Evening My Lovelies :)
I'm quite liking this chapter... well at least more than I did yesterdays... Though you may all hate me for the ending, just a warning :D
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - Hehe Glad you liked it, it was my favourite line in the chapter :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yay I'm really happy you liked it, I was really worried what people would think of it because of all the trouble it gave me... Though I will admit I did like writing their argument. Glad you loved it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - Just a little bit... He'll be making amends for it soon though. Enjoy the new chapter! x
A reader (Guest): Thanks for the review - Welcome back :D I'm so happy my chapters could give you an escape and that you loved them :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
pain in the mikta: Thanks for the review - Ha, glad you approve :D I was going to have the goodbye speech come up as a tender D'Art/Athos moment but I just couldnt resist giving our boys some more drama. The Angst-O-Meter might be twitching again today... but you'll be needing the hate-o-meter for tomorrow so I hope it's arrived :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
watlocked: Thanks for the reviews - (Chapter45) Figured sleeping beauty cant stay sleeping forever lol :) Glad you liked Aramis's interrogation, it was my favourite bit of that chapter :D (Chapter46) Hahaha Yep Daddy's mad at his troublesome children :D I'm really glad you think I wrote it well as to how they would handle and reaction to emotions, I was a bit worried people might yell at me for how I had Athos react. Writers block seemed to be gone today *crosses fingers* hopefully that'll be the end of it now. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Helensg: Thanks for the review - Hmmm I don't know why Athos acts that way... possibly because of Thomas and Milady? Either way it makes for enjoyable writing and we get to 'Aww' at him whilst also wanting to smack him for being so stupid lol. There's not much Aramis can really do with Athos's injuries other than keeping an eye on them and whilst he hasn't forgotten about his own he's not taking it as easy as he should. As for how much I have left of this... I honestly have no idea, I don't want it to end either but we'll have to see what ideas for it come to me... I will let you all know though when we're close to the end i.e. a few chapters away. Enjoy the new chapter! x
AmazingWriter123: Thanks for the reviews - Glad you're enjoying it :) Overprotective Aramis is cute, though I can imagine quite annoying for whoever is the patient lol. Angry Athos is a lot of fun to write and sleepy D'Art's just too cute of an image to not include every once in a while. Treville... Well he's the daddy of the group lol XD As for how I update so fast... I basically have no life :D , which is fine for me as this is fun, plus I get to read the great comments from people like you which make it all worth it :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - Physically Athos's outburst hasnt really done much to set things back... emotionally & mentally though? that's another issue altogether. I loved writing angry Athos and it was even better this time as I got to write everyone being angry as well, Athos is feeling quite guilty for how he snapped at the boy though. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Glad you're feeling better :) x Athos was just one big bundle of confused emotions yesterday... He wanted to be comforting but he was also pissed, worried and feeling guilty which for him was not a good combination... I really enjoyed writing his outburst and subsequent argument though. We'll be addressing the scar bit a little today as well which is mainly thanks to your review... I was struggling to decide how to move on passed a particular bit of conversation and then your review came through to my email and I had my answer :D so thanks for that :) D'Art/Athos's talk may have to wait a while once you see what happens at the end of today. Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks to you lovely people who follow/favourite/review/read this story. Love you all!
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Forty-Seven: Consequences Of Words Spoken In Anger
In the days that followed Athos's and D'Artagnan's argument a tense atmosphere had settled between the four men.
Aramis was angry at Athos for going off on the injured man as he had because as soon as Porthos had dragged Athos out of the room, D'Artagnan had tried to get up and follow them, to talk to Athos and in doing so had aggravated his injury enough that it actually caused him to pass out.
Since that day the medic was extremely watchful over the young man and was even inclined to give him a mild sleeping draught mixed in with his pain medication whenever he looked to getting antsy.
Aramis was also worried about Athos, he knew that the words that had been spoken were weighing heavily on his brother, that he spoke them out of guilt for putting D'Artagnan in the position to be injured in the first place. Aramis could see the wish to reconcile with the boy burning heavily in his friend's eyes, only both men were being quite stubborn about the whole situation.
Porthos on the other had was frustrated with the whole situation, whilst Aramis had duties that could keep him busy enough that he didn't have to think about what was going on between them, Porthos had no such thing.
Instead he had taken to spending a fair amount of his time with Thierry who was recovering speedily despite the seriousness of his injury. The two had ended up having a serious sit down to discuss the guilt Porthos was feeling over the man's injury, during which Thierry had smacked him for even thinking that he blamed him and that they were both at fault for not noticing the attack sooner.
Once the air between them was cleared it gave the larger man the confidence and desire to see the same thing to happen between his brothers. Only both men were equally stubborn and the list of reasons Athos gave for not speaking to D'Artagnan, despite his obvious desire to, were enough to make Porthos want to punch a wall.
Athos was torn on what to do, when Porthos had finally let him back into the infirmary after his and D'Artagnan's argument his heart had stopped when Aramis had actually punched him in the jaw before yelling at him for pushing D'Artagnan to the point when he pushed himself too far and passed out.
He had felt physically sick at the notion that his actions had put D'Artagnan's recovery at risk and he longed to set things right but it had taken hours for D'Artagnan to wake again after that and by that point both his other brothers had taken up watch over the boy, both of them actually stating they weren't going to leave him alone with the boy until they were sure he wasn't going to go off on one again and injure the boy further.
That had hurt, more than perhaps he was willing to admit but did little to erase the stubborn part of his mind that remained adamant that what he told D'Artagnan was the truth, that the boy had no place taking the hit meant for him.
But the more time that passed the more the swordsman missed the boy and the more he realized that he didn't really have the right to be angry at the boy when, like Porthos had said, he would have done the exact same thing if the positions had been reversed. Hell that had been why he had followed D'Artagnan when he ran off after Ortiz in the first place.
D'Artagnan on the other hand, he was worrying the musketeers. After waking from the argument with Athos the boy had retreated back into himself, much like he had been after they returned from Lupiac.
He refused to talk to any of them aside from Aramis and even then it was only ever to answer questions regarding how he was feeling that couldn't be answered with a nod, shake or shrug. He had even stopped looking them in the eye and made an extra attempt to shrink into himself whenever Athos was around, which broke the musketeer's heart to see.
Whilst both Porthos and Aramis had tried to coax him into talking to them D'Artagnan's mind was still stuck on the fact that Athos hadn't answered the question the Gascon asked him during their argument – that Athos wouldn't have done the same thing if the positions were reversed.
The fact that he hadn't answered it told D'Artagnan that, had their positions been reversed that Athos would have left him to take the hit and the boy was now struggling with the resurging guilt and doubt of his place among the musketeers because of it… After all if Athos, a man who's supposed to be his brother, wouldn't take a hit for him then what gave him the right to ask it of any of the other musketeers.
During the hours he was awake, or feigning sleep – something he had gotten quite good at and did more often then he probably should – D'Artagnan's mind constantly went back and forth between the things Ortiz had said and insinuated to him during his interrogation and to the things Athos and his brothers had said to him when they found him at his father's grave.
Occasionally these thoughts would become too much for the troubled young man and he would try to move, to leave. Only Aramis seemed to have a sixth sense for that sort of thing and was always there to stop him as soon as he tried and to give him a draught for the inevitable pain his attempt at moving caused.
After the fourth day of their new situation both Aramis and Porthos had had enough and in a carefully planned out maneuver that even Treville would have been proud of, the two musketeers managed to corner their leader and friend and drag him into an empty room.
Looking at his brothers' with a raised eyebrow Athos said dryly, "A closet?"
It took a couple of moments for the pair to realize that despite their impressive planning up till that point, they hadn't really paid all that much attention to where they had dragged him off to and had somehow ended up in the infirmary's supply closet.
"Not the point," waved Aramis, perching himself on the side of a table to take the pressure off of his injured leg.
"Then," stated Athos with a slight glare, "pray tell what is the point?"
"D'Artagnan." The two musketeers stated as one, watching Athos's reaction to the name with interest, it seemed that guilt was the main emotion being drawn up whenever their brother's name was mentioned.
"What about him?" Athos asked defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.
Porthos snorted, "What aint wrong with the whelp would be a more accurate question."
At Athos raised eyebrow Aramis continued, hoping that his friend would put aside his pride and stubbornness for one moment so he could see the truth in their words.
"He's falling apart Athos," he said imploringly
"You said his health was improving," Athos stated, though the slight worry in his voice gave the two men hope.
"Physically his wound is healing as it should yes," nodded Aramis
"So what is the trouble?"
"The trouble," said the medic through gritted teeth at how awkward his brother was being. "Is that he's not talking to us again, he wont look at us and it's even gotten to the point that he's faking being asleep!" the medic exclaimed, throwing his arms up in frustration.
Athos's eyes widened slightly, he had noticed this all of course but hearing it said to you was another thing, "he talks to you," Athos said weakly
"Only because 'e knows 'Mis wont let him get away with nods when asking about his health," stated Porthos as he nodded to their Spanish friend who merely shrugged and nodded his agreement.
"You didn't answer it Athos," Aramis said softly a few moments later, the pain in his eyes speaking volumes of how much he hated the situation the small group had once again found themselves in.
"Answer what?" Athos asked sounding genuinely confused.
"That you wouldn't do the same if the positions were reversed." Stated the medic with a sad look on his face
"Because the answer should be obvious," said Athos, looking slightly surprised that Aramis would doubt that he would hesitate for a second before jumping in front of a blade to save his brothers.
"To us," Porthos said gesturing to himself and Aramis, "Course it is."
"But," said Aramis softly, "to the young boy who had barely accepted the fact that we didn't hate or blame him?"
"Crap," swore Athos as he realize what his lack on answer would have said to the young man who had barely recovered from what Ortiz mentally put him through.
"That plus the fact that you're too stubborn to admit why you acted the way you did… Oh don't look at me that way you know you're being irrational here," chided Aramis before sending his brother a soft smile, "As I said, that coupled with your stubbornness is hurting the boy more than any wound Ortiz could have given him."
"Or did you not mean it when you said D'Artagnan should associate the scar with shame?" Porthos asked with a knowing look that quickly turned to a smirk at Athos's immediate and passionate response.
"Of course I meant it!" he snapped, staring angrily at his brothers for a few moments before visibly sagging, his head dropping to his chest as he struggled to find the words.
"I-" he stuttered, feeling his heart clench and a lump forming in his throat as he tried to speak. He tried to look at his brothers but didn't feel he deserved the sympathy he saw burning in their eyes and instead decided to focus on the floor while he spoke.
"I-I lost Thomas… I wasn't good enough to save him. He tried to protect me from the pain of Anne's betrayal and I lost him… I-I needed protecting and the little brother, who I was supposed to protect, died in a puddle of blood… And … And then…"
Aramis sighed softly, moving to place a hand on Athos's shoulder, "Then D'Artagnan jumped in front of a blade to protect you and nearly bled out in your arms."
Athos shuddered at the memory but gave Aramis a jerky nod in response.
"I-It was like Thomas all over again," he whispered brokenly. His head shot up in surprise as both Aramis and Porthos gathered him up into a hug, each of them knowing how painful it was for Athos to even say Thomas's name, let alone discuss how he died.
"You need to tell the whelp this," said Porthos gently but with a firmness that brokered no arguments.
Seeing the helpless look in Athos's eyes, Aramis cupped the man's face with his hands. "He'll understand," he said softly, "At the moment he's in pain as he thinks you hate him." Aramis hated the pain he saw in his brother's eyes at that, but it gave him hope as well. "Once he understands why you reacted the way you did, he'll forgive you and you can both heal."
It took a few moments for Athos to gather himself but once he had he gave both his brothers a small smile and nodded his agreement to talk, properly, to D'Artagnan.
Having received his agreement Aramis and Porthos finally let him exit the closet.
He had decided that despite how difficult the talk would be for him, it needed to happen sooner or later so the three of them headed down the corridor to D'Artagnan's room, Aramis and Porthos wanting to check on the boy once more before leaving them to chat.
They had just entered D'Artagnan's room, the boy actually sleeping this time and not faking, when a disheveled and alarmingly bloody Etienne raced into the room.
"ARAMIS!" he cried, almost collapsing against the doorframe as he struggled to regain his breath.
"Etienne? Bloody hell what happened to you?" Aramis asked, instantly going into medic-mode as he began checking the man over for wounds, most of which needed little work other than a good clean, only one or two needed stitches and none were overly serious.
"It's the Captain!" wheezed the musketeer, batting away the medic's hands as he said the words that drained all colour from their faces, "H-He's been shot!"