Part 22

Though  Astrid had been desperate to go to fetch her daughter, the police had forbidden it for a number of very good reasons and she had been left with a female officer as they headed out. Hiccup watched her led away to go to the police station to make a statement and meet Emma and had seen her not even look back once as she was taken away. He sighed. It was exactly as he had expected. 

Wearily, he spoke to the nurses and settled the account with the hospital finance department: his father had left him with excellent insurance and it didn't take much for him to include Astrid and Emma as his 'family'. The implication had made him blush-and cringe at the same time. Astrid wouldn't even look at him and she was itching to move out. Despite the kiss, which was clearly just a sign of gratitude, there wasn't a hope in Helheim that she would ever see him like that.

As he walked past the main entrance, he saw her car and weighed the keys in his hand-but he had no insurance and no confidence to even try to drive without Astrid with him. Hunching his shoulders, he headed to the road and began the very long walk back to his apartment.

Astrid and Emma didn't come back and though he was anxious, he knew Astrid's parents were due to come home that afternoon and he assumed she had gone back to their home rather than his. It had always been intended as a temporary arrangement-but the fact she didn't call or let him know had hurt. And when he arrived back, seeing their things still in the little home and hearing the unfamiliar silence had brought tears to his eyes. It only highlighted his loneliness and the fact that despite his gentle declaration, the fact he had shown her what she meant to him, she didn't reciprocate. 

He slept terribly, wracked by misery and horrible visions of Astrid laughing at his scars and telling him in her forthright manner that she could never love or want to be with someone like him. That he was worthless and just a loser. And he had begged her to stay, all final shreds of pride stripped from him by her rejection. But she still walked out. And he had screamed her name as he snapped upright, cold sweat on his brow and tears sliding from his disorientated, staring eyes. And once more, there was no one to soothe and reassure him: he was alone.

Jaded and exhausted, he had given up on sleep and had moved aimlessly around the apartment, imagining Emma at the table, colouring or Astrid sitting by the fire, her blonde head bowed over her computer, working at the last part of her degree. His heart shuddered with defeat: it had been the briefest, most tantalising flash of a happiness that he would never have. And though he really wanted to know how she-how they-were doing, he couldn't even call. Her phone was still sitting on the table and he had no clue where her parents lived or what their number was.

The next day, he walked in to College, not because he had any burning desire to work but because he knew he had to get out of the apartment and the reminders of his most abject failure with the girl he had come to love. But when he returned, he instantly saw that Emma's little pink boots were gone and as he scoured the place, he realised Astrid must have been back while he was out and cleared her things from the place. She had tidied and even vacuumed but to Hiccup, it just seemed as if she was trying to erase herself from his life. 

He couldn't even bring himself to go to the Diner, fearing that she would just blank him, though his intellect told him she would be as friendly and welcoming normal-and that was the crux of it. To her, it was back to normal, encountering him only at the Diner as waitress and customer but to him, things had changed beyond any going back. And she probably didn't even realise that this-this was far worse than being rejected by Ana. Unwillingly, he had fallen in love and she'd shown him what she thought of that.

So it was with surprise that he received a call from her familiar number. His finger had hovered over the screen for three rings before he finally gave up and answered.

"Hallo?"

"Oh, hi Hiccup!" He closed his eyes in pain at the cheerful tone: it was as if none of the Dagur business had ever happened.

"Hi Astrid. How are you? How's Emma?"

"Oh, she's fine. She misses her 'Unca Hiccup', of course, but I felt it was better we were back with Mom and Dad-at least temporarily. I guessed you wouldn't want us clogging up your apartment with our junk." 

"No, actually it was kinda nice," he mumbled almost to himself. She gave no sign that she had heard.

"I was wondering-and I know it's incredibly cheeky-could you pick Emma up for me today? My Mom is at work and Dad is too and..."

"M-me...? You want m-me to pick her up?"

"It's okay. Forget it, Hiccup. I can..."

"No, no, no, no, no-it's-it's fine. Really. I'd love to."

"Really? Oh that would be great! She's at 'Little Vikings' Nursery on the corner of Vinland and Heimdallr. Nursery ends at 2. Could you maybe pick her up and take back to yours? I'll collect her when I finish work."

"No problem. I'd love to see her."

"Really? Oh thanks-you are a good friend! I was really worried asking you, but you're the only person, apart from my parents, I can trust her with now."

"I promise she'll be fine," he said. "Astrid, I..."

"Gotta go!" she said brightly. "See you later, Hiccup. And I am grateful-I really mean that!" And then she hung up, never realising how much her words had affected him. His hand dropped and he ran the other through his messy auburn hair. There was never any chance he would turn her down, no matter her reluctance to even talk to him, but he knew he would have to walk her daughter back to his apartment-though he wasn't sure how she would cope with the walk. Shaking his head, he pulled his jacket on, wound the scarf around his neck and stepped out into the chilly afternoon. Resolutely, he lifted his head and set out on the journey.

It was a few minutes after two when he arrived and he scanned the playground, but there was no sign of the small, blonde shape. Anxious because of what'd happened, he walked warily into the building and found her sitting waiting in the classroom. Her eyes brightened and she shrieked 'Unca Hiccup!" before she flung herself at him. Unable to wipe the broad smile from his face, he scooped her into his arms, wrapping her in a fierce hug.

"How are you, Emma?" he asked gently and she gave a childish, open mouthed cough.

"Much better," she told him happily. "Have you come to collect me? Mom said she might ask." He nodded.

"Yeah-I'll take you to the apartment and we can wait for Mommy," he promised. "I think we've still got some of that frozen pasta Mommy made." She squirmed and grinned. 

"I've missed you," she said. 

"Missed you too," he said, putting her down. "Where's your coat?" She raced to the pegs on the wall, grabbing her pink anorak. Hiccup crouched down and zipped her in, then helped her into her pink boots, storing her indoor pumps in the little space marked E. HOFFERSON. She solemnly handed him her pink and white bobble hat and he pulled it on, adjusting it with a grin. "Ready?"

She nodded smartly and pulled on her little rucksack, then grabbed his hand and almost dragged him to the door, beginning to chatter about what she had been doing during the day. He grinned at her enthusiasm and opened the door-then froze.

One of the staff was standing there with two cops. He backed up and pushed Emma behind him, his breathing accelerating. 

"That's him!" the woman said coldly, her dark eyes and hard face hostile. "Red hair and green eyes. He's the one Emma's Mom said was stalking her daughter and not allowed access."

"What???" Hiccup gasped, eyes wide with shock. "No, no, no-there's been a mistake..."

"Yeah-and you made it, sonny!" the nearest cop growled, grabbing his arm and wrenching him away from Emma. He was a heavyset, older man and he efficiently twisted Hiccup's arms behind his back, snapping cuffs tightly around his wrists and trapping him.

"No! I was asked to collect Emma by her Mom!" he protested, struggling. 

"She left instructions only she or her mother were to collect Emma-and not to let the man with red hair and green eyes anywhere near the girl!" the woman said urgently.

"Call her!" Hiccup begged, his breathing too fast. "She's at the Diner on Sunset Street. She asked me to collect her because her parents are at work." 

The staff member walked forward and picked up Emma. "It's okay, Ems. Don't worry, honey-we won't let the bad man hurt you!" Emma struggled angrily.

"He's NOT bad!" she shouted. "That's Unca Hiccup! He's Mommy's friend. He looked after me when I was poorly! Let him go!" 

"Shh, it's okay honey!" the staff member reassured her, struggling to hold the writhing girl. "You don't need to be afraid of him. We'll look after you!" Emma squirmed free and raced to Hiccup, throwing herself to hug him-though because of his height, her arms wrapped around his thighs, her head tilted back to stare up into his ashen face.

"I won't let them hurt you!" she said in a tearful voice. Hiccup saw her pulled away and forced himself to give a very small smile. 

"It's okay, Emma," he said in a shaky voice. "They'll call Mommy and she'll collect you. Just...say sorry to her for me, okay?" And then he was dragged from the room, hearing the child scream his name and burst into tears. The cops weren't gentle with him and his prosthetic slipped-and he was wrenched so hard to keep him on his feet that a pain stabbed through his shoulder. He groaned and was slammed against the doorframe as he was hauled out of the building. A hand roughly pressed his head forward as he was shoved into the back of the police car and he stiffened. He tried to struggle and get out.

"Stay still!" the other cop-a bulky guy with black hair and a small goatee, his cold blue eyes unforgiving.

"No!" Hiccup protested, feeling the panic rise. He was in a car, unrestrained by a seat belt and helpless with his hands cuffed behind him. He felt horribly vulnerable and his breathing accelerated. "Let me out! Please...I can't do this!" 

"Shut up!" the older cop shouted and he flinched, cringing back, his eyes wide and breathing heaving through his panicking shape. Trembling, he drew his knees to his chest and buried his face in his knees as the car pulled away. Images sleeted through his mind and he was instantly lost in the montage of his worst moments: the truck sliding towards them; his hands turning the wheel, knowing the probable cost; the horrific moment of impact and the pain that accompanied it; the doctor leaning close to him, telling him they would have to cut his leg off to release him and save his life; the hands holding him still as the knife sliced into his flesh, his scream echoing in his ears;  waking to see the flat blanket where his foot should be; Ana's sneering face as she rejected him most devastatingly and turned away.

"Please," he whimpered. "Please, Astrid...help..."

But the car jerked and turned and finally stopped. Instantly a door up front slammed and the door next to him opened. Rough hands dragged him out, the cold hitting his clammy face like a slap and icy air dragged into his shaking body with each heaving breath. He was manhandled into the grim building of Berk Central Police Station and hauled straight up to the front desk.

"Please-there's been a horrible mistake," he begged as rough hands jerked him upright. His shoulder stabbed red hot needles of pain and he winced.

"Caught this one trying to abduct a child from 'Little Vikings'," the older cop growled. The desk sergeant-a solid man with a huge blonde viking beard and unfriendly blue eyes-peered over his big nose and scowled.

"Damned paedophile," he assumed and Hiccup gaped. He shook his head wildly.

"No! Emma's Mom asked me to collect her!" he repeated without any hope of being believed. "Please...I am her friend..." The sergeant scowled at him.

"Put him in the holding cell!" he said as Hiccup was dragged away.

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