Under Pressure

Chapter One: Sick Day

This is Berk.

We've had a relatively quiet year. The time has flown by and it's incredible how much our children have grown. Adrianna is slowly but surely healing from her ordeal. Finn has become more rambunctious than ever. But the biggest change has been in my father. He's turned into the best grandfather I could have asked for.

But we all should have known it wouldn't last. That horrible things tend to happen without any warning. It was a lesson we should have learned last year. And it's a lesson we'll have a hard time learning when the time comes to learn it again.

But I know we'll get through it. We always do.

Xxx

Astrid Hofferson Haddock was starting to get used to having extra time now that her children were slightly more independent. Outhouse training was finally over, Adrianna began to voluntarily play outside, and Finn was starting to figure out that following the rules resulted in a much more fun playtime. And with her father-in-law suddenly turning into the perfect grandfather, she actually had time to go flying by herself. For several hours, in fact. It was a luxury she should have appreciated a lot more before having children and she savored every second when she was airborne.

She touched down after a lengthy, albeit freezing cold, flight and looked out over the village. She didn't spot any of her family members in the crowd but this was not unusual or anything of which to be frightened. Her keen eyes spotted Helga Ingerman toddling about, her hand in her father's as they casually chatted with Mulch and Bucket. Moments later, she saw Snotlout emerge from his house, walking very slowly so that Inga, who was still a little bit wobbly on her feet, could follow him.

And then she glimpsed something bright red close to the ground. Her eyes followed it and Fearless Finn Haddock finally came into view, running as fast as his legs would carry him. Astrid looked over to the right, expecting to see her husband in pursuit, but she immediately spotted him talking to Gobber at the forge. So if Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the most gushy father Astrid had ever seen, wasn't chasing his son, then who was Finn running from?

The answer to this question pushed his way through the crowd seconds later. Stoick the Vast was gaining on the small boy, laughing as loudly as him. She watched him finally catch her son and lift him at least five feet into the air. Finn squirmed and giggled but Stoick didn't release him. An audible hiccup caused her to turn her head and spot Adrianna Miracle Haddock, her hand gripping the youngest Larson's, laughing at the sight of her brother being tickled. Seconds later, the little girl spotted her mother and she gasped in delight.

"Mommy!" she squealed, running at full speed so that Erick Larson nearly had his arm yanked out of its socket. "Did you like your flight?"

"I sure did!" Astrid replied, smiling in amusement at Erick, who was now rubbing his shoulder. "You and Erick having fun?"

"Uh huh! We built a snowman! Want to see?" Adrianna asked, letting her best friend's hand go in her haste to replace it with her mother's.

"I sure would!" Astrid replied, sliding off Stormfly. "Where is it?"

"At home. Come on!" Adrianna was hopping up and down in her excitement. "I wanted to show it to you first!"

"Anna did most of it." Erick added in a shy voice. "I just helped."

"I'm sure you both did a great job." Astrid assured him.

She looked over at her son again, who had apparently tackled his grandfather and was attempting to exact his revenge, and then back to her daughter, who was so excited, she hiccuped again. She barely seemed to notice the spasm seeing as it was an incredibly common occurrence but Erick smiled fondly. He was sure he would never get used to his best friend's hiccups but he didn't mind in the slightest. People were boring if they weren't at least a little bit unusual.