EIGHTEEN:

It took some time for things to start to settle down once more. Back in classes, there had been looks and whispers but somehow, they had lost their power because Hiccup and Astrid knew that the people driving the lies had been exposed and that the truth would come out soon enough. They had texted Fishlegs and he had promised to ensure that Gustav's video was up front and centre on BerkBook and that every student would be sent a link. And by lunchtime, everyone had seen the video and the simple couple of sentences below that had completely exploded Atali's campaign against Astrid and Hiccup and any lingering suspicion of any guilt on Hiccup's part. But there were still clusters of students at lunch, whispering and staring at their phones and casting glances at Hiccup as he tried to have lunch.

"I will be glad when this day is over," Hiccup murmured, glancing over at a knot of Sophomore girls who were talking excitedly and pointing at Astrid. She sighed.

"You know, a couple of weeks ago, I was invisible. Nobody," she told him, sipping her soda. "And honestly? I hated it. I resented being treated like nothing when I know I have as much worth, as much value as everyone else. And that the words of a few spoilt, selfish girls condemned me to being a pariah. But now...it would be so much better to be invisible and not have to put up with all these looks." Hesitantly, he touched her hand, his skin warm and gentle.

"I agree," he said honestly. "These last few days have been like Helheim. I-I don't think I could have gone on without you." Her hand closed around his and she gave a wan smile.

"Well, at least they finally know the truth," she sighed as the others arrived. Heather sat on her other side with Fishlegs opposite Hiccup, Ruff opposite Astrid and Tuff opposite Heather. Dagur sat at the end of the table by Heather, glancing around at the canteen.

"Some of them still won't believe it," he said, munching his hot dog. "People idolise Atali and Snotlout and even though they have both done terrible things, there are still those who will worship them."

"You're right," Heather conceded. "Though she never came back from the Principal's Office, by the way."

"You think she's still locked up in there?" Tuff asked with a wry grin. "Though I would expect Principal Queen to send for SWAT to rescue her. Can you imagine being trapped with Atali? Your brain would melt from boredom!"

"Hey-we used to spend weekends and evenings with her!" Ruff protested as Tuff almost fell off his chair with laughter at her expression, recalling her complaints when she had returned home.

"And though some of it was fun, a lot of it wasn't," Heather commented. "You know, the longer I spend not being in her clique, the more I wonder why I wanted to be! It's a sort of collective madness that you want to be in with the Queen Bee and become blind to the fact that she is the most boring, dull, opinionated, bigoted, selfish, shallow girl on the planet!"

"It's true," Ruff sighed, carefully stretching an orange gummy worm. "You told yourself it was all reasonable and part of being in with the populars but there were moments when you just felt uncomfortable and wondered what Realm she was really from. And she was so cruel and dismissive about other people: there really was no humanity or kindness in her at all."

"No one could say that about either of you," Fishlegs piped up kindly. "You both came through for Astrid when she needed it." Heather nudged her friend with a wry smile.

"In her time in the group, she reminded us what it was like to be a decent person, rather than a selfish snide bitch," she said as Astrid blushed.

"I was pretending as much as everyone," she admitted. "I just couldn't bring myself to be mean to other people. My parents taught me better than that." Ruff groaned and rested her face on the table.

"So did mine-I just ignored it," she admitted.

"Except you never let anyone get away with dissing Tuff," Heather reminded her. "You remember that Freshman, Tiffany?" Ruff looked up, peeled the gummy worm off her forehead amd began to carefully stretch it again.

"Yeah-she called Tuff an alien weirdo," Ruff nodded. Then she grinned at the memory.

"And you persuaded her that you had this amazing hair conditioner," Heather chuckled. "Her hair ended up a combination of pink and green. I think she had to shave it off and wear a wig because you also included so much hydrogen peroxide it was breaking off in clumps..." Tuff high-fived his sister.

"The full Loki," he sighed. "I'm proud of you." Then all their phones beeped. Hiccup peered at his screen.

"Atali and Mindy have been suspended for two weeks for their behaviour," he read. "Atali is furious and is blaming everyone-including Lord Odin, apparently-everyone except herself." Astrid craned her neck and glanced over at the table Thora and Kari were keeping for their two remaining leaders-and found herself smiling slightly. Eret and Thuggory were looking bored by the two gushing Juniors and she could guess that the two jocks would dump the 'babies' as soon as they got the news.

"So you realise that the whole of Atali's little group has fallen apart?" she murmured. "Your masterplan is working, Sasscup." Hiccup glanced over and his eyes were thoughtful as he watched Ruff and Tuff sneak off the hide the metre-long gummy worm in Thora's locker, since she had a phobia of snakes.

"Thor, I'm not sure I'll survive any more of this masterplan," he admitted. "I mean I've been beaten up, shoved down the stairs and completely ostracised over the last week. Any more and I'll be in the next bed to Snot-and that really would finish me off!"

"But it was your masterplan," Fishlegs pointed out.

"And if I plan anything again, please lock me up until I regain my sanity," Hiccup told him sassily. Astrid pecked a kiss on his cheek.

"Never you fear," she reassured him. "And now we have to show the others that posing and being mean to other people isn't the only way to behave."

oOo

Things settled over the next couple of days and Atali's video appeal was taken down from BerkBook-though not before Fishlegs had copied it and everything associated with the bullying incident. Hiccup started feeling better now that the whispers and murmurs vanished but he remained a little on edge, alert for any elbows or carelessly stuck-out legs. Gustav had his tutoring scheduled and found the older boy grateful and patient with the exuberant Junior, finally managing to get some knowledge to stick in his brain. The others also offered tutoring and had several enquires.

As Astrid had predicted, Thora and Kari were blanked by Eret and Thuggory and found themselves firmly put in their place when they tried to assume the role of Queen Bee in Atali's absence. Astrid and her friends continued to come in together and found a lot of the less forward students and many of the seniors looking to them for guidance. So they helped where they could, offering advice and guidance where asked but never pushing their opinion on others unless requested. Ruff found herself a fashion and make-up Guru while Heather was shyly approached by a number of younger girls and found that her style and kindness were appreciated by people who would never have imagined they could speak to Atali.

Come Thursday, school had settled and Astrid had persuaded Hiccup that she and Finn could give him a lift that afternoon. He was exempted Phys Ed due to his injuries and had spent those lessons int he Library, catching up with the work he had missed during his time off with concussion but he was very grateful when a warm-looking Astrid plopped into the seat opposite him, rolling her eyes as she rested her bag down and pulled out her water bottle for a quick drink.

"Tough lesson?" he murmured as she nodded.

"Dodgeball," she grumbled, pushing her sweaty bangs off of her face. "I wouldn't mind but Thug and Eret were on the opposing team so they spent the entire time hitting me with balls. Including two to the face." Eyebrows dipping, her looked at her more closely and saw the faint bruise on her cheek. He sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. Blue eyes flicked up to inspect his face.

"Why?" she asked. "You didn't do anything..."

"Yeah," he said self-consciously. "That was the problem. If I had been there, they would probably had targeted me instead..." She sighed.

"Don't beat yourself up, Haddock," she told him.

"Nope-got plenty of people lining up to do that for me-Hoffy," he replied. She swatted his shoulder irritably. "Including my girlfriend, apparently."

"You can't blame yourself for everything, Babe," she reminded him. "They choose to be assholes because they're assholes. They both got laps of the Football field for deliberately targeting me-in the rain-when I was out of play though." Then she determinedly screwed the top back on her water. "Come on. We have somewhere to go." Hiccup frowned.

"Um...where?" he asked warily as she rose and offered him her hand.

"Finn has it all planned," she told him with a grin. He grasped her hand and rose.

"I trust you," he said and rammed his books into his bag, then followed her. Finn was waiting, his face lit by a broad grin.

"Ah-my favourite Viking and Valkyrie," he greeted them, offering his hand to Hiccup. Automatically, Hiccup shook it and then rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously as the car pulled away.

"Um...I think that may be my Dad," he confessed. Finn chuckled.

"He is definitely not my favourite Valkyrie," he corrected the auburn-haired teen.

"Probably the best Viking though," Hiccup suggested. Finn glanced over at Astrid.

"I think...you may be my niece's favourite Viking though," he admitted. "So she wants to spend a little more time with you...as her Viking." Hiccup's eyes widened.

"Um...what?" he asked in concern as the bluff man burst out laughing.

"Don't worry, Hiccup," he guffawed. "Nothing bad. Or illegal. Dane and Bernard are desperate that they have a little bit more of Astrid-and you-in the movie."

"Me?" he gasped, staring wildly from Finn to Astrid. She was giggling and he was grinning at his discomposure.

"The scene you and Astrid did in the battle was so sweet and so touching that they wanted a coda," Finn explained. "When the Valkyrie saved you and you then saved her...there was this look between you that just sizzled."

"Sizzled?" Hiccup asked faintly. "I'm sure that's not right. I didn't sizzle. I've never sizzled in my life. I'm kind of scrawny and auburn and freckly. That doesn't sizzle. Ever."

"Really?" Astrid smirked. "Because you're pretty hot and half of the Freshmen think you're scorching, Babe..."

"And there is no way I am scorching," Hiccup argued. "Lukewarm. Maybe room temperature..."

"Hot, hot, hot..." she smiled and winked. "I think you are definitely a sizzler."

"Dear Thor..." Hiccup murmured. Still chuckling, Finn watched them.

"And it's that chemistry that is what shines through," he told them. "Dane and Bernard saw it. So the last scene...that will be embedded among the credits...is the young Viking, back on his farm...when the beautiful Valkyrie comes back to stay." Hiccup's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Yup," Astrid confirmed. "Once the Son of Thor is restored, the Valkyrie chooses her fate...you."

"She's doomed," Hiccup said wryly. Finn burst out laughing.

"I really like you, Hiccup," he commented. "Are you willing to do this?"

"It completes Astrid's story, doesn't it?" he realised, his hand gently brushing hers. The Producer nodded.

"Only if you're feeling up to it," Finn added. "You've been in the wars, I hear-and see." Hiccup gently touched the bruise on his forehead and nodded.

"It's fine, sir," he said. "Though this may be a nuisance for the movie?" But Finn chuckled again.

"The make-up department will have no problem covering that up," he assured the young man. "Now let me take you through what we're going to be doing..."

By the time they arrived at the set, Hiccup was anxious. He actually had the coda scene with the Valkyrie to go through and then a few shots of him watching her fly away to be inserted in the end of the battle scene. Timothy was waiting when they landed and eagerly led the pair through to the wardrobe trailer and make-up and by the time Astrid emerged as the gorgeous Valkyrie once more, Hiccup was almost ready. She leaned forward and pecked a kiss on his cheek-to the tutting of the make-up artiste-and then dashed off to film a small scene with Dane that would precede her decision to join the Viking. By the time he emerged, Astrid had rehearsed and Hiccup stood back and watched, standing by Finn as Dane as Thor thanked her for her aid-and told her that she should follow her heart-as he was following his in loving Sif Goldenhair. Quietly, she gave a small smile, nodded once and turned away, striding off to go to him and settle on Midgard.

Once Bernard had yelled cut, Dane came over as they set up again for a second take. He instantly offered Hiccup his hand.

"I am so glad that you agreed," he said warmly. "Ever since Astrid became our Valkyrie, I have wanted to complete her story. She's been absolutely amazing and for her to have her happy ending will just mirror the end of the story for the Son of Thor..." Hiccup smiled and bowed his head.

"Um...as long as I don't mess it up for you," he said self-consciously but Dane roared with laughter.

"You are the perfect Viking," he said and wrapped a reassuring arm around his shoulders. "Look, Hiccup-you have the most amazing chemistry with Astrid and that shines through on the screen. Why do you think we made you reshoot your battle scenes together several times? We wanted plenty of footage to intercut with the other parts of the battle as a juxtaposition to the bloodshed and the central storyline." Hiccup managed a small smile.

"You know-I am very grateful," he said. "But really I'm only here for Astrid. I really would do anything for her."

"Word has it you already have," Dane told him conspiratorially. "Including saving her from a complete slime at a dance. And getting into a brawl."

"Or two-and she has saved me as well," Hiccup confessed, stealing a glance at the beautiful shape. "Do you think people will want her to act again after this?"

"For sure-if she wants it," Dane told him. "She has real presence, she's a natural and she is a hard worker. Good memory as well." And then he glanced at the younger man and stared into the emerald eyes. "And she is clearly very fond of you. I don't think she'll vanish to Hollywood and leave you, Hiccup. She seems far too sensible for that!" Hiccup sighed.

"She is too sensible but why would you want to stay in Berk when you could go to become a movie star?" he asked.

"Because maybe one in a hundred or fewer make it," Dane told him simply. "And not everyone seeks the limelight. Many people prefer a normal life..."

"Are you trying to get rid of me, Haddock?" Astrid asked him, smiling at his worried face. Eyes widening in surprise, Hiccup shook his head urgently.

"Not at all, Hoffy," he replied sassily. "But this means you actually have an arc, not just a one-off scene." She took his hand.

"Babe-I only want you," she smiled. "And you realise you have an arc as well..."

"I may have to go in hiding from my Uncle and Cousin then," he sighed. Pecking a kiss on his cheek, she stepped back as they set up again for her scene. In the meantime, the assistant director, Derek, took Hiccup aside and they began to run through his scene. As soon as Astrid was finished, they were ready to set up for Hiccup's scene and he moved to stand by the simple Viking house that was his, hoeing the stony ground and glancing to the grey cloudy Berkian skies. Then he froze and his eyes widened as he was supposed to be watching the CGI Astrid ride in on her winged horse and land. They cut and he repeated the scene four times before they moved to the final part. Hiccup stood still as the young woman in her magnificent outfit walked in, her axe slung across her back. She smiled as she walked to him.

"I thought I'd find you here," she said calmly as he nodded, giving a small smile.

"It's where I belong," he admitted. She caught his hand, her strong grip wrapping around his.

"And I belong with you," she told him.

"But you have Asgard, Valhalla...the stars at your feet," he told her. "I'm just no one."

"To me you are everything," Astrid said with such sincerity he felt his breath freeze in his throat. "And the stars are nothing unless you have a man you love to share them with." She paused. "Unless...you don't want me?" And then it took no acting to walk forward, tenderly grasping her face in his hands and kissing her for all he was worth.

"CUT!" Bernard shouted but the couple carried on kissing, to whoops from the crew. "CUT! CUT! Can someone throw some cold water over them please?" Dane and Finn were roaring with laughter and high-fiving as the couple broke apart, staring dopily into each other's eyes.

"What was wrong with that?" Dane asked as Bernard grinned.

"Nothing...I just always wanted to do that," he admitted and then he looked around the set. "And that's a wrap, everyone. Well done!"

Astrid looked up, her eyes suddenly concerned.

"So that's the shoot finished?" she asked, turning to Finn who was shaking hands and congratulating his crew. He nodded and turned to face her, taking her hands.

"Yes, Principal photography is completed-but that doesn't mean I'm vanishing," he reassured her immediately. "I only just got my family back so I'm not about to run away any time soon. In fact, editing and post production are being done here in Fearless Productions' facilities here on Berk and we'll be getting a few publicity shots of you as well as the Valkyrie. In fact, I intend to work more sensible days and be there for you both!" Grinning, Astrid hugged him.

"Thanks, Uncle Finn," she said, tears in her eyes. "For everything."

oOo

Hiccup found himself included in the final photos of the crew and he and Astrid took more photos with Dane, Bernard, Finn and even Timothy before they changed back into their normal clothes. Finn had arranged for his car to take them back and promised he would be home in time for dinner-at Ingrid's insistence and the teens had gotten into the limousine with a pang of regret, knowing this was the last time. It had been a magical, special secret experience and both guessed they would never have the chance again. But Hiccup sat back in relief with Astrid leaning her head on his shoulder as they smoothly drove away from the set and headed back towards town.

"That was...unexpected," he murmured.

"I thought you deserved it after everything you've been through," she admitted. "So when Finn suggested it, I thought it would be a surprise."

"That's the truth," he admitted. She lifted her head and looked into his face.

"You okay?" she asked softly, her grip on his hand tightening reassuringly. He nodded.

"I've had a terrible week but spending any time with you makes it more than worth it, " he explained. "And I got to kiss Astrid Hofferson, my beautiful Valkyrie, in front of literally several people..."

"And maybe millions more when the film is screened," she pointed out. He blushed.

"I'd forgotten that," he mumbled. "But hey-maybe they'll decide not to have the scene in after all..."

"Can't see that happening," she told him, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder once more. "Lots of films have scenes amid the credits...maybe a coda or a little plot point for the next part of the series..." Hiccup sighed.

"I guess so," he conceded. "Though maybe most of them will have run for the bathrooms before that point..." She chuckled.

"You ashamed to be seen with me, Mr Sizzler?" she teased him.

"What? Not a chance. I am completely and utterly mind-blown to be seen anywhere with my beautiful and sassy girlfriend...but are you happy to be seen with me...especially when you seem set for stardom...?" he asked gently.

"I just want a normal life with my friends and family and fabulous boyfriend..." she admitted. "I want my Prom and Graduation and then College-preferably with you. I've had more than my fair share of exciting happenings and now just want to be normal."

"You are not normal...nor ordinary," he murmured. "You are extraordinary...in everything you do and everything you are..."

"I was going to say the same about you," she told him. "You're smart, brave, compassionate, sassy, hot..."

"Still lukewarm," he told her with a smirk in his voice.

"Hot," she cut in firmly. "By the way-do you have anything planned for tomorrow night?"

"Let me check my busy film star diary," he teased her gently. "Well, mentally reviewing the acres of blank page, I would say...nothing I can't cancel. Why?"

"Because my Mom wants to meet you," she told him as he stiffened. "She tried to pop round while you were in hospital but you were asleep and when she saw how battered you looked, she didn't have the heart to stress you out then."

"But now it's okay?' he asked her in an amused voice. She looked into his face.

"It means a lot, Hiccup," she said softly. "Please?" He pecked a kiss on her cheek.

"For you, Milady-anything," he said honestly. "Though I may try to wear my kevlar underwear..."

"You have kevlar underwear?" she asked him in surprise.

"Maybe...after having Tuff as my friend for any length of time-and I definitely know where to source some," he told her with a grin. "I mean, my Dad and Gobber have already given me 'the Talk' twice just in case I had recovered from the embarrassment the first time to make sure I don't end up causing any unexpected grandbabies. And I am certain your Mom will eye me like some spawn of the devil as well..."

"Possibly..." Astrid admitted. "But you are my boyfriend and you really haven't done anything inappropriate. I've forgiven you for everything-and you've forgiven me. You have the Finn Hofferson stamp of approval and I've met your Dad and...Gobber. So I really want you to get on with Mom..." He wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"Then I would be delighted to come round and officially meet your Mom," he said with a smile. "Thor help me."