"Toothless no!" Hiccup backed up further and further, Toothless gaining on him, snarling. "Don't!"
"Hiccup!"
Hiccup turned his head to see Stoick running right for them.
"Stoooop!!!"
"SON!!!"
"Dad!! NO!!" Hiccup cried out desperately, holding his hand up, motioning for Stoick to stop. Everything seemed to be playing in slow motion. Hiccup knew the blast was coming. He heard Toothless let out a raspy, airy snarl. He could see the glow coming up from his throat. He was going to be killed by his best friend. By Toothless.
Just before he would get hit, Hiccup felt a strong force shove him away. He heard a shout, a blast and everything went silent.
Time seemed to resume. Hiccup was on his hands and knees, breathing heavily. He looked up to see chunks of broken ice everywhere. And underneath, a giant body.
No. It couldn't be. It wasn't real. Hiccup got up and ran over to where he had been just seconds before. He saw Toothless frozen on the spot, smoke fuming from his mouth.
"No no no..."
"Hiccup..."
Who was saying his name?
"Hiccup!"
Where was that coming from?
"Hiccup!! Wake up!"
"DAD!!!"
Hiccup shot upright in his bed, gasping for air. Drenched in sweat, his shirt clung to his body and his hair stuck to his face.
He was disoriented and didn't know where he was.
Astrid cupped Hiccup's face in her hands. He had been screaming in his sleep and Astrid knew what he had been dreaming about.
"Hiccup look at me." She said softly.
Hiccup choked and sputtered a little.
"You're ok. You're safe. It was just a dream."
"Seemed.. so real.. just like before.." Hiccup panted.
"I know. It's gonna be alright." Astrid said soothingly. She sat back and pulled him into a hug.
Hiccup broke down into a mess of tears.
"Shhh." Astrid stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head as he sobbed into her shoulder.
Once Hiccup calmed down a little he sat up and wiped his eyes.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Astrid asked tentatively.
Hiccup sighed. "I just.. every time I have that dream I know it's my fault Astrid."
Astrid's heart clenched. "Hiccup none of that was your fault."
"Astrid if if I had listened to my dad and stayed on Berk none of it would have happened. He'd still be alive."
"Hiccup if you had stayed on Berk Drago would have attacked anyways. And we wouldn't be prepared and there would have been a lot more losses. And you never would have found your mom."
"That's true.. I can't believe he's gone Astrid. Up until I met Toothless my dad was the only one I had. Well, him and Gobber. They were the only ones that cared about me. Even when they got mad at me at least they cared enough to get mad. He taught me so much Astrid. I just... miss him."
Astrid kissed Hiccup on the cheek and held his hand. "I know you do Hiccup. We all do. And I'm so sorry we all used to be so mean to you."
"I'm just lucky to have you Astrid."
Astrid smiled warmly. "And you'll always have me Hiccup. I love you very much."
"I love you too Astrid."
