Evening My Lovelies!

We're kinda flickering between a bunch of our boys today, I've split it up in a way that hopefully makes it easy to follow.

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Its okay they'll make up eventually I promise :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Mwhaha when is it ever innocent when I'm involved :D Drunk Aramis was fun to write though we'll probably not be seeing him again this story. Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - I'm enjoying writing the tension so I'm glad you're liking reading it :) Worry not our boys will be reunite and be back together before too long. Loving your name for Quentin, as always :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

IsubiCraven: Thanks for the review - Sorry couldn't resist the cliffy :) I was tempted to have Athos be the drunk on but figured I'd shake things up and have it Aramis :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Haha love your reaction! We'll be seeing the aftermath of the cliffy tonight. Worry not Aramis will be okay eventually :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Helensg: Thanks for the review - Gotta love cliffys :D We definitely have a chance for more Athos whump coming up so don't worry about that :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - OMG I love your idea so freaking much! It differs from what I had planned slightly but I'm definitely going to see if I can't rework my idea to have that, or at least some features of it, in it :D Thank you! D'Art's going to get better with his brothers soon but it'll take a bit before they're back to what they were. Maria knows what needs doing and isn't afraid to be sneaky to get it to happen. Enjoy the new chapter! x

GoGirl212: Thanks for the review - He has something to focus on now so that should help him get it together :) Ah but they wouldn't be bad guys if they didn't show up at the worst times :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - He'll start soon I promise, though it'll take a while until they're fully back to what they were. Drunk Aramis was fun to write so I'm glad you liked him and worry not we'll see who it is fairly quickly today. Enjoy the new chapter! x

KarenF (Guest): Thanks for the review - We've got some drama coming our boy's way before they can get better but it will be fairly soon I promise. Glad you're excited :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Couldn't resist using D'Arty, just too cute! D'Arts going to start opening up very soon but its going to be a while until he's okay with them again. Our boys definitely wish they were the ones helping D'Art but are content in knowing he's at least being looked after by someone they trust and know and who cares for him. Mwhaha I was going to end with who it was but decided to be extra mean and keep you all in suspense :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

pheonixriv: Thanks for the review - Oh I LOVE to worry you! We'll be seeing who's in D'Art's room tonight. D'Art will stop pushing them away soon but it'll be a bit until they're back to what they were. I'm jealous your somewhere nice and warm when I'm stuck in freezing UK but I'm also extremely happy you think my work is worth reading on your holiday :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Hmmm they kinda have other things to worry about right now mwhaha :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - Oh I couldn't resist the cliffy :D Our lovely D'Art is determined to keep his brothers at arms length but I can't see that lasting much longer. Aramis is hurt by what D'Art's doing but he also understands why. Athos and Porthos are there to take care of him when he gets drunk. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Hmm Annoyingly your review isn't showing on here so I can only respond to the part that was in the email I received before it does it's "this has been truncated" bit.. Seeing the pup up and about was definitely a relief for our other boys, even with the pup's determination to keep them at arms length. Maria and Rin's loyalty is to D'Artagnan first hence them ensuring he doesn't have to sit next to one of his brothers. Unfortunately thinks are tense still between Aramis and D'Art in particular but things will be getting better for them soon and despite the hurt he feel for how D'Art's acting Aramis does understand. Haha I bet that's were it came from too! and yeah it was the vadim thing i was referring to. Glad you liked the D'Arty bit, couldn't resist adding that in XD Unfortunately thats were your review cuts off :( Hopefully i haven't missed anything important. Enjoy the new chapter

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

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Forty-Eight: Taken

He had been reliving memories of when the four of them had truly been brothers when he was roughly woken. They were almost as painful as nightmares as he would be filled with a sense of hope and love when he first woke, only then for that hope to be dashed when his mind reminded him of what he had done and how little he deserved it.

That night however he had been woken by the rough shaking of his shoulders followed almost immediately by a hand pressing hard on his face, covering his mouth.

"Mm-Mmy?" said D'Artagnan, his eyes dazed and his voice muffled by the hand still covering his mouth.

"You need to get up," stated the man, his eyes scanning the room before settling on the jacket resting against the back of a chair, recovered from Lupiac and returned to him by Athos.

"W-What?" mumbled the Gascon as he struggled against the pain to sit up, grunting when the jacket was thrown into his lap.

"Get your stuff together we've got to go."

"Not until you tell me what the hell is going on!" snapped D'Artagnan as he glared at the man, though something told him that something was seriously wrong for Remy to come to him for help. "How did you get in here anyway?" he added, surprised the man had managed to once again sneak into the garrison.

"Your Captain's a bit distracted by what happened tonight, security's lax with everyone out searching," shrugged the bandit as he tossed over a pair of boots to the slowly moving musketeer.

D'Artagnan's eyes narrowed at the bandit's words and a sinking feeling settled in his gut even as panic clawed at his heart. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous, promising pain to the man if he refused to answer.

"I'll explain on the way there but know that every second we spend here is another that Aramis and your other brothers are in danger."

Waking to the pounding of his head Porthos initially cursed himself for drinking until his sluggish mind reminded him that he had not drunk anything alcoholic the previous night as his focus had been on finding and watching over Aramis.

This reminder had the musketeer pushing passed the near nauseating pain in his head to sit up, his eyes widening as they rapidly took in his surroundings.

He was in an unused storeroom from the looks of things. There were shelves lining the walls but they were all bare and coated in a thick layer of dust.

Given his current predicament he wasn't surprised to find himself restrained, though he was surprised to find his hands had been restrained in front of him instead of behind. His two wrists were shackled together, preventing him from moving or separating his arms and while his ankles were in a similar situation they had just enough give in them to allow him some movement.

Groaning as the pain in his head intensified Porthos cradled it in his hands, the nauseating feeling growing when he felt a dampness coat his hand, knowing immediately it was blood.

That aint good, mused the larger musketeer as he tried to push aside a wave of dizziness as he used one of the shelves as leverage to pull himself up to his feet. It was difficult and he was sure he was going to fall on his behind more than once but eventually he managed it and once the room had stopped spinning he immediately began looking for a way out.

He vaguely recalled the last thing he remembered being placing Aramis down on the bed in the tavern and the fact that said brother was not beside him now was sending alarm bells off in the musketeer's head.

Aramis had been beyond drunk when they had finally tracked him down the previous night, the medic having used the time when both he and Athos were off visiting their pup to sneak out of both the infirmary and the garrison and it was only because Reynard had mentioned seeing him in the courtyard that they even knew he had left willingly.

However the medic's drunk state had Porthos worried, if whoever had taken him had managed to subdue him with little fuss then Aramis's wouldn't have been able to make it easier for them to get him as well unless he followed them to wherever they were being held.

"Aramis!" he called, his voice echoing off of the walls of his makeshift cell and with every second that passed without a response the musketeer felt his hope fade and his worry grow.

A thought hit him then…Athos! The swordsman had left Porthos to put their brother to bed to seek out some food for the trio, knowing not only would it be a long night for both himself and Porthos but it would do their brother a world of good to have something to soak up the impressive amount of alcohol he had consumed when he inevitably woke up.

"Athos!" he called, though he knew that he was alone in the room when no one had answered his first call. He had no idea if Athos had been taken along with them but he hoped not. Word had been sent to Treville about their stay at the tavern so without Athos to report their capture the chances of a quick rescue diminished to almost nonexistent levels.

Right, huffed Porthos as he felt the pain in his head begin to dull. So I'll get myself out of here… best start with figuring out how to get out of this room.

As it turned out Porthos wasn't the only person in that current mindset as down in the basement a furious Athos was testing the strengths of his restraints.

He was angry with himself for getting overpowered by just one man but he couldn't stop the smirk settling on his face whenever he caught a glimpse of the deep bruising and swelling that he had left on the man's face.

Unlike Porthos, Athos had managed to fight back his attacker and this had apparently warranted him a tighter watch as now the man he had fought was sat on the stairs leading out of the basement, watching his movements as he taunted the swordsman with food and water, something the man was now deeply craving.

Athos was sure that if he could just get himself free that he could overpower the man. He knew he had let himself be distracted by Aramis's condition as well as the situation with D'Artagnan back at the garrison and it had left him underestimating his opponent, allowing the man to get the better of him and not only knock him out but leave him with several wounds he was sure he never would have earned had he been thinking clearly.

"Don't you wanna know why you're here?" asked his guard, sounding curious as to why the swordsman hadn't asked before. The man had been glad to get the assignment, figuring it would give him time to get his own back for the bruising and other injuries he had received. Only his boss had forbidden him to lay a finger on him until further notice so he had hoped the man might have tried something and then he would have been justified in his retaliation.

Sending the man a bored look Athos shrugged, his hands subconsciously moving to massage the skin about his injured knee. "Would you actually tell me?" he asked, his voice sounding as bored as his expression.

"Nope," smirked the man, though it faltered when Athos sent him a knowing look.

"Then what would be the point of asking," he retorted, sending his guard a smirk of his own.

The guard wasn't impressed with his snark, Athos could tell it was taking everything the man had not to punch him and for some reason that only made the swordsman's smirk widen. So he's been told not to hurt me, mused Athos as he turned his mind back to the situation at hand. If they've extended the same rule to Porthos and Aramis then we might just stand a chance.

Opening his eyes Aramis couldn't stop the groan that escaped him as his stomach churned and it felt like a blacksmith was hammering at his forge in his head.

After a few minutes the musketeer finally felt safe enough to roll from his side onto his back, his mind not registering he was not on a bed but instead a wooden floor.

Instead his mind was full of thoughts of his brother and the reason he had drunk himself to such extremes in the first place. Part of him understood how and why D'Artagnan was acting like he was as he himself had acted a similar way after Savoy, especially after he hand injured Porthos but the other part of him hated that his little brother couldn't even look at him anymore and anytime he did there was such an extreme sadness and guilt in the younger man's eyes that it took Aramis's breath away.

He hated that he was the reason D'Artagnan was keeping their other brothers at arms length and why both Porthos and Athos had such hurt expressions whenever their attempts to connect to the younger man failed or were rebuffed.

Thinking of the situation with his brothers brought a wave of tears to his eyes and it was when he moved to wipe his arms that the medic finally noticed the shackles on his wrists.

"W-What?" he murmured, his speech still slightly slurred thanks to the alcohol, as he took in the metal around his wrists.

Panic filled the musketeer as he forced himself to sit up, hissing as both his healing wound and nauseated stomach protested against the movement. Blinking away the last of the drunken sleep from his eyes the medic began to take in the room around him, his worry and panic only growing when he noted the room was completely empty aside from himself being in there.

"Well this doesn't bode well," murmured the man as he turned his attention to his restraints, glaring when he realized he had been stripped down to just his tunic and breeches, meaning he had nothing on him that could be used to pick the lock on his restraints.

He was just about to attempt standing, intending to test his luck with either the door or the tiny window, when the sound of approaching footsteps put him on edge.

Not wanting to be at a disadvantage when whoever was approaching entered the room the medic forced his protesting body to his feet, clumsily assuming a defensive stance with a glare aimed at the door, the glare only intensifying as the door opened and two familiar figures entered.

"Hello Aramis."