Story Notes: This is the final chapter in this drama. The epilogue is inspired by a scene in Lord of the Rings when Theoden and Gandalf are talking. Better notes will be at the end of this chapter as I don't want to give anything away in the notes. I did say this story would be longer than my last one but due to removing certain scenes, it came out shorter. I also decided to put the epilogue in this chapter or it would have been 17. The epilogue is short and fitting, so I decided it would work better incorporated with this chapter. Anyways, final chapter, please enjoy.

Chapter Summary: At the end of the journey, Tintin makes a heartbreaking decision when threatened with an impossible choice.

Suggested Music

1. Black and Blue - Hans Zimmer

2. Final Ascent - Hans Zimmer

3. Sir Edmund Burton - Steve Jablonsky

As Tintin's eyes snapped open, he thrashed through the water. For a moment he couldn't recall what had just happened until he glimpsed the ship and the port smothered in fire and smoke. He clung to a loose bit of material in the water, coughing as he tried to catch his breath.

It's over...

It's finally over.

Blood seeped from the wounds as he attempted to manoeuvre himself through the water and nearer to the ladders at the side of the port.

I need ... I need to get out of here...

By the time he'd managed to swim over to the ladders, little of his strength remained. It took the last of his focus to wrap his fingers around the bottom rung. As he rested his head, several sounds echoed above him but he couldn't react. Drained, he simply held onto the metal until a hand reached out to him.

"Take my hand!" A voice shouted.

Glancing up at the man, the uniform drew his attention.

Police.

He reached out taking his hand as pain spread through him once again.

"That's it! Come on, lad. You nearly there,"

As he finally reached the safe lands of the port, he nearly collapsed at the sight.

Everything was on fire. Even the police cars. Only one had survived the blast.

Three policemen helped him towards the vehicle.

"He's badly injured, we need an ambulance," One commented.

"You must be Tintin," Said another.

Tintin managed a nod in response.

His gaze kept dropping to the carnage that lay before him.

As the ship slipped beneath the waves, Tintin's thoughts turned to Haddock and Snowy.

I need to contact him... I can't wait to see them.

As a smile spread across his face, two bullets slammed into two of the police officers.

He froze.

This lasted moments.

"Take cover!"

The remaining officer dived in front of Tintin, raising his gun.

The third bullet hit the officer before he could do anything.

"NO!"

Once again, Tintin was alone.

He staggered forward, twisting his head around, attempting to find the source of the bullets.

Where is he?

WHERE IS HE!

Tintin screamed in agony as yet another gunshot sounded, piercing his leg. He fell to the ground writhing in pain. Blood quickly covered his hand as he tried to stop the bleeding. This didn't stop him from frantically looking for the source.

A figure remained shrouded in the smoke, crouched like a lion ready to pounce.

Rastapopoulos...

What's he waiting for?

I'm right where he wants me... what's he doing?

Another voice broke through the smouldering wreckage. A voice he knew all too well followed by a bark.

Haddock...

Snowy...

He couldn't stop his eye's from filling with tears.

"TINTIN!"

As his best friend and companion emerged from the smoke, everything stopped.

Someone else moved, creeping out from the shadows

Rastapopoulos raised the gun...

straight towards Haddock.

NO!

One Way... Just one

I can't let him die!

His entire body filled with adrenaline, pushing him forward as he sprinted towards Haddock.

"Tintin! What's .."

"Get down!"

Two consecutive rounds hurtled into his back, as he reached his best friend.

I saved you...

Haddock caught him in his arms.

I'm with you... I...

x

Haddock lowered him down onto the ground, holding him as tightly as he could without hurting him.

NO! Blistering ... No...

Don't die... please! Don't die.

Haddock glanced up to find Rastapopoulos holding a smoking gun, his face contorted into a smug smile. He held Tintin tight as his heart raced.

Rastapopoulos didn't move until he raised the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

Tintin coughed below him as he pulled him into his arms.

"No! Oh god! Help! We need help!"

Don't you dare leave me now!

Tears dripped from Haddock's eye's as his thick finger pressed around the wounds.

"It's too late,"

Haddock briskly shook his head.

Don't .. don't say that...

"It's never too late. You told me that," Haddock stammered as Snowy comforted his master as best he could.

Tintin managed a smile as his breaths came in sharper.

Stop it! Just stop this now! I would give anything in the world to save you ... anything.

"Not .. not this time," Tintin whispered. "I'm scared ...I don't want to go .."

Tintin's eyes leaked as those words came from his mouth. Even Haddock couldn't handle it.

"It's okay," Haddock soothed, wrapping his hand into Tintin's. "I'm right here... right beside you,"

"Where you've always been. Thank you .."

"No ... Thank you. You changed me. You changed me the day I met you, you made me a better person. I can only imagine what would have happened if I had never known you. You .. you saved me"

Tintin smiled, gripping his hand tighter.

"One more adventure ... I couldn't help it,"

Tintin's fingers brushed through Snowy's fur and slipped to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Snowy,"

As his eye's slipped shut, part of Haddock's soul shattered, never to be healed again. His grip slipped away but Haddock continued to hold him. Unable to contain his grief he pulled him into his arms and sobbed, covering the haunting howls of Snowy, grieving together as everything burnt.

x

Epilogue - 4 weeks later

As he sat on the bench he stared at the ground and then at the gravestone. Rain fell from the sky, pushing its way through everything it could find, including the mass of flowers that had been left beside his best friend's final resting place. Haddock still couldn't accept it, even as Snowy lay quietly to one side of Tintin's grave.

In the days that followed Tintin's death, Haddock and Snowy wandered the halls of Marlinspike. Sometimes Snowy disappeared for hours.

Haddock had found him lying on Tintin's grave, yearning to be beside his master.

News spread quickly across the country, spreading to his friends. Within days Haddock was inundated with flowers, telegrams and cards. Actions showing how much Tintin had changed the lives of those he met. When Chang arrived, Haddock couldn't hold it in. He broke down.

It should have been me ...

He'd even tried to have a drink of Whiskey, but he couldn't bring himself to let the glass touch his lips. Every time he tried, he recalled the words of their first meeting. Despite his half-drunken state at the time, the words still resonate. After that moment, he placed the glass down never to grasp alcohol again.

The words kept repeating in his head.

Tintin took the bullets meant for me. I should be dead.

Haddock knew asking himself why Tintin would do such a thing was pointless.

As Haddock pulled himself back into the present, he thought about the words he always wanted to say. The words that he'd never said that he wished he had.

I never told him how much I love him... I love him. The son I never had, words I should have said a long time ago...

As he closed his eyes, the gunshots that killed Tintin pushed through his subconscious.

It's a cruel world we live in, where the young are taken, and the old linger, Haddock thought, as he knelt beside Snowy.

Snowy cried softly, resting his head against the sea captain's knee.

His fingers traced the carved lettering as one phrase slipped from his lips.

"I'm going to miss you, Lad,"

This was a very hard chapter to write and I hope it's alright. I don't have a lot of confidence in this story. I felt so bad killing Tintin off. In the past, I was able to find a lot of shorts when I killed him off without thinking hard about it but for recent fiction, especially this one, it seemed quite hard. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favourited and followed this story. It always means a lot when someone enjoys what I've written even if it ends like this. I should be back with more one-shot fics soon. I may even publish some of my Hobbit stories.