Hidden Scars

Chapter 67

Chapter 67...
"The operation was a success..." The surgeon said with a smile.
Both Astrid and Valka released a breath neither of them realised they were holding and smiled with happiness and relief. Valka began to tear up as she walked over to the surgeon and hugged him, saying "thank you" over and over again. Astrid smiled widely knowing Hiccup was ok but deep down inside her she still blames herself, but she wasn't going to show any of it now.
"When can we go and see him?" Valka asked as she stepped back and wiped the tears slowly falling down her cheeks.
"Since he's just come out of theatre, I would say it will be an hour or two until he comes around properly from the anaesthetic. I will send a nurse to come and collect you if you wish..."
"Yes please..."
"Ok I will organise that for you..." the surgeon said and gave each of them a nod and a smile as he walked out the room.
Valka then turned back to Astrid as she ran over to her and hugged her, both with grins on their face.
He was ok.
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1 HOUR LATER...
Astrid was sat talking to Valka about Hiccup and both their pasts as they tried to pass the time waiting to be called into see Hiccup.
"Oh Astrid, you should have seen Hiccup try and ride his bike the first time! He rode into so many hedges as he couldn't turn in time!"
Both began to laugh as Valka told the story and Astrid imagined it in her head. Astrid was laughing until her head hurt in pain again. It was very painful... more painful than it had been before. She held her head in her hands, pressing her fingers against her forehead to apply pressure and try and get it to stop.
Valka looked up from laughing seeing Astrid in pain. Her smile turned into a face of concern.
"Hey are you ok?"
Astrid took a few breaths as she closed her eyes removed her hands. The pain began to pass.
"Y-yeah I'm... fine, just another headache."
"Maybe we should call a nurse."
"No... no I don't need a nurse yet."
"But Astri-"
"If I get taken by a nurse now, I might not be able to see Hiccup. That's all I care about right now."
"Astrid if this has happened as bad before-"
"No it's fine, besides I'm getting a CT scan soon. And if I get pain again then I'll tell the nurse after I've seen Hiccup. Please Valka."
Valka looked her. A part of her wanted her to see Hiccup but her mother instincts were telling her she needed to tell someone about this.
"Fine, but if this happens before we go and see Hiccup I'm telling someone ok?"
Astrid sighed. "Ok"
KNOCK KNOCK
A nurse came in with a clipboard.
"Miss Hofferson and Ms Haddock?"
"Yes that's us" Valka said as she smiled at the nurse.
"I've come to collect you to see Mr Haddock. He's awake."
Immediately Valka sat up from her chair. The nurse walked over to Astrid and unhooked her from the machines. A wheelchair was wheeled into the room for Astrid but Astrid didn't want to be moved around the hospital in it.
"Its ok, I'm happy walking." Astrid said as she carefully stood up on her own two feet without any help and took a couple of steps perfectly fine. Her body was a bit achy but it was a bearable amount that could be easily ignored.
"I would recommend you use it just incase and to allow your body to rest more."
"Its ok, I'm sure I can handle it."
Astrid said as she stood up and walked to the door.
The nurse tuned to whisper to Valka.
"She's a tough one isn't she..."
Valka sighed.
"She is..."
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The nurse lead them to the room Hiccup was in. She opened the door and nodded to the other nurse who was in there taking notes of Hiccup's heart rate and notes. She smiled and put the notes down as Valka and Astrid were told then would enter.
Hiccup was lead on his hospital bed with an oxygen tube connected to his nose and a IV drip inverted into the back of hand. He had his sheet/duvet covering him with his arms resting over the top and his head resting on a pillow. He was covered in cuts and bruises like Astrid which were treated. The colour had returned to his cheeks and looked peaceful. You could clearly see the outlines of his amputated leg in the sheets where his left leg was now a stump below the knee.
Valka tapped Astrid on the shoulder. She turned to see Valka stood by the doorway.
"You should be the first person he sees when he wakes up." She whispered to her.
"What? No Valka he's your son, it should be you."
"Astrid, I'm sure he wants to know your safe. And that's the first thing he should know when he opens his eyes and sees you smiling at him."
Valka brought Astrid into a hug as she said that.
Astrid smiled gently and separated from the hug as she walked over to Hiccup's bedside. She carefully sat in a chair next to the bed and slid her hand under his. She intertwined her fingers in his. After a few seconds she felt the pressure of his hand grip hers. She looked at his fave to see his head slowly turning to her direction. He opened his eyes carefully as they adjusted to the light of the room.
Forest green met ocean blue.
Asteid smiled and brushed her other hand through his hair.
"Hey, muttonhead."