Chapter Text
Ahsoka squeezed Hiccup's shoulder as he looked over Berk for the last time.
"I can't believe we're leaving," he said softly. "Everything was perfect. Our allies agreed with us and used dragons too and I thought nothing could bring us down."
"There's always someone bigger, stronger, better out there," Ahsoka said quietly. "but I never thought the danger would come for us. I never thought it would be so great that we decide we have to leave for the sake of our dragons."
"Me either." Hiccup sighed. "This is the right decision, right?"
"The Force is warning me against staying," Ahsoka said, "but I'm not sure it's all positive if we leave."
"You're probably right." Hiccup sighed, rubbing his face. "I hate being the one who has to make these decisions. There's no guarantee I'm getting it right."
"That's the hard part of being a leader. You have to act confident in decisions you're not confident of, because everyone is trusting you to make the best one. I think you're making the best choices you can with the hand you've been dealt, and I don't think they can ask any more of you than that, Hiccup. Staying won't bring us any good, and the Force agrees with that. Leaving is the best choice. I'm not sure what the best choice is for traveling or what we're looking for, but leaving is the best choice we can make."
Hiccup turned and let his face hit her chest. "I don't deserve you."
"Sure you do. Who taught me how to speak your language? Who made me my awesome staff? Who has been coming up with so many good ways to use the metal from my old ship? Who is the only one that knows all of me and accepted the Force? Who was the only one that wanted to give me a chance when I first arrived. I know everyone accepts me now, and sometimes I still can't believe it, but it wouldn't have even been possible if it weren't for you."
Hiccup nodded, hugging her tightly.
"But you also don't need to earn my love because I love you the way you are. I just wish I could do more."
"I'd rather not lose you," Hiccup said softly. "We're a good team, and I feel lucky to have you at my side. Sorry about that."
"It's fine to have doubts. I have them too. The Force makes it easier not to doubt, but that doesn't mean I don't experience doubts at all."
"What are you doubting right now?"
Ahsoka sighed and looked back over Berk. "That things will work out as well as we hoped. Sometimes I doubt my place at your side, with how well you and Astid still get along, sometimes I wonder if I was meant to go back to the Jedi, but I still cannot see how that would have been possible."
"And right now?"
Ahsoka breathed in and let it out. "Right now I am doubting my own ability to help you."
"What do you mean?"
"It hasn't gone well so far, has it?"
"You are one of the best fighters of Berk. You have done enough, and you do better as a protector, which works out perfectly because it means I can trust you to hang back and protect those who don't fight, especially the children."
"Are you certain?"
"Everyone has their role, you taught me that. And the kids like you. They'll listen to you more than anyone I could send to protect them. And in the air? You're the only one that can keep up with me because of Skyguy. We need you, Ahsoka. Don't doubt yourself. It's weird."
"Hey, you asked to know my doubts, so I told you. I usually have a better handle on them, but this uncertainty is something else and that makes it a lot harder."
"It really does."
They leaned on each other, watching the people gather up the last of what they needed for the trip, leaving behind way more than anyone would have wanted to leave behind, but at least Hiccup's ideas for bringing as much of home with them was working out.
"You all packed up?" Hiccup asked her.
"Of course. We loaded it up together, don't you remember?"
"I do. I just wanted to be sure. It's just..." He sighed. "I suppose I'm not ready to say goodbye and I am... looking for reasons to delay even though we really should be leaving as soon as possible. It's going to be an exhausting trip."
"It will be, but we have each other."
"We have each other," Hiccup agreed. "And all of our friends."
"And your mom and Gobber."
"And the rest of Berk."
"I think we'll manage it, Hiccup. You are a good chief, and you prove it every day."
"I just hope I can match my dad." Hiccup lifted his gaze to the image of his father carved into the rock.
Ahsoka squeezed his hand. "He would be proud of you and I think he would argue that you have surpassed him. You are doing what no one has dared to do, even when the dragon raids were at their worst. You're moving everyone instead of remaining stubborn and staying. Instead of fearing the unknown. We're going to find where dragons can be safe, and there we will settle."
"You're right. This is the right choice. I am just..." Hiccup let out a breath.
"It’s hard to walk away from your childhood home. No matter how right the decision is, this is where you grew up and learned, this is where you met Toothless. This is where you started gaining everyone's respect. This is where you defeated Drago and this is where you met me. This has been our lives, we always come back here. Of course you're having a hard time saying goodbye, no matter how much we all agree it's necessary, it's home. And you and everyone else have never known any different."
Hiccup nodded. "I wish we could stay. Or... I wish we had more time instead of rushing this... we could have planned carefully, said goodbye over the course of weeks instead of how fast we've had to do this. I haven't even visited all the places that mean something to me but... there isn't time."
"There isn't time, and that's okay. It's also okay to have feelings about it. You're doing the right thing regardless, we're not letting it hold us back. We're going to keep our people and dragons safe."
"Our people?" Hiccup turned to Ahsoka, raising an eyebrow.
Ahsoka shrugged. "I figure Gobber's been bothering us about marriage for so long I might as well embrace it. It'll happen sooner rather than later, even if we need to build a new village to be able to get married."
Marriage was a strange topic for them. They didn’t feel they needed to be married to know how they felt for each other but it was what everyone expected, so it was an inevitable event, though always somewhere off vaguely in the future.
Hiccup smiled at her and hugged her tightly. "Now that's something to look forward to. The first wedding in our new home will be ours. I like that idea."
Ahsoka returned the hug. "Me too."
They stayed like that for a bit, Hiccup pointing out some of his favorite spots and telling her about his memories.
Astrid approached them. "Everyone is ready. It's time to go."
Hiccup took a deep breath in and let it out. "Guess I can't keep putting it off."
Ahsoka stood up and offered him her hand. "Guess not. It was worth the conversation though."
"Yes, it was." Hiccup smiled at her.
Astrid rolled her eyes at them. "I'll go tell them that you're on your way and we should be ready to go."
"Thank you, Astrid." Hiccup turned and gave her a smile.
"Yes, thank you," Ahsoka agreed, keeping her eyes on Hiccup.
Astrid left.
Hiccup smiled at Ahsoka. "Thank you for humoring me when I get a bit... stupid."
"It's not stupid to struggle with feelings. It's stupid not to ask for help."
"You know what, I can live with that. Because honestly, everyone I know could use asking for help once in a while, their lives would be so much easier."
Ahsoka laughed and pressed her forehead to his. "We'll always have this."
"Always will," Hiccup agreed softly. "I can't imagine doing this without you at my side."
"Me either."
Hiccup let out a breath. "We're going to be okay."
"That we will," Ahsoka agreed. "Now let's go lead."
They turned to join everyone, and found everyone interacting as they usually did, even with the somber mood.
Ruffnut and Tuffnut were arguing.
Snotlout was trying to show off.
Fishlegs was muttering to himself.
Astrid and Eret were talking and joking with each other.
Ahsoka hopped onto Skyguy and followed Hiccup and Toothless into the air, where they waited for everyone else to get off the ground for a moment.
She glanced back at Berk and let the memories of her early days flash through her head
She had wanted to get back to the galaxy at first, and then she had decided Berk was her home, and she never wanted to leave it.
Now they were leaving for good, but the future awaited.
A future with Hiccup that she was looking forward to, though of course it wouldn't be without hardship.
They still had to keep the dragons safe after all.
But it was worth it.
Besides, there were always ups and downs to life, even if they weren't always so extreme.
Hiccup noticed that everyone was ready to go and gave the signal.
It was time to go.
Ahsoka and Skyguy followed him across the sky in search of their new home.
It was the beginning of a new part of their life, and despite the sorrow of moving, they were looking forward to exploring more together.