Not Your Usual Anniversary

Chapter 1

Athos stood in the living room of his apartment. He turned looking towards the hall where Sylvie was in the bathroom finishing getting ready for their evening.

Athos' father and step-father David had left a few minutes earlier having picked up the kids. Tonight was an anniversary for him and Sylvie. It wasn't their wedding anniversary, that wasn't for another couple of months. No, this was the third anniversary of their first official date.

His phone buzzed alerting him to a text. He took a breath hoping this was not an interruption to their plans. He rolled his eyes looking at the screen of his phone. In truth he really had no idea what this message meant. He was however certain it was vulgar.

Athos: d, I have no idea what you're trying to tell me.

D'Artagnan: Full sentvncw? really?

Then d'Artagnan added a picture of a bald man, who seemed vaguely familiar to Athos, in an odd black and red tunic facepalming. It was beneath him and Athos hated emojis, but he sent d'Artagnan an image of a hand with its middle finger sticking up.

Another text message came through.

D'Artagnan: Sorry abt text, Aramis and Porthos stole my phone.

Athos shook his head. He started to send back another text, but was interrupted.

"Ready?" Sylvie asked.

Athos looked up and smiled. His wife was a beautiful woman inside and out. She was wearing a gorgeous black dress with spaghetti straps.

Athos wrapped an arm around her waist walking them to the door. "Are you sure this was a good idea letting my father watch the kids?" He asked on their way out the door.

"He has David and Henrietta," she said. Sylvie smiled at Athos giving him a kiss at the corner of his mouth. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders as they stepped outside.

Athos quickly moved to the passenger side opening the door for Sylvie. He closed the car door once she was in and walked around to the driver's side.

They were having dinner at Sylvie's favorite restaurant where they had had their first date. It was a nice family run Italian restaurant.

Once parked, Athos got out of the car to open the passenger door for Sylvie. She got out of the car smiling at Athos looking a little amused. Then he surprised her taking her hand turning the back of it up and pressing a kiss to it.

They walked inside the restaurant. It wasn't very busy, only a couple tables occupied. To their surprise there was no hostess to greet them. They looked at each other shrugging trying to decide what to do.

"Monsieur, Madame, my apologies." It was Amelie, the daughter of the restaurant's owner who appeared.

"Amelie, it's fine. And you know it's just Athos and Sylvie," Sylvie said.

"Of course," Amelie said. "I'll get you seated. It'll be a few minutes."

"That's fine," Athos said. "Could we have some wine?"

"Yes, of course," Amelie said. She turned and was suddenly gone into the kitchen.

"Athos, something doesn't feel right," Sylvie said.

"I know." Athos looked around them. The table they had been sat was not the best. It was right next to the kitchen. There were plenty of other better seats and besides that; they had always been given the best seats.

"I'm sorry." Amelie appeared suddenly. "We're a bit understaffed tonight and my brother is visiting and my father is home sick."

"Amelia." Sylvie took the wine glasses from Amelie and wrapped her hands around the other woman's hands. Amelie's hands were obviously shaking. She was practically babbling.

"Amelie, you know I am a police detective," Athos' voice was low and as he spoke he kept an eye on their surroundings.

"I…" Amelie froze.

Athos carefully glanced in the direction Amelie was looking. There were two men sitting at a table two tables away. They wore cheap suits and Athos recognized the obvious lump along the right side of one the men under his jacket.

The man at the table turned his head meeting Amelie's gaze. Athos wrapped his hand around his phone from the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Monsieur, I would let go of whatever is inside your jacket pocket." The man whose gun had been poorly hidden inside his jacket was out and pointed at them.

Athos glanced to his left looking at Sylvie while releasing his hold on his phone and carefully taking his hand out of the inside pocket. She was clearly frightened, but determined.

Athos then turned his head back to look at the man holding a gun on them. "Monsieur, may I ask why you are interrupting my wife's and my anniversary dinner?"

"You're married to her?" Athos could hear the disgust in this man's voice. He could also hear the poor French accent, not to mention the just plain poor French. He thought he detected an American accent in fact. But he wasn't certain. He had a full head of grey hair. He looked to be in his fifties.

The man with him who was still seated and had yet to speak or brandish his own weapon looked to be in his forties.

Athos had the absurd thought this was feeling like an eighties American TV show.

Athos took a deep breath. It wouldn't do any good to let this man bait him.

A gun went off coming from the kitchen and Amelie screamed.

TBC

Note: This Fic was kind of inspired by an episode of The A-Team. Hopefully it won't be too long.