It was early morning, the sun only just rising and most of Paris was still asleep, with only a few people getting ready for their day.
D'artagnan cracked his door open slightly and peered out, seeing everything was silent outside in the garrison before stepping out.
He slugged his jacket on further over his shoulders, securing his pauldron on his right shoulder before he made his way out into the courtyard.
He went and sat down on the table by the bottom of the stairs, taking up his usual seat. He stayed there for a while, staring at the stables and contemplating what he should do.
He had needed to get out of his room and get some fresh air, wanting to clear his mind after a restless nights sleep.
He wasn't going to leave, he couldn't do it. He couldn't do that to Athos or the others, he would stay and fight alongside them even when the guilt of everything that had happened weigh heavy on his shoulders.
He was drawn from his thoughts when he felt someone watching him from the gates. He turned to catch a blonde breaded man dressed all in black staring at him.
The man suddenly turned and disappeared from the entrance.
D'artagnan was on his feet in seconds, moving after the man without evening thinking of the consequences.
The blonde man stood waiting for D'artagnan at the end of the street, leaning against the nearest wall with his arms crossed.
"You decided yet?" The man said as D'artagnan came to a stop in front of him. The man titled his head to study D'artagnan through narrowed eyes.
"Decided that Tomás, you and the rest of his men are going to pay for what you've done to my friends," D'artagnan asked, holding his chin high as the man simply smiled at him.
"Tomás was right about you," the man said, pushing up from the building and taking a few steps towards D'artagnan. "So quick tempered and... Reckless nearly," he said, coming to stop in front of D'artagnan.
D'artagnan took a deep breath, allowing the man's words to wash over him.
"You're really going to let your friends die for you, I mean one nearly has already," the man said and D'artagnan glared at the blonde, knowing he was trying to get to him.
He had to admit that he was angry with himself for letting the man succeed.
"You have an hour to decide, Tomás will be waiting," the blonde man said before he turned and walked away.
D'artagnan took a deep breath, relaxing his fists before turning and heading back to the still quiet garrison. He made his way silently over to the stables and entered to find his horse, saddling him up before pausing.
You're protecting them, D'artagnan thought to himself before he walked out of the stables.
He glanced up at the Captain's office before taking a breath, his hand subconsciously moving to the hilt of his sword.
It was better this way, he didn't want anyone else to get hurt. He had to do this himself, it was the only way.
So with the thought of protecting his brothers, of protecting Athos, he walked out of the garrison gates.
Once out in the streets of Paris he pulled himself onto his horse and rode out to find Tomás.
He got to the outskirts of Paris and found the old mill, jumping down from his horse and tying him to a tree before making the rest of the journey on foot.
He creeped down the path along the small river, crouching low and eyes scanning the area to look for any of Tomás' men. He glanced towards the mill and saw a flickering of a dying fire through the open window, a man passed by inside, glancing out to the forest.
D'artagnan paused, hoping he was covered by the trees. The man glanced around before turning and continuing on. He let out a sigh of relief but before he could continue with his plan, a click of a pistol behind him sounded and D'artagnan mentally swore at himself.
"I was wondering when you we're going to show up," Tomás said as the blonde breaded man who had found D'artagnan in the woods roughly pushed him forward.
He stumbled and fell to the dusty ground on all fours, growling in frustration. He was quickly on his feet and turned to glare at the man.
"Leave us," Tomás then said, pushing himself up from the doorframe that lead into the mill.
His men disappeared inside the mill and the two were left in silence with only the soft breeze of the morning disturbing the some what peace within the forest.
"Bit idiotic of you to come alone... Or did you think you could take my men on singlehandedly?" Tomás questioned and D'artagnan's hands balled up into fists.
"I only need to take on one," D'artagnan said and Tomás smirked at him. D'artagnan had to use all his willpower to not step forward and punch the smug smirk off of Tomás' face.
After all these years he was finally in front of the man and D'artagnan couldn't help feeling guilty all of a sudden.
He had killed his brother after all.
He shook himself when he thought of what Tomás' brother had done and what Tomás himself had done to Athos.
"Prepare to fight," D'artagnan said, suddenly drawing his sword and pointing it towards Tomás. "One of us dies here," he said, his words bringing forward the memory of his first meeting with the Inseparables.
God he regretted coming on his own now that he thought about it, no turning back though now.
Tomás laughed at him before his face set into a stern look, narrowing his eyes at the boy.
"I have to admit, you're pretty damn determined," Tomás said before he sighed and withdrew his own blade.
D'artagnan got himself into the fighting position and tried to channel Athos, calm and collected... Focused.
Think with your head, not your heart, a voice sounding a lot like Athos spoke up in his head.
"I wonder what your friends back at the garrison will think when they find you dead at their doorstep," Tomás said, trying to get under D'artagnan skin and frustrate him.
He simply took a breath before setting his gaze, watching Tomás and looking for signs of his first move.
"It's a shame they couldn't say goodbye, Athos will be devastated," Tomás said as they began to move, circling each other and waiting to see who would strike first. "I mean the man was so damn determined to stop anything from happening to you, it's like he's taken you under his wing," Tomás said.
"He screamed you know," Tomás said a few moments later. "Screamed for it to stop, for more drugs, practically begged for them when the pain got to much for him to handle," Tomás said.
"You're lying," D'artagnan snapped before restraining himself.
Head not heart, focus.
"I assure you I'm not," Tomás relied with a smirk. "My men tore into him every morning and every night, bruising him and beating him into unconsciousness. He never gave up though, I have to admit it was quite heartwarming how much he cared for you, how much he endured just to keep you safe...It's amazing he's still alive actually after everything my men put him through," and he paused for a second as if to think. "Maybe it was to do with his protectiveness over you," Tomás suggested and D'artagnan suddenly saw the shift of weight, the subtle adjustment of Tomás grip on his sword.
The man suddenly came swinging and D'artagnan gritted his teeth, he was ready.
So here is the next chapter, I bet most of you saw this coming but this is D'artagnan. He would do anything to protect his brothers. Thank you so much for the reviews, the follows and the favourites, they make my day. Next chapter will be up later this week hopefully, until then :)