The funeral was a small affair, held at the town Crematorium and announced for two days in the Berk Post. Hiccup was attending, with the Hoffersons and Gobber. Alvin had been invited as well, much to Hiccup's discomfort-but he had legally been Valka's husband and the boy knew he had to make the offer...though his stomach was in knots at the prospect of facing his abuser again.

When they arrived, Valka's casket was already in position, carved from the pine of Berk and the back row of the small room was full of the gang. Hiccup stared in shock, seeing Heather, Cami, the twins, Snotlout, Eret, Fishlegs and even Gustav sitting there in various black pieces of clothing-though Gustav's black 'Metallica' T-shirt possibly wasn't the most appropriate choice. Astrid frowned at the younger boy and he gulped but the others nodded back. Under his coat, Hiccup was in a black shirt over his black jeans while Astrid was wearing a little black dress with black tights and heels. Gleaming around her neck was the Nadder pendant and the Valentine bracelet glinted at her wrist. Her hand was determinedly twined with Hiccup's as she walked at his side, her parents following them. Gobber lumbered along in his best (though scruffy) black suit, his bald head bare in respect for Valka.

The Minister waited for five minutes after the appointed start time but there was no sign of Valka's second husband...so he started the simple service, entreating the gods to look kindly on Valka-a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend. Finally, he invited the audience to stand forward to speak about the deceased. After a moment, Hiccup stood up, a tall lean shape in black that made his very faintly freckled skin look paler and emphasised the shadows under his dulled emerald eyes. He sighed and stood at the lectern, hands tightening on the wood as he faced the room.

"My mother, Valka, was a special woman," he said slowly. "She met my Dad when they were at College and my Dad always told me that for him, it was love a first sight. Mom said something similar and they became...inseparable...and they decided to built a life together. She supported Dad in the Army and when he left to set up Dragon's Edge Travel. They built a good life together...and when I was born, their family was complete. She was a bright, loving Mom who was full of fun and who always cared about her family. She wasn't physically strong but Dad and I looked out for her...but when he died, we were suddenly left alone, without Dad, without any money, losing our home...and she found it so hard to cope. When she met...Mr Treacher, she fell for him and he promised to protect her."

He paused and swallowed, his eyes findings Astrid's. She nodded and he spoke to her, as she had suggested when he had confessed that he was worried he wouldn't be able to manage the speech.

"But things weren't so great and though she believed in him, he wasn't always...kind and he certainly didn't do what he said. He was controlling and often angry and she lost her smile and stopped being the Mom I knew. I did my best to stop him hurting her...but it was very hard. He...didn't want me there, ruining his family. When I was sent away from home, I tried to keep in touch, but she was too scared to defy him and speak to me. But in the end, when she knew she was dying, she wanted to talk to me. She never stopped missing Dad and in the end, she wanted to be with him. I hope she is happy and at peace." He paused and blinked. "I love her and I miss her and...and one day...I-I hope..."

He bowed his head and stopped speaking. Astrid rose and walked to his side, taking his hand and smiling gently. He leaned against her, his head briefly resting against hers. She stood at his side, holding his hand as he lifted his head.

"One day, we will meet again in Valhalla. One day I will see both Mom and Dad again. But today...I just miss her." He nodded and the Minister walked to the controls. He recited the incantation as the casket slid through the curtains and vanished from sight. Hiccup gave a dry sob, and then hugged Astrid once more, breathing raggedly as she stroked his head before lifting his face and nodding. Gobber walked up and hugged him while Snotlout came and shook his hand...as did Eret and Fishlegs. The twins went for fist-bumps and Heather and Cami offered awkward hugs. Gustav gave avery self-conscious wave as he turned away with the others. For a long moment, he stared after the casket, feeling numb...and then he blinked. Dragging on his coat, Hiccup followed them, still holding Astrid's hand as the Hoffersons spoke quietly with the Minister. But they made it as far as the car park outside when a Toyota screeched up and the furious shape of Alvin erupted out into the cold, grey afternoon.Hiccup's eyes widened and he pushed Astrid behind him.

"You're too late," he said clearly. "The ceremony is over. We waited...and you never showed!"

"'OW DARE YER?" Alvin bellowed, advancing on the tall, lean shape. "She were me wife-'ow dare yer bury 'er without me?"

"First-she's being cremated as per her wishes and second...you absolved yourself of anything to do with it when you removed yourself as next of kin and left me to field all her bills and the cost of the funeral!" Hiccup told him sharply. "We announced the funeral in the paper and I left messages on your answerphone. Not that you cared about Mom enough to even answer!"

"She were me wife! I deserved ter 'ave me say!"

"I think you're making up for it now," Hiccup replied sarcastically. "I think your actions are saying everything everyone needs to know..." Alvin lurched forward and his eyes widened, though he forced himself to remain standing between Alvin and Astrid. He was breathing hard.

"Yer a vicious little bastard!" Alvin growled. "And yer mother were nothing but a lazy, whining sponger! She took me money and ended up doin' nothin' but bringing' her ungrateful son inter the 'ouse and killin' me baby and herself!"

There were gasps at the callous statement and Hiccup felt anger thicken his throat but he forced his voice to remain even-though very sarcastic. "Wow-glad to see your love only lasted as long as there was the prospect of claiming Dad's estate!" he shot at the man.

"Yer little..." Alvin roared and grabbed Hiccup by the arm, dragging the boy away from Astrid and cuffing him three times across the face. Hiccup curled up and tried to get his other arm up to protect his head as the Principal lifted his fist and punched the boy to the ground, going down with a thud. Stunned, he curled away and cringed. Alvin lunged at him...and found himself facing Snotlout, Eret, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, Gustav and Gobber, all glaring at the man and planted firmly in the way with bunched fists or-in Gobber's case-a very lethal-looking hook.

"Get outta me way!" Alvin growled.

"Back off, Treacher-or ye'll have tae face us-and then the cops..." Gobber growled.

"And we're all witnesses," Astrid shouted defiantly, kneeling by the stunned and bloody Hiccup. Martin and Ingrid arrived at the door, having witnessed the attack from just inside the Crematorium.

"And I believe the security cameras have the entire incident captured as well, Mr Treacher," Martin announced. The principal spun like a shot, shocked.

"It were a moment of madness!" he protested. "I were just mad with grief at the death of me beloved wife..."

"Who you loved so much that you refused to have anything to do with making arrangements for her funeral, payment for her treatment or collection of her possessions." Ingrid added.

"I rather think you should leave now," the Minister told him and, face scarlet with rage, Alvin turned to his car.

"This ain't over!" he promised, glaring at Hiccup, who was being helped up by the girls. Tyres screeched as he roared away, to a sigh of relief from almost everyone. Snotlout said what everyone was thinking.

"Wow-was he like that all the time at home?" Hiccup shook his head and gently ghosted his hand over the welts on his cheek, feeling the skin already swelling with the bruise.

"No...sometimes he was actually angry and used just kick the crap outta me," he managed shakily, "though he was worse when he was cold and in control. Then I knew he would plan something especial horrible..." He visibly shook himself, feeling Astrid wrap her arms around him. "Th-thank you all. That-that meant a lot to me."

"Friends stick together," Fishlegs told him with a small smile. "And you needed us. One day, we may need your help..."

"That's how it goes..." Eret admitted.

"Though if you help my sister, you automatically have to help me the same," Tuff told him. "We're twins-that how it works..."

"No it doesn't," Cami told him.

"Hey, it was worth a try," Tuff grinned.

"Are you okay?" Astrid asked Hiccup softly and he nodded absently, breathing hard as Astrid's parents walked up. He was shocked when Ingrid hugged him fiercely and Martin grasped his hand firmly: the man had seen how the boy had pushed his daughter behind him to protect her.

"Hiccup..." Ingrid breathed and he gulped.

"Um...AIR!" he gasped. Looking sheepish, she released him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry...but are you okay...?" she asked worriedly. Astrid grasped his hand possessively and snuggled close as he looked at his girlfriend affectionately.

"I think your daughter will make sure I am," he admitted.

"Yer gotta call the cops, laddie," Gobber put in but Hiccup shook his head urgently.

"No...I have had more than enough dealings with them recently," Hiccup said stubbornly. "And you heard him..he'll claim he was grief-stricken and that I annoyed him...they'd just caution him..."

"Hey...we won't allow that!" Snotlout protested.

"Son, I will still forward the video to the police," the Minister said calmly. "I cannot allow such behaviour in this place..." Giving a shrug, Hiccup sighed.

"Whatever you feel is right, sir," he said heavily as they headed back to the car. The Hoffersons had hired out the 'Meade Hall' restaurant for the funeral 'feast'...an old Viking tradition that combined a wake and good meal out, where everyone celebrated the life of the deceased. Astrid sat in the back with Hiccup, feeling his fingers idly stroke hers as he stared straight ahead: she could tell he was very distracted.

"Hiccup? Babe? What's on your mind?" she asked gently. He managed a one-shouldered shrug, eyes swinging round to look into her worried face.

"They all saw," he murmured softly. "They saw how weak, how helpless I was..." His tone was savage. "How useless..."

"Oh no, babe," Astrid said urgently, half-turning to face him and gripping his hands in hers. "I'll tell you what I saw...what they all saw...they saw you face up to Alvin as he came raging at you...they saw you push me behind you to protect me...and they all saw you sass the Hel out of him! You never backed away. You never backed down! And you never gave up. You showed him up for what he was-in front of witnesses! That was really brave..." He shook his head.

"I just cringed and all the guys had to rescue me..." he said in a shamed voice.

"After he'd punched you to the ground!" Astrid told him urgently. "I was so worried for you...but your friends came through. You protected me...they protected you...that's how friends work..." He flicked his emerald gaze up and sighed.

"Never has for me," he admitted. "Um...always been me protecting other people and them just expecting it and threatening me if I didn't..."

"Oh, babe," she sighed and kissed him gently on the cheek. He hummed softly.

"Though getting beaten up seems to have some benefits..." he admitted with a wry smile, feeling her snuggle against her. Ingrid's blue eyes were crinkled with a smile as he glimpsed them in the rear-view mirror and he wrapped his arm around the girl. "Even makes it worth it..."

oOo

The Feast was in full swing as the gang, Hiccup, the Hoffersons and Gobber all celebrated Valka's life. Gobber proved especially effective at telling stories of when Hiccup's parents were younger and the boy found himself astonished at what they had gotten up to.

"Aye, they were wild ones, yer parents," he admitted. "Yer Mom had a wicked sense o'humour and she used tae be almost as sarcastic as ye, laddie!"

"Is that even possible?" Cami asked. Gobber grinned and grasped his mug of mead happily.

"Oh, she had a wit like an axe, that one. Cut through everything!" he grinned. Hiccup glanced across the table, groaning with food still...though the Team and Gobber were making a sizeable dent in the piles.

"Um, Gobber...I know you volunteered to arrange this to remember Mom...and Dad...but why great hunks of meat precisely?" he asked, looking at ribs, wings, quarter-chickens, steaks and mutton legs. "Not feeding the whole Football Team actually..."

"No-just half of it!" Snotlout grinning, chewing through his second leg of mutton. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Really, Snot?" he asked. The Captain wiped his mouth and looked seriously at the auburn-haired boy.

"That was really brave, man," he commented, offering his hand. "I mean...I wouldn't have wanted to face him on my own...but you just went in there...BANG!"

"Bang was right," Hiccup commented, feeling his cheek. It was very swollen and he guessed he would get a black eye out of it.

"Honestly...only your boyfriend could get beaten up at a funeral, Ast!" Heather teased her. Astrid threw a potato fry at her.

"Hey...my amazing boyfriend just lost his Mom and still gave a great speech...and still protected me from someone who just came to cause trouble!" she said smugly, pulling Hiccup close. He smiled at her.

"Um...I actually think he just came to attack me," he sighed. She grabbed his shirt and hauled him close.

"Just remember, we're all on your side," she murmured as he turned to her.

"Then, no matter what has happened, no matter what he's taken from me, I'm still the luckiest man in Berk," he smiled and kissed her.