Evening My Lovelies :)

Loving that I was able to get 11 followers for just the first chapters and I really hope you'll all enjoy this next chapter.

Should have said before but the story's set some time after Homecoming but Before Challenge (so Charon's dead and D'Artangan's not yet a musketeer)

Much love to those who follow/favourite/review

Enjoy

xxx

Chapter Two: Panicking

Aramis's keen vision had spotted the approaching figure before anyone else and his brows furrowed in concern. His medic training quickly picked up on the figures obvious exhaustion and by way they were running they were obviously injured in some way.

The medic had risen from his seat when he saw the figure enter the garrison, it was clear whoever this was, was in need of help or at the very least some medical attention and it was not within him to neglect a person in pain.

He knew his brothers were as confused by this stranger who had entered the garrison as he was but any questions were halted when the figure collapsed onto their knees. Instinctively moving to help the wounded person Aramis froze on the spot when the figure called out name of one of the men he called brother.

"Porthos! Please I need to speak to Porthos Du Vallion!"

To say the men were surprised to find out that the figure was actually a woman, her gender becoming obvious as soon as she spoke, would be an understatement – they had all seem the flash of weapons attached to her hips, hidden underneath the cloak she was wearing and so all assumed it was a young man – women carrying weapons was something not seen often, if at all.

"How do you know Porthos mademoiselle?" Aramis enquired, approaching the woman slowly, as if afraid he might startle her. He had heard the sheer panic in her voice when she called out and he willed his heart to maintain a normal beat, at least until he had all the facts.

Comforted by the presence of his brother's behind him, the medic continued his approach to the woman, who was now studying him with a look of pure confusion, until a flash of recognition appeared in her eyes – startling the medic immensely.

"You're Aramis right? Porthos's friend?" the hope and panic in her voice set all three men on edge.

Receiving a nod from the medic – who was too confused that this woman knew his name and relationship with Porthos to formulate a vocal response, smiling brightly at the fact she had found someone who would echo her desire to protect the large musketeer the young woman forced herself to stand. Only to collapse again within seconds, although she had a much softer landing this time as the medic's quick reflexes had allowed him to catch her and lower he back to the ground before she fell to her knees again.

Gripping his arm so tight Aramis couldn't contain a small wince as her nails dug into his skin, the young woman turned her panicked eyes onto the three men she now recognized from Porthos's stories "Were is he? Please he's in danger! I have to warn him, they're going to kill him!"

That single piece of information was all it took to turn the men's blood cold.

Steeling his emotions Athos turned to the medic "bring her to my rooms, this isn't the sort of conversation to be had out in the open. I'll get Treville and she can tell us what this is all about and who is after Porthos"

Nodding at the now retreating musketeer the medic turned to D'Artangan who looked very much like he wanted to shake the answers out of the young girl in his arms, he couldn't help the fondness he felt for that. "D'Art run to the infirmary and grab some bandages will you I doubt Athos has any and I need to see to her ankle." Pleased to be doing something D'Artangan sprinted off to get the bandages.

"I'm fine please don't waste time on me when he's in trouble" the young girl implored and Aramis felt his intrigue for this small woman grow as her desire to warn and protect Porthos overruled her own pain and exhaustion.

"I can see to it while you explain what's going on" Aramis said with a calm he didn't feel as they entered Athos's rooms "If Porthos cares for you half as much as you seem to care for him then he would not want to see you hurt" he finished, placing the girl on Athos's bed, eyebrows raising slightly when a small blush appeared on her cheeks when he mentioned Porthos caring for her.

"So how do you know about me?" he inquired, more to distract the woman as he assessed the damage done to the ankle

"Porthos told me" the woman responded, in a tone that said that it should have been obvious, though it was slightly ruined by a hiss of pain as he examined her foot.

"Just sprained I think, I'll bandage it when D'Artangan gets back and you'll have to avoid putting pressure on it for a couple of weeks" Aramis concluded, smiling at the good timing of their youngest as he then entered the room, armed with bandages and followed by Athos and a very stern looking Captain Treville.

"So who are you?" Treville asked gruffly, he needed to know if there was a genuine threat on one of his best men and he needed to know just who came bearing news of such a threat.

"Christelle… but that's not important. Where is Porthos?" she exclaimed, she couldn't believe they were wasting time asking who she was when Porthos was in danger.

"He's on assignment… Now-"

"On his own?" Christelle questioned, her panic reaching new heights as the Captain simply nodded – a little stunned that the tiny girl in front of him had the audacity to interrupt him in his own garrison.

"No no no no! That's the perfect opportunity for them to grab him" forcing back pain and exhaustion the girl pushed herself to her feet "I have to find him"

"Explain what you know, quickly" Athos ordered the girl, who was being pushed back into bed by D'Artangan and Aramis; if his brother was indeed in trouble they needed to find him now.

"Heard some rumors, couple of weeks back about getting revenge on a musketeer" Christelle started, glad someone was finally paying attention to the importance of her information "musketeer's are Porthos's family now so I figured I'd look into it, ya know see if there was anything to it"

"Why?" D'Artangan asked, curious as to why this woman would risk investigating something that could so quickly turn dangerous.

"For Porthos" she said as if it should be obvious

"But why?" D'Artangan pressed

"Not important, continue" Athos commanded, waving off D'Artangan's persistent questioning

"Right, well I managed to get close enough to find out who was behind the plot. He's name's Marcel, used to be Charon's right hand man in the court. Blames Porthos for his death and his own exile from the royal circle – Flea never trusted him see-"

"You grew up in the court with Porthos?" Aramis asked before he could stop himself, "never mind. Continue please" he finished, waving away his question before the woman could answer it

"Marcel and his men are a right nasty lot and they blame Porthos for all their problems. I know the sort of things Marcel will do to him when he gets his hands on him so I ran here hoping I could warn him. Now please can we go find Porthos?"

Treville always prided himself on being able to read people and right now that ability was telling him the woman before him was telling the truth and was genuinely worried for his musketeer.

"Porthos was on a simple delivery assignment, heading to Monsieur Banville hence why he was sent on his own. I want you departing within the hour. If he's fine bring him back and don't leave him on his own. If this threat is genuine and this 'Marcel' has him, find him and bring him home."

Nodding in agreement the three men set to work gathering what they would need to take with them. Stilling only when a voice spoke up "What about me? I wont simply wait around if Marcel has Porthos"

"You'll be safer here" D'Artangan spoke, brushing off the woman's desire and earning him a deadly glare

"Screw safety!" Christelle exclaimed, shocking the men "these weapons aren't just for show and if I was too late and Marcel has Porthos then you'll need someone who knows how that creep thinks to help you find their hideout" she stated stubbornly as she rose from the bed, ignoring the slight throbbing from her ankle, and grabbed her weapons.

"Lets go!"

"Her I like" Aramis mused as he watched the young woman head for the garrison gates.

"Plus she has a point, if she knows where Marcel's likely to seek shelter it'll be quicker to bring her along than to leave her here and have to return." The medic reasoned quickly when he saw the imminent protest forming on Athos's lips

"If she slows us down, or hinders us" Athos started only to be cut off by the medic

"Then we send her back to the garrison, come on, let's go, I want to grab some things from the infirmary before we leave"