Evening My Lovelies

So we have a few different things going on in today's chapter, hopefully its broken up in a way that makes it easy to follow for all you lovely readers :)

Notes On Reviews:

Deana: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it :) Also thanks for the pm you sent, I had completely forgotten about the head wound until you mentioned it (that's probably a bad thing that I've whumped them all so much I'm losing track of injuries lol) I've briefly mentioned it today and it'll show up a bit more in conversations and stuff tomorrow so thanks again for the reminder! :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

AllForOne (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yay I'm glad you liked it. There's not much in the way of whumpage today but hopefully you'll like it just as much. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Porthos is a superhero :D ... hell if he wears a cloak the right way it could work as a cape :D (I've had some sugar, ignore me) Mwahaha they're suffering under the curse of the evil minded writer :D *cackles* Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Issai: Thanks for the review - Bwahaha glad your inner demon was well sated :D There's not much in the way of whumpage or the like so hopefully your demon can survive on yesterdays chapter for a bit. I feel like i need to let Athos have a rescue moment at some point, poor boy's been left on the sidelines a lot while other people rescue his brothers ... hmmm maybe he can play savior in the plan I have coming up... if he's ankles healed enough by then. I'm loving exploiting the bond between Aramis and Porthos so that little bit was fun to write :) I have a sneaking suspicion that our trouble magnet boys may turn the Captain prematurely grey lol. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Porthos is Rescue Man! *cue superhero pose* ... I've had a fair amount of sugar and not a whole lot of sleep, ignore me :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Yep, definitely cursed. Our lovely inseparables suffer from the curse of having an evil minded writer lol :D Haha I can just see Moreau handing in his notice at the end of this claiming nothing could be done when the patients were so eager and able to get themselves into dangerous situations lol. Hmmm as for Marcel you'll just have to read on :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the reviews - You're back! :D Technically this should be for on a previous chapter but seeing as how I'm far too lazy to head back and add it to them you'll just have to make do with them here. Thanks for the congrats on 600 reviews and Porthos is definitely enjoying being a mother-hen. Hopefully you'll get caught up on the rest of the chapters soon I want to know what you think :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Guest: Thanks for the review - Haha probably because I usually use the down time to decide on the next lovely bit of whumpage :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I'm quite excited for Marcel's proper reappearance, I've decided on my plan for him now and am really excited to see what you all think of it :D It'll be a little bit longer until it comes into effect (not long though) as I need our musky group back in Paris for it. Hmmm I agree, it was probably the closest they've actually come to death. It was quite exhilarating to write so I'm glad it was exhilarating to read :) I was tempted to have Porthos a bit more banged up then he was but figured he probably wouldnt be able to carry Aramis if i did that (not from lack of trying on Porthos's part though) Hehe it was supposed to be Deja vu, adds a little bit more to Athos's panic :) Our boys are definitely cursed with the evil writer and whump-loving fangirls XD Haha definitely true, they can try and be careful, they can try and stick together but even that won't deter me when whumpage comes to play MWHAHAHA! :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading. You guys are awesome!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Fifty-Three: Day Two IV

Slipping into the busy tavern a cloaked man discreetly moved to the shadows, his eyes searching out the man he had come all this way to see. The location wouldn't have been his preferred meeting point but it was close to their intended destination and was the most likely place to hear gossip that might impact the focus behind their meeting.

Spotting his companion the man moved swiftly, ignoring the inebriated patrons and flirtatious barmaids, slipping into the chair opposite the man.

"Pascal," nodded the cloaked man, his eyes constantly checking out the tavern, not wanting to draw attention to their conversation but also not willing to be caught unawares.

"You really gonna keep that hood up?" enquired Pascal with a slight teasing tone to his voice. "No one in Paris knows what you look like you know."

"Safer this way," stated the cloaked man, his eyes narrowing into slits as a couple of off duty musketeers entered the tavern. "You got my message I take it?"

"Aye," nodded Pascal, "The King's out on some long hunting trip with some nobles who showed up a few days ago, he's taken most of what remained of the regiment with him as guards, only a token force remains at the garrison now."

Underneath the cloak the man smirked. He took the time to lift his mug of ale to his lips before resuming the conversation, already liking the odds of his plan being a success.

"How many are you considering a 'token'?"

Pascal shrugged, "Couple of experienced soldiers and a handful of recruits, not counting the staff that works there like stable-hands."

The cloaked man's eyes narrowed at the annoyance he heard in Pascal's voice, "Problems?"

"Just a nosey kid," huffed Pascal, "He works in the stables and has spotted me several times."

Pascal's companion cursed, "Did he tell Treville?"

"Be stupid not to."

The cloaked man was silent for a few minutes, internally debating whether this new piece of information changed any of his plans. Coming to a decision he placed his mug back on the table and looked up at his companion.

"Treville's had more important things to worry about as of late, chances are he dismissed the threat you might have placed once Aramis and that boy he had with him returned to the garrison."

"So it doesn't change anything?" Pascal asked, a slight hesitation in his voice, as he really did not want to anger him further.

"No, we can still work with the plan, we'll just have to be extra careful when we move."

"Good," grinned Pascal, downing what was left of his drink before signaling the barmaid for another. "Now," he smirked, leaning forward on his elbows, "You want to tell me why you decided to change the plan?"

MUSKETEER CAMP

Treville was just finishing up checking on a still unconscious Aramis once more when he noticed that he wasn't the only one watching the medic.

"For someone who tried to murder him a few days ago, you look very worried," noted the Captain as he moved to sit next to a haggard looking Vivienne, dismissing the men he had assigned on guard duty as he did so.

Vivienne scoffed, tearing her eyes away from where they had indeed been watching Aramis to glare at the now smirking Captain. "I'm not worried."

At her words Treville's smirk grew, "If you're not worried why are you already back watching him?"

Vivienne blinked, not having realized she had let her gaze drift back to her former friend. Forcing herself to adopt an air of nonchalance the young woman shrugged, "Just want to see it with my own eyes when he dies."

Treville's eyes narrowed into a hard glare then though he refused to let his anger dictate his words, knowing that would only give the woman more ammunition in their current situation and because he could tell that despite her harsh words, she honestly was scared for the marksman.

"You shouldn't blame him you know," he settled on saying a few minutes later and instantly Vivienne's attention was completely on him, a cold glare set firmly on her face.

"He murdered my brother!" spat Vivienne, her voice thick with anger and hurt. "Who else should I blame if not the man who pulled the trigger?"

Treville sighed, a small part of him still unsure as to whether this was the right thing to do or not. The rest of him was sure though, before a sentence was decided on back in Paris the Captain had no doubt that Aramis would once again try to talk to her and he refused to let her use the guilt that was eating the musketeer alive to her advantage. Treville hoped, even though it was a small hope, that if he could get Vivienne to see just how the whole ordeal with Marsac had impacted Aramis that she would see some sense.

"Me," he said determinedly, ignoring Vivienne's shocked look, "you blame me."

"You did not shoot my brother," she spat though Treville could tell his words had shaken her.

"Maybe not," he admitted with a small nod, "but I am the reason he changed the way he did and I was the reason he returned to Paris and put Aramis in the position of having to shoot one of his oldest friends."

When Vivienne refused to respond Treville decided to take her silence as permission to continue.

"Do you know why Porthos and Athos fought so hard to get you out of that compound?" he asked casually, watching as a look of confusion settled over her face.

"It wasn't because they're honorable men, they are but that wasn't the reason."

Vivienne shrugged, "I hadn't tried to kill Aramis yet," she mumbled, "He wanted me out."

"True," nodded Treville, "though still not the real, main reason."

"Then what was?" huffed the woman though Treville could hear the hesitant curiosity in her words.

"Because you… the news of you being in danger and needing help, was the first thing since Marsac's death that had managed to pull Aramis's head out of the bottles he was trying to drown himself in."

Vivienne blinked in surprise, when she had known him Aramis had never been a big drinker, sure he'd drink the odd glass or two when he went out with her brother or with his other friends but she had never, in all the years she had known him, seen him messed up enough that he had tried to drink it all away.

Treville noticed her expression and continued his speech, "Savoy… broke Aramis," he sighed sadly, guilt filling him as he remembered the condition of the marksman after the massacre. "He refused to talk, to sleep, to eat. It got so bad at one point two people had to hold him down while the another force fed food down his throat as he didn't want to live anymore."

Vivienne appeared rattled by his words, though she did her best to hide it from the musketeer Captain, "What does that have to do with me?" she asked, her earlier anger beginning to fade from her voice as a pained tone took its place.

"When Marsac returned to Paris I know Athos and the others worried for Aramis. As the only other survivor of the massacre Marsac was the only one who could ever truly bring back the horrors of those days to Aramis, who had never fully been able to put the memories behind him… He didn't hesitate you know, all Marsac had to do was to ask for help and Aramis put not only his but his brothers and D'Artagnan's lives and careers in jeopardy to help. The only time Aramis refused Marsac anything was when your brother tried to kill me. Aramis acted on a need to protect his comrade from a threat, both you and your brother acted in anger."

"Justified anger!" spat Vivienne; though his words did seem to be making her think back to the conversation she and Aramis had shared on a similar line.

Treville ignored her words, knowing that she was right in a sense; her anger towards the person who killed her brother was justified, just misplaced.

"Had you managed to kill Athos with your shot," stated Treville, his voice cold and hard, "we wouldn't even be having this conversation. If that misplaced anger of yours had stolen the life of any of my men your fate would be sealed and the moment we returned to Paris you would be taken away to await your execution."

Vivienne paled, clearly not having thought of that, though she impressively showed nothing of her fear beyond that. "So why are we having this conversation?"

"We are talking," sighed Treville as he spared a glance over to his men, "because none of my men died at your hand and the only person who could try to convince me not to push for your execution is the very person who's guilt I have no doubt you would use to your advantage."

Vivienne scoffed, "he doesn't care about me."

Treville sighed, clearly he wasn't going to get through to her, "think what you will," he said sadly as he rose to his feet, signaling the guards to resume their posts. "But know that while Aramis might be compassionate, I will not be should you betray him again."

Athos sent Treville a curious look when he spotted the Captain walking away from a clearly unsettled Vivienne. Treville offered nothing in explanation, merely nodding sharply at his lieutenant as he headed to the edge of camp to calm down.

The swordsman was debating following, not having liked the look on his Captain's face and he most likely would have had he not had a broken ankle that was sending pulses of near agonizing pain through his body whenever he so much as twitched as well as a sleeping Gascon pup tucked up tight against his side.

As if thinking of him spurred him awake, D'Artagnan began to stir next to him, a small pained whimper escaping him before he could stop it, the boy instantly pulling his injured arm closer to his chest.

"Breathe D'Artagnan," soothed Athos as he gently rubbed the top of his protégé's arm.

Clearly too pain and sleep addled to really comprehend his current position D'Artagnan did as he was told and scrunched his eyes shut as he tried to breathe through the pain in his arm.

"Better?" Athos asked minutes later, having felt the boy's frame lose some of its tension in his arm.

D'Artagnan nodded slowly before freezing as he realized his head was nestled against Athos's shoulder and that the rest of him was curled up tightly against his mentor. A squeak of surprise escaped him before he could stop it and that, plus the amused look Athos sent his way, was enough for his entire face to burn bright red in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry Athos," stammered the boy, his voice still painfully raw and hoarse though it didn't seem to bother the Gascon as much as his embarrassment did. Continuing to mumble out apologies D'Artagnan worked to slowly untangle himself from Athos's side, sure that his mentor wasn't really appreciating the cuddly side of him that seemed to have come out of late.

"What are you doing?" Athos asked curiously a few moments later, a hint of amusement clear in his voice as he watched D'Artagnan's less than subtle attempts to move.

D'Artagnan's face burns red again, "I … erh…" in the end he simple settles for gesturing at the pair of them and the position they were in.

Athos quirked an eyebrow, his lips tugging upwards into a small half smile, "Issac's on cooking duty tonight, food should be ready in about an hour, get some more rest until then."

"B-But…"

Huffing out a cross between a sigh and a laugh Athos tightened his grip on the boy's shoulder and lightly pulled him back down into the position he had been in before. "It's fine. Just rest."

Porthos watched the exchange by his spot next to Aramis with a small smile of his own. He was pleased that the Gascon seemed okay, apart from some pain in his arm, after his fall the day before, though that bit of news could not improve his mood. Nothing would, not until Aramis woke up again.

A little after Treville had gone to Vivienne's side the larger musketeer had noticed a trail of blood slowly making its way down Aramis's face. In a blind panic Porthos had all but dragged Moreau over to examine it. Fear and guilt building up within him as he cursed himself for not having checked for a head wound when he first pulled his brother from the water.

Moreau had stated that the coldness of the water had helped slow the appearance of the now blossoming bruise on the sharpshooters face and that the water had washed away the original blood on his face, explaining why the injury had not been noticed before.

The doctor had expressed his concerns for the wound but stated that the fact Aramis had been conscious, even briefly, before was a good thing and that all they could do for now was to monitor it like the rest of him. Moreau had also decided that they would need to try to wake him up soon to check on the injury and the pair agreed that they would let the musketeer rest until the food was ready before attempting to both wake and get food into him.

For now Porthos's only concern was warming up his beloved friend, the musketeer had debated laying beside him and adding his own body heat to the growing assortment of things that had been provided for the task, but he found himself unwilling to lay down in case he needed to rush for the doctor any time soon. Instead he settled on sitting by Aramis's head, letting one of his hands run through the medic's damp hair while his other wrapped around his chest in an attempt to alleviate his own pain.