Evening My Lovelies

Apologies for no chapter last night... no proper excuses from me this time, just kinda lost track of time (stupid, addictive YouTube). Hopefully, this'll make up for the slightly longer wait.

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - At this point, I think we might be getting close to Poor Everyone and not just Aramis lol :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

FierGascon: Thanks for the review - Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Oh Aramis is carrying SO much blame and guilt right now. Not sure how they're going to convince him that it's not his fault but I think it's safe to say they'll have their work cut out for them. Oh, I am SO looking forward to them learning just how badly the pair has been injured, he's going to be so pissed! :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - We'll be checking in on them soon so I'll try not to keep you waiting too long to see if they actually make it all the way back to the garrison. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Jmp (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yay I'm glad you think its intense, that's what I was going for. Bit more drama tonight, hope you like it! Enjoy the new chapter! x

beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - I really want them to run into trouble on the way back but at the same point I do what them to actually get back to the garrison so now its just a case of which part of my devious mind will win :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysd'Artagnan: Thanks for the review - Things aren't looking good for our boys that's for sure... Poor Treville's going to have a heart attack when he comes back from hunting with the King. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Yay I'm really glad you liked it :D More feels will be coming (just not really tonight) Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Enjoy the new chapter! x

WelshEssex: Thanks for the review - I'm really looking forward to Athos's reaction when he sees Porthos and Aramis again but dealing with the guilt that they're all shouldering is going to be a challenge. Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx


Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Home In Pieces

As he raced through the winding streets of Paris every thought and fear he had swirling around in his panicked mind focused on his youngest brother, he knew in his gut, by the sound of the explosions alone, that his baby brother had no chance of getting out of the garrison unscathed so instead he clung to the hope that he hadn't been hurt too badly as Athos was sure he would never forgive himself if he failed another brother.

He could hear the sound of footsteps behind him as Blaise's group of musketeers followed him but he couldn't spare them any sort of notice or recognition as he pushed his way through the throngs of panicked Parisians on his way to the garrison… Only to freeze and stare in horror at the sight of it when he saw the damage done.

Unsure as to how long he had stood in frozen shock, Athos was jolted out of his state when a nearby civilian knocked into him as they tried to leave the smoke-filled area.

As his eyes hardened with determination he turned on his heels to address the men awaiting orders, though he could tell they were as shocked and heartbroken to see their home in as bad a state as he was.

"We'll split into two groups," commanded the swordsman as his voice pulled the men from their shocked stupor. "One to get this fire under control and another to search for survivors," turning to Blaise he added, "Do you have any idea how many men were in the garrison when you left?"

Blaise shook his head, pain and heartbreak clear as day on his face. "Not many," he spoke, determination filling him as he addressed his lieutenant. "Treville split most of the men to search for Aramis and Porthos, so D'Artagnan was one of the few musketeers that remained, although there were recruits and other staff there when we left."

"The Captain let him use his office," offered Alain worriedly, knowing that having a starting location would help in their search for D'Artagnan among the others potential survivors before adding, "And Gerald mentioned he was calling Gaspard in as he was worried about what condition we might find Aramis and Porthos in… I don't know if he had arrived when this happened though.

Athos nodded, grateful for the information before he started ordering the men, some joining the civilian's who had turned up to help try and get the flames eating away at their home under control, while the rest covered their faces as best they could before running into the flames, splitting up into smaller groups once inside the destroyed garrison to search the different buildings.


As much as he wanted to search for his brother Athos knew that pulling out survivors meant nothing if they didn't have the means or the people to treat them, so, after reluctantly giving the task of searching for the Gascon to Alain and Blaise, he took a couple of men towards the barely standing infirmary.

"This place isn't going to last!" exclaimed one of the musketeers with him as they made their way through the smoke and debris filled building.

"No risks," ordered Athos as he looked over his shoulder at the men following him. "It starts coming down you get out of here," the men looked reluctant at the idea of possibly leaving injured people in the building if it became too unstable but nodded regardless before commencing the search of the building, doing what they could to salvage any possibly supplies as they went.

Athos could feel the smoke getting to him, it was becoming harder to breathe without descending into a coughing fit but he refused to leave just yet. The men who had accompanied him had both left, having found a pair of their wounded brothers in what used to be one of the recovery rooms.

He was about to give up in the room he was in when he caught sight of a hand poking out of some debris. Paying little attention to the damage he was doing to his hands, the swordsman wasted no time in practically throwing the debris off of the person, breathing out a sigh of relief when he realized that not only was it Gerald but that he was also alive if unconscious. With a grunt, he pulled the unconscious man into his arms, before proceeding to carry him out of the burning building.


Blaise could barely keep up with his younger brother as Alain all but charged through the burning remains of their home as he headed towards the last place anybody had seen D'Artagnan, his heart beating a mile a minute as he tried desperately to mentally prepare himself for the state he might find his young friend in.

"No," he breathed, barely managing to get the word out without coughing from the smoke as he took in the remains of what had once been Treville's office.

"We're going to need to dig," stated Blaise, determination filling his voice as he stared at the wreckage. "He could be buried under all this."

Fighting back another cough as the smoke irritated his throat, Alain nodded, keeping silent as he moved to a collection of debris, he barely reacted to the sting of pain as completely focused himself on the task of clearing as much of the debris as quickly as he could, not noticing at all when several more men joined him in his task minutes later.

The longer the search continued for the more panicked and frantic Alain became and it eventually got to the point where the young man could barely breathe as he tried to contend with both the smoke irritating his throat and a panic attack gripping his lungs.

Acting quickly Blaise ignored all the man's attempts at protesting as he dragged the younger man out of the remains of the garrison and out into the street where they had been taking survivors and where civilians were doing what they could to help.

Upon seeing the struggles his brother was still having with breathing Blaise all but ripped a canteen from the hand of a nearby civilian, who had offered the drink to the pair with a worried look on his face. The small hiss of pain that accompanied him thrusting the container into Alain's hands alerted the musketeer to the damage the heat and wood had done to his hands. Mentally cursing whoever caused the explosion Blaise waited for Alain to take several long drags of the cool water, his breathing slowly returning to normal before taking the canteen back, using what remained of its contents to clean the younger man's singed hands.

"We… have to go back," coughed Alain, his head turning to the garrison gates as he watched his brothers-in-arms struggle to combat the fires that were hell-bent on destroying what remained of their home.

"We will," nodded Blaise as he took a long drag from a different canteen that was handed to him by another civilian. "We're no good to anyone if we pass out, so take a minute."

"I…I couldn't find him," mumbled Alain, panic and fear clawing at his heat as he looked to his brother as if he had the power to make things right. "It's like he wasn't there but I know him! He wouldn't leave, which means he must be there! I must have missed something, he has to be there, we need to go back!"