We came back to Valka's dragon sanctuary after the island. Let me sum up what happened after the memories of my parents almost ruined Hiccup's beautiful moment with his mother: Valka discovered that Hiccup had taken after her, she asked him to start over, Hiccup accepted, Valka showed him a secret about Toothless' anatomy (There is a special zone on his back that made spikes emerge from all over him, and that made it easier for them to do the trick they had been trying to perfect since forever), the gift they had was who Hiccup was, they hugged, it was all happiness and sunshine, until Hiccup mentioned that they could both got to talk to Drago, to which Valka immediately refused, and I had to agree with that decision.

Afterwards, I had no idea where he had gone to. I needed some time on my own to think about things, and I was sitting by the tunnel that connected the sanctuary to Valka's home, with Thunderlight resting beside me and I leaning against his back, while I drew some doodles on the ground with a stick, until someone covered my mouth and I desperately tried to get rid of it.

The mysterious person then let go of me, and I could see it was Gobber, who stared around in case someone came.

"What are you doing here?!" I hissed, trying not to give away that someone else was there.

"We are here to rescue you!" he started to walk towards the end of the tunnel and motioned for me and Thunderlight to follow him. I rolled my eyes, we were repeating the same situation from some hours before.

"I already told you, Gobber, we don't need to be rescued!" we arrived to the entrance, and saw that Stoick was there, too, and Hiccup beside him, arguing about who knows what.

Then, my best friend noticed us there, and looked at me surprised. He hadn't seen me since we came back, and I hadn't seen him, either, but I couldn't force myself to look back. Not after what happened just some hours before. He was very much aware that something was up, but I didn't want to tell him and ruin everything. Avoiding every kind of contact was the best way to avoid confrontation.

Stoick started to walk towards the exit, I supposed, though I didn't even know where the entrance was, and we didn't have any other choice but to follow him.

"Uh, dad, there-there's something you need to know" started Hiccup. I looked back to make sure that the dragons were following us, and then back ahead, not recognizing where we were. I didn't even know how on earth I arrived to the tunnel; the whole thing was so huge! You could easily get lost! I wondered how much time it had taken Valka to find her way around.

"Yeah, yeah, tell me on the way" replied his father, while still walking.

"Well, this isn't an 'on the way' kind of update, actually" he said, and indeed it wasn't. You should tell your father that your mother is alive as soon as you can.

"I've heard enough, Hiccup" gods, he was so stubborn! Hiccup definitely got it from him; they had a similar personality, same with his mother. Hiccup was the perfect mix between his parents.

"More-more of the earth-shattering development variety" I know what you are asking yourselves right now, and the answer is no. He wasn't overreacting, or being dramatic, his words made sense.

"Yeah, just add it to the pile" said his dad indifferent. Well, it was kind of true that most of Hiccup's updates were the 'earth shattering development variety' so we should add his mother being alive to the list.

"Yeah, I...Uh...Uh...Dad, un-unlike most surprises I spring on you, this is one you'll like. I-I promise. You just have to handle it delicately" continued the chief's son.

"Oh, so me being alive after all is an unpleasant surprise?" I couldn't help but ask, and Hiccup looked at me speechless. I was pretty sure it was because I was actually talking to him after two hours of nothing.

"I...Uh..." I giggled slightly.

"I'm kidding! You should know that by now!" he was about to say something, but Gobber didn't let him.

"Uh, you might want to take this one" he said, patting his friend's shoulder. I assumed he had seen Valka.

"Oh, boy" muttered Stoick, taking out his sword. I opened my eyes wide and stared at Hiccup, urging him to do or say something.

"Uh, dad, could you put the sword away, please?" asked my friend, understanding my stare. Attacking your long lost wife and mother of your son was not the best way to start mending the relationship.

Stoick approached the entrance, and the sound of a sword dropping was heard after some seconds. We all positioned ourselves right behind him, while our dragons poked their heads up. We looked like a couple of children staring at a picture curiously, all in a single line while Stoick took off his helmet.

"I know what you are gonna say, Stoick" started Valka, looking at the floor "How could I have done this? Stayed away all of these years, and why didn't I come back to you? To our son?" I looked at Hiccup, who seemed nervous "Well...What sign did I have that you could change, Stoick? That anyone on Berk could?" Stoick still didn't answer. He was approaching his wife slowly, and looking at her with eyes wide open "I pleaded so many times to stop the fighting, to find another answer, but did any of you listen?"

"This is why I never married" said Gobber, making us both look at him "This, and one other reason" I gave him a suspicious look, trying to figure out what he meant by that, but a steady breath coming for Valka caught my attention and made me turn back to the scene developing in front of us.

"I know that I left you to raise Hiccup alone, but I thought he'd be better off without me" a child was never better off without his mother; it was quite the opposite, actually. I was not blaming Valka, not at all; don't get me wrong, I was just saying that, as someone who practically grew without a mother, children needed their moms "And I was wrong. I see that now, but..." Stoick kept approaching her, and it made me even more nervous. I had no idea what he wanted to do, or if he was even planning on doing anything at all. Valka was scurrying backwards slowly; the closer Stoick got, the further Valka went.

She finally bumped into the ice wall "Stop being so stoic, Stoick!" she exclaimed "Go on, shout, scream, say something!" she seemed desperate to get a reaction out of his husband, or she was actually desperate.

Stoick finally stood in front of her and, much to my surprise, and everyone's in the room, I was  sure, he placed his hand on Valka's cheek.

"You are as beautiful as the day I lost you" and that was when I couldn't handle it anymore. I walked quickly to the entrance of the tunnel, trying to calm myself down. That scene, while beautiful, was way too painful for me to cope with. The fact that I could never witness a scene like that with my parents ever again felt as if the world had crumbled down on my shoulders.

"Okay, something is definitely wrong" I heard a voice behind me, and I turned back to see Hiccup. What was he doing out there? He had to be in there with his family!

"It's nothing. I'm fine, really" he approached me, he didn't believe a word, and he was right not to.

"Lexi, you are my best friend, I know when something's not right, and something definitely isn't. What's going on?" I should have said 'nothing'. I should have told him to go back in there and be happy, but I didn't. I couldn't force myself to do it, and that made me feel even worse.

"It's a really selfish thing to say..."

"'Lex" he grabbed me from the hands gently, making me look up to him. I'm not going to say what I felt when he did that, because you can already deduce it "There's nothing that you can say that will make me think you are selfish, you should know that by now" I smiled weakly but, then, I sighed; that was going to be a really long conversation.

"It's just...I'm happy for your parents, I really am" he nodded, encouraging me to continue,  never letting go of my arms "But...Seeing them together, makes me think about my parents" he stared at me with compassion, finally knowing what bothered me so much "And the fact that I can never see them again, not separated, not together. Ever again" his expression turned sad. That was exactly what I didn't want to happen. I shook his hands off my arms and turned around "I'm sorry" I turned back again "You and your parents should be happy, it's a happy day. I shouldn't have told you that, it was a mistake" I rubbed my hand over my face as a way to calm myself down "Let's go back in there, you should be happy, and I should be happy for you. Don't worry, I'm fine" I walked back towards the entrance, but he stopped me.

"Lexi..." he said my name as if it he was almost begging me to turn around, and so I did. He approached me once again "I can't be happy knowing you're this...this sad" he said, shaking his head "Do you know what I admired most about you?" I shook my head, imitating him. No, I had no idea. I didn't say anything because I couldn't speak, I didn't know what to say "Your optimism and joy, but knowing that, once we get in there, you will be faking all of it, is something that I just can't take" I still didn't say anything, and he raised my chin, making me look at him.

If he touched me one more time, I would end up exploding.

Not that I was complaining.

"I want you to be happy because you want to, not for me" I managed to nod, and he let go of me, but I didn't lower my gaze "So, just...Tell me exactly what saddens you, trust me, it'll help you, and then I will try to make things better, okay? I'll try to make you smile" I nodded and he smiled. I exhaled deeply, putting my thoughts in order before answering.

"I know that they died six years ago and...I thought, really thought, that I was over it but, apparently, I wasn't" he didn't say anything, which gave me courage to continue "And, I hadn't realized that until today, when I saw you and your mother sharing all those moments, and when I witnessed your parents seeing each other for the first time in twenty years. And that was it, that's what broke me" I said with a broken voice while some tears threatened to fall from my eyes "And...I know that I have my adoptive parents, whom I love very dearly, and I also have my foster parents" I was talking about Gabrielle & Noah "Whom, despise not knowing where they are, I still love very much!" I said, trying to stop the tears and my broken voice "But, none of them are..."

"...Your biological parents" finished Hiccup, making me nod slightly. He approached me, his eyes sad "Lexi, I'm so sorry" I was sure that, if I dared to speak, I would start crying and never stop, so, instead, I smiled weakly, but even that wasn't strong enough, because the tears fell anyway "Come here" said my friend, hugging me, while I laid my head on his chest and let all the tears I had been holding until then fall, along with some sobs from time to time. He laid his chin on my head and caressed it gently.

At least ten minutes had passed when the tears stop flowing, and I managed to calm myself down. Hiccup, as I didn't seem like crying anymore, said:

"Try not to spill any more tears on the suit, the calibration is very sensitive" I chuckled shortly while pulling away from him. He smiled at me and wiped away some tears that had stayed in my eyes, making me smile slightly, and then he kissed my forehead.

"Mom, you'd never even recognize it!" said Hiccup excitedly.

We were in Valka's home (Actual home, not the dragon sanctuary) and Hiccup was telling her mother everything that had changed.

After opening my heart out to Hiccup in that tunnel, I felt better and much more relieved. I didn't know I had been holding all that inside. Good things come out of talking to other people and opening up, I would definitely recommend you do that, guys.

After the whole situation had passed, I had enough time to let all that happened sink in. He held my hands, he hugged me, he wiped my tears and he kissed my forehead.

To sum up, he had made me fall in love with him even more.

Oh, c'mon, don't look so surprised, I thought it was pretty obvious by now that it was more than just a crush!

Anyway, focusing back on the actual scene, Hiccup was really happy while telling his mother all the changes Berk had been through in five years, most of them caused by him, I must add, though he didn't say it.

"Where we used to make weapons, we now build saddles, wing slings, we-we even fix dragon teeth! You-you wouldn't believe how much everything's changed!"

"I couldn't believe it either when they first told me" I added, to support Hiccup's argument.

"Aye, your son's changed Berk for the better" said Stoick to Valka, while walking over to the boy. 

I smiled proudly, he was right. He was absolutely right "I think we did well with this one, Val" said the chief placing a hand on Valka's shoulder, she smiled but, suddenly, the tray she was holding fell off. I rushed to catch it before it hit the ground.

"Thank you" said the woman just as I handed it to her, but Toothless was faster, and he ate the fish on it.

"Hey!" I reproached, and he looked at me curiously "Hiccup, control your dragon please" he chuckled slightly, while I smiled.

Then, Toothless regurgitated the fish.

It kind of disgusting, and my expression showed it clearly.

What was even more disgusting, was that Thunderlight ate the fish that had been in Toothless' mouth seconds before.

"Thunderlight!" I scolded "That is not sanitary!" he looked down embarrassed, and I petted his head comfortingly "Don't do it again"

"I'm, uh...A little out of practice" said Valka nervously, while Stoick restocked the tray.

"Well, you know, I didn't marry you for your cooking" I smiled, and Hiccup gave me a worried glance. It was in moments like those that I missed my parents the most, and he knew that, but I was doing okay. That was why when I mouthed 'I'm fine', I really meant it.

"I hope not" said Gobber "Her meatballs could kill more beasts than a battle axe. I've still got a few knocking around in here" he patted his stomach, while I giggled. Classical Gobber.

"And once you move back in with all your dragons, old Drago won't even stand a chance. Everything will be okay" again with the Drago thing? I thought it had been established that he was a lunatic and psychopath and no one in their sane minds should go after him!

Valka's eyes opened wide, but I didn't know if it was because of Hiccup mentioning Drago Bludvist (Like for the third time) or because he implied that Valka would move back to Berk. The last one seemed more like it.

The woman kept refilling the jug that Hiccup had handed to her without saying anything.

"Slow down, son" said Stoick, grabbing his son by his shoulder, while I went to sit leaning into Thunderlight "It's a lot to take in"

"Oh, gotcha" he said, sitting beside me. I smiled at him comfortingly, and he smiled back.

Then, I heard the whistling. It sounded like a tune, it had a slight melody, and it came from none other than Stoick the Vast himself.

"Oh, I love this one" said Gobber. I looked at Hiccup confused, maybe he knew what that was all about, but he shrugged. He was as confused as I was.

"Remember our song, Val?" asked Stoick after taking the jug from her hands and placing it on a table nearby.

Oh, so it was about a song, how sweet!

"I'll swim and sail on savage seas

With ne'er a fear of drowning

And gladly ride the waves of life, if you will marry me"

I kept my eyes fixed on Stoick a he sang the beautiful lyrics of, what seemed, an even more beautiful song. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Hiccup was as focused as I was, maybe even more. After all, those were his parent we are talking about.

"No scorching sun, nor freezing cold, will-"

"Will stop me on my journey!!!" sung a very out-of-tune Gobber, as Hiccup and I gave him a quizzical glance, ordering him to sit back down "Sorry" Stoick glared at him, while Valka stayed still.

"If you will promise me your heart"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hiccup giving me a quick glance, but immediately turned away when he noticed I had seen him.

"And love..." Stoick sighed kind of disappointed, but a new voice, definitely Valka's, started to sing:

"And love me for eternity"

I smiled happily, and so did Hiccup, accompanied by Stoick's sigh of relief when he realized that Valka still remembered it.

"My dearest one, my darling dear

Your mighty words astound me
But I've no need of mighty deeds
When I feel your arms around me"

They both walked to the center of the room and started to dance, much to our happiness and surprise.

"But I would bring you rings of gold
and even sing you poetry (oh, would you?)
And I would keep you from all harm
If you would stay beside me"

They kept dancing as I heard Hiccup tapping his foot along with the rhythm.

I have no use for rings of gold

I care not for your poetry
I only want your hand to hold

Hiccup was looking at the scene extremely happy and joyful, and he looked at me as if asking me if that was really happening. I smiled back; yes, that was really happening. I was really happy to see him like that, it wasn't everyday that you witnessed your parents getting back together.

"I only want you near me!"

They sang together and I could swear they gave Hiccup and me a quick glance; they shared a smile, like they both knew the same secret, and nodded. I had no idea what they were planning, so I looked over to Thunderlight and rubbed his side, trying to ignore it. He purred.

"To love and kiss, to sweetly hold

For the dancing and the dreaming"

I turned around and saw her dancing with Hiccup, it wasn't the same choreography and he didn't exactly know what he was doing, I could see it on his face, but he followed her mom's lead anyway. I laughed and turned back to Thunderlight, but someone grabbed me from the wrist and started to dance with me too. It was Stoick.

"Through all my sorrows

And your lights
I'll keep your laugh inside me"

It was weird, to say the least. I truly didn't know how to feel about it.

Stoick and Valka were singing the lines together, as Stoick was dragging me all around the floor  as we danced. All we were doing was turning around in circles, but it was dancing for me.

I heard Valka's laugh behind me; I managed to turn my head around and look at Hiccup, he smiled at me kindly, I smile as I shrugged my shoulders and continued to dance with his dad. Gobber was laughing happily while looking at us, and our dragons were doing what seemed like a smile, too.

"I'll swim and sail the savage seas

With ne'er a fear of drowning"

"Ready for the turn?" asked Stoick happily. Nope, I wasn't ready for that. I would probably trip and fall, but it was a rhetorical question so I didn't answer, because he would do it anyway.

He did it with much more intensity than I hoped for; I feared I would fall  But I smiled, closed my eyes and did my best to continue it.

And then, it was about to stop. That is what I hated about these things; that I always fell once it was over. I prepared myself for what would be, probably, the most embarrassing moment in my whole life. I was about to embarrass myself in front my dragon, my crush's mom, my crush's dad, my crush's dragon, my crush's mom's dragon, my crush's dad's friend, my crush's boss and my crush. What could be worse than that?

"And gladly ride the waves of life

If you will marry me!"

When it stopped, I was hoping to touch the floor of stone and feel some pain in my knees, but all I felt was two warm hands in my forearms... I opened my eyes slowly, and found the smiling face of Hiccup gazing at me; I let out a sigh I didn't know I was holding. I heard Valka's and Stoick's laugh behind me and we broke apart looking to the side nervously. I was sure I was blushing.