Missing scene - Musketeers don't die easily

Authors note: This is set at the end of the pre-credit scene on 'Musketeers don't die easily'. It has always seemed a bit odd to me that Aramis and Porthos are helping d'Artagnan after Athos shot him but then stick to their act of hating him until the plot is revealed later in the episode. This is how I think their conversation went…

Aramis rushed forward, Porthos at his side, they grabbed the stunned d'Artagnan before he could crash completely to the ground. Athos continued to berate Milady as the Captain made attempts to keep them apart.

Athos had shot d'Artagnan in the side. That had not been the plan.

Porthos was trying to keep the shocked young man conscious. Their plan would not work if d'Artagnan could not be helped away by Milady. From the way Athos had described his wife and her antics, they would not be surprised if she took one look at an unconscious d'Artagnan and left him on the street.

D'Artagnan had to go with Milady for the plan to work.

Aramis shook his head and returned his focus to d'Artagnan, pushing the confused man's hands away from the injury so that he could inspect it. He had no intention of tending to the wound unless it was necessary. If Athos' shot had been off by a couple of inches the injury could easily have proved fatal which was why they had wanted Athos to shoot d'Artagnan in the arm. A shot in the side was going to be more debilitating.

'Stay awake,' muttered Porthos as he gently slapped and shook d'Artagnan.

The colour had drained from the injured man's face, but he managed to focus on them both.

'He shot me.'

'Yes,' said Aramis quietly, 'that was the plan remember? Listen to me d'Artagnan.'

D'Artagnan looked at him for a few seconds before nodding slowly. Too slowly for Aramis' liking.

'The shot has only grazed your ribs,' Aramis continued as he looked at the wound, 'it's going to hurt, make sure it gets cleaned properly and dressed. Don't do anything too energetic - '

Aramis stopped talking when both d'Artagnan and Porthos looked at him.

'He might not have a choice about whether he's energetic or not,' pointed out Porthos.

D'Artagnan managed a nod of agreement.

Aramis had to concede the point. Under normal circumstances they would have taken d'Artagnan to the infirmary, dealt with the wound and let him rest. Aramis was forced to think as he would on a battlefield, the injury needed to be looked at, but it could wait a little while, at least until the end of the battle.

'Remember what you've got to do,' said Porthos. 'Do nothing else. Don't change anything else. We can't help you if you start changing things.'

D'Artagnan nodded again, 'I know what I've got to do,' he said, his words slightly slurred.

He started to blink, his head nodding as he slipped towards unconsciousness again, the shock starting to pull him away from them. Porthos shook him again. D'Artagnan managed to focus himself.

'I'm awake, it's alright.'

'It's far from alright,' said Aramis. 'Be careful, we'll see you in a couple of days.'

Aramis was aware of Treville pushing Athos towards the garrison and pretending to struggle to do so. Athos was shouting abuse at d'Artagnan, trying to get at him. Treville and Athos were proving to be quite the distraction. Aramis was glad, it had given him and Porthos the few precious seconds they needed to make sure d'Artagnan was still fit enough to take on the next part of their plan. He knew d'Artagnan would probably have wanted to carry on regardless of his injury but Aramis had decided, with Athos and Porthos' blessing, to put a stop to the plan there and then if something had gone wrong with their theatrical stunt in the square. None of them had told d'Artagnan, they knew the fiery young man would have objected and accused them of mollycoddling him. But really, they would have preferred to come up with a different plan than lose their friend.

The time had come for them to pretend to abandon d'Artagnan. The young man who had tried to take them all on in a sword fight that fateful day. D'Artagnan had wormed his way into all their lives and they were about to leave him, bleeding on the cobbles. They were about to leave him to carry on with their ambitious plan alone.

Porthos rested his hand on Aramis' arm.

'We've got to go,' said Porthos.

Aramis nodded before looking at d'Artagnan who managed a small smile which looked more like a grimace.

'Tell Athos I'll be fine,' he said before easing Porthos' hand off his shoulder.

Taking his cue Treville loomed over the three of them.

'Leave him.'

The command was planned, but it was still difficult. Porthos rose to stand, Aramis did the same a fraction of a second later.

'If he wants to be with her, let her help him.'

'He don't deserve our help,' said Porthos.

As planned Aramis made a half-hearted complaint but Treville shook his head firmly and indicated for them to walk away.

With a last look over his shoulder, Aramis watched as Milady de Winter moved to d'Artagnan's side. The newest member of their group was about to embark on a dangerous mission and none of them could help him. At least not to start with.

The End.