Evening My Lovelies

We're finally at the rescue! This is going to be split over a few chapters so hopefully you'll all enjoy it. We've got a fair bit of drama and pain coming the muskys way so yay for that :)

Notes On Reviews:

FierGascon: Thanks for the review - *Waits for frothing to stop before passing a towel, patting head and handing over new chapter* :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Deana: Thanks for the review - I think the entire regiment is just going to sleep for like a week once this is all over and done with. Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - I'm glad you're looking forward to it, it'll probably be a chapter or two later then I was originally planning but it is coming soon :) Thanks for the well wishes :) So far it seems to be holding *crosses fingers* Gotta love protective Porthos :D He's coming out a tiny bit today as well. You'll be pleased to see D'Art today I think as he's awake... briefly, though he's not exactly in any sort of condition to be mouthing off to anyone unfortunately. Enjoy the new chapter! x

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Yeah I think, had he not done this, then there would be a chance for Marcel to seek redemption but it's unfortunately a bit too late for him now. Athos is pretty high strung at the moment but I think once Porthos and the others are safe he'll seek out Treville to apologize and forgive. Hmmm I have something nasty planned for one of the goons, could say it was that goon in particular if you want :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I figured it'd be one you were writing :) But yeah that was the story I was thinking of as well :D I've read a bunch of your stuff on archive (they're really good and addictive btw) I think that as much as he hated having to wait to leave, Aramis will be grateful for being made to stock up on supplies once they find the missing men. Yep pup's not dead, though that's probably because he's too damn stubborn to do so lol. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - As a thanks for the lovely review that helped me feel a bit better the other day we're getting to see a bit of D'Art today. I'm still not saying what's happened to him but he's actually appearing properly for a little bit so hopefully you'll like it :) I have a plan with regards to Porthos's restraints and Aramis & Athos finding them, judging by your comment, providing I can write it properly, you shouldnt be disappointed so stay tuned for that in a chapter or two :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - Hmm Glad you're not against them as my evil mind decided to come out to play a bit today :) Athos and Aramis are a bit calmer today as they're actually moving a head and doing something. Athos and Treville will be having a moment in a later chapter once our boys have been rescued where they can apologize and forgive, should be a cute conversation (hopefully) :) Thanks for the well wishes, I'm doing better today :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Porthos will get free but will it be in time to prevent anything else from happening? Athos & Aramis are a little calmer now as they have a target and a plan but they're still pretty pissed. Marcel has a shred of humanity left within him it seems, too late for him to actually be redeemed but it was nice to show regardless. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Helensg: Thanks for the review - Thanks for the well wishes, hopefully this was worth the wait :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the review - *Blinks* wow, really feeling the love there lol They're definitely walking into a trap, a bit of it you'll see today and unfortunately I've been quite mean to poor little D'Art so he's in a really bad way right now. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Athos is a little less impatient today as he has a target and a plan now so he can focus on that. I really like the whole head over heart thing too and love including it whenever I can, I think it'll probably be brought up again in a later chapter, I have a conversation in mind where it could work quite well in :) Aramis is going to be grateful for those supplies very soon that's for sure. Haha Yeah Aramis is going to be full on medic mode so I'd best get our other muskys ready for a really rude and snappish medic. We're going to see a bit more of D'Art today, I'm still not going to say what I've done to him but he's appearing a bit more. There's a part of Marcel that still has a bit of humanity and kindness to him which I'm enjoying showing off. It's too late for him to act more than what he has on it but it's something. Porthos is beginning to get free bu will it be in time to prevent anything else from happening? that is the question :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading. Love you all, you guys are awesome!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Rescue I

Corbett watched worriedly as Porthos worked relentlessly to try and get his chains free from the wall. He could tell the man was in a lot more pain then his was letting on and it was becoming increasingly harder to ignore the man's quiet gasps of pain and winces as he pulled on his numerous injuries.

"Why don't you take a break Porthos?" he suggested weakly, knowing that, despite his hope, the musketeer would not agree to his request.

"I'm… Fine…" grunted Porthos as he continued to tug at his restraints. His wrists were now covered in blood from the shackles tearing at his skin but he barely noticed the pain of it in comparison to his other injuries. His dislocated shoulder for one was causing him no end of pain and he knew that if Aramis learnt how his had continued to disregard it then he would be in serious trouble from his friend.

"Porthos," sighed Corbett, a grimace settling on his face as his own injuries throbbed. "You need to rest, you're only worsening your injuries like this."

Porthos ignored his friend's words of warning, his head agreeing with them whilst his heart was all for continuing until he was free, his brothers and Captain were about to walk into a trap to save them, he couldn't just sit around waiting to be rescued like some damsel in distress when that was happening.

For the next few minutes Corbett kept silent as he watched Porthos work, guilt bubbling up within him for even have mentioning the loose restraint. He had hoped, seeing as how it was already loose, that it wouldn't take much to free it but once again it seemed luck was not on their side.

"ARGH!" screamed Porthos as his less injured arm shot to cradle his dislocated shoulder as a particularly furious tug on the restraints from the man had jostled his injury much more then he had been expecting.

"Porthos!" exclaimed Corbett, worry instantly filling him as he tried to push past his own pain to reach his friend.

"D-Don't" hissed Porthos through gritted teeth as he saw Corbett trying to move. He knew the man had several broken ribs, one wrong move before they had been checked and they could do some serious, potentially life-threatening damage.

Gritting his teeth both in pain and in frustration at being unable to do anything Corbett complied with the order and refrained from moving, settling for staring helplessly at his friend instead.

Just when the pain was beginning to dull to what had been a constant, manageable level since receiving the injury a small groan of pain caught the pair's attention.

"…D'Artagnan?" called Corbett hesitantly after noticing that Porthos was still trying to compose himself from the pain in his shoulder.

Unfortunately instead of the verbal response he was after all they got in response was another weak groan of pain.

"Come on whelp," teased Porthos lightly, his voice strained as he tried to hide the pain from his friend. "You've been asleep long enough, time to open them eyes now."

For several long, torturous moments there were nothing but the sound of their own harsh breaths… but then they heard something they had been anxiously waiting for.

"…P'thos?" called D'Artagnan, his voice pitifully weak as he tried, unsuccessfully, to swallow a whimper of pain as his injuries flared.

Breathing a sigh of relief at the sound of the Gascon's voice Porthos couldn't stop the grin on his face. "Aye whelp I'm here."

The wait for D'Artagnan's response was concerning for the musketeers but eventually he did speak, although it did little to calm the musketeer's growing worry for the boy.

"…h'rts," whimpered the Gascon weakly as he tried to lift his head enough to look at his friend.

Porthos couldn't see much through the veil of hair covering the boy's face but what he skin he could see was coated in dried blood, igniting the protective fury in the musketeer once again.

"How bad are you hurt D'Art?" he asked softly, hating that he had no idea what had been done to his friend and hating himself even more for being unconscious when it happened and so unable to protect him. Logically he knew this wasn't his fault but it was hard to push down that anger when he heard his young friend weakly cry in pain.

"…m'tir'd," slurred the boy weakly as his head fell back to the ground, his trademark stubbornness valiantly trying to keep him awake despite his body's demands.

"You need to stay awake D'Art,' stated Porthos with no small amount of panic in his voice, he had no idea whether the boy's exhaustion was because of the pain or because of the blood loss but either way he really didn't want to risk it.

"You listening to me whelp?"

"…mmmm," groaned the Gascon, "…m'wake."

Had the young man not been in such a terrible state Porthos probably would have laughed at how childlike that statement was but right now he was just glad the boy was trying to stay awake. He could tell it was a fight the boy was rapidly losing however and that only grew the panic within in.

"D'Art?" he called after a few moments with no sounds from the man in question.

"…mmm?" came the weak and clearly exhausted reply, though the time it took the Gascon to respond with even that told the musketeers how close he was to passing out again.

"You gotta fight okay whelp? You can't be falling asleep until Aramis gets here to check you over okay?"

"…'Mis?"

Porthos grinned, though his heart clenched as he remembered his other brothers were walking right into a trap. "Yeah, he and 'Thos are on their way here. Just stay awake a little longer okay?"

It was clear that the Gascon desperately wanted to follow the request and remain awake but it seemed his body had different plans as before he could even open his mouth to respond his eyes were once again closing.

"D'ART!"

As the group made its way to the estate Marcel had been spotted at Athos couldn't help but watch his brother warily, both men had been forced into the wagon, under strict orders from Treville to rest as much as possible before they got there.

"You're bleeding," he commented, staring hard at the growing dark stain on the medic's shirt, which up to that point it seemed the man hadn't noticed.

Sighing Athos reached over to their supplies and grabbed a roll of bandages, "Take off the shirt," he ordered.

"We don't have time for this," huffed Aramis as he stubbornly refused to do what was asked. "We'll be there soon."

"I know, that's why I'm not stitching it but you bleeding is the last thing we really need right now so shirt off."

For a moment it seemed like Aramis was going to continue to refuse the order but eventually he let out a long sigh and complied, grumbling under his breath the entire time much to Athos's amusement. The swordsman then made quick work of unwrapping the now sodden bandage that covered the medic's latest wound before re-wrapping it as tight as his diminishing strength would let him.

"Happy now," grumbled Aramis as he shrugged the shirt back over his head, not missing the shrug and nod Athos gave in response.

For the next few minutes the group travelled in silence, each man wrapped up in thoughts of what was going to happen. Before long however they arrived as close as they were willing to take the wagon, wanting to at least try for the element of surprise.

Continuing on foot the group approached the estate; quickly splitting off into two groups once they were close enough, one to tackle the front and one to take the back.

"Remember," said Treville quietly before the groups split, "Porthos, Corbett and D'Artagnan are our priorities. You have the chance to get them out of there you do it, no doubt they need medical attention so get them and leave if you need to."

The men shared a nod at the command before leaving, an anxious feeling brewing inside each and every one of them.

"I don't like this," growled Aramis under his breath as he, Athos and the rest of their group entered the house, "It's too quiet."

"Stay on guard," instructed Treville, more out of habit then the need to actually order his men.

They had barely been in the estate for more than ten minutes when the sound of a pistol shot shattered the tense silence.

The musketeers in the inseparables group froze at the sound, eyes instinctively turning to Treville for instruction. Their instincts as soldiers were screaming at them to investigate the shot, their hearts echoing this as they realized that it was likely one of their own that had been the victim of the shot.

"Sir?" asked one of the men after several moments of nothing from the Captain. Aramis and Athos looked ready to charge off in search of the missing men if something wasn't decided soon.

"Reynard's group can handle it," grimaced Treville as he ignored the part of him that was screaming at him to check on his men, "Our missing brothers need us more right now, especially as that just alerted Marcel to our presence. Keep your eyes open for danger and let's go."

While Treville's group was beginning their search of the property with little trouble, which actually only served to increase their suspicions, Reynard and his group had found trouble almost immediately.

They had made it through the first few rooms without any incidents but when they went to open the door to another room Issac failed to notice the tripwire connected to it until it was too late and the breaking of it set of the pistol it was connected to.

"ISSAC!" screamed Reynard as he and the others rushed to the man's aid, barely catching him before he crumpled to the ground.

"Shit," swore the musketeer as he ripped open the now unconscious man's shirt to see the damage. The shot had luckily missed anything that would make it instantly fatal but the bullet had been a through and through and both wounds were now bleeding profusely.

"What of the shooter?" snapped Reynard as he, Alain and Blaise desperately tried to stop the flow of blood enough so they could wrap the wound and get him out of there.

"No shooter," snarled one of the other men as he returned from examining the room Issac had been about to enter. "The pistol was rigged to fire when the tripwire was broken," he explained, holding up a broken piece of tripwire as he spoke by way of explanation.

"No wonder there's only Marcel and a couple of men here," breathed Blaise as he increased the pressure he was putting on the wound now that Alain had release his own so he could grab some bandages from their supply kit. "They've probably rigged the entire place!"

"He's bleeding real bad," said Alain, his breath catching in his throat as he fumbled to unroll the bandages.

The shot had gone off only minutes ago but already there was a sizable pool of blood on the ground surrounding the injured man.

Reynard was quiet for a moment as the trio worked to quickly bandage their injured brother, the remaining men forming a protective perimeter around them while they worked.

"Okay," he breathed once they were done. "Here's what we do. Etienne," he said, turning to the musketeer in question as he spoke. "Get Issac out to Beaumont in the wagon, go the exact way we came in and stay with him when you're out."

The group had left Beaumont, who had the most medic training next to Aramis, outside with the wagon in hopes that he would be ready to react when they brought their no doubt injured brothers out.

Etienne didn't look too happy at the orders not to return and help but he could see how bad the shot to Issac was just by the unnatural paleness of his skin and so swallowed any complaints he had as he nodded and moved to gently take hold of the injured man.

"I've got him," nodded Etienne swiftly as he tightened his grip on the unconscious musketeer in his arms, "Stay safe."

"You too," nodded Reynard as the group watched Etienne leave with Issac.

Reynard gave them a moment before turning back to them. "No one enters a room head on, doors are opened slowly and with the utmost caution, we don't know what other traps might be waiting for us so stay on guard."