Martin Hofferson had returned an hour after midnight on New Years Day morning to collect his daughter and-as he had half-expected-he found her curled asleep against Hiccup. The boy had looked pale with deep shadows under his eyes but his arm was curled protectively around Astrid and there was a little smile on her face as she lay, her head on his chest. Martin stared at them for a long moment, reluctant to wake them but bleary emerald eyes opened and Hiccup gave a small smile.

"She's safe, sir," he said softly. "I only kissed her. Thank you for letting her see me. It-it meant a lot..." Martin gazed at his daughter and nodded.

"You are her first boyfriend," he told the boy, his eyes inspecting the skinny shape thoughtfully. "I don't want my daughter hurt, you understand?" Hiccup sighed.

"I do, sir-I really do," he replied gently. "And I will never do that. I think what's going to happen is she'll realise she deserves someone so much better than me and she'll leave me." He shrugged and his hand gently moved up from her waist to her back and he gave her a gentle rub. "Astrid?"

"Hmm?"

"Time to get up," he murmured gently.

"Five more minutes, Babe," she mumbled, moving her head slightly. There was a wet patch on his hospital gown where she had drooled on him. Rolling his eyes slightly, Hiccup leaned forward and gently kissed her hair.

"Milady, your Dad's here to take you home," he said gently.

"Wrfgl..." Astrid mumbled, her arm tightening across his stomach. And that moment it hit Martin Hofferson: his daughter was no longer a little girl, but a young woman who was snuggled against her boyfriend. It was clear she trusted him and cared for him...and he stared at the boy once more. With a sigh, Hiccup raised a gentle hand and stroked her face.

"Time to get up and go home," he told her softly. She just clung tighter to him so he looked up at Martin. "I think you better take her anyway," he sighed. "Her coat is over there..." Martin nodded and carefully lifted his daughter in his arms. Her head lolled and she curled against him.

"Happy New Year, Hiccup," Martin murmured as he reached the door. The boy forced a smile onto his face.

"And to you, sir," he said quietly. "Um...if you see a nurse, could you maybe send her this way...? I need some more painkillers and I haven't been able to call her because Astrid was lying on me so I couldn't teach the call button..." Martin stared at him. "Um...well she looked so cute and she had gone to all the trouble to see me so I couldn't really wake her..."

So you lay here in pain rather than wake her. Martin realised. He smiled. "Of course I will, son," he promised as he left. The boy gritted his teeth in pain as he moved. He blinked as he stared at the door.

"No, I'm not...but I really wish I was."

oOo

Hiccup was deemed fit to go home the day after New Years Day when he had been cleared on crutches but he found himself feeling uncharacteristically anxious when it was time to be collected. He was still concerned that Martin wouldn't want him home.

Astrid had arrived in good time and eased some of the anxiety tightening Hiccup's chest. She had brought him a bag of clothes and a pair of Martin's walking socks to wear under the walking cast they had put on him. Self-consciously he had changed, dragging the loose jeans over the plaster but accepting her helping in getting the socks on.

"No point in all that surgery if you get frostbite," she had smirked as he hauled his jacket on and grabbed his crutches.

"Of course...and its Berk so it's, what ten below?"

"At least," she said seriously as he stared at her.

"Then how...?" he asked as the door opened.

"Are we ready to go yet?" Snotlout asked In a bored voice. "I mean how long does it take to get dressed?"

"He's got a broken leg, Snot!" Astrid snapped. "It's not that easy..."

"Yadda yadda! Of course it's that easy!" Snotlout said then winced as Cami whacked his shoulder.

"Everything okay?" she asked, adjusting her long cream scarf.

"It is now," Astrid said in relief.

"Astrid?" Hiccup asked worriedly.

"It's okay-Snot is our lift...and Cami's here to keep him in line!" Astrid grinned. Nodding, the boy made his way into the corridor before a nurse came scampering up with a grin, some papers and a bottle of painkillers.

"You weren't thinking of sneaking out without saying goodbye, were you, Hiccup?" she asked, her deep brown eyes warm. He shook his head and grinned,

"No, Nurse Bethany," he said cheerfully. "I wouldn't dare!" She threw a big hug round him.

"You take care of that leg, okay? I don't wanna see you back with any problems with it!" Her tone was stern.

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied cheekily and she smiled.

"You're a good lad," she said. "These your friends?"

"Yes, Nurse Bethany," Cami piped up. "Well take care of him!" She handed his papers and mess over and they made their way down to Snotlout's SUV...but as they approached, a black head popped up over the dashboard and Hiccup's eyes widened in happiness and relief.

"Toothless!" he exclaimed and accelerated round to the passenger door, pulling it open to see his dog sitting there, tongue lolling and tail wagging. The stump of his leg back leg was still bandaged but the dog was just overjoyed to see his friend. Hiccup dropped his crutches and leaned forward, hugging the mutt. "Missed you, bud," he murmured as the others arrived.

"Well, Astrid said you'd have missed him," Snotlout mumbled awkwardly.

"Thank you," Hiccup said, dragging himself into the seat with the dog perched on his lap. "Yeah, we've both got busted legs, Bud. Just that I've kept mine..." Toothless barked as Astrid stowed the crutches in the trunk as the others got in.

"If that dog wrecks my car..." Snotlout began.

"I'll repair it," Hiccup promised. The football player stared at him. "Oh, come on! Didn't Eret tell you I work in the garage?" Snotlout blinked and suddenly he grinned.

"I may take you up on that..." he smirked as pulled out onto the road. "Especially since I'm your ride from now on." Hiccup stared.

"You can't ride the bus...let alone walk to the next stop," Astrid told him.

"And in school, at least one of us will keep an eye on you," Cami added. Hiccup stiffened.

"What?" he asked, shocked.

"Dagur maybe in jail but his gang are still in school and I doubt the teachers will be keeping a close eye out for you," Astrid told him seriously. "While you're on crutches and your leg is bad, you're vulnerable. So let us help!" Hiccup glanced over at Snotlout who was carefully staring at the road.

"You cool with this?" Hiccup asked the Footballer. Snotlout paused.

"You're Astrid's friend..." he conceded. "And she likes you...so I gotta keep you safe...until she regains her sanity and realises I'm the only one for...OWWW!"

"Oops," Cami said, grinning, having just kicked the back of his seat. "What Snot is trying to say is 'yes, I am very happy you and Ast are together'!"

"But we are serious," Astrid said from behind Hiccup, her hand finding his shoulder. Automatically, his hand found hers. "Savage and the rest will be out for you. You really need to take care. We need to take care..." He sighed.

"No surprise there," he sighed. "I suppose it would be too much to expect to just be a normal student..." Astrid squeezed his hand.

"Babe-you're not normal," she sighed. "Nothing about this is normal. But I don't want you hurt any more." Hiccup gave a wry humourless grin.

"Nothing you can do will stop that," he said darkly, "because even if you stop Dagur's gang, there's still Alvin. And he's never gonna let me go!"