A/N: Sorry for the wait on this next part, I've been pretty busy lately. I hope you all like the new chapter!

—

Trying to Trust: Part Two

"I thought things would be better... when people seemed to be taking my words seriously." Astrid was pacing the floor after Hiccup and Zephyr left. Sigrid had told them what Hiccup had told her earlier, when Zephyr had been napping.

"I encouraged people to apologize to him..." Stoick admitted. He thought that he had been doing the right thing. He had apologized to Hiccup and his son had been willing to give his father another chance. Stoick had thought that if the people apologized to Hiccup, he would be willing to give them a chance too.

"Now I know why he insisted on working late." Gobber spoke up. "He wanted to wait to leave until after the streets cleared up a bit."

"He's used to the way things were, as sad as that is, he adapted to his circumstances. It will take some time before he can accept the way things are now." Arne joined in the conversation. He didn't interact with Hiccup a lot, even though Hiccup was married to his daughter. But he observed him from a distance, even if it was mostly out of concern for his own daughter's well-being. Hiccup was good to Astrid, he could tell. Hiccup was a good person, he could see that too. He knew that he made Hiccup uncomfortable, but then most people did. So, he gave Hiccup his space. But Arne had seen what Hiccup put up with on a daily basis. He had observed his struggles. "He needs to see, that over time, things are going to stay this way."

"Will they?" Astrid asked, concern on her face. "I thought things were changing before, when we first married, but then everything went downhill."

"I won't let things go back to how they were." Stoick said with determination. "I should have always been on his side... but I'm going to be standing up for him now, every time."

"So will I." Gobber agreed.

"It's not just us who need to make a change." Astrid said, even though she had been trying to change things since day one of her marriage to Hiccup.

"That's true." Stoick agreed. "It's a long time coming, but some things need to change on Berk. I've let things go on like this for far too long. It starts with us. I need to do better at leading by example."

"Shhh!" Sigrid hushed everyone, startling the group of friends and family. Everyone quieted, the conversation coming to a halt, and they all listened.

The horn sounded, warning all of Berk to the incoming dragon raid. Stoick was on his feet in an instant, Gobber and Arne following suit.

"Zephyr! Hiccup!" Astrid made a run for the door, but Sigrid grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"I'm not letting you out into a dragon raid!" Sigrid held her daughter firmly.

"But mom-!"

"No, Astrid. You wouldn't just be endangering your own life." Sigrid gestured at Astrid's stomach, her pregnancy obviously showing. "Hiccup knows what to do, he'll keep Zephyr safe. And you'll keep the little one safe."

"We prepared for this." Stoick assured her as he opened the front door, preparing to leave. "Berk will get through this. We'll be fine. Hiccup and Zephyr will be safe inside."

"Take cafe of yourself and the baby." Gobber followed Stoick out the door.

Arne lingered for a moment, giving his wife and daughter each a kiss on the cheek. "You'll be okay?"

"Yes, dear, don't worry about us." Sigrid told her husband. "I can still swing an axe, and Astrid can still run."

Astrid rolled her eyes at the jab. She could swing an axe too, pregnant or not. But she knew her mom was right, her priority was to keep her growing baby safe.

—

Hiccup couldn't keep his eyes off of the beautiful, newborn baby girl in his arms. He had a warm feeling in his chest and a smile on his face. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so happy. He loved this little human more than he had ever loved anything and it made his heart feel like it could burst with joy.

He was sitting on the bed he shared with Astrid. Once a place he felt incredibly awkward and unsure of himself, but now the place where his new, wonderful little family had started. Astrid lay beside him, sleeping deeply. Hiccup felt at peace and he didn't know when the last time was that he had felt this way, if ever.

He had thought that he would be ending his life soon. He had done his duty as the heir of Berk. He had taken care of his pregnant wife. Berk wouldn't need him once the baby was born, and surely Astrid and the baby would be better off without him.

But now he held this precious thing in his arms and he couldn't fathom not being around to take care of his baby girl. He couldn't leave Astrid to care for a newborn all on her own, she was already tired enough and... he genuinely loved her.

Hiccup glanced down at his sleeping wife and smiled. He had never stopped caring for her, which only made the heartbreak of her abandoning him as kids that much worse. He had been worried that she was going into their marriage unwillingly, but she had assured him on numerous occasions that this was what she wanted.

The first time she had assured him had been on their wedding day. She hadn't said it with words, there hadn't been a chance to do so. But as he stood across from her, looking unsure of himself and incredibly sorry that she was fated to marry the likes of him, she had stared at him intently until he finally met her eyes. Once she had his attention, she had given him that sweet smile that he remembered from their childhood, that smile that she never wore after her uncle's death. She had smiled and nodded her head encouragingly at him, like she used to do when she was encouraging him to do something new, something that required him to step out of his comfort zone, back when they were kids. That one, little act of reassurance had him smiling back at her lovingly as Gothi tied their hands together in matrimony.

Since then Astrid had done a lot to try and make him feel comfortable in their new roles as husband and wife. She always told him that it was okay, that she chose this, that she wanted this. Although, she never said why.

Hiccup had a tendency to let his mind go to the darkest places and assume the worst of himself. As nice as Astrid had been since they married, he couldn't believe that she actually loved him, that what she wanted was to be with him. No, it was more likely that she had chosen this to save Berk. She was noble like that. She would make the sacrifice to be with him in order to give the people she fought for and loved what they needed, a proper future chief and an heir. Hiccup would help her with that, then he would get out of her way. That had been the plan.

Hiccup gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind Astrid's ear. He really did love her. How could he abandon her to raise a child and take on the hardships of being chief, alone? What a stupid plan. He would support her, in any way he could. He would be there for his daughter, always. For... Zephyr.

Zephyr. That was his daughter's name. The name they had both agreed on, and it suited her perfectly. His attention moved back to the baby in his arms. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was a father. He hadn't ever given the idea of being a father one day that much thought. It was his duty to provide an heir, that was as far as his idea of fatherhood ever went. He didn't have the highest opinion of fathers, and so had never thought of himself as one. But he was, he was a father, and he would be a good one. He wouldn't be like his father, no. He would take a different approach to fatherhood. He would do it his way.

Rocking his beautiful baby girl in his arms, his wife, whom he loved, resting beside him. He couldn't think of a better, more precious moment. He could almost even say he was happy.

That was when the sound of a horn broke the peaceful silence. Hiccup looked up with wide, fearful eyes. He held Zephyr to him a little tighter.

"Astrid." Hiccup whispered, although it was unlikely that speaking inside their home would attract a dragon's attention. "Astrid!"

Astrid jolted awake. "What...? Where's the baby?" Astrid assumed that the baby needed her, otherwise Hiccup would have let her keep resting.

"Astrid." Hiccup's voice was serious. "There's a dragon raid, they just blew the horn."

Astrid was up and on her feet in an instant. She hadn't moved that fast in a long time, but the sudden rush of adrenaline had her alert and in warrior mode. "Come on, we don't want to be upstairs in a dragon raid. It's safer downstairs."

Hiccup stood up, but more carefully as he held their newborn baby. He walked behind Astrid, who grabbed a couple blankets and her axe, before leading the way down the stairs.

"What do we do? Where's the safest place? What if she cries and the sound attracts the dragons?" Hiccup was starting to panic. This was their first ever dragon raid with a newborn baby. Hiccup hadn't worried too much about dragon raids in the past, whatever happened to him happened, and he would be okay with it. But he had a baby to take care of now, and he needed her to be safe no matter what. Her safety was the only thing on his mind.

"Hey, calm down, okay?" Astrid cupped his cheek with her free hand. Protective, daddy-Hiccup was pretty adorable in her opinion. "Let's take shelter under the table. We'll be okay. Zephyr will be okay."

Hiccup nodded and took a deep breath. He followed Astrid to the table and waited as she tossed the blankets underneath and placed her axe on the floor. Then she kneeled down and held her arms out for the baby. Hiccup leaned over and cautiously handed her the delicate bundle. Once she sat down and scooted under the table, he knelt down and crawled after her.

"Here, take Zephyr." Astrid passed the baby back to Hiccup. Once her arms were free she reached for her axe and held it. "I want to keep my hands free, just in case."

"Astrid!" Hiccup was startled by the idea of her fighting off a dragon. "You just had a baby a couple days ago!"

"Believe me, I'm very aware of that." Astrid gave him an amused look.

"You can't just go fighting dragons!" Hiccup continued to protest.

"I'm not going to go out and fight dragons, relax." Yeah, protective Hiccup was cute, if a little panicky. It was a side of him she hadn't seen before, and it suited him. "I'm sure we'll be fine, I'm just taking precautions. If a dragon attacks our home, you focus on getting Zephyr out of here. I'll fight it off."

"I don't like that plan."

"Oh? Did you want to fight off the dragon?" She said sarcastically, but Hiccup was being serious.

"Yes." He said it with such conviction that Astrid lost all humor and looked at him in a new light.

"Hiccup... that's... wow, that's so sweet of you, really. But... I'm the trained warrior." Astrid was almost at a loss of words.

"And I'm the husband. I know you're capable and strong and probably the best warrior Berk has ever seen." Astrid blushed at his praise. "But you're also a mother to a newborn baby. Zephyr needs you more than she needs me. It's my responsibility to take care of you right now."

"That's... well, I guess." Astrid could see his point of view. He couldn't take care of Zephyr in the way she needed right now, only Astrid could. "But fighting is what I do."

Hiccup forced Zephyr into Astrid's arms. She had to set her axe down in order to take the baby. "Hiccup... I think maybe it's best if-"

"I'll do whatever it takes." Hiccup had a determined look in his eye, he was speaking with conviction again. "I know I'm not much of a fighter, but I can distract it. I can lead it away. I'll do anything I have to in order to keep you and Zephyr safe."

Astrid said nothing as she looked into his eyes, his face was right in front of hers as he kneeled in front of her in order to hand over the baby. He had never told her that he loved her, but she was feeling very loved right now anyway. He would do whatever it took, to keep her and their baby safe. She loved him. She loved this new, protective father side of him. She loved how happy he looked when he held Zephyr in his arms.

"Okay." Astrid agreed, but she had conditions. "We'll go with your plan if something happens, but first chance we get, I'm teaching you how to defend yourself and fight."

"People have tried to train me before, Astrid." He didn't look optimistic.

"But did they try to find the technique best suited to you?" She insisted.

"Technique? You mean there's a technique to yelling threats and waving weapons around?" Some of his sarcasm slipped through.

"Yeah, see, that's the problem." Astrid gave him a pointed look.

"My attitude?" Hiccup gave her a confused look. She couldn't tell if Hiccup was actually confused or just making jokes, probably a little of both. Either way, she couldn't help the smile at his words.

"No." Her smile only grew, and he smiled back at her. "The problem isn't you, it's your teachers."

Hiccup's smile slowly fell from his face at her words. Did she just say that he wasn't the problem? That he hadn't been at fault? Weren't those things always his fault?

"Hey." Astrid shifted Zephyr in her arms and brought a free hand to his cheek again. "A good teacher knows that everyone is different. Not everyone learns the same way and not everyone has the same skill set. I promise I'll work with you, to find what fighting technique best suits you. You're not a lost cause."

Hiccup put his hand over hers, he leaned forward so his forehead rested against hers and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Astrid. That means so much to me."

—

Hiccup and Zephyr held each other close as they sat silently, under the table in their home. They could hear the loud sounds of battle outside. The roaring of dragons. The clanking of weapons. The war cries of the Hooligan tribe of Berk. All sounds that they were accustomed to hearing.

"Is mommy okay?" Zephyr asked quietly. Astrid rarely hid under the table with them, since she was a warrior and went out to fight the dragons off instead. Though lately she had been bunkering down with them, because of her pregnancy.

"I'm sure she's safe, and the baby too." Hiccup hugged Zephyr tighter, he was worried about Astrid and their unborn child. He would prefer it if they were all together, but that wasn't how things had worked out today. "Grandma Sigrid will keep her safe. She's a talented axe wielder too."

"She is?"

"Yeah, she taught mommy everything she knows about being an axe wielder."

"Did she teach you?" Zephyr's eyes were wide with awe.

"Ha! No." Hiccup shook his head with some humor. "I'm not much of a warrior and I prefer a sword over an axe anyway. Besides, I like staying home and taking care of you."

Zephyr smiled up at her dad. "I like that too."

"Aw, how sweet." Hiccup smiled down at his daughter.

"But I want to learn like mommy did."

"Oh? You want to join the famous Hofferson women as a talented axe wielder?" Zephyr nodded her head eagerly. "Mommy will be so proud to hear it. You'll make a great warrior."

Zephyr giggled as Hiccup touched noses with her and held her tightly, successfully distracting her from her worry and the sounds of war from outside.

A loud scraping sound along the side of the house made them both jump and go quiet, the tender moment over. They remained frozen as they waited for something else to happen, but the only sound Hiccup heard was one that reminded him of a strong wind.

When the temperature started to get hotter and Hiccup could see the displacement of heat waves, he knew they were in trouble. "Get up, Zephyr. Go!"

He ushered her out from under the table. Once he had crawled out and stood up, he snatched up his daughter, hooked the sword to his belt, and ran for the back door that was on the opposite side of the house from where the sounds were coming from.

Hiccup kicked the chair that was propped up against the back door out of the way and burst out into the open. The fresh air felt nice against their sweaty skin and it was easier to breathe.

Glancing back at their home, Hiccup could see a Monstrous Nightmare setting fire to the front of the house, but it was acting strangely... It kept tilting its head to the side and pawing at its face. Hiccup squinted as he continued to step back and away from the house— then he saw it. A dagger submerged in the dragon's jaw, all the way to the hilt. The dragon was freaking out and in pain and had caught the front of the house on fire.

Before Hiccup could decide on where to go next for shelter, the Monstrous Nightmare set its sights on him and Zephyr. Hiccup reached for the sword at his side and the dragon roared before rushing him. Hiccup turned, not bothering with the sword anymore, and ran in the only direction he could go— up the hill behind his house, and into the woods.

Once Hiccup was in the woods he had a slight advantage, it was easier for him to maneuver through the trees than it was for the big, red dragon. He could hear its ferocious roars behind him and Zephyr's whimpers and cries of fear from in his arms.

Hiccup knew the woods well. He had spent a lot of time roaming through the trees and hiking up paths. He knew that if he continued straight, the copse of trees grew thicker and closer together. The dragon wouldn't be able to follow them. It was their best chance of survival.

Hiccup panted as he nearly sprinted, the sword clinking at his side with each movement of his legs and unknowingly agitating the Monstrous Nightmare further. He was almost there. He could see the dense cluster of trees up ahead.

A searing heat blasted to Hiccup's left and he cried out as he dived to his right to avoid the flames, rolling on the ground in a way that protected his daughter from harm. He was immediately back on his feet and running forward, away from the heat and the fire. Away from the angry dragon. And away from the safety of the trees. Hiccup swallowed as he realized where he was now headed. The path ahead led to an opening in the woods, the trees further apart. They would be out in the open and unsheltered.

Hiccup tried to think of a place they could hide or escape. Anything, any way he could at least get Zephyr to safety. Before he could come up with a plan, he felt a rush of air from behind him and came to an abrupt stop. The dragon didn't have to follow them on foot now, it had space to fly.

Hiccup and Zephyr fell backward as the Monstrous Nightmare landed with a roar, right in front of them. Hiccup scrambled to his feet and held Zephyr as closely as he could, shielding her with his body. Zephyr had stopped crying by this point, silent with pure fear. She clung to her father as tightly as she could and hid her face in his neck.

"Stay back!" Hiccup practically growled at the dragon, but it didn't listen. All the Monstrous Nightmare felt was pain and anger. It had a blade in its jaw and its vision was getting blurry. It lashed out at Hiccup, swiping its paw and wing forward.

Hiccup had seen the blow coming, he tossed Zephyr to the side, as far as he could manage, and took the hit. The claws didn't graze him, but the blow threw him a good couple yards and took his breath away. He was aware of the sound of Zephyr's cries and forced himself to stand back up. He didn't want the dragon to go after his daughter, he needed to get its attention and lure it away from her. That was the only chance she had at this point.

Hiccup drew his sword, the sound of the blade being drawn catching the dragon's attention. Hiccup was still trying to catch his breath, so he banged the sword against its sheath to make sounds. The Monstrous Nightmare took the bait and lunged for him, but Hiccup rolled to the side and sliced at it with the blade. The new wound angered the dragon further and it roared loudly in its fury. Taking advantage of its anger, Hiccup moved in close and slashed at its wings. If it couldn't fly, then the open space became just a tiny bit safer for Zephyr.

The dragon roared in anger and spun around, trying to put Hiccup in front of it. Hiccup knew what it wanted, and he allowed it. It kept the dragon's back to Zephyr and it's attention on him. The dragon didn't seem to be able to see that well, so Hiccup made sounds again, successfully luring it into another attack. It swiped once more, but this time Hiccup was better prepared, he ducked under the limb and thrust the blade up, straight through its wing. As the dragon continued its movement, the sword sliced through the thin membrane.

Hiccup had successfully taken away its flight, but he had put himself in a precarious position in order to do it. He now stood under its wing and next to its body, and the dragon was furious and in pain.

The Monstrous Nightmare lit itself on fire, the sudden wave of heat causing Hiccup to cry out and duck to cover his face. His arm felt warm and it stung, the skin red like a sunburn. Hiccup dropped to the ground to try and get further away from the scorching blaze, forced to let go of his weapon as it retained the heat from the dragon's fire.

Zephyr let out a loud scream as she watched her father struggle against the dragon. She was crying, her face wet with tears. She was hurting from where she landed on the hard ground. All she wanted was to be in her father's arms, but he was far away and fighting the dragon. She had let out a scream every time she thought her dad was going to get hurt.

Hiccup was laying on the ground, arms covering his head, trying to protect himself from being burned and not being much of a distraction anymore. At the sound of the little girl's cries the Monstrous Nightmare turned back. The pain it felt was blinding and the blood loss dizzying. It was relying on his hearing more than its sight, and assumed the threat was coming from the high pitched screams of terror. The dragon blindly charged in Zephyr's direction.

"No..." Hiccup scrambled to his feet, chasing after the Monstrous Nightmare. "No! I'm over here! Zephyr, run!"

Zephyr sobbed as she got to her feet, but she didn't know where to go and she was panicking. Hiccup knew there was no way he was going to get to Zephyr before the dragon, and no matter how much he shouted at it, it refused to take its attention off of his scared little girl.

"No, please! Stop! Come after me!" Hiccup shouted desperately, pleading and crying out in dismay as he chased after the dragon as fast as he could. Was he about to watch his little Zephyr die? He couldn't bear the thought. He would do anything, give anything to take her place. Just so long as she could live.

Zephyr fell backwards as she tried to move away, landing on the ground, tears still streaming down her face. She cried out for her daddy and Hiccup so desperately wanted to be there for her, but he wasn't going to make it in time. The dragon made one last leap and Hiccup knew it was over. He cried out in despair, his hand reaching out for her from a distance.

The dragon didn't make it to Zephyr. It fell backwards and crashed into the ground as a blinding, blue light lit the area and a soft explosion hit the Monstrous Nightmare in the chest.

Hiccup didn't hesitate or stop until he reached his daughter. He made a dive for the ground, effectively wrapping his arms around Zephyr and shielding her with his body. She was still sobbing and Hiccup realized that he was too. He had been so close to losing his little girl and he knew it would have broken him completely if he had.

A familiar screech pierced his ears and he lifted his head to see what was going on as he continued to shield Zephyr. Hiccup's eyes widened at the sight before him. Was that what he thought it was?

A Night Fury stood a couple yards from them, blocking the Monstrous Nightmare's path to him and Zephyr. It screeched again and shot another plasma blast at the red, fiery beast. The blue light causing the area to glow again for a split second. The Nightmare shook its head and snarled, lashing out blindly.

The injured dragon was no match for the powerful Night Fury. The black dragon dodged the attack and launched himself at his enemy, rolling around on the ground with it as he dug his claws deep into his opponent. The Nightmare used its massive claws in its defense, landing a few strikes that caused the Night Fury to hiss in pain. However, the Night Fury recovered quickly and fought back with more aggression, causing the Nightmare to cry out and take up a defensive position, no longer trying to attack, just protect itself.

The Night Fury backed off, but kept its back arched and its wings spread in a show of hostility. He bared his teeth and growled menacingly. The message was clear— leave or die. The Monstrous Nightmare chose the former and scrambled away. It wasn't likely to live for much longer on its own, anyway.

Hiccup had watched the fight in awe from his position on the ground. It almost seemed to him like the Night Fury was protecting them, but he wasn't about to jump to irrational conclusions and risk Zephyr's safety. He never wanted to come that close to losing her again. He pulled a dagger from a sheath he kept on his leg and held it defensively.

The movement caught the Night Fury's attention and he turned to him. The black dragon looked at him with intelligent, green eyes and Hiccup knew—this was the same Night Fury he had once released and saved from death what, seven years ago? Had it really been that long? He had been fifteen... now he was twenty-two. Could the dragon possibly have recognized him after one encounter, all those years ago? Hiccup felt like he was a very different person now, he had grown and matured. But he recognized the dragon... so maybe it recognized him too.

"Didn't I tell you not to come back?" Hiccup wondered if the dragon would remember, if he would see the recognition in his eyes. The dragon tilted his head and gave him a very human look of exasperation that startled Hiccup. Yes, he remembered the intelligence of the Night Fury, how he seemed to understand him.

"You remember me." It was a statement, not a question. Hiccup moved into a sitting position, keeping Zephyr behind him. The dragon gave Hiccup a more intense look as he examined the human in front of him. The Night Fury knew this person. He was not the boy he once was, he was fully grown now, but his scent was mostly the same. Those green eyes... the ones that had been so sad and hopeless, the black dragon recognized those eyes, they had once reflected his own hopeless feelings.

The lone Night Fury had been trying to reunite with his own kind. He had searched for so long, until he had ended up at the Queen's nest, then gotten caught in that net during a raid. The dragon had been ready to accept his fate. He was going to die there, alone and quite possibly the last of his kind. Then a sad boy had come along and set him free, had given him hope. There was something about this human that the dragon found intriguing. Something about him that drew the dragon to him.

The Night Fury had not listened to what the boy had commanded him. He had come back, several years later, looking for the boy in the woods. The boy who changed his perspective, who had shown him the barest inkling of the friendship that he had so desired. A kindred spirit. The dragon didn't know how he knew, but he was sure that their destinies were meant to be intertwined. That was why he was here now, because when he had needed help once before, the boy had helped him. Maybe he would again.

The dragon blinked in surprise when he heard a whimper. The little girl peeked her head out from behind the man, she had a similar scent to him and the dragon knew they were related. He was trying to protect his youngling.

Curiosity took hold of the black dragon and he stepped forward cautiously. The little girl yelped at the movement and hid behind her father. Hiccup took a defensive pose, holding the dagger out in front of him. He watched the Night Fury with a weary gaze. He still wasn't sure about the dragon and there was no way he would risk his daughter's safety.

The Night Fury backed off. He had learned a long time ago, it was not a good idea to get between a baby and its protective parent, and tried to make himself appear less threatening. As he backed off he leveled his gaze, staring into green eyes that mirrored his own. They could both sense a connection between each other, and it made them both curious.

The Night Fury had never met a human quite like this one. He didn't trust people, but... he thought he could trust this one. He wondered if this human had finally found happiness, last time he had seen him, the boy had looked so lost and sad. He seemed a bit less so now. The Night Fury had found something to make himself happy, all because this one human had set him free and given him another chance at living.

As Hiccup watched the Night Fury, he remember the confusion he had felt the first time he had interacted with it. The intelligence and the... mercy. Dragons weren't supposed to be like that. He had often thought on the Night Fury in the past several years, wondering why this dragon seemed so different than the others, kind of like how he was different than all of his people. He felt a connection. He wanted to know more.

A sharp pain seared through the dragon's tail and he couldn't help but flinch and growl— the moment was broken and the connection lost.

Hiccup gasped in surprise as the dragon cried out, he was not about to deal with another crazed and injured dragon. He turned, grabbed Zephyr, and ran. The Night Fury was shaking his head and was distracted by his pain, Hiccup could make a clean get away with his daughter. He was taking no chances. He had almost lost his baby girl once, he wasn't about to let that happen again.

Once the Night Fury had cleared his head and shook off the lingering pain from his fight, the man and his daughter were gone.

—

Stoick was incredibly grateful that they had managed to finish their preparations earlier that day. The dragon raid would have been so much worse if they hadn't gotten everything done, but the losses were minimal and the majority of their food stores were intact. However, the food stores that they had stocked, never had been enough in the first place.

They had successfully run the dragons off of Berk and Stoick took a moment to just breath. The battle hadn't been that hard, but it had been one thing after the next, after the next. He wanted to take a moment before he had to assess the destruction and call the people to order.

"Chief!" The panicked tone had Stoick immediately on edge. He turned around to find Spitelout and his son, Snotlout running through the main street in Berk, toward him. "Chief, come quickly!"

Before reaching him, the father and son had turned around and led the way back through Berk. Stoick had no idea what was happening, but it seemed urgent. They ran to the other end of the village, and then Stoick saw it.

His son's house, up on the hill, engulfed in flames.

"No..." Stoick's heart sank and his stomach twisted. "Did they get out, where are they?"

"Astrid's over there!" Someone from the gathered people pointed as Sigrid and Astrid pushed through the crowd.

"They're all safe, then?" Someone else asked.

"No, no!" Astrid was freaking out, she shoved people aside and tried to ascend the hill, but was held back by her mother and Arne.

"Did anyone see Hiccup and Zephyr get out of there?" Gobber spoke up on Stoick's behalf, since he suddenly seemed incapable of speaking.

"They were in there?" Ruffnut asked incredulously.

"Let me go!" Astrid was sobbing and struggling. No one had ever seen her like this before. She never showed this much emotion, unless it was her temper.

"Astrid, it's not a good idea to get any closer. There's no getting in there and making it back out." Spitelout broke the news.

"Maybe they already escaped..." Snotlout didn't like seeing Astrid so distraught. They were still friends, even if he was on thin ice. He didn't want Hiccup dead, or their daughter. "They could be on the other side of the house."

"Spread out and look!" Gobber directed a group of people. "But keep a safe distance. Once it dies down a little we can try to put it out."

The people obeyed without question, even though it wasn't their chief who was directing them. They respectfully allowed him some time to come to terms with what was happening.

Astrid stopped trying to get away and clung to Sigrid, crying into her shoulder. Hiccup and Zephyr had to be safe. She needed them, she loved them so much. They couldn't be gone.

—

Hiccup knew of a little cave, not too far from where they were and in closer proximity to the woody area behind his house. He had used to go there a lot, to escape bullies and just, people in general. It wasn't very deep, and really not much of a cave to begin with, but it was a good hiding spot and it provided shelter.

Hiccup wasn't sure if the dragon raid was over yet, it had seemed to be in full swing when he had escaped his burning house. He also didn't know where the Monstrous Nightmare had gone and he didn't want to lead the Night Fury back to the village, if it happened to be following them. So Hiccup decided it would be best to wait everything out in a safe place.

Upon arriving at his destination, Hiccup peeked his head in, to make sure the space was empty, then did his best to crawl inside while holding his daughter to him. Hiccup was very concerned about Zephyr. She wasn't even crying anymore, she had gone silent and was clinging to him almost possessively.

He found a position to sit in, that was as comfortable as it was going to get since he had outgrown the space, and started rocking his daughter comfortingly, pressing kisses to her head and whispering reassurances to her.

After some time, Zephyr finally started to relax in his arms, no longer tense, and her eyes got watery again. Hiccup decided to consider it a good thing, that she was finally showing some kind of reaction to everything.

"Zeph? Are you hurting anywhere?" He had been forced to throw her from his arms, and he hadn't bothered to be gentle about it. He wanted to get her as far from him as possible and he knew it might hurt her, but it also meant she would be alive and away from the dragon. Zephyr moved her right arm from around his back and showed him the ugly scrapes and scratches that went the length of her tiny arm. She also had some scratches on her knees and thigh, where the fabric of her leggings had torn. "Sweetie, I'm so sorry."

Zephyr just sniffled and rested her head back against his chest, she didn't seem too concerned with her injuries. She just wanted to hold on to her daddy. "You okay?" She whispered so softly that Hiccup almost didn't hear her.

"Yeah, Zeph, I'm fine." He probably had some scrapes and bruises too, along with a first degree burn on his arm, but the thing that was going to take the longest for him to get over was almost watching his daughter die.

Hiccup held on to Zephyr a little tighter and she burrowed her head under his chin and returned the embrace. Hiccup wasn't sure how long they should wait there, but neither of them had any critical injuries, so he supposed they could play it safe and wait for a while.

Zephyr's breathing softened and evened out as she slipped into sleep. It had been an exhausting day for her and the adrenaline rush had left her system. Hiccup continued to rock her as he fought his own, drooping eyelids. It wasn't long before he succumbed to sleep too.

—

A few hours later, the fire was out and the skeletal remains of the house were all that was left. The wood was charred and crisp, the furniture and personal belongings turned to ash. It was late into the night now, and the area was lit by torches and the light of the moon.

The search around the house and of the village had turned up nothing. Hiccup and Zephyr were no where to be found. So, with a heavy heart, Stoick had asked volunteers to search the remains for... for what was left of his son and granddaughter.

Astrid had gone completely silent and she refused to leave the front yard of her home. Sigrid remained by her side, rubbing her shoulders and giving her hugs, trying to hold it together for her daughter. Arne helped search the rubble.

A good majority of the people had stayed. They wanted to help, leaving felt like abandoning their chief's family. Though everyone was morose and the atmosphere was depressed and heavy. Everyone wanted closure, but at the same time... finding any sign of a body meant there was no hope and that they were really dead.

"We're not finding anything..." Gobber announced to Stoick, breaking the tense silence and startling a few people.

"It's not easy to find... to find traces after a fire like that." Spitelout spoke low and as respectfully as he could, which was uncharacteristic for him. "All that would be left is bone..."

Astrid let out a loud sob and collapsed to the ground in her grief. Sigrid caught her and lowered her to the ground slowly, pulling her in for a tight hug. "Astrid, you should really get some rest. Let me take you back to our house."

"No, I'm staying here." Astrid had been stubbornly refusing for the past few hours to leave her home, to leave... Hiccup and Zephyr... who likely died, right there.

Stoick swallowed hard at Spitelout's words and cleared his throat. He didn't want to think of his little Hiccup and his precious granddaughter as nothing more than a pile of charred bones. He didn't think that he wanted to find them, but they deserved... they deserved a proper funeral.

"I should have gone home with them..." Astrid lamented.

"Then you might not be here either, Astrid." There wasn't much Sigrid could say to make Astrid feel better, but her daughter shouldn't feel guilty about what happened. "I should have insisted that they stay."

"If I went with them, I might have been able to get them out."

"It's no one's fault." Gobber said, he was devastated too. He had finally gotten back his friendship with Hiccup. He was spending more time getting to know Zephyr, and he loved her too. However, someone in their group needed to hold it together, and it looked like it would have to be him and maybe Arne. "We can't change what happened."

One person in particular didn't think Hiccup and Zephyr warranted this much of their time or their grievances, dead or alive. He was getting impatient, waiting around for people to accept what really happened. The heir was dead, and Hiccup's heir was dead too. It's not like anyone else would have cared before Astrid had lectured them. Even she had waited a good four years before deciding to stand up for her unwanted, useless husband.

He would have gladly married her, and he would have made a much better husband than the likes of Hiccup, too. Their children wouldn't have been pathetic. He had been one of the people who had proposed a marriage offer to the Hoffersons, but had been turned down it seemed, because the chief had arranged for Astrid to marry his son. No, Hiccup and Zephyr's deaths weren't a tragedy. Why couldn't people see it for what it was? Not even Mildew had opened his big mouth to say things as they were, even he looked a little morose. He supposed it was up to him to say what had to be on everybody's minds.

"Look, it's not like we can't move on from this." Jerrik tried to say in an empathetic way, but it came off as false. "Astrid was married to the heir, which makes her our current heir."

"Was?" Astrid practically growled, but Jerrik ignored her.

"She is also pregnant with Hiccup's baby, which means we have a future heir as well." Jerrik looked around at the shocked and indignant faces. Was he not speaking the truth? Since when did the Vikings of Berk become such emotional wimps? They should accept the facts, count their blessings, and move forward. How blunt did he have to be? "Maybe this baby will take after Astrid and have more potential."

"Gaaaah!" Astrid cried out in rage. She picked up a stray piece of wood as she got to her feet and whacked Jerrik in the shoulder, then the head, then whatever she could manage to hit after that.

"Ow, hey!" Jerrik ducked and tried to cover his head, he couldn't exactly fight back, not against the pregnant, heir of Berk. "Stop! You know what I say is true!"

Gobber nudged Stoick and gave him a look. He was the chief, he should put a stop to this. Though, just like Sigrid, who hadn't bothered to hold her daughter back this time, Stoick thought Jerrik deserved it. However, Gobber was right, he was the chief.

"Astrid. Astrid, that's enough." Stoick said firmly, yet gently. Astrid tossed the wood aside but stood in place, glaring down at Jerrik, who was now on his knees and covering his head with his arms.

"I'm just telling it how it is." Jerrik just wouldn't shut up. He cautiously moved to get to his feet. "We can stop pretending to be something we're not. We don't have to coddle them anymore. Hiccup and Zephyr were bringing us down. We're Vikings, we're tough. They were making us soft! And for some reason, we were allowing them to make us something that we're not. It's not our fault that they were weak. We don't have to be sorry for treating them the way they deserved to be treated!"

Stoick opened his mouth to defend his son and his granddaughter, like he had promised himself he would. Even if they were dead, he would always speak up for them. However, he didn't get the chance.

"That's a load of yak dung." Ruffnut spoke up.

"Yeah, yaks!" Tuffnut added, emphasizing the wrong part of his sister's statement.

"Hiccup and Zephyr were never weak. They persevered through more than any of us have ever been through."

"Hiccup and Zephyr were strong." Tuffnut added, more helpfully this time.

"Hiccup didn't lash out. He never tried to bring anyone else down, even when everyone else was doing that to him." Fishlegs decided it was time he stood up for Hiccup too.

"Even when he stopped working in the forge, to take care of his family, he still always helped maintain my farming equipment." Mulch said sorrowfully. "He did it without being asked and when I wasn't around, but I know it was him because he's the only one who can make repairs like that."

"Zephyr was always kind to me." Bucket said.

"When my chickens got out of their coup, Hiccup helped me round them up without hesitation. Then slipped away before I could thank him." Phlegma the Fierce joined in.

"Hiccup has always been there for us, we just didn't acknowledge him for it." Silent Sven, who had ironically started speaking a couple years ago, also stood up for Hiccup.

"He was the only one willing to help me with my sheep, Fungus, when he got stuck in that dried up well." Mildew, much to everyone's surprise, added to the praise for Hiccup.

"And he's still the only one who would!" Someone jabbed at Mildew teasingly, earning a few chuckles from the crowd.

"Zephyr kept me company while Hiccup got him out. But I still don't like them!" Mildew ignored the jab. He was obviously lying about not liking them. A few people rolled their eyes at the old man, but the mood had shifted to one that was more light hearted and less suppressing.

Stoick couldn't stop the tears in his eyes. He hadn't been the only one who had been so dismissive of Hiccup, although as his father he had to take most of the blame. It made his heart warm to hear his people praising his son's good deeds. Apparently it wasn't necessary for him to have to defend Hiccup against the people of Berk, they had taken a look at themselves and realized their wrongdoings.

"Let's keep looking, then." Spitelout seemed to have taken charge of the search, since he knew that his friend and chief was mourning. "So we can finally do right by Hiccup and Zephyr."

—

Hiccup groaned, his back ached, his leg was falling asleep, and his arm was radiating heat in an uncomfortable way. He blinked a couple times, but could still barely see. It was dim, wherever he was. After a few moments of confusion Hiccup remembered. He was in a little cave, holding onto his little girl, waiting out the dragon raid so they could return to the village.

He shifted, trying not to disturb his little, sleeping Zephyr, and moved some foliage out of the way of the opening in the cave. Peeking out at the sky, Hiccup could see the pastel colors of sunrise. It was morning.

Wait. Morning? They had been out all night, Astrid was probably worried sick! Hiccup scooted out of the cave, no longer bothering with trying not to disturb Zephyr. They needed to get back home, immediately. It didn't even occur to him what the state of his house would be. The front had been on fire when he had run, but usually fires were put out before they could really catch and spread to other people's homes. However, his house and his father's house were on a hill, above and away from the other buildings on Berk.

Zephyr blinked herself awake at the jostling and the movement, but she didn't want to be awake yet, so she just settled back in, her head resting on Hiccup's shoulder, and closed her eyes again.

Hiccup was weary as he maneuvered through the trees and headed down the path he knew by heart, back to the village. He didn't want to run into anymore dragons, but he didn't come across any.

After about ten minutes of walking he found himself nearing the edge of the woods at the top of the hill that led down to his and his father's individual homes. He was starting to feel the aches and pains from the previous day and he found that he was limping a little. He must have rolled his ankle at some point.

He knew that they must look awful. Zephyr's hair was a mess and the braid had come undone a long time ago, his likely didn't look much better— he was pretty sure some of it was singed. They were dirty and grass stained. There was dried blood on their arms and legs from getting scraped up. They were both spotted in bruises.

Hiccup exited the tree line, stumbling a little as he descended the hill. He could see his house now, or lack thereof. Thank goodness they had gotten out before the fire had escalated and Astrid had been at her parents'. Hiccup didn't think he could have protected Zephyr and a pregnant wife, even though Astrid surely would have given a fight with a dragon her all.

There were a few people sifting through the ruin, probably trying to see if anything was salvageable. Hiccup found that unlikely, the damage was severe. It made sense that his father, Gobber, and Arne would be there, helping out. But Spitelout, Snotlout, the twins, and Fishlegs were there too. And... Bucket and Mulch? Phlegma the Fierce. A few more people he didn't know that well. It didn't take that many people to realize that the house was gone and the belongings in need of replacement.

"Astrid?" Was his wife sitting in the dew-covered grass? It was chilly this morning, she should be inside. He thought she would be at her parents' house, driving her mom crazy with her worry.

Astrid jumped and whirled around, staring at him with sorrow and shock filled eyes. It took her a moment to fully register who she was seeing. Her world had crumbled and fallen apart last night, and here they were. She scrambled to her feet and launched herself at them, almost causing Hiccup to stumble and fall.

"Hiccup... Zephyr!" She said their names as she held them tightly. She kissed the top of Zephyr's head and then kissed Hiccup's cheek. She didn't want to ever let them go. "I love you so much."

"Mommy..." Zephyr stirred and tried to turn in Hiccup's arms so she could be held by her mom now. She hadn't seen her mom in a while and missed her.

"Oh, come here sweetie." Astrid held her tightly to her, pressing more kisses to her head.

"Hiccup!" Stoick pulled Hiccup in for a tight hug, surprising him. "You're okay."

"Uh, yeah..." Hiccup didn't realize what the big fuss was. They had been gone for maybe eight hours? Maybe? They had all probably been sleeping during the majority of that time. Besides, it's not like he hadn't disappeared for longer than that before, and no one had cared then. Hiccup had almost lived in the woods of Berk before he married Astrid. He figured Astrid would be worried, wondering where he and Zephyr had gone. But his dad wouldn't let him go and the other people were coming over and saying how relieved they were to see them.

"Gods, Hiccup! We thought you were dead!" Gobber made things a little more clear for Hiccup with his bluntness.

"You did?" Hiccup wasn't sure what to say and his dad still had him in an embrace.

"I thought I lost you and Zephyr." Stoick said quietly to Hiccup, his face pressed into his son's auburn hair. Hiccup had never seen his dad like this before. The most emotion he had seen from his father had been on his wedding day, when they had shared that unexpected, yet much needed hug. It started to sink in how much his dad really cared for him, that he always had in his own little way, so Hiccup finally wrapped his arms around his father and hugged him back.

"Zephyr! Hiccup!" Sigrid arrived back and she shoved the tray of rolls and butter she had brought for everyone who had stayed up all night searching the rubble, into Fishlegs' hands and ran over to them. "Oh my gods!"

She wrapped both Astrid and Zephyr in her arms, giving them each a kiss. Then she turned from them and pulled the recently released Hiccup in for a hug as well.

"What happened to you guys?" Ruffnut asked the question on everyone's minds.

"We escaped the house from the back when I realized that the front had caught fire." Hiccup answered as Sigrid released him from her hug and then proceeded to look him and Zephyr over for injury. "Then a Monstrous Nightmare chased us up into the woods."

"The dragon tried to hurt us." Zephyr added to the oversimplified story.

"Did it?" Sigrid gave Zephyr another kiss. "Look at you two. We need to clean these scratches before they get infected."

They looked at where their home used to be. Their clothes were gone, along with the medical supplies they had, and the tub for bathing.

"Come on, your family can stay in your old loft." Stoick gestured to his house. "Snotlout, fetch Gothi."

Snotlout nodded and ran off. Hiccup and his family were ushered to his dad's house. He couldn't remember the last time he had been in his old bedroom. He thought, maybe that one time he had been looking for a specific sketchbook, and discovered it had been left behind in his old room. He hadn't wanted to ask his dad about it and he didn't want to enter the house when his dad was home. So, he had snuck in when he knew his father was up in the Great Hall. Then he had jumped out the window when his dad arrived home sooner than expected. It seemed wrong that he'd had to go to such efforts at one point, not comfortable returning to his own childhood home. Things were different now and going to his father's house was becoming easier.

Hiccup and Zephyr were tended to downstairs, by the warm fireplace, while Sigrid dusted and prepared the upstairs for their use. By now, all of Berk was aware that Hiccup and Zephyr were alive, although they didn't know what exactly happened. Word would spread, Hiccup was sure. He had told his family and Gobber, who basically was his family too, what had happened. He had, however, left out the part with the Night Fury. He didn't want anyone to know that a Night Fury was roaming the woods of Berk and he didn't want it to get hurt or killed.

He had told them that eventually the Monstrous Nightmare had grown tired of chasing after them, since it was already injured, and they had hid somewhere until he thought the coast was clear. Everyone had accepted his explanation. It's not like they were likely to believe that Hiccup had faced off with the beast, only Astrid knew he had an affinity for swordsmanship.

True to her word, Astrid had worked with him until she had found a good fit for him. The sword was his weapon, and he was getting really good at it. He was not a brute force type of fighter, like the majority of Berk. But that was what they had tried to teach him, no wonder he had failed so miserably.

Hiccup was astounded by the response from the people of Berk. People kept stopping by, bringing clothing for the whole family, food, fresh water, and other essential items that would have been lost in the fire. Some children had brought Zephyr some toys and she had been delighted. People had even brought them baby supplies, which they wouldn't need for a few months yet. Hiccup had to admit, he was feeling rather touched by their kindness.

"Tired..." Zephyr told the group of adults. She was being held by Arne who had been getting her to eat some food and drink some water. She was bandaged and clean and wearing one of her new sets of clothing, which was likely somebody's hand-me-downs.

"I'm sure you are, Little Chieftess." Gobber reached across the table and ruffled her hair that was down and still drying from her bath.

"The room is all ready for you." Sigrid came down the stairs, as if on cue. "I think we can all use some rest."

Astrid took Hiccup's hand, the one that wasn't bandaged, and tugged his arm gently to get his attention. He was sitting by the fire, lost in thought. He had been remembering how close he had come to losing Zephyr. How a Night Fury he had saved years ago, remembered his kind deed and came to save him and his daughter. Hiccup hadn't even said thank you, he had run instead. Maybe the black dragon was still out there...

"Hey, come on." Astrid swung their arms and Hiccup finally looked up at her. "Let's get some sleep, okay?"

Hiccup stood up, took Zephyr from his father-in-law, said thank you to everyone there, and retreated to the upstairs with Astrid in tow.

Sigrid and Arne left to get some rest too. Gobber tried to convince Stoick to get some sleep, but ended up accompanying him into the village to make sure all was well and any repairs were being taken care of. The repairs weren't his main source of worry though. Now that he knew his family was safe and alive, Stoick was worried about their food stores again. He would have to make fishing and hunting the people's main priority. The crops might even have to be harvested a bit early, so that they wouldn't lose any more of them to dragon fire.

This war with the dragons needed to end soon, or else Stoick wasn't sure how much longer his people could survive here. However, for now, he was just happy and relieved that everyone was okay.

—

A/N: So... a lot of you have been asking about Toothless. What did you think of his anticipated arrival? I really appreciate all of the reviews! I love reading them. I'm also grateful for all of the follows and faves! Both are now in the 100s! Thanks for the support and I hope you continue to read and enjoy!

Silvolde: Still more issues for Hiccup and Zephyr, but I think Hiccup is starting to see the sincerity in everyone's actions.

Susanna D: I hope you liked this chapter! It's on the longer side, so hopefully that makes up for the wait.

Ataruss: Haha, and I was thinking I was posting earlier than I usually do. It was around 7PM here, I usually post at 3-4AM. Maybe that's why it usually seems like I post at a normal time to you, haha. Trust is going to be hard for Hiccup after all that he's been through, but everyone's sincerity might make it just a little easier. I'm glad you liked Ruffnut showing her softer side, we all know she has one! Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you liked this chapter too!

CajunBear73: Hiccup also seemed to go from a worthless heir to a celebrity in the first movie, when everyone thought he was finally showing promise. At least then, he could retreat to the cove to bond with Toothless. When he had Toothless, he didn't seem to care what everyone else thought anymore. He does have Zephyr though, and those two understand each other better than anyone else.

grecefar: Children learn from their parents, if they are mistreating two people on Berk then the kids would have picked up on that— just as they would pick up on the shift as people start treating Hiccup and Zephyr better. That's what Hiccup doesn't trust. If things go back to how they used to be, then what if the children decided to pick on Zephyr again, when she thought she finally made friends? It would devastate her and Hiccup thinks he's saving her from that future pain, because he can't trust anyone. Thanks! I hope you liked this chapter too!

Kitten Pinkamations: Haha, thanks for reading!

Silver Sentinel: Hiccup isn't used to postitive attention, so it's really throwing him. He doesn't know how to react and doesn't trust it to be real. I don't think the other children are necessarily planning anything, Hiccup just thinks that they are susceptible to being influenced by how other people act. They follow the examples of others. Hiccup fears that things will go back to how they used to be because he doesn't trust people to care about him for real. When that happens, Zephyr could lose her friends and be devastated by it. He doesn't want that to happen to her. I like your reasoning for why Hiccup pushed Sigrid away. He certainly does have a lot of defense mehanisms and he finds it hard to trust others. Hiccup hated hurting Zephyr and he really didn't want to, but he thinks he is saving her from future pain since he is convinced the people will turn on them again.

Guest: Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear that you love my story so much. I hope that you liked this chapter, a lot happens. Thanks for the wonderful compliments, I really appreciate them, and thanks for reviewing!

Tiramisu-chan30: Hello! Thanks, it always makes me feel so good to hear that people love my story. I appreciate all of the compliments about my writing, they give me more confidence as I write. It's so nice of you to review and tell me what you think of my story! I hope you liked this new chapter! I have another story I'm working on too, called "Deviation," maybe you would like that one too. Thanks again!

htvhtgjtdhzr: Toothless finally made his arrival! What did you think about Toothless? More to come, expanding on Toothless' backstory.

IcyForest: I'm glad you came across my story and liked it! I'm happy to hear how much you love it. I love a good angsty fic too, haha. I'm flattered that my writing was decent enough to evoke feelings and get a reaction. I try to be accurate and really contemplate how he would feel in such a situation. I admit, I sometimes draw on feelings of my own and ask myself how I think I would feel in such a situation. Zephyr is just so cute, haha. She is bit of a challenge to write, but also very fun. I love long reviews, so I thank you for taking the time to write one. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! Thanks so much for the lovely compliments, I really appreciate them!

Guest: Thanks, I hope this chapter was just as enjoyable to you as the last one!