Oh my! Whatever could have happened to our boy and his best friend...

...

Opening his eyes, Tintin regarded the small room he found himself in. Very primitive, with just a few odds and ends. The cot he was lying on was the most modern thing in the stone and wattle hut.

Turning onto his back, he winced as he experienced pain lancing through him. His breaths began to come faster and faster and he clutched at the metal sides of the cot. A small moan escaped his lips and he bit them to keep from crying out.

Control. He must maintain control.

Hearing a noise, he looked up fearfully to see something – no, someone - bending over him. He reflexively raised his fists at the same time cringing back.

"Easy, easy, easy, my lad. It's just your ol' friend the Captain. And here's another friend, overjoyed to see you."

Tintin cried out with delight as Snowy leaped onto the bed and into his arms, licking every where the dog could reach while his small body wriggled with delight. The cropped tail whipped back and forth.

"Oh, Snowy, you found us! Good boy, good dog."

Looking from his small companion's happy brown eyes into the concerned blue eyes of his larger companion, Tintin swallowed. "Where are we, Captain? Did we get away?"

"Aye lad, we're safe. We're in a small village some miles away. There's no love lost between the villagers and the prison, so there's no worry that we'll be turned in or found."

Closing his eyes as relief spread through him, he stiffened a little as he felt a hand upon his arm.

"Lad..."

His eyelids snapped open and he peered at the other man with intensity, his normally clear grey eyes stormy.

"I'll be okay, Captain. I've survived this. I'm the victor. Not them."

Haddock stared at him for a long moment. "All right my boy. God know's ya've gone through hell. But just know – I'm here for you. You do know that, right?"

"Yes, Captain…I do know that. Please. I'll be all right." Tintin struggled to keep his composure. He could feel himself wanting to loosen, to fling himself into the other man's arms and just cry and sob and shake out all his fears along with both his physical and psychological pain.

But he couldn't. He wouldn't. He had taken a vow walking along those dark corridors. Never again would he lose control of any situation. Ever.

Hearing a noise he looked up to see a woman standing there with a bowl in one hand and a crudely carved spoon in the other. With the Captain's help, he managed to find a sitting position that didn't put too much pressure on extremely sensitive areas.

Accepting the provision from the older woman, he couldn't help but see the expression of pity on the wrinkled face. He scowled.

Waiting for the woman to leave, he whispered at the other man, his tone harsh. "Does she…know?"

"Well, aye lad. She helped clean you up. Your clothes are right there on the stool, she washed those up, too."

Tintin suddenly realized he was wearing nothing but a home spun shift, the rest of him bare. He could feel his jaw tense. "Does anyone else know?"

"No lad, not that I know of. I don't exactly speak the language, and there were some of the occupants about when we first stumbled into this little village. When I indicated that we had come from the prison, they spit on the ground and raised their fists in the direction we came. They brought us here, she and I took care of ya and that's about all I know."

Spooning the thick but somewhat tasteless broth into his mouth, Tintin relaxed a little. A day, maybe more and then they could leave this place. True, it would mean leaving his latest mystery unsolved, but considering the consequences that he had so recently suffered, it was for the best. Let the authorities deal with the corrupt prison officials and their plan to use the prison as a base for slave labor.

He just wanted to get back home, get back to normality, get his life back in order. Gain control over everything again.

And not see anyone look at him like that woman had. He didn't want pity. He didn't deserve it.

Looking up, he noticed his friend observing him, but at least it wasn't the same look the woman had given him. Concern and anxiety, yes, but that he could deal with.

"Captain, do you think we can leave tomorrow, make our way back to the capital and then go home. I think I've had enough of this…adventure."

Haddock leaned forward and smiled comfortingly. "Yes, of course lad. Anything you say."

Tintin lay back and smiled. He had controlled the situation. Everything would be fine.