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Fifty Four: In the Spotlight

Fifty-Four: In the spotlight

The following morning, after a superb breakfast provided by Agnes, the trio set off back home. Hiccup had barricaded his door overnight just in case and had checked the room thoroughly for tricks by the girls but they had left him alone and curled up in the bed with Toothless at his feet, he had slept like a log. Laden down with leftovers, the car was ready to go when it began to snow and Marta looked over at Astrid.

"Can you drive?" she asked softly. "I-I'm not that happy and there is the Bridge coming up..." The girl chewed her lip and sighed.

"I haven't driven that much either, Mom," she pointed out as the boy watched them.

"Um...I have," he offered. "But it depends on your insurance..." Marta glanced in the rear view mirror and then out at the thickening snow and nodded.

"Okay," she said and got out, swapping places with Astrid who moved to the back with Toothless. Quietly, Hiccup adjusted the seat, checked the controls and moved the mirrors.

"I'll need you to navigate," he offered and Marta nodded as they all fastened their seat belts and he pulled away, waving briefly at their hosts. Hiccup carefully drove out, unused to a model this size and making sure he was extra-careful, His father had made sure he was a safe driver and he had Astrid and her mother with him-so he carefully steered them down through town, following the signs for Berk and driving up the ramp onto the bridge.

The cross-wind was fierce and he fought the tug all the way across, driving slowly and carefully, his knuckles white. Marta was anxious even as a passenger but Astrid saw his calm confidence and cuddled Toothless as they headed home. For a brief period, it had felt like old times for the girl, with her mother on the passenger seat and her in the back...but to wasn't her beloved Dad who was driving but her new boyfriend and she felt as safe and reassured by his presence as she had by her own father. And when they swung up Bifrost Rise, her mother was beaming in relief that they were safely home.

But the weather was a total white-out and there was no way that Hiccup could walk home-or that Marta could safely drive him home either. So they had insisted he stay with the Hoffersons, though he had been acutely embarrassed.

"Hiccup-it would be suicide to allow you out in that storm," Marta had pointed out when he had protested that he could make it and he had sighed. For a moment, she had sounded so much like his Mom.

"I-I guess," he mumbled, knowing that Gobber would be staying with Bucket, Mulch and Sven today anyway. Why was he trying so hard to leave, to go back to a cold, empty apartment with just his memories of past Christmases to keep him company? Sure, he had Toothless and... "But you don't have any food for Toothless..." There was a pause and Marta smiled.

"Actually, we do," she explained, taking him to the larder and showing a four-pack of cans of 'Farmer Lars's Meaty Chunks for Dogs'. "Since you became Astrid's...boyfriend, I guessed Toothless would be coming round more regularly so I made sure we have something for him...if that's okay?" There was a long pause where he tried to process what had happened-and then he flung himself against Marta, hugging her, his breath hitching.

"Thank you," he mumbled gruffly. "That's one of the kindest things anyone has done for me for ages!"

"Hey!" Astrid protested, folding her arms, though she was grinning.

"Um...apart from everything you have done for me, Milady..." he managed thickly, swiping a stray tear off his face. "I mean, Toothless is a stray-no one wanted him. Well, in fact they did want him-to kill him for sport. And he's kinda scared of large dogs...but he's my friend and when someone remembers him it just..." He palmed his cheek dry. "It makes me feel wanted," he admitted self-consciously. Marta hugged him tightly.