Happily Never After

Part 17

Chapter 16

It had been approximately a week after the 'Fair incident' as Astrid liked to call it. So far neither of them had heard of Eret in the coming days. The first three days after the fair Astrid barely got any sleep, or mostly slept with one eye open. This caused her to become quite surly at work. It took Hiccup reminding her that they lived in one of Berk's most secure apartment buildings and in the penthouse at that. Eret would have to fight his way through an army of security guards with very well-maintained Tasers, and if he did make it to the elevator he'd still need a very specific ID card to swipe against the lock of their door and know the password as well. Astrid nodded and when she finally thought about it all she calmed down.

"I've been silly haven't I?" She had asked one day after coming home from work.

"Of course not. Worrying over your and our children's safety isn't silly." Hiccup had replied from the kitchen where he was whipping up some pasta.

"And yours too," Astrid added. "I don't think I'd be able to hold back if you got hurt because of Eret again."

"I'm sure it won't come to that." Hiccup told her. "Also Alexi called this morning. Seems she and Russel set a date for their wedding,"

"Oh?" Here Astrid perked up.

"They want to tie the knot in two months." Hiccup relayed.

"That doesn't give us much time to plan the Bachelor and Bachelorette parties." Astrid mused. "Dad already emailed me a week or so ago to tell me he heard the news and that Alexi had asked him to walk her down the aisle."

"Are you alright with seeing your dad again?" Hiccup asked. "I know things have been a bit rocky between you two,"

"It's fine Hiccup." She waved it off. "I don't really blame the man anymore especially when I found out that my mom was the one that forbade him to visit us after the car crash and even hid his keys so he couldn't leave. He's always been the more passive one in their relationship, though ever since he's met his grandchildren he has been coming a bit more out of his shell."

"Say, I've been thinking," Hiccup uttered and Astrid looked up in time to see a mischievous smirk forming on his face. She knew that look, she got two kids as a result of that look.

"Hiccup, whatever you're scheming out with it," Astrid muttered. "And it better not start with 'Honey,'"

"Babe," Hiccup began as he gave her a cheeky grin. This prompted Astrid to raise a brow in a rather 'you-did-not-just-try-to-be-a-smartass-with-me' gesture. "I was thinking, your sister and Russel haven't planned a honeymoon yet, have they?"

"Not yet. Alexi's savings went towards the house. She told me they might plan something small in a year or so," Astrid answered and then it dawned on her what Hiccup was scheming.

"Well, my parents have a ski resort in Aspen. They rent out their personal lodge there now and again because Dad can't ski much anymore. Bad back remember," Astrid nodded. She had heard stories about the lodge from Valka, mostly about Stoick's epic mid-life crisis, his spur-of-the-moment purchase of a ski resort, failed skiing lessons that ended with him colliding with a pine tree and several bushes while trying to stop, and Gobber with a video the man swears he did not send to 'America's funniest home videos'.

"I'm thinking, two weeks in Aspen around New Year. Skiing, hot chocolate, champagne, big ole lodge all to themselves...." Hiccup smirked. "It could be our wedding gift to them,"

Astrid smiled as she recalled that Tuesday conversation. It was Thursday now and Hiccup had assured her that his parents had quite happily agreed to lend him the lodge. She still had about an hour and a half left at work and was quite frankly bored out of her mind.

Astrid's phone beeped while she was inputting some patient information into an Excel sheet. She picked it up with a sultry 'Hello handsome' as she saw that it was Hiccup's number. He had to go into the office today and told her he'd be picking up the kids from daycare and getting some take-out. She hoped it was Thai as she had been craving something spicy all week.

Though the person on the other end was not Hiccup and Astrid had to ask "Excuse me, could you repeat that?!" as her mind had gone blank for a moment. "I'll be right there," She said as she hung up and hurriedly went to grab her coat. She all but raced out of the dental clinic while yelling at her co-workers to cover for her.

Astrid's trip to Berk General Hospital was anything but smooth. In her hurry, she might have broken the speed limit... twice. She hurried into the ER, and nearly throttled the nurse that took their sweet time in looking up the information, and when she did get the directions she skidded to a stop in front of Hiccup, blood on the collar of his suit, head bandaged and possibly concussed, talking to two officers.

"Hiccup thank god you're alright!" Astrid exclaimed as she rushed over. "What the hell happened?! Where are the kids? Are they alright?!"

"I'm fine but wait, you weren't told?" Hiccup answered and then looked at the two officers, one of which Astrid had gotten the call from.

"Haven't been told what?! Where are our kids?!" Astrid asked going from worried to mad as she looked between Hiccup and the police. "What do I need to know?"

"Mam, please calm down. We thought it prudent to inform you in person." One of the officers said.

"I'll be calm when you tell me where my children are!" Astrid's voice went up an octave and Hiccup saw murder in her eyes.

"We are presently trying to locate them as we speak," The officer informed her. "There's currently a state-wide Amber alert out and..."

Astrid's mind short-circuited when she heard 'children' and 'missing' in the same sentence. Not only was her partner in the hospital but her children were missing.

"When I get my hands around the neck of whoever dared to kidnap my kids!" Astrid threatened in a low voice. Hiccup knew that voice. It was a voice that promised painful death and would have made Lucifer soil his pants.

"M'am, please calm down," The officer tried to say only to be shot with a glare that left no room for doubt Astrid meant 'How dare you tell me to calm down when my kids just got kidnapped to god-knows-where.'

"A white sedan was seen speeding away from the restaurant parking lot," Here the cops showed Astrid a printed-out still from a security camera that showed a grainy image of the car. "Do you know anyone that drives this make and model?" Unfortunately, Astrid shook her head.

"Astrid I'm sorry. I was putting the food in the car and the next thing I know... I swear, I only took my eye off the stroller for a second."

"It's alright Hiccup. It wasn't your fault." Astrid assured.

"M'am, when dealing with child abductions it is often the work of family members or acquaintances. We have to ask but is there anyone that would hold a grudge against you and your partner?"

Astrid had a lot to say about that. She also had a sinking feeling that her mother was involved in this whole mess. That woman could be a pain in the ass to Santa Claus and she had been too quiet recently. 

AN: (Stares at the readers while munching on popcorn) It feels so good to torment my readers a bit. :P