Everyone was sleepy peacefully. Well some were. Astrid tossed and turned, her mind turning furiously as the nightmare played out in front of her.

"No, Hiccup!" She turned, her axe missing from her hands. The clashed and clangs echoed in the background as an invisible battle raged on. Hiccup's body was on the ground lifeless. Blood everywhere, his own sword cold without the orange flames licking the shaft. In the shadows, a deep laugh creeped from the corners of the endless darkness. The sound made her shiver, her eyes widening, looking for what cannot be found.

"Viggo! I know you're here! What did you do to Hiccup?!" She sneered into the void. Her heart clashed and cried, her fists aching the clutch her family's axe in a death grip, but her thin fingers only grasped air, leaving her lungs collapsing for any foundation of support, but that support laid cold and quiet. She gritted her teeth, biting down a yell at the man. Instead she pulled every ash of anger from her chest, taking a step until she stood guarding her lost friend.

"I won't ask again. Show yourself or I'll walk every corner of this Hell and find you myself!"

The man stood tall, his smile ordinarily bright and stretched as he stepped into the light. "Come now, Astrid, no need for such anger. You knew this was going to happen. In Maces and Talons, leaders and chiefs have fallen to defeat. While others are destined to rain victory, others are... shall we say doomed. Your leader, your comrade in arms, is a threat to my business. A simple equation, my dear. Without the variable on both sides no action can be committed." Viggo laughed echoed like a hell storm. "Without that variable there is no problem to begin with."

She looked at Hiccup's lifeless body, tired to picture his face and voice, but to her horror the memories she knew was there were fleeting, leaving her behind. "No! No! No! Hiccup! NO, I know him! I promise I do!"

She turned towards him and back toward her friend, begging and forcing her mind to find something to ignite the flame to make Viggo pay. To cut out his throat with the same weapon he used to slice down her partner. To hear his screams echo instead of her pumping heart.

Viggo took a step. "I wanted to strike you down, force him to accept defeat, but we both know that the choice between one to another is no choice at all. His life for yours. My blade sliced the one who chose to die all because of you. You are the reason he's dead. His hearts pumped red, but now..." He raised his own hand showing the crimson trail of blood from the tip of the shining sword to the pale wrist. "You made me give the final blow, now live with it."

oOo

Astrid woke up with a scream, her chest heaving, sweat covering every inch of her face. She was gasping for breath trying to calm her frightened body. She frantically looked around. A fire burned small in the fireplace near her bed. She gripped her arms, noticing the absence of her shoulder pads. Suddenly, the room became frigid.

Her eyes made contact with her dragon, who stared right back. "Stormfly..."

Her dragon didn't miss a beat, wrapping her rider close to her wing with a soft squawk. Astrid clung onto Stormfly's scales as she fought to control her breathing. For a few moments, it was quiet. "Stormfly..."

The dragon nudged her rider before getting off the bed herself. She corralled her rider into the saddle and once she was sure Astrid wouldn't fall off she took flight. The ride was quick, but from the unsuccessful intakes of breath from her rider, the flight was an eternity. The moment she landed, her rider took action throwing herself off the saddle and running toward the door.

She slammed the door opened, startling Hiccup as he shot up from his bed in alarm. Toothless jumped up defensive.

"Hiccup!" She looked up toward the second level where Hiccup jumped out of bed, and got on his knees as he looked down.

"W-what Astrid?! Is it the hunters!?" He asked, alarmed. She didn't answer just stared at him, doing everything she could to get rid of the last moments she saw Hiccup.

When she didn't answer Hiccup climbed down the stairs, watching her carefully. He noticed how her shoulders shook, how her feet shifted, but most importantly the fear that took hold in her crystal blue eyes.

His chest tightened. "Astrid, what's wrong."

She looked ready to break when she glanced his way. A quiet squawk got his attention to the Nadder behind her. The last time Stormfly was here, Astrid was sick. He took in a calming breath to settle his nerves and the memories that came with them. She needed his help. He grabbed her arms gently, rubbing them up and down.

She shivered at the touched, but he relaxed as he felt her lean into it. He pulled her in wrapping his arms around his waist, hoping his presence alone could help. She didn't fight it, just carefully dug her face into his shoulder.

"You're an idiot..." The words startled him in the quiet room. She voice was a mere whispering laced with fear, but with that same edge that made her Astrid, like she was trying to make this less of what it is.

He pulled her toward the stairs, guiding her down to sit on the last few steps. "I'm an idiot, huh?" Mind telling me what I did?"

He leaned against the wall and pulled her closer minding the stairs. She didn't responded, just curled in further. He sighed, setting his chin on top of her hair.

When she spoke, he took a sharp gasp at the suddenness. Her voice was soft. "I had a nightmare about the war, Viggo, and...the cost."

He turned her toward him to look at her face, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. He grabbed her chin gently lifting it. "Cost?"

"You." She whispered. "You... gave your life so I could have mine..."

Hiccup tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "It wasn't real, Astrid. We're here, we're safe."

"Maybe not right now, but what about later? Hiccup I know you, we've spent our entire lives with each other. Remember, you were the same Viking who stood in front of the Skrill as Ryker shot an arrow. If Toothless, didn't get to you in time, you wouldn't be here. What about every other time you put yourself in front of the weapon, of danger? Or made a choice that made sure that only you would pay the price for? What about me, Hiccup? That dream you call a nightmare is real, because it reflects you. How can I... how can I fight that?"

Hiccup was silent as he listened, each word clutched his heart. "I... Astrid, you know everyday I ask myself that? Because believe it or not, I don't want to die, or get injured, but when I look at you, Toothless, and the gang, I can't find a reason to say why not? You guys have become everything to me, and I know that while I'm still breathing I will do everything in my power to make sure you guys stay alive." He sighed. "Though I may be prone to accidents, I know I'm not the only one who risks themselves. When you lost your sight, you didn't hesitate to rescue and make sure every dragon in the stables was out and safe. I even tried to stop you... what little that did though. You manage to train Sleuther, but to be honest Astrid, I wanted you to stop, to pack your things and fly you back to Berk, but for those same reasons I couldn't because if you did go back home you wouldn't be the woman I enjoy spending my time with."

Astrid eyes glowed as he continued. "Or trust to have my back... or who I love. I will say this I will try my hardest to stay alive because I don't want to waste a second with you. You guys are my family and I want to stay alive to be there for you. I can't guarantee that, but I know you won't let anything happen to me."

She punched his shoulder, letting out a wet chuckle. "You bet I will."

They laughed, just holding each other. "Thank you, Hiccup."

"Of course, you know you're welcome anytime." He said.

She nodded, just relaxing her head against his firm chest. The grip that fear had on her heart loosened to every beat Hiccup's heart made, that softened the strain in her throat as she sighed softly. "You make a nice pillow."

She didn't have to see to know he was blushing. He coughed. "Thank you Milady."

She must have drifted off for a couple of moments, when she came to. "Astrid, come on, wake up."

"What...?" She blinked, they were still on the stairs.

Hiccup smiled. "Come on, I know this isn't comfortable."

He helped her up, the two stretching from the harsh positions, but they both wouldn't have it any other way. He grabbed her hand leading her up the stair. "You can sleep on my bed tonight, I'll sleep downstairs."

"What? Hiccup, no, I should probably go back to my hut..."

Hiccup chuckled, "Don't worry it's no trouble."

Toothless was waiting for them on his own rock slab, analyzing them both. Once he deemed them okay he put his head back down, settling down, but keeping an eye opening to make sure they didn't need anything.

His rider grabbed a few blankets and a pillow for himself while the two still discussed sleeping arrangements. He grumbled and made the decision for them. He got up and grabbed the blankets from his rider tossing them on the floor next to the bed. He wrapped his body around them and patted the blankets with his tailing waiting for his rider to get the message.

Hiccup shook his head with a tired smile. "You useless reptile." He looked toward Astrid who sat cross-legged on the bed with a smile. "Guess I'm sleeping here as well."

"Fine by me." She replied, laying down. Hiccup followed, laying against his dragon on the floor, pulling his blankets over his frame.

Toothless huffed. He looked toward Astrid who faced toward them. Once they made eye contact he gestured to his rider with a purr. The sound got Hiccup's attention. His rider sat up, watching the exchange, but he ignored it as he grabbed the edge of the blanket Astrid was using and pulled.

"Hey." She protested, though the edge was missing in her voice. She smiled at the dragon.

The Night Fury opened his wings as an invitation. "I think Toothless wants me to join you."

Hiccup blushed, looking down at his own sheets. "You're... you're welcome to uh... join if you'd like. We don't mind."

That was all she needed as she maneuvered to the floor tucking herself to Hiccup's side immediately. He pulled her close as his dragon curled tighter around them, tucking his black wings over them, securing them in a warm cocoon.

"Again, thank you Hiccup."

He smiled, daring himself to give her a soft kiss to the forehead. "Don't thank me, Astrid. I take care of you, you take care of me. That's the way it goes."

"Forever?" She asked.

"Forever."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Okay, first things first. Based on Wattpad it's been three years since I published this. I thought it was time to take it down and rewrite it. I'll continue to take down the other chapters one by one. Some I realized have no place within the book, and debating it's fate. I hope this was an improvement and more realistic to the characters. I'm cleaning and reorganizing my profile. Removing and rearranging and in time I'll have the profile you guys enjoy interacting with, but for now that's going to take patience.

Please, any comments and reactions to this one-shot are welcome.

It's good to be back.