It was all very well to say that a star would bring them home, but that didn't mean much in the practical application of things in the next five minutes or,for that matter, in the next five days. After making his pronouncement, Dick seemed to retreat back into himself, leaving Nancy wondering if everything rested on her shoulders again.

She wanted to curl up and die.

Dot, however, had other plans, having pulled herself together. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," Nancy mustered the patience to say. "I really don't know."

"Well, I need to get back before too much longer. Do you see Titty more often? I really want to know more, but if I don't get back, it's going to be bad. She and I sometimes get to see each other on weekends and holy days, as the Lady Marian comes often to the castle and she always brings Titty."

"Lady Marian is very good to us too," Dick added absently. "I end up at the castle a fair bit with Friar Tuck. But he's careful to make sure that we don't end up there when there are parties with certain individuals. I don't get to see Titty much, but we've said hello a few times and she's happy, all things considered."

This was news to Nancy. "Does John know about that?"

"I don't honestly know."

"Well, that's just first-rate. Secrets, mysteries, and no help when things get bad. You're a real help, Dick."

A slow flush rose to Dick's cheeks. "I would think that you had noticed what I do, Nancy. How do you think we get so much leeway? Friar Tuck has pulled both you and John out of the frying pan more than once-on my behalf, for the record. So has Allen and a good few of the others. I'm not saying that they don't appreciate you and John, but I've done a fair bit on my own."

"What, like all the help we got to get here?"

"Yes! I care for the horses, with Bert and Derwynt. I know where they are kept and which ones are being used. I know the town and how to get in and out. And I'm the one who had the idea in the first place."

Big tears welled up in Nancy's eyes. "And see where we are now! John gone and-and-" she angrily hurried on. "And Susan fine and I'll have to take the blame!"

To Nancy's utter horror, she started crying hard, the two months of strain and pretense and worry crashing into her in overwhelming waves of grief.

She vaguely felt Dick awkwardly hugging her and Dot kissing her cheek as Dot said goodbye. "I'll try to get news to you as soon as I can," Dot's voice floated through the cloud of hurt and fear and I-don't-know-what-to-do-or-how-to-solve-this-make-it-all-stopGodpleasepleasePLEASE. "I think I can get on the guard's good side and there's a feast tonight-Titty should come and we can talk. But I really have to go."

Nancy felt another pair of warm arms snake around her as Dot hugged her too. "God go with you, Nancy. I love you, Dick."

DIck pulled Nancy to her feet, keeping his arm around her. "Don't forget to be safe, Dot. I love you too."

And Dot walked away.

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

Well, this is different.

All things considered, John figured he could have had it a lot worse than a heap of (fairly) clean straw and a locked door. His arm still hurt horribly and he didn't feel too good, but it was about the same as the first time he drank three pints of small beer for breakfast. But he wasn't bleeding and the room stayed steady around him. Which were all good things.

He sat down on the straw and considered. There wasn't a lot he could do at the moment. Did prisoners get fed? And if so, when and what? This didn't seem any worse than the usual state of affairs. Granted, he was able to move around more at the camp, but he usually had a lot more things to do. It was rather nice, being able to sit and relax a little in the block of sun from the window.

Then the bad things began to creep into focus.

Nancy's probably in a terrible fuss, he thought. And I can't blame her. I wonder how everyone else will take it back at camp. Will they be all right? What happened to Dot? Will Robin believe Nancy? What are they going to do?

John sighed. Whatever was about to happen to the others was all his fault and there was no way out of it.

If I die here, will I die at home too?

Some rather more sensible part of his brain warned him about this train of thought, but he couldn't be bothered to stop it. What was the point, anyway? This wasn't the kind of place he could get out of even if he tried and frankly, John didn't want to. So he sat and stared at the walls, wondering what was going to happen next.

The shadows lengthed across the straw and slowly, John began to doze off into a maze of muddled dreams. They started back at the outlaw camp, then merged into Wild Cat Island, which turned into a sea, which turned into a tossing storm in a howling wind. He knew that he could get out of it, but what about the others? Where were they? How could they get home?

SPLASH! He awoke to a cold bucket of water in his face and a grinning, red face behind a flaring torch. "Up you get, lad. Someone to see you."

Soaking wet and stiff, John scrambled to his feet, fell to his knees, and struggled up again. Was the water really necessary?

The man unlocked the door and pulled him out by the wrist. "Come along, no time to waste. You are lucky that things shook out as they did. Can't say that about most people who end up here. Still, you look like a likely lad who just had the bad luck to tangle with a drunk at the wrong time. Hope the others take the same view, or this could be the end of a lot of things."

He sniggered at John's blanched face. "Still, never say die!"

For the first time in his life, John Walker desperately wanted to be sick on command.

Author's Note: I'm sorry for the abnormal delays and abrupt beginning again. The last three years have been some of the most exciting, fulfilling, and traumatic in my entire life, and writing simply faded out for most of that time. I have completed this story's outline and I hope to finish it within the year.

Deep appreciation and gratitude to constantlearner and all my reviewers, past, present, and future. I hope you all continue to enjoy and read this romp!