Alvin's lawyers fought furiously for him as Mala laid out her case, presenting witness after witness for her expert and carefully constructed prosecution. Doctors who cared for Hiccup, the gang-especially Astrid, the nurses from ICU who looked after Valka, Gobber, both Astrid's parents and the officiant from the crematorium had all testified against Alvin. Her star witness, of course, was Hiccup, who walked self-consciously to the stand, his lean shape rigid with anxiety. He knew he was no saint and had been warned by Mala that Alvin's lawyer would do everything to discredit him.

And it had been very hard, revisiting the abuse, feeling so embarrassed and weak and...and useless. Explaining why he had accepted the slaps, the blows, how he had seen his Mom picked upon and undermined, how Alvin drank at weekends and holidays and then grew angry and violent. How Hiccup used to distract Alvin's attention and ended up beaten or locked up for his troubles. And how Alvin had hounded him at home and school, giving detention, demanding every detail of his day and hitting him at will.

Astrid sat through it all, watching him struggle as he gradually told his tale and displayed his scars when asked.

"And why didn't you seek help from the council family services department when you were made homeless?" Mala asked quietly. He swallowed and took a slow breath.

"Because they would have called home," he said shakily. "They would have taken me back because Alvin would have told them I ran away. And when I was taken back, after I had been thrown out...I was beaten and then thrown out again."

"And if it was so bad, why didn't you run away?" Mala asked gently. He played with his hands.

"Mom," he said roughly. "I couldn't leave her alone. I-I promised Dad I would look out for her..."

"And when she died?"

Hiccup paled.

"She sent for me, asked me to come. She knew she was dying. Alvin didn't want me there and threatened her that she'd regret it...but she wanted me there. And...and I held her hand until she died..." He gulped and looked down, absently palming his cheeks to wipe away the tears. "And then...I found he'd gone and removed himself as next of kin. He-he left me to sort everything out. I-I had to ask the H-Hoffersons to borrow the money to pay her bills and for the funeral..."

"So why should we believe you, Hiccup?" Mala asked him firmly. "Your disciplinary record is terrible, you confess to being in trouble with the cops, you've cut classes, truanted school, indulged in petty pranks and mild vandalism...why should the jury believe you?"

Hiccup stared at her in a betrayed look.

"Because it's the truth," he said defiantly. "You know, that's what Alvin always said? Who will they believe? A respected pillar of the community and Principal of the High School or a screw-up who's an inch from being kicked out of school?" He paused and his shoulders sagged. "And that's what makes it worse...because I have endured this for years, knowing no one will believe me. I have gone to bed so many nights with no food, been locked int he cellar as a punishment, lain in my room, my face burning with the slaps...or lying curled on my side, my body aching from a beating...and you know how horrible, how utterly desperate it feels to suffer that, to fear going home every day...and knowing no one will ever believe you because you're a bad boy? To know that my suffering is worth nothing because it's done by a well-respected man. And that if he killed me, if I never came back to school, no one would care..."

"So why did you finally disclose what had happened to you?" Mala asked him. He sighed.

"Mom had turned against me," he sighed. "When I was thrown out, I tried to contact her. I went to see her...but she sent me away. I tried calling. I gave her a present at Thanksgiving-a drawing with my cell number on..." He handed over the folded drawing. "But when I tried to contact her again, I was turned away. I was told I had phoned the wrong number when I called her while I was in hospital after I had been run down. In the end, when I was beaten at school by people who wanted me not to press charges against the guys who tried to kill me, I gave up. My Mom was lost, school wasn't a safe place and I just needed to reveal what had happened. The hospital had asked me before about the injuries...and I finally admitted them. Because he had started to target Astrid because she was my friend. And I wouldn't turn him in because it would hurt Mom...but I couldn't let him hurt anyone else. Even if it cost me my Mom: I had to protect her."

"Thank you, Hiccup," Mala said gently. Alvin's lawyer, a solid and aggressive man named Titus Alborg, rose and paced towards Hiccup.

"You're a liar," he condemned the boy. Hiccup stared at him and felt a surge of nager...but he recalled Mala's words.

"Yeah-but not in this..." he replied snarkily. Alborg sneered.

"You lied to Mr Treacher all the time," he accused him. Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah-but what teenage boy tells his School Principal everything he said to his friends? Well, not if he wants to have any friends...and what father slaps and beats his son for going out with his friends and not repeating everything he said to his friends?"

"That never happened!" Alborg snapped.

"How do you know? You weren't there! I was!" Hiccup retorted.

"You lied when he asked you who decided the fight of the senior football team in the Mall..."Alborg snapped. Hiccup smiled grimly.

"Yeah-I stepped up and took the blame rather than the Football Captain and one of the best players so that they wouldn't beat my ass into oblivion and the team would do well," he said clearly. "But Al found out from the Class President who it actually was...and I was sent back to school and he put it around I had betrayed them. So HE lied as well...though his lie caused the Team to be weakened and me to be targeted by everyone for rolling on the players!"

There was silence in court and Alborg paused.

"You were jealous of his relationship with your mother," he accused the boy and Hiccup sighed.

"I didn't like him but my Mom was happy...and I would endure anything for her," he said wearily. "She loved him...but when he got angry, when he hit her...I wouldn't let that happen. I used to butt in...I used to take it for her..." He paused. "He hated me. He made my life Hel. And I know he only wanted Mom. But I promised Dad I would look after her...and I did...as much as I could...because she was my only family and I loved her."

Alborg spent the next hour trying to discredit Hiccup, insulting him, picking at him and sneering at him...but he maintained his cool and answered calmly and defiantly. And finally, he was released. He stumbled on his way to the seats and sank breathlessly by Astrid. Mala sat back and Alborg called his only witness: Alvin Treacher.

Alvin painted himself as the wronged party, a good and caring man who was abused and defied by a vicious and malign intruder. Hiccup was described as rude, sullen defiant. he was accused of attacking Alvin and stealing from him. Astrid felt his hand tighten around hers and she saw his pale face, seeing his jaw tighten and eyes sparkle in anger and she leaned close. Gently, he slid an arm around her and hugged her close, nuzzling against her hair and sighing.

"They'll believe him," he murmured. "Gods, what was I thinking?" She moved her head to brush her lips against his cheek.

"Have faith in Mala..." Astrid murmured as the DA rose slowly, her eyes sweeping over the huge shape in the witness box. She looked him over dismissively.

"Mr Treacher...you're a failure," she told him bluntly. He smirked.

"Yer can't catch me like that," he sneered. She smiled and turned to face him.

"Failure as a husband-you refused your wife medical care when she most needed it. Failure as a father because you beat and starved your stepson, then cast him out to freeze to death. Failure as a teacher because your stepson's grades collapsed under your care, in your house...a son who you would never permit to gain his Diploma. And failure as a man, for walking away from his dying wife in a fit of jealousy over her dying wish to see her only child..."

"She 'ad me child!" he shouted at her violently. "She killed 'im in 'er weakness! She failed ME!" Mala narrowed her eyes and sighed.

"It must have been so frustrating for you, having such an insolent and defiant boy in your home, eating your food, benefitting from your generosity..." she said and he nodded. "He refused to honour you in your home. He accorded you no respect. He never called you sir or father...just...Al..." Treacher frowned.

"'E were a difficult boy," he said through his teeth.

"Difficult? He defied you. He lied to you. He refused to do his chores. He tried to turn your wife against you!" Mala challenged him.

"'E never stood a chance!"

"But he tried all the same!" Mala encouraged him. "Bet you hated that skinny little bastard, cheeking you, defying you and refusing to obey your rules..."

"I tolerated 'im because me wife were fond of 'im..."

"But he tried to turn her against you," Mala persisted.

"Objection..."

"And he used to disrespect you in front of the students at your own School. That must have stung. Some skinny penniless little bastard daring to defy you in your now domain. Bet you wished you'd beaten the sass out of him sooner..."

"I got me belt on 'im soon enough...but I should've beaten the little bastard as soon as 'e started ter cheek me!" Alvin snarled. "I know 'e used ter back off when I shouted at him...but 'e still needed ter feel the weight of me 'and every day ter keep his tongue still! And I belted 'im at least every week!"

"But he still used to lie to you. He was a stubborn brat!" Mala snarked. Alvin leapt to his feet.

"I would 've broken 'im if I'd kept 'im longer but I finally found a reason I could use ter throw the little bastard out. I never wanted 'im back...but I could tell 'is mother that he ran off. And if 'e turned up, I could tell 'er that 'e fought me when I beat the little bastard and threw 'im out. Them cops believed me...they almost told me ter beat 'im ter stop 'is sass! So I were only doin' what they suggested. And she were watching from the second floor. She saw me beat the little bastard in the yard and throw 'im out...and she did nothin'! She never said a word...so I knew I'd won!"

Mala straightened up and gave a thin smile, her cool gaze sweeping over the universally disgusted and appalled faces of the jury.

"No, Mister Treacher-I'm pretty certain you've lost," she said turning away. "I have nothing further for this witness," she added as she sat back in her seat.

oOo

It took the jury about four hours of deliberation...two of which were taken up with arguing over and ordering pizza...to find Alvin Treacher Guilty of all charges. He was sentenced to five years in jail and he was taken away, still blustering and whining that it was a complete miscarriage of justice. The School Board promptly fired him and barred him from ever working in Berk's school's again.

Hiccup sat still as the court emptied, staring at the dock and breathing slowly. Astrid sat loyally at his side, her hands twined with his.

"It's over," she told him gently, leaning against him. He rested his head against her. his emerald eyes closing as he drew her hands against his body.

"It will never be completely over," he sighed. "Gods, he took so much from me...including the last months of Mom's life...and probably Mom herself. At least...they saw through him...so he couldn't hurt you."

She sighed and turned her head so she could nuzzle gently against him. "I heard what you said, babe," she admitted. "I know admitting the abuse hurt you...shamed you. And I know it turned your Mom against you. I-I can't thank you enough for protecting me." He moved slightly and he kissed her forehead gently.

"I will always protect you-because I love you, Milady," he murmured gently. "You are all I have left." She turned to him and wrapped her arms around him, staring up into his sad face.

"I love you too, babe," she murmured. "And you will always have me. I not leaving you." She leaned up and kissed him. "It's gonna take time, Hiccup-but remember...he can't hurt you any more. You're free."

He stared into her smiling azure eyes and leaned forward.

"Freedom," he murmured. "I-I...had forgotten really what that felt like." She smiled coyly and slid her hands up to tangle in his auburn hair.

"Like this," she smirked and deeply kissed him.