Evening My Lovelies

OMG We've reached chapter 60! When I started this story I was thinking that, at most, it would probably reach about 40 chapters, now look at it :D

Though that being said I feel I should warn you that we are very near the end of this story. I really don't want to end it but I'm not entirely sure how I can keep it going. Obviously if I come up with an idea to push the story along a bit more I'll do it but just giving you all a heads up that we are nearing the end. :(

Notes On Reviews:

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Hmmm that does seem to be the general consensus (which was what I was hoping for :D ) Ortiz will be meeting his end very very soon. I was going to have D'Art use the bucket that's full of his vomit as a weapon to knock Claude out but the book idea appealed to me more, though I do agree that it would be sacrilege to actually use them in such a manner. The musketeers are going to have a bit of trouble getting our boy's out which is not going to be good for our boys I can promise that :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Tidia: Thanks for the review - D'Art just needed to prove to himself that he could do it without any help so he's got a bit more of his confidence back now :) Porthos and Athos are in a bit of trouble but help is coming... slowly. Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Teddy2104: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked the action, the book idea seems to have gone down rather well so I'm quite pleased :) Unfortunately Kingy can't stay asleep for the rest of the story. Hahaha I've had a bit of an evil moment with Porthos as you'll see today :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

A reader (Guest): Thanks for the review - Glad you enjoyed it. I LOVED writing Aramis being in charge, even if he's getting pretty stressed. D'Art's fight was fun to write and now he's got a bit of his usual confidence back which is good :) Your heart may be staying in your throat I'm afraid :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

pain in the mikta: Thanks for the review - You may be continuing to mumble about my cliffies after today so, sorry about that but I can't help it, I just love reading everyones reactions after a cliffie. Hmmm I quite like the idea of D'Art getting in on Ortiz's death, I'll have to see if I can work out a way for that to happen as I think it'll help him move passed it all and add to the progress he made after knocking Claude out with the book. Things might be getting a bit worse for our trapped boys now as well. Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - D'Art's fight was interesting to write but I'm pleased everyone seems to have enjoyed it. Thankfully now, having done so, D'Artagnan's getting his confidence back a bit so he's on his way to being back to normal :) I'm thinking we'll probably be seeing a nightmare in tomorrow's chapter. I LOVED writing Aramis yesterday :D the stress and worry of everything is getting to him a bit but it means I can write him going off on rants which is always fun to do :) We'll get a glimpse of our trapped boys today... Can't promise it'll be pretty. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Helensg: Thanks for the review - Seems everyone wants our musketeers to handle Ortiz so that's what we'll do :) Our boys are going to be quite injured and VERY bruised when this is all over but Aramis will look after them :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I had forgotten that Thierry would still be recovering in the infirmary when I started writing the fight scene and figured that he would, at the very least, come to investigate the shouting and sounds of a struggle but I also really wanted D'Art to be the one to deal with Claude as I felt he needed to do that to move passed his insecurities so Thierry had to stay out of it. On the plus side, now D'Art's got a bit of his confidence back :) I LOVED writing Aramis yesterday. He's so stressed and worried so it's pretty much pushed him passed the point of caring about his wording. If someone annoys him i.e. Treville trying to move, then they're going to hear about it lol. D'Art's gonna experience a bit of that today as well :) Athos is kinda tying with Porthos as to who's in the worse condition. Let's just say they're gonna need help very soon! Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Sixty: Crushed & Buried I

"D'Artagnan!" called Thierry in concern as the boy started attempting to get his boots on, despite the pain that bending ignited in his chest. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"A…Ath…Athos… Pal… Palace." Croaked the Gascon, wincing at both the sound of his voice and how difficult and painful it was to get the words out.

"You heard then," sighed Thierry knowing that it was now going to be pretty much impossible to keep the boy away.

D'Artagnan didn't say anything in response, merely pointing at the unconscious form of Claude before returning to his task of getting his shoes on.

"Aramis, Porthos and everyone else are already there, you need to rest," pleaded Thierry, though he could tell his words were being ignored so once D'Artagnan walked out of the room he sighed and followed him, there was no way he was going to let him go out there alone in his condition.

"How bad is it?" Aramis asked, his expressionless mask back on as he observed the first group of musketeers who had been investigating the collapse.

"Bad," panted one of the men before nodding in thanks as the medic passed him a canteen. "It's really unstable so we're going to have to move slowly or we risk bringing even more of it down."

Aramis nodded, "Do what you can, I want hourly updates and informing as soon as any information relating to Athos or Porthos comes in."

"Sir!" nodded the men before turning to head back inside.

"Spoken like a leader," smiled Treville weakly.

"Well someone has to be when you and Athos insist on getting yourselves into these sorts of situations." Scowled the medic

"In Athos's defense, I ordered him to come… Besides you cleared him for duty," Treville reminded him.

"Light duty," retorted the marksman, "chasing our elusive Spaniard through a blown up palace before getting himself caught in a collapse does not fall under the category of light duty."

Treville was about to say something back when he noticed two figures making their way towards them.

"Looks like you'll have someone else to rant at in a minute," smirked Treville, though his eyes were concerned as he picked up on the fresh damage sustained by one of the figures.

"What?" asked Aramis tiredly, turning to face the approaching figures when the Captain nodded weakly in their direction.

"D'Artagnan!" exclaimed the medic in equal parts horror and frustration as he waited for the boy to approach them.

"I'm so sorry Aramis," apologized Thierry when they were close enough, "he couldn't be dissuaded."

"What the hell happened to you!?" exclaimed the medic as he took note of the bruises and swelling beginning to show on the young Gascon's face.

"Claude," Thierry answered for him when it became apparent that D'Artagnan was distracted by the situation surrounding them.

"WHAT!?" growled both Aramis and Treville.

"He snuck into D'Artagnan's room after getting blind drunk and attacked the boy," sending the Spaniard a significant look he added, "D'Artagnan took care of him though."

Despite the situation Aramis couldn't help the small proud smile that lit his face at Thierry's words.

"Where is he now?" Treville growled, placing his hands underneath him in an effort to get up.

"I told you not to move!" snapped the medic as he gently forced the Captain back down again, "I wont have you undoing all my hard work to save your life."

Looking thoroughly amused by the sight of the Captain being scolded like a small child Thierry answered, "He's under guard at the garrison. D'Artagnan knocked him out and now he awaits punishment."

"We'll handle it after all this," sighed Treville

For the next couple of moments they allowed the news of Claude's betrayal to sink in while Aramis did a visual assessment of D'Artagnan, who had been staring at the ruined palace with a horrified expression.

A dark look passed over the medic's face as he noticed something. Using Thierry as leverage, he pushed himself up onto his feet. Grabbing the surprised Gascon's hand Aramis pulled the boy closer to him, using his other hand he tilted the boy's chin skyward so he could observe the dark bruises marring the skin around his baby brother's throat.

"He… He tried to … to strangle you?" asked the medic, his words faltering as anger and worry raged for dominance within him.

Aramis's words pushed past the surprise and panic the Gascon was feeling and after softening his expression the young man placed his unbroken hand on the medic's shoulder while his broken one moved to lightly cup his brother's face.

"I…I'm f…fine" he croaked, hating that he couldn't sound more believable with that, especially after he saw Aramis flinch at the sound of his voice.

Deciding to attempt to rid his brother of his uncharacteristically serious expression D'Artagnan added, "G…got 'im w…with 'Thos's book" smiling when he heard Aramis's snort of amusement.

"Thing of beauty it was too," added Thierry, eyes alight with amusement at the memory, "One good swing and Claude's out."

"I'm sure Athos will be please to know you put his gift to good use," mused the medic before his face fell as remembered the situation they were in.

"W-Where … is he?" croaked D'Artagnan, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on edge as he saw the devastated look on Aramis's face.

"…'Mis," he called, his voice uncharacteristically small, though it did get the medic's attention, "…Is he?"

Aramis's expression quickly turned to one of fierce determination. "No!" he exclaimed, "He's alive… they both are."

"PORTHOS!" called Athos again, coughing harshly as the dust irritated his throat.

He had tried to move the debris slowly crushing him but he didn't have the strength. The explosion had injured him more than he had let on to either Ortiz or Porthos and that coupled with the fight had left the swordsman with very little in the way of strength.

A groan of pain from his side instantly pulled the swordsman from his thoughts.

"PORTHOS!" he called again, audibly sighing in relief as he finally got a response.

"…'Thos?" croaked Porthos, a small whine of pain escaping the larger man as stab of pain went through his head.

"You okay?" Athos asked, keeping his voice quiet so as to not aggravate the headache he was sure his brother was sporting.

"Mmm" grunted the larger man, his head in his hands as he tried to breath through the pain in his head.

It took a few minutes but eventually the stabbing pain had retreated back to a dull ache and Porthos was finally able to move and actually open his eyes, which widened in shock and panic at the sight of Athos trapped underneath the rubble.

"'THOS!"

"I'm fine," nodded the swordsman, turning his head to check on the status of the Spaniard, not wanting to be caught unawares by him again, especially in this condition.

"FINE!?" roared his brother in disbelief, "You're half buried!"

"Something's acting as leverage to stop it from crushing me," explained Athos, needing to keep his mind focus of facts to stop it from giving into the panic of being crushed. "Don't know how long it will hold though," he admitted quietly, eyes glaring at the rubble as if he could move it with his mind.

"You can't shift it at all?" Porthos asked worriedly, only just noticing the paleness of his brother's skin.

"…No" admitted the swordsman with obvious annoyance. "I can't really feel my left hand and it's too heavy to move with one."

Porthos sucked in a breath at Athos's words, hating what they could potentially mean for the man. He hoped the loss of feeling was just due to the compression on the limb but he couldn't help but worry it was a sign of something more serious.

"Hang on," Porthos said, bracing himself for the pain in his head to return as he went to move.

Only he was not prepared for the pain that shot through his abdomen and so screamed out in agony.

"PORTHOS!?" cried Athos is worry, unable to see what was causing his brother such pain as the man had curled in on himself and he hated that he couldn't be by his brother's side to help him.

"Aramis!" called a voice, pulling the medic's attention from where he had been filling D'Artagnan and Thierry in on what happened.

Despite his annoyance at the Gascon's refusal to rest back at the garrison, he had to admit it was doing him a great deal of good to have at least one of his brothers beside him, alive and somewhat well.

He had hated leaving the garrison without informing the Gascon what was going on, Athos was his brother as well after all and the fact that the boy practically worshiped the ex-noble was not unknown to the entire regiment. He couldn't help but worry if the boy hated him for keeping such information from him but neither he nor Porthos wanted D'Artagnan to put himself in danger as they both knew, the second the Gascon knew Athos was in trouble that he would not wait a moment before trying to do anything to help.

"Pierre?" nodded Aramis, raising a questioning eyebrow at the man who had interrupted their conversation. He knew the man had be one of the one who had stayed outside to help tend to the wounded so he wouldn't have any information on his brothers or the situation so it was curious as to why he was seeking him out.

"The King is awake," stated the musketeer, answering the medic's unasked question.

Aramis was about to respond when the man continued.

"He's asking to speak to whoever is in charge of this operation and with Treville injured and Athos… indisposed…"

Aramis nodded, gesturing to the man to lead on before quickly turning back to D'Artagnan.

"You had better be here when I get back," threatened the medic, "I have enough to worry about without adding you and your attempts at being heroic into the mix so."

Despite wanting nothing more than to go charging into the palace to find his brother's D'Artagnan recognized how stressed his other brother was and if staying put eased even a fraction of it then it's what he would do.

Waiting until he got confirmation from the Gascon, Aramis left to go and see the King.

"W…We might have a problem," grunted Porthos several minutes later once the majority of the pain had passed.

"What?" Athos asked, his fear for his brother skyrocketing.

Saying nothing Porthos merely raised his hand from where it had been pressed against his side and Athos's eyes widened at the sight on blood on his hand.