Milady kept walking almost automatically towards the place she and Athos were supposed to meet each other. Things weren't fine in France: Rochefort was still the king's most "loyal" friend, the queen and her son needed protection, Aramis' life was in danger… In short, the world just seemed to be crumbling around her and yet… Oh, yet she couldn't help but hope. Hope that she would finally gain Athos' trust and access to his life once again. Milady wasn't a fool to think it would happen quickly, but god damn it, she would wait for as long as it required to get what she wanted. And what (Who) she wanted was Athos. The only man who managed to enter her frozen heart, melt it and then own it by sacrificing just a single kiss. Then it all changed. She couldn't blame him for his decision, he had every right to do so, but she felt her chest burn, hearing her husband's dry, low voice, sounding like the last breath. His voice echoed in her ears, words hanging in the air as a warning, yet nothing but a broken melody of a broken soul. Athos had taken out everything he had in him with his order. Head lowered, eyes stubbornly rooted to the letter, refusing to meet her own fear filled ones. She couldn't help but love him even when she saw him nodding his head, gesturing Remy to pull the carriage away. How she wished to change everything. If she could return back, Thomas would be alive, She and Athos would have beautiful children, her life would be perfect. Now she is surrounded by darkness coming out of her own soul and has nothing but a hope of someday.

Milady's feet continued dragging her as if they were her compasses and she followed them like an obedient child. Her mind was too far away to notice a figure stalking her for hours. Until someone's familiar, long forgotten voice filled her ears.

"I've been searching you for so long, Anne, or whatever name you give yourself now".

Milady's head jerked up in an instant, looking at the stranger with a pure curiosity. A tall, reddish-blonde haired woman with cold steely grey eyes kept looking at her with an obvious disgust.

"Catherine? What are you doing here?" – Wariness crept in her voice as she started following the woman up the stairs, who didn't even bother to answer her.

Once going up, she saw a prepared noose and immediately understood everything. Taking a step forward, she felt something cold, deadly tickled the base of her neck. Catherine appeared behind her, pointing a gun at her from behind. Milady tried not to flinch.

"You were the only consolation I had since the agony I've been through. You don't know how soothing it was to know that Athos had you hanged many years ago. But I lost even that!"- Catherine barely refrained herself from shouting out loud. All the anger she had in her was threating to escape now. She was not trusting her senses.

"And I suppose you are about to make things right." – Milady observed quietly, moving along with the woman as she dragged her towards the noose slowly. – "You were never an imaginative one, were you?" – She continued, slightly amused and content to know she could make her enemy's blood boil with so lame insults.

It indeed brought the desired effect for a short moment, before Catherine regained her composure and continued her annoying banter.

"This justice for Thomas De La Fere, who was supposed to be my husband, but you murdered him".

"Thomas forced himself on me, he was not the man you thought of him". – Milady rolled her eyes, as if she had been explaining the same thing to a child for 100th time.

"Save your lies!" – Catherine cut in sharply. – "Only Athos believes in them. Perhaps, that's why he spared you". – She added in a disappointed voice, roughly pushing off her choker to reveal kissing marks on her pale skin, while the other hand got busy pulling the noose towards her.

"Athos had nothing to do with my survival. I saved myself alone from him, he was desperate to see me dead". – Milady explained as calmly as she could, tired of it all. She knew this was her end and she would enjoy making her enemy miserable for one last time. – "Every word I spoke about Thomas is the truth. If a man ever deserved to die, it was him". – She added.

At that time, the volcano exploded in Catherine and she just pulled Milady with all her force, desperate to kill her. The last words were enough. She couldn't take it anymore. She wouldn't suffer all her life because of that scum. She has suffered enough. Milady's death would make things all right or at least satisfy her slightly sadistic desires. Catherine had never felt so much hatred for anyone in her life. Of course, she had always been selfish with no love in her, but there was no hatred either. Her heart was nothing but an empty shell. Just an organ to keep her alive. First Athos, then Thomas. She had lost both of them in a blink of an eye. And Athos, that honorable fool, who came back and dared to give his lands to everyone, instead of only her, made her feel ashamed, angry, betrayed, woke up a thirst of revenge in her long ago stopped heart. Yes, her heart stopped beating since the day she lost her position. Catherine stupidly believed Athos would help her, but he deceived her again.

Before any of them could realize what was happening, someone cut the rope from Milady's throat and pulled her back to let her rest against a broad chest. Hers and the stranger's breaths matching each other. Catherine found herself thrown on the floor by Athos. His arms wrapped protectively around his wife, breath tickling her neck.

Milady couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, seeing her husband rescuing her. The feeling of his strong arms clutching her protectively was too good to be resisted. She could die like this, without caring about a single thing. She loved this man, she really did and if gaining him back required facing death, she would gladly do it. Milady felt hopes swelling in her heart once again, but she was too afraid to let them linger there. Her mind focused back on reality. Athos would probably have only one reason to justify his action: He needed her to complete the mission. Yes, he had been a bit softer towards her, but it wasn't enough. Her crime was still a fresh wound on his soul that might never heal. She couldn't blame him if he rejected her, but would give up finding another love. Her heart was his forever.

Husband and wife's eyes were locked together. Catherine took a chance to grab a pistol, but nearly screamed, when Athos kicked it with his boot, letting a large hole on the floor swallow it. She looked up helplessly, sobbing openly.

"Enough. This is not the way". – Athos said, pushing his sword back in his belt. Meanwhile, Milady managed to regain her composure.

"You were supposed to be here earlier". – She said sharply.

"I was, I just wanted to hear what she would say". – He explained.

"You follow her like a shadow, her protector. What hold does she have over you?" – Catherine asked in a broken voice.

"She's working for the service of France". – Athos answered, knowing she wouldn't believe.

"She is working for the service of herself". – Catherine spat through her tears. – "She's a murderer and a whore!"

"Nevertheless, our mission is a vital importance and I can't allow you to interfere it." – Athos told her quietly.

"Tell me the truth. Do you still desire her?" – Catherine asked, observing his expression carefully. – "Does her cruelty excite you, that's why you chose her over me?"

Athos knelt in front of her, looking her in the eye.

"Whatever hatred you feel for her is nothing to mine, but the future of France is at a stake."

"Believe your own lies if you want". – Catherine sobbed. – "But don't expect me to swell with them. You can't let her go, it's written all over your face. You are still in love with her". – Her voice lowered, disappointment and hopelessness too obvious to be ignored, but they do.

"My god, does she ever stop talking?" – Milady said. Her challenging mood back on place. She was thankful to Athos for saving her so she could play on Catherine's nerves a little longer, before returning to her duties. A mere distraction before a tiring task. – "Shoot her, that's been our way". – She added, eager to see her expression. Of course, she wasn't a saint herself, but she could love at least and would do anything to protect it, while Catherine was a different kind of devil, who lived only for herself. To be honest, she didn't mean to kill her, just enjoyed her stunned expression mixed with disgust. But to her great surprise, Athos' was no less just with a lighter hatred.

"This is the end Catherine. Forgive me if you can". – Athos stood up and left, leaving Catherine crying on the floor.

"I am tired of people trying to hang me". – Milady followed him, fixing her gloves.

Athos just glared at her and went, letting her wonder what has gotten into him.

"Why are you angry with me? I am the one who nearly died!" – Milady exclaimed as she followed him behind, trying to make him understand.

"Why bother saving me?" – She asked as they kept walking in a small tunnel, searching for the secret door that would be their access to the palace. She was moving first with a lamp in her hand, Athos close behind her. – "Another moment with Catherine, you would get rid of me forever".

She stopped, feeling a tug on her arm. Turning her head, she met Athos' questioning gaze.

"Do you still maintain, my brother tried to rape you?" – His eyes bored into hers, searching for answers.

"Why would I lie about it?" – It was her turn to search for answers. She was not a fool to destroy her life by killing his brother for no reason.

"You lied about everything". – Athos reminded her sadly. His expression pitiful as ever.

"You would have never married me if you knew about my past". – She whispered in a painful voice.

Athos stared at her as if he was in the verge of crying and leaned against the wall.

"You saved yourself to the cardinal". – He told her.

"What else did I have to live for?" – She replied. – "Why not become the woman you believed me to be?"

Milady was slowly losing control around him. She knew he wanted to get to know the truth. She had spent days, months, years to explain everything to him. Dreamt of the day when he would listen to her. Why did he want to hear it all now? When there was nothing for them in the world? When they just done damn it?! If he had listened on time, they wouldn't go through that mess. Wouldn't endure each other's absence, wouldn't try to kill each other. Of course, he might still hate her, but she would be relieved to know she had told him the reason of her actions and the rest would be in his hands. It wouldn't be easy for him to forgive, but at least he would try. Now it didn't matter if he knew or not. They could never be together anyway.

"What happened that day, Anne?" – Athos asked, waving her thoughts away.

"I killed your brother, because he and Catherine found out that I was a thief. Before taking me to you for accusation, Thomas decided to have some nasty fun. Catherine was there, watching me struggling in his arms with amusement. I begged her to help me, but she just stood there with an evil grin on her face. I put out a small knife hidden in my shoe just to defend myself, wanting to just cut his hand a little to make him reel back, but it didn't work. I stabbed him accidently, when we were struggling. I maybe was a thief, but never a killer and my love for you was real. I just wished Thomas could understand it." – She finished, emotionally drained.

"Catherine was there?" – Athos asked, shocked.

"Yes and she knew the truth all this time. It was partly her fault too".

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Who would you believe? A respectful woman, with a fake shocked expression, or your wife whose hands was painted with your brother's blood. I had no proof she was there. She would deny it and you would believe her."

Athos let his head rest against the wall, hers coming closer to his automatically. There had been so many nights in his life he dreamt of having her back. Waking up in sweat, screaming her name like mad, begging her to come back, but she was gone with the night and slowly, very slowly, the mist would fade away and he was Athos again. The honorable musketeer with a kind heart and tormented soul. But a part of him was missing. His happiness was missing. His love was missing. He was lost in a chaos around him, unable to find a way out. He wanted the truth. Wanted to know what he had done in his life to deserve this. Everything he loved, cared for and worshiped was stolen by no one else but his very own beloved wife. His angel and savior. Athos was never a talkative one, but Anne managed to make him smile, slowly turning it into a laugh, kept talking to him about books, art, life, music and what not. He was the happiest person alive. And now, after getting to know everything, he still had a hope they would make it work. Maybe after the mission was done, he could get a chance to talk to her again about the future. Their future. It sounded too good in his ears and tongue. He just couldn't wait.

"We are fortune's fools, Athos". – Milady said quietly, leaning more against him. – "First giving us everything, then taking it all as if he gave us nothing at all, destroying our happiness in one go".

Athos sighed, not willing to put the whole blame on the fortune, but couldn't deny its role in it. He didn't know whose fault it was. The only thing he was able to think about is giving her another chance. Start everything anew and finally regain his happiness. He knew his friends would need time to accept it, but if they loved him, they would respect his choice. It was his life after all and he was free to do as he pleased. He just had to complete the mission first.

"We have work to do". – Athos didn't realize he was standing so close to her that their lips were almost touching. He couldn't risk kissing her then, afraid he would lose himself and fail the mission. They would still have time for that later. So his words both warning and a reminder. Milady sighed and continued her way through the tunnel, her husband moving behind her with a glimpse of hope in his heart.