A/N - A little treat before I run away from computers for a week on Saturday, chapter four today and hopefully five on Friday :)

laced-with-fire - Thank you for the continuous support :)

fariedragon - Why thank you! There be more moments from Athos's childhood to come, and some I think he'd prefer his fellow musketeers didn't know about. Plenty of teasing oppertunities ahead!


Once the three musketeers realised that the pair were unlikely to kill each other, they slowly lowered their pistols, although they supposed Athos deserved the slap.

"Don't you ever say that again, you have never abandoned me, never, I abandoned you!" hushing his sister Athos pulled her back into his embrace.

"Neither of us was to blame Marie, we were only children."

It also quickly became clear that the siblings were in no hurry to part and it left them as increasingly uncomfortable onlookers, d'Artagnan took a sudden interest in the ceiling of the office as Aramis stuck his head out the window with Treville to watch the men training below. The silence was broken as d'Artagnan heard a sniff beside him; he turned and was surprised to see Porthos staring at the pair with tears in his eyes.

"Porthos?" At d'Artagnan's question Aramis turned as well, a knowing smile gracing his face.

"You're making a habit of this."

"Well, it's touching, you know." Porthos defended, gesturing towards the pair still locked in an embrace. Aramis laid a supportive hand on Porthos's shoulder but quickly dropped it and hurried forward when Athos paused swayed and made a small exclamation of surprise as not seconds later his legs buckled.

Caught off guard, Marie was not quick enough to catch him, but by then he was safely in the arms of his fellow musketeers. Aramis was back in doctoring mode faster than Athos could blink.

"Steady Athos, I told you this would be a bad idea." d'Artagnan, in a surge of inspiration, ran to fetch the chair from behind Treville's desk and offered it to the huddle.

Nodding in appreciation Treville helped Aramis lower Athos onto the chair. Now that the shock of seeing his long-lost sister alive was wearing off it was clear to see the exhaustion and pain in Athos's eyes.

"Brother?" Marie's worried tone broke through the natural barrier they had formed out of habit to protect an injured colleague from prying eyes.

"I'm alright Marie," Athos placated her as calmly as he could with Aramis poking at his injured shoulder his instinctive struggles when the knife had been pressed to his throat having irritated the wound, "just a little tired." Marie did not look convinced.

"Tired and hung-over no doubt," Aramis corrected, "how's the headache?" Athos flinched as Aramis's examination got a little too enthusiastic.

"Bearable." he grunted in response, his eyes meeting Marie's over Aramis's head.

"Any nausea?"

"None."

"Dizziness?" It seemed Athos had finally reached the end of his tether.

"I'm fine Aramis, it's nothing a good meal and sleep won't fix." Finally Athos managed to brush Aramis aside but he made no move to stand which was just as strong a reflection of how bad he felt and made d'Artagnan nervous. Athos was in no state to deal with such emotional upheaval and they had had no time to prepare him for the shock.

Marie, who had up until then hovered at the back pushed forwards until she was knelt in front of her brother and gently pushed loose strands of hair out of his face. In turn, Athos captured her hands and turned them over to examine the battle-hardened digits. What had led his sister down a path where she was as comfortable with a weapon as he was?

Sensing his scrutiny Marie pulled her hands away, she was in no hurry to tell Athos what she had been doing, he would not want her it he knew what she had been involved in. In anger and desperation she fell back on her default defence, re-direction. It had not missed her attention that Athos's hung-over state seemed nothing new to his friends; the Olivier she had known had not seemed the type to grow to drink excessively, or to thoughtlessly throw his life away, if the attitudes of his friends towards what was undoubtable a reckless wound was any indication.

"It seems we have both changed," her voice was accusing and Athos did not miss her meaning if his wince was anything to go by. Capturing her hands once again as she moved to stand he levelled his gaze at her.

"We have Marie. Do you think I do not recognise hands that grip a sword? Or rope burns?" Marie flushed, turning her face away, but Athos was unrelenting, "Look at me sister and see that we are both scarred and we have both suffered. I do not judge you."

Marie laughed a humourless laugh and this time when she pulled out of his grip and backed away Athos let her go.

"A drunk with a death wish and a fugitive, look at the pair of us, I hope at least Thomas has done better." Marie of course, couldn't have known what affect her careless words would have. The room froze around her at the mention of Athos's deceased younger brother and all eyes turned to Athos himself, who had also gone still with grief. Marie frowned at the change in atmosphere.

"What did I say?"

"Thomas is dead Marie." Athos managed to choke out, his sorrow evident. Marie, seeing the truth in his eyes, sagged boneless against the nearest wall.

"Dead?" The whispered question pleaded for someone to deny it. Marie's face was a picture of shock and grief, to find one brother and lose another in the space of an hour was a truly devastating experience.

"Yes," Athos confirmed having regained himself, "you have missed much in your time away. It seems we both have much to tell each other." Across the room Marie tensed again, eyes widening at his words. Athos easily recognised the fight or flight pose, it was one he had himself adopted many a time, obviously Marie would rather her story was left unsaid and for now Athos was content to let it lie.

He had his sister back, which was enough for him. It mattered not what she had done to stay alive, all that mattered was that she was here, in one piece and there was enough of the sister that he remembered left within her that he might yet be able to coax her out.

Acting quickly, and with a voice approaching one he would use to calm a frightened horse Athos worked to prevent his sister running, because in his present state he knew there would be little he could do to stop her.

"None of that matters now though, we need to work out what to do now that you're here. As far as the French judicial system is concerned you are dead and for now you need to remain so if you want to stay alive." Hesitantly Marie lowered her guard.

"What do you suggest then brother?" Athos paused thoughtfully.

"You cannot stay in Paris, you stand out too easily." There were nods of agreement from the other musketeers present.

"What about your château?" Porthos suggested, "It's out of the way and you'd only need to convince Planchet to keep silent."

"We'd have to get there unnoticed, la Fère is a couple of days ride away." Aramis noted.

"I can cover your absence for a while at least." Treville added.

"Constance could provide some more suitable clothing," d'Artagnan suggested thoughtfully even as Marie started in indignation, "we could pass Marie off as a noblewoman returning to the country."

"Marie," the woman in question spoke up suddenly and with an authority that surprised them all, "can speak for herself." The men paused, not sure how to react.

"Of course you can," Athos finally spoke up, "but you have to trust us in this."

"Trust," Marie snorted, turning away, "I've learned that trust is a fairy-tale." The musketeers again were wrong-footed. The mystery of Marie's life for the past twenty years hung over them as a shadow, a bomb ready to explode at one wrong turn.

Athos, testing his strength, stood and quickly brushed a protesting Aramis away who was then held back by Porthos. Athos moved towards his sister slowly, one hand coming to grasp her arm and turned her towards him.

"All I ask is that you trust me and you once did." The room held its breath; the tension was nearly unbearable as the siblings stared into each other's eyes. Finally Marie nodded and Porthos released Aramis with a sign of relief. Athos immediately found himself being pushed back into a chair and was handed a drink of water which he cradled in slightly shaking hands and sipped slowly.

"I agree that I cannot stay in Paris, I have attracted too much unwanted attention already. I'll do whatever you ask until we are safely in le Fère, after that I make no promises." Marie finally said.

"Thank you." Athos spoke before turning to d'Artagnan, "Go and find Constance, we must leave as soon as possible."

"What about when we get to the château?" Aramis asked as they watched Marie reluctantly giving her weapons to Treville and Porthos.

"I have no idea." Athos replied honestly, "But the estates are rightfully hers, I have no interest in them. I think the only way out of this mess is for Marie to assume my title and become Comtess de la Fère and somehow gain the King's favour, it is the only way to guarantee her protection."

"And the missing twenty years?" Aramis questioned as d'Artagnan came running back into the garrison, Constance in tow.

"We can only hope that whatever Marie has done will not haunt her the way my mistakes have done."

"And if Marie resists? Or her crimes come back to haunt her?" Aramis pushed, recognising that Athos too had seen the resolve to kill in his sister's eyes and the evidence of enough crimes to demand the death sentence in her dress and posture.

Athos sighed, leaning his forehead against the window and closing his eyes.

"Let us hope it does not come to that. I have already lost Marie once, I have no intention of doing so again."