Hidden Scars

Chapter 76

Chapter 76...
Wait. Wait wait wait!
Was that what he heard?
No... it was his imagination... right?
There was no way.
But... he could've sworn he heard... her voice.
"H...Hic...cup?"
No... no he was dreaming.
Why wasnt he waking up as he pinched his skin on his arm?
It... it was real!
Hiccup slowly turned around allowing his heart to beat his way to face Astrid who was staring at him with an expression of realisation and hesitation.
"A-Astrid?"
Taking a few steps closer, not letting his eyes be consumed by anything else other than the ocean eyes connected with his, he felt his knees felt feel weak from hearing his name escape her lips. He slowly sat on the edge of the bed, eyes still connected with hers; it was almost as though he could see her mind working through her eyes trying to piece together the memories and times together like a puzzle.
With a slightly shaky hand, he reached his hand to her face tracing his fingertips over the skin of her cheek. He felt her lean in slightly so his hand cupped her cheek and that alone made him choke out a laugh and grin with the hidden water building up in his eyes.
Astrid raised her hand to reach his on her face, locking her thumb into the palm of his hand against her skin and placing her fingers onto his brushing the tips over his knuckles. Her face was still as blank as a canvas but you could tell something was happening within her mind.
"Its me Astrid... Hiccup..." the auburn haired boy said wrapping his fingers around hers and bringing them to his lips, pressing a kind and tender kiss to them.
Their eyes disconnected as Astrid moved her focus to the book infront of her. Once again she began to look through the pages with her eyes fixed to photos. Hiccup watched her every move from the smallest flare of her nostril to the slow movement of her lips trying to form words.
After a few more seconds of 'researching', Astrid pointed to a photo.
"M... mu...mum a-and da-a...d"
Hiccup's body felt limp and taken back from the few words spoken. He smiled and let the couple odd tears run down his cheeks.
She then took hold of the locket and opened it again to reveal her memory with her family inside. There they were again.
It was finally coming together.
Realising what was happening, Hiccup got up and limped to the door calling the nurses in who quickly ran to the room thinking something bad had happened.
"Mr Haddock! What's going on?"
"Wait just... just watch!"
Hiccup pointed over to Astrid who was mumbling to herself under her breath as she turned more and more pages. It was all coming together.
"Miss Hofferson? May I take a look at you again please?"
After nodding in agreement, the nurse walked over to Astrid and took out her light pen, moving it over her eyes seeing that her pupils were becoming responsible again to the light.
Astrid continues to babble out names and places she could identify and remember from certain past events. Her speech was getting better too, improving each time she spoke.
After an hour or so of constant work, it finally clicked.
She turned towards Hiccup who had been with her helping since she started to make more progress. Her mouth opened and she began to speak.
"I'm Astrid... Astrid Hofferson... I'm 18... my parents died in a car crash... they were killed by Leo... my ex... the one who started the fire... the fire in your house that I live in with my boyfriend Hiccup Haddock and his mother Valka... I have a dog called Stormfly... Hiccup has a cat called Toothless..." Astrid breathed out and smiled seeing Hiccup smiling in happiness with a tear stained face. He leaned forward and held her close. His arms wrapped around her protectively, her arms wrapped lovingly around him, his head resting on hers, her face in his chest, his skin feeling her every soft breath against it, her ears and mind listening to each heartbeat pumping through his chest.
Astrid sat up and rested her forehead against Hiccups. Both closed their eyes and smiled just appreciating this moment they had together.
"... I remember..." Astrid whispered as she wiped away the small tears that escaped her and smiled.
Hiccup smiled and nodded a little as he cried with her.
Curling his finger under her chin, Hiccup rose her face up to his and inched his face closer to hers so their lips were millimeters away from each other, feeling the hot breath from one another on each pair.
"I missed you"
"I missed you too"
Their lips slowly met for the first time in what felt like forever. But this wasn't just a normal kiss... it was a kiss that meant something much more. A kiss that meant they both overcame defeat, neither one of them gave up on one another and they both eventually found eachother on the end through tbe darkness.
He fought for her.
She fought for him.
They fought together.