. "I'm sure he thought he was protecting you."

"I don't need protecting! I need-" Heather buried her against Fishlegs shoulder and cried.

"It's okay, lovebug, it's okay," Fishlegs held her close. "Think of it this way. He's alive! You've got a second chance to be a family."

"But for how long?" Heather asked. "How long before he takes off again. Or pushes me away again. This was the thrid time we'd been seperated. Once because he put me on a boat as a baby. Once because he joined Viggo. Once because he faked his own death. What next?"

"Well, maybe he's learned his lesson," Fishlegs tried to encourage her.

She shook her head. "It's Dagur. He never learns."

"You don't know that, sunshine."

"Yes I do."

"No, you never know what the future holds."

Heather just sniffled as Fishlegs kissed her forehead. "Now, keep taking calming breaths, and I'll fix us some breakfast, okay?"

All she could do was nod.

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Hiccup sighed as he laid on his side of the bed, both of his children sleeping in between him and Astrid. Given that none of the Haddocks had gotten a good night sleep, they had decided to take a nap. Annly and Torinth could have slept in their cradles, but their parents wanted them as close as possible. Astrid lied on her side of the bed, running a finger over Annly's hair, her eyes full of all kinds of emotions.

"She's okay, m'lady," Hiccup reached over and set his hand on top of Astrid's.

"Her arm," Astrid gestured to the scabbing wounds on their little girl's arm.

"I know," Hiccup sighed. "But, she'll be alright. I mean, look who her mother is."

The smallest hint of a smile crossed Astrid's face before she grew serious again.

"We've got to get Viggo, Hiccup. We can't let him get away with this."

"He won't," Hiccup promised.

"So how are we going to find him? And what will we do to him once we do?"

"Well, we have two of his guards. We'll get them to tell us where he's hiding."

"If they'll talk."

"They'll talk," Hiccup's voice was scarily firm.

"How do you know?"

"I'll make them."

Astrid arched an eyebrow. "How?"

"I don't know yet, I'll figure it out as I go."

Astrid chuckled. "Maybe you should let me be the one to make them talk."

"Or maybe we should both make them talk," Hiccup suggested.

"Do you think that will really be affective, or do you just want a few minutes alone with these guys and Inferno."

"They kidnapped my daughter, of course I want a few minutes alonge with them."

"Well, get in line."

"Will do," Hiccup answered, taking his wife's hand in his, and bringing it to his lips, kissing her finger tips. "We are not going to let him get away with doing this to our baby."

Astrid nodded, cupping her husband's face in her hand.

Eventually they fell asleep, holding hands, their arms draped protectively over their children.