Evening My Lovelies

God was this chapter difficult to write, pretty sure I've re-written all of this several different times but I've FINALLY got something I'm happy with, particularly the ending. Hope it makes up for the wait I've put you all through :)

Notes On Review:

pallysd'Artagnan: Thanks for the review - On the plus side though you got to have a bit of a binge :) I always enjoy that with stories I'm a few chapters behind on :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - He's not dead... yet, who knows what might happen in the future. Oh, it would take something serious to take out our lovely Athos/Porthos pair, they're definitely a force to be reckoned with :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Athos in protective mode is always a joy to write (and read :D) so I'm glad you enjoy it too :) Haha yeah he's definitely cursed or something. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - Don't worry I haven't killed him... yet, it still might happen I haven't decided firmly one way or the other yet. We'll be seeing more of D'Art in the next chapter, he'll be waking up then so just hold on a little bit longer :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

WelshEssex: Thanks for the review - It's okay, I'm just glad you review when you do, I always appreciate getting your thoughts on the story :) Haha yeah it's just not one of my stories if D'Art's not been hurt at least once lol :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Fourteen: A Choice To Be Made

Choosing to follow their youngest brother's given patrol route eventually saw both Athos and Porthos out on the church grounds, both doing what they could to ignore the cold beginning to settle in their guts that had nothing to do with the temperature.

For most of their search the two men had moved in silence, neither wanting to make a sound should it mask their brother's call for help, however now they were outside Porthos found himself unable to hold it in any longer.

"This is the last part of the kid's route," he stated quietly as he and his brother carefully walked the path their youngest should have taken some time earlier, each eagerly looking for any sign of the younger man, even if the darkness quickly encompassing the area was making that difficult.

Dropping the volume of his voice even lower Porthos continued, "I really don't like this 'Thos," he admitted hesitantly, almost as if voicing the fear brewing inside him would make it all the more real.

For Athos, there was nothing he wanted more than to ease his brother's fear, every instinct inside him demanding that he do so but he simply couldn't, not when he felt swamped with the very same fear. Instead, he decided to place a hand on the larger musketeer's shoulder, offering his brother a reassuring squeeze as the pair took a moment to take comfort and strength from the other before continuing on their way, both cursing how dark it had gotten since they were relying on the glow from a single lantern to illuminate any clues there might be as to their baby brother's whereabouts.

The pair remained outside for a long as they could, neither wanting to admit defeat and leave in case D'Artagnan needed them but eventually, they had no choice but to head back into the church, the darkness proving too much of a hindrance for their search to continue. The pair's earlier unease now having morphed into full-on terror and panic for the fate of their youngest.

"If he's happily sitting in the room I swear…" grumbled Porthos light-heartedly as he and Athos reluctantly began to head back to Aramis's room.

Athos forced himself to grin at his brother's empty threat, although both of them knew that there was very little chance of that being the result when they reached their brother's room.

"Tristan mentioned D'Artagnan's concern over the Captain's silence," commented the swordsman after a moment, allowing himself a flicker of hope his logical side tried valiantly not to believe in. "It's possible he went to Audric after his patrol."

Wanting to hold onto the small flicker of hope his brother was offering Porthos nodded, "Then Glenn should bring him back with him."

Any more thoughts on the situation were immediately silenced when the pair, who had been coming up to the door to Aramis's room, was frozen in place by the sound of a struggle occurring within.

Fearing for their injured brother the two musketeers shared a quick look before all but throwing themselves into the room, drawing their blades as they moved. Many thoughts had flown through their minds as they moved but even then they were unprepared to see Fredrick snarling at a smirking Audric, the latter being held tight against a wall by his throat, blood quickly coating the lower half of his face courtesy of a broken nose.

On the other side of the room was Tristan and Aramis, the physician's assistant standing protectively in front of the injured man's bedside, although Athos had a feeling that the hand on the marksman's chest was to stop the musketeer from trying to move than anything else, especially given the dark look now sported on the typically jovial man's face.

"What's going on?" demanded the swordsman as both he and Porthos stepped further into the room, both musketeers moving to act as a barrier between Audric and Aramis, not wanting to risk further harm to their brother should the man get out of Fredrick's hold.

"He came bearing a message," stated Fredrick, a dark and venomous tone to his voice as he nodded to a smallish box lying on the floor near Aramis's bed, "He brought that."

Everything in Athos's gut was screaming at him to not look at the box but he could listen to them as he reached out for the fallen object, absently becoming aware of Porthos's gaze over his shoulder, both men paling at what was contained within.

With his hands tightening around the box enough that the creak of his leather gloves was audible to the rest of the room's occupants Athos turned back to face Fredrick and Audric, hating the smirk still present on the Brother's face.

"What… What was the message," he asked with only a trace of emotion in his voice, though it was the ice in his glare that gave his true anger away.

Audric chuckled, almost impressively given the tight hold Fredrick had of him by his throat. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Any further taunts from the man were cut off when a dagger impaled itself on the wall mere centimetres from his face, all eyes turning towards the direction it had been thrown from, the men's eyes widening in surprise when instead of Aramis it appeared the dagger had, in fact, come from Tristan.

"You've been holding out on us," commented Aramis with a impressed lilt to his voice as he took in the man's aim, the impressed look quickly turned to amusement when he heard the assistant quietly admit he had been aiming for next to the man's shoulder, the physician in him not wanting to have caused actual harm to the man, no matter how tempted he might have been to do so.

Nodding once at the assistant Athos turned his attention back to Audric, who was now no longer smirking.

"What was the message?"

Unfortunately, this one enquiry brought that smirk right back as the Brother looked over at him, "Time's ticking down for both of them, so who will it be? You only have time to save one"