"Take off your shirt." Aramis said, after examining the wound on Gabriel's arm. The colour instantly draining from her face at the order.

"What.......?"

"Take off the shirt, I need to get a better look.........." Aramis explained. His brows furrowing, as he saw the look of horror on the younger man's face.

"No, no, just cut the sleeve............."

"What's the problem. Ya ain't got nothing we haven't got.......We've seen it all before......." Porthos chuckled, spitting out bit of the apple he seemed to have come across.

"It.......its not that its..............." Gabriel stammered, as she tried to quickly come up with a good enough reason for her not to remover her shirt. Knowing that if she did, and the eyes of the men fell on her heavily bound chest; her dream would be over, just as it was beginning.

"I.............." She continued, as she looked down at the floor.

"I was badly injured when I was younger boy. There was a wolf, it must have been sick, dying, because it ventured onto our farm looking for food. I was out playing, and it attacked me. It clawed and bit my stomach and chest. If it hadn't been for my father shooting it, I would have been dead. I was confined to my bed for weeks; my father thought that he had lost me. But then God smiled on me, and I was saved. But I have the scares to remind me of that day. I just don't like others seeing them..........." Gabriel explained; feeling terrible that the lie seemed to slip so easily from her tongue. She had promised herself that the only real untruth she would tell Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan, was that she was a man; yet here she was, lying again, and she couldn't help but feel terrible about it. The three men looking at one another in astonishment, before Aramis placed his hand on Gabriel's shoulder.

"That's alright, Gabriel. I'll just cut the sleeve............."

                                                      >>-----------------------------------<<

Athos made his way into the tavern. Not the one that he and the others would normally frequent; just a tavern, any tavern. Any tavern where he could get wine, ale, anything that would cloud his mind enough, so that he could forget about not only what he was thinking and feeling; but also, what he had just done to poor Gabriel.

"What can I get you, Monsieur.........?"

"Anything........wine......two bottles.........." The barman simply nodding at the curt order and reached for two bottles of wine and a glass, before placing them on the countertop. The Musketeer throwing a few livres on the bar, before grabbing the bottles and making his way over to a secluded table.

He knew that none of this was the barman's fault, that all this was no one's fault other than his own; but he was just not in the mood to be social. To make polite conversation, all he wanted to do was get drunk.

He knew eventually he would have to go back to the barracks and face his friend, face the young Fontin. He had a duty to attend to, for despite the chaos that seemed to be going on in his mind, the world did not stop turning; the enemies of France and the king, did not stop plotting. And it was his job, along with his fellow Musketeers, to make sure that no harm came to the king, and France did not fall to some foreign agent. Yet at this moment, he was sure that the others would do all that far better if he wasn't there. Athos pulling the cork out of the first bottle and filling the glass right up to the top.

                                                         >>--------------------------------<<

"You should come and stay here in the barracks." d'Artagnan said, looking over Aramis' shoulder, as he finished stitching Gabriel's wounds. The young Fontin thinking that if she was really a man, it would be the best notion; but the idea of being a woman and trying to clean herself, trying to relieve herself surrounded by all those men.......it just wasn't going to work. But this time when she came up with an excuse, it wasn't going to be a lie.

"I would, but Monsieur Lefebre, who owns the tavern that we go to, says that I can have the room I am in, for nothing, if I help him out when I am not here. It seemed like a far trade to me. And I don't mind the idea of helping clean up and working around the tavern." Gabriel replied. Thanking Aramis, as he cut the last stitch.

"Barracks or tavern........hmmmm?" Porthos joking mused for, a moment as he walked over and sat by Gabriel.

"You are a man after my own heart, Gabriel. If someone had offered me a room in a tavern when I was your age, I'd have taken it, as well. And speaking of the tavern, I think that it is more than time for a drink to celebrate your win." The big man added. His smile getting broader as he looked at Aramis and d'Artagnan, who nodded in agreement. Gabriel just shaking her head and chuckling, as she joined them in making their way out of the barracks.

                                                  >>---------------------------------<<

"Thank ya, lad........." Monsieur Lefebre said, as Gabriel finished helping him clean up.

She had finally got the others to leave for the evening, saying that she would see them in the morning. Aramis and d'Artagnan helping Porthos up from his seat, and wishing her goodnight, before the three had made their way out of the tavern. And now, as much as she wanted to go up to her room; to remover her blooded shirt and the strips out material that bound her breasts. As much as she wanted to wash and sleep, first she needed some air.

"I will be back in a little while, Monsieur Lefebre. I feel like going for a walk. Clear my head." Gabriel replied, as he placed the last empty bottle on the bar top.

"As ya wish. But be careful. The streets aren't safe fa anyone; not even one that's gonna be a Musketeer." The landlord called back, smiling at the young man, as he made his way out of the door.

                                                      >>-----------------------------------<<

She looked around. Alright, she would admit it, she was a little lost. It probably not the best idea to go wandering around in the dark before you had familiarised yourself properly with your surroundings. But, she also had to admit that it was a beautiful night; the moon hanging high over the capital, bathing the old buildings and the river that was Paris' life blood, in an otherworldly glow.

As she had walked, doing her best to dodge the rats and the curious gazes of the cats that sat atop the walls, she had found herself thinking about a certain Musketeer. A part of her had been scared about the notion of fighting Athos; she had heard of him, Aramis and Porthos before coming to Paris. How they were supposed to be some of the best that the Musketeers had to offer; and given that, she still felt a little foolish for not knowing who they were when she had rescued them, despite Aramis' assurances that all was fine. And then the other part of her had been glad it was him. If she was going to prove that she was really her father's child, then what better than beating one of the best men in the regiment. And she had beaten him.......she had really beaten him. Gabriel imagining that Athos hadn't said that he yielded, many times in his life, or at all before their duel.

Even though he, for some reason, didn't seem to like her; and she must admit that her feelings towards him were still a little mixed, Gabriel still wished that she could get to know him better. It already feeling as though she was getting on well with and understanding the others; but Athos was still an enigma. And maybe that was why she wanted to work him out, because he was such a puzzle. Gabriel always having hated not having the answer to things. That, and maybe if they spent a little more time together, he might see that she wasn't all that bad, and he would stop hating her.

"GET OUT. YA BUM..............." A loud, gruff voice suddenly shouted. Gabriel moving into the shadows, as a moaning figure was thrown out into the gutter.

"AND STAY OUT!" The angry voice added, before a door was slammed. Gabriel hesitantly watching from the dark corner she had hidden herself in, as the man on the floor rolled over, and let out another moan. The young Fontin quickly leaving her hiding place, as she saw the man's face illuminated by the moonlight.

"Athos............." Gabriel gasped, as she fell to his side. Pushing his now wet hair from his face. The Musketeer looking up at her with bleary eyes, before slowly placing his hand on her cheek.

"You are beautiful, you know that don't you? I would very much like to kiss you..........." He slurred. Gabriel pulling away from his touch and staring at him for a moment; not sure whether he had actually worked out her secret, or if it was just the obviously copious amounts of alcohol he had consumed, talking.

"Athos, it's me, Gabriel. Come on, you have to get up. I can't leave you lying here." She told the downed Musketeer, as she did her best to help him sit up.

"Of course you can. This is where I deserve to be..........." Athos replied, as he pushed her hands away. Gabriel deciding that she had had enough of a fully grown man feeling sorry for himself. Alright, he had lost a fight; even the best of the best could lose a fight. But it wasn't worth all this.

"This is not the Athos I had heard about before coming here. You are supposed to be one of the best that the regiment has to offer; but here you are, sitting in a gutter, feeling sorry for yourself. Now, help he get you to your feet, and I will take you somewhere you can sleep this off." Gabriel ordered. Athos' eyes widening at the order, before holding out his arm for her to take. The pair managing to get him to his feet, and then stumbling, hopefully in the direction of the right tavern, through the streets.

                                                  >>----------------------------------<<

"Put him on the bed." Gabriel said, as Monsieur Lefebre helped her get Athos in the room. He had been surprised to see the young man dragging a drunk back into the tavern with him; but once she had explained that it was Athos and what had happened, he had taken the Musketeers other arm, and helped him up the stairs.

"I'll sleep on the floor. She continued, as she pulled one of the blankets off the bed, before she and the landlord dropped the inebriate Musketeer on the bed.

"We will be fine now, thank you, Monsieur Lefebre. I have had to deal with my father in this state, more than once." The young Fontin chuckled, as the landlord made his way back to the door.

"Well, if ya sure. But if ya need anything........." Gabriel just nodding in thanks, before closing the door. The young Fontin pulling the boots from a snoring Athos' feet and then moving his legs as best she could, so that he was properly lying on the bed.

"Well, Athos............." Gabriel crossing her arms over her chest, as she looked at his sleeping form.

"I hope you know that this means I have rescued you twice, now..........." She added with a chuckle, before grabbing the candle and making her way over to a spot on the floor. Settling down and pulling the blanket over her.

"Goodnight, Athos..........." The soft words accompanied by the candle being blown out.