Thanksgiving dawned, very cold and bright. There had been another fall of snow overnight but the ploughs had been out and the roads were clear. Hiccup rolled over in bed, pulled the covers over his head and closed his eyes. He wasn't sure what he should be thankful for and really just wanted to sleep.

The door opened and soft steps entered, dropping a mug that smelled of freshly brewed coffee and a plate that smelled of warm buttered toast and scrambled eggs on his bedside chest of drawers. He sighed, flung his arm across his face and rolled back to face Astrid.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" she smiled and he sighed again. What had he got to be thankful for? His Dad dead, his Mom estranged, no home, no friends...

...except Toothless. And sort of Astrid. And he was being housed with her family when they really owed him nothing except kindness...

"Same to you," he said and sat up, running his fingers through his hair and blinking. Astrid was dressed and smiling, looking pleased that he was there. He looked at the breakfast: he had never had breakfast in bed and he grinned. "Did you...?"

"Um...Mom cooked," she admitted. "I'm fine as long as you like it burnt..." She looked embarrassed and he couldn't help himself.

"Soooo...cooking isn't one of your talents either?" he teased her, taking a bite of the eggs. They were amazing. He hummed in pleasure: breakfast was one of those meals he barely got given at home.

"Don't see you cooking either!" she retorted. He shrugged.

"I can...just don't get the chance..." he shrugged. She arched an eyebrow.

"Believe it when I see it!" she smirked. He gave a smile and finished his breakfast. "Come on...get up! Let's do something!" He stared at her: this was an Astrid he hadn't really seen, a girl not burdened by expectations and worries. He could only assumed even Martin Hofferson didn't expect his daughter to work on Thanksgiving... though he guessed that Ingrid Hofferson wouldn't let him expect that.

"Um...what?" he asked her, stretching and feeling his neck crack.

"Lets go for a walk!" she said and he paused, then glanced at the window.

"What...in daylight?" he asked.

"You could always hide in a bush if anyone I know sees me..." she told him wickedly and he groaned.

"Yes, Milady," he sighed, scrambling up. He swiftly showered and changed into his better jeans and a long-sleeved deep red top then padded downstairs...to see the Hoffersons all dressed smartly for the holiday. He instantly felt underdressed but Ingrid swept forward and hugged him. He stiffened.

"We know this isn't how you wanted to spend the holiday but we want you to think of this as your home!" she told him gently. He managed a small smile.

"Thanks," he mumbled, feeling Martin's unfriendly gaze. "I really am grateful. What-what do you want me to do?" Ingrid paused.

"Have fun," she smiled. He looked self-conscious.

"Really...I gotta do something to earn my keep..." he mumbled.

"If you could lend me a hand preparing the meal?" she asked and Hiccup gave a smile.

"Now that is something I can do," he said, casting Astrid a smug glance.

"Unlike my daughter, who can burn water!" Ingrid teased her. Astrid flushed.

"Mom! I'm not that bad..."

"Prove it...!" Ingrid smiled. Astrid rolled the sleeves of her flowery shirt up.

"Bring it!" she said, her competitive streak coming out. "I can beat him any day..." Hiccup smiled.

"You're on!"

It was the quickest they had ever prepared for the meal as potatoes, squash, corn, greens, cranberries, ham and turkey were all prepared. Astrid had given up early in the game when she realised Hiccup wasn't joking when he told her he was used to cooking: he had prepared the food swiftly and neatly and Ingrid had been very grateful. Then Astrid had dragged Hiccup out in his warmest clothes and insisted they walk the dogs.

It had been weird but kind of nice as they walked along side by side with the dogs. Stormfly was already very attached to Toothless and the skinny black dog was bounding along at the limits of his lead, tongue hanging out and tail wagging wildly. Hiccup had maintained a constant conversation with the dog and Astrid had been in fits of laughter as he talked to the dog like a person.

"You're weird, you know that?" she giggled. He shrugged.

"May have been noted before," he commented dryly. "He kinda likes me talking to him and hey, why not?" She laughed, pulling her scarf tighter. She was in a warm coat with mittens and a hat while Hiccup managed with his woollen scarf and denim jacket.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked curiously. He shrugged.

"Well, yeah...but got nothing else to wear so can't do anything about it." She stared at him and took his free hand in hers: even though the mitten she could feel the cold.

"Sorry," she murmured but he smiled.

"Hey, I'm not frozen to death and I'd rather be walking here with you than sitting at home, waiting for Al to get drunk enough to start hitting someone," he admitted matter-of-factly. They were at the park now so he let Toothless off his leash and the dog bounded away, tail wagging wildly. Stormfly whined and was allowed to go and play with her friend. Astrid stared at him and he found himself blushing at the intense scrutiny.

"What?" he asked self-consciously.

"You know you're an okay guy, right?" she asked him.

"Hmm, I thought my name had been changed to 'Oi! Fishbone!' or 'Pest' to be honest," he told her. She blushed.

"Yeah, sorry," she muttered. He gave a one-shouldered shrug.

"Look, I understand," he said gently. "You're defined by who you are friends with...and who you hate." She flinched.

"I'm a coward," she sighed. "You know the motto of the Hoffersons is 'Fearless'? But there are things I'm afraid of..."

"Unpopularity?" he suggested, leaning against a bench. She nodded.

"Have you ever done anything you felt so bad about but were scared to own up to?"" she asked. He paused.

"I don't feel bad about Lilah!" he told her defensively but she shook her head.

"What if you said something that ended up landing someone in trouble...and you didn't realise until later what you had done?" she asked. "Especially if you thought you were helping that person?" He watched Toothless bounce into a snowdrift and emerge caked in snow.

"Tricky," he admitted. "I guess being honest is all you can do." Then he whistled. "I'm gonna try seeing Mom. And I gotta do this alone-you understand?" She smiled.

"Don't be too long," she said, her mittened hand brushing against his. "It would be a shame to miss out on the turkey..." He grinned and whistled Toothless through his teeth.

"I'm not missing that, Milady!" he smiled and rubbed the dog free of snow before arriving out in the opposite direction to Astrid's home. "C'mon, Bud. Let's see if we can say Happy Thanksgiving to Mom!"

As they walked out of the east side of the park alone, Dagur and Savage watched the skinny shape...with the thin black dog both recognised from the garage. Dagur turned to Savage.

"So that's why it came!" he growled. "It's Hiccup's frickin' dog!"

"What're you gonna do about it?" Savage asked as Dagur gave a very cold smile.

"Nothing," he said menacingly. "I'll tell my brother...and then leave that to Ozzie..."

oOo

Alvin spent the day drinking and was sarcastic and nasty about the meal, never hesitating to put the boot in over how disruptive and unpleasant her son was. Valka coughed quietly as she walked to the bathroom, noting a folded piece of paper pushed through the door.

Checking that Alvin hadn't seen anything, she swiftly scooped it up and hastened to the bathrooms, bolting the door and then, with trembling hands, she unfolded it.

It was a pencil drawing of Valka, her dead husband Stoick and a younger Hiccup, all in a family group. They all looked happy and smiling and Valka felt her vision blur with tears at the sight. She missed her husband. She missed her son.

There was writing and a cell phone number on the bottom of the image, which was clearly the work of her talented and brave son.

Miss you, Mom. Hope you are keeping well. If you need me, just call and I'll come, no matter what Al says. Love you always-Hiccup.