Chapter 4
Athos and Sylvie walked up to the d'Artagnans' front door. It was nice little starter house. Although now with three babies they were really going to need to find something bigger soon.
"You'd think you were taking me to meet your parents," Sylvie teased him coming up beside him in front of the door.
"No worries there," he said. "They've both past."
She was about to respond when the door opened. Constance stood looking a bit frazzled holding a baby in her arms. "Thank God," she leaned over putting said baby in Athos' arms. "Come in," she said. "You must be Sylvie," she smiled suddenly looking more relaxed.
Athos stared at the infant in his arms and then at its mother.
"That's the boy," Constance informed him ushering them inside.
"Do these poor souls have names yet?" Athos asked.
"Yes," Constance said. "Athos, would you be a dear and take him to the nursery? d'Artagnan's in there with the girls."
Athos adjusted the baby in his arms hoping he wouldn't start crying on him. At the same time he worried about Sylvie. He would hardly call what they were doing as dating. And yet he took her to lunch with two of his closest friends.
"d'Artagnan," he said coming into the room. d'Artagnan looked as exhausted as Constance. "You look like shit."
"Yeah, love you too," d'Artagnan rolled his eyes. "Watch the language."
"They're a week old," Athos said.
"So, tell me about this Sylvie," d'Artagnan said.
Athos simply stared at the younger man.
TM
"Don't worry, I'm not going to give you the shovel talk or the third degree," Constance led Sylvie to the couch where they sat next to each other.
Sylvie couldn't help the giggle that let loose.
"I'm sorry to hear about your father," Constance said. "It's difficult losing parents when we're young."
Sylvie looked a little startled. It seemed Constance understood. "Thank you."
"The five of us are all orphans of sorts," Constance said.
"He'd been sick on and off for a while, but then he had a heart-attach. I guess it was all too much for him," Sylvie gulped in air. She felt Constance's hand reach up squeezing her shoulder.
TM
"You're very lucky to have found such a wonderful family, Athos," Sylvie followed Athos to his apartment door. "I can't imagine what Aramis and Porthos must think of me," she felt ridiculous falling apart in front of two strangers and sobbing into the arms of a man she barely knew.
"You had just lost your father," Athos said. "They understood."
They had had a wonderful afternoon with Constance and d'Artagnan. Sylvie sat on their floor with Constance, d'Artagnan and the triplets playing with the babies. They managed to drag Athos on the floor with them eventually.
He liked to claim otherwise, but Sylvie knew he enjoyed the children.
TM
The next day Sylvie went to the diner deciding to keep it running for now. She still had some employees after all and they couldn't afford to lose their jobs now.
Athos left for work the same time she had left. He told her he might come by the diner at lunch time bringing his friends this time.
"Sylvie, are you sure you're ready to open up already?" Rochelle, one of diner's waitresses asked sticking her head in the kitchen.
"I'm fine, Rochelle," Sylvie said to the young woman. Rochelle had recently started working at the diner. She was working there and going to university.
By lunch time three men entered the diner. Sylvie looked out from the kitchen and smiled.
"So, which one?" Rochelle asked.
"Sorry," Sylvie looked confused at her friend.
"Which one of those good looking men has you smiling like that?" Rochelle gestured towards Sylvie.
Sylvie looked down embarrassed. "The one with the green eyes."
Rochelle made a noise Sylvie couldn't translate. "I'll see what they want?" Sylvie wiped her hands grabbing pad and pencil. They were sitting at the table Athos usually occupied.
"Afternoon, gentlemen," Sylvie greeted them.
TM
Athos sighed walking ahead of Porthos and Aramis when they returned to the precinct.
"Athos, we're happy for you," Aramis said catching up to him.
"There's nothing to tell," Athos said.
"Right," Porthos patted Athos on the back. "How about that case."
Athos nodded grateful for Porthos' chance of subject.
TM
Athos and Sylvie hadn't really talked about that first night they slept together. And they continued the pattern for the next week. However they moved to Athos' bed the second night.
Athos lay on his side facing Sylvie whose back was to him. His arm was wrapped around her waist.
He had the day off and offered to help Sylvie clean out her father's flat.
He felt her shift in his arms. "Hey," she tried to focus on him. "What are you doing awake at this hour?"
"Just thinking about this," he waved his hand around them.
"I promise to go looking for a flat as soon as my father's is taken care of," she said.
"There's no rush," he said.
"I'm sure you'd like your space back," she looked at him amused.
He shrugged and she yawned falling back asleep minutes later.
TM
She stood in the middle of her father's flat holding the last box to be removed in her arms. She felt Athos move up behind her. He didn't say anything.
"Okay," she simply nodded turning and following him out the door.
TM
Athos took her back to his apartment once they had taken care of all the things Sylvie wanted to save from her father's flat. She had left all of it in storage.
He pulled her close to him wrapping his arms around her and kissing her.
Six Months Later
A couple of weeks after cleaning out her father's flat Sylvie moved in with her young friend Rochelle. The young woman had expressed the need for some financial help so Sylvie offered to help by moving in with her for a while.
But she found herself spending more time at Athos' flat anyway. Two weeks ago, she officially moved in with Athos after Rochelle was able to find another roommate.
Sylvie looked down at the middle of their living room floor amused. Aramis was lying on his back surrounded by three babies and he was clearly in heaven.
The spell was suddenly broken as little Alexandre d'Artagnan started crying. Athos appeared and leaned over picking the baby up into his arms. With a few seconds Alex had calmed down. His uncle Athos always seemed to have a way with the boy.
"Oh no," Aramis grimaced. "Constance, Emily needs to be changed," Constance and d'Artagnan appeared picking up Emily and Theresa.
"What's wrong with you?" Porthos and Elodie had just arrived with their two month old daughter Marie-Cessette. The couple had married a month ago and Porthos was in the process of officially adopting Marie.
Aramis pouted. "Alex likes Athos better, Emily needed to be changed and d'Artagnan absconded with Theresa."
"You can't abscond with your on child," d'Artagnan argued sitting on the couch next to Athos with the two children.
"Here, you can hold Marie," Elodie handed her over to Aramis who smiled happily sitting up and leaning against the couch.
Athos suddenly stood up with Alex. "You need changing, young man. Oh Aramis, you can hold our child in eight months," he said before slipping into the extra room where they had set up for the children.
Several wails of shock could be heard from the living room. Athos looked amused entering the bedroom where Constance was finishing changing Emily. "Well, that's one way of telling them," she looked over her shoulder amused.
"I'm sure I'll be paying for it later," he admitted.
Sylvie had gone to Constance when she first found out she was pregnant. Her relationship with Athos was so uncertain for Sylvie at the time. The two women had become fast friends and were becoming close friends with Elodie as well.
They returned a few minutes later with the two babies cleaned and changed. Athos sat down next to Sylvie who gave him a look, but he wasn't too worried.
The boys came over congratulating him. "You're going to be great parents," d'Artagnan offered.
"I admit I was terrified," Athos said.
"You have us uncles and aunts to help you," Porthos offered.
"And cousins to play with," Aramis offered lifting Marie up a little hire in his arms.
Athos turned to look at Sylvie. They shared a smile.
Athos never thought he would be in this place in his life. A woman who love him faults and all and he loved back and a baby on the way.
Sylvie rested her head against the side of Athos' head. She let her employees take care of the diner for the most part and taught during the school year.
A knock on the door brought them back from their thoughts. "I got it," Porthos offered. They were expecting pizza.
Everyone got up except for Athos and Sylvie. The couple looked to each other and met with a kiss.
Alex's crying quickly ended the kiss however. "Yes, I know," Athos pulled the child closer to him. "You have not been forgotten."
Sylvie smiled at Athos' way with Alex looking forward to seeing him with their child.
The End
