Unexpected

Miracle

Chapter Seventeen: Miracle

Hiccup had never felt this way before. He had heard the parents in the village talk about it many times but had never paid attention to them. But now, as he gazed into the wrinkled, pink face of his newborn son, he felt as if his heart had grown several sizes bigger; enveloping the baby boy in a love so strong, he felt as if he would explode with it.

At first glance, the baby looked like, well, any other baby. But within moments, Hiccup could make out a slightly prominent nose, certainly his father's genes at work, and tufts of red hair atop his head. His newborn son already looked more like Stoick than he did.

"He's so perfect." Hiccup said, unable to tear his eyes off of his son.

"He's going to be just like me." Astrid gently kissed his tiny forehead and was surprised at how soft it was.

"Gods, I hope so." Hiccup smiled, gently wiping some of the blood out of the baby's face. "Berk can only handle one of me at a time."

"You can say that ag-" Astrid began to say, but she stopped as a pain spiked up her insides. Just like before. She gasped and clutched her stomach with one hand. "What..."

Hiccup looked down at her with wide eyes, unsure what was happening. "Ruff, what's going on?"

"It's the afterbirth. Probably." Ruffnut looked unnervingly calm.

"Does it always hurt like this?" Astrid winced as another pain seemed to strike her as soon as the first left.

Ruffnut shrugged. "Not usually but sometimes... woah... I thought the water broke before the baby was born!"

"What?" Astrid snapped, grimacing as the pain worsened. "It already did!"

"Well it just broke again!" Ruffnut stared at the new mother, her mouth agape.

Both Hiccup and Astrid's heads snapped forward, finally taking their eyes off of their son. Astrid began breathing heavily, the pains increasing.

"Tell us what's going on!" Hiccup demanded, feeling as if all his blood was draining out of his face.

"I just said her water broke again, which is impossible unless... unless... you are not going to believe this!"

"Unless what?" Astrid shouted, her patience wearing thin.

"Unless there's another baby! It's twins!" Ruffnut announced gleefully.

Astrid leaned back onto her husband, panting heavily and shutting her eyes. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Well you know what to do now." said Snotlout, still looking very pale. "Just push."

"I'LL PUSH YOU IN A MINUTE!" Astrid shrieked, startling her husband.

She took a few deep breaths and then pushed as hard as she could, desperately wanting this to be over. Odin almighty, if there was another baby after this one, she really would kill her husband.

Suddenly, Ruffnut visibly paled. "Oh gods..." she muttered. "Ohhhh gods..."

"What is it?" Astrid asked, violently trembling. "What's wrong?"

Ruffnut looked up at her, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. She quickly composed herself. "The baby's upside down, Astrid; listen to me." Ruffnut leaned forward, giving Astrid a very hard stare. "You have to get this baby out now."

"Do you..." Hiccup tried to form words. "Have you delivered a baby upside down before?"

Ruffnut opened her mouth but quickly closed it. The stories of babies born upside down weren't good... suffocation was common. But she wasn't about to tell them that. "No, I... what do I do? I can't..."