Jacqueline looked over at her companion. He was starring straight ahead and was quiet, too quiet. Come with me echoed through her mind. Had that really been only a week ago? She frowned slightly. She wanted what he said to be true, how she had wanted him to mean it, but she knew he did not. He had been quieter since then, none of his usual teasing behavior and she missed it. Like the past nights, they were on patrol and it was quiet, nothing happening and no one around.

"You are quiet tonight." Jacqueline stated.

D'Artagnan looked over at her, attention caught, as she had used her real voice. He did not respond and it was quiet again.

"D'Artagnan, is something wrong? You have been acting strange recently." She looked over at him, confusion on her face. D'Artagnan sighed and was silent for several moments.

"'Is something wrong?' How can you ask that?" he bit out at her. Jacqueline slowed her horse a bit taken back by the heat of his retort. He had never raised his voice like that to her.

"Are you angry with me?" She asked him, her voice lower and softer this time. D'Artagnan slowed his horse down and trotted to her side.

"Jacqueline, I asked you to marry me and you acted as if I asked you to drink wine and play cards with Mazarin." His voice was lower, but it had a ring of hurt to it. You said no and you expect me to be happy about it?

"D'Artagnan, you were confused, you did not know what you were saying, and I did not want you to regret it later." Jacqueline looked at him, sadness radiating from her eyes. D'Artagnan felt a tiny spark of hope surge through him. She did not say she would not…

"You were willing to leave France and marry Charles…" D'Artagnan tried to keep his voice neutral, but he was sure there was still a note of jealousy and hurt in it.

"I did not go, I choose to stay here, and my life is here. With the king, the musketeers, and-" she paused looking directly at him. "My friends." You who are the only one who knows me as Jacqueline. D'Artagnan felt his hoping rising more as she looked at him and called him a friend in the way that suggested he was more than that or could be.

"If I left like I almost did, would you have missed me?" He asked her needing to know. Jacqueline looked down at her gloves holding onto the horse's reins.

"Yes, I would not have known what to do." She gave the horse a little kick and it started to move again. D'Artagnan stared after her a moment. There is still a chance to win her shot through his mind. He gave his horse a kick and bounded after her. "You know I hear Charlotte is back in town…" He gave her a mischievous grin as they continued.