How It Came To Be (An LBR story)

Back Home (and a little background ;) )

Astrid sleeps the entire way back home on the ship and Hiccup never leaves her side. The gang knows how upset Hiccup is at Astrid's wounds from being in that arena. She had cuts all over her body and whelps from being whipped.

Hiccup constantly changes the bandages in fear of the wounds getting infected. When they get home, Hiccup picks her up in his arms and carries her home. She feels weightless, a noticeable change in weight for Hiccup since he often carries her when they are hanging out.

As Hiccup set Astrid on her bed, he leaves the house to get Gothi so she can look at Astrid and determine what she could do to heal Astrid.

"I hope she's okay," Fishlegs says as he watches Hiccup wonder aimlessly around Berk. "I haven't seem him like this before."

"That's because we never really paid any attention to him until he became friends with Toothless and pulled ahead in dragon training," Snotlout replied.

"And now he has Astrid in his life and he always worries about her," Ruff says.

"Aye, but she's his whole world," Gobber says as he walks to the group. "Did you never notice how she never really picked on him when y'all did until he started winning?"

"No, I guess we never did," Fishlegs looks down.

"She's had her eye on him ever since they were little," Gobber continues. "She would always stick around after y'all left and see how he, was even if indirectly. I saw how the lass would look at him. Had that stubborn expression as always but the eyes told a different story."

"And what would that story be?" Tuffnut asks.

"Well, boyo, it all started after a dance, believe it or not," Gobber chuckles to himself. "Hiccup had to attend a dance because the village wanted to commemorate his father on warding off the biggest raid the dragons tried to pull off. It was a good day for us all. His father was the hero of the day and the village put together a great feast to accompany the dance. There was music, boys and girls dancing, a roaring fire in the Great Hall to block out the harshness of the winter."

"There was one song that all the young lads had to ask the ladies to dance to and Hiccup, poor boy, didn't know who to ask. Until that fateful moment when the crowd parted and he saw her sitting alone at a table. Mind you, she wasn't as beautiful as she is now but she was still a cute lass. Anyway, Hiccup nervously walks up to her and asks her to dance and she shyly, yes she was shy back then, says yes. I'm over at the bar with Stoick watching these events unfold before us."

"He and I place a bet that Hiccup will either stumble over his feet dancing with the lass or that he will successfully woo the girl and get a date. I obviously won, knowing how young love can be," Gobber winks. They all laugh together. "But something went wrong later on. Hiccup didn't develop like y'all did and stayed skinny and weak and geeky looking while Astrid grew to be strong and beautiful and graceful like a goddess. Hiccup eventually gave up on pursuing her and admired from afar, and was always that one supporter who was always there while Astrid just drew away from him to work on becoming the best she can be."

"Then look at what happens. Hiccup joins dragon training, at my request to his father, ends up taming the most feared dragon, and swoops ahead in dragon training. Then he somehow manages to woo Astrid once again, only to get taken away by renegade vikings. And now here we are, home again with Hiccup by Astrid's side as the gods should have it," Gobber smiles. "That, my friends, is a love story worth turning into a legend."

************

"Astrid, baby, please wake up," Hiccup tears up while holding her hand. He hold her hand to his mouth and kisses it, hoping for a movement of any kind. "This is all my fault," he whispers, eyes shut and tears running down his cheeks.

"Nothing is your fault," Stoick comes in the room.

"Yes it is. I'm the one who let those people in to Berk and showed them around. I'm the one who let Astrid drift away from me. I'm the one who couldn't get to her in time to save her and keep her awake. Now look at her!" Hiccup points to Astrid as he stands with tears flowing freely. "She won't wake up and it's all my fault!" he screams the last word as he slams his fist into a table.

Stoick moves towards Hiccup and envelops him in a hug, feeling his son's shoulders shake as he sobs for Astrid.

"It's not your fault, my son. You couldn't have foreseen those events unfolding in the future. Astrid will be okay, my boy. Gothi gave her a good look and fixed her up well. Astrid is a strong girl. She'll pull through, you'll see, my boy," Stoick reassures Hiccup.

"But she's like this because of things I let happen," Hiccup continues to cry.

"She'll pull through. You'll see my boy," Stiock says. Then they heard movement upstairs.

Hiccup rushes upstairs to find Astrid sitting up, looking around the room trying to figure out where she was. At first she looks confused but as she realizes where she is, her eyes find Hiccup standing in the doorway and jumps out of bed to hug him. She almost falls as she reaches him but Hiccup smoothly catches her and lifts her off the ground and spins her in the air.

"You're awake!" Hiccup joyfully says.

"Of course I'm awake you knucklehead. You don't know how many restless nights I went through fighting in that awful arena," she tears up as she buries her face into Hiccup's chest.

"I thought I lost you forever when we couldn't find you," Hiccup hugs her tight. "I promise I'll never let you go. You mean the world to me and you are m'lady. I'd never give that up," he whispers in her ear before pulling away to kiss her on the lips. As soon as he breaks away from the kiss, Astrid pulls him even closer and kisses him harder and with more passion.

"Hiccup, I've always cared about you and you've always had my eye. Ever since that dance, I knew you were special and amazing. But when you never started to fill out as we got older, I didn't think you'd want me anymore. I'm sorry Hiccup. But now that I have you, I'll never let you go again. I love you, you fish bone," she smiles.

"I love you too, m'lady."

And after those words are shared between each other, they kiss and never let go as they fell into the bed as they kissed more and eventually fell asleep.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how it came to be. ;)

There it is ladies and gentlemen, the last entry of this story. Maybe *sly grin* Head on over to my second book in the LBR series, Nightmares. I hope you've enjoyed reading this book and give a like and leave a comment if you so choose to! You're support is greatly appreciated :)