The Loss

Chapter 15

Christine could hear her heart pounding in her eardrums.

She was vaguely aware of Athos and D'Artagnan standing nearby. The Captain was still trying to wrangle the royals and their courtiers to safety inside the palace.

Again she heard her heart pounding in her ears as her tears fell and the ash continued to rain down on them.

She was listening for her heart's last beat. If he was gone, she knew it would come soon...

The seconds felt like years as she knelt in anguish against an inconsolable Porthos.

Then, suddenly, the pounding changed.

It was soft at first then quickly became stronger and more erratic – more desperate.

She pulled in a breath and listened. "Can you hear that?" she asked desperately, hoping beyond hope for a confirmation.

"It's coming from over here!" Cornet shouted as he immediately began to clear the pathway towards the pile of fallen trunks. One hidden at its centre was shuddering with every impact.

Athos and D'Artagnan pushed through the wreckage to Cornet's side and helped him push and pull the other trunks aside until the source of the pounding was almost free.

Christine and Porthos dared not to breathe.

Cornet lifted a pole that had fallen over the lid of the trunk as Athos and D'Artagnan wiggled it free; the pole crashed to the ground once released by the musketeer without the support of its trunk.

Christine and Porthos staggered to their feet, eyes fixed on the trunk lid.

The lid had been bent on the impact and the trunk groaned as Athos and D'Artagnan pulled to help force the lid open.

It was kicked back suddenly and a desperately panting Aramis sat bolt upright and leaned over the edge of the trunk, coughing and gasping wildly for air.

"Aramis?" cried D'Artagnan incredulously as he and Athos flew to the front of the trunk.

The marksman continued to cough hoarsely but he raised his hand in acknowledgement.

"Aramis!" shouted Athos over his shoulder as Cornet helped to ease the marksman to sit back and handed him a water skin.

Porthos and Christine stood there – both momentarily stunned. Then all at once Porthos' knees gave way and he fell back to the ground pulling Christine down with him. They knelt there and held each other, simultaneously sobbing, praying and laughing for joy.

They stumbled to their feet again and ran towards the trunk holding Aramis, their faces elated – and that was the last image Aramis saw before the darkness took him – the joyous faces of the ones he loved.

oOo

Everything was bright – too bright.

The sun seared his eyes through closed eyelids.

He squirmed in his sheets trying to escape the light.

A soft hand on his face soothed him and he leant into the tender touch. The ghost of a kiss crossed his lips and he couldn't help the smile that they formed in response.

Then her laughter came through like the tinkling of bells.

"Are you ready to wake up now?" she whispered teasingly.

He raised his hand to cover hers that still rested against his cheek. He pulled her wrist towards his lips and kissed where he felt her heartbeat surging. She laughed again and bent forward to kiss him once more, her long dark hair falling like a curtain smelling of lavender and mint around him.

He opened his eyes and saw her beautiful face beaming at him.

"Good morning," she whispered, her eyes bright with relief.

"Good morning," he replied as his fingers braided themselves in her hair and he just gazed at her.

"It's about time you got up!" came Porthos' gruff admonishment. Aramis looked past Christine to where his brothers stood at the foot of the bed he was lying in. He grinned at them and they looked relieved.

"Good morning to you too," he said as he raised himself up in the bed and Christine adjusted the pillows behind him so he was seated comfortably.

"Nearly good afternoon. You've been out for several hours," said Athos dryly.

Aramis nodded as the rest of the details of the room came into focus. "The palace?" he asked as he looked at the marble columns, the thick carpet and the rich brocade curtains that decorated the room.

"His Majesty insisted," said D'Artagnan with a grin.

"I guess some of us are just born lucky," Aramis replied with a grin of his own. This instantly sobered his brothers and Christine. Her hands fidgeted with the bed sheets where she sat on the mattress.

"Christine," he began apologetically.

"We thought we lost you," she interrupted softly. The pain and sadness in her voice frightened him. She took his hand and caressed it gently. She would not meet his eyes.

He frowned as memories of the battle played through his mind.

"Can you remember what happened?"

Aramis nodded slowly. He was aware of a headache forming – he must have hit his head at some point. He looked again at his brothers – D'Artagnan's head had a bandage wrapped around it, as did Athos' arm. Porthos too was covered in a series of visible bruises, and all of them were dusted with ash, including the Comtesse whose formal purple gown was dirty, the the voluminous skirts singed in many places.

"Ramero fell for our bait," Aramis said slowly. "They had D'Artagnan, but he managed to break Ramero's nose. I shot one of the thugs and then we fought…" Aramis hesitated so Athos continued.

"We managed to put an end to Ramero's henchmen for hire. Somehow during the altercation a torch was knocked aside and caused the tent to catch fire."

"Sorry about that," mumbled Porthos, and the others smirked slightly.

"You were fighting Ramero…" Athos prompted and Aramis nodded.

"Our plan was to force him back into the tent…things…didn't quite go as planned," he said a little bashfully. "I struck him down near the tent's entrance. He refused to show me his hands at first but he was slowly backing into the position we wanted him…Somehow he had managed to light the explosive. But he was too far out. You were all too close! I had to act," he said desperately, squeezing Christine's hand tightly. "I couldn't risk him hurting you," he said to her.

"I shot him. He was dead. The bomb was still too exposed. You were all exposed," he explained looking at the four sadly frowning faces that surrounded him. "I shot him and grabbed the bomb and ran with it into the tent…"

There was silence after this pronouncement.

"The explosion went off. Everything was in smoking ruin," Athos said quietly.

"We thought you had died," said Porthos angrily, tears filling his dark eyes again.

"How on earth did you survive?" D'Artagnan asked incredulously.

A look of confusion flickered across his face before Aramis smiled softly and pulled Christine's hand to his lips once more; he kissed her knuckles and stared deeply into her eyes. "I promised I'd come back to you," he said softly as silent happy tears fell from her jewel bright eyes, despite her best efforts to keep them at bay.

"It happened quickly. I didn't have much time to think," he said. "I knew I had to get the bomb to the middle of the tent…I threw it," he said sheepishly glancing quickly at the shocked look on Athos' face. "I tossed it into the centre of the tent then threw myself into one of the empty storage trunks as the blast went off. I must have hit my head in the explosion," he said warily, his hand delicately coasting over the back off his head. He winced slightly as it grazed a tender area. Christine pulled his hand away and held it against her chest.

"I'm not sure how long I was out for. I came to and was trapped in the trunk. It had protected me from the blast but I was trapped and couldn't breathe. I couldn't lift the lid…but I heard you," he said to Christine. "I heard you calling me. You were scared, so I started fighting and kicking at the lid."

"I thought I had lost you," Christine said miserably.

Aramis smiled tenderly at her and took her face in his hand once again. "I told you, mi tesora, you will never lose me. I'll always find a way back to you," he said, and she kissed him with all the joy and relief she felt knowing that he was safe in her arms again.

oOo

They were alone finally. The King had allowed Aramis to leave the palace, and after ensuring that his brothers were properly cared for and resting, Aramis returned with Christine to her home on rue St. Germain.

He had stumbled slightly on the stairs due to the after effects of his concussion and his sheer exhaustion, but she was at his side. They both revived with a hot bath and a hot bowl of food, before retiring to her bed for the remainder of the night.

She couldn't stop kissing him or just staring into his face, at his dark eyes that burned with life and mischief, and at his perfect mouth that seemed to be constantly seductively smirking and encouraging her.

She couldn't believe that he was safe, that she was holding him in her arms.

She felt that in that moment, when even Porthos seemed to have lost hope and they had collapsed to the ground, that her life would end. Now it was as if the whole world was new and bright and beautiful. She couldn't stop staring at him.

"Christine," he said, teasing her again. "You should try to sleep. I swear that I won't go anywhere if you close your eyes."

"I can't," she responded. "I can't believe you're actually here," she gushed. She sobered slightly and ran her fingers through his hair once more. "Aramis, mi Tesoro, I thought you were gone. I thought I had lost you. And we nearly did today…"

"Christine –" he began, but she cut him off and pressed her fingers to his lips, so he kissed them gently.

"Please don't say anything," she said. "I know that danger is part of your job, and I know that you did what you did to save me, your brothers, the King and all his courtiers, but if you are allowed take the risks, I should be allowed to show my fear, joy and relief in knowing how close we were to almost losing you but knowing now that you're safe."

He smiled sadly at her and she kissed his lips once again to illustrate her point.

"It's my turn," he said and held her face in his hands. "Christine, you saved me, you know?" She laughed lightly and dropped her eyes. He lifted her chin so he was again staring into the sparkling opals on her face. "I'm serious," he whispered, his own thumb tracing her bottom lip and coming to rest at the corner of her mouth.

"When I saw you out there, facing the danger to be by my side…I knew whatever happened, I had to save you. I promised Adam I would take care of you," he said softly, again gently brushing the pillow of her lips. "I had promised you I'd come back to you, but at the time my only thought was for your safety. I didn't think about my life. Only your face filled my mind...In those final moments before the eruption, I swore I'd find my way back to you somehow, even if…" He paused, his sad eyes staring deep within her.

"Aramis," she whispered, "I would have done anything to find you. Even if you were broken to a million pieces, I would have searched for every one to put you back together again. There is not a part of you that I could live without."

He smiled at her and kissed her again. To feel such love was the closest thing there was to heaven and together they embraced it fully.

oOo

There was a soft knock on the door the next morning as Marie led Athos, Porthos and D'Artagnan into Christine's room. Aramis was sitting up in bed as Christine read to him. She closed her book and smiled warmly as she rose to greet their guests. She insisted D'Artagnan make himself comfortable in a winged armchair, knowing he too would be suffering from the effects of a concussion. Marie offered him a glass of water and he took it with a smile. She excused herself to gather a fresh tray of food for the new arrivals.

Aramis couldn't help but beam as Porthos pulled Christine into a tight embrace and she laughingly kissed his cheek. Athos and D'Artagnan chuckled softly as Athos took a seat on the settee.

In that moment, Aramis felt his heart brimming over with joy. Together, he knew, they would face the dangers from men like Ramero. They would continue to protect the innocent, and fight for the good. Together they would heal. They would protect each other, all of them. They would love each other wholly, just as they were. They were family.

It was through their love, that they would be able to conquer any loss.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A/N: Thanks for reading! I'm sorry and I love everyone who I may have given some anxiety to with my last cliffhanger. I hope this last chapter did the opposite and left you feeling warm and fuzzy. I'm very thankful to everyone who keeps reading, reviewing and writing me about this little saga and encouraging me to keep going with it. There's more adventures to come for the gang and Christine based on some suggestions I've received from you, so stay tuned! Cheers!