Chapter 19

It had been over half an hour that Astrid sat motionless in the interrogation room. Eret had been carted off to a holding cell while Hiccup joined her in the room. Upon learning that it had been her mother's hair-brained scheme she wanted to tear the woman a new one. When Eret revealed that her mother was dead, Astrid just kind of... shut down. The detectives had left the couple alone in the room to process everything that had happened. For now, Hiccup just sat awkwardly next to Astrid while she just stared at the wall in shock.

"Thor damn it!" Astrid growled as she banged her fist on the metal table. "Why the hell did she attempt such a moronic scheme! Damn it Mom! Damn it, Damn it, DAMN IT! What the hell was going through your thick skull?! You know, I should have seen it coming,"

Astrid sank back against the hard chair after her outburst. She looked towards the ceiling and muttered "This is all my fault,"

"It's not your fault Astrid," Hiccup tried to assure her but that seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Astrid growled at him.

"Then whose fault is it Hiccup?!" She shot back. "I ignored all the signs... all those red flags!"

"Astrid..." Hiccup said as he grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. "It is not your fault," He uttered with more conviction. "Yes, you knew your mother was controlling but no one, and I mean no one would have ever expected her to graduate to kidnapping."

Astrid was silent for a bit before she apologized. "I'm sorry Hiccup. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." Her eyes were wet as if she was holding back tears. "I just... I don't know if I should be sad my mom died or angry at her for plotting this whole scheme! I just... I... I WANT MY BABIES!" She sobbed into Hiccup's shoulder.

The door opened once more to the room as Hiccup comforted his partner. "Mr. Haddock, Ms. Hofferson, we have good news and bad news right now.?" One of the detectives that had stood behind the two-way mirror said.

"Did you find my babies?!" Astrid asked as she turned towards the man, mascara running down her cheeks. She sniffed but awaited the news with bated breath.

"Twenty minutes ago we managed to locate the residence of the Gina that appeared to have been your mother's nail stylist. We had a SWAT team enter the premises and we managed to apprehend the woman in question. She had been in the process of feeding your son who is now on his way to the hospital for a check-up."

"Nuffink is alright?!" Astrid asked again just to make sure she heard it right. "What about Zephyr? Is she alright?"

The detective took a deep breath before he relayed the next bit of news. "That is the bad news ma'am. Unfortunately, the boyfriend managed to flee out a window and down a fire escape, taking your toddler with him. He is currently being pursued on the interstate by our finest."

"OUR DAUGHTER IS IN A HIGH-SPEED CHASE?!?!" It wasn't Astrid who shouted that. Instead, Hiccup looked as white as a sheet upon hearing the news.

"Hiccup breathe!" Astrid saw Hiccup's anxiety come back. He was very good at hiding it but ever since the car accident Eret caused he'd at first been nervous to step in a vehicle again. It had taken Astrid some reassuring to get him to step into the car at the hospital and even after that it took Hiccup another year to start driving again. He was also a much more careful driver afterwards.

"Please rest assured we are doing everything we can to return your child to you unharmed." The detective explained as he then added "A police escort is ready to take you straight to the hospital your son has been sent to. Neither Hiccup nor Astrid said anything but their nods were all the detective needed for confirmation to usher them out of the room and guide them to the patrol cruiser that stood ready. Astrid held Hiccup's hand as he was a nervous wreck upon hearing about the chase.

"She's going to be alright isn't she?" He asked once they were on their way with sirens blaring.

Once in the hospital Astrid and Hiccup were quickly ushered to the pediatric emergency ward. Astrid and Hiccup were over the moon at being reunited with their son. Both hugged and kissed the baby who merely gurgled at them and tried to grab Hiccup's hair with his chubby fingers.

Both parents spoke to the attending doctor who assured them that their son was in good health but would need to stay in the ward for a couple more hours until some rudimentary tests had been completed. News about Zephyr came in from one of the uniformed officers on duty near them.

Hiccup and Astrid were informed that the police had had no choice but to use a PIT maneuver on the erratic driver. While they did take into account the presence of a child the car ended up hitting a guard rail and flipping over. Both Hiccup and Astrid had been horrified but the news that their daughter was saved by the firefighters with only light bruises was a relief to hear.

The pair was there when the ambulances arrived. Zephyr was the first to be loaded off, paramedics bringing her inside on a gurney. Hiccup and Astrid, as much as they wanted to hug their daughter and assure her that everything would be alright let the doctors do their thing.

A rather vocal and unkempt man with a bleeding, and possibly broken leg had been unloaded from the second ambulance. Astrid and Hiccup heard snippets of the man's slurred speech. They didn't know if the man had been intoxicated or if it was the medicines but he was grumbling about 'some brats', 'his stupid girlfriend', 'and not getting a big payday'.

Astrid had been on the man in a flash, punching him in the face after pushing past the attending physician who stood there in utter shock for a few seconds before springing into action.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY CHILDREN!"

"I WILL CUT OFF YOUR BALLS!"

"YOU-GOAT-LICKING-MULCH-EATING-SON-OF-A..." Astrid didn't get to finish that sentence as the doctor, two nurses, and hospital security were trying to pry her off the man. Hiccup for his part did not intervene and pretended to not see the carnage his partner was willing to inflict.

Astrid had been sequestered in one of the break rooms to 'cool off', albeit with security now posted at the door so she could not get at the kidnapper again. Hiccup had let his money and name do the talking this time. He had called up the family lawyer who persuaded the hospital to not file charges against an 'obviously distressed woman seeing her children's kidnapper right in front of her'. Both Zephyr and Nuffink had been checked over and were nearly cleared to leave. They were just waiting on the last test results from Zephyr and then the family would be able to go home. Hiccup had already informed his family as well as Astrid's dad and sister about the events that transpired. Stoick, Valka, and the rest were relieved to hear the news and promised to visit in the coming days once the couple had some time to coddle their children after such an ordeal.

An hour later the family got to leave the hospital. Astrid was asleep in the backseat between the two car seats, her fists still red, while Hiccup drove this time. They came back home tired and Astrid just wanted to cuddle her kids so Hiccup had them all sleep in their King sized bed. Nuffink snuggled right up to his momma while Zephyr's foot nearly hit Hiccup in his nose. The toddler was not a quiet sleeper and would roll around. Often one of her tiny feet would find its way to some part of Hiccup's face when they all slept together.

"Love you..." Astrid whispered sleepily as she held her partner's hand while the children were between them.

AN: (sips on a glass of wine while watching the readers) One more chapter to go guys. XD