Athos finally made it to the others the next morning; he had decided to spend the evening in his cottage, still shaken by the events of the previous evening.
He was met by Aramis, who looked concerned.
"Are you well?" He asked his friend. Yesterday, when D'Artagnan had told him that Athos said he had some personal business to attend to, Aramis had no issue with the man's request; after all, D'Artagnan was still with him at the time.
"All is well here? How is Porthos?"
"Still on the mend. Athos, I have to tell you something- it pains me to inform you that yesterday after you left, D'Artagnan up and disappeared with no explanation. In short, he deserted us. When I asked where he had been once he returned late last night, he refused to say anything; he just kept repeating, 'I'd rather not say', which infuriated me more and more, I must say."
"Really."
"Yes. Now, listen to me. I lost my temper with him, and impressed upon him in no uncertain terms how serious an offense it is to desert a mission. It's time to teach him an important lesson, but that lesson will become diluted unless we form a united front. I don't want to send the boy mixed signals- if I'm furious with him, you need to be as well, understand?"
"Of- of course. Where is he now?"
"If he knows what's good for him, all cleaned up by now and watching Bonnaire."
Sure enough, that's where D'Artagnan was. When the boy saw Athos, he jumped from his seat.
"Athos. Are you alright?" D'Artagnan asked. He made it clear last night that he had reservations in leaving Athos alone in the state he was in.
"I am fine, thanks to you. And you?"
D'Artagnan looked crestfallen. "Aramis is furious with me."
"I heard."
Dealing with Bonnaire, and Aramis' sudden appearance, prevented the two from having any further words on the subject of what transpired the previous night.
While Athos was loathe to discuss his pained past, on the other hand he was no coward. That meant coming clean to Aramis (and Porthos as well as his Captain) about the entire sordid affair with his wife, including the details of his dead brother Thomas, and D'Artagnan's role in saving his life from the fire. Now that the Bonnaire episode was completed, he certainly wasn't going to allow Aramis to present D'Artagnan as a deserter to Treville.
But he wanted to tell this story once only.
Once he did, in Treville's office with Porthos, Aramis and the Captain present, Aramis was furious again- this time with having Athos allowing him to think less of D'Artagnan.
'Not telling you wasn't my finest moment, certainly. But it is- difficult to discuss my failings and shame…easily."
"Don't sound as if there's anythin' for you to be ashamed of, Athos," Porthos offered.
"In retrospect, I wish I hadn't come down so hard on the boy," Aramis confessed. "If only he hadn't repeatedly said 'I'd rather not say'; ohh, that really got me going!"
"He had to!" Porthos said. "He couldn't 'a' told ya what actually happened, because he made a vow to Athos, but-"
Aramis interrupted, "But he couldn't have come up with something better than 'I'd rather not say'?"
"No, he couldn't, and that's the point," Porthos continued. "Like I said, he promised Athos, but saying anything else would mean he would be lyin' to you, which he couldn't do. He has too much respect for you to make somethin' up- he couldn't tell the truth, yet he would never make up a story, which would be disrespecting you. Kid was put in a tough spot," Porthos said, not helping but look at Athos as he said it.
Aramis was surprised, as well as grateful for Porthos' perceptive analysis of the corner D'Artagnan had been put in.
Athos frowned. "My apologies. I am of the mind now that none of us would be serving the truth well by doubting that boy's loyalty or honor. He's a noble young man."
During a training session with Aramis, with Athos and Porthos looking on, the expert marksman asked D'Artagnan, "So you decided to no longer wear your cross during training?"
D'Artagnan asked, "What?"
"I recall admiring your cross- which I haven't seen you wearing recently? I believe you had mentioned it was a gift from your father when I inquired of it?"
"Oh. Well, I- I no longer have it."
"I'm sorry. Lost in jail, was it? Or somewhere else?"
D'Artagnan looked reluctant to reveal its disposition.
"Actually, Monsieur Bonacieux threw it away. With all my belongings."
"He did what? Why did he-" Porthos erupted.
"It was when I was in jail, and he thought I was a criminal. It's alright- Constance has been lending me additional clothing along with the Garrison surplus. I will just need to procure new clothing, I suppose."
"But your cross- that is irreplaceable," Aramis said.
"I know! But there's nothing to be done. Can we proceed, please?"
It was clear the boy didn't want to discuss it further.
No sooner did D'Artagnan's old energetic, happy self return, when suddenly one day he became sullen, withdrawn, and quiet. Gone was the boy they had branded 'question' and replacing him was a sad, quiet, gloomy young man, one who seemed to be reveling in his own personal melancholy.
When Aramis asked if there was anything wrong, D'Artagnan simply said no and that he was being silly, and not to worry about it.
About an hour after that exchange, a middle-aged couple crossed the Garrison threshold. When D'Artagnan saw them, he exclaimed, "Aunt Louise? Uncle Henri?!"
"Charles! We found you!" The lady exclaimed.
Porthos, Athos and Aramis then witness D'Artagnan run across the Garrison and grab the lady in a huge hug.
"My sweet!" She says. The man who D'Artagnan's identified as Uncle Henri watched, fondly.
After a few moments, two things started to become apparent: one was that D'Artagnan was in no hurry to break this hug with his Aunt anytime soon.
The second was that D'Artagnan was crying; more accurately, he was sobbing, holding onto his Aunt fiercely.
"I know, my sweet, I know- it is a sad day…" Aunt Louise says, softly, while gently patting the boy's back and ruffling his hair lovingly, allowing the boy to continue to sob into her blouse.
"Father or mother's birthday?" Aramis guesses.
D'Artagnan then addressed his Uncle, and repeated the hug with him, while remaining inconsolable.
Finally collecting himself, D'Artagnan allowed himself to be further manhandled by his Aunt and Uncle a bit more, with each of them pinching his cheeks and acting as you would expect loving relatives to greet a beloved nephew they haven't seen in a while.
D'Artagnan, minding his manners, then introduced them to his friends.
After the introductions were over, Aunt Louise mentioned, "It's my brother's birthday today- Charles' father."
They all offered their condolences.
"What are you doing here then?" D'Artagnan asked.
"We had some business in town and knew we had to look you up while we were here!" Uncle Henri answered.
"We were hoping to have dinner together, Charles. Would that be possible?"
D'Artagnan, always one to take his lead from one of the three Inséparables, looked to the three of them for their approval.
"I don't see why not," Athos said. "There are no missions pressing on his time."
"You must be Athos." Aunt Louise suddenly announced.
"And you two are Porthos and Aramis," Uncle Henri quickly added.
The three men were taken aback.
Seeing their confusion, Aunt Louise said, "D'Artagnan has written us. He speaks highly about the three of you. He seems to love and admire you all a lot," Aunt Louise stated in a manner keeping with a relative either ignorant of or uncaring if such a comment would lead to their young nephew's embarrassment or not.
While D'Artagnan blushed, Uncle Henri suddenly exclaimed, "Well then gentlemen, if no missions are pressing on your time either, then consider yourselves also invited to dinner with us tonight!"
"We accept!" Porthos boomed out.