Chapter Eighteen: Welcome

When the twins had gained enough weight that the healer thought they would be able to go home, Hiccup and Astrid were ecstatic. For about ten seconds. And then they suddenly realized that they had a nursery waiting for one baby. They hadn't been expecting two. When they eventually entered their home, untouched for a few weeks now, they looked at each other.

"I guess they can share the crib for now." Astrid said, gently rocking their son so that he would stay asleep.

"Yeah for now. They're not going to stay this small forever." Hiccup replied, grinning as their daughter suddenly sneezed but still managed to stay asleep. "And we're going to have to build a wall in the nursery to give them separate bedrooms."

"That's not a big deal, Hiccup. It'll be done in a week if everyone helps out." Astrid stared into the face of their sleeping son, a small smile tugging the corners of her mouth.

Hiccup loved watching her rocking one of their children like that. He had never seen that expression on her face until their babies were born but it was one of complete, perfect happiness. She had somehow gone from wishing they weren't having any children to not being able to be away from them for more than half an hour at a time.

Not that he blamed her. He felt a physical ache in the pit of his stomach whenever he wasn't in the same room as his children. Whenever one of them cried, it was almost a race between him and Astrid to reach the child first. With Hiccup's hand bandaged and often throbbing, he usually lost.

After only a few weeks, the babies already had different personalities. Within the first night, Hiccup and Astrid had noticed that the boy's cry was loud and jarring, not something they enjoyed waking up to, but the girl's was quieter and she made a funny hiccuping sound between wails. Astrid joked that it was a sign that their daughter would be a daddy's girl. But Hiccup didn't need a sign to know that. He could already tell from the fact that she couldn't seem to keep crying when she was nestled in his arms. The boy seemed to have a similar affinity for his mother. The boy was a morning person, preferring to wake his parents up at the crack of dawn while the girl was an evening person, waiting until almost midnight to settle in and fall asleep. These differences were minor but the new parents had a distinct feeling that their son and daughter's personalities would only differ more as they grew up.

The next day was a big one for everyone. After weeks of waiting (quite a bit longer than usual), the Haddock twins would be officially welcomed into the Hooligan tribe by their grandfather. Hiccup had been looking forward to this day for months. He'd already gotten his best outfit all ready to wear in front of the entire tribe.

"They won't even remember it." Astrid said, rolling her eyes as Hiccup straightened his shirt and attempted to tame his hair. "Calm down."

"This is a big deal, Astrid. We're getting in front of everyone. This is the first time most of the tribe has even seen our babies." His eyes suddenly widened. "Have we bathed them?"

"Yeah we did. They don't even smell like babies anymore." She watched him as he suddenly rushed across the room and grabbed a clean rag. "Oh don't polish your foot again; no one's going to notice it."

Hiccup snorted, trying to keep his laughter quiet so he wouldn't wake his children. "That's quite a statement. Imagine hearing that out of context!"

Astrid chuckled as silently as she could. "I think it's about time to go."

"Yeah... looks like it. Do I look okay?" Hiccup asked, finally deciding that his prosthetic was shiny enough.

"You looked fine half an hour ago. Now you look too dressed up." Astrid placed her hands on her hips but still smiled at her husband.

Hiccup scooped his baby boy out of the crib and gently rocked him so that he would stay asleep. It was tradition that the father held the baby if it was a boy and the mother if it was a girl. As they took the stroll to the Great Hall, where a lot of people were milling about, they received pats on the back and shouts of congratulations. Hiccup felt like he was on the top of the world. Here he was showing off his little creation to the world. This perfect little baby boy in his arms... and Astrid held his perfect little baby girl slightly behind him. Toothless and Stormfly followed, not wanting to get too close to the babies quite yet. Toothless had been very startled when he first heard one of them cry but he soon got used to the noise and to the tiny new people he wasn't allowed to play with yet. He was irritated that Hiccup wasn't flying quite as often but he also understood that his human's priority now was to take care of his young.

The dragons followed their humans into the Great Hall, where Stoick beamed at them. They stayed to the back of the room as the new parents came to the front, most of the village behind them. Stoick was reminded of Hiccup's Welcoming Ceremony; it had been just as packed and he'd almost gone hoarse from shouting to make sure those in the back could hear him.

As the village poured in to show their support for Hiccup and Astrid, they spotted Ruffnut and Fishlegs sitting next to each other, clasping each other's hands. And, to their great surprise, Snotlout sidled in next to them, his hand firmly gripping Heather's. Hiccup raised an eyebrow at Astrid, who grinned. They'd had a feeling about Snotlout and Heather but not until they saw the two of them together were they certain.

Stoick cleared his throat loudly and the entire hall went silent.

"When I first found out I was going to become a grandfather, I was... well, I'll be honest, I was completely shocked. Here was my son standing in front of me, only married two months, telling me that he was going to be a father!" A few people in the Hall chuckled appreciatively. "Ten years ago, if you had told me that my son and the most violent girl on Berk were going to get married and have children, I'd have told you that you were mad! But now, I'm standing here in front of my son, my daughter-in-law, my grandchildren, and I couldn't be prouder. These children are going to achieve great things."

Hiccup's heart soared. He had known that his father was proud of him but hearing it come from him in front of everyone made it all the more real. He gently handed his son to Stoick and whispered the intended name as he did so. Stoick beamed at him when he heard and very nearly forgot to speak as he stared into the face of his grandson.

"As chief, I officially welcome this baby into the Hooligan tribe and pronounce the name to be Fearless Finn Haddock!"

There was nearly deafening applause. The baby boy awoke and stirred slightly, staring up at his grandfather but apparently not finding this noise distressing enough to cry. The girl whimpered a bit but Astrid was able to calm her down. She stole a glance at her mother, who looked delighted that her grandson had been named after her daughter's favorite uncle. Finn was handed back to his father and Astrid stepped up to hand their daughter to her father-in-law. She whispered the baby girl's name as she did so and Stoick's smile widened.

"As chief, I officially welcome this baby into the Hooligan tribe and pronounce the name to be Adrianna Miracle Haddock!"

Those who knew Adrianna's story clapped hardest as the baby girl was handed back to her mother. Astrid sighed in relief when she was finally holding her daughter again. The baby stirred slightly but remained silent, staring up at her mother as if to ask why everyone was making a fuss.

It was certainly a legitimate question. Once the ceremony was over, the crowd of Vikings pressed around them, all wanting to take a look at the newly named Finn and Adrianna. Hiccup was delighted to stand in the middle, accepting hearty congratulations and being slapped on the back, but Astrid was feeling irritated with the sheer number of people surrounding her. At long last, the crowd finally dissipated slightly, leaving only a small cluster of people around each baby.

"She's lovely." said an unfamiliar female voice.

Astrid turned her head and found herself facing an old woman she had never seen before. Something about her slightly unfocused gaze gave her an odd vibe, almost like she wasn't all there.

"Have we met?" Astrid muttered, not wanting to draw attention to this particular guest.

"Oh no, I've been hiding away." The woman tittered slightly. "May I hold her?"

Astrid's heart began thumping in her throat. "No... I just want to make sure she's safe."

This was astoundingly true. The woman had long, wispy gray hair that stuck out all over. There were bags under her eyes that made her look rather decrepit. Her hands were gnarled like branches of a tree and her entire body seemed to be covered with sagging wrinkles. Though she was probably in her mid fifties, she looked much older. She smiled in response to Astrid's statement.

"Oh pish posh, I won't be a minute." She said, suddenly grabbing the baby before Astrid could react. "Ohhh she is a beauty."

Astrid swallowed thickly. Ordinarily she would have threatened this woman but it seemed foolhardy to do so when she was holding her baby girl. Her heart raced and her stomach seemed to tighten painfully.

"May I... I'd like her back please." she said in a small voice.

"Why yes, dear. Of course." The woman gently placed the baby back in Astrid's hands.

Astrid's heart rate slowed and she let out a sigh of relief.

"She looks a little like me, don't you think?" the woman continued, smiling at the newborn.

Secretly, Astrid couldn't think of two people who looked less alike but she wasn't about to voice that thought.

"Trista! What the Hel are you doing here?" Stoick suddenly boomed, stomping over to the old woman.

"Why I was only congratulating your daughter-in-law." The woman replied with a soft chuckle. "I meant no harm."

"Out. Get out now." Stoick shouted, pointing to the door with a slightly trembling finger.

"Can't I say hello to my own grandniece?" the woman asked, still chuckling.

"I said OUT!" Stoick bellowed, now grabbing her shoulders.

The loud noise frightened Adrianna and she let out a wail. Astrid tried to rock her back to sleep but it was no use; there was too much commotion.

"Very well, very well." The woman gave him a disgusted look. She then turned back to Astrid. "Enjoy her. She really is a lovely little girl."

Spitelout, Lotus, and Gobber immediately stood between the bewildered new parents and Stoick as he roughly escorted the woman through the doors of the Great Hall.

A moment later, they heard Stoick bellow "UNFORTUNATE?"

Hiccup took a few steps forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. Spitelout held out a hand.

"No. You stay right here. This is not your fight." He said gravely.

Hiccup exchanged looks with Snotlout, who shrugged. A few minutes later, Stoick returned, his face beet red and trembling with fury. He strode over to a nearby bench and sat down, putting his face in his hands. Hiccup and Astrid slowly sauntered over, Adrianna's cries growing quieter once everything had calmed down.

"Who was she?" asked Hiccup, holding his son closer to his chest.

"Stay away from her." Stoick muttered.

"But..."

"The subject is closed, Hiccup!" he suddenly snapped. "Now someone get me a drink."

As they strolled back home, Hiccup and Astrid talked about the woman, who she might have been and why Stoick had reacted so violently to seeing her.

"It doesn't make any sense. My dad's never mentioned..."

"Look, I'm tired of talking about this." Astrid said quite suddenly, plopping herself on the couch. "Can't we just put our babies to bed?"

Hiccup stared at her for a few seconds and then slowly nodded. Finn was wide awake but it was getting late and if he didn't get to sleep soon, he wouldn't fall asleep at all. Adrianna was, as usual a bit fussy now that night had fallen. Hiccup gently switched babies with Astrid, rocking his little girl so that she would be quiet once more.

"You know, Astrid... I think we're going to be okay." He said, smiling widely at his baby.

Adrianna very suddenly made a strange coughing sound. Hiccup gently put her on his shoulder and suddenly felt something moist oozing its way down his shirt. He moved his daughter out of the way and was dismayed to see a milky white liquid covering his shoulder.

"Oh... perfect." he said, ignoring his wife's silent laughter. "What a great way to end the day."

"Here." Astrid said, her face contorting with the effort of keeping her giggling silent. "Let me take her for a second."

Hiccup gently relinquished the baby girl, whose mouth quirked into another smile, almost as if she'd meant to do that, and took off his shirt. Astrid gasped. Maybe her pregnancy had made her immune to her husband's charm but now he was standing in front of her, his shirt off and his muscles toned and defined in the candlelight, her heart stopped for just a second.

Hiccup looked down at his bare chest and then up at his wife. "Did you forget about allll this?"

Astrid let out a moan, suddenly incapable of speaking coherently.

Hiccup grinned widely. "We should really get the kids to bed." He said, winking at her.

"Uhh huh." Astrid replied, handing the baby girl back to her father.

Slowly, so that they would keep their babies calm, they climbed the stairs to the nursery and placed the babies into the crib. They took turns leaning over and kissing both babies on the forehead and then looked back at each other.

"Come here, you." Hiccup whispered, suddenly grabbing his wife by the shoulders and pulling her toward him.

Their lips met and Astrid found herself going suddenly weak at the touch. For the first time in what felt like forever, she could press her body up against his without any interference. Her husband began to nibble on her lip and she let out a soft moan of pleasure.

"Like that, do you? Lots more where that came from." Hiccup whispered, taking a break from kissing her so he could softly kiss her neck.

"Don't I know it." Astrid placed her head on her husband's shoulder as his lips made their way to her shoulder.

Then suddenly, he stopped. Gripping her hand in his good one, he slowly led her out of their babies' bedroom and into theirs. He then turned back to her and placed his arms around her, unclasping her armored skirt so that it fell to the ground with a clatter. She reached up and kissed him again, her tongue darting between his parted lips. It was his turn to moan in pleasure as made his way to the bed, sitting down on it and then, when she adjusted herself so that she was sitting on his lap, lying backward.

It had been too long since they had felt this intimate. Hiccup's heart raced as Astrid began to kiss his chest, nibbling a little bit here and there.

"Hey..." he whispered. "What's that for?"

She looked up at him, a mischievous grin brightening her face.

"Well don't stop." He said, winking at her.

Suddenly, without any warning, he flipped them over so that he was lying on top of her. He gently placed his hands on her waist and drew her shirt up to her chest.

And then he stopped.

Astrid almost never let him see her belly while she was pregnant. And while she recovered, they weren't allowed to do what they were about to do. So he hadn't seen her stomach in months. He gently placed a hand on it, tracing each stretch mark with his finger.

"You're so beautiful, Astrid." He breathed, smiling widely.

"You don't have to say that, I know it looks kind of..."

"No." he said firmly. "Your stomach has never looked better." He leaned down and pressed his lips against it.

Astrid, who had been looking slightly unsure, smiled at him. "I love you, Hiccup."

Hiccup breathed a laugh and leaned up to face her. "And I love you, Astrid."

He leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers. He felt her sigh contentedly and his smile widened slightly as he slowly kissed her again. This woman beneath him, his amazing wife, had given him the greatest gift he could have asked for... and he was about to make sure she knew he was thankful.

Or he was about to. A high pitched wail from the babies' room made them both sigh sadly. Hiccup lowered his head, shaking it in disappointment.

"Mommy and daddy are a bit busy." Hiccup muttered to Astrid, who chuckled.

But the wailing grew louder until the second baby, whose cries were punctuated by tiny hiccups, joined the chorus. Reluctantly, Hiccup slid off of Astrid and got off the bed. They both padded to the babies' room, quietly lifting their children and slowly rocking them. Astrid sat down on a nearby chair and began to feed her son, stroking his back as she held him. Adrianna, who was only crying because of her brother, soon fell back to sleep in Hiccup's arms.

"I could get used to this." Hiccup whispered, grinning as she suddenly gripped his pinkie with a firm grasp.

"Yeah." said Astrid, staring down at the face of her tiny little son. "Me too."

THE END