School was over and graduation was only a week or so away but Hiccup had something he needed to do before the day, a closure he had to achieve. So he made preparations and loaded the car he had bought three weeks earlier for this particular journey.

Of course, Astrid was coming with him because she knew that he had been planning the trip for months, ever since his Mom had died. Despite living with the Hoffersons and being free of any contact of Alvin, he still had some dark days when the loss of his Mom hit him hard, when guilt swirled tightly around the boy for failing to protect her from his malign influence...and on those days, Astrid stayed close to him, holding him and making sure he knew he wasn't alone. And on those days, he truly thanked Odin he had her.

Once the others found out, they had all decided to come as well so they private pilgrimage had rapidly turned into a road trip. They had packed tents and camping gear because it was a long way to go to just turn round and come back the same day. Astrid had checked Hiccup was okay and he had offered a wan smile, checking he had the most important item in his bag.

"You okay, babe?" she asked him, her hand finding his. He gave a small nod, his expression distracted.

"Yeah, Milady...just...nervous, y'know? I wanted to do this because I guess this is how she should want to go, to be with Dad...wherever he actually is...but it feels really final, ya know?" She nodded and turned to face him, her hands on his arms. Quietly, his hands slid to her waist.

"I know it is so hard, Hiccup-but I'm here with you," she told him gently. "Don't worry, babe. You're not alone." He gave a pained smile.

"Yeah," he sighed and then she rose other tiptoes and kissed him.

"Babe, you're not alone," she repeated and he rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm not sure what I would do without you," he admitted.

"Never get on the road," she reminded him and he gave a grin.

"Yes, Milady," he said meekly, causing Snotlout to snigger:

"So whipped!" Hiccup cast him a roll of the eyes and clambered into the driver's seat with Astrid beside him. Toothless bounded into the back before Heather and Fishlegs could scramble in. Snotlout was bringing the twins and Cami along but Eret had to work at the Sports Shop in the Mall he worked at when he wasn't working at Gobber's so he wasn't able to come-much to Ruff's dismay. Hiccup wished he had told her that he wasn't interested but accepted that the other man had to live his own life...and make his own choices. But finally, they hit the road and headed out to the mountains above Berk and the area where Stoick Haddock's plane had vanished over five years earlier.

Despite the destination, it was a lovely sunny day with a clear blue sky and the road was almost empty. They two cars left the Highway and took the turn up into the moutons, beginning the long drive up the small, winding roads that had made the search for the missing man so difficult five years earlier. Hiccup had carefully navigated the way, stopping after an hour and a half to allow everyone to stretch their legs and Toothless to run off some energy. Despite his missing leg, the skinny black dog was still agile and filled with boundless energy. The gang had enjoyed the break and all had some snacks and drinks before heading up into the high mountains, the most remote part of the island. The roads got worse and worse, narrow tracks that barely existed in places and reduced their speed to a crawl.

"This...is not...comfortable..." Heather complained, bouncing around.

"Not great...for my...shocks..." Hiccup added. Astrid grinned.

"Nor mine!" she grinned.

"Milady!" he said in shock, his eyes wide at the comment. "And I thought you were a nice girl..."

"Says the class bad boy..." she shot back. He blushed slightly.

"I think I just came second," he mumbled as her hand slid up his leg. "Aargh! Astrid...we'll crash!"

"We're doing about five miles an hour, just above walking pace," Fishlegs said happily from the back. Heather was clutching him as they jolted about and though the ride was uncomfortable, the actual experience wasn't that unpleasant.

"It's not your car we're going to crash," Hiccup grumbled as they reached a dead end. He pulled up and sighed. "This is as close as I can reckon to where the plane went down..." he sighed, checking his GPS. He secured the car and got out. "I think we're on foot now..." Astrid jumped down and Toothless bounded to his side, tongue hanging out and tail wagging eagerly at the prospect of a good walk. Snotlout was already grumbling.

"We have to walk now? Just great!" he snarked. "Do you have any idea where you're going?" Hiccup sighed and fished out his sketch book. He flipped it open the reveal maps, flight plans and calculations of where the plane was last known and where the supposed crash site was. The teens all grabbed their rucksacks and began hiking down the slope and into the isolated valley. Hiccup checked his traditional compass as well as a GPS and led the way.

They walked for a couple of hours through the hot and windless afternoon. Snotlout had been moaning since five minutes after they left the car, his cap pushed back and face red. The guys and Cami all wore caps except the twins, who had matching bush hats. Astrid wore her headband and Heather had a scarf wound around her brow. Hiccup paused, sweat streaming down his face in rivulets and tendrils of sweat-darkened hair stuck to his forehead. He looked hot and mildly sunburned, his pale complexion completely unsuited to a summer hike. Astrid took a sip of water and walked to his side, breathing hard.

"You okay, babe?" she asked. She had seen him limping slightly and grimacing as they scrambled up the sleep slope into the next part of the valley. He looked at her and gave her a very grateful smile.

"Leg's aching," he sighed. "All those exercises you ruthlessly forced me to do got me walking properly again...but I don't think my ankle was designed to climb over half of Berk..." She gently caught his hand.

"Hmm...I can see why you like him..." Cami piped up with a mischievous look. "He's tall, gorgeously sweaty..."

"...and mine!" Astrid growled, nuzzling against his neck possessively. Then she pulled a face. "She's right about the sweaty bit though..." she added in a low voice. He smirked.

"Not exactly the most fragrant yourself either..." he murmured back, kissing her cheek gently.

"Fragrant?"

"Did you want me to tell you that you're almost as sweaty and gross as I am?" he asked her softly. He had already tensed in anticipation when her fist slammed into his shoulder. "I think I've got a permanent bruise there!" he added with a wince.

"You so deserved that!" she retorted.

"You are much fitter than I am, Milady...in every sense of the word, may I add...but we won't get much further if you beat me up..." he suggested softly and she smiled up at him, seeing the affection in his sparkling emerald gaze.

"Guys!" It was Fishlegs.

"Can we have a moment, Fish? Just having a little personal time here..." Hiccup murmured.

"Personal time?"

"Well, I personally adored spending time bantering with you, my ferocious girlfriend..." he added.

"You could...but maybe you may want to see this?" Fish called from a few yards to their left. Hiccup sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Coming," he sighed.

"This better not be another Loki-damned plant!" Snotlout called from the ground, where he was lying down, hands behind his head and sunbathing. "You've talked about nothing but plants for the last two hours..."

"Well, this area has fascinating primordial Berkian flora and fauna..." Fishlegs retorted.

"Yeah!" Tuff shouted. His twin looked at him in shock. "Not yeah?"

"Fish...what was it?" Hiccup sighed, limping up the slope. The husky boy pointed...and as they all looked, they saw weathered wreckage scattered at the bottom of the valley. Hiccup's eyes widened and he looked at Astrid. His mouth was suddenly dry and she nodded, taking charge.

"Move out!" she snapped. "Sooner we get down there, the sooner we can finish what we started." She caught Hiccup's hand for a second and nodded, then hefted her pack over her back and strode down the hill. Hiccup turned and walked after her, his green gaze fixed on the twisted metal, memories swirling round the boy. For a second, he recalled the last time he saw his father as he headed for the airport on that final, fateful day: the broad grin, the sparkling eyes, the enormous flaming red beard, the huge hug he had given his skinny, undergrown son and the final twinkle in his eye as the front door closed behind him. He blinked and concentrated on the steep path, feeling the hard shape of the urn bounce in his backpack. He had brought Valka's ashes to spread on the site of the crash, to allow her to rest with her husband.

When they hit the valley floor, Hiccup accelerated, ignoring the pain in his ankle and his exhaustion, his emerald gaze fixed on the twisted metal. He could see the red and brown flaming dragon logo of Dragon's Edge Tours on a crumpled piece of fuselage and as they closed, he could see part then all of the registration: D2R-BRK. He paused and peered at the printout on his sketch book but he knew the registration by heart now: it was the same.

Suddenly he accelerated and Astrid watched him sprint away, a faint limp still visible as he dashed forward with Toothless bounding after him, tongue lolling in the heat. She paused for just a second...then ran after him, swiping branches of the low shrubs aside as they finally found the crash site. Hiccup ground to a halt, breathing hard, his eyes fizzed on the crumpled wreckage. There was part of the main cabin and cockpit and fragments of wings and tail but he stared at the smashed wreck and couldn't imagine anyone surviving such a horrible disaster. Astrid arrived at his side, seeing him blink and swallow as he tried to process what he was seeing. The others arrived noisily as Astrid took his hand and felt it tighten urgently around hers.

"Is this it?" she asked and he nodded.

"Yeah," he sighed. "This is where my father died."