„Lemay should be already waiting for us. I've send for him the moment we knew where to find you. Didn't expect any of you being unharmed after all this time." Treville told Athos, who was still hovering over his brothers protectively. He wouldn't allow any further harm come to them. The swordsman nodded his thanks to his Captain, as he carefully examined Porthos' feet.

„You came just in time."

„I wish we woul've found you earlier." Admitted the Captain as he took in his best soldiers. He was confused how Athos came out of this so unharmed, beside a few bruises there were no injuries to be found on the swordsman. But Treville decided that this was a question for another day. Whatever had happened in this cell, his men will tell him when the time is right. For now, they needed to rest. Even Athos.

Thankfully, the ride to Paris wasn't that long. After a few hours they arrived in the Garrison – another reason why Treville felt guilty for not finding them earlier. They had been so close, but he had searched in the wrong direction first.

Fortunately, Lemay stood already in the courtyard, his bags and kits ready for use in the infirmary. While the three unconscious men were heaved onto stretchers, the medic examined each of them with concerned eyes, before he watched Athos stumble out oft he carriage. „Don't waste your time for me." The sowrdsman hissed before he hurried after his brothers, Lemay right on his heels.

The medic made a mental note to not to forget to check Athos for hidden injuries once he was ready with the others. „Can you tell me what happened to them?" The Doctor asked as he tried to make out who needed his help first.

„Aramis, was poisened. Don't know what it was. He hadn't eaten since we were taken, only drank a few sips of water." Athos tried to make it as short as possible as he knew the urgency oft he situation as he went over tot he next bed. „D'Artagnan was beaten several times. He said that his ribs were broken, don't know what else might be broken or bruised." Lemay nodded, already seeing the extend oft he injuries of the youngest musketeer, as blood covered the places on the body that weren't blue or green. „Porthos was drowned, he had coughed since thenquite often and harshly. And then there are his soles." He pointed at the bloody mess at the man's feet, where splinters of glass still stuck.

„I will see to d'Artagnan first. You can try to get Aramis to drink if he should wake up." Athos nod and walked over to the first bed, placing his hand on the marksman's shoulder. The man moaned slightly at the touch before his eyes fluttered open. „'Thos?" Aramis asked confused, as his vision started to clear slowly. „Wh're 're we?"

„In the Garrison. We're home." Athos purred some water into a glass, but as he turned back to his friend his eyes were closed again. „Hey 'Mis, you still with me?"

„Hmmm." Athos put one hand behind the marksman's head and lifted it slighty. „You need to drink something, do you understand?" He slowly lifted the glass tot he man's lips, but the moment it touched them, Aramis pushed it away roughly, causing the content to spill over the blanket. Athos sighed and put the glass aside. „It's just water, you need to drink."

„No," Aramis muttered and turned his head to the side. Athos just wanted to start arguing with him, as Lemay asked for his help.

„He's struggling. I need you to hold him down, while I stitch him."

D'Artagnan whimpered unconsciously and threw his head to the sides, as the medic tried to sew a nasty gap at his brow. Athos hurried over and held the boy's head in his hands and put a knee on his chest to keep him still. The boy whimpered again, as the needle stitched through his skin, but Athos' grip was tight. They had to do this several times on a variety of places, but after an hour d'Artagnan's wounds were cleaned, stitched and dressed. His body was nothing more than a mix of blue bruises and white bandages, his face barely recognicable as his nose was cracked and his eyes swollen shut.

„You will need to hold Porthos too." Lemay said as he cleaned his tools and then walked over to the big man.
„We should wake him." Athos suggested, knowing how dangerous Porthos could bei f woken by suprise.
„Porthos," The swordsman grabbed his arm carefully. „T'red." Was the answer oft he sleeping man. „You need to wake up, Porthos." Athos tried with a more commanding tone, which was quite effective. The big man opened his eyes with a groan, before he closed them again annoyed. „Let me sleep, Thos."

„You can sleep when we're ready. We need tot end to your feet. Dr. Lemay is also with me, we're back in the garrison." Athos explained as he noticed that Porthos didn't really understand what was going on. The man's eyes opened again and took in their surroundings for the first time.

„Please don't kick us or I need to punch you." Athos grabbed his friends legs nevertheless and held them down tightly as Lemay started to clean the soles. Porthos hissed and tried to get free, but Athos grip was tight. „Stop that." The big man muttered annoyed, still a bit confused why they would hurt him that much. „Hurts."

„I know." Athos sighed and Lemay started to pull out the fragmants of glass, causing blood to run down the soles.

„We need to stitch them or you will catch an infection." Athos explained calmly as the medic got out needle and thread. „Hate stitches." Porthos muttered and closed his eyes again. He was so tired.

As the needle was pushed into his skin, Porthos kicked out but thanks to Athos tight grip he didn't catch any of them. „Porthos keep still!" Athos hissed and leaned more onto the mans legs. Lemay now worked less neatly, therefore faster. As they were ready, Porthos was out again.

The medic tossed his tools aside after he had dressed the soles of Porthos' and walked over to Aramis. „You said he was poisoned. Can you say what happened to him when he took the poison?"

Athos sat down a chair between the marksman's and d'Artagnan's beds, sighing. „He screamed, said that his skin burned. But we couldn't see anything. I don't know for sure if the pain was real or just some kind of hallucination."

Lemay nod as he checked the temperature of the man in the bed. „He's got a light fever. It could be from the poison, but I can't tell for sure. I've never heard from a substance that could cause such pain, I can only guess that it was some kind of hallucinogen. How often did he take it?"

„I'm not sure. Eight times maybe?" „It could happen that his body will long for more… But there I can't be certain, too. We will just have to wait and watch. He certainly needs to get something into him. Water and broth fort he start, his stomach won't tolerate much more. But should his fever get worse he will need the strength."

Athos nod, adding everything the doctor said to his To-Do List. „They should be fine for now. Call for me if something changes." Lemay said, before he left Athos with his three brothers alone.