Evening My Lovelies

Hope you're all having good days :) Here's the new chapter. We're very very close to Vincent getting what's coming to him - which is bad as I have so many ideas as to what to do for it I can't decide! But hey at least it'll be a surprise for all of us lol :)

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Ah but Aramis will have to be shirtless for them to be treated, maybe that image will make up for it? :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I loved writing that bit too :D the image in my head was too good to pass up and hopefully i did it justice. Vincent's gone full on crazy at this point so who knows what's really going through his sick & twisted mind. When it comes to treating all the injuries Treville's definitely going to be feeling the guilt when it comes to D'Art. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - Vincent thinks he's too smart etc so any rescue attempt would never work - worry not our boys will knock some sense into that crazy head of his. I felt a bit bad putting D'Art in that position but the whumpage was too good to pass up. Enjoy the new chapter! x

romirola: Thanks for the review - Nothing beats some good old whumping :D There's not much of it in this chapter, apart from the pain of their existing injuries but we'll be having a fight scene tomorrow so should be some whumpage then. Enjoy the new chapter! x

CaroH: Thanks for the review - I think I only have it in me to allow one smooth rescue per story and they had their one earlier when D'Art and Porthos rescued Treville's group, so expect soon to come drama :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - I know I'm doing something right when I get a review with 'WHAT DID YOU DO' in it :D I agree about the vacation, if Treville doesn't give them a decent amount of time off after all this ... I haven't quite decided who will be the one to kill Vincent as they all have motives to kill him now :S We'll have to see how writing goes for it. Enjoy the new chapter! x

A reader (Guest): Thanks for the review - Oh Vincent has no idea what hell-beast he has unleashed by attacking our boys... they're sooo ready to get some revenge on him :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I can't help but blow stuff up in this story lol In the last story it was snuggly musketeers, here its explosions... Who knows what the next will bring :D I could just see them at the beginning of the chapter, so wrapped up in their argument that everything else gets ignored. Glad you liked it as it was one of my favourite bits of the chapter. We have some more brotherly moments today as well and I'm planning a very cute one for tomorrow so yay for that ;D All of our boys are carrying some form of guilt at this point, though some more than others *cough* Athos *cough* but I'll address that at some point too :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

nurse13: Thanks for the review - In all fairness they had very little time to come up with a smart plan so they were forced to go with the idiotic one and if you ignore D'Art getting hurts (which he expected) and what happens at the end of today's chapter, it was working out quite well... but then I went all bad, evil writer on it mwhahaha! D'Art knew he would get hurt, probably not as much as he ended up getting but he still knew. Vincent's bat-sh*t crazy at this point so who knows what's going through his head. D'Art's pretty much forgiven Athos by this point, just hasnt had the chance to tell him that... We're getting there though. I haven't really thought through who will be treating them all, Aramis isnt too badly injured at this point but who knows how tomorrow's chapter will go. Ah but your mind will provide the pictures of the three cute... shirtless... men who need your help. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - Yeah Treville's gonna be in for, probably a punch to the jaw or something more violent, from Athos when he finds out. Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always many thanks to you awesome people who support by following/favouriting/reviewing/reading... I love you all :D

Enjoy

xxx

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Rescue II

SEVERAL HOURS PRIOR

"I don't like this," growled Porthos as he paced anxiously across the small clearing he and the rest of the musketeers were waiting in. "Whelp's gonna get 'imself killed"

"You've taught the boy well Porthos, he'll be okay" Félix reassured, sending a glace over to the Captain who was wisely staying silent. The tension between the two had grown ever since Treville suggested the plan and now it was only Treville's silence on the matter and his own worry that was stopping the larger musketeer from attacking his Captain.

"Sir!" called Blaise as he jogged back into the clearing. At his appearance every musketeer rose to their feet.

"Was he successful?" Treville asked, keeping his gaze focused on the man in front of him and not the antsy musketeer to his left.

"Yes sir" Blaise nodded, sending a small reassuring smile Porthos's way. "The sash was spotted on a window on the west side of the building. It's too small to fit through and is barred from within to prevent escape"

Treville nodded, the fact that their men could not escape through the window impacted their plan little. "Alright everyone knows their jobs." At the collective nods of the group he continued, "I want everyone ready to move the second I say so, no dallying about for any reason… We've got one window of opportunity to get our men back, let's not waste it"

It looked like Treville was about to say more when a familiar yet bloodcurdling scream reached their ears.

At the sound all faces turned to Porthos who had gone ashen at the sound. He knew that Vincent would not have let D'Artagnan off lightly but to causing his stubborn brother to cry out like that… The Gascon had to be in extraordinary amounts of pain.

"I'm gonna kill that son of a –" roared the enraged musketeer and it took the collective strengths of Blaise, Félix and Treville to stop him from charging into the house.

"Porthos!" Treville grunted, digging his heels further into the ground as the larger man furiously tried to escape their hold.

"Let… Me… Go!" screamed the still struggling musketeer, tears streaming down his face as the sound of his little brother's screams continued to pierce the air. "D'ARTAGNAN!"

"You!" growled the musketeer as he turned on his Captain, who to his credit looked unsurprised and unbothered at the turn of events.

"Porthos think about what you're doing!" pleaded Félix, tightening his hold on his friend's arm

"I'm thinking" spat the musketeer, "that this was all your stupid idea!" as he continued to rage against Treville the rest of the musketeers could see the anger in him slowly evaporate into nothing but guilt and pain.

When he crumbled to his knees the men holding him let go and moved back to give him some space.

"We will get him back," stated Treville with fiery determination as he knelt down to look firmly into his soldier's eye. "We will get all of them back... Vincent will pay for what he's done, this I promise you"

Porthos could do nothing but screw his eyes shut against the sound of his brother's screams and nod his acceptance to Treville.

For the next few hours Porthos alternated between guilt and rage and he honestly didn't think he had ever heard anything so good as when Treville said it was time…

PRESENT TIME

Attempting to get up was an experience D'Artagnan had no desire to repeat and had it not been for the need to get himself and his brothers as far away from Vincent as he could, he doubted he would ever have had been able to move let alone sit up.

"Easy" Aramis soothed as he attempted to help his little brother into a sitting position. His own body was crying out in pain from his broken bone and burns, but to the medic they paled in comparison to the excoriating agony his beloved brother was experiencing.

In the end it took both Aramis's and Athos's help to get and keep him upright and D'Artagnan couldn't help the whimpers that escaped him, nor the tears that trailed down his cheeks as his back erupted in fiery agony.

"There is no shame in tears of pain brother" Athos said soothingly when D'Artagnan averted his gaze so two of the men he most respected wouldn't see him cry. All thoughts of escape had left the swordsman's mind as he looked upon the little brother who had, once again, willingly been tortured to keep him safe. Gripping the boy's hand tightly in his own Athos filled his voice with all the love he could as he promised the boy he would get him out, that Vincent would pay and most of all… That he would be okay.

"So what's stage two of your master plan D'Art?" Aramis asked with forced cheer. He could see that the battered Gascon was clinging to consciousness by a thread and as much as he would love to let the young man rest and escape his pain, they needed to know what they needed to do so they could ensure he got out safely.

"Mmmmm" groaned the young man; his head nestled in the crook of Athos's neck, as he squeezed tighter on his mentor's hand. Forcing his eyes open and breath into his lungs he looked at the medic. "P'thos" he mumbled weakly as he fought his hardest to stay awake.

Aramis looked confused and opened his mouth; about to correct the boy as to who he was, when the door to their cell burst open.

Despite their own injuries, both Athos and Aramis practically threw themselves protectively in front of D'Artagnan… Well Aramis did, Athos's movement was slightly limited due to the barely conscious Gascon resting against him.

"I have never been so happy to see your ugly mug my friend," teased Aramis with a sigh of relief as he saw the intruder was not Vincent, as they feared, but rather the missing member of their brotherhood, Porthos.

"That anyway to treat your rescuer?" mocked Porthos light heartedly until he really took in the sight of his brothers before him.

"Christ" he swore, eyes widening as he looked upon his brothers.

"Porthos!" called Treville as he followed his soldier into the room, only to then repeat the curse as he looked upon his men.

"D'Artagnan is in need of serious medical attention" Athos stated, the group as a whole ignoring D'Artagnan's mumbled attempt to say that he was fine. "Aramis too" Athos added as an afterthought, catching the paleness of his friend's skin in the corner of his eye.

"You're worse than me!" stated the medic though his eyes, filled with worry, remained on their youngest.

"Right" Treville said, quickly assessing the situation. "Porthos can carry D'Artagnan and I'll support Aramis." Turning to his lieutenant with an inquisitive yet firm look he asked, "Can you walk?"

Athos was silent for a moment, mentally assessing his ability to walk, while off to the side Porthos and Aramis were muttering about the best way for him to carry D'Artagnan.

"Probably" the swordsman shrugged.

Treville nodded, though still looked concerned as he held out a hand to help his friend to his feet.

Athos waivered slightly as he tested his injured leg's ability to carry his own weight, surprisingly pleased when he found he could just about manage to walk on it he nodded to Treville who then removed his steadying hand from his elbow. "Here" the Captain said, passing Athos one of the swords they had liberated from those who had captured them.

Athos swung the blade about a bit, getting used to the feel of it, while Treville walked over to Aramis's side

"Where…" the medic grunted as the act of raising a hand to grip his Captain's pulled on one of his burns. "Where are the rest?" he asked, only to then be forced to bite back a scream as he jarred his broken ankle.

Opening the eyes he didn't remember closing, the medic smiled weakly at the worried face of his Captain, silently assuring him that he was okay… well as okay as he could be given the circumstances.

"Taking care of Vincent's men" Treville informed then as he slung the Spaniard's arm over his shoulder. "He sent out a large group to capture us the other day which has left his force here largely depleted. The men are clearing the rooms while searching for Vincent." At the darkening of all his men's eyes he added, "They've been instructed to capture him alive, I imagine you would all like to see justice done"

"What I would like is to –" Porthos said, wincing when Aramis used his free arm to smack the back of his head before pointing to the barely conscious D'Artagnan.

"While I have no doubt we would all agree with you my friend" smiled the medic tiredly, "maybe we should focus on getting out of here first?"

"Right" Porthos nodded, kneeling down in front of the bloodied Gascon. "Hey whelp" he said soothingly, "You still with me?"

For a moment Porthos thought the boy had finally given into the pain and fallen unconscious but after a few seconds a set of watery eyes blinked at him. "…P'thos?"

"Yeah it's me whelp" smiled the larger man, though his eyes were full of guilt as he saw the pain in his brother's eyes. "It's time to get out of here… I'm gonna need to carry you" he said hesitantly

"…'kay" D'Artagnan mumbled, a small whimper escaping him as the pain in his back refused to relent.

"…It's gonna hurt D'Art" Porthos said, his voice thick with guilt. When D'Artagnan merely whimpered again and nodded weakly, Porthos steeled himself, took a deep breath and lifted the boy into his arms.

Unfortunately there was no way to carry the young Gascon without causing further pain as his ribs were still healing and his back was a bloody mess. The second Porthos's arm touched the young man's shredded back D'Artagnan let out a heart-wrenching scream, the agonizing pain the whip had caused increasing tenfold.

"Let's hurry" Porthos said through gritted teeth, hating the feel of his brother blood on his hands, "the sooner we're out of 'ere the sooner the whelp… and you lot, can get treated"

Thankfully being lifted had also caused D'Artagnan to finally give into his body and the boy was unconscious within seconds of being in his brother's arms.

The small group that consisted of five musketeer's, all of which had some form of injury left the cell and began to make their way out of the house.

"THINK YOU CAN RUN FROM ME!" bellowed an angry voice that had the group spinning on their heels, despite their injuries, to find the source.

The sight that greeted them made their blood boil. There, standing at the top of the stairs was Vincent, beaten and a bit bloody but undoubtedly him. In his hand was a sword, though the tip wasn't pointed at them, but instead was mere centimeters away from Laurent's throat.

The young musketeer was bleeding heavily from his previous wound that had reopened during his fight with Vincent and because of that he was forced to lean against the wall for support to stay standing.

"Laurent!" cried Treville as he watched blood trickle through the hand of the young solider.

"Sorry… Captain" wheezed the young musketeer, shaking his head in an attempt to clear the blurriness of his vision.

"Let him go Vincent!" ordered Treville

"DON'T! MOVE!" screeched the traitor as he whipped his pistol up, pointing at Athos who had been attempting to move close enough up the stairs to rush the man before he could hurt the young musketeer further.

"VINCENT!" Treville yelled, trying to get the crazed man's attention back on him but with no luck, but thankfully it did get him to lower the gun slightly. The house was full of the sound of fighting so the Captain knew it would be highly unlikely that they would receive aid from any of the other men.

"LETS END THIS VINCENT!" bellowed Athos, imbuing his words with all the hatred and anger he held for his ex-brother-in-arms.

Vincent smirked dangerously and with reflexes quicker then they had ever given him credit for he whipped the gun back up and fired.