Three years later...

Head Over Heart

D'Artagnan paced around the cellar in a state of absolute panic. Athos listened to him, trying to calm him down.
"Oh God, Athos, what have I done? Do you know how guilty I'm going to feel when he returns? Why did I say those stupid things? Grimaud warned me. Aramis warned me. I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. For once I should have just restrained myself, kept my temper."
"You didn't want to see him hurt. You thought you were defending him. You had no idea what Grimaud was going to do. Do you remember, the first time I met you?"
"I wanted to kill you because I thought you had murdered my father."
"I saw potential in you. Great potential. I knew work needed to be done to get you to Musketeer standard, but I always knew you were going to get there. And we worked and trained until finally it came to the duel between the Musketeers and the Red Guards. You went to the Bastille out of pure vengeance. Do you remember what I said to you training after that?"
"Head over heart."
"That's what you need to remember now. Head over heart. You didn't know on that occasion but now that you know everything you do wrong leads back to Aramis, you remember that. Head over heart. You keep your cool and know there's not long left. There is an end. Aramis shouldn't get beaten up more than usual if you control yourself, yes?"
"Yes. Yes. OK. But we have to stop them hurting him anyway. There has to be a way to get through to Grimaud."
"D'Artagnan, there's not. Believe me. This man is exactly like his brother and the four of us nearly got killed when we crossed him. There's no way we're stopping it. Two days until Porthos returns. That's one full day and half today and half the day after next. Not long. Aramis can hold onto then. Then we get him help. OK? Head over heart. Think of that and you'll make it through it."
D'Artagnan had calmed down. He had slumped down the wall and now sat beside Athos. The former Captain had always been the one to keep the Gascon reasonable, to stop him from making stupid decisions. Of the four they had the closest relationship and likewise with Aramis and Porthos.
"You know Athos, I have to tell you something."
"What?"
"It was strange. When Grimaud brought us up here the first time he told us we had to kill men."
"Yeah."
"But that didn't happen."
"What are you talking about."
"The guards just shifted me about for a few days. We moved from inn to inn, they kept me tied, kept an eye on me, but I wasn't made to kill anyone. Nothing happened." Athos looked at his friend incredulously. D'Artagnan had never lied to him in his life. He wouldn't start now. He decided not to say anything. He wanted Porthos' take on the whole thing. Wherever he was.

Aramis came back accompanied by the guards who this time dumped him in the middle of the floor.
"Hey!" D'Artagnan started, but got shot a warning look from Athos and became subdued. Athos wrapped an arm around Aramis' back, as did the Captain and carefully and slowly moved thier friend to the back wall. D'Artagnan kneeled down beside Aramis and gingerly put his hand on Aramis' good shoulder.
"I'm sorry my friend. I'm so sorry Aramis."
"You are not to blame."
"Yes I am. I apologise."
"Don't worry. It makes... It more unbearable. We'll be fine. We just need Porthos back." D'Artagnan knew better than to keep going on about it. He knew Aramis needed to rest as much as he could.

The next time Grimaud took Aramis and brought him back, Athos and D'Artagnan noticed something different. Instead of new bruises, there was a gash running across his cheek. The Musketeers looked on horrified.
"Yeah he... Cut me instead... Of beating... Beating me. Said he would leave that until tomorrow."
"Sword?" Athos asked.
"Knife yeah."
"Oh God Aramis. Why did you decide to stay?" D'Artagnan asked, with no idea what pain his friend was in. Sure Lucien had cut his face leaving a scar, sure he had got beaten up by the Red Guard when Rochefort had arrested Constance and Aramis, but never to the extent Aramis was at just now.
"Listen, even if... If it were you or Porthos who stayed, he would... Would have done the same to you. It just had to be one of us."
"I would rather it be me than you."
"I would... I would have said... The same... Had it been you."
D'Artagnan mulled this over and knew it was true. He knew he had to put his feelings aside and be strong for his brother right now. He remembered the times the Inseparables had rescued him from risky situations. The time after he had first met them when he tried to prove himself in his run in with Vadim, the time when he and the King were kidnapped by LeMaitre, the time when he pretended to kill Athos and went undercover to bring Milady and Richlieu down. It was now his turn to repay that debt.
The cut on Aramis face looked bad, thought Athos. Grimaud really was evil. Fair enough, he gave Aramis a break from the punches and kicks, but of course Lucien's brother would find another way to torture him. Georges couldn't kill Aramis but he could find many different ways to hurt him but keep him alive.
"Every time he tells me... That you three don't need me... That France... That Anne..." Aramis said sorrowfully. "He said you all wouldn't care..."
"Aramis, are you joking? Of course we care. We wouldn't be here otherwise," said D'Artagnan.
"The Queen does need you Aramis. The Dauphin needs his father," Athos said too. At mention of the Dauphin, Aramis looked up. But what the three hadn't realised was that the cellar door had been opened.
"Say that again?" Grimaud asked Athos. The three looked from one to the other, panic stricken. Surely the secret hadn't been spiller yet again? And to Georges Grimaud of all people? Aramis' heart sunk. Grimaud grabbed hold of D'Artagnan. He twisted his arm behind his back. He held a knife to his throat. D'Artagnan made no attempt to resist knowing Aramis would take the punishment worse . "Tell me. Or he dies. And trust me, it would give me pleasure to kill him."
"You won't," Athos said. Grimaud pressed the knife further to beads of blood appeared. Athos glanced at Aramis who nodded, a tear trickling down his cheek. Athos had never seen the Minister cry, but this was his son they were talking about, his family. Athos sighed deeply.
"The Dauphin is the son of the Queen and... And Aramis." Grimaud released D'Artagnan and shoved him into the wall. Grimaud laughed. He stood above the Minister who was crouched against the wall in so much pain he couldn't lift his head to look at the man. It spun and thumped. Grimaud had other ideas. He crouched down. He grabbed a fistful of Aramis' hair and yanked his head up. The Musketeer cried out in pain. D'Artagnan advanced towards Georges but one of the guards held him back. Athos was leaning against the side wall, watching the whole thing with a heavy heart.
"The Dauphin is your son? How does that work?"
"The Queen and I... We had an affair behind the King's back." Grimaud scoffed. Aramis flicked his eyes away.
"I never expected that."