Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!

Author's note Important: This is a sequel to my other musketeer story: The Paths we choose. It follows the events of the 2011 movie. It also tells you more about Regina. So I suggest you read that first;)

flashbacks/dream

Character ages:

Athos: 47

Porthos: 44

Aramis: 40

D'artagnan: 22

Regina: 22

Gwen: 22

Raoul: 2

1633, Paris

'I have to find them.' She thought as she ran, sword in hand. 'I have to find them!'

"Papa! Raoul! D'artagnan! Porthos! Aramis!" Unanswered- her calls echoed in the air -until,

"Regina, darling! There you are, this way!" called a comforting voice.

She turned to the sound. "Mama!" At the sight of her step-mother Catrina, she ran toward the comforting figure.

The older woman embraced her in a hug. "It's alright now, dear."

However, Regina suddenly pulled away "But...where are Papa. Raoul and the others?"

Catrina shook her head sadly.

"NO!" Regina gasped in horror, then disbelief as Catrina disappeared.

"Aw, did the little musketeer lose her family?" A voice taunted, making her blood run cold.

"You, lying, murdering, bastard!" she screamed, turning to face the man who was hell-bent on destroying her.

"Why, Regina that's no way to treat your brother!" he mocked, pretending hurt.

"You're no brother of mine, Lord DeWinter," she spat, as she stalked toward him.

He chuckled, stepping up to her. "Yes, you've made that quite clear.

Regina grew irritated. "What do you want, Mordaunt?"

An evil glint entered Mordaunt's eye. "I think, sister, it is what, or rather who, you want."

Regina paled in realization. "LET THEM GO!"

"No, mother will be avenged!" Mordaunt shouted. "But don't worry, you'll be seeing them soon."

"Where are-"She never finished her second demand before collapsing to the floor as she screamed in agony.

"All for none and more for me." Mordaunt laughed, dropping the bloody dagger.

Suddenly Regina heard not the laughter of Mordaunt but the screams of the musketeers, and Catrina and Raoul.

"No," she moaned weakly. No, this wasn't happening she couldn't lose them, her heart seized with fear at the thought.

And all at once it stopped, Regina felt the pain fade and it grew quiet as the feeling of safety and warmth overtook her..pulling her...

"Regina, wake up!"

She gasped, her eyes widening as she sat up in her bed -in the apartment she shared with her family-it was only dream.

"Regina, are you okay?"

Regina started at the urgent voice that had pulled her from that horrid dream-the voice of Aramis.

Who in turn looked at her in concern. "Are you okay?" he asked, this time more gentle least he startle her.

"Y-yes," came the automatic reply, which was answered with a raised brow, and the lighting of the bedside candle.

"Did I wake you?" Regina asked, trying to change the subject.

"Uh..no..actually I was just..getting in."

"Oh?" This time it was Regina who raised her eyebrow.

"Y-yes." Aramis blushed but recovered. "Everyone save Gwen and Raoul was asleep." At the confused look he continued. "Athos was out cold so D'artagnan took over, but he was exhausted so Gwen sent him. I was about to retire when I heard you scream."

"Oh." She flushed with embarrassment. "Um thanks."

"Want to talk about it? I know this is usually Gwen or Athos' job-"

"They can't help."

The reply was quick-too quick; Aramis instantly knew. "Mordaunt."

"Yes."

"...Catrina?"

The answer this time was not verbal but a nod of the head.

"Regina..you cannot keep blaming yourself for her death," Aramis insisted.

It was a known fact that Regina blamed herself for the death of her beloved step-mother.

"I know, but this time it wasn't just Mama, it was you, Papa, Porthos, D'artagnan... a-and even R-Raoul."

Aramis paled. He couldn't-didn't- want to imagine it. Of course they all knew being Musketeers was an occupational hazard, but they weren't just musketeers, they were family. "Hmm...well it was just a dream, and we are all here, safe and sound, are we not?"

"Yes..for now."

"And, are we not musketeers?"

"Well, yes.."

"Then we shall be able to handle anything thrown at us, no?" Here Aramis couldn't resist a smirk at knowing he succeeded.

Regina smiled. "Yeah I suppose you're right."

Aramis squeezed her shoulder, "Well, now that that's settled, I shall be getting back to bed." He headed for her door. "Goodnight, Regina."

"Yes, after all, with all your late night...excursions, you'd be dead on your feet by morning." She quipped.

Aramis' eyes widened and he blushed, before all but fleeing from the room.

As he left, Regina chuckled at the fact that after five years of living with herself and D'artagnan, and over eighteen plus years of living with Athos and Porthos, Aramis still blushed at the acknowledgment of what he did after hours.

Perhaps she would bring up his lady friend tomorrow. 'Yes that would be payback, for him agreeing for her to go shopping with Constance all last week.'

The next morning

"Did you finish all your breakfast, Raoul?" Athos asked, turning to his three year old son.

An excited "Yay!" was the only response.

"And you've also managed to get dirty again," mumbled Planchet, who was, in a manner of speaking, Raoul's nanny when Athos or the others were away or on duty.

"Oh shut up, Planchet, he's just a baby...which technically is a lot like you, only smarter," Porthos said, before taking a bite out of a loaf of bread.

"Don't worry, Planchet, I've got him," Regina said, bounding down the stairs and taking her half-brother from the disgruntled manservant.

"But Ma'am your uniform-" Planchet argued half-heartily,

"Has been through worse," she interrupted with a tone of finality, before placing a hand on Raoul's head. "His fever's broken."

"Yeah it did sometime around sunrise," grunted the half-asleep D'artagnan, tired from being up all night with the sick Raoul.

"You stayed up all with him night?" Athos said, concern in his tone as he took in the meaning of the appearance and the words of the boy he thought of as his older son.

"No, Gwen was just taking over when I went to bed." Aramis assured from the top of the stairs.

"And what time was that?" Porthos asked teasingly.

"Normally, I'd say sod off, but as it concerns our nephew's health...around four."

"Oh," Athos breathed a sigh of relief. "And thank you, D'artagnan."

"Nuh-prolem," D'artagnan muttered before he started snoring.

"Speaking of 'thank yous' " Regina started, as she ascended the stairs Raoul in her arms. "I never got to thank you for saving me last night." She smiled at Aramis, who only nodded in return.

"Saving you, from what?" Athos asked, worried she had gotten hurt and he didn't know about it.

"It was nothing really, Regina was having a nightmare and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to wake her up, that's all." Aramis brushed off the unnecessary praise as he descended the stairs.

"Yes, after all, you had just gotten in, no?" Regina asked with feigned innocence.

Aramis sputtered in shock and embarrassment, fumbling on the last step.

"Why Aramis, what have you been up to?" asked Porthos with an arrogant grin.

"I think, Porthos, the right question would be who." Athos couldn't resist joining in.

"

As the Five Inseparables journeyed to Headquarters, they couldn't help but marvel at how much things had changed.

Four years ago, in the time after they had retrieved the Queen's diamonds they had thought they could finally move on. That ended several weeks later when Buckingham showed up with an army, and a very much alive and vengeful Mordaunt and Milady. The result was a war that lasted two years, which took a toll on the musketeers -Athos and Regina especially. No matter how hard they thought they wanted to, they could never kill the two people they hated, and yet at the same time held dear. At least that was until the game changed when the Queen got a new lady-in-waiting; Comtesse Catrina de Bragelonne.

Athos at first couldn't care less about who waited on the Queen, until he learned the woman was of noble birth like himself and he became curious. Eventually he questioned her and the two found they had more in common than one would think. Soon they became friends and inevitably fell in love, then after about a year they wed and not long after Raoul was born and life was perfect; Athos found love again, Regina now had a mother who cared for her, and the musketeers gained a sister, and Raoul was a brother to all.

That was until Mordaunt had committed the ultimate betrayal when he murdered Catrina -of course his mother had helped. But Milady had finally committed the crime for which punishment the musketeers made sure she did not escape. However, in the chaos of protecting Raoul and making sure Milady didn't escape, Mordaunt had slipped away. And they knew he was out there, waiting to avenge his mother.

But Aramis, D'artagnan, and Gwen, as well as Monsieur Treville, had made it clear they couldn't spend their days worrying about the threats of cowardly ghosts. With no choice they moved on as best they could, but Catrina's death was a tragedy unforgivable and for Athos...he hadn't been the same since. But they had Raoul to think about so now they lived, drank, loved, and did their duty for France...and raised a two year old.

Sure, it was chaotic and tough at times, but that's what made it an adventure.

"What's the matter Porthos," asked D'artagnan as they rode home later that night. "Why so quiet?"

"The boy's right, normally you don't shut up." Athos laughed.

"SHH!" Porthos hushed them. "We've been followed."

The two immediately silenced, hands reaching for their swords.

"I thought it was just me," Aramis put in. "You don't think the headquarters has been compromised?"

"Nah, I think only since we left the pub," Porthos whispered.

A sudden noise in the alley next to them, had them drawing their swords.

"In the name of the King, show yourself!" Athos ordered into the darkness.

More noises sounded as a shadow appeared on the cobblestone, and the figure emerged.

'Meow' a stray black cat peered at them in the darkness.

"Ugh, yes Porthos we are being followed. By a dangerous, bloodthirsty feline!" Athos grunted.

"Well excuse me, if I'd rather be safe than sorry," Porthos defended as they continued onward.

None of them noticed the crystal blue eyes watching them from the shadows as they left.

End Chapter I.

Ok, first of all a tremendous thanks to LadyWallace, for agreeing to Beta-read this story. :)

A/N: " display short passage of time

So what do you think?