Finn backed away from the screaming teenager, his face white and breath hitching. "Oh gods... oh gods, oh gods, oh gods!" Images flashed in his mind: a fallen roof, blood soaking the snow, Benen bleeding to death. A sharp protrusion of wood sticking out of his chest.

Pounding footsteps on stairs broke him out of his panicked stupor and Horst and Cliff emerged. The older man gasped at Erick and ran forward, stripping off his belt and tightly tying it above the teenagers' knee. Erick jerked at the movement, a hand clawing at Horst's arm.

"Hold on, Erick, hold on! Finn, WHAT happened?"

Cliff screamed and backed against the rail, his eyes wide and terrified. Finn watched Horst's mouth moving, yelling at the two boys to do something. His stomach churned and he barely made it to the edge of the platform before he vomited. Images flashed in his mind again, combined with Erick's agonized screams. Tears welled in his eyes; this wasn't supposed to happen.

Finally, Horst's voice broke through the barrier. "CLIFF! GO GET HELP! GO!"

Cliff scrambled off the floor and tore down the stairs as fast as he could, his panicked sobs carrying down the stairway. Finn glanced over at Erick and nearly dry heaved. His entire right foot was gone, the bone fragments choppy and uneven and blood pouring from the exposed limb.

"FINN!" The teenager's gaze snapped to Horst, whose face was white and fearful. "HELP ME!"

Finn didn't know what to do. He wanted to run away. He wanted to scream and cry. But instead, he gripped his hair, yanking hard to force himself to focus. Then he edged forward, trying not to gag on the stench Erick's blood.

Lowering to his knees, he stared at Horst. "W-what-"

"Let's get him flat." Horst ordered. "We have to stop the bleeding."

Xxx

Hiccup and Toothless marched through the village as fast as they could, keeping at eye out for both Haddock children. When the chief had caught wind that his son had busted out of jail, his first thoughts went to his daughter. Finn had threatened Adrianna, and so help him Thor if that boy hurt a single hair on her head, he'd... he'd...

Well, he didn't know what he'd do. But he had to do something. This wasn't even ridiculous anymore. It was spiraling out of control fast.

Hiccup was told somewhere that Adrianna was at Gregory and Magnus's house babysitting earlier in the day. He hoped she was still around or at least, if Finn had showed up, Brandyn was there to beat the boy to a pulp for him.

Toothless jerked to a stop beside him, sniffing the air. Then he growled low in his throat. Hiccup stopped a few paces ahead of him, instantly on alert. "What is it, bud? Is it Finn? Addie?"

The Night Fury huffed a "no" before a strangled cry sounded from a nearby street. Cliff Smedley tore around a corner, nearly plowing over an old woman and her granddaughter. The teenager caught sight of him and sprinted over to him. Hiccup's vision narrowed to the teenager, whose eyes were unfocused and pouring with tears, his face pinched in terror.

Cliff plowed right into him, grabbing his armor. "Ch-ch-chief, n-need help, we g-gotta g-g-go, h-he needs help-"

"Cli- CLIFF!" Hiccup held him tight by the face, forcing him to look into his eyes. Cliff's eyes focused on his and he forcefully asked, "What happened?"

Tears poured from the teenager's eyes and he choked, "It's Erick! At the mill!"

Hiccup didn't listen for more. He released the boy, jumped into Toothless' saddle and took off.

Cliff sank to the ground, right there in the middle of the street, covering his face to stem the images blocking his vision.

He almost didn't hear the footsteps, but the gentle hands on his shoulders made him look up. Adrianna knelt in front of him, her face pinched with worry. "Cliff! What's wrong? What happened?"

Cliff made a strangled noise in the back of his throat as she looked up, watching her father shout orders to "get to the mill" and "find Mara now", before he disappeared.

Brandyn stepped up beside Adrianna, worry creased on his handsome face. "Sounds like an accident at the mill."

"Cliff." Adrianna pulled up his face to meet hers. "What happened? Who's hurt?"

Cliff shook in her grip, his tears dripping on her hands. He shook his head and nearly sobbed again. That's when she realized who'd been injured.

"Erick." Adrianna whispered.

Her hands fell away from Cliff and suddenly she was running. She heard Cliff and Brandyn yell after her to stop, to stay, but she couldn't. Villagers' faces blurred as she ran harder than she'd ever run before. She knew something terrible had happened. She couldn't be clueless or missing for another catastrophe, not when she could do something to help. She didn't know what she'd find or what kind of accident would make a sweet boy like Cliff cry like a child, but she knew she had to be there.

Erick was depending on her. She wouldn't fail him again.

Xxx

Hiccup heard the screaming before they even got close. Toothless swooped toward the mill at top speeds: Hiccup wasn't sure if his dragon was using his senses of hearing or smell over the others. Anybody who screamed like that must be in a lot of pain, and the fact that Cliff had said Erick's name with such terror had set Hiccup's nerves on edge. What had happened?

Toothless beat his wings painfully hard to slow before landing on the edge of the drill platform. Hiccup's vision tunneled. Erick lay prostrate on the floorboards in a circle of blood, wailing with tears pouring out his eyes. Horst desperately tried to stop the bleeding from whatever the wound was, but Finn was blocking the view. Both were shirtless with spatters of blood on their chests.

Hiccup felt himself running. He skidded to his knees beside Finn, who was white as a sheet and stared up at him with terror. The chief felt the blood drain from his own face at the sight of Erick's right foot completely destroyed—now a mangled lump of bone and muscle and blood.

The chief's stomach turned but he turned to Erick. "No. No, no, no, gods, no." He muttered, moving to Erick's leg. He noticed the belt strapped below Erick's knee as tightly as it could go. A sopping heap of bloody shirts sat nearby. Hiccup instantly began unbuckling his leather vest, throwing the garment away before tearing off his own shirt. "Horst, what happened?"

Horst shook beside him, holding Erick's head in hands. "I-I don't know, I wasn't-"

"Finn." Hiccup interrupted, wrapping the thick shirt around Erick's leg. The teenager howled, arching his back and scrambling his arms against the floor to get away. "DON'T MOVE! Erick, don't move! Hold him still!"

Finn leaned forward, using his body weight against Erick's arms to hold them down. Horst pressed on the boy's shoulders.

"STOP!" Erick screamed. "GET OFF ME!"

"I can't!" Finn cried, his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Hiccup's arms shook as the shirt sopped up the copious amounts of blood in seconds. "Come on," Hiccup gasped, hurriedly untying his own belt. He tied the second belt lower on Erick's leg. He cried out in pain once again, blood pouring out the wound onto Hiccup's chest as he tightened both belts.

"S-s-stop, Hiccup, st-top it," Erick pleaded through a fresh wave of tears.

Hiccup heard the echo of footsteps on the stairs behind them. "I can't, buddy! You need to calm down, breathe!"

Horst's eyes went wider, if that was even possible, just as the footsteps died behind him. "Hiccup."

Hiccup turned. Adrianna stood at the edge of the stairs, her eyes wide in shock and terror.

"Addie-"

"What happened?" Adrianna asked in a shrill voice, stepping forward.

"NO!" Hiccup shouted. "Stay back, sweetie."

Adrianna halted in place as Brandyn emerged at the top of the stairs, his face blanching. "Oh gods!"

"Brandyn, get us a stretcher. NOW!"

Brandyn bolted down the stairs, leaving Adrianna at the top. She held a hand over her mouth, green eyes still wide in terror. Hiccup refocused back on Erick when he whimpered in pain, his head lolling to the side.

"No no no no no!" Horst cried.

"Erick! Erick," Hiccup crawled up to him. "Stay awake, come on! Don't you pass out on me."

"Dad-"

"Addie, stay b-"

"What do you want me to do?" Adrianna asked as calmly as she could.

Hiccup looked up at her. She looked petrified, doing her absolute best to swallow her fear. But she would not be deterred, her face full of strength and stubbornness. She wouldn't leave. She wanted to help. She refused to leave her best friend. Not like this.

The Hooligan chief wiped the sweat off his face. He looked at Finn, who sat pulling at his hair, trembling. His blue eyes darted to the drill machine close by and Hiccup noted that the chipping setting was turned on. A fire of rage sparked in his chest, knowing that somehow, his son had caused this. Hiccup closed his eyes and counted to three. He couldn't deal with Finn right now. Erick had minutes. He had to focus.

One.

Two.

Three.

Hiccup opened his eyes. "Addie, hold his head."

Adrianna ran to Horst's side, taking his place. She placed her hands under his head as Horst joined Hiccup on Erick's left. The Larson boy snatched one of Adrianna's wrists, his fingers slick with his own blood on her arm.

"Annie," Erick half-sobbed.

"It's okay," Adrianna murmured, trying for a smile. She pressed her forehead to his, willing her emotions to die. She had to be strong for him. "You're okay. You're okay."

Erick gave her a watery smile. "Y-you... never w-were a g-good... liar."

Adrianna's eyes widened, but she forced herself to stay calm.

"What now?" Horst asked.

Hiccup shook his head. "We've got to cauterize the wound."

Erick's eyes bugged in horror. "No!"

"Toothless!" Hiccup called to the Night Fury, who was by his side in seconds.

"N-no, NO!" Erick began thrashing in Finn and Horst's grasp. "P-please, Hiccup!"

Hiccup quickly yanked a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to his daughter. "Put that in his mouth."

"Daddy-"

"Do it!" Hiccup insisted.

Adrianna shakily moved Erick's head into her lap, wadding the handkerchief in her hand.

"No, p-please, don't-" Erick wailed before she had stuffed it into his mouth. He continued to cry out, his voice muffled and his head shaking from side to side.

"Toothless, small blast. Just the injury." Hiccup commanded. Toothless whined, nudging Hiccup with his snout. "I know you don't want to, bud. Please."

Toothless turned to the teenager's mangled leg. Hiccup turned his head to watch his daughter wipe Erick's face with her own handkerchief, whispering words of comfort into the boy's ear. He heard the sound of a plasma blast. Erick arced his back, his muffled screams echoing all over the mill. He turned back to look at Erick's now scorched injury. It was less likely he would bleed out now but the youngest Larson wasn't out of the woods yet.

Feet pounded the stairs and Brandyn emerged with a few men on his tail, all carrying a large stretcher. Snotlout and Tuffnut were among them, all gasping at the sight before them. But it was the last man to reach the top who shoved them aside, running to his little brother.

"ERICK!" Gustav cried out, his voice laced with terror. Erick's face twisted in pain, but his glossy eyes sought out his brother. Gustav held his arms in his hands, looking in horror at the slaughtered, burnt limb that was once his baby brother's foot. "What. Happened?"

"No time." Hiccup replied as the men helped him prepare the stretcher. "Addie, I want you to hold his head. Don't let go." Adrianna nodded firmly. "Everyone take a side!" The men each took a side, placing their hands underneath Erick's body. The teenager shivered, his face paling by the second.

Hiccup made to stand but slipped in the pool of blood, his own stump shuddering in pain from the fall. He fixed his position and instructed, "All right, we lift in three. Breathe, Erick. One, two, three!"

Erick cried out in agony when he was lifted and transported to the stretcher. Adrianna caressed his head as gently as she could, wishing she could alleviate his pain. Brandyn knelt at her shoulder as her father and the other men strapped Erick in, careful of his leg. She nearly missed her father's instructions to carry him as quickly and carefully as possible.

"Wouldn't it be faster to fly him?" Brandyn asked, his skin clammy.

"Not when he's lost so much blood." Hiccup replied, preparing with the others to lift a side. "He has to keep breathing. Adrianna, keep him awake. Don't let him pass out."

Another three-count and Erick was lifted into the air. The men carefully turned toward the stairs, careful not to slip in the ocean of blood pooling at their feet. Adrianna noticed Finn still sitting in the midst of the red pool, unmoving and unblinking. For a short moment, she wondered why he was even here, before they reached the stairs and she put her focus back on Erick.

Every step was agony. She'd never seen anybody, let alone her best friend, go through so much pain. She wondered if this was what her father had gone through. Had he gone through so much agony? Had this exact scenario taken place, one way or another at Helheim's Gate?

Erick whimpered every couple of steps. Adrianna removed the handkerchief from his mouth and tossed it aside, dabbing his face with her own. A normal walk from mill to village wouldn't be any big deal, but with Erick's life hanging in the balance, every step grated on her nerves.

Toothless walked beside her, crooning sadly at the Larson boy in the stretcher. The men walked as quickly as they could, but Adrianna could practically see the life draining from his face. Erick's usually lively teal eyes were dim and unfocused, darting to various things above them. His breath came out in sporadic gasps and exhales, his skin accumulated a thin sheen of sweat. The Haddock girl wiped his face again, gasping out loud when her fingers felt his chilled skin.

Hiccup glanced at her from over his shoulder. "What?"

"He's cold."

"Is he awake?"

For now. Adrianna's blood boiled, cursing her pessimistic side. "Yes."

"Faster." Hiccup urged the men.

"Annnnnie-" Erick whispered haltingly.

"Shh, don't talk." Adrianna touched the sides of his face gently. Vaguely she wondered if he could even see her. "We're almost there. You're going to be okay, I promise." Please let him be okay.

They reached the village; thankfully Mara's home wasn't far off. She didn't realize a crowd had formed until Hiccup shouted, "BACK UP! Everybody back up!" Adrianna ignored the people, wiping Erick's face again. The stretcher jolted to one side suddenly, and Erick yelped in agony.

"Sorry!" Brandyn winced at the front. "There's a big rock in the road."

Adrianna glared at the large rock as she passed it, wishing she could disintegrate it at will. Erick trembled in the stretcher, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. "We're almost there, Erick! Hold on!"

Mara was already running toward them when they turned the corner. She sprinted up to them, shouting orders for the men to move faster. "Time is of the essence, men, let's MOVE!" She surveyed the damage as the men picked up the pace. Fishlegs ran up, taking Hiccup's place at the stretcher. Hiccup stepped back with Mara to join his daughter, surveying Erick's condition.

"Erick, can you hear me?" Mara asked.

"Mmmphhhhh..." Erick murmured, shaking his head.

"Good. Do we know what happened?"

Hiccup stopped mid-step, turning to look around. "The drill," was all he said before he was marching away.

Adrianna didn't want to leave Erick, but stopped as well. Where was he going? And that's when she saw her brother cowering before their father as he marched up to his son, both shirtless and covered in blood head to toe.

"Dad, I didn't-"

Hiccup shoved his son until his back hit the wall of a house with a loud pound. "WHAT, FINN?"

Finn had never looked more terrified, his eyes and face openly remorseful. "It was an acc-"

"NO!" Hiccup's voice echoed through the streets. "Haven't you done enough?"

Finn's face pinched as he bit his lip. "Dad, please-"

"Erick might DIE, Finn! At the very LEAST, he might never walk again!" Hiccup roared. "Have you had enough adrenaline yet? Gotten all the attention you've been searching for?"

Finn shook his head frantically. "I don't want it," he whispered. "Dad, I never meant-"

"Stop." Hiccup held up a bloodied hand, pointing in his son's face. "I don't want to hear it. Get out of my sight and don't you come near that healer's."

Hiccup turned and marched away, back toward Adrianna and the healer's. Adrianna watched her brother slide to the ground, his face reddening in shame and tears. Anger boiled in her chest as Gobber walked up to the boy, but before Gobber could say a word, Finn scrambled out of the dirt and tore around the corner.

"Addie!"

The girl blinked up at her father, who was looking at her in concern. "I'll kill him."

"Addie-"

"He DID this-"

"Addie." Hiccup reinforced. "Finn is not the issue right now. Can I trust you to hold Erick's hand or do you want to wait outside?"

"Wait," Brandyn trotted up. "You're letting her go in there?"

"Is that a problem?" Hiccup bit out, patience gone.

Brandyn stepped back. "W-well... I don't think it great for her to see all that blood-"

"Wouldn't be the first time." Adrianna countered. "And I've already seen it. Yes, I'll stand with him."

"Ok-" Hiccup's eyes widened suddenly and he lunged toward the crowd, intercepting a woman trying to sprint into the healer's. Magnus screamed indignantly.

"ERICK! HICCUP, LET ME GO!"

"No, Magnus, I can't let you go inside." Hiccup hauled her toward the crowd, people stepping back to avoid her flailing arms and legs. Her fist landed on Hiccup's bare shoulder but he ignored the pain. "Magnus, I can't-"

"He's my BROTHER!" Magnus sobbed hysterically. "What happened to my brother, I CAN'T lose him too!"

Gregory pushed through the crowd, pulling her out of Hiccup's hold. When he was sure she wouldn't make a run for the door, Hiccup stepped back. Gregory's face was pinched in worry as his wife sobbed into his chest. "Hiccup?"

Hiccup felt heat rise to his face as the situation dawned on him. Erick's blood coating his body, thick and sticky against his flesh, all the eyes on him at that moment. It sent memories cascading through his mind that he wished would stay down. He felt a wave of hysteria in that moment that he tried to force down.

"Chief?" Gregory asked.

Hiccup's arms shook as he tried to find his voice. "I-it's his leg."

Gregory glanced at the building. "How bad is it?"

"It's bad."

Mara leaned out the door, not crossing the threshold. "Hiccup, get in here or I'm shutting you out!"

Hiccup nodded shakily, giving himself a few seconds to regain composure and shove all of his worry and stress and anxiety down. He had to be there for Erick, for his daughter who'd already run inside. He couldn't afford to break down now.

He looked at Magnus and Gregory one last time. "Pray. Pray hard."

With that, he turned and marched toward the healer's hut without a second look back. When he slammed the door closed, he shut out the stares, the whispers, the crowd, his duties as a chief, his son. Inside the hut, he was a father, ready to hold the hand of his ailing boy.

The building was a flurry of activity. Erick had been laid down in the closest bed, a multitude of men strapping him in so that he couldn't thrash around. Adrianna stood by his head, caressing it with her fingers. The youngest Larson's gaze never left hers.

"Someone get me my blue bag!" Mara bellowed, snapping her fingers impatiently. "I need my bag now!"

The bag was shoved into her hands by a very pale looking Inga Jorgenson. Both Hiccup and Snotlout's eyes widened in surprise. What was she doing there?

"There are more bandages in the top cupboard." Mara pointed to the cupboard with a single finger, not even bothering to look up. "I want as many rolls as you can find."

Inga didn't hesitate. Hiccup watched her rush to the cupboard and retrieve the bandages before Snotlout stopped her.

"Inga, go. You shouldn't be-"

"Let me go!" Inga snapped, glaring daggers at her father. She turned to Mara. "What else can I do?"

As Mara gave her some more instructions, Snotlout reluctantly went back to the patient, whose cries had turned into quiet whimpers. Hiccup strapped in what was left of Erick's mangled right leg.

Adrianna stared into her best friend's eyes, stroking his damp hair and continuing to dab at his face. The stench of blood was overwhelming; twice she choked down bile from her throat. Her eyes stung with tears she refused to shed. She had to be strong for Erick, the first friend she had ever made. Her mind swirled with every time she had ever needed him and every time he had been there with a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear. He needed her now and she wasn't going to let him down.

Suddenly she felt his cold, sticky hand clasp around her wrist with surprising strength. "Annie." Erick whispered firmly, as if it was the most important word in the world.

"What?" she asked softly.

"I'm... I'm s-sorry." Erick breathed, barely audible over the din around them. "F-for everyth-thing."

"Don't." Adrianna shook her head once, giving him a gentle smile. "We were both wrong. But it doesn't matter now. You're going to be okay. We're fine."

Erick's lips stretched in a tiny smile. His eyes locked onto hers and his fingers unclenched from her wrist, instead traveling upward to stroke her cheek. For one blissful moment, they were Erick and Adrianna again, the two little children who couldn't be seen without the other, who ran through the village talking and laughing and making up stories. The perfect inseparable pair whose friendship was supposed to last forever.

But nothing lasts forever.

Erick's hand dropped from her cheek. His eyes rolled upward and fluttered shut. His chest went still.

Adrianna stared at her best friend in horror for a beat before grabbing his shoulders and shaking. "No..." she whispered, refusing to believe it. Erick Larson, her best friend, could not be dead. "No, no, no, no. NO!" she shook him violently but his head lolled uselessly from side to side. "DADDY!"

"MOVE!" Hiccup roughly shoved her hands aside, hopping on one foot as he extracted something from his prosthetic.

"Daddy, he's not moving!" Adrianna wailed. Tears poured down her face as she stared at Erick's still form. "He's not breathing..."

Hiccup extracted a sizable syringe from the prosthetic and took off its covering. He raised it over Erick's heart.

"DADDY, NO!" Adrianna screamed.

Hiccup stabbed Erick's heart with the needle, injecting him with the liquid within. Adrianna sobbed as she watched her friend's body jerk. There were a few tense seconds as Erick lay motionless, all eyes on him. Then, quite suddenly, he gasped. His eyes fluttered and his breathing stabilized.

Adrianna stepped forward and stroked his hair, her hands shaking so hard she could hardly control them. "Come on, Erick. P-please, wake up." she sniffled as more tears dripped onto Erick's slack face. "They s-said you're supposed to stay awake, c-come on. You can't d-die now. N-not like this. Please!"

"Hiccup, she should go." Mara said morosely. "I don't think she should see this."

Hiccup took one look at the sharp tools she was holding and nodded once. He grasped his daughter's shoulders. "Addie, we have to go."

"No!" Adrianna wailed.

"Addie-"

"I'm not leaving him!"

Everyone watched as Hiccup pleaded with his daughter to leave the room now that Erick was unconscious. Adrianna hysterically refused, clutching Erick's body as if she was clutching on her own lifeline. No one had ever heard the Haddock girl scream and wail as agonizingly as she did when Hiccup finally put his arms around her stomach and carried her away. The last thing they saw as he exited the house, his daughter thrashing in his arms, was his face glistening with tears of his own.

"All right." Mara said after a beat, turning back to her patient. "Let's do this."

Xxx

Finn watched as Hiccup carried his sister out into the sunlight, the crowd parting to let him through. Adrianna struggled against their father's grip but she couldn't break free. The whole time, she begged and pleaded with him to let her back in the house with Erick. Finn saw the villagers look away from the pair, not wanting to get in the middle of what was very clearly a delicate situation.

Finn continued to watch them, however, as Adrianna finally went limp in Hiccup's arms and sunk to her knees, crying like she had never cried before. She was hugging her chest and rocking back and forth as her heartbroken wails reverberated in Finn's ears. He felt his chest tighten. He had never heard her cry like that before. He watched his father kneel beside her and wrap her in his arms, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. As she melted into his arms, Finn saw his father's chest heaving and he eventually buried his face in Adrianna's long hair.

Finn felt his heart constrict at the sounds of his little sister's loud sobbing. There was only one reason she would be crying like that. He, Finn, had murdered her best friend. There was no sugar coating it, no getting around it. Erick Larson was dead. Because of him.

The villagers pressed in on Mara's house, shouting pleas for updates. Magnus sobbed into her husband's chest. Lara stood close to the door with a blank expression but Finn could see her clutch her purse with white knuckles even from far away. Cliff was crying silently, his head resting on his mother's shoulder. And Finn was to blame. He was to blame for every single broken heart out there, for every tear that was shed as the village watched and waited. He felt every single limb tremble and he nearly fell into a nearby chair, remaining in the shadows to watch the scene unfold, to find out for sure if Erick really had died a horrific, agonizing death.

Just like Benen.

It was an eternity before the door to the healer's opened and Fishlegs stepped out. The villagers shouted over each other as they inquired as to whether or not Erick had survived. Fishlegs put up a hand to silence them.

"Erick's alive." he said in a loud voice that easily carried over to where Finn was hiding. "We couldn't save his foot but we are wrapping it up. Gods willing, he'll be able to walk again with a prosthetic. But now, we need you to pray that he'll wake up."

Finn exhaled heavily, putting his head in his hands. Erick was alive. There was still hope. He heard Fishlegs call Hiccup back into the healer's. The crowd went back to its dull roar, the sounds of crying still easily audible from this distance.

A few seconds later, he heard the sounds of someone stomping growing nearer. He looked up and felt all the blood drain from his face. Adrianna stood over him, her face streaked with tears and her eyes so bloodshot that her green irises seemed to glow. She looked almost feral, her teeth gritting and her hair flying everywhere. He stood up quickly but for once, their difference in height didn't make her any less terrifying.

"Anna, I never-"

"SHUT UP!" Adrianna raised her hand and slapped him in the face. Finn stumbled back in shock, his cheek stinging. "SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU FILTHY-"

"Adri, don't!" Astrid was running over but she was still too far away for comfort.

"YOU DID THIS!" Adrianna shrieked, slapping him again with every word. "YOU. DID. THIS." she punched his stomach, making him wheeze.

"Stop!" Astrid finally arrived, grabbing Adrianna around the waist for the second time that day.

"If Erick dies, I will NEVER forgive you! Did you hear me? NEVER!" Adrianna struggled against her mother's grasp, her hands clutching onto Finn and her fingernails cutting into his skin. "You are DEAD to me, Fearless Finn!"

"Adri, this won't help Erick." Astrid said gently as she pried her daughter from her son.

"I HATE YOU!" Adrianna screamed as she was dragged away. "I HATE YOU!"

Finn didn't stay to watch for one more second. His feet seemed to move of their own accord, one in front of the other and picking up the pace until he was running as fast as he could in the direction of his house. He nearly knocked the door down when he finally got there, panting and drenched in sweat. He didn't stop. He pelted into the washroom and poured water into the tub, taking time only to remove his boots before submerging himself in the cold water. The water was tinged with red but he wasn't clean enough. He would never be cleaned enough.

He grabbed the soap and scrubbed his skin until it was raw. He poured the closest bottle of shampoo into his hair and lathered it several times. Finally, when the smell of blood had finally been replaced with the smell of soap, Finn emerged from the bathtub and bolted up the stairs, not caring that he was dripping wet. As soon as he had gotten into his bedroom, he stripped off all of his clothes and tossed them into the trash bin. He threw on the first clothes he saw before grabbing a bag and throwing handfuls of clothes into it. He then shut it tight and stopped in the kitchen to take some food and a fishing pole. He then ran back out the front door, shaking his head so that his wet hair would dry faster. Thornado was waiting for him outside.

"We're going away for a while." Finn said simply before jogging down the hill, thinking vaguely of taking off in a place where no one would see him flying away.

As he dodged houses and hid behind various objects, his eyes fell on Benen's old house. He stopped short, nearly skidding on the ground, and stared at it like he was in a trance. Benen's house suddenly looked so... inviting. As if his best friend was standing in front of it, beckoning him over with a small smile. Finn shuffled forward, his eyes locked onto Benen's small porch and the slightly ajar door. His heart thumped when he finally pushed it open and caught sight of the interior of the house for the first time since his friend had died.

The house looked no different. Little clay sculptures Finn had made himself littered the dust covered shelves. The geode he had found lay in a place of honor in the middle of the shelf over the fireplace. There were wood carvings that he and Astrid had made in prominent places. The walls were full of pictures Hiccup had painted and Adrianna had drawn, faded now but still cheerful and colorful. Benen had done his best to proudly display everything his family had made for him as a visual reminder of his second chance at life. His love for them permeated the empty house even years after he was gone.

Finn dropped his bag and fell to his knees in the middle of the room. His eyes stung with tears as he hugged his chest and put his head down, as if he was praying. He desperately wanted Benen to walk out of his bedroom or washroom to greet him, ask if he wanted some tea, talk about something he was thinking about. He wanted to hear Benen laugh openly, so thankful to be free that he didn't care if others heard. And, more than anything, so much that he felt like his heart would burst at the thought, he wanted Benen to point to him and utter the word that had begun their friendship in the first place: Fortis.

But Benen was gone. And no amount of wishing and pining and pleading with the gods would ever bring him back. Nothing would fill that hole in Finn's heart, that gaping, bleeding crater that he had tried so hard to ignore. The truth was that it hurt. Every second of every day, Finn ached for his friend, for the unconditional love he had grown accustomed to receiving.

And then it hit him.

"Finn, if you remember nothing else, remember this: I love you. I will always love you, no matter what you say and how much you hate me. Because love isn't an emotion, it's a choice, a promise. A promise I made before you were born and a promise I make again every single day."

Before this had happened, before Finn had as good as murdered Erick, he had had that unconditional love he had craved. He'd had it since months before he was even born. But he had wasted it. He'd refused to believe it was there, that it was genuine. And now it was surely gone. Now he had crossed the line. There was no going back anymore.

With a choked swallow, Finn reached into his shirt and pulled out the last gift Benen had ever given him. The wooden necklace with the word "Fortis" scrawled into the center. He wasn't strong. He was a proud, angry, petulant little boy who had abused his way into power. That was about as weak and worthless as he could become. His eyes thick with tears, he yanked the necklace off his neck. The leather cord snapped, the sound popping in the quiet of the house. He dropped the item, his most treasured possession, on the floor and stared down at it. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve anything. He especially hadn't deserved Benen.

He jerked when the door opened behind him. He didn't know how long he'd knelt there, whether it was minutes or hours that he had stared blankly at the necklace on the ground. He didn't look up when he heard footsteps slowly approach him.

"Finn." his mother's voice permeated the small room. "I thought I'd find you here."

The boy looked up into the blue eyes he had inherited. Astrid stood tall, far above his head, but she didn't leer at him.

"If you're going to shout... shout." Finn said in a choked voice, shoving emotion down as best he could.

"What?" asked Astrid, sounding confused.

"Yell at me." Finn reiterated. "I was foolish. I nearly killed an innocent kid and I don't deserve any forgiveness." the boy braced himself against her harsh words but they didn't come. Astrid continued to stare down at him her expression unreadable. "Why are you just standing there? Yell at me! Let me have it!"

Astrid crouched down to his level and looked directly into his eyes. "What would yelling fix?"

"I deserve it! Dad and Anna yelled at me so why aren't you?" Finn felt his voice break on the last word, his heart pounding and chest heaving with the effort to hold back his emotions.

"Finn," Astrid gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "Yelling won't fix anything. It won't solve problems. It won't save Erick. It won't bring Benen back."

Finn looked away, shoulders right under her hands. "Just leave me, why are you even trying anymore?"

"Because I love you. And no matter what you do, you're still my little boy. I won't leave you."

Tears flooded his eyes, his breath hitching in his throat. "I can't do this anymore," he whispered, voice cracking.

"Then don't." Astrid murmured, scorching closer til he felt her sit beside him. "Let it go."

Finn let out a sob and felt his mother place an arm around his shoulders. He leaned into her gentle touch, his whole body heaving with sobs he had held back for too long. He felt her stroke his hair, running her fingers through the strands as she had done when he was a tiny child with a skinned knee. It seemed impossible that his mother could forgive him so easily, not after everything he had done. He had gone against every lesson she'd ever instilled in him. But instead of being angry, she continued to love him just as she'd always done. Finn felt a rush of appreciation for her, of thankfulness to have the amazing mother that he had.

But despite that love, he'd nearly killed Erick. He could still die from blood loss or infection. Erick's life was nearly lost because of him. His insides turned to ice, wishing he could turn back time. Why hadn't he listened while he had the chance? Why couldn't he have just sat in jail like a good little crook and taken his punishment? Why did he always have to make everything worse?

That's why he had to leave. His mother might still love him, but his father and sister... They hated him. The entire village would shun him. He had no friends. Nobody cared for him. And he deserved it. He wouldn't feel sorry for himself another day. He knew he deserved every bit of animosity people held toward him. Sorry wouldn't fix things. Only ridding the village of his entire being could fix this. They could all move on without him hanging over their heads like a black cloud. Nobody wanted a future chief who was a terror at fifteen. Nobody wanted an irresponsible, selfish coward as a leader. He had to go. He had to spare his father the embarrassment and pain, and just go. It was the least he could do to just disappear.

"I'm leaving." Finn whimpered once his tears had run dry. "I have to."

Astrid stiffened slightly, her hand freezing mid stroke. "Finn-"

"No one wants me around." Finn shook his head and sniffled loudly. "You know they don't."

"Finn, baby," Astrid gently placed her hands on his head and lifted it so he was facing her, "you don't have to."

"Yes I do. I have to go, I can't... I can't keep living like this." Finn wiped his face.

Astrid bit her lip tersely. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know." Finn said through a shaky sigh. "I just have to go."

"Are you..." Astrid paused and Finn was stunned to notice that her eyes were glistening with tears. "Are you going to come back?"

Finn's brow pinched in sorrow. "I-I don't know," he managed in a wobbly voice. "I don't deserve to be chief. I've lost that right. And... and Dad hates me."

"No." Astrid brushed his tears away with her thumbs. "He doesn't hate you, Finn."

"He told me to leave-"

"He didn't mean he wanted you to leave Berk." Astrid assured him. "He was angry. You know more than anyone what anger does to people. But anger doesn't last forever."

Finn nodded. "I-I know. This is my decision. I have to do this. At least for a little while. I have to... figure things out."

Astrid nodded understandingly. "Just promise me you'll come back. Don't let me turn old and gray without seeing you again."

Finn managed a smirk. "You'd still be beautiful."

"So you say." Astrid rolled her eyes but smiled through her tears. "And don't come back in 8 years with a wife and children or I will slap you silly. I will be coordinator for your wedding so help me Thor-"

"Okay, okay..." Finn managed a weak chuckle.

"Are you sure?" Astrid asked once again.

"Yes."

"You have warm clothes? Food?" Astrid eyed his dragon through the window.

"I've got everything I need." Finn said as she met his gaze once again. "I'll be fine, mom." he swallowed. "If dad freaks out... don't let him follow me. I know I'm still a kid but I'm not seven anymore. I can handle myself."

Astrid nodded. "I don't know what he'll say... but I'll talk with him."

They slowly stood up and faced the door of the house. Finn felt his heart constrict at the thought of leaving his whole life behind but his words were true. He wasn't an angry little boy looking to escape his life at home. He was a young man embarking on a journey to try and figure out who he was, how he felt, and most importantly, who he needed to become.

Within seconds, he had mounted his dragon. Astrid silently tightened the straps attaching his supplies to Thornado, her hands shaking slightly as she did so.

"Before I go, I..." Finn swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. "I love you, mom." he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

Astrid wrapped him in her arms and held him for a few seconds. "I love you too, Finn." she wiped her face and stood tall like the brave Viking that she was and that Finn so dearly wanted to be.

With that, Thornado ascended into the air. Finn watched as his mother fell away and as the island of Berk became smaller and smaller until finally it became swallowed up by the horizon.