Trouble (Hijack)

Part 13

Jack pulled up to Hiccup's driveway and saw him sitting outside on the porch, holding his dog. Jack's heart fell when he saw how devastated Hiccup looked. Jack wondered if he should get out but Hiccup got up and walked to the car with Toothless. He opened the back door for his dog before getting in himself.

Jack turned to him, not taking his eyes off his face, "You okay? What happened?" he asked quickly.

"Just drive." Hiccup said, staring straight ahead.

"Where do you wanna go?" Jack asked, starting his car.

"Anywhere, I don't care, just...out of here." Hiccup said.

Jack nodded and thought about where they could go and decided on that spot he took Hiccup to on their second date.

They drove in an awkward silence for a while when Hiccup finally spoke up, "I'm sorry if I was a jerk on the phone." He admitted.

Jack shook his head and grinned, "You were a jerk, but I know you're not always like that."

Hiccup bit his lip, "I just don't even know why I'm feeling like this and it's bothering me." He said.

Jack nodded, "It's okay, I mean...people process things differently."

He parked his car and they got out, dog in tow. Toothless wasn't even wearing a leash, but he stuck by Hiccup's side as though glued to him and Jack had to admire how faithful the dog was to his owner.

"Toothless was a service dog when I'd lost my leg." Hiccup explained to Jack, "He's retired now, but old habits die hard I guess." He shrugged.

Jack nodded and smiled at the dog.

Once they found the spot they'd been looking for, they sat down in silence for a while.

"You wanna tell me what happened?" Jack asked.

Hiccup took a breath and let out a choked laugh, "I don't even know where to begin."

"Start with the beginning, just tell me what happened with your dad today." Jack said patiently.

Hiccup took a couple of breaths and finally told Jack what his father had told him and then how he felt like he was going to be sick and then how he blacked out in the car. The guards had found him hours later because Toothless was barking like a rabid dog trying to get help. He'd come to and just drove off. Once he got home his parents were frantically yelling at him and complaining that they'd called the police they were so worried. Hiccup hadn't even explained to them what had happened. He merely lied and said that he'd gotten lost and his cell phone had died. They let it go, but were expecting him to explain more in the morning.

Jack listened but he had a big question in the back of his mind; why was Hiccup so upset about his father getting out early?

Hiccup finally took one last breath and relaxed, "So that was my day...how was yours?" he asked, chuckling half-heartedly.

Jack grinned sadly and finally decided to ask Hiccup the big question, "Why are you so upset about your dad getting out early?"

Hiccup frowned and leaned back against the tree, "I told you once that my dad killed my mom and broke my leg." He said quietly.

Jack nodded.

Hiccup finally looked up at him, "What I didn't tell you was how it happened."

Jack leaned closer to him and put a hand on Hiccup's knee and nodded, "You can tell me." He said.

Hiccup closed his eyes to block the crying as he began telling Jack the biggest secret he's ever kept;

Hiccup was only seven-years-old when his dad started drinking heavily. He hated his job and took it out on his mom and on Hiccup. Hiccup would constantly hide in his room with his stuffed dragon his mom had made for him listening to his dad yell at his mom and beat her up. Sometimes if Hiccup spilled something or did something wrong, his dad would punish him with a belt. His mom would try to come to his aid as much as possible but it never seemed to work. After seeing the bruises the next day, Stoick would sober up and apologize. He'd get them flowers or hug Hiccup and explain that he'd never meant to hurt anyone. It would be good for a few days but then he'd start drinking again. It was a cycle that went on for years.