The door slammed open and Athos flinched, his eyes snapping open and his breath hitching. He laid where they had left him, beaten and bruised with every inch of his body aching.
It took him a while to focus on the man in front of him but he knew who it was.
He crouched down in front of Athos, titling his head to one side as if to study the broken and drugged musketeer.
"You had enough time to think?" Tomás asked. Athos took a steadying breath, opening his mouth to speak and hoping his voice didn't crack.
"I've had enough time... Time to think off the multiple ways I'm going to kill you," Athos growled out, cursing himself he had to take a breath in between. Tomás smirked down at him, allowing a low chuckle to escape his lips.
"You know, I'm quite glad I decided to take you and not your protégé, D'artagnan," he replied and Athos glared up at the man, his words striking something in Athos and causing a rise from him.
He balled his hands up into fists and managed to push himself up from the ground and land a punch against Tomás' face.
The man fell backwards onto the ground, one hand going up to wipe away the blood running from his broken nose.
"What do you want?!" Athos snapped and Tomás grinned at him.
"D'artagnan," he simply replied and Athos paused, leaning back slightly and raising his head. Fear for his brother's life suddenly rose within him, he needed to get out of here. He needed to get to D'artagnan and make sure he was alright.
He slumped back slightly, dizziness taking over him from the sudden rush of adrenaline. The drugs running through him weren't helping with him getting his head around things. He couldn't think straight and was struggling to see the smirk on Tomás' face.
"What have you done with him?" Athos asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Nothing yet," Tomás replied before pulling himself up to crouch by Athos once again.
"Why?"
"You're little friend has made quite a lot of enemies in his past with his quick temper; I mean we were supposed to take him but one of my men, who sadly isn't with us anymore, got it wrong and we got you instead," Tomás began to inform Athos. "Not that I'm complaining anymore, you're more fun to torment," Tomás said before rising to a stand, looming over Athos to assert his dominance.
"What did he do to you?" Athos asked and Tomás' lips curved up into an evil smile.
"All in good time... Now, you have to repay for your little outburst back then," Tomás said before calling in his men who was waiting outside.
Pain came a few moments later, a crack from his nose being broken, his ribs throbbing in protest from the boot slamming into them.
His breathing hitched and he coughed, trying to draw in a breath but failing miserably at it.
D'artagnan didn't know how long he had been asleep for but he knew it hadn't been long, the sun was still down and the candle by Athos' bedside was still burning brightly. His back was aching and shoulder tense from being cramped up in the chair.
His eyes shot open when he heard a loud gasp and then mumbling coming from Athos.
D'artagnan pushed forward and came to stand, leaning over Athos who began gasping for air.
"Athos," D'artagnan said, a hand going to gently touch the man's shoulder. Before his hand got there he could feel the heat radiating from his Captain, fear rising up within him.
"Athos?" D'artagnan asked, shaking him slightly in hopes to wake him from his nightmare. Sweat covered Athos' body and his sheets were damp slightly from it. Athos' head thrashed from side to side, trying to push himself from the nightmare that threaten to pull him over the edge.
"Athos!" D'artagnan snapped and the Captain's eyes finally opened. Before D'artagnan could even react, a fist was flying his way and D'artagnan stumbled backwards, his hands going to grab his nose.
He swore from the pain as Athos rolled onto his side, blinking back blurred vision and his breathing rapid. He tried to push up and lean over the bed, his arms shaking from trying to hold his weight up.
D'artagnan took a second to register what Athos was trying to do before he suddenly jumped into action.
He grabbed the bucket Aramis had made sure was by the bed and brought it up to Athos.
The man gripped the edge of the bucket with shaky hands and brought up the contents in his stomach, D'artagnan moving to sit on the bed while holding the bucket steady for him. He rubbed circles on Athos' back, showing him that D'artagnan was there and trying to ease the man's pain.
When Athos settled back down, he let out a groan and rolled back onto his back to stare blankly up at the ceiling.
D'artagnan couldn't help but notice the dark bags under Athos' eyes or the sweat dripping down the side of his forehead or how he was shaking from the cold but was burning hot.
"Athos?" D'artagnan asked again, his voice a soft whisper as if to not startle him.
It took him a while to register someone had called his name but Athos finally drew his eyes away from the ceiling to rest on his brother.
"D'artagnan?" Athos replied, a frown appearing on his face. D'artagnan smiled down at him, trying to not let concern for his Captain show... Athos was going to be fine.
"D'artagnan," Athos repeated, this time a little more confident it was him. "They wanted you," Athos mumbled, his hand moving to grip D'artagnan's arm rather tightly.
"Who? The men that took you?" He asked and Athos hummed, his grip slacking and hand falling to the bed once again.
"I didn't break, I couldn't let... Let them get to you," Athos said, his eyes moving to look at the ceiling again. His breathing hitched and his chest suddenly felt tight as if someone was pressing down on him.
Athos' eyes rolled into the back of his head, his eyes closing and face pinched in pain.
"You're going to be ok," D'artagnan said, moving to sit further up the bed and brush the strains of hair sticking to Athos' face out of the way.
The rest of the night was long, Athos' fever didn't go however it didn't raise which was a benefit. The bucket was needed a few more times and D'artagnan's calming words helped Athos through it all.
It was early morning when D'artagnan woke, having slept for a mere couple of minutes, to grunting and thrashing.
He acted in seconds, moving to Athos who was throwing punches and trying to get out of bed.
"Get away from him!" Athos shouted as he managed to pull himself up to sit. D'artagnan ducked a punch aimed at someone in Athos' nightmares, his heart hammering against his chest in fear for his Captain.
D'artagnan managed to grab Athos, pulling him against his chest and pinning his arms to his side. Athos tried to get out of his grip, his back pressed against D'artagnan's chest and using any means necessary to get away from his brother.
"It's just a nightmare," D'artagnan said, mostly to himself as he held Athos down.
It pained him to see his brother like this, so broken and tormented. It also angered him. Whoever had done this to him, D'artagnan was going to make them pay.
Thank you for the reviews, follows and favourites. I'm glad you guys are liking this story. I have no idea where this chapter came from and the stuff about Tomas wanting D'artagnan, it just seemed to happen. Next chapter will be up soon. Tell me what you guys thought of this one and if you have any ideas :)