Chapter 12

Time had passed and Hiccup had settled into his role as Freshman Law Student. He had finally accepted that he wasn't getting Heather back and most of him wasn't especially upset about it, because the Heather he had seen from classes wasn't really a person he wanted to spend time with. Also, he was getting closer to Astrid in his own geeky and slightly embarrassed way. She was his equal in eating ultra-hot foods and enjoying classic Sci-Fi movies and they had even been on a few Not 'not-dates' (otherwise known as Dates) and so far they had passed without any major incident apart from being banned from one Mexican Restaurant for complaining their hot chilli wasn't hot enough.

Astrid had giggled that night like crazy. He never knew someone who could get drunk off peppers like she did. It was just one of her lovable quirks. Summer soon came and so did the selection results for Professor Grimborne's Summer internship.

"I can't believe they are taking on Freshman," Hiccup heard one of the older years in the hall say to someone else.

"So lucky....." another commented as he got closer to the bulletin board. There was a cluster of students around the board, many of which Hiccup recognized. Even the twins were there and they were patting a disbelieving Snotlout. "I got in....... I got in........." Hiccup heard Snotlout mutter as he tried to peer at the board.

"Oh my Thor Fish!" He heard Heather shout. "We got in!" She embraced Fishlegs, nearly sending the man staggering backwards. They were in front of Hiccup and he had to move quickly to the side as to not get squished.

"So that's three," Hiccup heard Fishlegs say, obviously referring to Heather, Snotlout and himself. "That leaves only room for....." Just as Fishlegs said that Hiccup noticed his name on the board. "ME!" he shouted, startling a whole bunch of students. He fist-pumped furiously and leapt up, punching the air. "YES!" he yelled and then looked around. "Um...yeah...that happened..." Several tried to smother their laughter as Hiccup scurried away, unaware of the incredulous stare Heather was shooting him.

When it was time for the actual internship to start the four would meet at Viggo's law firm, Grimborn, Savage & Mookie. Hiccup refused to ponder who's last name was Mookie. It was just too hilarious. When the elevator dinged, Hiccup and Snotlout, dressed in suits stepped out of one. Out of another elevator Fishlegs and Heather stepped. Both duos stopped in the middle of the hallway to look at each other critically.

"Hiccup," Heather said a bit dismissively while Fishlegs greeted the pair with a heartier hello. The four of them proceeded to a conference room where they found Viggo and Astrid sitting, along with another lawyer. Heather's eyes widened when she laid eyes on Astrid and then she looked sharply at Hiccup. Hiccup for the most part ignored the look and went to sit next to Astrid, giving her a whispered greeting.

"Greetings all," Viggo said once everyone was seated. "I see some of you are already acquainted with my Junior associate Astrid Hofferson. You may have seen her around campus doing research." He introduced. "We also have Mr. Savage, one of our senior partners at the table today who has taken an interest in this case." A man with a thin mustache nodded at the four interns.

"Now, we'll be handling an actual case during your internship." Viggo explained as several pictures popped up on the monitor on the wall once he pressed a button. Everyone looked at the file in front of them as well while Viggo continued to talk. "This is Drago Bludvist," Viggo explained. "Two months ago he was found dead in his office. Not by a gunshot wound or anything, but by a peanut allergy. The deceased was found by his wife, Clarissa, who saw our Defendant standing over him."

"The Defendant is one Johann Trader, an associate of Drago's. According to the wife he had the means, motive, and opportunity to poison the victim." Viggo continued as he showed them the pictures of the scene of the crime and the Defendant. "Our job is to defend Mr. Trader and prove his innocence."

Everyone looked at Viggo for instructions at this point. "Hiccup, you and Astrid are to visit Mr. Trader at the penitentiary. Heather you and Snotlout are to visit the police department and go over the case file. Fishlegs, I want you to work with one of our other interns at a timeline."

"Roger dodger!" Snotlout saluted while Heather shot him a weird look.

"Alright. We will meet back here at the end of the day to go over what we learned." Viggo said as they all began to rise.

"Hiccup come along," Astrid said. "I know what Viggo wants us to do."

"You do?" Hiccup asked as the pairs made their way out and down to the underground parking lot.

"Yeah, we are to get that alibi and I think he wants a new assessment on our client." Astrid explained.

"New assessment?"

"Sometimes it's best to have a few new sets of eyes on the case." Astrid told him. "We may be lawyers but we aren't perfect." Hiccup's eyes widened as they reached her bright sky blue E-type Jaguar. He stopped and stared reverently at the vehicle.

"Um...point of order, Ma'am," he said. "I just wanna put out there that to me, you are perfect. But mainly...are you really saying the assessment of a nerdy would-be engineer turned lawyer who couldn't suss out that his girlfriend was a lying cheating evil bitch is of any value?" She smirked and opened the door.

"That's sweet, Babe," she told him. "And yes. Because I look at this like a lawyer. You don't-yet. You have an engineering and science background and I think you may look at this guy completely differently to me." Hiccup blushed slightly.

"Well, I am a guy," he conceded. "And can I just say...about the car...um...wow? I think I may be in love..." Astrid strapped herself in.

"You cheating on me, Babe? With my own car?" she teased him. He slid into the passenger seat and allowed the cream leather seat to embrace his lean shape. He sighed.

"No," he conceded as he clipped the beautifully retro belt into place. "I mean, this car is utterly beautiful but only a fraction as beautiful and amazing as you are." She started the engine, the roar of the V-12 engine filling the garage and rammed the stick into gear, the artificial lights gleaming off the warm walnut trim. "But Gods, you don't sound like this..." he commented with a sigh. She chuckled as they glided through the exit and pulled out onto the road.

"Maybe I could...when the time is right," she teased him and his cheeks flushed scarlet. His jaw hung opened and he stared at the smirking blonde.

"Did you just...I mean...really?" he gabbled as they accelerated onto the freeway towards the prison. She grinned.

"Really gotta work on that stammer," she teased him as they headed out of town.

Hiccup found himself immensely nervous as they pulled up outside the prison. Astrid was confident as they got out and she led them through the layers of security, showing her pass and going through the metal detectors and searches with calm equanimity. However, Hiccup was jumpy and nervous especially when he had to explain why the metal detector went off. Astrid's eyes widened when she heard that he had a large metal plate and twenty-six screws in his leg from that accident when he was fifteen. He looked over in her direction and caught her expression, his head dropping.

"It's okay," he sighed. "I mean I should have told you sooner and now you think I'm just a total loser with a partially metal leg because I crashed my bike into a huge truck when I was a kid. It's okay..." And he shrugged-but then froze as Astrid caught his hand, her fingers twining with his and eyes wide with sympathy.

"Hiccup-it's no problem," she assured her gently. "I just wish I could have known so I could have told them before you went through the detector and they could have patted you down straight away rather than pointing their guns at you first." He gave a self-conscious laugh.

"Um...yeah...first time that has ever happened to me," he admitted. "My first prison, actually." Astrid smiled back at him reassuringly.

"You get used to it," she reassured him as they clipped on their badges and were escorted to the interview room with to see their client.

Johann Trader was a neat man of medium height and build with a flamboyant manicured greying beard, twinkling dark eyes and a rather large slightly hooked nose. His hair was styled off his face in a clearly-expensive style and Hiccup recognised him from the picture they had been shown-of a dapper man in brightly coloured silk suits and a Fedora. He took his seat casually and smiled in a friendly manner to the two visitors, even though he was wearing prison orange. For a second Hiccup wondered if he actually approved of the garish outfit from the previous pictures of the man he had seen.

"Miss Astrid Hofferson-to what do I owe this undoubted pleasure?' he asked in a deferential voice as his eyes trailed over to the rigid and anxious shape of Hiccup in his slim-fit dark suit and slightly askew forest green tie. "And who is your friend?"

"Johann-this is Hiccup Haddock, one of our student interns and my assistant on your case," Astrid explained briskly. Johann's smile widened slightly as he inspected the young man.

"I shall look forward to working with you," he said cheerfully. "Now how can I help you, Miss Astrid?" The blonde sighed.

"Johann...Mr Trader...we need to know what you were doing at the time of the murder," she said in a tired voice. "I mean, you have refused to give any explanation as to your whereabouts apart from saying you weren't there and it couldn't be you." Johann smiled benignly.

"That is correct," he confirmed. "I have an alibi." Astrid leaned forward.

"So could you possibly share?" she asked him pointedly. "Look, your Attorney-Client privilege means that I cannot be forced to reveal it to anyone...but we do need some way of proving your innocence..."

"I rather consider that is why I an paying Mr Grimborn's exceedingly excessive fees," Johann replied mildly, his eyes hardening slightly.

It's an act, Hiccup realised. The whimsical nice guy persona is all an act. Underneath, he's ruthless and cold...like Heather. Now how come I didn't see that with her?

"And if we had a witness to your whereabouts...or some idea, we could work to bring them forward to prove..."

"NO!" Johann practically barked the words. "NO. I forbid it. I was not there and could not have done the deed so you must therefore be able to prove another was responsible."

Though I don't doubt you could do it, Hiccup thought, hearing the edge of steel to the man's words.

"Johann, we really need that alibi as a starting point," Astrid sighed. "Please-as your attorney, we need absolute trust from you." There was a pause and Hiccup shivered as the man's eyes trailed over his lean form.

"It's not so much a matter of trust as of a rather delicate nature," Johann said in his amiable voice. And then he pointed at Hiccup. "For some very personal reasons, I cannot bring myself to reveal my alibi to you, Miss Astrid. But I will reveal it to him! And only him."