Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Musketeers, Young Blades, etc. I just simpy enjoy watching the show and reading Dumas' books.
Chapter One:
Jacqueline hurried off to the garrison. She couldn't have seen him…it just wasn't possible! Jacqueline ran past d'Artagnan who was trying to ask for a little fight to get the blood flowing. She went straight to her room and locked the door. She knew that she was losing her mind. He had been dead for five years now.
"Jacqueline, open the door," d'Artagnan whispered through the wooden door. Jacqueline had her back against the door, but she quickly went and hid behind her changing screen.
"Jacqueline, I saw you come in here. It's me, d'Artagnan. Just open the door," d'Artagnan pleaded through the door. He turned and saw Siroc and Ramon come up behind him.
"Trouble in paradise?" Ramon teased.
"For once, I didn't do anything wrong. She came into the garrison looking as if she had seen a ghost. She won't open the door," d'Artagnan said. He turned towards the door again, "Jacqueline, open up. You can talk to me."
"I'll get my tools," Siroc said and disappeared.
Ramon chuckled. "I still think you did something wrong, amigo."
D'Artagnan glared at Ramon.
Siroc reappeared and pushed the other two men to the side. "I think this is an invasion to her privacy. I just want that to be made quite clear before I do this." Siroc started to work the lock.
D'Artagnan reluctantly stood next to Ramon.
"What if she just saw some old flame, amigo?" Ramon tried to say. D'Artagnan flashed a looked of irritated anger towards his friend.
"I know you are only trying to help, but you are making it worse," he said. Ramon clapped him on the back.
"Ok, I think I got it," Siroc said. They heard the door unlock. "I think it best that Ramon and I make ourselves scarce."
D'Artagnan nodded and walked into Jacqueline's room. He closed the door and looked around the room.
"Jacqueline? Where are you?" d'Artagnan whispered. He saw a movement behind her changing screen and quickly went over to her. "Jacqueline?" He was in shock to see her legs curled up to her chest and her head down. He put a hand under her legs and the other behind her back. He lifted her carefully and placed her on her bed.
She looked up at him and he could tell she had been crying. "D'Artagnan…did you make Siroc unlock my door?"
D'Artagnan sank down onto her bed and pulled her up against him. "He actually knew to get his tools first this time before having to deal with me."
Jacqueline chuckled. "I'm sorry, d'Artagnan. I just don't want to talk about it."
"Will you at least tell me what happened?"
"I saw someone who's been dead for five years."
"Do you mean he was decomposed?"
"No, you idiot," Jacqueline smiled. D'Artagnan was trying to lighten the mood. "I saw him as clearly as I am looking at you."
"Who was he?"
"He was my best friend. He was Gerard's best friend."
"But who was he?"
"He was my fiancé until he died in a ship wreck five years ago."
Chapter Two:
"I saw him while leaving the café. I don't think he recognized me," Jacqueline whispered. She looked up at d'Artagnan. "Are you mad at me?"
"No, I could never be mad at you," he said a little stunned. "How did you know him?"
"He was best friends with Gerard while we grew up. His father was a sailor and was always away, like yours," Jacqueline said. She took his hands. "I have to confess something, d'Artagnan."
"What is it?"
"I never truly loved Nicholas. I always knew he wanted to be a sailor like his famous father. I wanted to remain at my father's side. I was going to break off the engagement when I heard news about the ship wreck…but…"
"He died before you could?"
"It's all my fault, d'Artagnan. If I had loved him the way he deserved to be loved…"
"Stop it, Jacqueline," d'Artagnan whispered. He took her face in his hands. "What happened was an act of God. Do not believe for an instant that you are the reason he was in the wreck. You did not cause it to wreck."
"I know…I guess I just needed to have someone tell me that," she whispered back to him.
"Now, let's go and meet this ex-fiancé of yours…"
"You aren't going to hurt him are you?"
"My love, would I intentionally hurt a man that has allowed you to believe dead for the past five years?" d'Artagnan asked innocently. Jacqueline didn't know what to say. She knew she should smack d'Artagnan on the back of the head for such thoughts, but it felt good to have some one on her side. Her brother and father were all for the marriage with Nicholas…but she hadn't been.
Nicholas sat happily at the table with his crew. They were laughing at the ridiculous men sitting a few tables away from them. The men in red seemed not to realize that Nicholas's crew was taunting them under their breath.
"Captain, now where is that fair damsel you said was in the area?" the first mate, William, asked Nicholas.
"Who are you talking about?" another crewmate, Geoffrey, asked.
"The lady Jacqueline who our captain has been in love with!" William shouted. "Captain, are you sure you will even recognize her?"
"Of course I will. I may not remember much about my past, but she was definitely in it," Nicholas said pointing at the wanted picture Geoffrey was holding. "I know my past lies with this woman. Now all we have to do is find her."
Captain Bernard sat watching the reckless group of sailors. He felt something inside him telling him to watch these men. He had a feeling this captain of theirs was too familiar to him…
"Captain, don't you think she would have fled by now? It says she killed this man over a year ago!" William said. "Besides, if you get your memory back, you may be a completely different man."
"Silence, Willy. I don't care what my past is. I would rather have it stay buried, but this woman keeps haunting my dreams. I think I may have loved her. If she is my wife, then I will take her with us."
"But you have a woman at every port around the world!" Tyler, the "scientist" of the group almost yelled. "It would be worse for you if you had her aboard the ship while you slunk off to sleep with several women at once."
"If she is my wife, then she will obey me. She will do as I say…including when I want her to do something to someone else…" Nicholas laughed.
