The week finished with another away match for the Team against Lava Louts Lightning. After a rough encounter, Berk Vikings won.

Hiccup had remained in Berk, walking Toothless and waiting at home with Astrid's parents. He had been ridiculously self-conscious as he had arrived at her home without her, waiting for five minutes before even daring to knock on the door...and he had gulped a huge sigh of relief that as Ingrid opened the door with a smile. He was sure if Mr Hofferson had answered the door, he wouldn't have been let in. And there had been an awkward silence as they sat eating dinner...so he had escaped upstairs as soon as he could, doing homework as the only option. He had no excuse to go with the Team because quite frankly, he wasn't welcome.

It had been with an enormous sigh of relief as he heard the front door open and admit Astrid. There was a pang of nostalgia as he heard her call out to her parents and heard their cheerful calls back to see how she was an how things had gone. Her excited voice echoed through the hall, detailing the victory and how well her team had performed. He had almost forgotten how it had been, before his Dad died and when he was part of a family. He lay back on the bed with a sigh and wondered despondently when they would ask him to leave.

He was lying on the bed, his eyes closed and trying not to wonder what would happen to him next when a knock sounded.

"Hey?" It was Astrid. He opened his eyes and looked over at her.

"Hey." Somehow, the word was lifeless. She walked in, still munching her sandwich and perched on the desk, her feet swinging.

"You okay?" she asked, chewing. He sighed.

"Just dandy," he muttered. She sighed.

"Okay-spill!" she huffed.

"Who made you my mother?" he asked, sitting tiredly up.

"Ugh! That would be weird! No one. But I'm volunteering for the vacant friend berth," she offered, finishing her sandwich. "You look like a wet day."

"Ah...so a nice summer's day in Berk," he said with a faint smile.

"Hiccup-what's wrong?" she asked as he folded his legs and sat on his heels. He gave a small cough into his hand and sighed.

"How long's it gonna be before your parents want me to go?" he asked her directly. "I mean, your Mom has been great and all but your Dad looks at me like he's just trodden in something...I know he doesn't approve of me. I guess he thinks I'll turn you into an Outcast and a criminal...like that's gonna happen..." She frowned and read the faint anxiety in his sarcastic words. She swung her legs and tried to understand his concerns. She knew her parents would never turn someone out on the streets who had nowhere to go...but Hiccup felt he was in a very precarious place.

"I don't think Mom would ever throw you out onto the streets," she assured him, "but shouldn't you at least try to speak with your Mom? I mean..." He scowled.

"I know what you mean..." he said sharply. "Patch it up like a good boy and go home. Yeah, can really see my step-dad welcoming me home with open arms-NOT! I'll be on the streets before you can say evil bastard..."

"No, that's not what I meant!" she protested. "You must want to see your Mom?" He sighed.

"Yeah...but it's pretty hard to see her without him being there..." he admitted. "Look...I'm sorry. I...I guess I'm stressed..."

"Hiccup Haddock stressed? That really smacks of effort and caring..."

"C'mon, Miss Perfect. I care about literally several things!"

"Name one!"

"Toothless!" he managed after an embarrassing pause and she gaped, then burst into giggles. "Oh, you are playing with fire, trying to contain all this bad boy...ness..." he replied with a grin. "There will be consequences!"

"Oh, I'm shaking in my boots!" she scoffed.

"What boots?" he grinned, scrambling up. He grabbed her foot and inspected it. "Nope, not a shoe in sight..."

"Get off!" she giggled, trying to jerk her foot away. He cocked an eyebrow.

"You ticklish?" he realised and managed to run his fingers lightly along her sole before she wrenched her foot away and raced from his room. He was in hot pursuit, laughing as he ran after her. "Oh you are so dead, Miss Perfect! Ticklish!" he called as she sped into her bedroom and slammed the door before he could catch her. He leaned against it and lightly tapped it with his fists. "I won't forget! I'll get you yet! You can't stay in there forever!"

"You'll never catch me, Haddock!" she shouted back.

"Ha! Wanna bet?" he called through and half-turned...to come face to face with Mr Hofferson. The smile dropped from his face and he immediately backed up a pace. "Sorry, sir. I-I didn't mean any disruption..." Mr Hofferson frowned.

"Keep it down, Hiccup," he said sternly and the boy face-palmed as the man turned to return down the stairs. Astrid opened the door to see him standing there, his shoulders slumped.

"It's okay," she said and he managed a wan smile.

"I'll go see her in the morning," he sighed.

He'd walked all the way across Berk after breakfast, ignoring the cold and concentrating on what he could say to his mother. He knew Alvin tended to go out on Saturday, leaving his Mom and Hiccup to clean and tidy the place...and that was his chance. But he waited at the end of the empty drive for a long time before he gather his courage and walked quickly up to the door to rang the bell.

There was a long pause...and he heard her steps come closer. She was not sure whether to not to open the door...so he called through. "Mom? It's me!" he called and there was a pause...and then she slowly opened the door. He was pleased to note she looked well, her emerald eyes bright and wary, her skin clear and glowing and she had maybe put a couple of pounds on.

"Hiccup. What are you doing here?" she asked warily. His eyes darkened with hurt at the hostility in her tone and he took a small step closer.

"I-I came to see you," he said. "How are you?" She stared at him.

"I'm well, thanks," she said coolly. "You?" She sounded as if she was speaking to a stranger. He gulped.

"Um...I'm fine too," he said, smothering a cough. The cold air hadn't helped his chest on the way over. "I miss you, Mom." She stared at him.

"You shouldn't have left then," she told him bluntly and his eyes widened. He shook his head.

"I didn't exactly asked to leave," he protested. "Al threw me out and..."

"Hiccup! Do you expect me to believe that?" she protested. "You ran off on Monday...and then you are brought back on Tuesday by the police! Alvin tells me your fought with him and ran away again after they left and..."

"So that's the line he's gone with is it?" he scoffed. "I ran away? Don't you think I would actually grab say, some clothes if I was running away? Instead, I was barred from the house and thrown out when I was brought back!"

"Your father would be so ashamed if he could see you, Hiccup!" Valka told him brutally. "Since he went, you've become rude and sullen. Your grades have imploded, your disciplinary record has collapsed and you are a shadow of the boy I used to love."

Used to...?

"There may be an explanation or that..." Hiccup said, unable to help himself. "My Dad died and you remarried someone who loathes me!" She glared at him.

"I really don't want to hear your lies, Hiccup!" she said in a weary voice. "I have felt so much better since you left. I'm not stressed by your constant arguing and sullenness. You are so disobedient and disrespectful. I don't have to sit here worrying that you will fight with my husband. I don't have to listen to a door slamming. And I don't have to listen to my husband enraged by your utter lack of respect! Alvin took us in and supports us. He has made us a family..."

"No, Mom-he's made you his family...and thrown me out!" Hiccup told her angrily.

"Hiccup...you chose to leave!" she told him.

"I-I want to come home," he said softly. "Please...Mom...I'll do whatever he says. I'll do all the chores he sets, I'll say nothing...just let me come home..."

"But you promised to try harder when you took me to the doctor..and that lasted a few days only," she condemned him. "Alvin and I have discussed this. You just cannot live here anymore!"

"Where-where am I supposed to go?" he asked.

"You seem to have managed so far," Valka told him firmly. "That's really not my concern any more...is it?"

"But I'm your son, Mom..." he protested. "Please...I-I love you..."

"And where have you been all week, Hiccup? I have worried...but not a word. Alvin told me you were alive but did you think to contact me?"

"I-I was worried you wouldn't answer me... Please, Mom-don't turn me away..." he said softly.

"I can't cope with the stress you bring, Hiccup," she told him shortly. "I've been so much better since you left. And I can only assume the reason why I was unwell...was you!"

"Mom...no..." he breathed, backing away. "Please...you're all I have. You're my Mom. We-we can work this out..."

"Hiccup-you can't stay here," Valka said. "Just go. Please-just go!"

"Mom..." he begged, lunging forward...but the door slammed in his face. He slammed his fists on the door, howling in despair. "MOM....."

"Go!" she called...as a car pulled onto the drive. He looked around..and saw Alvin struggling out, his face dark with rage at seeing the boy. Hiccup dodged aside, seeing the man lunge at him. Running, he glanced back and saw the man standing protectively between the boy and the house.

"Get outta 'ere, boy!" Alvin shouted. "I catch yer 'ere again and I'll 'ave the police take yer away! Yer not welcome 'ere anymore!"

Hiccup cast a final broken look over his shoulder as he ran from the drive, his legs carrying him away as fast as he could. He wouldn't cry because that would be weak but it had to be the bitter cold not the total rejection that made his eyes water and his throat tighten...but he knew even the cold couldn't explain the burning pain in his broken heart...