Happy New Years, Everyone

It has been a great time writing this. To everyone that has been with this story when Rumbling Night Cutter was writing this, thank you for trooping through this. To everyone that started reading this after I took over back in January, thank you. But this is the end of the line for this story, and for the most part my involvement in pure HTTYD Fan-fic for the foreseeable future. That's right I am not doing a sequel to this, I am giving up on the How To Date one-shots and I have no plans to do anymore HTTYD fan-fic. I am sifting focus, passion and effort to my other works; The Draconic Park/World series I am working on with Sousuke Tenki, The Marvel Studio's Cinematic Universe AU series with Rumbling Night Cutter and supersandman86 and 'The Magnificent Samurai' by Big Hero 6 fan-fic and its eventual sequel 'The Solar Twins'. Please read my other works and the works of the three authors I am working with. If you liked this because it's simply a HTTYD fan-fic... I can understand that, but I feel that you are missing out on a lot of what I feel passion for. I am not expecting that the other works to get the same number of views, but at least more than then 10%. If you like this because you like my writing, please view and review my other works.

Now the replies to the reviews:

Rayfe (guest): Glad you love the story, but no there will be nothing beyond this

Guest (guest): checking people off guard, makes for great drama and great comedy

The Viking Stranger: I am not confirming that's her reason, nor am I denying it...only that you are jumping the gun a little... just a little. I can't say here if you are correct or wrong... you'll have to read the chapter. Here's what happens next.

DeathStrike59: Yes Hiccup is confused... we all should be a little confused... and I wanted to end it there to keep you guessing

Ultimateblack: Back in, if memory serves me correct, Ch. 13 Ashley was identified as Astrid's mother. This is her actually introduction into the story's present. No, Hiccup and Astrid have no mutual relatives. Stoick knows her because he remembers her. Actually Astrid doesn't interpret the conversation between Hiccup and Stoick, Hiccup just stops because he doesn't want to violate Astrid's trust again and is not sure how to proceed. It's more of a dues ex machina that allows for Hiccup to not violate Astrid's trust and allows for Stoick to be informed about what happened. I will grant that I could have cut down on the rest, but the chapter felt short enough as it is... but here is the last chapter.

Wolfie-Dragon: I do us a spell and grammar check, I also do use beta-readers, but things still slip through... but those are, in the end, my errors. Part of the reductions is that I am getting better as an author. As the plot-holes... I didn't come up with the idea of having Astrid going back... that was something Rumbling Night Cutter came up with when s/he was still writing... so I went with what was present. I'll give you the betrothal contract is...odd, I am not sure of the entirety of the legality of it in reality, but historically speaking arranged marriages were the norm until the late 1800 and in many places around the world they still accrue. Could you give that this is fictional... also I will expound on a few terms and clauses in the contract in this, the last chapter. Thank you for your faith and for letting the story into the community, although the credit for the idea belongs to Rumbling Night Cutter. I know that for many it's sad to see this story end, but I've covered just about everything and it feels disingenuous to try to force it to go any longer

silvanatanaa: Thank you, please check out my other works

Left out From the Ch. 19 Replies to Reviews:

a random person- Yes Stoick and Gobber ship Hiccstrid, if you see the deleted scenes of HTTYD one of them has Gobber asking Hiccup how's it going with Astrid... and in HTTYD2 'THAT'S MY FUTURE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW!'... enough said

UnbreakableWarrior: Thank you, I am glad you found Chapter 18 amazing

Ch. 20

Confrontation/Reconcile and "I love you"

Astrid is not ready for this meeting with her mother, this confrontation.

After Astrid's shift, Stoick gave her a lift home and when they got back Astrid went straight to her room. Along the way she grabbed Hiccup from the living room, also in the living room was her mother. That was ten minutes ago. Now Astrid is pacing back and forth in her room agitated, Hiccup is sitting on her bed, Stormfly on his lap and Toothless resting at his feet... well foot and fake-foot

"That bitch!" Astrid curses. "She's leaves me to endure years of hell and she just walks into my place of work expecting what? A heart to heart! Some sort of reconciliation!" Astrid rants. "I mean what does she expects? She has no right to come back into my life like this!"

"Absolutely, she abandoned you and gave up any and all rights to be your mother years ago." Hiccup says calmly agreeing with her.

"Wait you're agreeing with me?" Astrid asks confused. "Aren't you suppose to you know... argue with me... convince me to hear her out? Citing that while I don't owe her anything, like I owe it to myself to hear her out. You know be the voice of reason here?" Astrid asks utterly blindsided by Hiccup's agreement.

"Um... I kind of figured that since we are … um... seeing each other... it would be smarter on my part to agree with you. I may be getting use to the whole whack-'that's for X' and kiss 'that's for everything else' arguably abusive part of this relationship, but I am not going to push my luck." Hiccup replies as he pets Stormfly. Looking at the reflection in the mirror, "Why do I look like some sort of James Bond villain?" He asks.

Astrid does a double take to the mirror and back to Hiccup "What?" she asks in confusion.

"Think about it, a guy petting a cat in his lap..." Hiccup suggests.

After thinking it over, "That was a really bad joke."

"Bad enough to be funny?" Hiccup asks with puppy-dog eyes.

"No." Astrid says, if it weren't for the slight raise at the edge of her lips Hiccup would have believed that Astrid didn't find this humorous. "So what do you think I should do?" she asks getting to the point.

"I have no idea... this isn't like me and my dad. Granted there was a time he gave up on being a father, but that's more out of frustration than how different we are and the unconscious realization of his own failures. But he has always been physically there... more or less." Hiccup tries to answer sincerely.

Astrid leans against the wall, and sighs. After a few seconds, "Will you sit by me? I don't know if I can do this alone." She pauses. "Yeah, Fearless Astrid Hofferson is admitting she needs help." she says almost defeated.

"Yes, milady." Hiccup answers.

It is time for the reconciliation.

Ashley sits at the table, Astrid opposite her with Hiccup to Astrid's left. Stoick is in the living room, electing not to be involved with what is going to happen. After about three minutes of awkward silence, "Okay I know I am going to end up gnawing off my only foot, but what brings you back to Berk, Mrs. Hofferson?" Hiccup asks. That totally didn't backfire on him as both the women glare at him. "Well someone had to say something." Hiccup tries to defend himself.

"Why did you leave and not take me with you?" Astrid asks after taking a moment to gather herself.

"It's not because of my illness, I didn't learn that I was infected with HPV, no thanks to your father, until almost two years ago when I was diagnosed with Stage IV cervical cancer. Your father was an abusive man, more so sober than when he was drunk. Sure he was more likely to strike when he was drunk, but there are many forms of abuse." Ashley pauses. "Have you ever noticed in the photos that your father and I are either not in the same picture together or there is someone, often you, or something in between us?"

Astrid takes a minute to look back in her memories of the family photos, "I always thought that I was the center of the attention for the ones with me." she answers.

"Well that was part of it, the other was me trying to put some sort of barrier in between us. He may have not physically abused me as he may have you, but he was much worse with he words and other actions when his brain wasn't marinating in whatever bottom-shelf booze he was drinking. I left because he offered an out, he thought I would come crawling back in a month or that I wouldn't dare leave him."

"So why did you not take me?" Astrid asks calling back the other bone she has to pick with Ashley.

"Because I look at him and I see him. Yes, you're a young woman, but look at me, green eyes, fiery... well I had fiery red hair, but almost everything about you... physically, you get from your father. I didn't take you because I wanted to never have to remember his face. It was over ten years of my life, that while I will never get back, I wanted to forget it."

"What about me? You left me with that..."

"Ogre, Troll, Monster, Demon, Devil. Bastard. Son of a Bitch, you think I don't know what he was? Also it was not about you when I left, and if I did take you, you think he wouldn't come looking for us both? You think we could ever have a chance to rest, that you would ever have the chance to have anything like the life you should have, able to make friends, to know people, to have people know you? No, we would be more or less on the lamb, never being able to stay in one place for more than a year."

Astrid never considered that, it still didn't justify being left, but she's starting to understand why. "You're my mother..."

"I don't expect you to accept my apology or to forgive me." Ashley interprets her daughter. "I don't except anything, maybe a 'go to Helhiem, you bitch', but in more colorful word-choice." Ashley pauses and gets up from the seat she was sitting it. "I don't expect us to meet again." And she leaves the Haddock's house without another word. As she shuts the door she hears her daughter calling out for her to wait, to comeback. A tear rolls down each of her checks. "I am sorry." she whispers and runs away.

Astrid didn't give chase, she just froze as the door shuts. She looks to Hiccup, "What should I do?" Astrid asks Hiccup.

"I have no idea what you should do. I have never really been in this position." Hiccup answers.

"That's a load of crap. I have effectively cut you out of my life and left you to your own resources in a hostile world and you forgave me, when I didn't deserve it." Stoick chimes in.

"Well you were physically there... actually that makes you... oh..." Hiccup stops right there as he looks over his past and has to admit that in a way Stoick being there some of the time actually made things worse as there's no reason why Stoick couldn't reach out to Hiccup. Or did it... it's so confusing.

Astrid gives a sigh of frustration as Hiccup is lost in his confusion over whether or not he had it worse with his father. Astrid gets up and starts to head out. "While you are trapped in indecision, I am going after her." Astrid says and leaves.

Astrid is not entirely sure what she'll do if she finds her mother, call out, denounce her. But as she walks she thinks long and hard. Sure lashing out would be justified, but it's also the easy way out. Forgiveness on the other hand, that's hard, not that Ashley has actually done anything to earn Astrid's forgiveness, but she's suffering and likely dying from cervical cancer After two hours of walking Astrid arrives at the park, she sees her mother sitting on one of the benches. She sees that her mother is clearly exhausted. "Hey, Mom." She says as she sits next to her mother.

"Hey." Ashley replies as she turns to face Astrid.

"You're dying, aren't you?" Astrid asks, Ashley only nods. Astrid takes a deep breath, "I am still hurt that you left me, and maybe a year ago I wouldn't be able to even accept your apology, but I've grown a lot in the last month." Astrid pauses. "It's like a broken leg, a month ago the pain you cause me was still a fresh fracture, but now, it's like a month old healed fracture, it still hurts, but I can move on, and I choose too." Astrid takes another break. "After I moved into the Haddocks' house I've learned that forgiving people doesn't make you weak, it doesn't necessarily make you strong, it makes you... well human." Astrid pauses for a minute as she considers her words. "I don't know if I will ever heal from the pain you caused me by leaving me and by leaving, but if Hiccup forgave Stoick for giving up on him, I can forgive you."

"Astrid... are you saying..." Ashley asks as tears start to form around her eyes.

"Yes. I forgive you, Mom." The two then embrace

The last words Hiccup hears are "I love you."

It's Black Friday , a week ago was Ashely's funeral,and while Astrid knows she's far from over being abandoned, she can move on with her life and actually focus really on the good of her past. Presently however her focus is on the now and a possible last chance.

Hiccup is being prepared for the surgery for his implants. "Now even if this is a success, it may only delay the hearing loss, if it fails you'll never be able to hear again. We're almost ready, but before we put you under I am going to let you have a moment to hear whatever you'd like just encase..." the doctor pauses. "You know it's not to0 late to turn back."

"I know, but..." Hiccup then turns to Astrid and Stoick who are also in the room. "I got to do this."

"Well I let you have a few more minutes." the doctor says and leaves.

Stoick gets up and places his hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "I'm going to the waiting room but before I go. I love you son, I am sorry... for... everything. I am proud to be your father." Stoick hugs his son as tight as he could. "I am a fool to ask for a different son."

"Dad... air... need..." Hiccup says struggling to breath. Sheepishly Stoick let's go and he and Hiccup face each other.

"Thanks Dad. I love you too." Hiccup says. Stoick then leaves the room in silence, he said what he need to say and what he wanted to be the last words Hiccup every hears from him, if the surgery doesn't work.

"I bought an iPod with last messages from everyone." Astrid says as she goes for it. "I'll put it on speaker."

"So you want the last word I take it?" Hiccup joking asks as Astrid prepares the iPod. She only gives him a soft glare. Hiccup chuckles weakly and the iPod starts.

"Hey cus... I guess I should like apolugies... 'apologize'... yeah that for all those jabs... I guess I am just jealous of you... 'you're also a lout'... Hey Ruffnut, Tuffnut, you'll get your turn... but yeah... sorry cus." the voice of Snotlout is heard first. Hiccup smiles at this, his cousin actually apologized and said he was sorry. Well if this works Hiccup has a nice trick to pull before stating he acceptance of the apology, as for actually forgiving... well Hiccup has always been the bigger man than Snotlout... not in form but where it really counts.

"Hey it's Ruffnut and Tuffnutand... what did we what to say? Just give me a second... no idea something about last words... oh... yeah... well I guess you're actually one Hel of a bad-ass... You totally rule man[1]" Hiccup chuckles as the twins try to relay that they want him to know that they actually think he's cool. He may torment them a little but not as bad as Snotlout if this works.

"Okay it's my turn... this is so hard... I mean last words can have such great weight and I really don't want to screw this... oh sorry... well I guess the only thing I can say is that you are my best friend and I couldn't ask for a better one. I love you man... like a brother … um yeah... I'll shut up now." Hiccup can't help but shed a tear... for once in his life he wants to hear Fishlegs statistical breakdowns.

Hiccup stops the iPod. There are no other recording, he's already heard everything else he needed to hear before today. Well there is one last person he needs to hear from, and really only one thing he needs to hear from her, but he doesn't want to force it, he needs hear it from her sincerely. "If this works, I got a prank I so need to pull on Snotlout and the Twins, do you mind being my co-conspirator?" Hiccup asks trying to bring out a laugh as he takes out the earplugs and hand everything back to Astrid.

Astrid signs in ASL 'You can count on your lady, Babe. I need to go see the Snotnut's [2] squirm like the 'tuffrufflouts' [2] they are' with a smile on her face and accepts the iPod from Hiccup. Hiccups puts his hearing aids in. Just as the nurse comes in. "It's time to go. Ready Mr. Haddock?" she asks.

Hiccup looks to Astrid, he sees that

Just before Astrid has to leave she goes back to the gurney and embraces Hiccup her head on his left shoulder, Hiccup returns the embrace Astrid turns so that her mouth is right next to his left ear, it's now or never, "I love you" she whispers. "I love you." she whispers a second time. "I love you." she whispers a third time as the nurse prepares to administer the sedative to have Hiccup go unconscious for the surgery.

"Astrid, the feeling's mutual." Hiccup says as he loses consciousness.

Astrid chuckles as Hiccup rolls out for his surgery. "You just had to have the last word." She sighs. As she heads to the waiting room. "Hiccup, I love you." she shouts to the gurney carrying Hiccup.

Author's Note

[1] Ruffnut's are normal, Tuffnut's lines are Italicize, Both are underlined

[2] these combines of Snotlout's and the Twin's names

Fin

Well that's it, for the most part I am done with HTTYD, save for two projects with other writers that have it as part of the series with other source material, but straight-up HTTYD fan-fic, I am done for the foreseeable future.

So check out my other projects, leave reviews... fav and follow if you wish... please

Also check out the works of Rumbling Night Cutter, the original author of this Fan-fic, supersandman86, (I admit I have a bias in favor of Iron Fury, but all his works are worth the read), Sousuke Tenki, (again I have a bias for Draconic World, but all his works are worth the read) and Peppermint Clouds (she's been an indispensable beta-reader in several of my works and her works are just heart-gripping).

Are you still reading... You are so awesome

I seem to be forgetting something... oh... now I remember...

The Maiden Voyage of SS Hiccstrid

(The 'The Feeling's Mutual Epilogue)

Astrid tosses and turns in her bed. "No. No. No. No. No. No. No." she says in her unawakened state. Her mind is trapped in an ocean of her greatest fears, she never got away from her father. Just as if her father is about to tear the last of her clothes off...

"Astrid. Astrid. Astrid. It's a nightmare, a nightmare, a nightmare. You're safe, You're safe, You're safe." a voice of light cast dispels and casts out the darkness that is surrounding her. She jolts awake as she feels the warmth of Love encircles her but does not entraps her. It would only take the tiniest form of rejection would she be set free. But it's so comforting, so inviting, so … she cannot help but cry as she finishes the hug.

After three minutes of crying into the shoulder of the one embracing her, "Thank you, Hiccup." she says weakly as she fully remembers she's not alone, never alone, never again.

"You're welcome." Hiccup whispers as the two look into each other's eyes. "Astrid, this not how I wanted to do this." Hiccup says and gets out of the bed and looking at Astrid takes a knee (his right knee... you know fake left leg). "We have gone through all the nonsense of High School, we have elected to go to the same university, we are living in the same apartment. I was able to save my hearing thanks to you. You have helped me become a better person than I imaged I could. You have also been through a lot, and I have seen you at your worse and at your best and I never want to leave you. I am tired of having to run into here to help you through your darkness. Astrid Hofferson, I want to hold you all night long, I want to be with you before the nightmares try to steal your dreams, I want to have the SS Hiccstrid set sail, for real." Astrid's mouth hangs open in disbelief as Hiccup takes out of the bed stand on the side Astrid permits to be his, a small velvet box, he opens it and shows a ring, it is a ring he made just for her, just for this purpose, "Astrid-"

"Yes." Astrid squeaks just above a whisper as tears again form at her eyes interpreting Hiccup.

"Hofferson-" Hiccup continues to ask her.

"Yes" Astrid squeaks just above a whisper as the tears slowly twinkle down her cheeks interrupting Hiccup again.

"will-" Hiccup continues to ask her.

"Yes" Astrid squeaks just above a whisper as the tears twinkle down her cheeks faster interrupting Hiccup again.

"you-" Hiccup continues to ask her.

"Yes" Astrid squeaks just above a whisper as the tears twinkle down her checks faster i interrupting Hiccup again.

"marry-" Hiccup continues to ask her.

"Yes" Astrid squeaks just above a whisper as the tears twinkle down her checks faster interrupting Hiccup again.

"me?" Hiccup finishes his question with a sigh of frustration due to Astrid's interruptions, not that it was a bad thing, but he really wanted to ask the question.

"Yes."Astrid squeaks just above a whisper as the tears twinkle down her checks faster and grabbing Hiccup's face gives him the most passionate kiss she ever gave him. After the kiss Hiccup slides the ring onto her left ring finger.

Looking Astrid in the face, "That's how you roll a 20 on a diplomacy check." Hiccup says and the two share a few laughs.

After a few seconds of silence Astrid speaks again, "The SS Hiccstrid has finally set sailed for her maiden voyage."

"I thought we just finished construct-" Astrid shut Hiccup with a kiss, it was not as passionate as the last one, but this one was meant to get Hiccup out of something or maybe that's not the right term. "Oh... We are setting sail... tonight... right now..." Hiccup stammers as he connects the dots.

"Now that's how you roll a 20 on a diplomacy check, Noob." Astrid whispers into his ear, she is both teasing him and is clearly aroused.

"This isn't over," he whispers not even millimeter away from her lips.

"Now you're choosing the right battles." Astrid continues to tease him as the SS Hiccstrid starts it's maiden voyage and Hiccup is right with a few of his assumption; this is a warship on stormy seas... and Hiccup wouldn't have it any other way.