It had been a couple of months since the incident.

Word spread quickly amongst the regiment.

Marcus and Jean did not get the support they were expecting, only a small few sharing the same archaic views.

Juliette's rapport with the other members proved quite strong, the other Musketeers all too ready to side with her.

As a result, Porthos was taken under the wings of and protected by not only Aramis and Athos, but the others as well.

Treville silently sided with Juliette as well. He didn't show anything outward, but Juliette knew.

That mattered the most to her.

Treville was also proud that Juliette's defence of Porthos proved to him that he had chosen wisely (save for the select few) with his Musketeers.

They chose to ignore the colour of Porthos' skin and his societal standing, simply embracing him as one of them.

Marcus and Jean, while remaining as Musketeers, had not been let off easy.

They were tasked with performing the everyday menial tasks Juliette usually took care of.

They reported to Serge, Treville feeling as though reporting to Juliette would only add to the tension.

To say they took things well would be an understatement.

Things came to a head a few weeks after they thought it would be funny to destroy some of Porthos' clothing while doing the laundry.

Taking a seat next to Athos, Juliette could feel that something was wrong.

Their reluctance to look up at her arrival proving it.

Nudging Athos, she wasn't prepared for the softness she saw in his eyes.

'What is it?' her look weary.

'Juliette' his look a silent plea.

That was when she knew something had happened, and Porthos was the victim.

'What did they do?' her eyes flitting between Porthos and Athos.

Athos silence prompted her to voice her question out loud, "Someone tell me what happened, now,"

"It's nothing," Porthos looking up at her.

"Nothing?" her tone daring him to try to lie to her

"Juliette, leave it, please," Porthos' pleas went unanswered as Juliette turned to Aramis.

"Aramis?" her use of his name as a question earning her a sigh as he looked up.

"They destroyed some of his clothes," came his answer.

Juliette breathed in deep. She was now fuming.

"When are they going to learn…." Her words trailed off as she rose.

Athos rose too, grabbing her arms to keep her where she stood.

"Juliette, don't" his words echoing Porthos' pleas.

"Athos," her tone a warning.

'Not this time' they had now moved to unspoken conversation.

'Athos'

'Don't'

'I can't'

'You can'

'I don't want to'

'You must'

'Porthos'

'Exactly'

Aramis watched the silent exchange happened. He knew Athos would be attempting to calm Juliette's desire to wage war on the ignorant fools. He just wasn't sure whether he would be able too.

"It's not worth it," Porthos' words surprising all of them.

"Of course, it's worth it" Juliette had turned to look at him.

"I'm not worth it," Juliette took in a sharp breath at the words.

Before she could react, Athos' voice broke through, "Never say that,"

Porthos' only response was to cast his eyes down.

"You're definitely worth it," Aramis placing a hand on Porthos' shoulder as he spoke.

Still no reaction.

Juliette walked around the table and kneeled next to Porthos.

Hesitantly, she took his head in her hands and forced him to look at her.

"You are worth it," her voice wavering slightly at the defeat in his eyes.

When Porthos still said nothing, she spoke once more, "Especially to me,"

Her words so quiet, Athos and Aramis thought they had heard her wrong.

Looking at each other, they both acknowledged that the relationship between Porthos and Juliette was beginning to shift into something more.

Porthos sighed as he removed her hands from his face, not letting go of them.

He continued to stare at her for a moment, taking in the determined and pleading look on Juliette's face.

He brought her hands to his lips and placed a quick kiss to them before letting go.

"Okay" was all he said, Juliette seemingly relaxing at the word.

Aramis smiling at the sight before them prompted Athos to give a slight groan, a smile in his eyes betraying the sound.

Porthos and Juliette. This pairing was definitely going to happen, Athos knew was only a matter of time.

Juliette rising, she turned to walk away.

"Juliette," Athos' tone causing her to stop.

Looking over her shoulder at them, she flashed them a grin, "Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything,"

Relief came across Porthos' face.

"This time," Juliette added as she turned and made her way out of the garrison.

"We should follow," Aramis looking at Athos as he spoke.

Athos simply shook his head.

Porthos added nothing as he watched Juliette walk away, a warm feeling washing over him.

Juliette's stroll through the streets of Paris, buying replacement clothes for Porthos, calmed her slightly.

While she was still fuming about their treatment of Porthos, her desire to find and punch them in the faces subsided.

She would listen to Porthos this time. Next time, she decided, she would ignore all of them.

Leaving the shop, her purchase in hand, she decided to take a favourited shortcut back to the garrison.

She hadn't made it far when she heard voices that made her blood run cold.

Turning around, she came face to face with Marcus. Jean and a couple of others behind him.

"What do you want?" her anger from earlier returning,

"You've caused us quite a bit trouble," Marcus backing her up against the wall as he spoke, effectively cornering her.

"You made you were made to look weak by a woman?" she silently cursed herself for taking off on her own when tensions had been running high.

"You should have stayed out of it," Jean speaking as he came up beside Marcus, "It wasn't any of your concern,"

"You made it my concern when you singled out my friend," she was starting to become concerned at how close they were.

"He's a Moor," Marcus getting too close for comfort.

"He's a Musketeer," Juliette defiantly correcting him.

"Treville has no business allowing that mongrel to join the regiment," Jean's disrespect of the Captain igniting a fire in Juliette.

"Porthos earned it," Juliette hissing, "More than you can say for yourself. You had it handed to you with no real work on your part. It's you who doesn't belong,"

Her words earned her a harsh slap across the face from Marcus. She dropped the parcel was carrying at the impact.

"You watch your tongue," his tone vicious as he moved in closer, "You never know what could happen,"

"Treville will have your uniform for this," Juliette now desperately trying to hide how frightened she was beginning to feel. She could taste blood in her mouth. He must have slapped her harder than she thought.

"How's he to know?" Marcus eyes menacing, "As far as he'll be concerned, we just happened to walk past this alleyway and found you like this,"

"Like what?" Juliette shivered as Marcus moved to whisper in her ear.

"Let's find out, shall we?" his tone dark as he ran a hand up her thigh.

That was Juliette began to thrash, but Marcus and Jean's arms on either side of her made her efforts pointless.

"Nobody can protect you now," Jean's voice and the smirks from the others prompted Juliette to knee him the private region.

This forced him to the ground, letting go of Juliette's arm.

Using her now free arm, she moved to strike Jean, but he quickly grabbed her hand, and twisted it behind her.

She couldn't help the cry of pain as she felt herself collided with the wall in the process, hitting her head hard.

"Help…" she tried to shout, but her voice was slurring and her vision was starting to go.

As she started to crumble, she felt Jean's hands, that had been holding her up, let go.

"Merde!" his voice becoming distant as she could hear footsteps retreating.

As she slid down the wall, her world turned black.