The Brief End

Several things changed around New Berk City, more specifically, the police station.

First off, Camicazi returned to work as soon as she could and was met with many cheers, jibes, and a cake, which disappeared as soon as Snotlout wandered into the room, fifty minutes late for a meeting he was supposed to attend. Camicazi and Astrid even managed to cut down their evil glaring sessions on half, an improvement on morale and tempers all around. Astrid later discovered that the whole office had made bets on how long it would take them to become friends. No one had won because no one had expected them to stop hating them as much.

Hiccup had gone to the hospital and stayed there a good two weeks while a doctor tried to get the infection to go away without having to take off any more of his leg. Neither Astrid nor Camicazi heard much from him because he was catching up on some much-needed sleep. He did, however, tell Astrid that his brain was feeling better after the fight with Excellinor, and that was a start.

Excellinor herself had been put into the court system. Even though it would take years to get around to the actual trial, Astrid was very satisfied when a judge placed her bail at a very high amount that no one wanted to pay. Justice would come for the crimes she had committed or orchestrated, and Valka would get her "revenge." They would cross that bridge when they came to it.

The twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs had all decided to take more self-defense classes that had been required of them for their job to better prepare for being superheroes. Much to Astrid's chagrin, Snotlout's agility for break dancing wore off on his martial art skills although she still creamed him in the power department.

It was during one of these self-defense classes that Hiccup decided to make a reappearance from the depths of the antibiotics. Unfortunately, he made his presence known by yelling at the top of his lungs while she was in the middle of a bout with Camicazi.

"HEY, ASTRID! THERE'S A BEE!"

Astrid wasn't scared of bees, but she still jerked away without knowing which area this supposed insect was in. This action allowed Camicazi to land a solid chop to her stomach, which Astrid was quickly to retaliate.

When the bout finished, Astrid marched over to the bleachers on the side of the gym where Hiccup was sitting, surrounded by Snotlout, the twins, and Fishlegs, who had spotted him before Astrid had.

"What was that for?" she demanded, marching up to him. "I'm going to have a bruise in the morning, and it's going to be your fault, Hiccup Haddock the Third!"

"Wow, she really doesn't know your middle name." Camicazi smirked. "I found out ages ago when I swiped his birth certificate."

"I know his middle name!" Ruffnut protested. "And I didn't even have to commit a federal offense to get it!"

"Oh, it wasn't a federal offense because blowing up locks is your job!" her twin commented.

"It's impossible," Fishlegs jumped in, "to do that because the force-"

"Does this black eye make me look good?" Snotlout asked.

"NO!" everyone yelled.

"You're not happy to see me?" Hiccup asked with a mocking tone. "I thought after all those texts you sent me..."

"Oh, be quiet," Astrid snarled, turning beet red. "Let's just get out of here before our instructor kicks us out for disturbing the peace."

"Astrid, it's a self-defense gym. It's not peaceful in here."

"It's peaceful compared to what's going to happen to you!"

Outside of the gym, the air was crisp and cold to welcome on the holiday season. Calling out excitedly that they had certainly worked hard and deserved hot chocolate, the twins ran ahead, kicking up snow and not acting very adult-like.

Fishlegs tried to get Snotlout into a debate about kinetic energy, but the latter of the pair wasn't having it and argued with Fishlegs. This allow Camicazi the opportunity to wipe him clean of any possessions on his body – besides his clothes, of course.

"You never did tell me your middle name," Astrid sulked.

"You never guessed," Hiccup retorted without sympathy, "and besides, I already told you that it's Horrendous."

"Whatever," Astrid waved a hand. "I'll figure it out eventually, even though you don't want to tell me."

Hiccup chortled, although Astrid had no idea why what she had said was funny, so she elbowed him, nearly upsetting his precarious balance in between his crutches, which he had been commanded by a doctor to use again.

"Hey, where's my wallet?!" Snotlout cried. "Fishlegs, you little con man! You may look sweet on the outside, but on the inside you're a thief!"

"I didn't steal anything!" Fishlegs protested.

"So, I was wondering..." Hiccup began as Snotlout began to chase poor Fishlegs down the street, completely oblivious to Camicazi, who was having a laughing attack while hugging a lamppost.

"I dare you to lick that, Cami!" Astrid yelled.

"Over my dead Snoggletog tree, Hofferson!"

Astrid turned back to Hiccup. "Sorry."

"It's fine." He stopped for a second to adjust his scarf, which had been slipping. "Apparently, Gobber has been seeing a lady."

Astrid blinked the snow out of her eyes. "What? Did I hear you wrong? I thought he was content as a bachelor"

"No. Apparently, he's been fooling us, and now he wants me to meet Anna Marie." Hiccup gulped.

"You're not kidding."

"No. He's going to a fancy restaurant and everything. So I was wondering if you wanted to come along for moral support?"

Astrid could not let this chance to tease him pass by. "You're asking me on a date?"

Hiccup's skin turned redder that Rudolf the Reindeer's nose. "No! Of course not! Why would I do a thing like that? I mean, not that you aren't attractive – in a very sincere way! Not like Snotlout thinks, but -" He looked like he wished he could just melt into a puddle and die like a snowman.

Like the good friend who had put him into his misery, Astrid put him out of it. "Relax. I was kidding. I know what you meant, and sure, I'll come along."

Visibly, Hiccup relaxed. "Oh, good. I didn't know if I'd be able to sit there for two hours watching them make faces at each other."

"Like you make at Astrid?" Camicazi interjected mischievously, popping in front of them.

Hiccup started sputtering again, and Astrid laughed merrily. Snoggletog was in the air, and she was surrounded by her friends, reunited after what they had gone through. She could hear the shrieks of the twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs as they argued over what pizza. If he knew what was good for him, Hiccup was going to quit being an idiot and fully recover. What more could she ask for? As her boots crunched into the snow, she lifted her face to the sky to catch the following snow and perhaps the spirit in the air. Her laugh quickly ceased when Camicazi dropped Astrid's wallet back into her hands.

Astrid planned how to get her revenge.

Due to FFN slowly dying, there will be no sequel. Thank you all for reading this and the reviews you left.