Waking up was a shock to him. First off: how in Thor's name did Stoick miss the black dragon sitting in his house? There is no way he would ever let Toothless inside his house. It was perfectly insane.

Second: half his left leg was missing. Taking its place was a chunk of metal that was supposed to be a prosthetic. There was a sharp pain where flesh turned into metal as he put weight on the prosthetic. He hissed in pain and his knees buckled. Thankfully, Toothless caught Hiccup before he hit the ground. He smiled at the dragon and the pair slowly made their way towards the door.

Hiccup grunted as he pulled the wide door open. He yelped as he spotted a Monstrous Nightmare fly past his house. He took a deep breath and pulled the door open again, but stops and stares confused when he sees his cousin, Snotlout, sitting in the back of the dragon.

He watched as he called for others to follow him and they flew off, leaving Hiccup stumped. (Pun not intended.) He gaped as he noticed other villagers on the backs of dragons. He snapped out of his gaze when he heard a yell that he was awake. He watches as people crowd him with wide grins on there faces. 

Definitely different from the glares and sneers he was so used to seeing on their faces when he looked at them.

He feels a hand on his shoulder and resists the urge to flinch away from the touch. He remembers that when he lived on Berk, someone's touch always meant harm. Well, to him at least.

"I knew it. I'm dead." Hiccup says, referring to... well, everything. He hears Stoick's booming laugh.  

Huh, hadn't heard that for a long time.

"No but you sure gave it your best shot." Stock says. "So, what do you think?" 

He looks around agin, still trying to take in everything.

"I... I don't have the words." And he really didn't.

"Turns out all we needed was a little more of... well, this." Stoick says and gestures to Hiccup.

Usually, he would be offended by the comment. It had been thrown at him so many times in the past that he eventually just threw a sarcastic answer back at them. They never knew how much it really did crush his spirit.

Though, he knows now that things are different. 

"You just gestured to all of me." Hiccup says sarcastically. 

Suddenly, a sharp pain in his shoulder made him wince and stumble, trying to regain his footing. It would be embarrassing if he fell in front of the whole village just because he couldn't keep his balance.

He turns to the person who punched him and sees Astrid standing there, glaring at him. Though he sees something else in her eyes but isn't able to pin point exactly what is was. 

"What was that for?" Hiccup yells irritated. He thought they were done with this. Apparently not.

"That's for scaring me." She says upset. 

He gives her a look. "What, is it always going to be this way-" he is cut off as Astrid grabs his green tunic collar and pulls him down to her height and kisses him. He's shocked, to put it lightly. When she pulls away, she seems burdened. Though he isn't sure as to way that may be.

He watches happily as Toothless jumps over -and on- people to get to Hiccup, tongue stuck out happily. Gobber had handed Hiccup a new tail fin, which he was more then glad to try out. 

He know he should be resting. But he knows he can't. He has way too much running around in his head for him to relax. 

And besides, why would he be resting instead of flying. Flying is totally worth sore muscles and tired limbs. It would be worth the pain in his leg he knew would be there and stay there for a long time.

Being free would always be worth it.

Nothing is as important as freedom.

Especially when you have been trapped for so long.