"NO!! I hate you! No, no!"
    The toddler's screams could be heard halfway across Berk. She was having a meltdown, no doubt about it. And try as she might, her mother just couldn't get the poor baby to calm down. Every attempt resulted in failure and more screams.
    "Zephyr, why are you so upset?" she cried miserably. "It's been over an hour!"
    The poor woman was driven to tears herself at this point, as she watched Zephyr screaming and crying on the floor. Her face was blistering red all the way up to her ears, tears upon tears stained her sticky cheeks, and the sobs wracked through her tiny little chest like tidal waves. And she was so unbearably loud.
    Holding her didn't work, trying to discipline didn't work, talking and shushing only made her angrier, what was she to do?
    Astrid tried to ignore the trembling in her body and how badly her ears bled, but it was no use. She stood up from her position on the floor and walked over to Zephyr, scooping her flailing body up and trying to soothe her. 
    "Baby, calm down." She begged. "You're okay, calm down."
    But it didn't work. Zephyr flailed and ended up punching Astrid directly in the face. "Let go!" She screamed. "I want daddy!"
    Astrid's temper flailed, try as she might to calm herself. But she didn't know how to express this emotion as anything other than anger.
    "Zephyr Marie Haddock I swear to the gods above you are asking for it!" She snapped. "Sit down and take a breath!"
    Zephyr rolled away, climbing into her bed and wrapping the sheets over the top of her head violently. "I want daddy!" She roared.
    Astrid fell against the wall and sank to her bottom, resting her head on her knees. "Me too." She whimpered.
    Zephyr's crying went on for another fifteen minutes when finally, Astrid heard footsteps on the stairs.
    "Astrid?" Came her husband's concerned voice. "What's going on?"
    Not a second later he was in the doorway, taking in what his eyes unveiled to him.
    His daughter sat writhing and screaming in front of his wife, who looked half collapsed on the floor and almost in tears herself. Toys and blankets were scattered everywhere, and he knew immediately this had been going on for a while. He held his hand out and pulled Astrid to her feet, caressing her back as she fell into him.
    "Honey, what's goin' on?" He asked over Zephyr's sobs.
    "I can't get her to stop." Astrid whimpered. "She just won't listen to me, and she won't stop."
    "Okay, okay. Deep breaths, babe. Deep breaths. Let me try for a sec."
    Hiccup kissed the top of her head and pulled a sheet out of Zephyr's grasp, which resulted in a scream.
    "Hey, there, little dragon." He smiled. "What's goin' on under there."
    "I hate you!" Zephyr kicked at her father, missing by an inch.
    Hiccup's stern, yet caring voice came out as he blocked her next kick with his hands. "Hey, none of that. It's not okay to kick."
    "Go away!"
    "Baby, what's the matter?" Astrid begged.
    "I want daddy!"
    "I'm right here." HIccup crouched and held out his arms, tilting his head at Zephyr. "I'm right here, baby."
    Zephyr gave up and collapsed into his arms hugging him as tightly as her little arms could.
    "Shhh." He stood and held her close, rubbing her back in soothing circles. It took a few minutes, but Zephyr finally cried herself to sleep.
    Hiccup gently laid her down and covered her up before he and Astrid exited the room.
*    *    *    *
    Astrid sat up, a heavy weight sitting in her chest. She covered her mouth and fought the tension rising in her throat.
    She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly through her nose. But it did almost nothing to help. Then she felt a hand on her thigh, rubbing gently. She looked over to her husband, half awake and lying on his stomach.
He blinked at her but his eyes didn't open yet. His voice was husky as he asked her, "Are you alright?"
"Mmhmm." She lied, trying to mask the tension in her voice. But he caught the high note immediately and sat up, seeing tears pooling in her eyes.
"Honey." he gasped, pulling her into him. "Were you dreaming?"
She sighed in exasperation as she rested her chin on his shoulder, his touch making her feel yet more vulnerable. "I think so. But it wasn't really a dream it was more like a memory."
"A memory?" He yawned. "Of what?"
She didn't answer, only blinking and letting the tears roll down her cheeks.
"Stormfly?" He guessed.
"No." Astrid shook her head and pulled away so she could wipe her tears. Hiccup's face was almost pitiful as he gazed at her, beautiful even when she cried, but oh how it hurt him.
"What then?"
She sighed and looked at the ceiling, refusing to let anymore tears escape. "I think Zephyr was about two, because we didn't have Nuffink yet. You weren't home much, because the twins had burned down that whole block down by the docks."
"And?"
"Do you remember that day when you came home and...and Zephyr was having that tantrum? And I was so tired you had to pull me from the floor?"
Hiccup nodded and stifled another yawn. "Yea, I remember. She had that whole room destroyed and those sheets strung around herself."
"Yes." Astrid said. "That's what I dreamt."
"You're having nightmares about Zephyr? Are you upset with her?"
"No. Everything is fine with me and the kids."
He arched an eyebrow at her, laying back and resting his head in his hand. "You were dreaming about one specific tantrum our daughter had fifteen years ago, and you think I'm gonna believe you when you say nothing's bothering you?" He shook his head. "Yea, no. I'm gonna ask you again." Hiccup cupped her cheek and looked into her ocean blue eyes, making sure she had to look at him this time. "Astrid, what's got you so upset?"

Nothing." She whimpered, refusing to admit it. Hiccup's gaze did not help that matter, of course. He didn't have to say anything else for her to know that the matter would not be dropped until she confessed, though.
"I feel awful about the way I treated her today." Astrid sighed, leaning into his touch. "The argument we had before the party? I was so mean and controlling. I shouldn't have made her wear that dress, Hiccup. She hasn't even looked at me since we left the house and came home."
Hiccup sighed, trying to figure out a way to put his words carefully.
"She knows you love her." He reminded her first.
"I hope."
"She does. She just... wants to be perfect for us. But you know, it's hard at her age. She's torn between wanting to be free and wanting to be the perfect daughter. It can tear a person in half.
You can look at it two ways, Astrid. Yes, you did yell at her. You guys fought for a good half hour, and it was awful because you're exactly alike. You know how to push each other's buttons."
"Yea, that's for sure." Astrid scoffed.
"But," Hiccup added. "You taught her that no matter what, when it comes to duty, you dress for the occasion."
Astrid chortled uncontrollably and Hiccup threw his head back, his hand covering his eyes.
"That sounded better in my head." He laughed defeatedly.
She leaned over and kissed his cheek, pulling his hand away from his face as she did so. "I'm sure it did, mutton head." Astrid giggled.
"Look," HIccup attempted redemption. "I'm just sayin' you should talk to her and remind her that even though you fought, you still love her. It can make a difference."
"You're right. Thank you, Hiccup. And...I'm sorry we fought. I know you don't like listening to it."
"It's okay, Astrid." Hiccup rolled onto his side and pulled her into him, cuddling her tightly. He kissed her neck, suckling just the tiniest bit and leaving a pink mark that he knew would fade by morning. "I love you."
"I love you more." Astrid replied, not to be outdone.
"Not possible." He held her tighter, snuggling in and closing his eyes.
Astrid laid there for a few moments, thinking of what her husband had said. Then it hit her, and even though she hated to do it, she had to wake him one more time.
Although, she told herself, if he wouldn't fall back asleep so quickly, he wouldn't have this issue.
"Hiccup." She murmured.
"Hmm?"
"You know what it feels like, don't you? The way you talk about the way Zephyr feels the need to be perfect...wanting to be free and still having responsibilities...is that how you felt back then?"
"Sometimes." He said, hardly awake at all. "Having Stoick the Vast as a father was...a lot to live up to. I wanted to make him proud."
"You did."
"I like to hope so." He yawned, rubbing his hand along her arm and shoulder. "I just mean that I know what it's like to be in her shoes. Being the child of a chieftain is hard."
Astrid nodded, understanding better now. "Thank you."
"Always, M'lady."
She grinned to herself as he fell back asleep, letting him hold her, and him letting her be vulnerable. She loved him for it, always.