Saturday mornings usually meant late breakfasts with Athos, Aramis and Porthos trudging down around noon, and the rest of the day spent lounging around the TV, playing one of the several new games on the console, and later getting the grocery for the coming week and making dinner. By d'Artagnan's rule, no one was allowed to work – that one had cost Aramis. He had lost a bet to d'Artagnan that he wouldn't be able to get Athos to follow that rule. Sure enough Athos had been working diligently on a case file on the next Saturday. D'Artagnan had walked over, made sure it wasn't an extremely important case which Treville would kill them for not finishing, and taken the file away. Athos had simply looked at the teenager in exasperation. After a short staring match during which d'Artagnan had pulled out his ace in the hole and brought out the puppy dog eyes on full glare, Athos had given in with a smile and nodded.

Aramis had paid up grudgingly, not entirely convinced Athos wasn't in on it.

Saturdays were supposed to be good days.

They were not meant to be days when everyone was woken up by a loud banging on the door and several police officers along with a prim petite lady entering the house. D'Artagnan came out of his room and froze.

Athos stood, clad in his pajamas talking to someone on the phone and Aramis and Porthos looked ready to start breaking bones.

The lady noticed him enter and made towards him. "D'Artagnan?" she asked. Too shocked and confused to speak, he nodded.

"My name is Maria Philippe. I'm with the Child Welfare services. I'm here to take you back home to your family."

D'Artagnan stared at her. Home? Family?

Oh God!

His breathing quickened and his vision blurred. The woman's alarmed cry barely filtered through the pounding in his head. His legs gave out and he sank to his knees.

Athos was talking to Treville, telling him of the welfare worker whom Henri had no doubt sent. D'Artagnan's uncle was trying to force his hand. The threat alone hadn't worked. Athos wasn't worried about whether he and the guys would be able to send Henri's ass to jail, he was concerned what would happen to d'Artagnan during the time the case ran its course.

He had promised the boy he wouldn't let him go back, he had given his word. Treville seemed to think that he could talk a judge into granting Athos temporary custody until the matter could be resolved and Athos could apply for the boy's legal custody once Henri's claim had been nullified. But Athos was adamant that d'Artagnan not be forced to leave his house, home, for even a day.

He was talking to the DA about that when out of the corner of his eyes he saw the welfare lady make her way towards a sleep eyed d'Artagnan who had obviously just woken up. Before he could shout to the others to stop her, she was talking to the boy. Athos cursed as in a matter of seconds d'Artagnan's face went from sleepy and confused to terrified.

He hung up with a quick 'I'll call you back,' and made his way over to the boy who had sunk to his knees, pushing away the concerned lady asking him what's wrong. He barely kept himself from strangling her with his bare hands. He knew she wasn't at fault but no one was allowed to make d'Artagnan look that petrified. Not on his watch, not under his roof.

He knelt down, cupping d'Artagnan's face in both hands and forcing his head up. "Son, look at me."

The intense quiet command had d'Artagnan focusing immediately. He could make out Athos' face, right there. It looked worried and… afraid. D'Artagnan felt his world tilt. Athos was never afraid.

He stared at Athos willing the fear to disappear from the older man's face, and clutched his shirt. "Athos?"

Athos nodded, a little relief that d'Artagnan had recognized him through the panic. "Yeah, that's right." He caught the hand that was feebly trying to hold his shirt, and pressed it to his chest. "Now, I want you breathe," he said, taking slow deep breaths himself.

D'Artagnan closed his eyes and nodded. He kept panting for several seconds but Athos could see that he was trying to calm down. It wasn't working.

He pulled the boy closer so that d'Artagnan's head was against his chest and he held him tight, locked in an awkward hug on the floor. He could feel the lanky frame trembling in his arms and it took everything for him to quell the rise of anger.

It wouldn't do for him to lose his cool when he was trying to calm the kid down.

Slowly, slowly d'Artagnan's breathing evened out as he matched Athos'. He did not open his eyes, though Athos could feel his hands become tighter. "Good boy. Now do you remember what I promised?" d'Artagnan nodded. "Right, do you trust me?" Another nod.

Athos pulled back a little, cupping the boy's face again and waiting until he opened his eyes. "Then do you have anything to worry about?"

D'Artagnan smiled. A soft, hesitant smile that righted Athos' world which did not tolerate a panicking, scared d'Artagnan. Athos nodded and smiled back, ruffling his hair. "You are going to go into the kitchen and get some breakfast while I see to these people."

D'Artagnan nodded again, after a second. Athos stood up, helping the boy up as well. He looked pointedly at the kitchen door down the hall, not letting the boy focus on the large number of people behind him. "Go on."

D'Artagnan looked hesitant. "Are you sure?" Athos simply tilted his head and stared. A moment later the boy nodded and turning walked into the kitchen.

Athos turned.

Aramis had taken hold of the lady and was sitting with her on one of the couches. Porthos was standing between the policemen and the room, his body completely blocking the door. Athos walked over to where the lady was sitting.

"Ma'am." He waited until she was looking at him. "D'Artagnan is not going to go anywhere. If it is his Uncle Henri who has sent you, you should know that that pathetic excuse of a man tried to assault his nephew which led to him running away from home two years ago." He held up a hand to indicate he wasn't done, when she made to speak.

"My friends and I, we are lawyers. We are well aware of the rights that, as his legal guardian, Henri has. But the circumstances here make an entirely different case altogether. I have talked to the District Attorney. He will be here shortly with a court order to let d'Artagnan stay here while we charge his uncle with everything from assault and use of force on a minor to attempted rape of a minor in his care. You are welcome to wait for Treville here, but I assure you the police officers are entirely unnecessary."

The lady looked lost. She had, as Athos had suspected, no idea what she had walked into. Sending the child welfare services on them was a gesture, a powerplay on Henri's part, intending to perhaps intimidate Athos into giving him whatever he wanted.

Athos thought the man was a fool as well as a worthless piece of shit. He had no idea what kind of hornet's nest he had just kicked open. By threatening to take away d'Artagnan, he had just signed over his own freedom to Athos.

Maria nodded after a while. "You said the DA is on his way?" Athos nodded and she got up, walking over to one of the policemen and said something to him quietly. Th0e man nodded and gestured for his men to follow him out.

Aramis nodded and clapped his hands once, looking up at Athos. "So boss. On a scale of 'beaten up and left bloody somewhere' to 'never seeing the world without bars again,' how badly are we going after Henri?"

Porthos walked over, having seen the men to the door and Athos raised an eyebrow.

"Threatening to take away d'Art, sending policemen to the house and depriving me of Saturday morning sex?" Porthos said, counting on his fingers, "that bugger has pissed me off very very badly." He looked at his boyfriend and the two of them shared evil sadistic grins.

Athos nodded. "That's right. We are going after him with everything."

"If it is the guardian under suspicion of assault then that makes the boy a ward of the state, Treville." Judge Borden did not look too happy to be dragged into a meeting at the 'ass-crack of dawn,' as he had put it. Had it been anyone other than Treville, he would have had the bastard shot. But, not even bringing into account the fact that Borden had been friends with the DA for over twenty years, he owed him a couple of favors. Or twenty. So he was sitting behind his desk, his robes thrown over a sweater and trousers instead of the usual crisp suit and his eyes studying the man intently.

Treville nodded. "I am well aware. It means that the boy will go into the system."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

Treville levelled him with a stare. It was his very famous stare that had always gotten his superiors at the army to do exactly what he had suggested. It hadn't failed him in a courtroom yet, either. No judge or jury could resist the stare. He was rumored to have stared confessions out of murderers and rapists.

"I want you to grant Athos temporary custody of the boy. He is a lawyer under me who found the boy on the streets several months ago and has been caring for the boy since."

The judge frowned, "This is the same Athos the uncle demanded money from?"

Treville nodded and the Borden sighed. "Then giving him temporary power would only incite the uncle into claiming your man has coerced the boy into agreeing and is forcing him into something. It'll serve to make the case harder instead of easier."

"You can't let him go to the system. Athos would not allow it."

Borden sighed. "But there is nothing else I can do. It'll only be for a short while until the case gets sorted out."

Treville shook his head and frowned, "You know how long these cases tend to drag on for sometimes. Who knows how long it is till we get proof? D'Artagnan has only recently stopped being scared and settled down into his life. It'll be a major step back for him to be forced away to an unknown place like this."

Borden rubbed a hand across his face, exasperated. "Then what do you suggest I do?"

"You can't grant Athos custody?" Treville asked again and Borden shook his head. "Then grant me."

Borden looked at him, surprised. "You want me to grant you custody of a fifteen year old boy you know nothing about, till the whole case gets resolved? Like you said yourself, these things can take a while."

Treville nodded. "I know, and I do know something about the kid. I know that Athos cares for him."

Borden raised his eyebrows but did not comment on the rare show of sentimentality. "Alright, but you are aware that for there to be no later claims against Athos, the boy will have to be in your care until the matter is cleared out?"

Treville sighed. "Athos won't be happy, but he will accept it."

Borden tilted his head. "It's an interesting group of people you work with, Treville. Makes me almost miss the days I was a lawyer."

Treville smiled. "Oh, you have no idea."

To say that Athos was not happy was an understatement.

The lady from the welfare service had left, when Treville had announced the judge's decision and shown her the papers. She would be back at Treville's to check if d'Artagnan was settling down alright later.

But Athos had flipped. He had looked at the paper in Treville's hand and then at then man, looking so wounded and betrayed that Treville had felt the insane urge to tear up the papers, apologize and beg for forgiveness. "He isn't leaving."

Treville had tried to explain what the judge had said, how it would be better if d'Artagnan remained with an impartial party till the case was resolved, how this protected Athos from potentially being charged with coercion of a minor, how he would take care of d'Artagnan but Athos had simply shook his head.

"I made him a promise. He will leave this house only when there isn't breathe enough left in my body to fight for him to stay."

Treville had thrown his hands up in despair at that, turning to Porthos and Aramis, hoping for a more reasonable approach to the problem from them. They had shaken their heads resolutely. "Not coming in between this, sir," Aramis had said, for once showing a level of tact that was unheard of from him.

It had been then that d'Artagnan had stepped forward from where he had been standing at the door, listening to everything. He had knelt in front of Athos, who was sitting on the couch with the court orders in his hands, the older man not meeting the boy's eyes.

"Athos."

The quiet voice had Athos coming out of his planning and list making and detailing. It was a dangerous battle his mind was playing out, the lawyer in him arguing that Treville had a point and the military part of him measuring out the weaknesses of his enemy's defense and the time it would take for him to grab d'Artagnan and make a quick brutal escape.

He blinked and stared at d'Artagnan's face. The boy had an expression of resigned acceptance on his face. "D'Art…"

He wanted to explain to the boy that he would have to leave, that he was breaking his word; that he couldn't keep his promise; that he was going to fight tooth and nail to get him back as soon as possible. But no words followed the desperate utterance of the boy's name.

D'Artagnan nodded, understanding. "It's okay," he said, a soft smile on his face. Athos shook his head.

"No, you don't understand. It's not okay. I made you a promise…"

D'Artagnan took his hand in both of his, "I know. You promised me you will never let any harm come to me." He raised his eyebrows. "But do you remember what you told me about Treville?"

Athos thought about it and nodded. The boy had mentioned that his first meeting with the DA had left him slightly terrified and he had reassured him. "I said that he is the only man after Porthos and Aramis whom I will trust with you."

D'Artagnan gave him a pointed look. "Didn't think you would have to stand by that so soon, did you?" he tried to sound playful and flippant, but Athos's face fell as tears welled up in his eyes.

"D'Art, please," Athos whispered. He looked at his friends in turn, both not meeting his gaze. He turned towards his mentor and boss. The man he would give anything to. Anything but this. "Sir, please don't ask this of me."

Treville's throat clogged up. He had never seen Athos look so worn out, so broken. He could feel his own heart break a little at the complete anguish on the man's face. Treville knew what horrors life had shown Athos. He was loathe to take what little comfort that he had found in the boy's company away from him. But there was nothing he could do. It was his house, or some unknown institution. He looked away, unable to meet Athos' eyes.

Athos sighed, a tear making its way down his cheek.

D'Artagnan did not want to leave. He knew there was no place that he would feel as safe as when he did with Aramis and Porthos and Athos. But he knew he had to. From what the DA had said, it sounded like Athos could get into trouble if he stayed with him. And any man that Athos trusted was alright in d'Artagnan's book. But he couldn't leave with Athos looking like that.

He had seen that look before. It was the look boys who had known that there was nothing left to live for had gotten on the streets, shortly before they succumbed to drugs or prostitution. It was a look he had come close to seeing in the mirror, his sheer stubbornness being the only thing which kept him going.

It was a look he had never wanted to see on Athos' face.

But he had no idea how to convince Athos of something he didn't want to do himself. He squeezed the hand he was holding in both of his and leaned forwards, resting his forehead on Athos' knee, closing his eyes.

Athos did not move for a while. He couldn't understand, D'Artagnan seemed ready to go. How could he? He breathed in and out, trying to think through the haze of panic which arose with the idea of losing d'Artagnan, no matter for how long, no matter into whose care. He knew it was for the best. He knew there was no other way. He also knew that this was as hard for d'Artagnan as it was for him, and he was only making it worse.

With that thought in mind, he nodded, running his free hand through the kneeling boy's hair. D'Artagnan looked up and Athos tried to smile.

"I'll get you back," Athos whispered, though he winced at the unspoken 'I promise,' in his tone.

D'Artagnan's trust in him shone through his smile. "I know."

The boy got up and went into his room. For a second, there was silence in the hall. None of them had seen Athos like this before. To Aramis and Porthos he was the strong willed leader, to Treville he was the sharp, loyal protégé. Never before had they seen him show such compassion towards someone so openly. He would rather show his affection through actions than words, he would rather jump in front of a bullet aimed at you than hug you and tell you it was okay.

Aramis cleared his throat. "I'm going to make some breakfast."

Porthos nodded and went upstairs. He came back down a few minutes later holding a duffel bag and went into d'Artagnan's room.

Treville sat down on the couch beside Athos, who sat, head bent, staring at his hands. He put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll look after him."

Athos did not say anything for a while. When he turned towards the older man, Treville was gratified to see the familiar determined glint in his eyes instead of the awful torn look. "Let's get to work then."

XXX

D'Artagnan did not like not knowing.

He remembered when he was a kid, his mum and dad would talk about things quietly and hush up when he entered the room. He used to pester them endlessly to tell him what they had been talking about, but his mother would start fussing with him and his father would smile somewhat sadly. When he had grown a little older, five years old he remembered, his dad had told him that his mother will be going to God soon. D'Artagnan remembered not wanting her to leave, God did not let people come back to visit, and he had cried as he had held his mother's hand.

Years later his father had told him that his mother had died of a rare form of bone cancer.

D'Artagnan hated not knowing.

He had packed up a bag and left with Treville soon after a quiet breakfast. Aramis and Porthos had each given him a hug and told him to not let Treville scare him too much. Athos had however simply nodded and patted his shoulder, as if afraid that if he hugged him, he wouldn't let go.

Treville's house wasn't far. D'Artagnan was a little heartened to know that it was near the office. But he knew the others would be focusing on getting Henri, instead of dropping by for social visits. Athos had gone into intense lawyer mode even before d'Artagnan had left, pulling up his laptop and barking at the other two. By the time he had packed and gotten ready, they already had a solid amount of research done into the time Henri had spent at London.

But now sitting on the table in Treville's lounge, trying to finish off the homework assignments for the weekend, d'Artagnan had no idea what his friends were doing. It wasn't unusual, spending a day without the three around. They had demanding jobs that kept them at the office until late evening usually. But knowing that they were out hunting down Henri's old acquaintances, was making d'Artagnan slightly uneasy. What he had known of the man, Henri had not kept decent company. Still, he reasoned, it would require an entire army to bring down Athos and the other two, and that too if the army took them by surprise.

The DA was in the kitchen, preparing something to eat probably. He had led d'Artagnan to a small room which looked to be his office, with a large desk taking most of the space. There was a single bed and a small wardrobe and he had apologized for the mess. D'Artagnan had tried to protest that he would simply take the couch, not wanting to inconvenience the man into giving up the use of the office but Treville had assured him he didn't require anything from the room.

Any further arguments were met by a raised eyebrow and a stare which would put even Athos' to shame. D'Artagnan had quietly unpacked after that. He had only brought a couple of jeans and shirts, not really knowing how long he would be away from… home.

The thought had made his heart clench rather painfully and he had sat on the bed, staring at nothing in particular and trying to apply Athos' methods to stop himself from going into a panic attack. It had however been a short concise text from the man, rather than his breathing techniques that quelled the panic threatening to rise in d'Artagnan.

Have good leads, will be working from office. Not breaking your rules.

D'Artagnan had smiled. Athos had a thing against text speak as well as emoticons. He found both rather baffling.

Treville came back from the kitchen holding a plate with a large sandwich. He placed it in front of d'Artagnan and took a seat on his right. D'Artagnan closed the chemistry text he had been reading.

"Just got off the phone with Athos," Treville said, "he's fairly confident that if Aramis and Porthos are successful in their respective tasks, we will have a solid case against your uncle."

D'Artagnan nodded his head. Treville gestured at the books. "How are you finding school?"

D'Artagnan swallowed to clear his voice before answering, "It's great. The only class I have a little problem is math."

Treville chuckled, "Yeah, I know the feeling." D'Artagnan looked at him, head tilted in question, "I have a son. Jon hates math. Changed his major in university when he found out he'll have a semester of doing math."

"I didn't know you had a son." D'Artagnan picked up the sandwich. "How old is he?"

"He's twenty four, he studies at King's College in London. We have family there." Treville said, taking a bite of his own sandwich.

D'Artagnan nodded. "Do you miss him?"

The older man did not answer for a moment and d'Artagnan wondered nervously if he had asked something wrong. "Not so much as I thought I would," Treville said eventually. "Work doesn't give me enough time to miss him and Athos and the boys are enough of a handful to not let me forget what it is to have him around."

D'Artagnan smiled at the man's mock annoyance. "You've known Athos a long time, haven't you?"

"Very. I knew his father, he was a dear friend." Treville said, nodding. "I think it was because of me Athos decided to study law at university. His dad wanted him to go towards business, look after the family empire, but he wanted to 'catch some bad guys and see justice done.'" Treville chuckled. "His words, not mine. That thirst for righting all the wrongs in the world was what made him enlist too, though I wish he hadn't done that." The old man paused, as if debating whether to go on. D'Artagnan looked at him with interest, silently hoping he would. Athos' past was shrouded in mystery and Treville was talking about it like Aramis and Porthos never did. D'Artagnan wasn't one to pry but even he could tell that the couple usually changed subjects subtly whenever Athos' past came up as a topic.

Treville must have seen the curiosity on his face for he continued, "The army took away most of the naivety and idealism from those three. When they came home, they seemed to have aged like only men who has seen the cruelty of man from up close do." Treville shook his head as if to clear it of such morbid thoughts. He smiled ruefully. "Sometimes I think those three have been born in the wrong age." D'Artagnan raised his eyebrows, and Treville elaborated, "with their chivalry and sense of honor and need for justice, they should have been born a few centuries ago. Changing the world wasn't so complicated then."

D'Artagnan thought about it and grinned. "Yeah, I can see those three in leather armor, brandishing rapiers and going on swashbuckling adventures together."

Treville threw his head back and laughed. "That would make a fine sight, wouldn't it?"

D'Artagnan grinned, surprised at how young the DA looked when he laughed. Treville got up and picked up both their plates, 'I'll leave you to your work, holler if you need anything." He walked away to the kitchen after ruffling d'Artagnan's hair, causing the boy to groan. If Treville took to doing that too, at this rate he'd have to get the haircut Athos kept threatening him with.

Treville moved to the sofas, a little way from the table, opened up his laptop and taking his mobile out, he settled down with his work.