As always, buckets of appreciation for all of my readers and especially for those of you who took the time to leave a review. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Utsuri… I'm happy you liked the last chapter. I hope this one hits the mark as well.

Mercury Gray… Made you shiver? That's good right? I think that's good.

Evenstar Elanor… The "tightly but not cruelly" came from me wanting to show that Natalie felt safe in Aramis' arms, even if he was touching her in ways she'd never experienced before. If she had wanted to get away from him, holding her that tightly would have made her feel trapped. Does that make sense?

Angoliel… I'm still laughing over your other note. If you ever want me to continue on after a "…" you need to smack me over the head with that fact. You know how much I like a good cliff hanger for a chapter end!

Aramis stood up from the bed, but not before he let his eyes roam along the curves of Natalie's body. He'd waited so long for this moment he wanted nothing more than to strip off his trousers and leap headlong onto the bed. But that was not how he wanted to remember his wedding night. As he moved, Natalie watched him. His years of sword training had given his movements a lithe, liquid grace; Natalie realized she could gaze upon him for hours and never grow bored. The muscles in his chest and arms were well defined on his lean frame. Watching him move gave Natalie chills.

He loosened the fasteners on his pants and let them drop to the floor. Natalie's eyes widened as she looked at him and she felt her cheeks grow hot. Christine had described what a man looks like in the midst of his desire, and Aramis was obviously all man. Natalie had thought she'd been prepared to see him, but he looked so masculine, so aroused… her sudden apprehension came out in a nervous giggle.

Aramis raised an eyebrow. He knew why she laughed, but nonetheless, said, "You bid me remove my clothes and now you giggle?"

"Oh! I… Aramis, I did not mean… You are, ah…" So confounded was she by his comment, she didn't hear the tease in his voice. While Natalie was distracted trying to explain her laughter, two steps brought Aramis from where he was standing to the bed. He caught Natalie by the waist, pulled her further onto the mattress and wrapped his arms around her.

Kissing her fiercely, Aramis let his passion break through for a moment, but then he pulled back, easing his embrace. Natalie was not so willing to let him go and she rose up, continuing to kiss him as he drew away slightly. It was Aramis' turn to chuckle. He lay back on the bed, still keeping one arm wrapped around Natalie's waist, and pulled her closer. She rose up on an elbow, her hair spilling down around both of them.

"Ah," Aramis said, "I have been captured. Now what do you intend to do with me?"

For a moment Natalie didn't answer, but then she reached out a hand and ran her fingernails lightly down Aramis chest. He groaned softly and clenched the sheets in his fists. His new wife followed her fingers with her mouth, emboldened by his obvious satisfaction, and each of her kisses seared his skin.

Looking up at him through her tousled hair, she said, "Are my intentions clear, Aramis?" She dipped her head again and planted a long, lingering kiss just above his hip.

"Utterly clear, just as mine should be." Aramis turned and pulled Natalie down, rolling on the bed until he was looking down at her again. She laughed in surprise. Aramis kissed the hollow of Natalie's throat and then allowed his lips to lightly skim down her skin. He exhaled slowly when he reached her waist and she squirmed at the warm caress of breath. His laugh was low and throaty.

"You're ticklish?"

"That is a discovery for me as well. I've never been in a habit of letting men kiss my belly before," she said tartly. This time they both laughed.

Closing his eyes, Aramis reveled in the feel of Natalie's warm body beneath his own, the caress of her leg as she moved it against his side. He pushed against her, knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. There was an ache inside him that would no longer be denied; he was moments away from living out the fantasy he'd played over in his mind each day for the past few months. Natalie made a small noise. Aramis opened his eyes and froze when he saw a tear on Natalie's cheek.

"Natalie? Natalie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Aramis. Everything is just perfect." She reached up a hand and caressed his face. Aramis kissed the tear from her cheek, tasting the salt on his lips. Shifting slightly, Natalie pushed against him, sending Aramis' desire spiraling up. He moved forward again, listening to Natalie's breath as it grew sharper, shorter, more insistent.

She felt a brief flash of pain that disappeared in a moment, and every nerve within Natalie felt charged and alive. Gasping softly, Natalie arched beneath him as he pushed deeper. Aramis' breath whistled between his teeth and he buried his head in her neck, kissing the delicate skin, waiting for a moment for Natalie to relax. Natalie ran her hands up Aramis' arms and held onto his shoulders as he started to move within her.

"I'm part of you now." Aramis' voice was soft, seductive and made Natalie's head spin. How many nights had she imagined that voice in her ear as she fell asleep? How many nights had she tried to imagine what it would be like to have Aramis as her lover? The reality surpassed all of her fantasies.

Aramis could wait no longer. He moved his hips, slowly at first but then with increased tempo and force. Natalie clung to him, whispering his name in his ear as he loved her, feeling her body tighten around him in anticipation.

"Natalie…" His deep, smooth voice cracked for a fraction of a second when desires finally overwhelmed his determined control. After, they lay together, limbs still entangled and wrapped in little more than a light blanket. Natalie rested her head against Aramis' shoulder, her hair still damp from sweat. He gently ran his fingers along her arm, sill marveling that after all of the recent travails that he was holding his wife in his arms.

"Vous êtes mon monde, Natalie, ma vie. Je t'aime avec tous mon coeur et âme. Vous avez donné ma signification de la vie encore, et je suis à vous pour toute l'éternité," he whispered.

"And I am yours forever now, Aramis. You are my heart… now sleep beloved." She gently ran her fingers over Aramis' face, making him close his eyes. He slowly allowed sleep to claim him, but he did not relinquish the woman cradled in his arms.

Early in the morning, long before the sun crested the horizon, Aramis stirred. He turned in the bed, reaching out for Natalie. When he found nothing but sheet, he opened his eyes and a raw acid feel gripped his heart. He was alone.

This cannot be a dream. It cannot! "Natalie?" he said urgently as he got out of the bed. He hurried to the sitting room. Natalie, wrapped in a light sheet, stood looking at the coals in the fire and the glow of the embers turned the cloth from white to a peachy orange. Natalie looked over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Aramis. Did I wake you?"

"No, I woke and you were gone. I was worried…" He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek against her hair. A moment later he began to nibble gently on her ear and kiss her neck. Natalie felt herself respond to his touch and she delighted in the sensation.

"Tell me," she said in a teasing voice. "How often will we do… this?"

Aramis' laugh was low and throaty as Natalie let go of the sheet around her. "As often as you like," he said. "As often as you like, mon amour."

Epilogue

Fourteen months to the day after they were married, Natalie presented Aramis with his first son. They named him Raoul in honor of her late brother. Two more sons followed and then a daughter. Athos found even more joy in being a grandfather than perhaps Aramis did in being a father, and Natalie loved watching the two men play with the children.

D'Artagnan and Porthos were frequent visitors and when she was a little older, Natalie and Aramis' daughter, Yvette, insisted on Porthos giving her frequent pony rides the same way Natalie had insisted upon it when she was a child. The old Musketeer would grumble a pretense about Yvette being just like her mother, but he would relent and carry the little girl around on his back. Little Yvette's squeals of delight would soon have his booming laughter rolling across the grass.

Once, a long time ago, Athos has spoken to Aramis about his son, Raoul, saying, "In him all of my sins have been made right." Aramis finally understood what Athos truly meant as he watched his family grow, understanding that the all the joys and pains, all the heroic deeds and sins of his life had brought him to this, and he was grateful for each of them. And in all of his remaining years, Aramis was grateful each morning when he opened his eyes to find Natalie lying next to him.

FINI