Aramis would never back down from a fight, he was strong and could take any man down if it was for a good reasons... Or maybe after a few drinks in the local tavern. However, he had to admit that he was struggling to win this one.

He had Athos' back pinned against his chest where they stood in the middle of his room, Athos' weak form putting up an awfully good fight against him.

It had been mere minutes after Porthos had left to catch up with D'artagnan when Athos had started mumbling. He was sick into the bucket by his bedside before he started scrambling to stand, mumbling something about needing to move and feeling trapped.

It could only end in disaster, Athos' legs giving way and Aramis' quick reactions saving him from having a painful relationship with the floor.

"Athos, I need you to snap out of it," Aramis grumbled, knowing Athos wouldn't listen being too deep in the nightmare and the pain that was consuming him.
Athos needed wine, anything to take the pain away even just for a second.

He most have said it aloud because moments later he was being forced a cup to his lips and he could smell the oh so familiar smell of wine. He gulped it down greedily and for a brief second it work, the wine hitting the back of his throat and making his aching body ease.

However, it was only for a brief second before the pain returned and he found himself trying to curl up as if to get away from it. He felt cheated, the one time he needed wine to drowned his pain and sorrows it had failed him.

"Athos," a pained voice managed to break through to him and his senses slowly came back to him. Arms wrapped around him, holding him down. Out of instinct he thrashed, managing to knock an elbow back into his captive's chest before he found himself stumbling forward, crashing to his knees and gripping at his bed sheets while sinking to the ground with a groan.

Aramis stumbled slightly, trying to catch his breath after Athos has quite forcefully knock it out of him. Seconds later Aramis' saviour came in the form of their Captain, opening the door and coming to a holt once he took in the scene.

"Need help?" Treville asked and with an unamused look from Aramis, the two eventually got Athos back in bed and nearly asleep. The injured man mumbled a few things, tossing his head from side to side but other than that he was steady.

Aramis checked his brothers injuries and thanked God that his needlework hadn't been ruined within Athos' struggle.

"You're bleeding," Treville stated once he saw the faint blood stains on the white bandage around Aramis' shoulder.

"It's nothing," the medic replied, checking Athos' temperature.

"Sit," Treville ordered with such command and strength that there was no room to protest.

Aramis gave Athos a longing look before sitting down at the small table, Treville pulling up a chair to sit next to him and restitch and redress Aramis' wound. They fell into silence as Treville worked, only a few hisses of pain coming from Aramis and a groan or mumble from Athos every once in a while.

"Sorry," Aramis finally mumbled out, unable to cope with the tension between them both.

Treville glanced across at him before focusing on bandaging Aramis' shoulder back up.

"No need to be," Treville simply replied, keeping his eyes fixed on his work.

"You were only doing what you thought was right in the moment," Aramis said, fed up with the guilt of being angry at his Captain getting to him.

"And you were just thinking about Athos' safety. Both our reactions are understandable," Treville said and Aramis nodded in agreement.

"I feel I may have been too harsh on you," he said and Treville gave him a look.

"I can handle it," he simply said, tucking the extra bit of bandage away and leaning back to survey his work.

"Good job," Aramis said with a tease of a smirk on his lips. "Not as good as mine but... still pretty good," he added and Treville simple shook his head before standing.

"Get some rest Aramis," he ordered before glancing at Athos to make sure the man was settled before turning to leave.

Aramis sighed, leaning back into the chair and watching Athos sleep, hoping the worst was over with... For now, anyway.

Porthos found D'artagnan in the stables, brushing down Athos' horse, Roger, a few minutes after he had walked out.

"I don't want to talk," D'artagnan said as Porthos walked in. The larger musketeer sighed as he leant against the doorframe.

"That's a first," Porthos said with a small hint of humour, which sadly didn't have the desired effect on the Gascon he had wished it would have. He got a more annoyed look from D'artagnan instead.

"I don't need you saying this isn't my fault-"

"Because you know it isn't," Porthos finished, pushing up from the doorframe and moving over to stand on the opposite side of Athos' horse, looking across the horse's back at D'artagnan.

"Have you seen the state Athos is in? What I did caused those men to do that to him," D'artagnan said, causing Porthos to glance down at Roger, stroking a hand across the animals main.

"What happened?" Porthos said after a few moments silence, making D'artagnan pause and glance up at his brother.

"I don't know," he mumbled out before letting his shoulders slump and walk over to the small table. He sat down on one of the chairs not covered in riding equipment, Porthos joining him seconds later.

"There are a few things," he began, earning a raised eyebrow from Porthos. "A got into some trouble in Gascony when I was a kid but nothing major... However, there was one thing. It was an accident of course," D'artagnan seemed to struggle to get the right words out and Porthos waited patiently for him to continue. "Tomás. I remember his name, one of the neighbour's sons... His brother, Édouard, he forced himself onto my friend, Annabelle... I stopped him... Stopped him a little more than I should have," D'artagnan's voice cracked towards the end as he looked down at the ground in what looked like shame.

It took Porthos a few moments to digest what D'artagnan had said before it all clicked.

"You... You killed him?"

Sorry for the wait with this chapter but I hope it was worth it. Tell me what you thought of the big reveal with D'artagnan and Tomas, hope you liked it :)