Warning: Slight mention of blood.

The sun shined bright, showing no remorse of the tragic you have gone through. It showed how cruel life was to you. It showed life would go on, and life wouldn't freeze for a moment for your sake and sanity.

You couldn't help but think of the positive outcomes because of the traumatizing events. Because of the war, your people had made amends with dragons, you have become closer to your friends, and you have a more understanding of the precious life around you.

Thanks to your friends, you finally managed to crawl out of your depression hole and eat regularly. You started laughing again. You started smiling again. You started training again. You started working again. You started loving again.

What would destroy you at the end of the day, though? Coming back to an empty home.

Your depression started to grow again, so you avoided to come to the once lively house as much as you could. It didn't mean you left it to decay. You still kept it clean but you refused to come home to a dark lonely house. You refused to go back in your vulnerable and depressing state.

That's why when everyone left from dinner you took a stroll around the village. You were lonely on your walk but it beats your quiet house. You decided to go to the docks to sit at the edge and to star gaze.

"What are you doing here, lass?" a voice surprised you. You flinched and spun when you heard Stoick's intimidating voice. His eyes soften when he realized he startled you."Shouldn't you be at home?"

You answered, facing forward with your head down looking at the ocean rage underneath you. "Is a house really a home when your loved ones are gone?"

You didn't get an answer and you couldn't see his reaction either. You refused to cry in front of a man who you admire so much.

"I'm sorry, [Name]," you heard the wood creak closer as he sat down next to you and put a hand on your shoulder, "but your loved ones are not gone. You have your friends and I know you certainly have Hiccup there for you."

You still didn't look at him, trying to calm your nerves and you sudden shaking.

You heard him sigh, "I have known you since you were a little girl, [Name]. I knew the moment I met you, you would be a strong young lass. Your parents couldn't be anymore proud. I was proud to even know you. What I'm trying to say is; I see you as my own daughter."

The next few words made you look up as tears started streaming down and then, wrap your arms into the welcoming hug he offered to you as you sobbed your troubles away into his chest.

"You are more than welcome in our family, [Name]."

~.~.~

You first noticed that you were breathing heavily. Your rib cage ached and your lungs screamed for air because you barely got any air. It was getting hard to breath. It felt like you might have broken a rib.

The second thing you noticed was your unconscious body was laying on something soft. Whatever it was, it was much more comfortable than the hard ground you wake up on when you time traveled. You weren't expecting it actually. You have gotten used to it sadly.

With a grown, your eyes fluttered open. A wooden roof was over your head was the first thing you saw. You moved your head from your laying position looking around the room. You were laying on a bed with what you saw a side table next to it; a used candle simply sat on it. You saw a desk that had all sorts of scribbled paper scattered and a chest right next to it.

You began sitting up but a sharp pain that was followed by a gasp from you stopped you from moving further.

"I wouldn't move anymore, lass. That dragon did a number on you," a recognizable voice said.

You didn't move anymore, afraid you might injure yourself more than necessary. You didn't look up towards who spoke to you.

"What happened?" you asked.

You heard the voice hum and footsteps that came closer to you, making you see who exactly you were talking to even though you already know who it was. Stoick smiled sympathetically, "As soon as you saw the beast was put away, you fell. I must admit. For a young lass who was unarmed, you stood your ground pretty well. You were lucky enough to get away with only a scratch."

You moved your head to look at the gash the dragon left on you. You saw your sleeve was rolled onto your shoulder and a bloody bandage was wrapped where the wound would be at. By the looks of the amount of blood seeping through, it wasn't some mere scratch, but you weren't going to say anything. You thumped your head not so gently back on the pillow.

You sighed heavily but winch when you did. "So, tell me why I'm having a hard time breathing."

"Our healer believes you have bruised your rib cage. You were lucky you didn't break one or you would've been a goner."

You closed your eyes trying to focus on only breathing evenly and small as possible to ease the pain.

"She says you need to rest for a few days and then take it easy until you're fully healed," he paused. "I am truly grateful, Ragna."

You moved your eyes first and rose an eyebrow. When you saw how serious he was being, you moved your head still looking at him. "What for?"

"Because of you," he took hold of his helmet and held it in both hands in front of him, "my boy is still alive. If it wasn't for you, he would've been gone; dead. That beast would've killed my son like another has done to my wife."

Your eyes sadden. You knew the back story of what happened to Hiccup's mother, to Stoick's wife. You found it amazing how in your timeline Stoick was able to look past the horrific scarring and got along with dragons. You understood the pain Stoick was going through.

"Hiccup is a young lad who is trying to find out who he really is. I was not going to stand by when he was about to never find out," you smiled.

He smiled and bowed his head, "Thank you, Ragna."

Your eyes widen when you saw what you would never thought of seeing from the chief of Berk. He let a single tear rolled down his cheek.

After a long period of silence, Stoick welcomed you to stay in Berk in his very home until you have completely healed. He insisted, he says, the least he could do. He also offered a letter would be sent to any of your family members. You declined kindly saying you didn't have any family to returned to. He reacted with a surprised look and offered a sad smile.

You are more than welcome in our family, Ragna.

You tried not to burst into tears when you heard those words from him. You felt rude but you turned your head away from him, not wanting him see the vulnerability in your glistened eyes. Guessing that he knew he hit a very tender spot accidentally, he left the room in silence and closing the door gently behind him.

A tear managed to seep through your closed eyes. You moved your uninjured arm to have it cover over your eyes. You ignored the aching pain from the slight stretch as you silently cried.

~.~.~

You woken abruptly. There was no sudden jerk movements, no gasps, and no loud outbursts. Your eyes opened seeing a pair of jade green eyes staring at you. Hiccup cried and back away from you at your sudden awakening. You flinched at the loud noise he made when you starting become more aware of your senses.

You would've laughed if it wasn't for the fact you felt groggy from your nap. It was a good thing you didn't laugh anyways. The pain at your sides reminded you the reason why. You merely rose an eyebrow at Hiccup's attempt to cover his awkward actions.

"Uh-Ragna, I-uh, didn't know you were awake," he stuttered.

You groaned painfully, "Don't worry. I didn't caught you staring for more than a second."

He chuckled nervously, "Sorry, but you were making noises. I didn't know if you were okay."

"Noises," you questioned, "what sort of noises was I making?" You craned your neck look at him. He had a spare pillow to change for you. You lifted your head only so he could change them.

"You were whimpering," he answered bluntly.

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. You have never and were not known for...whimpering. "That's strange, considering that I didn't feel uncomfortable or dream of anything."

"Well, you did stop when I came to check you out," he reasoned. It was silent after a while and it wasn't awkward either. You were in your own little thoughts until you heard Hiccup murmur.

"I'm sorry," you asked to be repeated.

"I couldn't do it," Hiccup mumbled.

You were confused with his statement once again, but you knew it was more serious than some sort of trauma you had. He had his head bowed in some sort of shame. "You couldn't do what, Hiccup?"

"I couldn't kill a dragon," he said in the same tone. You saw his hands curled into frustrated fists.

You stayed silent, not sure how to answer his unasked question you knew he had. When you saw his fists had loosened, you finally asked, "What is so infuriating about sparing a dragon?"

"Because," he shouted, "it proves I'm not as strong as a viking should be."

"You're right," you saw he visibly flinch at your bluntness, "you're much more stronger."

He spun and gaped slightly at your tweaked answer, "How?"

"You were honorable. You spared something you could have easily killed, something you could have a grudge against because of your mother's death." You reasoned.

"How did you know about my mother?" he rose an eyebrow.

Your eyes widen at your slip up. "Your...father told me."

He stayed silent but you saw his hands tightened.

"What I'm trying to say, Hiccup, is you had many reasons to finish off a life that your generation and the generations before you have despise, yet you choose not to. Why is that?"

"Because," he combed through his hair with a sigh, "when I looked into his eyes, I saw myself. Then, I heard your words four years ago. It was just like me, afraid of the world around and trying to survive it."

"Then, you are stronger than you think," you concluded.

"Yeah," he huffed, "try explaining that to the village." You saw his shoulders slump slightly. He began walking away towards the door. You tried calling him but he ignored you and walked out the door.

You slumped into the pillow once more, hating nothing more than your current situation.

Word Count: 1797

Status: Unedited