Chapter 2

Prompt: What if Astrid hadn't found out about Henry lying about his mother and had given him the money?

Suggested by Guest

Pairings: Astrid/OC

AN: This chapter contains excerpts from chapter 11 of How deep is your love.

Astrid was quite giddy as she arrived int he park for her date with Henry. She was still nervous that things were going a bit fast. Her mind told her to slow the hell down while her heart yearned to rip the clothes off of her boyfriend.

She looked around, when she got to the park, to see where Henry was and spotted him under a tree on a picnic blanket. He waved at her when he saw her. "Astrid so lovely to see you again." Henry greeted her and then dramatically took her hand and kissed it.

"Oh stop it you smooth talker." Astrid giggled as they sat down on the blanket. Henry proceeded to pull out several dishes from the basket that were Astrid's favorite, including the parfait. She had unconsciously been humming the song that she heard Tuffnut singing on her way to the park. She was watching Henry dote on her as she remembered the lyrics. Suddenly a pang hit her. The lyrics of the song hit close to home for her as she looked at Henry. Suddenly some insecurities surfaced. 'Did Henry really like her?' Her mind asked suddenly. 'Is this relationship going too fast?', 'Is he really my Hendrik?'. Her mind was going a mile a minute as she watched her oblivious boyfriend. This whole week felt like a dream. 'Was Henry truly Hendrik?' her mind asked again as doubt began to cloud it. True, this relationship was going pretty fast. She didn't really question it either but the song that was stuck in her head made her see a different angle. 'This is going too fast.' Her mind supplied as she suddenly panicked. Her breath hitched which caught Henry's attention.

"Astrid are you alright?" he asked while holding a Tupperware container in his hands.

"Eh..... I'm...... eh......" Astrid was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Honey?"

"Are we moving too fast?!" Astrid suddenly blurted out. 'Oh gosh now he's going to think I'm not serious.' her mind supplied as she noticed the shocked look on Henry's face. "I mean... eh....... Look we need to talk." She said as she was organizing her mind. "Henry,....... Do you think this relationship is going too fast?" She decided to be blunt. "I mean, I like you and all but do you think we could slow it down?"

"Astrid......" Henry said as he took her hands in his. "I understand." He told her. "I fell for you the moment I saw you." Her heart skipped a beat when she heard that. "If you want to take this slower I understand." He added calmly. "But......" Henry suddenly trailed off.

"But what?" Astrid asked as some deep-rooted fear came bubbling upwards. Some old rooted fears came back from when she still lived. 'Did her boyfriend not want her?', 'Does he not think she's good enough?' Astrid shook these fears away as she reminded herself that times had changed and that she was a successful, independent woman who wouldn't need any man to provide for her.

"Henry what's the matter?" Astrid asked as she looked at him. There was worry in his eyes.

"But......" Henry continued. "I'm going to have to leave for a couple of days. It's........... It's my mother. She called and told me she was in an accident."

"Is she alright?!" Astrid gasped.

"She's in a hospital in Cambodia and can't pay the bill." Henry told her seriously. "I'll need to head back to the city for a couple of days to put my affairs in order and try to scrape together enough money for a ticket and the hospital fee."

"Henry can't you just transfer the money to your mother?" Astrid asked as concern marred her face.

"It's not that easy." Henry told her sadly. "Mom got mugged and she doesn't have her passport with her as identification."

"Is there........ Is there anything I could do to help?" She asked as she saw worry cloud her boyfriend's face.

"I couldn't possibly ask you for any money." Henry told her. "I'll see if I can get a loan."

"Henry I want to help." Astrid said. "It's your mom. You just can't leave her hanging. How much do you need?"

"Astrid I really couldn't." Henry protested.

"I insist." Astrid told him. "How much?"

"85 grand to cover the plane ticket and medical expenses." Henry told her sadly. "I will be bringing mom home with me."

"Done" Astrid said with conviction. "I'll give you the money." 85 grand wouldn't make a dent in the fortune she had amassed over the decades.

"Astrid you are an angel. I promise I will pay you back." Henry told her with sincerity.

"Henry, your mother is all that matters now." Astrid told him. She herself regretted not spending enough time with her mother or visiting home. "You should go to her and see that she is alright. Does Hiccup know?"

"He knows." Henry stated quickly. "He was helping me pack."

"When are you leaving?" Astrid asked as she was sad to see Henry go.

"Tonight." Henry told her. "I wanted to spend the afternoon with my girl after all." Astrid blushed when she heard this.

After their picnic, Astrid was on her way to the bank to help her boyfriend out. She would be passing Hiccup's garage but thought it was better not to disturb him right now. Surely Hiccup would be busy. Henry did stress that Hiccup had too much on his mind at the moment and he would tell his brother about her helping them out.

She had no problem getting the money from the bank that afternoon and Henry hugged her gladly when she gave it to him. "Thank you Astrid, thank you so much." He told her happily. "I'll be back before you know it babe."

It was the very next day that Astrid was growing suspicious. She had called Henry's cellphone to wish him a safe flight to Cambodia when all she got was "Sorry, the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected." First Astrid thought it was just a glitch but after several tries, she frowned. Henry's flight was not supposed to leave yet according to the information he had given her.

She then decided to ask Hiccup. He picked up on the third ring with a chirpy 'Hello'. There was some scuffling in the background and Astrid heard him shout "Toothless no biting my wrench!" Astrid wondered who this Toothless was. 'Maybe a fluffy dog?' her mind supplied for her.

"Hiccup this is Astrid" She spoke into the phone.

"Astrid...oh hi Astrid...." She could hear Hiccup quickly say.

"I was wondering if Henry left you a new number to contact him by. I wanted to wish him a safe flight to Cambodia."

"Wait.... WHAT?" She heard Hiccup shout causing her to tilt the phone away from her ear. "Why would he be going to Cambodia?!"

"Because your mom is in a hospital in Cambodia?" She told him with some uncertainty now.

"Astrid, my mom is not in Cambodia." Hiccup said. "She Skyped me today and she was fine."

"I loaned him 85 grand yesterday so he could cover her medical expenses and fly her home." She told Hiccup. "Now his phone is disconnected. How would you get a hold of him?" Astrid asked.

"I'm assuming the same number that you have. Meet me at his apartment in fifteen minutes. If he isn't there I'll give you his address in the city. Astrid nodded and then realized that Hiccup couldn't see her nod through the phone. 'Real smart' Her brain supplied as she bid Hiccup goodbye.

Twenty minutes later she was waiting in front of Henry's apartment building in her car. Hiccup's car parked alongside her on the lot and both exited. "Did you have any luck?" She asked.

Hiccup, however, shook his head. "Disconnected." They both proceeded to the second storey where Henry's apartment was located. Hiccup knocked and called out to Henry but there was no answer.

"You two looking for the guy that lived there?" One of the neighbours poked her head out when hearing the knocking and some of Astrid's more colorful curses.

"Yeah...." Hiccup said. "You know where he went?"

"Left in the dead of night that one." The woman grumbled. "He kept me up with his packing and then slammed the door awfully hard. Then I hear a card speed off."

"Thank you for the info ma'am." Astrid told her politely as she gripped the door handle in her rage, accidentally breaking it off. Hiccup raised a brow at that but said nothing.

"This is Henry's address in the city." Hiccup said as he handed Astrid a slip of paper. "Do you want me to call the cops? He can't just take off with your money like that." He asked.

Astrid was very impressed that Hiccup was ready to get the police involved, especially against his own brother. She knew it took a lot of guts to call them on a family member. "There is no need Hiccup. I will handle this matter myself." She said.

"You sure?" Hiccup asked as he had no delusions that Henry just whacked a hornet's nest when scamming Astrid.

"Trust me Hiccup. This hunt requires a........ Woman's touch." Astrid smirked as she already started going through ideas on what to do with the little troll. 'How could she have fallen for something like this?' She asked herself. 'Was she so blinded by the fact that Henry looked exactly like Hendrik?'

'Yes, yes you were.' Her mind supplied which promptly earned her subconscious a whack.

Astrid made haste that same day to head to the city Henry lived in. She arrived at night and found the apartment he used there but it was empty. She went back down to the ground floor and stopped at the front office. She knocked and a gruff voice answered "Go away!"

"Either you open this door or I kick it down." Astrid warned. Several locks clicked and the door was yanked open by a gruff man holding a cigarette and smelling of beer.

"What ya want?" The man slurred.

"Do you know where your tenant in room 407 likes to hang out?"

"What am I? His mother?" The man left.

"No, but you are crazy enough to keep tabs on everybody when rent is due." Astrid crossed her arms.

"You one of his broads?" The man asked as he looked Astrid, who was dressed in a dark blue pea-coat, up and down.

"Excuse me?!"

"Ya know. One of them broads he's always getting rent money from." The landlord rolled his eyes as if it was obvious. "Don't tell me ya looking for him cause you're pregnant."

"That is entirely none of your business," Astrid muttered. "Now give me something to work with."

"And if I don't?" The man was stubborn.

Astrid had looked around at the living conditions in this apartment complex and she raised her brow. "I have friends in Health and Safety. I think they would love to hear about the wonderful accommodations you have here." The man grumbled at the threat and told her to wait there.

That was how Astrid ended up with another slip of paper that led her to a seedy sports bar not so far away. She looked around the area and saw several bookies trying to get some bets in. Inside the bar wasn't any better and Astrid for once wished she had the charm powers the Gothic novels and films described vampires having. She had managed to get it out of the bartender that Henry was here and he was in the back room. Without waiting for further ado Astrid marched to the back and kicked the door in with such force it splintered. The occupants of the room jumped in shock and stared at Astrid as she casually entered the room. Henry was indeed there and his eyes widened upon seeing her.

Astrid cracked her knuckles and smiled sweetly while saying "Henry darling, we need to have a little chat."