Authors note: My word, you are all rather worried about Aramis, aren't you! I mentioned in the authors notes at the start of Chapter One that there was going to be a cliché…

Chapter Fourteen

'I have my memory back.'

Porthos stared at Athos for a few seconds, d'Artagnan took a step back in shock.

'What?' they both said.

Athos looked at them each in turn.

'I believe that was Aramis' plan. I do not think he thought it would work. But you know how keen he was to try to help me.'

Porthos continued to stare at Athos, 'how did you...when did you?'

D'Artagnan spoke at the same time, 'when did it come back?'

Athos thought for a moment, 'it was bursts. As we fought, flashes of memory kept falling into place. The harder I fought back the more returned to me. It was,' Athos paused for a second, 'frightening. I think I did not really comprehend who I was fighting with.'

'What made you stop? You were very close to killing him,' asked d'Artagnan.

'The last memory to fall into place...was of you three. Until that point, I did not know who Aramis was. I think in the moment I had even forgotten these past days.'

Athos was still shaking slightly, he was pale and looked a little unfocused. Porthos concluded that getting a lifetimes worth of memories back in the space of a few minutes would probably be a little overwhelming. Porthos had to admit he felt a little overwhelmed himself. A lot had happened very quickly. Aramis had nearly been killed and now faced a flogging and possible dismissal and their friend had regained his memory after days of not knowing who he was.

'Where is Aramis?' asked Athos. 'Was he hurt?'

'No,' replied d'Artagnan, 'but the Captain was not particularly happy with his actions. He's been locked in his room for now, pending punishment.'

Athos looked shocked, 'but that is not right, he...helped me. I know his method was perhaps wrong, but it worked. I am sure he knew what he was doing. This,' Athos pointed at himself, 'must have been the result he hoped for.'

They looked up as Treville walked over to them.

'Athos, you are not going to be held accountable for what happened. Aramis was the one in the wrong. He went too far. You should not have been put under that kind of pressure in a sparring session. I don't know what came over him but be assured I am going to see him punished for what he did. I can't imagine what you must feel like, having been put in that position.'

Athos rose from his seat on the bench. Porthos stood at the same time, his hand hovering behind his friends back, worried the man might not be ready to be supporting himself yet.

'Captain,' said Athos, 'I would like you to reconsider. What Aramis did was indeed a dangerous thing, that could have ended badly. But what he did has restored me to...myself.'

It was now Trevilles turn to stare at Athos.

'Your memory?'

'Restored.'

'But he...you might have killed him…'

Athos sighed, 'I know, and I will be having a word with him about that, trust me. But please Captain, I would like you to reconsider any punishment. He meant well, it perhaps did not turn out quite as he planned, but it worked.'

Porthos watched as the Captain thought about what had happened. He looked towards the sleeping quarters where Aramis was now awaiting his punishment. He looked back at Athos.

'I'm still very angry at what he did. It was reckless and irresponsible and did not set a good example to the other men,' he paused. 'I probably would have reconsidered anyway, I was just so angry with him…Athos, you are my lieutenant, I think as it was you who was on the receiving end of his indiscretion, you should decide his fate.'

'Thank you, Captain,' said Athos with a nod.

'But if he has any sense he will keep a low profile for the next couple of weeks. He is not in my good books.'

'Yes, Captain, you will not see him.'

Treville nodded, looking at Athos for a few seconds before stepping forward and grabbing the man in a firm hug. Athos reciprocated.

'It's good to have you back,' said Treville with a smile.

The Captain turned and walked slowly away. They watched him disappear into his office, closing the door behind him.

Athos turned to Porthos and d'Artagnan, 'I think it is time I spoke to Aramis.'

MMMM

Aramis paced around the small room. The two cadets had not really known how to deal with him. When they had reached his room, Aramis undid his weapons belts and handed them to Marc before opening the door himself, he pulled the key from the lock and handed it to the cadet who looked at him.

'You're just doing what you were told to,' he said to them with a sad smile.

Marc took the key and pulled the door closed. Aramis heard the key turn in the lock. He did not hear them retreating, suspecting they were standing just outside the door as they had been ordered by Treville.

He walked to the small window and peered out, he could not really see much of the yard from where he was. He could see men moving away and Treville ordering them out of the yard.

Aramis turned back to the room he crossed to his bed and sat down for a few seconds before getting back up and pacing back and forth. He could not settle. He was too wound up. He knew what he had done was wrong but at the time it had seemed right.

Athos' fighting style had changed slowly but surely as they had sparred. Aramis began to feel he was sparring with Athos. Not the Athos they had come to know, but the Athos from before the accident. The man was moving quickly and cleanly, anticipating moves and surprising Aramis with his actions.

Aramis knew he was not supposed to be trying to get Athos back anymore but the way the man in front of him was fighting Aramis wondered if something had been happening to Athos. Had he been remembering, had something been coming back to the man?

Athos had fought back harder and harder. At the end, Aramis could only defend himself. Aramis had wondered as he started to feel the fatigue setting in if he should not have goaded the man? Then he had made the mistake that had nearly killed him.

Athos, the superior swordsman, had got him on his back and helpless. Aramis had stared at Athos. But Athos did not know him. Athos was unfocused, Aramis suspected that all Athos could see was an enemy combatant. As the sword had swung down towards his neck. Aramis had thrown up a prayer. He wished he could apologise for the pain he was about to cause his brothers by his own stupidity. Athos was going to kill him. Athos, whichever Athos it was, would never forgive himself.

As he paced back and forth in his room Aramis shook his head. How Athos had stopped the swing of the sword he did not know. When the man had partially collapsed Aramis had wanted to get up and help Porthos but the shock of what had just happened prevented him from moving.

And now he was locked in his room awaiting a flogging and worse the prospect of being thrown out of the regiment, out of the Musketeers. And all for nothing. Athos was still not Athos. The stranger that Athos had become was still with them, and Aramis had put the poor man in a horrible position.

Aramis hoped he would be able to apologise to his brothers, to Athos, before he was dismissed.

The flogging did not matter to him. It would be humiliating and would be painful, but he had been shot and stabbed and suffered sword wounds before. What Aramis hated the most was that he had let his brothers down. He should not have carried on with his selfish need to get Athos back.

He could hear a quiet conversation outside the door. Aramis was surprised that his punishment was to happen so quickly. He looked down at his hands and realised he was shaking, perhaps he was a little apprehensive about the flogging after all?

The key turned in the lock and the door was pushed open. Aramis was surprised to see Athos standing in the doorway, the cadets having been dismissed. Athos did not look happy.

'Are you alright?' asked Aramis, unable to help himself, 'I'm sorry. I...I thought it might help you...you were fighting like...yourself...your old self...I thought if I,' Aramis paused looking at the floor.

Athos sighed before saying, 'how typical of you, Aramis. You have been locked up facing a possible flogging and the prospect of being dismissed and yet you are more interested in my well-being than your own. Do you ever put yourself first?'

Aramis looked up, staring at Athos. Several thoughts whirled through Aramis' mind. The man in front of him sounded like Athos. Not the man they had grown to know over the last few days, but the Athos from before. The Athos that Aramis wanted back.

Aramis could not help himself he took a couple of steps forward and grabbed Athos, pulling him in for a hug. Athos grabbed him back for a few seconds before pushing him away firmly.

'You have just come this close to being flogged and losing your commission,' said Athos holding up his hand with his thumb and forefinger almost pressed together.

Aramis could not work out what to say. He was shocked. His misguided plan had worked. He blinked a couple of times. Athos grabbed his arm and pushed him across the room to sit on his bed before stepping back a couple of paces.

'That was a really stupid thing to do...I nearly killed you, Aramis,' said Athos shaking his head.

'I'm sorry,' Aramis managed to say as he got his composure back after the shock of seeing his brother restored to him. 'But it worked.'

Athos rolled his eyes, 'what if it had not?'

Aramis could not answer the question, he had thought it had not worked. But he realised that if it had not worked, he would now have been dead.

'Now, Treville is angry. He is only letting you off a punishment because I asked him to. I would recommend you steer clear of our Captain for the next few days.'

Aramis managed to nod, 'thank you,' he said looking up.

'Thank you,' replied Athos with a wry smile.

MMMM

The busy tavern was a welcome distraction for Athos. After the events of the fight had calmed down and Aramis had been liberated from his room, Athos suggested they adjourn to his favourite tavern where he intended to treat them to dinner and wine.

They had found a table and after collecting a bottle and four cups Athos had proposed a toast. His toast was to friendship and not giving up on each other. Porthos had slapped Aramis on the shoulder as he had taken his drink causing him to splutter the drink.

After glowering at his friend for a second Aramis turned to Athos.

'How are you feeling now?' he asked.

Athos knew he had been a bit quiet around his friends since his memories had returned to him. It had taken him some time to process all that had happened. He had felt bombarded with a build-up of thoughts, it had been as if the days he had missed had needed to be filled in within his mind. He remembered all that had happened from when he regained consciousness after the skirmish, but the memories seemed to be layered. Since he had come back to himself he had spent time going over all that had happened, remembering how it had felt to see his rooms, and the Palace, to see his wife, as if for the first time.

His brothers had offered to give him some time to himself, but he had insisted that he needed to properly thank them for looking after him when he had been suffering.

'Your other self,' said Porthos, 'he was not keen on fist fighting.'

Athos knew he was going to have to put up with a lot of teasing from his brothers for a while, but he was going to take it with good grace.

'I remember that you went very easy on me,' replied Athos, 'you pulled your punches and allowed me to get some strikes in.'

Porthos laughed, 'yeah, but you were a little delicate for a bit.'

Athos smirked and shook his head, 'well now I am back and perhaps we can even the score soon.'

'You can try.'

Athos turned to d'Artagnan, 'don't start on me,' said the younger man. 'You were awful with the sword, honestly, if you weren't...you...I don't think we would have kept you on as a cadet.'

'I think,' said Athos, 'that I had reverted to how I was when I was younger. I was a bit of a... romantic back then...before…' he paused and looked away.

Aramis leaned forward, 'we thought that might have been the case...I'm sorry about bringing her to see you.'

'I know you meant well, Aramis...as did she it seemed,' replied Athos quietly.

Aramis nodded with a smile.

After a few more minutes of gentle teasing Aramis and Porthos rose from the table. Porthos headed to the bar for more wine whilst Aramis disappeared outside.

Athos watched Aramis walk from the tavern, 'I really, nearly killed him,' he remarked.

'Your improvement in sword fighting was very rapid,' observed d'Artagnan as he tried to lighten the mood. 'But you took us all by surprise when you started fighting back.'

Athos looked back at d'Artagnan, 'you were a good teacher.'

'Only because you taught me well,' replied d'Artagnan.

Porthos returned and refilled their cups, 'about this rematch we're gonna have,' he said.

'Porthos,' said Athos with a roll of his eyes, 'I will submit here and now that you are the better man at hand to hand combat.'

'Good,' nodded Porthos, 'I would not want to see you hurt.'

They continued to talk and discuss Athos' recent training and what he had felt during his time without memories. Athos realised it was probably one of the few times he was quite talkative with his brothers. But he did not mind, he was enjoying being back with them.

MMMM

As Aramis walked back to the tavern door he smiled to himself, despite the near fatal method he had used, Athos was back with them. This was a good evening to be out with his brothers.

The past weeks had been difficult for them all. And now it was over, although Aramis knew he would have to be careful around Treville for a few days, but that was a small price to pay.

As he reached for the door to the tavern he was grabbed from behind by a burly man who clamped his hand over Aramis' mouth preventing him from shouting out. Aramis tried to pull free of his attacker, but the man was strong. He tried to kick out but found his legs grabbed by a second man.

Suddenly, Aramis' evening was not going as well as it had been.

MMMM

Authors note: sorry I could not resist a little sting in the tail. The last chapter will go up later today.