AN: (Buries body of dead internet router)

(Turns to audience) "Shhhh, you saw nothing."

Astrid hummed as she walked along the sidewalk. One and a half weeks had passed since she and Henry had been dating and for once she wasn't thinking of getting her revenge against Heather. She'd been so caught up in Henry doting on her and taking her on dates almost every night.

Another thing that had changed was Hiccup and her relationship. They had a good long talk and Hiccup had admitted, while blushing like a tomato, that he did really like her and had wanted to ask her out. Astrid had heard him out and had confessed that she had taken a liking to him as well. Yet she still hadn't told him why she was dating Henry. One of the qualities that she could admire about Hiccup was that he was honorable.

After the whole incident with Hendrik and Heather she had sworn off men for a while. Astrid mused at what had occurred in New York during the prohibition era. For a vampire, the best places to find food would have been in the nightclubs or bars. Tipsy or drunk people tended to attribute someone sucking their blood to a weird dream or hallucination. Unlike the myths suggested, vampires had no manipulative powers. Astrid had to work with the assets she had.

Prohibition had put a real kink in her routine. It was at one of the underground clubs in Manhattan where Astrid was busy charming her next meal when his brother decided to butt in and ruin everything. The whole thing turned into the brothers starting a bar brawl and Astrid left the club disgusted by their actions. So she respected Hiccup when he told her he wasn't about to come between them. They'd become great friends afterwards and met for lunch at either Viggo's or the twins' place during the week.

"How ya doing lass?" Gobber greeted her as he stepped out of his dental office. His receptionist Gothi, who was a very old lady that didn't speak much, followed him out as well. "You heading to Viggo's to try that new steak sandwich?"

"I'm heading to the park actually." Astrid told them.

"Ah, I see." Gobber waggled his eyebrows. This earned him a whack from Gothi's walking cane.

"Oye!" Gobber exclaimed as he rubbed the sore spot before turning to Astrid. "Well run along lass. Wouldn't want you to be late." Astrid nodded and waved goodbye before continuing on her walk. While she liked driving and flying at night, just taking a walk in the fresh air was relaxing. She passed by the twins' restaurant where she saw Dagur pick up several food containers. She waved at him and he gave her a nervous wave back. She wondered what was up with that. He had been a bit evasive the last week and made a couple of excuses for not being able to meet her. She decided to just chalk it up to Dagur's quirkiness. Before Astrid could walk further she noticed something odd. From her vantage point on the sidewalk she noticed Tuffnut near the stage. His chicken, coincidentally also named Chicken, sat on a chair as Tuffnut was dramatically singing something into the mic. Astrid tuned her ears to hear what he was serenading his chicken with.

"-nd the moment that you wander far from me. I wanna feel you in my arms again. And you come to me on a summer breeze. Keep me warm in your love and then softly leave. And it's me you need to show." Astrid smiled as she observed Tuffnut going into the chorus. "How deep is your love, how deep is your love. I really need to learn-" Astrid cringed when Tuffnut was interrupted by his sister. "I ASKED FOR A SOUNDCHECK NOT A CONCERT!" Her ears had been attuned and she had to cover them. Vampire hearing, a blessing and a curse at times. She quickly tuned out the twins' following squabble and noticed that she was going to be late.

Astrid arrived at the park just in time. She looked around 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 Tuffnut had been singing on her way here and while just watching Henry dote on her 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. "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 and thought it was a good idea to tell him what she and Henry had agreed upon. Henry stressed that Hiccup had too much on his mind at the moment but she thought that he might like to know that his mother would be fine.

"Hiccup I'm so glad I caught you." Astrid said after walking up Hiccup's driveway. "I just spoke to Henry."

"Okay?" Hiccup asked after he greeted her.

"We worked out something for your mom." Astrid told him thinking he would be happy, but a frown marred his face and a look of confusion could be seen in his eyes. "What's wrong?" Astrid asked.

"What are you talking about?" Hiccup mumbled as he wiped the grease off his hands.

"Your mom you know. Henry told me about her situation. He did tell me not to tell you as you might have been busy but you do deserve to know." Astrid explained as she could feel the confusion grow.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Astrid."

"You do know your mom is in the hospital in Cambodia right? Henry told me you knew."

"Cambodia?!" Hiccup queried. "Astrid, my mom is not in Cambodia." he told her. "She Skyped me today and she was fine."

Astrid stood stock still upon hearing that. Her mind was working faster than ever as she put the pieces together. Everything that happened over the weeks was being categorized and scrutinized. "Astrid are you alright?" Hiccup asked as he noticed that she didn't answer or hear his last question.

"Hiccup will you please excuse me?" Astrid told him and kept as calm as she could be before turning around and walking out of the garage. Later that day some townsfolk he a loud crash of wood breaking and a shrill voice shouting "YOU SON OF A HALF-TROLL-EATING-MUNCH-BUCKET! I'M GOING TO TEAR YOUR THROAT OUT!"

AN2: (Pulls out a new friend) "Everyone I would like you to meet Silvolde. My new friend!" XD (Dangles Silvolde in front of readers) "If you like you can check out his stories as well."