How Not To Drive Home for Snoggletog

1: Reluctant Returnee

A/N: It's Christmas time and I was listening to the radio...when I heard Chris Rea's 'Driving Home for Christmas'. And somehow I just imagined our heroes heading back to Berk for the holidays...of course, some chaos has to ensue...

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

One: Reluctant Returnee

Hiccup Haddock looked up as the last other person in the office paused by his desk. He looked up from his mess, blinking as the husky man offered his hand.

"Happy Christmas, Harrison!" he boomed and Hiccup levered himself to his feet, giving a firm handshake.

"You too, Terrence," he said pleasantly. "You'll be spending it with Gerda?" The balding man nodded, his twinkling dark eyes warm with happiness as he pulled his orange knitted scarf tighter around his thick neck.

"Of course," he smiled. "Christmas is a time for family. My son, Fergus and our daughter, Laura, will be coming home. And about a dozen cousins, aunts and grandparents!" Hiccup smiled, his emerald eyes warmed by the man's enthusiasm. Terrence was a fine designer and engineer and was intensely proud of his family. Over the five years he had worked at the company, Hiccup had gotten to know them intimately from his tales.

"Sounds busy," he commented, trying to get his hand back. Terrence beamed broadly.

"It's the happiest time of the year," he enthused then stared at the tall lean man facing him, his dark auburn hair a little shaggy and brushing his collar, his face with pale skin and wide emerald eyes guarded. "Are you going home this year?" Hiccup shrugged and gave a reluctant nod.

"Yeah...I'm heading back for Snoggletog this year," he admitted. "The break's long enough to make the trip worthwhile..." Terrence nodded.

"Well, have a fantastic time!" he said, turning to the door. "Merry Christmas!"

"And to you," Hiccup said as he watched the man go. Slowly he sank back into his seat, his concentration broken. He really wasn't looking forward to going back home for the holiday but it was his father's sixtieth birthday on the 26th so he felt kind of obliged to finally return. After all, it had been over six years since he had left Berk and he hadn't set foot back in the isolated northern town since he sneaked out by bus, three days after High School Graduation, leaving a note for his parents and reassuring them that he would be in touch.

He had headed south, cautiously spending the money he had saved from working in Gobber's garage for the last three years to fund the long journey and a very cheap motel room. He had a letter of recommendation from his High School Principal and a reference from Gobber as well as his High School Diploma, his personal documents and a GED he had taken in the name of 'Harrison Hanson'. With these, he had secured work in a rather rough bar and had applied for a variety of jobs until he had landed this one, in a medium-sized engineering firm that had funded his degree.

He sighed, tidied his papers and saved his work, then closed his computer, switched of his lamp and grabbed his messenger bag and his leather jacket, fishing his motorbike helmet from under the desk and heading down to the park. It was already seven and he ought to set out tonight: it was a very long journey home. He was the last man so he dutifully clicked the lights off and made sure the door was closed and locked, though he knew Gary from Security would check all the doors on his rounds. Then he pulled his dark pewter-coloured helmet on, the black dragon on the back a fair approximation of the Night Fury, the fastest, most intelligent and most accurate dragon...and definitely the coolest. Then he swung onto his bike, kicking it off the stand and starting the engine, then gliding away.

He weaved his way through the traffic, his sleek black motorcycle drawing the eyes wherever it went. He still smiled and felt that thrill every time he turned the key and heard the engine purr: it had been in poor shape when he had bought it, almost fit for scrap-because that was all he could afford-but he had restored it to its former glory and more. He dipped between two buses and flipped round the right turn, gliding down into the underground car park at his apartment building.