Astrid was sitting in the waiting room outside the ICU when Cami, Heather, Ruff, Tuff, Fishlegs and Snotlout arrived. She was so distracted, in fact, that she only realised they were there when the twins started fighting over who was being the quietest. Lifting her head, her eyes warmed with relief and gratitude at seeing her friends.

"Ast! We came as soon as we heard!" Heather told her, sitting at her side and giving her a one-armed hug.

"Yeah...what happened?" Cami asked. Looking around at the others, Astrid realised there was no way she could keep her secret any longer.

"Hiccup was run down by Dagur and his brother!" she told them as they pulled up chairs and occupied a corner of the area.

"Hiccup? We're here for Useless?" Snotlout scoffed.

"Yes," Ruff said in a growl and the quarterback stiffened, seeing equal firmness in the male twin's gaze as well.

"You knew?" he asked Tuff. The male twin nodded.

"Ruff made me Thorston-swear to keep it a secret," he said simply. "I knew Astrid was friends with Hiccup. The girls knew...but they agreed to treat him as normal to keep up appearances." Fishlegs shook his head.

"You mean Hiccup agreed to let them ignore him and abuse him just so the girls could maintain social status?" he said, aghast. "What kind of friend would ask someone to do that?" But he blushed slightly as he said the words because he was almost as guilty.

"C'mon, Fishface! You know how school is!" Snotlout scoffed. "Useless is like a social leper! You make friends with him and suddenly you're invisible as well! Even the other Bad Boys threw him out..."

"Yeah-and you know why?" Cami snapped. Snotlout gave an unconcerned shrug.

"How should I know? They're not my friends," he said smugly.

"You should," she hissed. "Astrid was attacked at the twins' party. Hiccup rescued her and walked her home. Dogsbreath was the perp...and the rest of the gang were after Astrid as well. So Dagur and his gang beat Hiccup up and threw him out for breaking ranks..."

"...and doing the right thing," Heather added. "I checked with my brother-it was true. They called him a traitor for that and really put a target on him. And I-I knew he had a massive downer on Hiccup but I never thought they would try to kill him!" She was shaking her head in disbelief. Astrid gave her a hug.

"Sometimes, people really aren't what you think they are," she sighed. "I'm sorry, Heather. I know it must be hard." The girl nodded, her eyes shining with tears.

"I-I mean I shouldn't be surprised," she said in a confused voice. "We've never been that close and he's crazy and wild but I never guessed he-and Ozzie-would go so far..."

"Wait...so Hiccup is a good guy?" Snotlout asked, his expression shocked.

"Snot-you saw him when the Visithugs spiked the punch!" Tuff scoffed. "He raced off to rescue Astrid...from their tank of a quarterback, Jason. We had to pull him free!" Snotlout shook his head again.

"So he actually has a thing for Astrid?" he asked, his eyes disbelieving.

"Well, I wouldn't say that..." Cami began.

"Yes," Astrid said. Silence fell over the group and they looked at her. Ruff's face twisted into a delighted grin.

"I KNEW it!" she exulted. "C'mon, girlie-spill the details..." Astrid gave her a friendly shove that landed her in Fishlegs' lap, failing to notice the furious blush the husky boy developed.

"Nothing to tell, really," she admitted. "He's a friend and has been since he moved in...and well, he's kind of cute and a good guy and he is just good company..." It sounded weak even to her but how could she explain it? That he was bright and kind and sarcastic and teased her just enough? That he stood up for himself when he wasn't treated well and tried to look out for his Mom even in the face of his horribly abusive step-father? That he had endured bullying by Alvin-who horrifically turned out to be the abusive step-dad as well-but had pulled his grades up because Astrid had said she believed in him? That he was independent and unexpected and would protect Astrid no matter what? That electricity zinged up her arm when their hands touched and that he had kissed her and reassured her he was okay even when he clearly wasn't...?

"Midgard to Astrid!" Ruff said, waving a hand in front of her face. "Nope-zoned out. She's in love!" Snotlout looked like he's been kicked in somewhere amazingly sensitive and Astrid blinked and scowled at them all.

"Am not!"

"She's blushing! Are too!" Ruff teased her.

"Argh! You are so deluded!"

"She's right-Ast is blushing," Cami whispered loudly to Heather and the black-haired girl gave a wide grin.

"She is gone!" she grinned.

"You are gonna regret that..." Astrid growled and urged at her, chasing the girl round the waiting room until Heather hid behind Snotlout, shouting for mercy.

"Can you keep it down, please!" a nurse said sternly from the door and the teens all mumbled apologies and sat down sheepishly. Astrid was blushing beet red and glared at Heather.

"Get you later," she mouthed. Heather grinned and winked.

"Bring it, sister!" she replied and the two burst out laughing. Snotlout turned to Fishlegs.

"Is it me or does none of this make any sense?" he asked plaintively.

"Girl thing," the husky boy said helplessly. "But what does seem to make sense is that Hiccup Haddock, class bad boy and pest is in fact a good guy, badly misjudged by almost everyone and definitely Astrid's friend and possibly her boyfriend."

"Thank you for summing that up," Astrid sighed. "And in surgery again." They stared at her. "Look, when he was knocked down, he and his dog were both badly injured. Hiccup's left leg was badly broken. But there was some sort of complication and he was rushed for emergency surgery."

"He's not going to be able to get around normally with a broken leg," Tuff said thoughtfully, "and Dagur's gang will be targeting him as well. I think we have to make a choice." Everyone stared at him.

"Who are you and what have you done with Toby 'Tuffnut' Thorston?" Cami asked him.

"I'm me," Tuff said with a grin. "And you know I hate the name Toby...Camilla!"

"What about the dog?" Fishlegs asked worriedly. He had liked Toothless, who had been very friendly towards Meatlug.

"Lost a leg," Astrid added gloomily.

"My choice thingy still stands," Tuff sighed. "You can all carry on being popular and letting the poor guy get knocked over and injured when he's already badly hurt...or you...WE...can all behave like adults for once."

"That's it-you are NOT my brother!" Ruff announced. "You used the 'A' word!"

"And he was right," Heather told her slowly. "Hiccup is Astrid's friend. He has helped her a lot in the past. He desperately needs help now...needs the protection of friends..."

"You're joking..." Snotlout scoffed.

"Not at all...Simon..." Tuff scoffed.

"Guys! Grow up!" Cami snapped. "She's right. Tuff was right. Hiccup is Astrid's friend-and we're all Astrid's friends as well. So we owe him our friendship."

"What about Lilah and the rest?" Snotlout asked. "She's already bitching about Astrid..."

"They're not going to blank the Class President, the coolest girls and the stars of the Football Team!" Cami told him. "In the end, Hiccup isn't important enough to cause that much seismic shift...not compared to what Dagur has done..."

"He's going to need all our help," Astrid sighed.

"We're with you all the way," Heather reassured her and the others murmured reassurance-even Snotlout. "We'll let Eret know as well...I'm sure he'll support us."

"Hi, Astrid!" A powerful shape lumbered in and the girl lifted her face and managed a small smile at the two-limbed mechanic.

"Hi, Gobber!" she sighed.

"I got yer message," the big man said and settled in a chair close by her, shuffling to get his prosthetic limbs comfortable. "These yer friends?" They all nodded and smiled greetings. Astrid handled greetings calmly.

"Guys-this is Gobber, Hiccup's godfather. Gobber-these are Heather, Camilla, Raquel, Toby, Simon and Franklin."

"Have ye heard anything of Hiccup?" Gobber asked, his tone worried but Astrid shook her head.

"He's still in surgery," she admitted. "There were complications so he had to be rushed back to surgery. No word since."

"Have yer told his Mom?" Gobber asked and Astrid sighed.

"My Mom is handling it," she admitted. The big man was about to open his mouth when the surgeon entered the room. Every eye swung to him and Heather took Astrid's hand. The man pulled his mask off and sighed.

"How is he, doc?" Snotlout asked brashly. The man grimaced...

oOo

Ingrid's finger hovered over the CALL button for a long moment before pressing and lifting the phone to her ear. It rang three times before a male voice answered.

"Yes?" he growled.

"I am ringing on behalf of Hiccup Haddock. He has been involved in a serious road accident and is in Berk General."

"Hiccup Haddock doesn't live 'ere!" the voice growled. It sounded very familiar but slightly slurred.

"But his mother does...and she needs to know that her son is serious injured!" Ingrid instead.

"I'll tell'er...but she don't care about that little bastard!" the man growled. And then he hung up.