Despite only having 3 constant reviewers, I hope those that were reading this secretly, enjoyed it! I hope that I have done this story justice with this ending :)
March 22, 2017 - Savoy Catholic church grounds - Aramis and Porthos
"Look Porthos, there are daffodils growing all over Marsac's grave," Aramis said.
He pulled away from Porthos to walk to the small plot of daffodils making their home on his friend's grave. Aramis touched one of the flowers, lightly caressing the velvet petal. The daffodil that meant new birth and new beginnings was Adele's favourite flower. In bunches it was said to bring good tidings but a single bloom given to someone meant misfortune. Aramis remembered how horrified he was when he learned about the misfortune. He'd worn only one single daffodil on the lapel of his tux the day he married Adele. That memory frightened him so bad that he'd stayed away from the daffodil for years out of superstition. But this, he thought as he gazed over his friend's grave, this was fitting. It felt like Adele was watching over his friend. It felt like a message from her, a blessing for his future and a gesture of love.
Gazing past Marsac's grave he took in the entire area, the memorial the town of Savoy created was beautiful. A small grove of trees behind the church afforded the place some privacy. It was truly a fitting tribute and a serene resting place for those lost in the Savoy fire massacre. Aramis especially loved the inscription on the stone for Rene and Adele's joined grave. Father Thomas promised that he would change the names and remove Rene off of it, but Aramis asked him not to. Even though he was both Aramis and Rene now, Adele's Rene died that night alongside her and he wanted it to remain that way. This way there would always be a part of him that was near her, watching over her and keeping her safe. Goodness knows, even after eight years, he still missed her so much it hurt. He was thankful that Porthos understood that he would always be intertwined with Adele as much as he was connected to Porthos. Adele represented his past and all that went with it, but Porthos was his future.
"You ready?" Porthos asked, coming to stand behind him.
Aramis felt Porthos rest his hands on his shoulders in support. He he wiped away tears he hadn't known were falling down his cheeks. He took another long look at the grave-site before standing up and turning to face Porthos. "Thank you for bringing me here. This… this day was wonderful."
"Well, it's not over yet. Come, I have some things for you," Porthos said.
Aramis allowed Porthos to guide him down to a pathway between the trees behind where the church would be. As they walked he thought over the last few days. Porthos had insisted they come to Savoy to watch as they broke ground for a new church. Initially, Aramis had no desire to ever step foot in this place again. Yet, after encouragement from Porthos and a conveniently timed call from Father Thomas, Aramis gave in. He was nervous and clumsy with fright the entire trip down, but Porthos was amazing and patient with him.
Much to Aramis' surprise, it actually felt good to be in Savoy again. While so many things had changed in eight years, there was a sense of familiarity, a sense that he'd come home. They spent the day visiting all the old places Aramis spent time at, finally ending up here. The visit to the church was the last leg of their adventures for today. They were surprised to meet Father Thomas taking a walk around the grounds. After a fierce hug, Father Thomas made sure Aramis knew there was no anger towards him for Victor and Isabelle. It eased something in Aramis' heart to hear that he wasn't to blame for the building's burning down. He hadn't known he still blamed himself for the loss of both churches until he'd seen the priest.
Father Thomas walked with them around the grounds as both Porthos and Aramis told their stories. They were both surprised to hear that Lemay donated every bit of the money to rebuild the church. Then Father Thomas had shown Aramis the amazing plans the architect had come up with for the new building. There was floor to ceiling stained glass windows and tons of exits. Most importantly, though, the structure was going to be mostly made of steel and concrete. It made Aramis breathe a sigh of relief, maybe for the first time, this Church wouldn't go up in flames.
As they rounded the last corner of the path in the trees they came upon the lake. Aramis chose this moment to finally look where Porthos was leading him. "Oh, the bench where Marsac brought me," Aramis exclaimed. "I forgot about this place."
"Marsac made me promise I would bring you here," Porthos responded. "He said it was the last place he saw you happy before all hell broke loose."
Porthos led Aramis right up to the bench and motioned for him to sit while he pulled something out from behind it. It was good that they'd come to visit Savoy, there was an ease to Aramis that he hadn't seen in a long time. If he was being truly honest with himself, it was an ease that maybe he'd never even seen before. Either way, he was grateful that they'd embarked on this journey together as it was giving them both closure.
Aramis still struggled with nightmares, though they were fewer and far between. He was worried that being here in Savoy would bring back memories and start the nightmares again, but he'd deal with those if they came. So far everything seemed to be going just fine. Porthos was so proud of Aramis' progress this past year. His boyfriend was more present and living in the here and now, instead of hiding the shadows of his past. It was why he figured now was as good of a time as any to give him the bag full of items Athos retrieved from evidence. Most of it was pictures and a few personal effects that were salvaged. They'd recovered Adele's wedding band and engagement ring and Ninon's letter. Of all the things in that bag, though, it was the object at the bottom that Porthos most wanted Aramis to see.
"Well go on," Aramis interrupted his thoughts. "What do you have for me?"
Porthos picked up the cloth bag and handed it to Aramis. "I wanted to wait until you were feeling better and then I sort of forgot about it," he said. His nerves were getting the better of him. He ran a hand through his hair and watched as Aramis glanced into the bag.
"What…Porthos, how?" Aramis gasped. He brought out the pictures and letters Athos salvaged from his scrapbook, bringing them to his chest in a hug. "I thought these were forever lost to evidence. Thank you. I realize that it's silly to have wished for some of this stuff back, or to keep pictures of my dead wife on our wedding day. I don't mean to make you think she meant more than you do, or that I want them displayed all over our house. You aren't mad right Porthos?"
Porthos laughed at Aramis' adorable rambling. He covered Aramis' lips with his finger, shushing the man before he could get worked up. "No, love, I don't think any of that. I'd would be honored to have a picture of Adele around the house. She led you to me and I will be forever grateful for that. Now stop worrying and look at the last thing in there."
At the bottom of the bag there was a blanket which Aramis could see was quite colourful. He stood up from the bench and pulled it out, letting it fall apart from its folds. The hem of the blanket tickled the ground even as Aramis held it up above his shoulders. It was larger than he'd thought it would be. It had the kind of beautiful stitching that could only come from a homemade quilt. The top edge that he was holding had several loops across it as if it was more of a tapestry blanket for display.
Why would Porthos give him this? He didn't understand the significance of the blanket, he'd never seen it before. Frowning he turned to Porthos for an explanation.
Porthos also frowned, he'd thought this would go better than it was. He figured Aramis would be happier than this… suddenly, a light clicked on in Porthos' head. Of course this was confusing Aramis, the man wasn't in his right mind when he'd rescued him. Aramis wouldn't even remember the tapestry blanket he'd pulled off the walls of the church to wrap him in. The blanket vanished in the mess of the rescue and the later recovery. It wasn't until Athos had given it to him at the precinct that Porthos even remembered borrowing it. He'd called Father Thomas in the days after recovering the tapestry, but the priest insisted it go to Rene. After all, the man said, a parishioner made it in remembrance of the victims. What would be better than one of the victims receiving the blanket made for them?
"I used it to carry you," Porthos said, his voice shaking. The memory of that day and the panic he'd felt came rushing back at him. He took a moment to brush off those negative feelings before continuing. "When I found you at the church after Isabelle poisoned you, you were shivering and yet so hot. You were dying, in fact, you did die for a moment outside. I needed something to cover you in and pulled that off the wall of the church. Turn it around Aramis, you'll understand why Father Thomas wanted you to keep it and why Athos and I saved it for you."
Aramis nodded, turned the tapestry around and almost dropped it when he saw what was on the other side. His family's faces were somehow sewed into the little squares that formed the quilt. His Mama, Papa, grandparents, himself and his siblings. Whatever he'd expected when he saw the other side, it wasn't this. Never this.
Faces he never thought he'd ever see again smiled back at him. All thoughts in his brain halted, his throat ached and tears prickled at his eyes. Aramis took in a painful breath and fell into Porthos' arms with a sob, still clutching the blanket.
"Thank you," he cried. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this. There is nothing in this world I think I could ever do to pay you back for this. For everything, really."
Porthos lifted Aramis' chin so he could look directly in the man's eyes. "I never did any of this expecting you to pay me back. Though, there is one thing I want more than anything in this world."
"Anything, Porthos! If it is within my means I would give you everything you ever wanted."
"Marry me in Hawaii. Marry me outdoors on the beach, with Renee and Ninon watching. We'll bring Athos, Treville, d'Artagnan and Constance there too. Our family should be there to watch us."
Aramis' eyes lit up with joy. "You're serious? Of course you are. Okay then, let's do this! Let's get married next month!"
Porthos whooped for joy and pulled him back in for a hug so tight that Aramis thought his eyes would pop out.
"You make me so happy," Porthos said and when he eased up on the hug, he pressed a tender kiss to Aramis' lips, relishing the tiny moan the man made.
"Papa!" A tiny, yet familiar voice shouted suddenly.
Aramis froze. No... It couldn't be. He pulled out of Porthos' arms and spun around to see Renee running towards him, her red hair flying in the wind. Ninon was behind her, laughing, as she followed her daughter down the path to the lake. Aramis' heart fluttered. He looked to Porthos, but the man seemed just as shocked to see Ninon and Renee as he was.
"Is this real?" Aramis whispered.
His daughter was here in the flesh. He could hold her, hug her for as long as he wanted. Aramis couldn't find the words… she was beautiful. It was one thing to see her on a computer screen or digital photo, but in person she was everything he and Adele could ever have dreamed of. He knelt down on the ground and opened his arms, barely restraining himself from falling apart for the second time that day. The force of her barreling into him for a hug was enough to topple them both over and onto the ground.
"Papa, are you surprised to see me?" Renee asked. "I can't wait until you come visit me for my birthday!'
"Yes, my girl, you've surprised me!"
"Is that why you're crying?" She asked him.
"It's just so good to have you here, come let's get off the ground and then you can tell me all about the trip here. Also I have news about Porthos and me." Aramis said. He sat up and held out his hand for Renee to to pull him up with.
"Papa! You're too heavy," she giggled.
Porthos let the conversation between father and daughter fade into the background as Ninon came to stand beside him.
"I didn't think you would come," Porthos said to her. They were both watching Aramis and Renee walk hand in hand down the edge of the lake. "I hoped you would when I told you we'd be here. I wanted something happy to happen in this place so that he wouldn't always associate it with sadness."
Ninon smiled and looped her arm through Porthos'. "It was time they met in person and it was time I came back here to face my demons as well. I had it easier than Aramis did. I had a little girl to raise and she gave me the desire to live for something. Aramis had none of that… I think I will regret that we stayed apart for eight years for the rest of my life."
Porthos nodded, "I'm sure Aramis will regret not knowing his daughter too. You being here with Renee today will go a long way in alleviating that guilt in both of you."
"I think you're right," Ninon agreed, smiling. "This feels right."
Porthos grinned, staring at the joy radiating off Aramis' face. "Yes, finally I think all is right for him. Let's go catch up, I want to meet my future step daughter!"
The End.