Chapter 4

A/N: sorry if any of the little French I used is wrong. I'm a little rusty. No flamers please. I would really appreciate it. Constructive critisism is welcome. Thank you to those who have reviewed. I enjoy that very much. Now, on to the next chapter!!

Italics are future people

Bold is musketeer thought

Regular is musketeers, Raoul, Philippe & Anne

Bold italic is future people thoughts

Everything was white once more. Seven people were sitting on the floor in a circle, a piece of parchment laying in the middle with a few scribbled ideas on it.

"You can't be telling me that this is all you came up with?!" One of them shouted.

"Surely you think of something better to change the future?!"

"Raoul we are not very good at this. This is all so new to us. You have to give us some credit for even coming this far."

Raoul sighed and shook his head.

"Alright. We are wasting valuable time. Let's go to the next thing. This time, it'll be fifteen years ahead of the one we just saw."

"That means that they will be twenty and thirty right?" A young woman asked.

"That's right your Majesty. Shall we everyone?"

Light flashed and soon a room began to form. A sound of someone whistling was heard throughout the place. The group of seven looked around at the changed surroundings, the updated features. D'Artagnan made his way over to the mantel of a fireplace and scanned the photographs, even if he didn't know how exactly the people of the future had made such tiny paintings. They showed three boys and a girl outside of the Musketeer Headquarters, three of them dressed in full uniform and the girl clad in civilian attire. She looked to be about twelve. The next skipped ahead to her blonde brother and herself, both in uniforms, back to back with their swords out. The last one was a group shot of the four of them outside of the headquarters once again except all of them were in uniform and had their swords out, the tips pointing at the ground and criss-crossing with the others.

"My have they changed. I take it they are all musketeers?" Raoul looked over at him.

"I see you have found the photos. You're right. They are all musketeers and some of the best that there is." D'Artagnan smiled

'Now why doesn't that surprise me?'

Suddenly Porthos gave a very crude whistle, startling everybody in the vicinity.

"Check it out! Someone in this place certainly has good taste!" What Porthos was staring at was a young, brown haired beauty of about twenty years of age. She had her hair hanging in loose waves about her heart shaped face, her blue eyes sparking with mischief and spunk. The way she held herself said she was a fighter and that she took no bull from anybody. They watched as she flopped down on a couch and pulled out a book.

"Who is that? She's cute." Porthos was practically drooling. Even Athos couldn't help but look over at her. Raoul bit at his lip and choked on his own laughter. He started tearing up as he held it in and yet again, he failed to smother it.

"That's Lisa D'Artagnan!" He burst out in laughter. Porthos turned deathly pale and excused himself. He walked right through a wall and they could hear him being violently sick outside. When he came back in, he was wiping at his mouth with his sleeve, his eyes very wide.

"I can't believe I said any of that." He muttered darkly, violently wringing his hands.

"Don't worry about it. I was in shock the first time I saw her too. It's surprising to see how much people grow in a matter of fifteen years. Strange to see isn't it?" D'Artagnan didn't say anything. His face was still contorted into a look of disgust that had been present since Porthos had spoke. Suddenly, there was a the sound of door opening in another part of the house.

"Lisa? You here sis?"

"In the Living room Athos!"

A man of about thirty walked around the corner, blonde hair rumpled by his hat, his uniform wrinkled from the day's fights. His blue eyes flickered with an adventurous light, his stature giving off an air of nobility. He leaned against the door frame, just watching his sibling as she read.

"Good book?" She started slightly before twisting her body so she could look at him.

"Would I be reading it otherwise?" She countered a triumphant smirk on her pretty face.

"I've just never taken you as the reading type before is all. When did this start?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You obviously don't know as much as you think Athos. I do this on a regular basis. I'm not all fencing and shooting and horseback riding you know." He gave her a sceptical look before shrugging his shoulders and turning away.

"Whatever you say kid. But this still isn't like you." They watched her as she listened to her brother's footsteps as he headed upstairs to change. Lisa rolled her eyes in annoyance but bit her tongue and returned to her reading.

"Hey! Is anybody home?!" A loud voice called

"Hi Porthos." She said without even bothering to look up. Another man walked in, his hands on his hips, his brown hair pushed back by a bandana. His large body took up the doorway and blocked it with a wall of muscle and an oversized ego. He eyed the girl in suspicion as if she was about to lash out at him.

"Since when do you read on your days off?" She cursed under her breath and refrained from returning a snappy remark. He snorted then turned away to head upstairs.

"Fine. Ignore me you little upstart."

"At least I'm not a walking trashcan."

The heard thundering footsteps as he rushed back into the living room, his face like a storm cloud. He looked ready to kill.

"What did you just call me?!" She glance at him over her shoulder before going back to her book.

"You heard me. Or are you now so deaf that wouldn't even hear a foghorn?" She jibbed. He steadily grew angrier, his face turning red with his rage.

"When I get back downstairs you'll wish you had kept your mouth shut pup!" She snorted.

"Like I'm scared of you Porthos. Now go get changed because really man, you reek something fierce!" He looked at her affronted before giving a haughty sniff and turning away.

A couple minutes later, another boy walked in but slowly came up behind Lisa. Once he reached her, he covered her eyes with his hands.

"Guess who sister." She sighed.

"Well it's about time Aramis. I was beginning to think you weren't coming home." He smiled at her in reassurance.

"Put those worries to rest mon petite soeur. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know we're French but do you have to put it in part way through your sentences on a regular basis?"

"Why? You don't like the way I talk now it that it?" He had a hurt look on his face.

"What? I just said it's annoying not that I didn't like it. Wait…" She paused in thought.

"Did that even make sense?"

He shook his head then turned out into the hall. Lisa watched him leave before going back to her book. A loud ringing sound filled the air. Her face turned stony, his body shaking in anger at the disruption.

"Now who the hell is at the door?!" She flung open the door to three men, one blonde and two brunettes. They had a very wicked sense about them. Lisa turned pale as a sheet and slammed the door in their malicious faces, her heart pounding from fear.

"I did not just see that. They were not at the door. They didn't just see that I am home." A knock rang in her ears as they tried to get her to open the door again.

"Lisa? Could you get that?" Athos called down from the upper floors. Lisa gulped and looked at her hands, her fingers shaking.

"O-ok Athos. I got it." She stammered and reopened the door.

"Well good afternoon Lisa. You do know what day it is don't you?" The one dressed in all black said, his voice cold and smooth. She nodded, her fingernails digging into the metal of the doorknob.

"Well then, come with us and give your payment. You know how this works. You've been doing this for three months now." A red clad man with a crocodile smile said to the other man's left. She nodded again, her cheeks seeming to tinge with green. The blonde reached over and caressed her cheek with his hand. Her face was expressionless but her eyes revealed her disgust.

"That's a good girl. Be a proper Musketeer and deal with this yourself. You wouldn't want anything happening to your precious brothers would you?" Her eyes widened in terror as she shuddered once more.

"Athos! I'm going out for a few hours. I'll be back by supper."

"Alright Lisa. Be careful out there! And take your sword!"

She grabbed her sword hanging on a hook by the door and stuffed it in the closet to hide it. She grabbed a thin jacket and left with the men.

"What was that about? She looked… terrified." Aramis said, worry lacing his voice.

"That's because she was. She made a deal with these men three months back in order to protect the lives of her brothers. Her payment is… rather despicable because it's something she would never do willingly."

Anne looked at Raoul, her eyes sad.

"You mean to say that she is being forced to… be a wench to these horrible men?" Raoul looked at her, his eyes dull.

"Unfortunately yes Your majesty. That is true."

Athos spun around, his face twisted in disgust.

"That is just sick. That girl is only twenty. This shouldn't be happening."

Raoul clapped his hands. They were now outside of a large metal building. The sun was beginning to set. The group of four walked around a corner, Lisa boxed between the three of them. She looked positively green in sickness.

"We're here pretty one. It's time for your payment. Let's go!" Lisa whimpered and dug her heels into the ground as they shoved her in. She grabbed the door frame and squeaked as they dug their nails into her hands so as to pry them off. They soon gave up and man in black gave a swift kick to the small of her back. The shock of pain forced her to let go and collapse inside. The rest of them slipped inside and shut the door, locking them in total darkness. One of them lit a couple of blue lights, casting a moonlight glow over her body on the floor. The man in red scooped her off of the floor and laid her on a bed with no covers.

"So who goes first this time guys?"

"I will Richelieu. You had her first last month." He crawled over to her unconscious form and gently traced her frame.

"I can't watch this. Raoul get us out of here. Now!" D'Artagnan shouted, his voice laced with venom. When everything had gone white, he began to pace in furious circles.

"I know it was not a pleasant sight but this is the future. It is something that you just get used to." Aramis looked over at him before picking up by his front collar and hoisting him off the ground.

"Listen Raoul. No one deserves to be treated like. Man or woman. Now…" He paused as he lowered him to the ground.

"How do we fix this mess?" Raoul smiled. He'd finally gotten a reaction he had hoped for.

"We change it. That's all there is to it. But thing is… we have to figure out what to change in the past that will have enough effect on the future."

A scene began to form. A degraded and violated Lisa D'Artagnan was stumbling in the door of her home, her hair mussed, lips swollen, bites marks on almost every revealed part of her skin.

It was dark when she slipped inside. She was quiet as mouse until she bent over to try and untie her shoes. She let out a high whimper as a feeling of pain spread along her spine. A light flicked on from the other end of the hall. Lisa used her had to shield her eyes so as to see who turned on the light. At the other end of the hall was Athos.

"Well Lisa it's nice that you've finally come home." She hid her face from him, trying to block the feeling of his searching eyes. She heard his footsteps as he came towards her.

"Lisa. Please turn around." She didn't move, her face still turned away from him.

"I'm not mad at you. I was just worried. Please just turn around." She couldn't resist the pleading in his voice. She turned around and looked him in the eye. He went white. His shaking hands came up and cupped her face, fingers gently skinning her still tender bruises.

"What happened to you?" She didn't respond but let a couple tears leak out in shame.

"Tell me!" He demanded, gripping her bitten shoulders. She let out a hiss. He pulled away slowly.

"Hold still." He pushed the shirt down over her shoulder, gently so as to not cause any more harm. He gaped at the marks encircling her shoulder blade.

"Lisa why didn't you tell us this was happening?"

"Because if I did, they would kill you."

"Who's they? Who did this to you?!" She wept silently, her frail frame quaking. He pulled into a gentle hug, rubbing smooth circles on her back, his other hand scratching her scalp. She buried herself into his warmth and just wept.

"It's ok kiddo. Don't worry. We'll fix this you'll see. This will never happen again. I promise you."

Raoul heard a sniffle. D'Artagnan quickly wiped his eyes without shame. Athos gripped his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He looked up at him, his eyes reflecting his despair.

"No I'm not. My descendant lives a living hell and not matter what the others do, they can't reverse it. It isn't right Athos. It's just not right."