Evening My Lovelies!

We've reached 50 chapters! Initially I hadn't planned this story be be this long but I'm thoroughly glad it is as I'm having a ball writing it :D Hopefully you're all still enjoying reading it as well :)

Notes On Reviews:

pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - Athos definitely would have been a lot worse off without Damien's timely intervention, even if it didn't turn out quite as they would have liked. Enjoy the new chapter! x

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Ooh now I'm really intrigued :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - It was soooo tempting to finish Moreau off there but I want him and D'Art to have another confrontation so I need him alive (unfortunately) for now. Our poor garrison doctor is going to be in need of several stiff drinks and a long vacation once all this is through lol :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yeah Damien's pretty bad with that arm of his. Moreau's probably going to cursing the fact he didn't kill Athos when he had the chance the next time they meet. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - No I don't think he will, he's growing on me fairly quickly, he'll have a long recovery ahead but I think he'll be okay. I figured Moreau's just cocky enough to gloat about a situation before its completely played out, hence him running out of time to kill Athos before Damien showed up. Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Haha I like it :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I know! But I want at least one more D'Art/Moreau confrontation so unfortunately he gets to live a little longer. I did debate with having Damien's burn being because he didn't get far enough away in time but that just wasn't dramatic enough for me, hence nearly getting burned alive. You might be pleased to know that the cute moment between D'Art and Aramis I mentioned is happening here. It ended up going in a completely different direction than what I originally had planned but hopefully you'll like it regardless. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Avioooor: Thanks for the review - Yay I'm glad you like him, he's quickly growing on me too :) Don't worry I don't plan for him to suffer any long term affects from the burn (aside from scarring obviously) though it will be causing him pain for some time while it heals. Don't worry Athos will have another chance to confront Moreau in a later chapter. Haha yeah they're all a bit too exhausted for more drama right now so don't worry they'll be heading back to the garrison in the next chapter or two. Enjoy the new chapter! x

WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha I figured what better way to introduce our explosive new musketeer than to have him having the badass moment of saving one of our boys :D Glad you like it! I SOOOOO wanted to kill Moreau off there but I need him alive so he and D'Art can have another confrontation in a later chapter. Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx


Chapter Fifty: Aftermath II

It took the pair longer than either of them would willingly admit to walk back to the room where the rest of the musketeers, minus the men with Gaspard, were situated. Damien's injury was frequently sending burning waves of pain through his arm, making him gasp and even occasionally falter in his steps, this meant he had to be even more careful about how he supported Athos, who's exhaustion coupled with the further damage to his ankle meant that he could not walk on his own and was even struggling to remain standing without aid, although the swordsman largely dismissed that as being due to the exhaustion not pain and stated he would be fine after a short rest.


"ATHOS!" cried Porthos as he all but leapt up from Treville's side, the larger man having been the first to have seen the injured pair limp into the room.

Rushing to his brother's side Porthos was immediately able to see how in pain the man was, worry flooded his features as he took in the swordsman's clenched jaw and trembling frame.

"Hell Athos, what happened?"

"He had a run in with Moreau," stated Damien as he, with Porthos's aid, helped the injured musketeer into a nearby chair that had miraculously not been damaged in the battle that had just taken place in the room.

Porthos cursed under his breath, internally wondering just how much pain one man could inflict on his family. It was only then that he noticed how Damien was holding himself and his eyes went wide in both shock and worry as he spotted the man's large injury.

"Damien," he breathed, his hand reaching out as if to touch the damaged arm but pausing quickly as he thought better of it.

Noticing the man's reaction Damien tried to smile, though it came off as more of a grimace. "Yeah," he nodded, hissing quietly as another wave of pain hit him, "Had a bit of a fight with some fire."

"You need to get that looked at," commented Athos as he began looking around for anyone with decent medical training.

Porthos shook his head, "Something like that you're probably best holding off for now and letting Gaspard or Gerald have a look." Damien nodded in agreement, though the thought of leaving it, even for a short while made him cringe as he anticipated the pain. Seemingly picking up on this Porthos began to dig through his pockets until he pulled out a small vial of powder, quickly holding it out for the other man, who took it gingerly with a look of confusion on his face.

"'Mis gave it to me before we left, in case my arm got hit. It's for the pain, just need to mix a pinch in with some water."

Damien practically sagged in relief at the thought of getting some sort of respite from the pain and quickly began following the larger man's instructions, passing the vial over to Athos when he was done, who quickly followed suite.

Porthos meanwhile couldn't stop his thoughts from drifting back to the garrison, he knew his brothers were safe, but there was a niggling sense of unease growing in his gut that set him on edge, though he did try to stamp it down, putting it down to his worry over whether D'Artagnan had woken up yet or not.


Bullets were flying everywhere, cries of both pain and alarm filled the air and all he could do was to practically dive behind a pillar to avoid being hit.

He was desperately trying to think but his attention kept drifting back to the courtyard where two of the men he was supposed to protect were lying, the ground rapidly turning red with their blood, their glazed, unseeing eyes, staring right back at him in silent accusation.

It was only down to their training, he knew, that the entire garrison didn't erupt into a mad panic. As it was the men were doing all they could to stay in cover whilst hunting for the person or people shooting at them.

None of that compared however to the familiar scream he heard only a few minutes later.

"MATHÉO!" he screamed as he desperately tried to reach his fallen friend, only to find himself frozen and unable to move. "MATHÉO!" he cried again, frustration and worry filling his voice as he fought valiantly against the invisible force holding him.

It only took a few seconds for the scene to continue and he felt his breath catch in his throat as an all too familiar figure moved, in his stead, to Mathéo's aid.

"No," breathed the medic, his already pale skin turning almost translucent as he was forced to watch the scene with growing horror. "NO!" he cried, tears prickling in the corner of his eyes as D'Artagnan reached the injured musketeer's side, his little brother seemingly unbothered by his own injuries as he tried to work out how to get Mathéo out of the line of fire.

"D'Artagnan watch out!" cried Mathéo in alarm, his words mimicked by Aramis mere seconds later as both men were forced to watch as D'Artagnan stepped in front of the bullet, shielding Mathéo from further harm.


"NO!" cried Aramis as he shot up in bed, his eyes wide and frantic, his heart beating rapidly and his breaths coming in short sharp bursts.

It took several long moments for him to realize that it had all been a dream and longer still for him to convince his mind of that fact, though it did help somewhat that his reaction to the nightmare had caused his bullet wound to flare with pain. As uncomfortable and agonizing as it was the pain helped his mind remember that, yes Mathéo had been hit, but that he was okay as well as the fact that it had been him not D'Artagnan who had taken the hit, his brother was safe.

Needing to see his brother was okay with his own eyes Aramis forced his tense body to turn to face the bed next to his, though what he saw was hardly reassuring.


D'Artagnan's skin was practically soaked with sweat and the boy was shifting constantly, leaving him tangled in a mess of sweat-drenched sheets.

"D'Art," breathed Aramis as he shifted closer to his brother, grateful to Gerald for putting their beds so close together. "D'Artagnan wake it, it's just a dream."

Unfortunately his words seemed to have no effect and the Gascon continued to be trapped in whatever hellish scene his subconscious was forcing him to endure.

"D'Art," he called again, this time reaching out with his uninjured arm, hoping the physical contact might either prompt the man awake or at least offer him some comfort an allow him some respite from the terrors of his mind.

When that failed to help Aramis was seriously considering getting Gerald, hoping that the physician might had a way to wake his brother up that didn't involve shaking the injured man. It was then that Aramis noticed the Gascon was murmuring in his sleep, the boy's words were heavily slurred and as such the only words he was able to make out properly were No and Sorry, neither doing much to help ease the musketeer's worry.

Deciding he couldn't leave his brother alone, not even to get the doctor, Aramis gently ease his legs over the side of the bed, standing slightly shakily before, very gently, settling himself down on D'Artagnan's bed, instinctively curling up around the boy as he held him as tight as he dared given the boy's injuries.

"Shh D'Art," he soothed, his hand finding its way into the boy's damp locks. "It's just a dream, whatever you're seeing… it's not real."

Aramis kept this up for several long minutes before D'Artagnan seemed to calm, his eyelids fluttering open. The hope this simple action brought to the medic was quickly crushed when he saw the glazed look in his brother's eyes, knowing immediately that while he looked away, the Gascon wasn't truly there with him.

"…M'sorry," murmured D'Artagnan, the tone of his voice had Aramis tightening his grip on the younger man as his heart threatened to break for him.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," whispered Aramis softly as he placed a gentle kiss on the younger man's forehead.

"…M'fault… M'sorry."

Hating how his brother sounded Aramis decided to humor him instead, hoping that maybe if he allowed him to get his guilt out he would rest better.

"What are you sorry for D'Art?"

"…D'dn't… pr'tect… you," mumbled the Gascon, guilt and shame filling his voice as he stared, unseeingly, at Aramis's face.

Deciding to let the younger man say whatever he needed to say Aramis forced himself to remain silent, even though both his heart break and his anger at Moreau grew with each slurred word that left his brother's lips.

"…Failed… 'Mis… too," he slurred, making the medic's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline as he realized that, in his fever-induced state, he had no idea it was Aramis with him. Luckily it didn't take the medic long to figure out who his brother did think was with him… the only other person he might think he failed, Alain.

"You protected me D'Artagnan," reassured the medic, desperately wanting to ease his brother's pain. He remembered Gaspard explaining that D'Artagnan's shoulder injury was due to him taking a bullet meant for Alain and he hoped that would be enough to snap his brother out of it. "You took a bullet for me remember?" he prompted, his grip unknowingly tightening slightly as he tried to remain calm.

"…S'rry," mumbled the boy, tears now streaking down his cheeks, further breaking the medic's heart. "…M'fault"

"I've never known someone to be so stubborn when so out of it," grumbled Aramis under his breath, more to himself than to his companion but D'Artagnan still responded with another slurred apology, making his brother smile grudgingly.

Aramis could see sleep was once again calling his brother and, in a desperate attempt to ensure he got a peaceful rest the medic placed another gentle kiss on the boy's forehead before whispering, "I forgive you."