So, so sorry this took such a long time to get up! But hey, it's here now this is also the last chapter, but I do have plans for a sequel if anyone is interested? Let me know! But anyway, thank you so much for all of the support for this fanfiction; it really did blow me away! I've really enjoyed writing it, even if one chapter a day was a bit ambitious- but thank you all for staying with me!

And by the way, for Debbie and anyone else who was wondering, the Merlin reference was when Athos said "It's a new day"- that was from Series 4, Episode 3, just after Uther died, and Arthur came out of the Great hall and told merlin it was a new day Anyway, enough rambling- enjoy!

Porthos and Aramis had been looking for Athos and D'artagnan for hours- they had no idea where else to look. They'd tried Bonacieux's house and all of the taverns and were now aimlessly wondering around the streets, hoping they were going to miraculously bump into the two men.

"They really shouldn't have been out this long" Aramis fretted, a frown etched into his forehead.

"Careful 'Mis" Porthos chuckled "you'll be left with a wrinkle on your head if you're not careful"

"Well at least then I'd be ruggedly handsome" Aramis quipped "I'll blame those two if they do give me wrinkles, they're taking years off my life with their stubbornness"

Porthos roared with laughter, while Aramis looked on confused: he had no idea how much of a mother hen he sounded like.

Porthos' laughter was abruptly cut off as two men stumbled around the corner and headed towards them.

Athos' concern for D'artagnan was rising again: the boy was leaning more and more heavily on the swordsman with each step.

"Nearly there, D'artagnan- we'll have you back to Aramis and on bed rest for a week" he joked, frowning as D'artagnan groaned.

"Alright?" he asked, watching as the Gascon smiled at his concern.

"I'm fine, just wondering what Aramis is going to do to us when we get back" he joked. He choked with laughter at the look on Athos' face, before cutting it off with a wince of pain.

Athos said nothing, subtly walking a little faster to get D'artagnan back to Aramis. The man may be unbearably smothering when one of them was injured, but he knew it was what D'artagnan needed emotionally and physically- the boy needed to feel loved and cared for, and Aramis would definitely do that. Athos was just slightly worried that D'artagnan would not make it that far- the boy had fallen silent, and Athos could hear pained gasps falling from his mouth at certain intervals.

Although not strongly religious- who could be with luck such as his- Athos sent up a prayer, hoping that Porthos and Aramis were out looking for them.

It seemed that God was smiling down on them, Athos thought wryly as he turned the corner to see two very welcome men.

Aramis and Porthos rushed over to the two men, the former muttering about how he'd almost had a heart attack and how they were never to do anything like that again.

"Sorry" Athos said "D'artagnan had some unfinished business".

Aramis frowned, and was just opening his mouth to ask what Athos meant before he was distracted by D'artagnan's knees giving out. The medic just about managed to catch the boy before he hit the ground.

"D'artagnan?" he asked, smiling fondly when the boy muttered "I'm fine"

"Of course you are" Aramis laughed "Come on, let's get you home and you can sleep".

D'artangnan seemed to perk up at the idea of going home: Aramis' choice of words had surprised him. He thought that since his father had died, he had no home- he was merely using other people's kindness until that too ran out. However, the fact that Aramis had suggested he had a home with the Musketeers gave him an inexplicable feeling of belonging that propelled him to his feet, leaning heavily on Aramis.

"My place is closest" Athos said "We'll take him there". A slight smirk crossed his face at the look of shock on D'artagnan's face.

"Are you sure?" the boy stuttered "I can make it back to the Garrison or Bonacieux's if you'd rather"

"I think I cleaned the alcohol off the floor and removed the empty bottles last night, it should be fairly tidy" Athos deadpanned, sharing an inside glance with the other two men as D'artagnan looked up in horror "I hope that will suffice- my house is not too much of a hovel for you to enter" he said, trying not to crack a smile at Aramis' and Porthos' silent laughter.

"No, no!" D'artagnan hastened to say "I was not saying that your house wasn't suitable, merely expressing surprise that you would invite me" D'artagnan said, a hint of panic in his voice that caused Porthos to roar with laughter.

"He's pulling your leg, D'artagnan" Aramis explained, guiding the Gascon in the direction of Athos' home.

D'artagnan was not in any state to judge Athos' home when they arrived- he was holding onto consciousness by mere stubbornness. Aramis gently helped him lie on the bed, watching in amusement as the boy's eyes fluttered closed.

"Hold on a second, D'artagnan- I just want to check your little trip hasn't caused any lasting damage" he explained.

After re-binding D'artagnan's ribs and feet, Aramis concluded that shockingly, D'artagnan was in no worse shape than before, but was simply exhausted from the pain of his injuries and very little sleep. He handed D'artagnan a sleep draught from the bag he had taken with him when they had gone looking for the two men, glad that he had had the foresight to think of bringing it.

D'artagnan seemed to be very hesitant to take the medicine, choosing instead to study his hands. Aramis frowned at Athos: did he know why the Gascon was so reluctant to take the medicine his body needed?

Apparently he did.

"We'll be here while you sleep, D'artagnan" Athos said softly. "After all, you're not kicking me out of my house- we'll wake you at the first signs of distress".

Ah, nightmares- now Aramis understood. Having suffered enough of them after Savoy, the medic knew the damage a restless night of being pursued by demons could do to one's mental state. He sympathised with the boy, but also knew what had to be done to get him through the rough patch.

"We'll all be here for you" he agreed with Athos. "You're our brother- we wouldn't let any harm come to you."

"That's right, whelp" Porthos chimed in. "Unluckily for you, you're stuck with us now" he chuckled, watching as a smile flashed across D'artagnan's face as he took the pain draught, quickly sliding into sleep.

And the three musketeers were there for him- they had promised to stay by their brother's side, and that is exactly what they did.