ASTRIDS POV.

WARNING: Sexual reference

The two quietly crept down the stairs at a slow speed trying to make as little noise as possible. "How are you doing?" Astrid asked Hiccup when she noticed how heavy his breathing had become from under his helmet. "Yeah I'm fine." He replied between breaths. "You know your a lot heavier than you seem." Astrid said re-positioning Hiccups arm that was around her neck.

From under his mask Astrid heard Hiccup reply to her with a short and tired chuckle. After two minutes the two reached the bottom of the stairs and turned around and made there way over to the back door. To make it to the arena they would have to sneak around the backs of buildings just in case any people were out wandering the streets because the last thing they needed was an angry Viking wanting there pound of flesh for Hiccup's relationship with dragon kind.

Astrid had Hiccup lean up against a wall while she opened the wooden back door letting in a cold breeze when she did. Astrid went back over to Hiccup and slung one of hid arms over her neck again and the two stepped out into the cold night. She immediately felt Hiccup begin to shiver out in the cold air and pulled him slightly closer to herself hoping that some of her body heat would heat him up.

"Sorry, we probably should have grabbed you a shirt." She said realizing that Hiccup didn't have a shirt on only the bandages that were wrapped around his wounds. "It's fine, let's just hurry." He replied between his slightly chattering teeth and the two continued to make there way behind houses and to the arena. Earlier when they had been bringing Hiccup to his house Stoick had had her carry a torch that was almost out so it could provide some light but not enough to draw to much attention to themselves but now they were walking in complete darkness.

The only light that they could use was the light that came down from the stars and the moon. "What's it like? Flying at this time?" Asked Astrid. "What?" Replied Hiccup not understanding her question. Astrid grabbed Hiccup by the shin and pointed his head up towards the sky. "What is it like flying among the stars?" Astrid explained looking up at the sky that was littered with hundreds of glistening stars.

"The first time I went up there I was expecting what you would. To fly among the stars but in truth no matter how high you get the stars never seem to grow any closer." He said. Astrid looked away from the stars and back in front. Ever since she had first ridden on a dragon she had wondered what it would be like to fly among the stars but apparently it wasn't anything special.

"But that's not the good part." Said Hiccup resuming their conversation. "The best part is looking down." Astrid felt her stomach tighten at his words and as the memories of looking down on her last flight flooded her brain. "Because when you look down you see all the stars reflect off the glass like ocean waves. It's..." Hiccup paused and Astrid could see him close his eyes through the slits of his mask.

"It's like nothing you can possibly imagine." He said and Astrid smiled at the thought of it. For the next several minutes there short journey to the arena was uneventful. Just the two of them trudging along behind the houses of Berk clocked in darkness. "I'm sorry that my dragons attacked Berk Astrid." Hiccup said as they walked passed what used to be a house but was now a pile of charcoal.

"It's fine." She replied. "It's not like you had them do it." More moments of uninterrupted silence ensued until Astrid felt a question pushing on her throat. Should she ask it? It wasn't really any of her business. "Hiccup, can I ask you something?" She asked quickly nervous about the question she was going to ask, but even more nervous about the answer he could return.

"I know it's not any of my business but I overheard what you said to your father in the tent." She began and she could feel Hiccups muscles tighten at the question. "Oh." He replied. "You said that you were done being the Night Rider. But I think we both know that's not true." There was silence between them before he responded.

"Truthfully Astrid I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I want to come back I really do but Berk is just." Hiccup paused for a moment an exhaled before beginning again. "Berk is cruel. You see a dragon and you just kill it not trying to find another way." He explained. "Because there is no other way." She replied. "Why do you keep saying that?" Hiccup asked slightly louder than he should have.

"After you rode on Toothless and helped us with the Dragon Hunters!" He exclaimed. "Hiccup Viking's and dragons have been at war for hundreds of years it's hard to look past that." She said but Hiccup kept insisting. "But you have to Astrid." Astrid sighed and decided to drop the conversation. Trying to argue with Hiccup was like trying to argue with Stoick, it was almost impossible to change there minds. From in the forest beside them Astrid heard a silent rustling of bush's somewhere in the dark and she looked out into the darkness uncertain. "We can't stay out here to long or we'll get caught." Said Hiccup starting to walk faster taking Astrid away from the noises place of origin but Astrid felt uneasy.

"Well we're here." Astrid said a few minutes later, through an ally between two houses she saw the arena's gate. "It's unguarded we're in luck." Said Astrid and the two made there way out of the shadows and onto the street for the first time, and at the worst time. "Astrid?" Questioned the curious voice from behind her. Without much thought Astrid pushed Hiccup into the shadows of an ally way and thankfully he vanished into the darkness.

"Is that you lassie?" Asked the man and Astrid turned around to see Gobber hobbling up to her with a torch in his hand. "What are ye doing out here in this hour you'll freeze you will." He said slightly jabbing her with his hook which was icy cold to the touch. "And was that someone with ye?" He asked trying to get a closer look into the ally.

"No, no one here!" She exclaimed blocking off the ally way with her body to prevent him from going in. She heard Hiccup somewhere in the darkness retreat further into the shadows as Gobbers torch light flooded part of the ally. "No I'm pretty sure I saw someone lassie." He insisted trying to push past her but Astrid tried to hold him back. "No one is here except me Gobber." She insisted but he didn't let up.

"Who's there?" He questioned still trying to break through the wall that was Astrid's body making slight progress. She had to do something or else Gobber would see Hiccup and by Hiccup it's actually the Night Rider! What could she do? Gobber was easily distracted! But what could she do? But then it dawned on her. She had to lie, but she had to answer Gobber.

At that moment Gobber thrust his hand with the torch in it out more filling the ally with light just enough to reveal one of Hiccup's feet for a second. "I saw ye!" He exclaimed and that's when Astrid acted. "It's Garth!" She exclaimed. "Garth's back their!" She said and Gobber stopped trying to get past her now just looking closely into the darkness. "Who is Garth?" He asked. "Oh common you know Garth! You've met him a dozen times!" She said and Gobber stared into the darkness some more.

"Right Garth..." He said moving his eyes away from the dark and towards her. "Now what are you and Garth doing our here?" He asked and Astrid felt her heart accelerate. She hadn't prepared for this question so she said the first thing that came to mind. "Celebrating, where celebrating the Night Rider's capture." Gobber looked at her even more confused.

"How are ye celebrating our here?" He asked. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why would she say there celebrating? And now she couldn't change it or else there cover would be blown. "Oh ummmm we're doing a different kind of celebrating." She said and immediately turned bright red. Why had she said! But it worked and Gobber took a few steps back trying to form a sentence.

"Oh sorry I- sorry I interrupted ye I'll be on my way." He stuttered but Astrid stopped him with a request. "Hey Gobber do you think we could have that torch?" She asked and he quickly handed it over. "Also." She said as he turned away. "It would be helpful if you didn't say anything about what you saw." Gobber nodded frantically and before she could say anything else hobbled away.

After a few minutes Astrid called to Hiccup that the cost was clear. "Hiccup you can come out now." She heard him shift in the darkness and then he emerged from the darkness leaning against a wall for support. "Hey sorry I had to throw you so hard." She apologized. "Don't apologize, it was the best thing to do." He said as she replaced his arm around her neck.

"I'm also sorry about the lie." She said she she felt his skin become hot. "It's fine." Hiccup replied quickly. "We don't have to talk about that." He said starting to make his way towards the arena door. With the torch illuminating there way the two opened the arena door and walked in. From behind the cage door except for one she could hear the dragons snoring.

In one of them, the same one Toothless had been in a few nights ago she heard she heard a quiet wine and she felt a twinge of sympathy. "That's where he is." Hiccup said accelerating towards the cage door freeing himself from her and falling against the door placing his hand on it. "Toothless? Can you hear me bud?" He asked and there was a small dragon call from the other side of the door.

"I'm gonna get you out." He said crawling over to the lever and pulling it lifting the log out from the holders. The cage door swung open and in a instant the clad black dragon was happily pouncing around Hiccup nuzzling up against him. "It's good to see you to." Hiccup said removing his helmet and wrapping his arms around his dragons neck and embracing him.

Hiccup turned his head towards the interior of the cage. "I see you've been well fed." He said noticing the few dozen fish skeletons that littered the floor. Toothless turned his head over to Astrid and Hiccup seemed to understand what he meant. "Thank you for feeding him." He said. "No problem." After so much time had passed that there torches light was dwindling Astrid spoke.

"Okay you've had your reunion now we have to go." She said. "Why?" He questioned. "Because we've been out here for to long." She said walking over to the lever for the door. "Now we have to go." She said gesturing with her head to put Toothless back into the cage. "He's not going back in there." Hiccup said. "Why not?" She exclaimed. "Because it's cruel." He said. "Well then what do you want to do with him." She asked and Hiccup rubbed his chin. She had a bad feeling about this.