So I couldn't help myself. After going to the store with my nephew, niece, and sister I just had to write this. Hope you don't mind that I have Porthos the oldest and not Athos. I was kinda going by their ages in real life and was actually surprised that Howard Charles was older than Tom Burke because they don't seem like that in The Musketeers (from what I've seen on YouTube that is) so maybe it's just me.
Porthos: 14
Aramis: 11
Athos: 8
D'Artagnan: 5
Disclaimer: I do not own The Musketeers.
"Come on dad, can I at lest stay in the car?"
"Porthos, I am not leaving you in the car by yourself."
"He won't be by himself, dad. I'll stay in the car with him."
"You are not helping the cause, Aramis."
"Can I stay in the car by myself?"
"NO!" came four voices.
Treville pulled into the parking spot of the local grocery store, turned the car off and turned around in his seat to look at the three boys in the backseat and one in the passenger seat. "Porthos, you are not staying in the car. Aramis, you are not staying in the car. d'Artagnan, you are most defiantly not staying in the car. Athos, before you even think it or ask, you are not staying in the car."
"But dad, what if the other guys from school sees me?" Porthos asked, slumping in the seat.
"Porthos, I don't care what your friends from school will think, you are coming into the store whether you like it or not. As for the rest, you are to be on your best behavior. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir."
Treville nodded and got out of the car. Everyone thought he was crazy for adopting the four boys. Said he already did his job and to let someone else handle them but after everything these four went though, he knew he was the only one that could handle them. Their lives were not the greatest; Porthos stepfather abused him, Athos parents neglected him, Aramis parents abandoned him at a church, and d'Artagnan's parents were murdered right in front of him. He didn't know all this from the adoption agency, but being the police chief he was there saving them from those hard lives.
"Can I get a toy?" d'Artagnan asked, jumping out of the car when Aramis got out.
"Not today, d'Artagnan," Treville said. He grabbed the little boys hand, not wanting him to run out in front of a car again and ushered the other two in front of him, knowing Porthos would be following behind him. Walking into the grocery store he walked over to the cart corral and pulled out two carts, handing one to Porthos, in which Aramis automatically jumped onto, holding onto the side and feet on the bottom of the cart.
Treville picked d'Artagnan up and placed him in the carts seat and Athos jumped onto his cart. Pulling out his grocery list he pushed the cart into the first aisle. "What do you boys want to drink?"
"I want this," Aramis said, picking up a Capri Sun and showing his dad. "We can win an entertainment center."
"Aramis, you do know that's one in a million," Porthos said with a sigh, picking out some pop for himself. "Besides, you don't like lemonade."
"I do too."
"Aramis, do you promise to drink it?" Treville asked, already feeling a headache coming on.
"Yes, I promise."
"Alright, put it in the cart. Athos, d'Artagnan, what do you want?"
Athos picked up a Capri Sun as well but his was strawberry watermelon. He saw d'Artagnan pointing to the juice boxes that had Batman on them and shook his head with a grin. "Which on do you want?"
"Orange."
"You boys better drink these this time or else it's water for now on," Treville said, pushing the cart down the aisle. Turning to the next he checked his list. "Alright guys, we can only get two bags of chips so which ones do you want?"
Porthos pushed the cart to the Doritos and picked up the Ranch flavor. "Aramis likes these too."
"But we don't," Athos said, indicating him and d'Artagnan.
Treville let out a sigh. "Boys, I said two bags. Athos, what do you want?" He followed Athos and stopped so the boy could pick up the Fritos and put them in the cart before getting back on the cart. Next on his list was cereal and he knew this was where the fighting was going to start.
"I get to the pick the cereal," Aramis said, getting off the cart and running down the aisle.
"No you don't, I do," Athos said, taking off after his brother.
Porthos let out a groan and took off after his brothers. He managed to grab both of them by the back of their shirts before they ran into another persons cart. Dragging them back, he let them go and looked at his dad. "This is why I wanted to stay at home."
"Porthos, the last time I left you by yourself at the house it looked liked a tornado had gone through the house," Treville said, scratching off the things he had. "Athos, I'm sorry but it is Aramis turn to pick the cereal but you can pick out the pancakes."
"Fine." Athos huffed and crossed his arms, walking beside the cart now. He looked up when he felt a hand pat his head and smiled when d'Artagnan laughed, patting him again.
"Don't be sad. You can pick out the yummy pancakes we like," he whispered.
Athos grinned, agreeing with his little brother. Aramis and Porthos liked the same things that he and d'Artagnan didn't like and vise versa, so shopping was pretty hard when it came to only picking out one item. He didn't know when it happened but it seemed to have developed when their dad brought d'Artagnan home and the kid had taken a liking to him while Aramis followed Porthos around.
"Hey dad, when we're done here, can we get lunch?" Aramis asked, walking beside Porthos. He got tired of holding onto the cart and this was the best way to grab food before his brothers.
"If we get done in time, yes." Treville turned down the next aisle and looked at the can goods. "d'Artagnan, do you want Batman or Spiderman SpaghettiO's?"
"Batman."
Treville nodded and grabbed two cans, placing them in the cart. Moving down he picked out some pasta and sauce. He was actually impressed they were getting done without much fighting and…
CRASH!
"I didn't do it," Aramis said, backing away from the sauce that had splattered all over the floor.
"Then who did?" Treville asked. He looked up when he saw one of the workers coming down the aisle, mop in hand. "I'm so sorry about that," he said to the young man.
"It's no problem sir," the man said with a smile. He knew this family very well and always kept an eye on them incase he was needed. This wasn't the first time these kids had spilled something. "I was getting bored anyway."
"Aramis, please watch where you're going or next time you spill something you're cleaning it up."
"Dad. I have to go to the bathroom," d'Artagnan said.
Treville sighed and helped d'Artagnan out of the cart. "Aramis, please take your brother to the bathroom."
"Why me? Can't Athos or Porthos do it?"
"Because I'm the oldest and Athos the youngest," Porthos said with a grin.
"That's not fair," Aramis said, stomping his foot but took d'Artagnan's hand anyway. Walking his brother towards the bathrooms he spotted two girls from his Science class sitting in the small café of the store. Grinning he looked at d'Artagnan and the bathrooms right next to the café. "Hey d'Artagnan. Do you want to be a big boy?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. You go into the bathroom by yourself and I'll be right over there. When you are done, you come straight to me, okay?" He grinned when d'Artagnan jumped up and down before taking off into the bathroom. Walking over the girls, Aramis smiled and sat down, facing the bathroom door. "Hello ladies."
"Hi Aramis," Anna said.
"What are two pretty ladies like you doing in a place like this?"
The girls just giggled and pushed him a little. "Oh Aramis, you're such a charmer."
"It is a burden I must bare alone," Aramis said, hand to his heart.
"Very funny. So what are you doing here?"
"Oh, grocery shopping with my dad but my little brother needed to use the bathroom. Of course, being the good son I volunteered."
"You have a little brother?" Kristin asked, her smile going wide. "I love little kids."
"Yeah. I actually have two younger brothers and an older brother."
"Well, I can't wait to meet your brother."
Aramis smiled and looked towards the bathroom when he realized a group of people had crowed between him and the door. Face going pale, he excused himself and walked around the group of people and opened the bathroom door. "d'Artagnan, are you okay?" No answer. "d'Artagnan? Are you in here?" Aramis checked all the stalls but no d'Artagnan. Fear gripped his chest as he ran out and looked around the small café. He couldn't see d'Artagnan anywhere.
"Oh no. Dad's going to kill me." Aramis took off, looking all over as he went incase d'Artagnan was nearby but when he reached the aisle his family was in, he didn't see his brother. His dad was talking to another police office he worked with and thinking fast, he hid behind one of the corner shelves and whistled to get Porthos and Athos attention. When he got their attention, he waved them towards him.
"Hey dad, Aramis and d'Artagnan are taking too long. We're going to go get them," Porthos said, noticing the pale face of his brother. He grabbed Athos's hand after getting a nod and walked down the aisle. "Aramis, what's wrong? Where's d'Artagnan?"
"I don't know. I lost him."
"You lost him! How did you lose him?" Porthos whispered sharply.
"He used the bathroom by himself and I was sitting at the café in eyesight with some girls from my class and I didn't notice a group of people gathered between me and the door."
Porthos huffed and grabbed Aramis by the arm and pulled both his brothers with him. They needed to find d'Artagnan and fast before their dad found out. Looking down aisles as they went, they still didn't find him and they reached the very front of the store.
"There's so many places he could be hiding," Athos said, knowing d'Artagnan enjoyed hide-and-seek. He looked around and spotted the clothes area of the store. "Maybe he's hiding in the clothes."
"Worth a shot." Porthos led them over and had them look in the racks of the clothes but they came out empty. Not wanting to lose his cool yet, he looked around and spotted more aisles on the other side of the store for electronics, books, lawn care, and pharmacy. "Alright, we need to split up. Aramis, take over there, Athos over there and I'll take the middle. Meet back here when you're done and don't move until I get back."
Athos took off towards the pharmacy and checked each aisle, hoping to see his little brother. When he didn't see him, he walked over to a couple looking at Band-Aids and taped the woman on her back. "Excuse me?"
"What can I do for you young man?" she asked, kneeling down a little.
"Have you seen my little brother? He's wearing jeans and a Batman T-shirt."
"I'm sorry little boy but we haven't seen him. Do you need help finding him?"
"No thank you. My older brothers are looking too." Athos thanked them and took off, double-checking the aisle again and asking anyone he saw. Shoulders down, he made his way to where he was suppose to meet his brothers, afraid they would have to tell their dad. He knew d'Artagnan wouldn't go with any strangers, not really trusting people except them due to what happened to his parents but the thought never left his mind. He saw Porthos and Aramis waiting for him and made his way slowly towards them. "Nothing."
"We need to tell dad," Aramis said, guilt written all over his face. He was supposed to be watching his brother and now he's gone and lost him. Poor kid must be scared out of his mind.
"No. We'll find him on our own. If you're a five year old kid…"
And idea hit Aramis as Porthos started talking. "Who wanted a toy…"
"But your dad said no…" Athos picked up where Aramis was going with this.
The three brothers looked at one another and then it hit them. "The toy aisle!"
Porthos took his brothers hands once more and they walked towards the back of the store where the toys were and walked down the aisles until they saw him. Standing by the shelves, looking at the Batman toys was d'Artagnan.
"Charlies d'Artagnan," Porthos said, letting go of Aramis and Athos hands and walking over to d'Artagnan. "Don't you ever and I mean EVER wonder off again!" He knelt on the ground and pulled his brother into a tight hug. He felt Aramis and Athos walking over and put their arms around them.
"I'm sorry. But I couldn't find Aramis," d'Artagnan said once they released him.
"Then why didn't you go to the front desk and tell the lady there you were lost?" Aramis asked, grabbing d'Artagnan's hand in tight grip. There was no way he was leaving his sight.
"I was but then I saw a kid with this awesome Batman toy and I just wanted to see it."
Porthos closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "For now on, d'Artagnan, if you can't find any of us, please go find an adult." He took Athos hand and made Aramis and d'Artagnan walk in front of him as they made their way back to their dad. They've been gone for a long time and he knew his dad would demand to know where they were so he started thinking up something.
They just reached the frozen food aisle when a voice from behind them made them turn. "Where have you boys been?" Turning around, they saw their dad pulling two carts behind him. He mostly got all the food except for a few things.
"I wanted to see the toys," d'Artagnan spoke up, letting go of Aramis's hand and hugging his dad around the leg.
"And it takes you nearly ten minutes to look at toys?"
"They were cool toys. You should see the Batman toys they have."
"And you boys?" He looked at each of his sons, waiting for an answer.
"We couldn't say no," Porthos said with a laugh, taking one of the carts. He lifted d'Artagnan up and placed him in the seat with a look that dared him to complain.
Treville was not at all surprised it took that long to look at toys. d'Artagnan could look at the same toy for almost an hour, so he chalked it off as nothing unusual. "Okay, we just need to get some fruit and vegetables and then we're done." As he started towards the front of the store, he took notice that the boys never left Porthos cart.
"Do you guys want oranges or apples?"
"Apples," they all said.
"Well, that was easy." Treville put two bags of apple in the cart and picked up some lettuce before marking it off. "Well, I must say, this trip ran smoothly."
"What can we say," Aramis said with a smile. His smile faded, however, when he spotted Anna and Kristin walking up to them. "Uh oh."
"Hi Aramis," Kristin said with a wave and smile. "You took off looking scared before we could see your little brother. Is that him?"
"Oh, he's so cute," Anna said. She walked over and kissed d'Artagnan on the cheek, smiling when the little boy hid his face in Porthos chest.
Treville was watching the whole thing and saw guilt written all over his sons' faces as the girls continued to talk, not realizing they just blew their cover. "I'm sorry girls, but we need to get going," he said with a glare.
"Okay. Bye Aramis. See you in school."
Once the girls were out of sight, Treville crossed his arms over his chest and gave his best you-better-talk-now look he gives all the suspects he interrogates.
"Okay, I let d'Artagnan use the bathroom by himself while I talked to Anna and Kristin and he got lost," Aramis admitted, head bowed.
"And you didn't think to tell me because?"
"I didn't want you to get mad."
Treville nodded and walked over to Porthos's cart and made d'Artagnan look at him. "d'Artagnan, what did I tell you about wondering off?"
"Not to," d'Artagnan said in a small voice.
"But you did anyway. You know someone could have just picked you up and walked off with you?"
d'Artagnan now had tears in eyes, not realizing what could have happened. "I'm sorry."
Treville took a deep breath. "I should be angry and I should be grounding all of you because of this." He walked back to his cart and turned to face his sons' once more. "However, you boys had proven your responsibility and went looking for your brother, so I am going to let you off the hook this one time."
They all gave a sigh of relief and followed their dad to the checkout line. They were quiet the whole time, Aramis and Athos holding onto Porthos's cart and d'Artagnan never letting go of Porthos chest. When it was their turn to pay, Aramis nad Athos helped their dad bag the food since d'Artagnan wasn't letting go of Porthos.
"I'm sorry," d'Artagnan whispered. "I don't want to go home with anyone."
Porthos smiled and laid his hand on d'Artagnan's head. "Just another lesson you need to learn, d'Artagnan."
When the food was bagged and paid for, they made their back to the car, putting everything in the trunk and getting into their seats. Halfway home, Treville let Porthos know what he thought of the whole thing.
"Porthos, since you are the oldest I think it's fair that you receive a punishment."
d'Artagnan's eyes went wide with fear. "But dad…"
"No d'Artagnan. Porthos, since you're the oldest, your punishment is that for now on when I go to the store, you're watching your brothers."
The car was quiet and then Porthos started laughing. "Are you serious?"
Treville smiled. "Yes. It took great responsibility on your part to finding your brother. That proves you will watch out for them."
Porthos turned in his seat and grinned at his brothers. He turned back and patted his dad on the shoulder. "Thank you dad."
Treville laughed and turned down the street. "No, thank you."
"Why are you thanking me?"
"Do you have any idea how fast it was for me to get the rest of the groceries without you four fighting over who gets to pick what?" Treville laughed when the car got quiet once again but this time he knew it was because what he was saying was sinking in. This actually was a punishment. With the trouble d'Artagnan gets into, Porthos would now have to handle it all while he was gone.
"DAD!"