Five: Train Troubles

"Oh Gods," Hiccup shouted as he scrambled from the burning car, dragging his possessions out urgently. Astrid was staring in shock. "GET OUT! ASTRID! NOW!"

"Son of a half-troll!" she spat. "I knew I should never have let Bryan arrange my car's service!"

"You can kill him later," he told her urgently. "The car is on fire!" She blinked, then scrambled out, wrenching the seat forward and wrestling a huge suitcase off the back seat, grabbing her coat and a holdall.

"Get the case from the trunk!" she ordered him.

"What did your last servant die of?" he grumbled...but limped round and dragged another huge case out. "Gods, did you take a few bricks from the house?" he muttered as he hauled it back. Astrid glared at him as the fire took hold and grabbed a plastic wallet and her bag from her seat. Then she stood back and stared at the burning blue car.

"Goodbye, Stormfly," she murmured. He stared at her.

"Sorry-you named your car?" he asked incredulously as he dragged her heavy case back from the burning wreck, making sure his meagre possessions were safe.

"Hey-that was the only thing that never let me down," she snapped back.

"Until now," he pointed out. She sighed as the fire really took hold and both back up another handful of yards.

"My ex said he'd had her serviced," she said. "I guess he lied..." Hiccup frowned.

"Um...it sounded like the engine was grinding metal on metal..." he pointed out. "When did you last top up the oil? Or even check it?" She looked at him.

"Of course, you would take his side," she snapped. Hiccup sighed.

"Astrid, this is an old car and they tend to lose oil gradually," he explained. "Lubricant has to be checked and regularly topped up and..." He stared at her. "And you've never done that, have you?" She glared at him. "Ever?"

"And how would I know how to do that?" she protested. He rolled his eyes.

"Um...basic car maintenance? Your know the sort of stuff they cover in Driving 101?"

"Really?" she asked him. He sighed. "So what do we do now?" she asked him. He stared at her.

"How come I suddenly know all the answers?" he gaped.

"You're Mr Knows-it-all," she retorted.

"Okay-well I know you won't be driving me back to Berk as you promised because you don't know anything about basic car maintenance..." he snarked. She pulled her coat on, dragged her woollen hat on an threw her holdall across her back, slung her bag across her body and grabbed the extendable handles of the two huge suitcases.

"Fine-make your own way home!" she snapped, turning away and beginning to haul the heavy cases along the side of the road. Hiccup stared after her as she stomped away.

"Do you even know where you're going?" he shouted after her.

"BERK!" she snapped back. He opened his phone and thumbed through the MAPS app. He stared for a few moments, then slung his rucksack over his back with the helmet hanging from it, pulled the holdall over a shoulder and began to limp rapidly after her. It didn't take long to catch her as she puffed and grunted dragging the huge cases along.

"Hey, wait up!" he called and she paused-only because her arms were already aching.

"What?" she growled. He sighed.

"There is a rail station four miles that way...and the line takes you to within fifty miles of Berk..." he told her. "There is a train in two hours...and if we hurry we could catch it..."

"It will be full," Astrid groaned. "Nice idea, Harry...but..." He reached out and grabbed the second case: it was on wheels but it weighed a ton and was difficult to drag.

"Look, you're the one who's keen to get home," he told her. "And I may have to emigrate to Antarctica if I fail to show for Dad's birthday. So I'm going that way, Miss I-don't-know-how-to-check-my-oil and I'm offering to help you get to the station." She stared at him. "You may have knocked me down, ruined my bike, used all the towels and nearly burnt me to death but that doesn't mean I should bear a grudge..."

"That's generous of you," she sneered.

"Look-do you want me to walk off and leave you because I am this far off doing that," he told her, holding his thumb and index finger a millimetre apart. "I am trying to be very reasonable, Astrid." She glared at him then sagged.

"FINE!" she huffed. "And...thanks..." Hiccup sighed, rested his holdall on top of the case, tightened his hand around the handle and limped off. He checked his phone.

"This way..."

oOo

Hiccup was convinced that Astrid really had loaded her case with rocks as he felt his arm was about to drop out. Astrid trudged fiercely along a yard ahead of him and refused to look in his direction, a scowl locked on her beautiful features as she hauled most of her worldly goods along. The road had gradually risen and he was beginning to doubt himself until a small group of buildings came into view...and the lines of the rail track appeared. He was muttering a prayer of thanks to Thor as they saw the small grey building that was marked as 'Low River Station'.

Both were sweating and exhausted as they entered the building...to find a husky guy sitting on the small bank of seats by the ticket office, a brown squat dog lying by his feet. Hiccup walked to the window and rapped with his knuckles. Eventually, a very elderly woman walked slowly to the window.

"Yes?" Her quavering voice was suspicious.

"Two tickets to Berserk," he said. The old woman narrowed her eyes.

"This train doesn't go to Berserk," she snapped.

"But your timetable says..." Hiccup protested.

"Train don't go to Berserk. He stops at Nightmare's Edge..."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Okay, two tickets to there."

"This station doesn't sell tickets to Nightmare's Edge," the old woman told him.

"What?"

"No-you can buy a ticket to Berserk and go there to buy a ticket to catch a train to go back to stop at Nightmare's Edge." The old woman was grinning.

"What?"

"Of course, yer still have to get off the train at Nightmare's Edge even if yer have a ticket to Berserk..." the old woman grinned.

"What? That makes no sense!" Hiccup protested.

"Can't we just get off at Berserk and stay off there?" Astrid asked with forced patience.

"Oh no, you can't do that," the old woman said. "This station doesn't sell tickets to travel to Berserk!"

"Please...sell us two tickets to Berserk and and we PROMISE we'll buy tickets back to Nightmare's Edge," Hiccup pleaded. The old woman glared at him and slammed the window closed.

"Don't believe you!" she called.

"PLEASE!!!" he begged. "All I want is to get home to Berk for Snoggletog. I'll buy a ticket to wherever you want me to if it gets me closer to home!"

There was a pause and the window raised again.

"Berk? Well, why didn't yer say that?" she cackled. "Young fella over there is headin' yer way! Two tickets to Berserk it is!"

Astrid's card was denied and she blushed beet red, her shoulders slumping. "Bastard Bryan...he must have cleared out the account," she muttered. "When I get my hands on him, I'll axe off his..."

"I'll pay," Hiccup said tiredly, envisaging the ticket office woman changing her mind. The blonde suddenly froze and looked at him in shock as he signed the receipt and handed her the ticket. "There you are, Milady. One ticket to Beserk. Only fifty miles and two letters off Berk," he pointed out and she burst out laughing, unexpectedly throwing a hug around him.

"Thank you!" she said genuinely. "You-you don't know what this means to me..." She was beaming widely and Hiccup thought he saw tears shimmering in her glorious azure eyes.

"I guess I do now," he said gently. She smiled, then punched his shoulder. "OWWW! And that was...why?" She smiled coyly at him.

"For knowing the Berk saying about Berserk and being my hero when I have been horrible to you!" she admitted. Hiccup felt his heart accelerate and found himself smiling slightly goofily back.

"Well, I guess I..." he began.

"ASTRID HOFFERSON?" a voice said, cutting through his tentative attempt at actually trying to make peace with the fiery woman and she snapped round in shock, her braid hitting her cheek.

The speaker was the husky guy in a long camel coat, a grey trilby on his short blond hair, his chubby face lit by a grin and round blue eyes twinkling. Astrid gaped.

"Fishlegs Ingerman? Is that you?" she gasped, walking over towards him. He nodded eagerly, rising to his feet and almost bouncing with excitement.

"I go by 'Philip' now," he admitted. "People outside Berk seem to think Fishlegs is a weird name!" Astrid apprised him thoughtfully, then accepted a light hug.

"Well, it is a weird name," she admitted. "What are you doing here?"

"The same as you, I think-heading home for Snoggletog!" he told her eagerly. "Gods, what have you been doing these last six years? There was an awful stink when you left Berk to go to University down south. The Town Council was almost up in arms!" Astrid managed a wan smile.

"I needed to get away," he admitted...then frowned. "And so have you, I think..." Fishlegs grinned.

"Guilty as charged!" he squeaked in excitement. "I have my own Accountancy Consultancy. I specialise in Financial and Tax planning and some Actuarial work on the side...you?"

"Rehab and fitness," she admitted. "Between jobs...and marriages..." Fishlegs's smile faltered a little.

"Oh..." he managed, then shook himself. "So you'll be glad to get back home to the family?" Astrid sighed.

"Can't wait," she shrugged, suddenly realising she would end up having to explain her woes at least two dozen times to everyone she knew or was related to...and put up with the same awkward, pitying look Fishlegs had just offered. Then she gestured to the dog. "And who's this?"

"Oh Astrid-meet Meatlug. Meatlug, meet Astrid. She's an old friend from school. Isn't she beautiful?" Astrid dropped to a knee by the bulldog, who raised her flattened face and gave a toothy grin, tongue lolling. She gave the dog an affectionate pat.

"She's a cutie," she said with a soft smile and Fishlegs looked proud. Behind them, Hiccup backed up a pace, emerald eyes widening. They had both ignored him and for the moment, that suited him just fine because he was having to process just what had happened. The familiar-looking fiery beautiful girl who looked like his High School crush WAS his High School crush. He had been thrown by her using her married name...and the fact the last person he expected to run into-literally or otherwise- was Astrid Hofferson. The fact that they had shared a bed (innocently) and a room just made him feel more awkward. She had revealed her horrible divorce to him and he had shown her his leg...which he was really self-conscious about but he had still concealed who he was...because he didn't want to risk anyone from Berk recognising him.

But Fishlegs! They had been friends for years until at the start of Junior year, the boy had announced he was joining with the cool gang led by Snotlout and Astrid, leaving Hiccup isolated and friendless. Of course, Hiccup knew he had changed physically since school-he was taller, much more athletic, his hair thicker and a little darker and he was a lot more mature. No one had really looked at him from the time Fishlegs abandoned him and as puberty and his growth spurt finally hit, he had remained concealed in baggy clothes and hoodies. He wasn't surprised that Astrid hadn't recognised him...or Fishlegs...

"Fish...this is Harry Hanson," Astrid announced, bringing him back to the present. The husky guy grinned and offered his hand, his round blue eyes narrowing as he stared at the lanky man facing him.

"Do I know you?" he asked thoughtfully. Hiccup shook his head.

"I doubt it," he murmured. "I must just have one of those faces." He shook Fishlegs's hand firmly.

"Harry was at Berk High," Astrid continued. "He left after school..."

"Took my GED," Hiccup cut in. "I work away. Engineering."

"Oh," Fishlegs said and frowned, then shrugged, checking his watch. "I think the train is due." He tugged on Meatlug's leash and the bulldog clambered to her feet and waddled after her master as he lumbered onto the platform, his neat brown leather case clamped in his hand. Astrid followed and Hiccup brought up the rear, hauling the insanely heavy case behind him. The wind whistled icily down the platform as the train appeared in the distance and slowly approached.

"Oooh, I love this time of year," Fishlegs enthused as the train stopped and the guard jumped down.

"Train's full!" he said. Fishlegs' face dropped.

"Oh dear..." he said. "Can't we stand? We really need to get home..."

"Where are you going to?" the guard asked.

"Um...Nightmare's Edge?" Hiccup suggested, watching the guard closely.

"This train doesn't stop there..." the guard told him shortly.

"But we have tickets to Berserk!" Astrid protested. The guard stared at them.

"Let me guess...Bertha has been messing with you?"

"YES!" they all said as one. He shook his head.

"Look-this train goes to Berserk. You all have tickets to Berserk. There are no seats so you will have to stand in the lobbies by the doors. For the whole trip. Six hours. If you're prepared to do that...then come aboard!"

"Finally," Hiccup sighed and the guard glared at him as he helped Astrid aboard with her copious luggage.

"I don't like your attitude, laddie," the guard said. Hiccup's emerald eyes widened.

"Me?" he protested. "Look, all I want to do is go home for Snoggletog. I bought the ticket the crazy lady in the ticket office told me to and it's not my fault that she's insane and enjoys torturing passengers. I just wanna catch this train. Please!" The guard glared at him.

"Get on board!" he growled and Hiccup sighed, scrambling on board and finding himself squashed in a tiny corner between Fishlegs and Astrid and her luggage.. The guard slammed the door, walking away muttering. The others both glared at him.

"What?" he asked defensively. Astrid scowled at him.

"You really know how to rub people up the wrong way," she told him.

"ME?" he gaped. "I wasn't about to axe off my ex-husband's...assets."

"Well, the manager of the motel punched you in the nose this morning," she pointed out unfairly. "And you've been sarcastic and mean ever since we met..."

"Ahem...ever since you knocked me off my bike, destroyed eighteen months worth of work and almost killed me because you were looking at the radio and not the road!" he retorted.

"You see? You just keep going on about that one minor little bump...You are so whingy..." Astrid accused him. Hiccup stared at her, folded his arms and leaned against the corner he was jammed in.

"Should have chosen hitch-hiking," he muttered. "Thor, I don't deserve this..."