Mr. and Mrs. Haddock [Book Four of The Boy Next Door]

Chapter 22 - I Need Her

H I C C U P

I watched the dragons take Astrid and Stormfly away from us. I wanted to save them, but the dragons got in the way. And Toothless didn't take a shot.

Monica and my mother said that I would be okay if Astrid wasn't around. But if I'm being honest with myself, I need Astrid more than she needs me.

Toothless took control this time and followed the others to Berk. Then I remembered: I have my flight suit. I could follow the dragons and save Astrid. 

"Probably shouldn't." I whispered to myself.

When we caught a glimpse of Berk, the other dragon riders were racing. And I could hear Snotlout saying, "This is a lot easier without Astrid taking our prize!" I closed my eyes and thought about that for a moment.

Maybe Astrid was kidnapped by good dragons? Maybe they aren't going to kill her? Gods, I hope they don't.

We landed at the cove for some odd reason, and let the dragons take a break from flying for awhile.

Spitfire sat by the water and Toothless lay next to her, putting his wing over her. She looked at him with a smile and he lay his head on her shoulder.

I could see why they loved each other so much. Toothless was lonely, being the only Night Fury. But then Spitfire changed that.

And in a way, my relationship with Astrid was similar. When I was 14, I always dreamed of hanging out with her, but I never could because she wouldn't accept me. But then I trained a dragon, a Night Fury, and then all of the hate washed away. And then I gave her a dragon of her own, I scared her to death by losing my foot, and now we hang out more often than we used to.

And there was no way I was going to let that die. I am not going to let her go. I'm going after her.

"Mom, we need to go back." I demanded.

"We've no where to go. We dont even know where they took Astrid, much less where they came from." Valka said.

"Fine. I'll go by myself." I said.

"Hiccup, Toothless is exausted. Shouldn't you wait until morning?" Monica said.

"We don't have until morning! She could be dead!"

"And if she is? There's no point in going after her, Hiccup." Valka said.

"Val, let him. I don't want him to make the same mistake I did when I lost you." Stoick said.

Valka looked at Stoick and sighed. She turned to me.

"Go." She said.