Operation Phoenix

Chapter Eighteen

The girls had fallen asleep in the back, unaware of the constant shaking that seemed to fill the vehicle every time they jumped a pothole—which was quite a lot. The roads hadn't been maintained since the great death in 2019.

"So, what are your plans for the wedding?" Jack asked, smirking at his best friend as he tore his eyes from the road for a short moment.

Hiccup shot him a dangerous look, "We... we wanted to keep it a secret. I mean, a-a big blow out is not what we need. We were going to do it on our own, yah know, a small get together. Nothing big."

"How do your parents feel about not being there?"

"Oh-ho-ho, don't underestimate. They're pissed. My dad especially. He nearly choked on his fish when I told him. 'Ah watched my son come ento life, Ah deserve teh see him give et away too' were his exact words, oh and Gobber had a wonderful input. 'Theh next theng yer gonna see, Stoic, er keds!" Hiccup wailed, telling the story as quiet as he could. He talked animatedly, using his arms to give big motions and imitating his family's voices with great skill.

Jack nearly choked on air. "Kids?" Was the only word he was able to get out around the surprise in his tone.

"Yeah, Yeah, I know."

"Well? Do you think you and Merida will ever... have them?" The white haired captain inquired, looking worried.

"Well, I mean, I don't know. It'd honestly be Merida's decision. Only time will tell that one. I don't see it happening anytime soon though."

"Thank gods. I am not helping you babysit a bunch of little Meridas and Hiccups."

There was silence between them for a moment as they became lost in thought, wondering what their futures would look like. Neither could imagine being under rule of New World until their old age, that part of it sickened them.

"By the way, thank you... for what you did for Rapunzel. Blurting out the whole, marriage thing I mean. That was... I-I'm grateful." Jack added, staring into the distance as the sun sank over the horizon.

"Of course. I... couldn't imagine what she's been feeling." The brunette answered, rubbing the back of his neck. It was true after all, he literally could not imagine it. He hadn't even been told.

"Yeah... she feels weird about it," Jack was whispering now, "I guess, for her she just wants to move on from it. With what little that she confides in me, that's what I was able to gather." He paused for a moment, sighing heavily, "She doesn't like being treated any different because of it, like, us babying her y'know. Doing that would just keep her focusing on it. She's always had this, ridiculous insecurity: that she's like, not strong enough for us, that she's weak compared to us—which I tell her is bull crap, but she won't listen. It's like, when we treat her different we're confirming that, if you get me. But she's doing the right things! Like doing the things that she likes so she doesn't end up depressed or-or in a pit she can't climb out of. Though, I don't really know if she's told Belle anything about it." Jack looked solemn as he finished, almost like he was overwhelmed, not knowing how to help her, which was probably true. Jack has always had trouble making decisions, big ones, small ones, it's like he's always dancing around something, and truthfully none of the others knew why.

Hiccup stared at his best friend, feeling sympathetic. He just wanted all the pain to go away, to have Rapunzel and Jack and Merida forget it even happened. He wanted to shield them all from danger, whisk them away some place they wouldn't get hurt. "How do you feel about it?" Hic asked, genuinely curious.

Jack stared at the inventor out of the corner of his eye for a moment, before sighing and leaning forward. "I just... Ive never, been so angry at anybody before. Not like this. Gods, I'd give my left foot to just, agh y'know?" Jack made a hand gesture that signified strangling someone, and almost immediately he shrunk, embarrassed by what he'd said. 'I'd give my left foot', he wanted to smack himself in the face for being so insensitive. "Gods, gods I'm sorry Hiccup, I—"