Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

Warning: Un-betaed. I apologise in advance for the bad grammar and spelling mistakes.

The late morning sun shone through the house. D'Artagnan groaned as he woke to the sun's glare in his eyes. His right hand came up to block out the bright light. He squinted at the light through his fingers. He was confused. D'Artagnan couldn't remember the last time he had slept in this late. He pushed himself up and swung his legs over the side of cot when he noticed something else. He couldn't move his left arm. Looking down he saw it was in a sling. He frowned as he did the Math, sleeping in, feeling groggy, not remembering how he got into bed and the sling...

"D'Artagnan, you're awake." D'Artagnan looked up to see Athos, smiling down at him. "How are you feeling?"

D'Artagnan narrowed his eyes at him and gave him a tight smile, "Where is Aramis?" He asked.

Athos's smile was replaced with concern, "Is something wrong? He's out in the fields with Porthos. I can go fetch him."

"He drugged me." D'Artagnan glared at him.

Athos winced, "Ah...yes...about that..."

"Actually, I'm the one who drugged you, Master D'Artagnan." John announced as he walked into the house.

D'Artagnan turned to him and smiled, "You, John?

"Yes. I've been wanting to do it since you got back. You're as stubborn as your father. You barely had a good night's rest for weeks now. So I drugged you." John busied himself with preparing lunch.

D'Artagnan stood up, after putting on his shoes and turned to Athos, giving him a grin. Athos knew that grin, it meant he wasn't going to let this go. Athos just shrugged, this was Aramis's own doing. "What drug did you use, John?" D'Artagnan asked walking up to the man.

"Hmmm?" John kept cooking.

"How much did you use? Because I was asleep for a very long time." D'Artagnan tried to catch the man's eyes, but he turned this way and that, avoiding his boy. "Where did you come by it?"

"Well...I...well..."

D'Artagnan laughed, letting the man off, "It's okay, John. It was very noble of you to take the blame."

John turned to the boy, "You needed it." D'Artagnan just gave him a small smile, patting him on the shoulder and he passed him. Athos dipped his head at the man before following D'Artagnan out the door.

"You know it was for your own good." Athos tried to calm the boy before he reached Aramis. D'Artagnan turned around, walking backwards and just smiled at him, before turning back again. "You needed rest." Athos tried again.

"Aramis!" D'Artagnan called as he neared his friend. Athos sighed, D'Artagnan was a stubborn young man.

Aramis looked up from ploughing the soil. He dropped the hoe when he saw D'Artagnan walking up to him. Putting his hands up to ward him off, he started explaining, "Now, D'Artagnan, see reason..." Porthos was going to step in but decided not to take on D'Artagnan's wrath. "You were in pain." Aramis kept walking backwards, "I just needed to check..." He was shocked when D'Artagnan threw his good arm around him, giving him a one armed embrace. He looked at the others, confused. They just shrugged, just as confused.

"I missed you." D'Artagnan told him. Aramis got over his shock and smiled at the quiet words, returning the embrace. Then D'Artagnan pushed himself back, "But you try that again and I'll kill you." He said it was with a deadly smile, before heading back to the house.

Aramis let out a long breath, "I'm so glad he's on our side." Porthos handed him his flask. Aramis accepted it and took a long swig. "Thank you."

The next day...

John smiled as D'Artagnan packed his bags, ready to head back to the Paris with his new family. He walked up to the boy and held out the small wooden sword. "Take this." D'Artagnan stopped packing and looked down at the sword, "Whenever your faith in the King's Musketeer is ever in question, take it out and remember your dream."

D'Artagnan took it and pulled the man into his arms, hugging him as tight and as long as he could. "I'll take it out and remember the words of a very wise man. A man who is as much my father as Bertran de Baatz D'Artagnan."

"Oh my son!" John cried, hugging his boy with everything he had, "No father could be prouder."

D'Artagnan pulled back and wiped his tears when the three Musketeers entered the house. Aramis looked at the two men, "Apologies, we were intruding..." He and the others were about to head back out the door when John stopped them.

"No, you were not. We were saying our good byes." John told them, sniffling.

D'Artagnan turned back to his cot and carefully placed the wooden sword into his bag, before fastening it and turning around. "I'm ready."

Aramis turned to Athos and Porthos, smiling. "Actually, you're not quite ready."

D'Artagnan looked around confused, "I have everything." He turned back and froze at the pauldron in Athos's hands. "You brought it with you?"

"Of course."

"How did you know I would return with you?" D'Artagnan asked.

"We hoped." Porthos answered for them.

"May I?" Athos held up the pauldron. D'Artagnan smiled, then nodded. Athos proudly fitted the pauldron onto D'Artagnan's right shoulder. The same feeling he felt the day the King commissioned him came over him, but this time theirs is the addition of John's fatherly pride.

"Your father would have been so proud."

D'Artagnan turned to him, "I know, because I can see it in your eyes."

John nodded, "You have a family and a new home in Paris. Go."

Musketeer's Garrison

That night they arrived back at the garrison, he was met by his colleagues. Drinks were had and the musketeers were whole again. Their youngest and newest member were back within their ranks. Treville had apologised to him as well, which shocked him. "Nothing so unjust will occur within these walls again." He had assured him. D'Artagnan smiled and nodded, accepting the apology and grateful for the assurance.

Athos returned to his room at the garrison once the night ended. It was a good night. He spent most of it drinking and watching D'Artagnan laugh amongst the other musketeers. It was a good to have him back. There would have been an empty space within these walls if D'Artagnan could not forgive them. An empty space made by him because of his own anger and fear of trust. He had been seeking D'Artagnan's forgiveness for weeks now, but now that he has it, he realise it was not only D'Artagnan's forgiveness he needed. It was his own. But how can he forgive himself for the way he had acted. How could he trust himself to not do it again, to not let his past hurt his friends...his family. He was deep in his thoughts when there was a knock at his door. He was surprised to see D'Artagnan on the other side. "You know we've got early patrol tomorrow."

D'Artagnan stood there with both hands behind his back, smiling and nodding. "I know. Can I come in?"

Athos stepped aside and gestured for him to enter, closing the door as he did. D'Artagnan turned to face him, not saying anything at first. "Did you need something?" Athos asked him, a little concerned that the ride back had taken a toll on him. "I can ask the Captain to give you another day's rest, if you need it."

D'Artagnan chuckled and shook his head, "You worry too much." He looked down at his feet, a little uncomfortable before he pulled out an item from behind his back. Athos raised his eyebrows at the small wooden sword. "John gave this to me this morning. He said to take it out if I ever lost faith in the Musketeers again."

Athos nodded, "He's a wise man." He wasn't sure why D'Artagnan was telling him this now.

"I want you to have it." D'Artagnan said, a little hesitantly as he didn't know how the man would react.

Athos looked at it in shock, then slowly shook his head, "I can't...It means too much to you."

"It does." D'Artagnan agreed, "But I saw something tonight."

"What's that?"

"You've been watching me all night." D'Artagnan looked at him, to see what reaction he would get, but Athos avoided him.

"I'm just glad you are back." Athos tried to explain.

D'Artagnan shook his head, "I can see the guilt written all over your face. You haven't forgiven yourself for all that has happened."

Athos admired at how perceptive D'Artagnan was, but was also a little annoyed that he was found out. "Is that so difficult to believe considering what I did?"

"No, it's not, which is why I want you to have this." D'Artagnan walked up to him and placed the precious sword in Athos's hands, "I don't need it anymore. After everything that has happened I know I will never stray from my path as a Musketeer again. This is my home and you, Porthos and Aramis are my family." Athos's listened to the young man's words and marvelled at the faith and trust he so unconditionally gave out. "Keep it as a reminder of my trust in you." He placed his hands on Athos's shoulders, "I believe in you. You should too." He gave Athos's shoulders a squeezed and smiled before leaving, "I'll see you in the morning for patrol."

Athos couldn't take his eyes off the small sword in his hand. He smiled as a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders. "D'Artagnan!" He called before D'Artagnan closed the door. The young man paused. "Thank you." D'Artagnan smiled and nodded before closing the door. If D'Artagnan put so much faith in him, who was he to disappoint the boy. He placed the present on the mantle above the small fire place and smiled, before turning in for the night. He will forever treasure the small sword. It was representative a father's pride, a boy's dream and a young man's trust.

The END!