Evening My Lovelies

Well we almost didn't get an update today as I fell asleep after getting back from work and didn't wake up until gone 11pm. Thankfully I was able to get this chapter written in about an hour and a half (whoop whoop go me!) I'm hoping it doesn't come across as rushed but I am apologizing now if it does!

Notes On Reviews:

criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - Hmm I had forgotten all about Durand... I'll bring him back in tomorrow's chapter, I know what I'm doing with him but had just forgotten all about him (opps!) Yeah I've been a bit evil to Aramis again... I couldn't help it! It's like with D'Art's fever-induced ramblings... I just couldn't resist! Enjoy the new chapter! x

Deana: Thanks for the review - Yep I think that's an accurate response to the end of yesterday's chapter lol :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - Yeah Constance will not be denied a second time that's for sure :D I have a plan for her visit, which will be happen in a few chapters I should think. Don't worry too much, Aramis will be okay... Eventually :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Katie (Guest): Thanks for the review - You and me both my friend, I had originally planned this to be like 40 chapters long... I think I got a bit too into all the whumpage lol. Glad you liked the scene with Athos/D'Art, I couldn't not write it when I thought of it... It was too cute! XD Enjoy the new chapter! x

watlocked: Thanks for the review - Facepalm indeed lol :D I think the three of them might tagteam to handle him, each wanting a shot. Poor Aramis doesn't know what's coming for him :) Glad you loved seeing D'Art awake, I've missed him so he's even going to be awake today as well :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

FierGascon: Thanks for the review - At least its a break from the hate-o-meters lol :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Yay I'm really glad you thought so :D Unfortunately I can't keep our boy's like that until the end but I promise I'll have it show up again just for you sometime before the end... I already have a plan for how it could happen and everything :D We'll be finding out what my evil mind had in store for our lovely medic today, hopefully you like it. Enjoy the new chapter! x

f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - I'm pleased you thought so :) I really loved the idea for that scene when I had it so I couldn't resist writing it :D Haha Yeah poor Aramis isn't having the best time right now. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I know right! Just too cute of an image not to write :D I'm glad you liked it though. I was tempted to have them infected too but I figured that seeing as how he already some infected wounds, plus what I put him through that any more would be cruel even for me. Worry not Aramis will be okay... eventually :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

Issai: Thanks for the review - He... may end up a little more injured... maybe :) Porthos should definitely have been sleeping instead of playing cards but someone had to look after Athos and make sure he didn't worry himself to death lol. I kinda lost track of exactly how long Aramis was working on D'Artagnan for but at least a full night I'm gonna say. We'll be checking in on the others that were wounded tomorrow worry not none of them are dead :) Enjoy the new chapter! x

MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Yes it was quite foolish for you to think I was done with whumpage :D Although I will admit this is likely to be the last thing to happen to them. Enjoy the new chapter! x

Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I figure I've got lots of comfort moments to catch up on with the amount of whumpage I've put our boys through this story lol. Glad you liked their little cuddle scene :) It was too cute of an image not to write when I thought of it and I already have a plan for it to return in a later chapter as well :D I think if it was possible our boys would bring back Marcel and his men just so they could kill them again and again for what they did. I'm glad you liked out of it D'Art, I wasn't sure how well I wrote that bit but the conversation idea stuck in my head so I had to try. We'll be seeing what happened to Aramis today so don't worry I wont keep you waiting for too long :D Enjoy the new chapter! x

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

Love you all!

Enjoy!

xxx

Chapter Ninety-One: Fallen

Porthos and Athos were in the middle of trying to soothe D'Artagnan when they heard it. Before the Gascon had woken Aramis had told them that he would likely be in a lot of pain but because of the amount of blood he lost as well as the lack of substance he had had during their captivity it would be better to ensure the Gascon had some food in him before they gave him any sort of pain medicine.

Treville had also been informed of the medic's decisions on one of his trips to check in with the group and had assured them that he would speak to Serge about getting something weak and easy on the stomach ready for when the boy woke, instructing them that they would only need to request someone to go and collect it for them.

Even though they had all agreed to follow the medic's instructions, it was very hard for both musketeers to just sit there and to not be able to do anything for their friend who was clearly in pain.

"Just breathe D'Artagnan," instructed Athos softly as he took the Gascon's good hand in his own. Letting him weakly squeeze it whenever the pain got too much.

"…h'ts," whimpered D'Artagnan, his eyes screwed shut in pain.

"You need to relax whelp," soothed Porthos as he shared a worried look with Athos, both debating whether to disregard their brother's instructions over withholding pain draughts. "You're body's tense, its only going to make the pain worse."

D'Artagnan wasn't overly lucid because of the infection and fever he was suffering from but the threat of worse pain did make it through the haze in his mind and with great difficulty he forced his ridged limbs to loosen and relax.

"That's it whelp," grinned Porthos softly as he gently ruffled the boy's hair.

The larger musketeer was about to say something else, realizing that talking and keeping the Gascon's mind occupied might be enough to stop him feeling the full extent of his pain. Unfortunately before he could there was a loud series of bangs that pulled negative reactions from everyone in the room.

Athos was by far the calmest, a look of worry and the obvious conflict as to whether to leave his brothers to investigate being the only obvious reaction signs.

Porthos and D'Artagnan however were much worse. D'Artagnan let out a terrified cry and started trembling, instantly gaining the worried attention of Athos.

Porthos's mind on the other hand, instead of going to fear, reverted back into the fierce protective mode it had been in during their capture. The larger musketeer went tense, his eyes wildly searching for any sort of threat while his body subconsciously moved in an attempt to cover his brothers, not even noticing the concerned frown on Athos's face at his actions.

For a few minutes Athos put the bad feeling he had about the banging to the back of his mind, his focus completely on calming down his brothers, both of whom were suffering.

Seeing as how Porthos was frozen still, Athos let his attention go to the trembling Gascon, knowing that the shaking would only aggravate his injuries. He also reasoned that he there was a risk of the scared Gascon pulling or ripping his stitches if his current situation grew worse, something the boy could really do without given his already precarious health situation.

"Breathe D'Artagnan," ordered the swordsman, his voice commanding, much like the way he had gotten through to Aramis after his near drowning and Vivienne's death. "You're safe here, just breathe."

Athos repeated this several times like a mantra, each time ensuring there was an emphasis on the word 'safe'. It took several long minutes for the Gascon to calm down enough that Athos was fairly confident he wasn't about to have a panic attack.

The entire time he was calming D'Artagnan there was a lot of noise going on outside, most likely related to the loud banging they had heard earlier. Thankfully D'Artagnan had been completely focused on his mentor's voice and so didn't register the noise, Porthos however did and it had only worsened the man's condition. Athos was becoming genuinely concerned over the potential damage his brother could be doing to his body given how tightly wound up he was.

The swordsman wasn't overly confident he could calm his friend down and pull him away from the memories he was reliving either. They had gone through a similar thing with Aramis after Savoy but back then it was only Porthos who could get through to the marksman when he reacted similar to how the larger musketeer was now acting, even when Athos tried the same techniques nothing worked.

Athos was just working out the best way to handle the situation, cursing that Aramis wasn't there, as he would have known what to do, when there was the thundering sound of footsteps approaching their door.

Barely having time to curse at whoever was approaching, as the noise only made both of his brothers worse, though D'Artagnan did seem to have a bit more control over himself this time, Athos had just moved to stand when the door to their room flung open and a figure practically flew in.

Unfortunately this sudden intrusion set off the already impressively tense Porthos, causing him to throw the small pair of scissors he had found left over from where Aramis had been working on D'Artagnan. Unlike the incident with the chains back in the cell, this time Porthos's aim was true and likely would have hit the intruder if the man hadn't seen the flying blades coming towards him in time to shift slightly, though the scissors did manage to graze across his cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood behind before they thudded against the door frame and fell to the floor.

The man's hiss of pain was enough to begin the process of pulling Porthos out of his own head but it was the panicked shout that came from Athos that finally managed it.

"ARAMIS!" roared the swordsman, gritting his teeth against the pain in his leg to force himself up so he could better see the condition of his brother who was being held limply in Reynard's arms.

"'Mis!" exclaimed Porthos, his eyes wide in both fear for his brother and in horror for what he had done to the musketeer carrying him. The larger musketeer felt sick at the knowledge that he could have easily have hit Aramis if his subconscious had aimed for the heart of their intruder instead of his head.

"I found him at the bottom of the stairs," explained Reynard, his voice sounding slightly panicked as he breaths came out in short pants. "I sent Etienne to grab doctor Moreau but he's burning up real bad Athos."

Athos stared at his brother; really taking in the atrocious condition the man was in for the first time. Exhaustion was clear, the deep bags around the marksman's eyes spoke of how little sleep he had gotten but there was also the alarmingly pale tone of his skin and the gleam of sweat on the sharpshooter's brow that showed just how bad the man's condition was.

Guilt bubbled up in the swordsman, his mind berating him for not having noticed Aramis's deteriorating condition, it was obvious that this wasn't a new thing but he had ignored all the signs, had forced his brother to suffer because of his obliviousness.

"Lay him down," nodded Athos after he finally snapped out of his stunned state. Both musketeers were quick to move their aching bodies over towards their friend, neither of them missing the hiss of pain that came from D'Artagnan as the mutilated Gascon forced himself to move his head so he could look at the medic. Concern and worry were the emotions being matched in all three men's eyes though they had little time to dwell on it as the sound of footsteps heralded the arrival of the physician.

"What happened?" demanded Moreau as he entered the room, rolling up his sleeves as he spoke though his eyes remained locked on the unconscious medic lying on the bed.

As neither Athos nor Porthos knew what had happened both men looked expectantly at Reynard who took over explanations.

"He fell down the stairs," informed he musketeer, turning away from his comrades to give the doctor his full attention and focus. "I was in the courtyard when I noticed him leaving the room, he looked unsteady and slightly shaken but then I remembered how he had injured his leg during the rescue mission and thought nothing else of it. Next thing I know he's wavering at the top of the stairs, I tried to reach him but I was at the other side of the courtyard by then so by the time I had gotten there he had already passed out and fallen down the stairs. I did a quick check to make sure nothing seemed broken before bringing him up here and sending Etienne to get you."

Moreau nodded, moving to the unconscious musketeer's side, "He definitely passed out before falling down the stairs?"

"Yeah," nodded Reynard, "At least that's what it looked like, I think that's why he fell."

"What's wrong with him?" asked Athos, doing his best to refrain from letting his fear for his brother make him snap at the doctor.

Moreau was silent for a moment as he inspected the unconscious musketeer.

"At first glance I'd say exhaustion and overwork," stated the doctor, the group missing the guilt that flooded into D'Artagnan's eyes, the Gascon knowing, despite his lack of complete lucidity, that he was to blame for his friend overworking himself.

"And at second?" pressed Porthos, having caught on to what Moreau had yet to say.

"I think we're dealing with an infection, probably in his leg given the seriousness of the wound," explained the doctor before asking for a pair of scissors to cut away the bandage. Porthos flushed in embarrassment when Reynard handed over the pair he had thrown at him, though the musketeer also sent the larger man a reassuring smile to let him know all was forgiven between them for the incident.

"The exhaustion definitely didn't help matters," explained Moreau as he began his examination of the marksman's leg. "But this," he said pointing to the recently uncovered limb that was clearly infected, "this is more cause for concern then anything. Infection had really set in and he's going to have to fight to beat it."

"What… What about the fall?" asked Porthos, his eyes fixated on his brother's infected leg, hating that he had missed the signs. "What damage did that do?"

"As Reynard here thought nothing is broken, which is incredibly lucky for your friend." Moreau caught the relieved sighs from both musketeers and couldn't help the fond smile tugging at his lips. "He's going to have some serious bruises and is going to be quite sore for a while but the worse injuries are to his ribs as several feel cracked, though as I said not broken, and this leg," explained the doctor, pointing to Aramis's other leg that everyone was surprised they hadn't noticed before. "The force of the fall dislocated his knee, I'm going to need a hand with holding him down so I can reset it"