Evening My Lovelies

OMG chapter 40!

I feel like this might not be the best chapter as its fairly short but it just seemed like the perfect point to end it. I will warn you now... emotions are running high tonight so be prepared!

We were going to see Corinne learning the truth here but I decided on this instead, hope you like it!

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it, hope this was worth the wait :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - The separation isn't going to do D'Art any good unfortunately. Enjoy the new chapter! x

FierGascon: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it :) Aramis is going to regret those words though. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I'm glad you liked seeing papa-bear Aramis, I wanted to try something different. D'Art's not in the best shape and unfortunately this separation isn't going to help things. We'll be looking briefly at why Athos is reacting the way he is today, hopefully it'll clear things up a bit. Haha now I have the image of Athos smoking a pipe in my head. Enjoy the new chapter! x

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Oh I loved your review and don't worry Athos will be coming around to your way of thinking very soon. Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - Emotions and tensions are going to be high for a bit, despite what the end of this chapter might have you thinking. Thanks for the clarification :) And yes we will be seeing a fight between Quentin and Remy :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - We're continuing the emotional journey today and I'm hoping I've written it well :) I was kinda tempted to have Aramis punch him but figured that wouldn't do his injury any good. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - Wow I'm so glad you thought so highly off it :D We're keeping with the high emotional theme today so be ready. It's going to be hard for our boys to forget that image but they'll definitely try, especially when they return to D'Arts side. We're seeing a bit of D'Art today so hopefully it'll live up to your expectations. It was nice to have Corinne back though I do feel sorry for her for what's going to happen fairly soon. Aramis was great to write in that chapter and I'm really looking forward to having him and D'Art reunite again fairly soon. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Wonderful (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yay I'm glad you liked it :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - I couldn't keep her mad at him, especially given what she's going to go through fairly soon regarding learning the truth of her father. I'm really looking forward to writing the scene when D'Art and Aramis reunite, our pup needs to hear from the man himself that he doesn't blame him. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - It was nice to see Aramis all snappy and cranky :D We will indeed be having an emotional conversation between D'Art and Athos in a coming chapter. As for the hurt... we'll get a bit of that today :) Glad you liked it. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Helensg: Thanks for the review - It's not helping matters thats for sure. Enjoy the new chapter! x

WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - Hmm yeah his mental health isn't going to recover as quickly... at least not until he's had a good heart to heart with his brothers. Aramis is going to be regretting his words today. Enjoy the new chapter! x

pheonixriv: Thanks for the review - It's definitely shocked him enough to think about it. We've got a little bit before D'Art switches rooms but he will be doing so eventually. I was going to have Corinne's bit be in todays chapter but decided on this instead but that bit will be happening soon. Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - It's becoming a bit of a habit with him isn't it lol :) Who will it be next I wonder... I'm glad you liked seeing Corinne again. Considering what she's going to go through soon with her father I wanted her to be on better terms with our boys. I think everyone would melt/swoon at that :D So we had Aramis's rollercoaster yesterday... today we get to see D'Art's. Who needs nice when you can be evil :D I'm glad you liked the angst and tension between our two boys, it'll stay that way for a bit longer. It's going to be hard for Athos to forgive D'Art though it might be easier when he see's just how bad the pup it :) I am looking forward to writing the reunion scene with Aramis and D'Art though, that should be a lot of fun and full of heavy emotion. Yay I'm really glad you liked the inclusion of the Milady shooting bit. I figured it was the perfect thing to get Athos to think about things, though Aramis is going to regret bringing it up even if it does help in the long run. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Again sorry this is so short!

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Forty: Harsh Words

D'Artagnan wasn't sure what it was that had woken him up, be it the pain of his wounds or the argument going on in the room not far from his but he found himself wishing dearly to return to the blissful peace unconsciousness had given him, especially when he saw who was in the room with him.

"…R-Rin?" he breathed, cursing internally at how much strength just saying that one word took from him.

Corinne's tired eyes filled with tears as he said her name and moments later he was grunting with pain as she launched herself at him, her tears remaining hidden until her face was securely tucked into the crook of his neck.

"D-Don't do that again," sobbed the young woman, her grip on the Gascon tightening as her body shook with sobs. "I was… I was so worried!"

A small smile went to tug at the corners over D'Artagnan's lips, the man feeling warmth fill him at her concern, though that disappeared when he remembered why he was here anyway.

"…A-Aramis?" he asked hesitantly, his voice shaking as he tried to get his nerves under control.

Hearing the pain and vulnerability in his voice Corinne knew she had to put her own feelings to one side, so with a small sniffle she pulled away slightly, just far enough that she could look into the man's eyes as she spoke, letting him see the truth there.

"He's okay," she replied with a small smile, "Cranky from the pain and worried about you but otherwise he's okay."

The relief that filled him at hearing that had been enough to bring tears to the Gascon's eyes, although it was what happened next that forced them to fall.

He had been about to ask her to take a message to Aramis for him, desperately wanting to know if the man would be willing to even hear his apology for what had happened, though he truly doubted words could ever make what he did right. Before that could happen however the muffled yells coming from the room down the hall increased in volume until one particular line caught his attention.

"He almost killed you Aramis!"

The anger in his mentor's voice proved to be his undoing then as tears began to stream, unbidden, down his cheeks at the man's accusation.

"Charles," said Corinne softly a few moments later, making the musketeer blink in surprise as he had forgotten she was there. Although he began to wish she wasn't there when he saw the look in her eyes.

Pity.

The one thing D'Artagnan never wanted and certainly didn't deserve was pity. With a shuddering breathe he used what little strength he had in his less injured arm to push Corinne away from him, his heart breaking a little at the confused and hurt expression on her face as he did so.

"Y-You should go Rin," he said despondently, his body shaking slightly as he struggled to contain his emotions.

Corinne's eyes widened and her mouth opened like she was about to say something but before she could he beat her too it.

"Please Rinny," he whispered quietly and despite how much it hurt her to do so she found herself unable to resist the heartbroken begging of the man she considered a brother.

"I will give mémé an update on your condition, she's been worrying about you," said Corinne softly as she stood and moved towards the door, turning back at the last minute to add. "Love you Charlie."

Unable to speak without risking the wave of emotions he was battling overwhelming him D'Artagnan simply screwed his eyes shut and nodded stiffly, waiting until she was out of the room before he let he pain truly hit him and allowed the tears to rush down his cheeks once more.

"He shot you Aramis!"

The second exclamation from his mentor hurt just as much as the first and had him violently flinching as he found himself wondering why they had bothered to seek him out if they hated him so.

From what he remembered of the rescue Porthos had come across as, at least, slightly forgiving, though that could have been his friend taking pity on him, something he dearly hoped he wasn't.

D'Artagnan honestly didn't know if he could remain in Paris if his friends no longer thought of him as such, not that he would blame them for doing so. His friendship with the inseparables had been the only thing keeping his grounded after he lost his father and whilst he had come to form strong bonds with others in the city such as Alain and Constance, he very much doubted his ability to cope if those three turned their backs on him.

Like anyone in the regiment will want to work with you when they learn what you did, hissed the disgusted part of him and the rest of him agreed. The musketeers were a very tight-knit group and did not take it well when one of their own was hurt. For that hurt to come from another member was almost unheard of. In fact the only past example of it he could think of was a story from Aramis about the three men's early days in the regiment and how a recruit hadn't taken fondly to Porthos's dark skin tone. By this time however the larger man had already established his place among the regiment and so it took just one overheard, snide comment for the rest of the regiment to leap to the larger man's defense. They had made the clearly shown their disgust for the recruit's actions and upon finding himself without allies or friends the man quickly left the regiment.

What you did was so much worse than that, snapped the disgusted part of him and once again D'Artagnan found himself agreeing. What the recruit had done was nothing compared to him almost killing one of the most esteemed members of the regiment. He had no idea what the men would do to him for that and he was torn between wanting to simply let them get on it and wishing Porthos and Athos had left him at his uncle's hands.

Dimly registering his breathing becoming shallower D'Artagnan knew that everything was becoming too much, he couldn't handle it anymore, tears continued to stream steadily down his cheeks as he gave into the darkness clouding his vision.

"That was uncalled for 'Mis," chided Porthos with a stern expression as he glanced over at his stunned friend. The medic's words had successfully silenced any other retorts from the swordsman but the pain that flickered in his friend's eyes now told Porthos just how much those words weren't worth it.

Aramis huffed and looked away but not before Porthos caught sight of the guilt in his brother's eyes, a half smile tugging at his lips when he realized the words had shocked his brother as well and he had not meant to say them.

For several minutes the group remained silent, neither musketeer seemingly able to speak and Porthos simply waiting to see who cracked first.

A large part of him was screaming at him to go and check on D'Artagnan but he didn't trust the two men in front of him not to go off on each other again if he left.

"Porthos is right," admitted Aramis quietly a few moments later, startling the group and bringing everyone's attention back to him as he turned his head to face Athos, the regret he felt expressed clearly on his face.

"I overstepped and said something I should not have. I am sorry mon ami."

"But you were not wrong," said Athos, his voice barely more than a whisper as he lifted his head to look his brother right in the eye. "It was to be a flesh wound but I couldn't bring myself to shoot him without having a drink and that choice could have killed him if you hadn't been there and if Anne wasn't willing to bring in a physician."

"…'Thos," breathed Aramis as he saw the deep regret and pain that incident caused his brother and it served only to increase the shame he himself felt for letting his emotions and pain get the better of him when he had blurted the accusation out.

Shaking his head weakly the swordsman offered his brother a ghost of a smile before continuing. "D'Artagnan never showed any animosity towards me nor did he show fear." Aramis smiled hopefully at this, though his heart tugged painful at the expression on his brother's face and in his voice as he continued.

"I know that the least I can do for all D'Artagnan has done for me is to accept the apology he will no doubt make… especially as you hold no ill will towards him."

Aramis's brows furrowed sensing more was going on, "But?"

To say the medic was surprised to see the glassy look in his brother's eyes then would be an understatement and he couldn't help but hold his breath as Athos gathered himself for what he was about to say.

"I keep seeing it," he admitted quietly causing a flash of confusion to sweep across his brothers' faces before he elaborated. "Every time I think I can forgive him I see you bleeding out on this very floor… I lost a brother once Aramis… I won't survive losing another."