A/N: Hi everyone! Welcome to the next instalment in The Christine Series! Alittle birthday treat to myself... Hope you enjoy!

The Package

Chapter 1

She stood at the gates and watched the sun sink beneath the Parisian skyline, her arms crossed. The rooftops were burnt crimson and copper as the fought its oncoming slumber. She bit her lip as she searched the streets that led to the musketeers' garrison for any sign of her husband.

"Don't worry," said Cornet as he and Etienne approached her, certain to get into some sort of trouble for the night.

"He'll be back soon. If he could see how beautiful you look at this moment he'd be here in an instant. In fact, I hardly know how he has the stomach to leave when you look as lovely as you do," Cornet said as he grinned and winked at her.

"You shouldn't speak that way to a married woman," Etienne scolded and shook his head, "Especially when you have no chance with her."

"A man can dream...Must you always spoil mine?" Cornet asked, as Christine laughed at the antics of her friends.

Placing a hand on her arm, Etienne asked, "How long have they been gone?"

"Two weeks as of Saturday," she said with a sigh. Cornet and Etienne exchanged a brief glance, that unfortunately Christine noticed.

Cornet smiled warmly at her. "They're only two days late. There's no reason to worry yet," he said.

"I know," said Christine, "It's just that you Musketeers seem to be an accident prone bunch. I'll not stitch you up again if your romantic pursuits end up with you brawling with any more jealous husbands."

"What can I say?" Cornet said grinning, "Perhaps beautiful married women are my type?" he said kissing the back of her hand. She laughed again as she and Etienne rolled their eyes at each other.

"Keep him out of trouble," she said to Etienne as he pushed Cornet away from the gates.

He shook his head. "I'll do what I can," Etienne said. "Don't worry. He'll come back to you," he said to her, as she smiled and waved at the men as they wandered down the road, laughing merrily.

oOo

Christine turned restlessly in their large bed. Her hand stroked the mattress as she imagined Aramis lying there next to her.

She imagined the arch of his well-muscled shoulder and the curve of his neck. She imagined the weight of his arms around her as he held her close. She imagined she could see the strong line of his jaw that ended in his beard. She could almost feel the sweet, heavy breaths that escaped from his perfect mouth as he slept; the slight lines of strain and responsibility smoothed away in his sleep as the curtain of his dark lashes hid the vast pools that resided in his entrancing eyes.

She smiled to herself as she imagined pushing back the wayward dark curls that would inevitably fall onto his brow. She fell asleep with the thought of his fingers entwined in her hair.

oOo

Aramis rode distractedly as they set out on their horses just after dawn. They were still nearly a day out from Paris. His desire to return, to take his wife in his arms, to gaze into her fiery blue-grey eyes and kiss the lips he dreamt of each night spurred him on.

They had set out from Paris over two weeks ago with a larger retinue of Musketeers than they usually rode with. Eight men had been dispatched to the northeast to retrieve a package from the Prince of Sweden for the King of France. It had been a long ride, but was essentially problem free.

Well, problem free except for the few minor challenges and groups of bandits that they had met along the way, but with seven musketeers to protect a wagon that was guarded by another who drove it, they were bound to attract attention.

They were plagued by rain in the northern regions, and their return journey had been made even more tiresome two days earlier when their trusted wagon's wheel had snagged on the soggy uneven road and broken an axel. It took them much of the day to repair the damage to the wagon in order to make it serviceable, and there was still no guarantee that their repairs would last the remaining leagues to Paris.

His brothers around him were also restless and eager to return to city. He cast a glance around him.

He smiled up at Henri who drove the team of horses pulling the wagon. Athos and D'Artagnan rode ahead. He could see the Gascon suffering slightly as he rode silently next to their glowering and frustrated brother. This was a real trial for the boisterous young man who was clearly struggling with the silent and gloomy mood of the other. Francois and Guillaume chatted quietly on the other side of the wagon from where Aramis rode with Porthos while Bernard guarded the rear.

"You'll be back with her soon," said Porthos with a nudge and a smile as the team entered a wooded section of the road.

Aramis grinned. "Am I really that easy to read?"

"When it comes to her, yes," said his friend. Aramis let out a loud boisterous laugh that brought a smile to his brothers around him, even Athos' lips quirking slightly.

They all rode on in brighter spirits after their long and arduous journey as Aramis and Porthos joked back and forth in their familiar banter. They pulled to a halt around mid-day to eat and give their horses a rest. Paris couldn't come soon enough!

oOo