Les Miserables 1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

_Eponine_

I hurriedly walk through the city, following the crowd of people. Marius told me about the rally he and his revolutionary friends had planned for today, and I wanted to see it. My view finally became clearer as the street widened considerably and people began to scatter, filling in all the unused space surrounding the rally. On a platform straight in front of me stands Marius and his friend that I recognize as the leader of Les Amis, although I do not know his name. The rest of their student friends are spread about getting the crowd riled up. All of them are chanting and shouting about liberty, equality, and freedom. They are talking about a very ill General Lamarque, the people's man, and I know that if they aren't careful, police will arrive soon.

My eyes focus in on Marius as he feeds off of the crowd's energy, continuing his passionate shouting. I wonder why I care for him so, follow him around like a lost puppy, when he barely gives me the time of day. I suppose I'll wonder this forever. Just as the leader utters a cry of "Vive la France" I hear whistles and shouts much different than the excited crowd. The police have arrived. I can't let Marius get arrested or hurt. I can't. I dart through the crowd, shoving people out of the way as fast as I can, not bothering to apologize. Marius and his friend are just jumping off of the platform right as I reach the front of the crowd.

"Come with me, Messieurs!" I shout as I take Marius's hand and grab a fistful of the leader's jacket sleeve.

I pull them along as fast as I can, trying to ignore the chaos ensuing around me. I get jostled by the frantic crowd, and I can feel the two men getting jostled as well. My instincts kick in, and without even thinking about it, I dart into an alley and begin travelling through one of my secret short cuts. The men don't complain that I am basically dragging them behind me, but I think they are in shock. When I deem us safe from the officers on the street, I stop, release both of them, and take a deep breath.

"You're safe now, Messieurs," I huff.

Marius's stares at me with wide eyes, "Thank you, 'Ponine! We surely would've gotten arrested if it wasn't for you."

"Anything, Marius," I smile, but out of the corner of my eye, I see his leader friend inching back toward the chaotic street.

Surging forward, I grab his arm, "Monsieur, you can't go back out there. You'll be arrested! Aren't you the leader? They will recognize you."

He whirls back around to face me, his demeanor stern but slightly frantic. He is taller than Marius, so he is almost towering over me. His icy blue eyes stare down at me fiercely, like they can see straight through my soul. I involuntarily shrink under his gaze and stature.

"My men are out there! They cannot be arrested either or our cause will be compromised!" he exclaims in a commanding tone.

I remind myself that I will let no one intimidate me, so I square my shoulders and stare back up at him as fiercely as he is staring at me.

"That may be so, but your men are intelligent, are they not? They will get themselves out of this situation. If you return to look for them, when they are most likely already to safety, you will be caught. Correct me if I'm wrong but once the leader a cause is caught, doesn't the entire cause usually fall apart?" I say, making my words sharp and articulate.

His eyes widen slightly in shock, and he opens his mouth to argue but thinks better of it.

"Point taken," he nods, relaxing his posture slightly.

I turn back around only to find Marius completely missing, and I huff. Couldn't he have at least waited on us? I don't even know this man. A few seconds later than me, the leader also notices the absence of Marius.

"Now where's he gone? The poor fool is probably lost in these alleys somewhere!" he sighs.

Irritation flares inside me when I hear him refer to Marius as a fool. I wave my hand dismissively.

"This is one of my favorite shortcuts. He knows the way out," I explain.

"So you and Marius are good friends then? He's never mentioned being acquainted with anyone outside of Les Amis."

He hasn't ever mentioned me? Who am I kidding? Of course he hasn't. I am a gamine, a good-for-nothing street rat with extremely dangerous ties. He and his friends are all students, much more respectable than I. But it still doesn't stop the ache in my chest. I thought I meant more to Marius than just some street girl who hangs around him.

"Oh. You could say we are friends. I've known him for several years."

He leans against the wall and looks at me curiously, "I wonder why he never mentioned you. Did I hear him say your name was 'Ponine?"

"To be fair, he hasn't told me much about Les Amis. I recognize his friends when I see them, but I don't know any of your names. It's Eponine actually," I respond.

"Well, Mademoiselle Eponine, it is nice to meet you. I am Enjolras," he nods his head in a slight bow, catching me off guard.

"Monsieur, I am no mademoiselle," I say, shaking my head.

He looks confused, "You are a young woman, are you not?"

"Well, yes…"

"Then you are a mademoiselle in my book," his blue eyes sparkle slightly and one side of his mouth curves up as he says the words.

"That is very kind of you, but suppose we make a deal? We know each other now, so could we avoid formalities? You don't have to call me Mademoiselle Eponine and I don't have to call you Monsieur Enjolras."

I don't like being called something that I am not, and I am most certainly not a mademoiselle. I am a filthy street rat.

"It's a deal," he concedes.

He holds out his hand, and I put my hand in his, thinking his intentions are to shake on the deal, but then he draws my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it lightly. He kissed my grimy hand that hasn't been washed in clean water in what feels like ages. I am floored. I quickly pull my hand away, embarrassed by my uncleanliness, even though I can't really help it. If he notices my shock and embarrassment, he doesn't show it.

Enjolras clears his throat, "Forgive me if this is rude, but I assume you are from the poorer areas?"

"It isn't rude. Once glance at me and you can see it, can't you? But, yes, I am."

"Do you think some of the people there would be willing to help with the cause?" he asks, hope in his eyes.

I don't like where the conversation his heading. I honestly couldn't see any of the people in the streets standing up for a cause they barely understand, but I don't want to crush his hope immediately.

"Frankly, I don't know, and I really must be going," I say before turning to walk away.

"Wait, Eponine!" he exclaims.

I stop and turn to face him, "Yes?"

"I don't know my way out of here, and I was hoping you'd show me. Is there a way out that is close to the Café Musain?"

I inwardly sigh, knowing I can't leave him here alone in the middle of this maze of alleys.

"I can get you out of here about two blocks from the Musain. Will that do?"

He nods.

"Alright then, follow me."

**Author's Note: Hello! So I decided to start a new story after seeing Les Miserables on Broadway in NYC. I promise I will still work on Running as well. I hope you liked the first chapter of The Night Will End. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think. **

**As a reader, you can picture whoever you want when reading the story, but I thought I'd let you know who I picture as I write.**

**Enjolras = Aaron Tveit, Eponine = Samantha Barks, Marius = Andy Mientus, Grantaire = George Blagden.**

**As more characters make an appearance, I will note who I picture them as in my author's note. If I forget, don't hesitate to remind me. Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Hopefully I'll have the next installment up soon!**

**~loislane16**


	2. Chapter 2

Two

_Eponine_

I automatically assume that the walk to the café is going to be awkward, since I barely know Enjolras, but it actually isn't. Although he is a student, a wealthy student, he is treating me like a human being and actually trying to have a conversation with me.

"You knew I was the leader of Les Amis. Marius must have told you something about me then," he says.

"Yes, he told me you were the leader, but he really hasn't said much else. Sometimes I sit in the alley behind the café and if I listen very carefully, I can hear your speeches occasionally. I figure that if Marius won't tell me about his cause, then I would find out for myself."

I glance back at him and notice the frown on his face.

"I hope it is okay that I sit outside and listen," I add.

Enjolras's eyes widen, "Oh of course it is! I only wonder, why have you never joined us inside?"

With his question, I stop and stare at him incredulously. I quirk an eyebrow at him.

"Have you not looked at me, Monsieur? I am a gamine, a filthy street rat. I don't belong among people like you. I am fortunate Marius is kind to me," I scoff.

"Eponine, I have looked at you, and your status means nothing. You are still a person, a person just like the rest of us. Everyone is welcome to Les Amis if they are sympathetic to the cause. You belong wherever you want to belong. And I thought we agreed to drop formalities," he explains.

I stand there and stare at him for a moment. Does he truly believe that my status means nothing? He'd be one of the first people I've met who believes that. I am aghast.

"Right, well I apologize, Enjolras," I begin walking again, "Thank you for the invitation, but I don't want to intrude."

"Oh, but you wouldn't be intruding! The more supporters we have, the better. There aren't very many other women there, but the barmaid is my friend's mistress, and she is sympathetic to the cause. I'm sure she'd love some company," he argues.

Since he is behind me, I roll my eyes. Of course, the mistress of a bourgeois student wants the company of a street rat whore like myself. Right. I'll believe it when I see it.

"I'll think about it," I say, just hoping he'll drop it.

But he doesn't.

"I don't mean this to be offensive, but you are the epitome of what our cause stands for. I think if you became a supporter, you could get some of the other lower class people involved as well."

I can hear the hope and enthusiasm in his voice.

"I wouldn't bet on that. If you haven't already noticed, I'm not really a people person."

Before he can respond, I point down another alley.

"Just go down this alley and turn right. The Musain will be two blocks away in that direction," I instruct.

"Thank you," he nods.

I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm.

"We're having a meeting right now. Why don't you just come and see what it's like? If you don't like it or don't want to be a part of the cause, then I'll never bother you again. Is that a deal, Eponine?"

Why is he so adamant I come to a meeting? But his offer does sound good. Come to one meeting, and then he never bothers me again? It's not that I don't like him. It's just that I don't have time to get wrapped up in something that will inevitably lead to a hopeless revolution. I wish Marius would see the same way I do. I don't want to have to watch him die.

"Deal, Enjolras," I answer.

I walk with him up to the Musain doors, fidgeting with the material of my ragged skirt. He may welcome me, but who's to say that his friends will? He offers me a small smile as he pushes the doors open. I follow behind him, and his stature hides most of my form from the rest of the students. All of the young men are talking and laughing. Some are playing card games, some are drinking. They seem like one big family.

"Musichetta?" Enjolras calls.

A curvy woman with long auburn ringlets gets up off of one of the student's laps and makes her way over to us.

"How can I help you, Apollo?" she asks, a mischievous gleam in her green eyes.

_Apollo?_ Where did that come from and what does that mean? I hear Enjolras huff slightly at what I assume is a nickname. He steps to the side so Musichetta can see me better.

"This is Eponine. I was hoping you'd make her feel welcome here?"

"Well, of course! Just come with me, then Eponine!" she smiles.

Musichetta grabs my wrist and begins to pull me along. I turn back to Enjolras and glare at him slightly. He could have at least prepared me for what I would be facing here. She takes me around to various tables introducing me to everyone. So far, I have met a poet named Jehan, a big man named Bahorel, a fan maker called Feuilly, and a rather unlucky fellow called Bossuet. Two other men sit at a table with Enjolras but they look like they are having a serious conversation, so she skips them for the moment. The last table she takes me to is the one that she came from. It is emptier than before because the two men who are talking to Enjolras were sitting there when we came in. Now there are only two men left at the table, the man that Musichetta was sitting with and a man holding a dark glass bottle.

"Eponine, this is Joly," Musichetta introduced, gesturing to the man whose lap she was occupying only minutes earlier. Then she pointed to the man with the bottle, "This is our resident drunk, Grantaire."

Grantaire raised his glass in my direction, "Welcome, Eponine!"

Suddenly, I hear Enjolras's voice, loud and frantic, "Where is Marius?"

He must have been doing a headcount to make sure everyone made it out of the rally safely. I step forward and hold up my hand to get his attention.

"One of the other ways out of the short cut leads to his flat. I'm sure he went there," I assure.

Some of the panic seems to deflate from Enjolras's features and he relaxes.

"Alright then, we are all accounted for. I'd say everything went well today," he announces.

A man with glasses seated next to Enjolras stands up beside him, "We handed out all of our pamphlets, so we'll need to make some more."

With that, the entire crowd of students gets to work. Everyone moves about talking and swapping pieces of paper. I just sit and watch because I have no clue what they're doing. Everyone gets to work except for the man Musichetta introduced as Grantaire. I move to sit beside him.

"So Grantaire, right?"

"At your service, mademoiselle," he says with quite a bit of theatrics.

I laugh, "Just Eponine. Why aren't you working like they are?"

"I'm not exactly a supporter," he responds.

"And he lets you stay?" I question, gesturing to Enjolras who is bent over the table writing.

Grantaire scoffs, "Apollo doesn't _let _me do anything. I do as I please. I'm a bit of a cynic, don't really believe in much."

Oh, a cynic. He and I will get along well then. But there it was again, _Apollo. _

"You're the second person I've heard call Enjolras by Apollo. What does that mean?"

Grantaire takes a long pull on his bottle before answering, "Have you ever seen a drawing of the Greek god Apollo?"

I tell him that I haven't.

"Well, they look very similar to each other. Golden hair, pale skin, almost too perfect. I started calling him that, and then it spread. He doesn't like it too much. We only call him that to get under his skin," he smiles.

I nod in understanding. I will have to find a picture of Apollo.

I point to his bottle, "What are you drinking?"

"A woman of many questions, I see. I like you," he laughs before passing the bottle to me, "Take a drink."

I look at the bottle questioningly before deciding to trust him. I've barely known him five minutes, and I already like him. I bring the bottle to my lips and tip it back. The liquid burns terribly as it rolls down my throat. I swallow quickly and cough, handing the bottle back to him.

"What is that?" I splutter.

My father drinks, and I have too on occasion, but never anything that strong.

Grantaire chuckles at me, "It's absinthe. A little too strong for you?"

"A little? Try a lot! How in the world do you stomach that?" I exclaim.

"Years of practice, my dear Eponine," he winks before tipping the bottle back again.

I laugh at him. I think I've made a new friend. My attention shifts from the revolutionary students to Grantaire. We converse for quite a while, even once his brain succumbed to the alcohol he had been consuming steadfastly. Grantaire eventually passes out on the table in front of him and I look up to see only Enjolras and the two men I haven't met yet still left in the café.

"Where did everyone else go?"

The man with the glasses answers me, pulling a pocket watch from his trousers, "They've all gone home. It's nearly midnight."

It's only then that I realize that it is pitch dark outside.

"Oh, I didn't realize how late it is."

Enjolras suddenly looks up from his papers, "Eponine, you still haven't met these two have you?"

He stands and gestures to the man with the glasses, "This is Combeferre." Then he turns to the other man who is grinning like a manic, "And this is Courfeyrac. Some of the closest friends I have. 'Ferre, Courfeyrac, this is Eponine."

They both shake my hands and tell me that it is a pleasure to meet me. I've never been around so many kind people in my life. They leave us shortly after. Enjolras goes back to reading the paper that he spent nearly the whole meeting writing.

"What did you write?" I ask.

"It's a new pamphlet idea," he explains.

"May I see it?"

He looks up from his seat with shock, "You read?"

I roll my eyes and snatch the paper from his hands, "I'm poor, not stupid. I have quite a good vocabulary too. The things you learn on the streets…I could have been a student like you!"

"Eponine, I apologize! I didn't mean that to be rude! I was just shocked. I know you're not stupid," he fumbles.

It's actually kind of fun to watch him stumble to apologize. I smile.

"Oh, it's alright. I'm not mad. I'm just joking. But I can read."

Relief washes over his face, "Then by all means, read and tell me what you think."

I sit beside him and begin to read his elegant yet rushed handwriting. And what I read is good, really good. He has a way with words, which I already knew by listening to his speeches. It takes me a minute to finish reading but when I do, I nod my head and look up at him.

"It's really good, Enjolras. You should put this in your pamphlets."

He offers me one of his half-smiles, "Thank you. I think I'll retire for the evening. Shall I walk you home?"

I know I shouldn't return home now. It's too late, and my father won't be happy. I don't want to face him tonight. I don't want to ruin this night with these wonderful people. I glance at Grantaire.

"I think I'll stay here tonight if you don't mind, give Grantaire some company."

I can see in his eyes that he doesn't believe that's the reason I'm choosing to sleep in the café.

"Are you sure? He'll be fine here by himself. He sleeps here all the time."

I smile, "I'm sure."

"Very well. It's safer in the supply room and there are some blankets in there."

"Thank you, Enjolras."

He turns to leave, "I hope to see you soon, Eponine."

Once he leaves, I make my way to the supply room and make myself a nest out of the blankets. For the first time in a while, I actually sleep well.

**Author's Note: I hope this chapter was a little better than the last, especially since it was longer. Most of this story will be from Eponine's point of view, but there will be some other viewpoints later. Thank you for reading, and I hope you'll let me know what you think!**

**~loislane16**


	3. Chapter 3

Three

_Enjolras_

After getting home from the cafe, I found I couldn't sleep, which was not uncommon for me. But this time it wasn't for my normal reasons. Normally I stay awake to continue making plans for the rebellion, writing new material for pamphlets, or studying for upcoming exams. Tonight, I can't shake the young gamine from my mind. Eponine. There is something special about her, I know it. I comb my fingers through my hair, trying to place just what it is. Unable to figure it out at the moment, I try to push it from my mind and get more comfortable. I shed my jacket and waistcoat, untucking my shirt from my trousers. I loosen my cravat and kick off my boots. As I sit on the edge of my bed, Eponine returns to my mind. She is much different from the other gamines I have had contact with. She is intelligent and independent. Underneath the grime and dirt, I can tell she is young, perhaps younger than myself. But her dark eyes observe things in such a way that I would guess she has seen a lifetime of struggles and experiences. I can tell she has a determined yet free spirit, and occasionally her eyes flash with a fierceness that tells me she can be passionate about something if she chose to be. She was right when she told me she could've been a student as well. She has probably learned more on the streets than I have in all my years of private tutoring and university. She was driven enough to make sure she learned to read, and it wouldn't surprise me if she also knew how to write and do arithmetic.

Although Marius hasn't ever told us anything about Eponine, I have seen her before. I have noticed her following Marius around like a lost puppy. Without a doubt, she must be head over heels for him, but in my opinion, it would be most beneficial for her if she steered clear of the young Baron. Yes, Marius is my friend, but I know he is still a bit concerned with the traditional ways that separate people of different classes. He fights along side me for our cause of equality, yet I can tell that deep down inside, he is warring with himself. He isn't fully dedicated to the cause, and when the time comes, I honestly won't be surprised if he chooses not to fight with us. Although I know Marius is a good, kind man, I could see his traditional ways taking over, preventing him from seeing Eponine as anything other than a friend because of social class. I feel badly for having such strong opinions about someone I barely know, but if Eponine knew what was good for her, she would know that her fascination with Marius will only lead to her heartbreak. It simply isn't worth it.

I have been ridiculed by my friends for years for not giving the slightest attention to any young women, but they only know what they see on the outside. Yes, I have seen some beautiful young women before and would've liked to maybe make their acquaintance, but I always remind myself of my own philosophy that it simply isn't worth it. I am too dedicated to my cause and Les Amis to worry about a fling of a romance. It would do nothing but effect my emotions and judgement, and I know I need to stay focused. Lack of focus could lead to my death. I know my friends think I am opposed to love or marriage in general, but that isn't true. I am often kept awake by the sheer feeling of loneliness and the fear that if I live past this rebellion, I will grow old and die alone. I sometimes have dreams that take place years from now in a changes France. In those dreams, I am an old man living in a cottage with my wife, a wife who's face and features are blurred. We often sit in silence on the porch of our quaint cottage in the countryside, our hands intertwined, needing nothing but each other's presence. But when I am jerked out of the dream, my loneliness returns with a crushing force.

Even though I have a fear of growing to be a lonely old man, I know I won't ever settle for anyone, just to have a companion or to satisfy my mother. In nearly every letter she writes, which come every other week, she asks me if I've met anyone and when I'll finally grow up and get married. I used to respond to those questions, but after a while when it was clear she was not going to listen to my reasoning, I ignored them entirely. The young women I see everyday on the streets, the ones Combeferre or Courfeyrac typically point out and tell me that they're eyeing me, I don't have any interest in. They are the women obsessed with social status, money, galas, and gossip. The ones who care more about if their dresses are up to par with current Paris fashion than they do about the homeless families and hungry children. If I were to express my fears to my friends, they would say they were silly and irrelevant, that I could find a girl anywhere, on any day of the week. But that's not the case. I have come to believe that the type of woman I dream if simply doesn't exist. One who speaks her mind and has opinions of her own, even if they vary from mine. Independent, passionate, strong, but also kind-hearted and gentle. I need to find someone who isn't just a companion but more so a partner, in every since of the word. It wouldn't matter to me where she came from or what her past was like. The past was just that, in the past. But I'm afraid that will only be a fantasy.

So now, not only do I have the haunting fear of being alone the rest of my life floating in my mind, but I also have Eponine floating there as well. I take a deep breath and walk to my washroom. I splash the cold water in the basin onto my face, washing the remnants of the day away. I pray I'll get some rest tonight. I have a very important lecture tomorrow. Drying of my face and the front of my hair, I walk back to my bedroom and change into one of my nightshirts. Even though I feel relaxed as I climb beneath the bedding, my mind is still constantly thinking. I turn to my side and stare out my small window at the stars, knowing it is going to be a long night.

**Author's Note: so here was the first chapter from Enjolras's point of view. I hope you liked it! I wanted to portray Enjolras's in a deeper light than most people see him. Please, please, please tell me what you think! What do you think will happen next? **

**~loislane16**


	4. Chapter 4

Four

_Eponine_

When I wake, the supply room is still dark, leaving me to wonder just what time it is. I refold the blankets and stack the back on the shelf before easing the door open. Bright sunlight nearly blinds me, and I know I have slept longer than I needed to. Grantaire is already gone, another sign that it is late. Although I know the consequences will be bad when I get home, I don't regret spending the night at the cafe. That was the best sleep I'd gotten in a long time. Deep, dreamless sleep. Yes, I could've gone home late in the night, but dealing with my father would've ruined the wonderful night I had with Les Amis. I hope I can call them friends now. I don't really have any friends. Reluctantly, I start my trek home.

I know when I step through the door that it's going to be a long day. My father is ranting and raving, my mother is ignoring him, and Azelma is hiding in the corner. When his eyes catch sight of me, they flash with a fierce anger. He storms across the small flat, and I brace myself to be the brunt of his fury. He grabs my arm roughly, his grip much to tight, and shakes me.

"Where have ya been, ya little brat?" he demands, his putrid breath reeking of alcohol.

"Places," I say back.

I don't want him to know about Marius or Les Amis. I don't want to put them in danger.

"That's not an answer," he spits.

I won't let my father intimidate me. No one makes me feel small. No one scares me. No one.

"No place specific. Needed to get away from you scum," I spit back.

His rough hand slaps me hard across the cheek, an action I knew was coming. He laughs, full of hatred and evil.

"Call us scum all you want, but you're a Thenardier too, miss! You can't escape your bloodline!"

I snatch my arm out of his grasp and push past him. I could leave now. I could be rid of him and my just as terrible mother right now if I wanted to, but every time I look at Azelma, I know that's not possible at the moment. She is my little sister, and if my parents aren't going to be parents, then I have to take care of her. She's only a few years younger than me, but she is much more innocent that I. Mainly because she has lived under my protection. I have always protected her, and my brother when he lived with us. My parents kicked him out when they decided he was a useless mouth they couldn't afford to feed. I haven't seen little Gavroche since. I walk over to her and offer her a smile and my hand. Her trembling fingers find mine, and I pull her up. She follows me into our small, closet of a room and I shut the door behind us. There is one wooden chair in the corner, which I use to wedge under the doorknob. Azelma has already sat on her pallet of raggedy blankets, her arms wrapped around herself as if she is trying to hold herself together. I know the feeling. I have felt it many times, but I've learned to swallow it, not let it have control over me. I sit beside her and wait for her to speak, tell me why she's trembling so badly. I know she won't tell me unless she wants to, so I don't pry.

Finally she looks up at me, "He's been really angry."

I put my hand on her shoulder, "He's always angry, 'Zelma."

"I know but it just seems like it's getting worse," she sighs.

I shake my head, "No, you're just older now. You're realizing it. I've protected you for years, but I don't know how much longer I can."

A sob escapes her, and I wrap my arms around her shoulders, telling her not to cry. I learned a long time ago that crying doesn't help a thing. She finally calms down and takes a deep breath, but it catches in her throat and she releases a horrific cough. I hear the rattling all the way into her chest, and I am immediately filled with worry. I lean back to look at her.

"Are you alright, 'Zelma?"

She nods, "I'm fine, 'Ponine."

I know she is lying but I don't press the issue. Suddenly, our father pounds on the door and Azelma nearly jumps out of her skin.

"Open this door! Now!"

I give my sister a reassuring look before moving across the room to remove the chair and open the door.

He stares at me menacingly, "Since you were out doing who knows what, you'll be working the streets tonight, and you'd better make enough to make up for last night," he stares around me at Azelma, "You ought to be working too, brat."

I raise my hands to stop him, "There's no need for 'Zelma to work like I do. Would only give me competition, and she's much better working around the house. Besides, I make enough for me and her combined and you know that."

My father grumbles, "Fine, but be out there by dark. A street corner, the docks, and alley. I don't care as long as you're getting customers."

I shut the door and place the chair under the knob again. When I face Azelma, she is looking at me with terror in her eyes. I know what she is thinking.

"I'll be fine Azelma. I've been doing it for years."

I have been. My father has used my body for profit since the time he suddenly said I'd become a lady. I started with Montparnasse, then the rest of his gang friends, and finally the streets. I just learned to grit my teeth and bear it. But I don't want Azelma to have to deal with it.

"But I know you don't like it."

I sit beside her again, "Azelma, of course I don't like getting used by every dirty drunk out there, but it shuts father up and it keeps you from having to do it. As long as I'm here, you won't ever have to do it."

I can't bear the thought of Azelma going through the horrors that I've gone through. There are so many unspeakable "side effects" that come along with using your body as a business. I told myself I would never speak of some of my experiences, and when they come to mind, I push them back down.

"Don't worry about me, Azelma," I tell her.

"You should get some rest if you're working tonight," she says quietly.

"You're right."

I move to my thin pallet and try to get some rest.

* * *

_Enjolras_

My mind is once again plagued with thoughts and questions that I have no answers to. After a long day of classes and listening to professors drone on, I need to clear my mind. Or at least try to. It is already dark, and I gaze up at the stars which are brighter than normal. Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I let my feet take over, taking me anywhere they choose. Somehow, I end up in a part of town I've never been before. It's darker and a bit dilapidated. Then I spot the scantily dressed women looming in the shadows. The prostitutes were busy tonight. I know they'll try to grab my attention, desperate for a penny, but I know I'll simply ignore them. There was one night, a night no one knows about and a night that I'll always regret, when I didn't ignore them. I was almost overcome by my feeling of loneliness and in my screwed up state of mind, I employed the company of one of the prostitues. She was pretty, no doubt, but she mindless, statuesque. She went through the night doing what she had trained herself to do, doing what she had done with a countless number of other men. For that short moment, I didn't feel as lonely as before. The next morning, everything sank in, and I hated myself. It hadn't made the loneliness go away. It had only made a new feeling come over me, a feeling of self-loathing. I wanted to vomit, forget I had ever done what I did. I had not even known the young prostitute's name. For the longest time, I found myself purely despicable. After a while, I hated myself less, but I still knew I had made a grievous mistake, and I knew I'd never make it again.

So this time, as I have done many times before, I look straight ahead and continue on my way. But something catches my eye and causes me to look in the prostitutes' direction. Normally the girls come out of the shadows, towards the gentlemen walking by. Then why do I see one slinking back into the shadows, away from me. It is only when I catch her dark, fierce eyes that I recognize her. Rather than approach her directly, which I know is a bad idea since she is obviously trying to avoid me, I go to the old hag who controls them all. She is standing at the corner and smiles when she sees me approaching.

"Good Monsieur, are you looking for a bit of company tonight?" she rasp, her voice rough from ale.

"Perhaps," I answer, the words physically stinging as they roll off of my tongue.

"Well, don't you see something you like? For a handsome young Monsieur like yourself, I will give you a good price."

I put on my best mask, pretending that this whole ordeal doesn't make me sick to my stomach.

I point, "The brunette, in the shadows over there."

The hag smiles, "She's a bit of a feisty one. But as you wish. 'Ponine!" she shouts.

I watch as she reluctantly makes her way over to us. She doesn't make eye contact with me and she doesn't speak.

"She's yours, Monsieur. Pay and you can leave, go where you please," the hag tells me.

Eponine finally speaks, but she doesn't look at me, "With due respect, Monsieur, I decline your business."

"Excuse me?" the hag growls.

"I said no. I won't go with him," Eponine says a bit more forcefully.

The hag grabs Eponine's wrist tightly, "You'll do as I say, and I say that you'll do what the gentleman asks."

I read Eponine's expression and know that she knows better than to put up more of a fight.

The hag turns to me, "20 francs for the hour, Monsieur."

"How much for the night?" I inquire.

"200 francs."

I pull the bills from my pocket, "Very well."

After placing the bills in the hag's hand, I offer my arm to Eponine, "Come along."

Her hand wraps around my arm, and I notice her fingers are trembling. When we are out of earshot from the nest of prostitutes, I hear Eponine sniff.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispers.

"Doing what?" I reply.

She jerks her hand from my arm and wheels around to face me.

"Enjolras, do you not realize what you just did? I am a _whore_, and you just bought me! For the whole night even! Is that why you were kind to me last night? Is that why you welcomed me to your meeting? Because you wanted to share a bed with me? I thought you were different," she rasps, emotion thick in her voice.

In the moonlight, I see tears in her eyes, and I immediately hurt for her.

"Eponine, I know what I did, but let me be clear that I have no intentions of sleeping with you," I explain.

She looks thoroughly confused, "Then why did you waste 200 francs of your money on me?"

"Even though I barely know you, I consider you a friend, and friends take care of each other. When I saw you there, I couldn't just walk by and let you get groped by dirty pieces of scum all night."

"Well, thank you for trying to be my knight in shining armor, but I have been 'groped' by countless dirty pieces of scum over many years. One more night wouldn't have done me in."

Her words make me ache. No one should have to sell themselves.

"Why Eponine? Why have you had to put yourself through this for so many years?"

She looks away, refusing to answer. I don't really want to press it any further so I offer her my arm again.

"Well, I payed for a night with you, and I don't want to spend it on this random street corner."

I see a mixture of anger and fear flash in her eyes so I smile at her gently.

"Just trust me," I say quietly.

After turning it through in her mind a couple of times, her trembling hand grasps my arm again and I lead her down the street.

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! To answer a reviewer's question: I'm not sure what other pov's there will be. I do know for sure that it will mostly be Eponine and Enjolras's pov's. Don't hesitate to ask questions or tell me what you think! I always welcome criticism! Please review and hopefully I'll be posting again soon! **

**~loislane16**


	5. Chapter 5

Five

_Eponine_

I don't know what is up Enjolras's sleeve, but the more we walk, the less nervous I feel. We don't talk, just let the silence consume us. He walks a slower pace than I know he normally does, to make it easier for me to keep up with his strides. We finally stop outside of a small flat.

"Where are we?" I question.

"This is my home," Enjolras answers, unlocking the door and holding it open for me.

I glance at him hesitantly before stepping through. It is small but cozy, with a sofa, desk, bookshelf, and fireplace in the main room. I can see a small kitchen with a small wooden table to eat at. Down a short hallway are two more doors, and I assume they lead to his bedroom and washroom. I hear the door shut and lock behind me. I turn to face Enjolras and watch as he sheds his coat, hanging it over his desk chair.

"Why did you bring me to your home if you don't want to sleep with me?"

I want to trust him very badly, but I find that trust is something that never comes easily for me.

"I already explained why. You're my friend, and I want to help."

I don't say anything. I want to tell him that I don't need help, that I can handle it on my own, but I don't.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

I am about to tell him that I am fine when my stomach rumbles loudly, deceiving me.

He grins at me, "I guess so. You can have a seat. I'll be right back."

I stare at the couch after he disappears, then look down at myself. My clothes, my skin are much too filthy. They will certain soil his couch. He returns moments later, but stops short when he sees me standing in the middle of the room, staring at the couch.

"Is something wrong, Eponine?"

I look up to see him standing there with a tray of food in his hands.

I shake my head, "I can't sit, Enjolras. Look at me. I am filthy. My clothes, my skin, I am a walking bag of dirt. I refuse to ruin your furniture."

"Eponine, you won't ruin my furniture just by sitting. I am not worried about that."

I hold my ground, simply staring at him. Finally he sighs.

"Very well. The table then. You cannot ruin the wood."

I silently agree and sit in one of the two chairs at the small wooden table. He places the tray in between us and sits as well. There is fruit, bread, and cheese, as well as two goblets of wine.

"Thank you, Enjolras," I say, my mouth watering.

"Of course."

We eat together, and I try to pace myself, not act too starved.

"Why do you have to turn to prostitution, Eponine?" he asks quietly after a few minutes.

I don't want to talk about it, but if I want friends, I suppose I must open up.

"It isn't my own choice. I've never wanted to have to do it. My father forces me, and if I refused, he'd only force my little sister. I want to do everything I can to protect her," I reply, looking down at my food.

"Your sister?" Enjolras questions, curiosity in his voice.

"Azelma. She is thirteen, four years younger than me."

He doesn't say anything for a little while, and I know he is analyzing me.

"You really care about her, don't you?" he finally says.

"Of course. I mean, I know I have to because she's my sister, but it's not just out of obligation. I care more about her than anything in the world, and I would do anything to protect her. I know I've been through pretty horrific things, and I just want to do whatever I can to keep her from having to go through what I've been through."

I feel like I've spilled out all my emotions, and now I am worried I shouldn't have done that.

"You have a very big heart, Eponine."

I snort, "How little you know, Enjolras."

"Say what you want, but underneath your strong, tough exterior, I know you're a very loving person. It just might be buried way beneath your surface," he replied.

His words strike me in a funny way. I don't know how to reply. Is there still that loving person I used to be buried deep inside me? I care about Marius, I care about Azelma, but that is all. Could he and his revolutionary friends help me rediscover that person I once was? I'm not sure, and I push the thought from my mind before I let myself get too hopeful. I turn the attention to him.

"What about you? Do you really care about those 'friends' of yours? Or are you just using them to help achieve a successful end to your cause?" I question.

Enjolras looks like I have just slapped him hard across the face.

"Are you serious? Of course I care about them! Why would you accuse me of that?" he demands.

"It's just that you are the leader if this little revolutionary group, and you've somehow gotten them all on board with a cause that will possibly lead to their deaths."

"Eponine, they all understand the consequences of their actions of being apart of this group. I, in no way, made them join. They joined of their own free will. We all share the same dream and ideals. That of a free and equal France, a better home for our children. I care deeply for my friends. They are the only family I have, and if this cause leads to some of our lives being lost, I dearly hope I am one to go because I don't know that I could live with myself, knowing that they are gone," he fires back.

I blink, "I'm sorry, Enjolras. I didn't mean to offend you. I just wanted to know. I suppose it's good to have a family like that."

Enjolras gets up and clears the table, stacking the dirty plates in the washbin.

"Now that you've asked me a personal question, it's my turn to ask you one," Enjolras grins.

"I thought you already did that," I reply dryly.

"Humor me," he chuckles.

"Alright."

Enjolras sits back down at the table and leans on his elbows.

"Why are you so head over heels with Marius?"

I am utterly shocked. How does he know? I am too floored to be angry.

"How did you know?" I whisper.

"I am very observant. I've seen you before we met, following him around. I can see it in your eyes, the hopefulness that he'll return your feelings."

I am stunned. Those crystal blue eyes can actually see into my soul. The thought sends a shiver down my spine.

I sigh, "Honestly, I don't know why. I know it is hopeless, that he will never pay me enough attention to see me that way, but I suppose we can't chose who we fall for, can we?"

"Sure we can. We all have free will. It would do you so much good if you were to forget about Marius. I don't mean that to sound rude or cruel, but the fact is, you are independent and intelligent. You can go far places on your own, and Marius would only hold you back. Maybe not Marius himself, but your hope that he will eventually love you will."

Enjolras is only a few years older than me. How is he so wise? But even in his wise words, I can hear statements only a dreamer would say.

"Me go far places? A gamine? Okay, let's not even go as far as that. A woman? It would be a miracle," I snort.

Enjolras looks back at me, a bright fire in his eyes.

"That is what we are fighting for, Eponine. An equal chance for everyone. One day, hopefully soon, none of those things you listed will matter," he exclaims passionately.

I don't have the heart to tell him that his chances of winning against the government are slim to none, so I just smile.

"Maybe so, Enjolras."

"You are welcome to use my washroom and draw a bath," he offers.

A bath with clean water. How I would love to be clean again, but I can't.

"That sounds so wonderful, but I can't. It would be too suspicious for me to return home after a night of 'working' and be completely clean. I don't really want to face my father's wrath."

His face falls slightly, and I can see concern in his eyes.

"How much of that money will you get, Eponine?"

I shrug, "Most of it. The Madame only profits little from us. I imagine your 200 francs will make my father very happy. Maybe I won't have to deal with his anger all day."

"Do you receive the brunt of his anger often?"

"Only when he's in a bad mood, which is almost every day."

Enjolras doesn't say anything back. Finally he yawns.

"You can have my bed tonight. I'll sleep on the sofa."

I immediately shake my head, "No, I won't take your bed from you. And I won't ruin your bed covers. My dress is much too filthy. I'll sleep on the floor."

"Nonsense! My bed covers can be cleaned, Eponine. I will give you one of my night shirts to use if it will make you feel better."

I think for a moment. I can tell in his voice that he is not going to relent on this one. I am too tired to argue any further.

"Alright. But only if you're sure."

"I am," he smiles.

I watch as he gets up and disappears down the hallway. He returns only moments later with a nightshirt in hand.

"Here you go."

I nod my thanks and excuse myself to the washroom. I splash a bit of the water from the washbin onto my face and strip my filthy dress off of me. After slipping into Enjolras's nightshirt, I fold the dress as best as I can. I look down at myself. I really didn't think this through. I have to walk out of the washroom and into his bedroom, wearing only his thin nightshirt. I know it is stupid of me to be self-conscious or modest, considering how I make money for my father, but something about Enjolras seeing me like this makes my cheeks burn with embarrassment. The nightshirt only stops halfway down my thighs, and I know some of my scars are visible. I take a deep breath and step out, clasping my hands in front of me. I come to the end of the hallway to find Enjolras arranging blankets over his sofa.

"I probably won't see you in the morning. I need to get out early to get my money from the Madame," I inform him.

He looks up at me, and I can see the shock in his face at my appearance.

"Very well, Eponine. I'll see you soon, I hope," he says.

"I do as well. Goodnight, Enjolras."

"Goodnight."

I turn to leave, but something stops me.

"Oh, and Enjolras?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you...for everything tonight," I say quietly.

He smiles at me, "Of course Eponine."

With that, I disappear into his bedroom, shutting the door behind me. There are books and papers stacked everywhere, but his bed looks too comfortable for words, easily big enough for two or more people, if they are small like me. I climb under the covers, grateful for their warmth. Enjolras's bed smells like parchment and soap, which I assume is what he smells like as well. It is comforting, and it isn't long before I drift into sleep.

**Author's Note: So, what do you guys think so far? Is there anything particular you'd like to see happen in the story? Thanks for reading!**

**~loislane16**


	6. Chapter 6

Six

_Enjolras_

When I wake the next morning, Eponine is already gone, as I expected her to be. I get ready for my classes quickly and go to pick my things up off of my desk when I see a note lying there.

In a loopy handwriting, it reads: _Enjolras, thank you for your kindness. As I said before, I had to leave early, but I do hope I will see you soon. Who knows? Maybe I'll show up to another one of your meetings. _

_Until then,_

_Eponine_

I smile as I finish reading the note. Eponine is mysterious, no doubt, but she is special. If I don't leave now, I'll be late for my classes, so I delicately fold the note and place it on my desk for safekeeping.

* * *

_Eponine_

I didn't want to leave the comfort of Enjolras's bed, but I knew I must. I went hastily to the Madame and got my money before returning home. As I step through the door, my father is already awake, yelling at Azelma. I slap the money on the table and grab Azelma's wrist.

"Come on, 'Zelma," I say, pulling her into the room.

"I was talking to her, brat!" my father yells at me.

I ignore him and barricade us inside our room. I turn to Azelma and wipe the tears from her cheeks, noticing that one of her brow bones is slowly turning purple.

"Azelma, did he hit you?"

She nods, her lip trembling. Fury comes in waves through my body. He has never laid a hand on my sister, mainly because I haven't allowed him to.

I take her hands in mine, "We're leaving."

Her eyes grow wide, "We can't, 'Ponine! Father will find us."

"Azelma, we can't keep taking his abuse!"

Tears well in her eyes, "Please, 'Ponine. I'm afraid to leave."

I stare at her for a moment, tears filling my own eyes.

"Alright," I finally rasp, "alright we'll stay for now. But you must swear to me that you will tell me if he ever lays a hand on you again."

"I will. I promise."

I nod, hoping she is telling the truth. Then, she suddenly doubles over, coughing loudly. I grab her shoulder to steady her.

"'Zelma, are you okay?" I ask, alarmed.

She nods, "Just didn't get much rest last night. I was worried about you."

"I was perfectly fine. You should take care of yourself."

With that, Azelma eases into her mattress slowly, curling up.

* * *

_Enjolras_

The day of classes is long and tedious. I can't wait to receive my law certificate and start working. That is, if I live that long. As I trudge back to my flat, I find that I am hoping Eponine will be joining us at the meeting tonight. I really enjoy her company. Once I'm at home, I dump all my books on my desk and pick up the note she left me, reading it again. Her handwriting is elegant, yet immature, but all the loops in her letters make me smile. I find it's unique, much like her personality. What has gotten into me? I shake my head, and put the note down. I need to read through the new pamphlet before the meeting tonight, since we'll begin to copy them. Maybe Eponine will read through it for me? She seemed genuine when she gave me her opinion last time. I fill the following hours with reviewing the pamphlet and beginning a speech I must write for one of my classes. It is finally time for me to head to the cafe, so I grab my materials and stuff them into my coat to begin my walk.

Only minutes later, I'm in the top floor of the cafe, feeling right at home as all the Amis chatter around me. It isn't too much later that I see Eponine slink up the stairs and try to blend in with the crowd. I smile and nod at her, and she smiles back but I can tell something is wrong. I am about to go over to her when Marius approaches her and her face lights up. Of course. I sigh and sit at a table in the corner, sort of secluded from the others. Suddenly, I feel a tug on my jacket sleeve and look down to see Gavroche standing beside me, eyes wide.

"Hello, Gav! Is something wrong?"

I really do care for the boy. I know he has no family and lives on the streets, so I do whatever I can to be a friend to him. I see a younger version of myself in him.

"I think I know her," he whispers, pointing toward Eponine, "Would you introduce me, Enjolras?"

"Of course."

I stand and begin to walk over to Eponine, Gavroche following close behind. When I reach her, I put a hand on Gavroche's shoulder.

"Eponine, I want to introduce you to someone. This is-"

Eponine's face goes slack and she immediately drops to her knees, taking Gavroche's face in her hands.

"Gav, Gavroche, is it really you?" she questions, tears welling in her eyes.

He nods, "Yes, 'Ponine, it's me."

She lets out a little cry, stroking the boy's hair before wrapping him up in a hug.

"I thought I'd never see you again, you little rascal."

I clear my throat, "Um excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt but, you two know each other?"

Eponine stands, but keeps a hand on Gavroche, as if she doesn't ever want to let him go for fear of losing him.

She wipes a tear away, "Gavroche is my little brother. My parents threw him out when he was much smaller. I haven't seen him since."

I am genuinely shocked.

"Oh, well I'm glad you could have this reunion."

Her eyes welled with tears again as she gazed at me, "I am as well."

Gavroche grabbed her hand and pulled her over to a table to get reacquainted with his sister.

A short bit later I saw her sitting alone, gazing at her brother lovingly as he chatted with Courfeyrac. I walk over to her and slid into the chair next to her.

"How long have you known him?" she asks me.

"For a while a suppose. Courfeyrac brought him to the group for the first time. He's something else," I chuckle.

"He always has been. It's been so long. I haven't seen him since he was merely a little thing. I haven't stopped worrying. But it makes me feel better that he is acquainted with your group. I know he has people who care about him."

I nod, "He certainly does. Although he won't come live with any of us. He much prefers the streets."

She snorts, "He's a ten year old boy. No rules, live however you want, of course he likes the streets better."

I'm silent for a moment before I lean forward, "Is everything alright, Eponine? You seemed troubled when you came in earlier."

She looked down, "I'm fine, Enjolras."

I lower my voice, "You can tell me. I wouldn't dare share you personal life with others. And I know that it helps to have a listening ear."

She looks up at me, and I can almost see the walls that she keeps up so high falling ever so slightly.

"It's my sister. When I came home this morning, I learned that my father had hit her. It made me furious. He'd never laid a hand on her before, probably because I'd taken all of his abuse for her. I wanted to leave with her, but she was too afraid. She said he'd find us. I told her we'd stay for now, but if he ever laid a hand on her again, we would leave and never look back."

I was slightly surprised that she actually divulged this information to me.

"Just know, Eponine, that myself and the rest of the Amis are always here for you and your sister."

She smiles weakly, "Thank you, Enjolras."

I nod at her before going to find Combeferre to discuss plans.


	7. Chapter 7

Seven

_Eponine_

When I arrive home, I immediately know something is wrong. The entire place is eerily quiet, and thee doesn't seem to be anyone home. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and panic settles in my stomach. I just know something terrible has happened. I fly up to mine and Azelma's room and throw the door open, nearly gasping at the sight. My sister lies almost entirely naked on her thin mattress, shivering as she grips her tattered bed covers. There is a small spatter of blood on her pillow. I slam the door shut and drop to my knees beside her.

"'Zelma! Azelma, please wake up," I plead, taking her face in my hands.

Her eyes ease open, and they are already filled with tears.

"Azelma, what's happened to you?"

"Father, he let the gang..."

But she couldn't finish. She fell into gut wrenching sobs. I already knew what the ending to that sentence was. I'd experienced this only a few years before. He let the gang have their way with my little sister, to initiate her into the prostitute lifestyle. I want to retch. I try to comfort her, stroke her hair and whisper soft words. And then as my hand brushes her forehead, I feel it. I don't know I didn't notice it before, but she is abnormally warm and her cheeks are terribly flushed. I swallow the lump in my throat and work up the courage to ask her about the blood on her pillow.

"'Zelma, where did the blood come from? Did one of them hit you?"

She shook her head, "I was coughing, and all of a sudden there was blood. My chest hurts, 'Ponine. I don't know what's wrong."

My heart sank. Azelma needed medical attention immediately. I look around me frantically before I see her ragged dress which is now completely torn, making me curse under my breath. I snatch a worn trench coat up from underneath my bed cover and shake it out.

"'Zelma, you need help. I need to to put this coat on and come with me. Can you do that?" I ask, my voice trembling.

She nods and takes the coat from my hands, but her motions are slow and stiff, lethargic. I know I will have to help her most of the way. I glance around the room, looking for anything we might need later on, because we are definitely not returning to this hell-hole. I notice my newsboys cap and tug it on. Other than that, we leave everything else behind. I help Azelma down the stairs and out of the flat as fast I can. Once we reach the street, there is a warm breeze which only agitates her cough even more. We have to stop every so often for her to cough, and it sounds like her lungs are going to come right out of her chest. I try to comfort her and wipe the little amount of blood from her chin as it splatters into the air. I know this isn't good. We finally reach the first place I thought of. I release Azelma and let her lean against the brick wall.

"Marius!" I shout, pounding on the door as loud as I can.

There is no answer.

"Marius, please! Please open the door," I yell.

Still no one comes, and I begin to panic. He isn't home. I knot my fingers into my hair and huff.

"We have to keep moving Azelma. You need help."

She is shivering even more violently, and has her arms wrapped tight around her abdomen.

She shakes her head, "I don't think I can, 'Ponine."

"Don't say that! You can and you will. You have to."

I wrap an arm around her waist and try to lift her slightly so she doesn't have to bear all of her weight. She coughs again, and this time it shakes her entire scrawny frame. After what seems like hours we finally arrive at the only other place I know to go, and I am weary with exhaustion and soaked in sweat. I am desperate.

I slam my palm against the door, "Enjolras. Enjolras, please!" I scream.

If he doesn't come to the door, I am certain that Azelma will die in the street. Suddenly the door is slung open at an alarming speed, Enjolras stands before us with a shocked expression on his face.

"Eponine?" he questions, clearly not knowing what else to say.

"Please help. She needs a doctor," I gasp.

Without a word, Enjolras scoops Azelma up into his arms and carries her to his bed.

He turns to face me, "Are you okay?"

I see the concern in his blue eyes, and it almost makes me cry. No one else cares about people like me, but yet this man does.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just Azelma. She needs a doctor immediately," I nod.

He snatches his coat off of his chair and looks at me, "I'll be back shortly."

Then he is gone, nearly sprinting out of the door.

I go to his bedroom and sit on the side of the bed next to Azelma. She stares up at me with tear-filled eyes.

"I love you 'Ponine," she rasps.

I brush the sweaty hair off of her forehead and pull the covers up to her chin.

"I love you too, so much Azelma. Everything's going to be just fine. You're going to be fine."

But then I wonder, who am I assuring, her or myself? I continue to stroke her hair and him lullabies that I used to sing to her and Gavroche when they were so small. My voice breaks as I watch her drift into sleep. Only a few minutes later, I hear the door open. I jump up and meet the two men in the living area. Enjolras stands there with Joly. The doctor steps forward.

"What are her symptoms?" he asks immediately.

"She has been coughing for a while, but now when she coughs, there is blood. She seems to have a high fever, and she told me her chest was hurting. You should also know that she was raped repeatedly earlier today. I couldn't get much information out of her about that, but maybe you can," I explain.

"Thank you, Eponine. I will do my best."

Joly disappears into the bedroom, shutting the door. I just stand there frozen. His face was grim as I was listing off the symptoms. I am bracing myself for the worst.

"She is in good hands, Eponine."

I nod, barely acknowledging Enjolras. I finally look up at him when I feel him lay and hand on my shoulder.

"Sit, please. You look exhausted."

I don't have the will to argue with him this time, so I ease onto the sofa. He sits in a chair adjacent to me.

"What happened?"

The tears begin to form then.

"That dirt bag let his gang do whatever they wanted to my baby sister. They raped her over and over, and it just let them. I tried so hard to protect her. The incident probably only made her illness worse," I sigh and wipe the tears from my cheeks, "I'm never going back there."

"You shouldn't have to. You and Azelma are welcome with any of us Amis at any time."

I nod, too consumed with emotion to say anything more. It seems like an eternity before Joly steps out of the room.

He offers a smile to me,"Eponine, can I speak with you outside for a moment?"

My heart plummets into my stomach but I nod and stand to my feet. I faintly feel Enjolras squeeze my wrist in reassurance as I pass him. When we step outside, I am unable to find my voice.

Finally Joly sighs,"Eponine, your sister is very sick. You were right to assume that she has a high fever. Try to place a cold rag on her head and see if that helps. It pains me to tell you that I don't know what else to do for her. When there is blood in the cough, it doesn't usually end well. I can her that her cough rattles deep into her chest. It is likely that the...incident only worsened the stress that was already on her body. I do have some herbs you could coax into her for the pain, but other than that, I don't know what else do to. Just make her comfortable. I'm so sorry, Eponine."

I feel as if the air has been knocked from my lungs, although I somewhat suspected this answer. My sister is dying. My chin quivers as I nod.

"Thank you, Joly," I whisper.

"If you want to go be with her, I'll leave the herbs with Enjolras and let him know of the situation."

I almost turn to go back inside, but then I stop.

"How much longer do you think..."

I can't finish my sentence.

"I couldn't say for sure, Eponine. It could be days, but it also could be weeks."

I nod again before going inside, passing Enjolras without saying a word, and sitting on the edge of the bed by my sleeping sister. I pick up her clammy hand, and stroke her head.

A few minutes later, I hear footsteps behind me.

"Eponine," I hear Enjolras say.

"I can't talk about it right now."

"I understand. I just want to help you get settled."

I turn and smile weakly at him, "Thank you."

Within a few minutes, Enjolras has given me a bowl of cool water and rags. He has also prepared me a pallet of the floor next to Azelma, given me a nightshirt, and a chair for me to sit by her bed. I am nearly falling alseep where I stand when I finally get to sit down by my sister. I am vaguely aware of Enjolras draping a blanket around my shoulders as my eyes ease shut.

**Author's Note: First of all, I would like to apologize for the previous chapter. I wasn't very happy with it, and it just was some of my weaker work. That being said, I am much happier with this chapter, and I hope my readers liked it as well. I hope to update again soon. Buckle up, because it's about to be a bumpy (quite dramatic) ride! **

**~loislane16**


	8. Chapter 8

Eight

_Enjolras_

I don't get much sleep that night. I simply can't. I am too worried about the sisters staying in my home. I am up almost every two hours to check on them, and each time I find the same scene. Azelma is asleep, her face flushed and sweaty. Eponine is slumped over in the chair sleeping, her hand still grasping Azelma's. I can't help but be sad for young Azelma. She has barely gotten to live her life, and with what Joly explained to me, she won't live past a few weeks. In the early morning hours, I decide that I simply can't leave them here by themselves. Eponine can't be alone if her sister's condition were to worsen or God forbid she die. I am on good standing with all of my professors, so I venture out before I know they will wake to find Combeferre. I ask him to explain to my professors that I have an extremely ill family member that I must care for, and I will be back to classes as soon as possible.

"Is there anything else I can do?" he asks when I explain the situation.

"No. All there is to do is sit and wait."

"Well, if you need to get out of your flat, let me know and I'll come sit with them."

"Thank you, 'Ferre," I smile before turning back to head home as quickly as possible.

I stop to pick up some food and when I get home, I plate it. Stepping into my bedroom, I notice that Eponine is awake. I hold the plate out to her.

"I picked up some food."

"I'm not hungry," she replies flatly.

I sigh, "Eponine, you need to eat. At least keep it with you and you can nibble from it."

Wordlessly, she takes the plate and sits it on the bedside table.

"I was thinking, you two will be staying here a while, so I'm going to go out later and get some things so that you two can be more at home," I say.

"You don't have to do that," Eponine sniffs.

"Well, I want to."

Suddenly, Eponine looks up at me curiously, "Why aren't you headed to your classes?"

I shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"I had Combeferre tell my professors that I'll be out for a while so that can stay here with you two."

At first, Eponine's eyes flash with what I would assume is anger. She is independent, and certainly doesn't need someone with her at all times. But then, her gaze softens, tears appear in her big, brown eyes.

"Thank you."

Just then, Azelma releases a terrible cough that rattles her entire frame. Blood spatters on her chin and sunken cheeks. Eponine hurries to lift her head and shoulders off of the bed to keep her from choking, and I grab a piece of cloth by the bowl of water. Eponine takes it from me with trembling hands. I watch as she cleans her sister's face, wiping away the little droplets of red. Azelma's eyes open and her face screws up in pain.

"It hurts, 'Ponine," she coughs.

Eponine strokes her sister hair and turns to me, "The herbs Joly left. Can we try them?"

I nod and quickly get the herbs and a glass. Pouring a small amount of wine, I mix together the herbs and the drink so it will hopefully be easier to take.

I hold the glass out to Eponine, "I mixed them into the drink."

She took the glass and lifted Azelma's head up so she could sip from it. It takes a few minutes, but Azelma finally downs the whole glass of wine and herbs. The wine is enough to numb her senses since she is so frail and small, and it isn't long before she begins to doze off. Eponine hums a quiet lullaby and strokes her sister's hand as she finally falls back asleep.

"Eponine, if you need anything, then don't hesitate to let me know," I say.

"Thank you, Enjolras," she whispers, not turning to look at me.

I leave the two sisters alone then. I have a feeling that's what Eponine is used to and most certainly wants right now. To be alone with her dying sister.

* * *

_Eponine_

I haven't left the bedroom all day. I have stayed by Azelma's side for every passing hour. My only movement has been picking off the food Enjolras brought me and standing to stretch. Enjolras left a little while earlier to get whatever he thought would make us more at home. I know he's trying to help, but I am too sad to show gratitude or happiness. Combeferre sits in the living room waiting on Enjolras to return.

I gaze at my sleeping sister, and it pains me to know that it won't be long now. I've seen too many people die on the streets, so I know Azelma's day isn't far off. Not the with color and temperature of her skin and certainly not with the amount of blood that leaves her body each time she coughs. I don't want her to be afraid, but I can't prevent that. I just don't want to be alone when she leaves me. I hear the front door open and know Enjolras is home. I hear some conversation and a bit of a ruckus before Enjolras slowly opens the bedroom door.

"I brought home some things for you two. And Joly is here to check on Azelma."

"So I'm guessing he wants me to leave the room for a bit?"

Enjolras nods. I get up reluctantly, squeezing her hand one last time. As I step into the living area and Joly takes my place, I nearly gasp at the sight. There are two mattresses, loads of blankets and pillows in the middle of the floor.

"Enjolras, you really didn't...how did you...why?" I finally ask.

"Because you need someplace comfortable to rest. You're already emotionally exhausted. There is no need to be physically exhausted as well."

"How much money do you have?" I blurt out, knowing immediately that it was inappropriate.

He puts his hands in his pockets, "Plenty. More than I know what to do with. I figured I'd let you decide how you want to set things up. I can take one mattress and sleep in here and take the other one in the bedroom for you. Or we can push the two mattresses together in the living room for you and Azelma. It really depends if you want to move your sister or not."

I am simply astonished by his kindness.

"I think I should ask Azelma what she wants."

He nods, and we wait in silence as Joly finishes his exam. When he finally comes out of the room, he looks as if he is about to speak but glances at Enjolras nervously.

"Do you want to speak in private?" he asks me hesitantly.

I look at Enjolras before responding, "It's alright. We can talk here."

Enjolras is almost just as involved in this as I am. There is no need for Joly to have to repeat himself.

"Have you been giving her the herbs?"

"Once this morning. They seemed to help," I say hopefully.

Joly looks at me sadly, "The herbs will only numb her pain and make it easier for her to breathe. They won't make her better. They are just to make her more comfortable."

"So what do you suggest?"

He sighs, "Unfortantely, nothing. Just make her as comfortable as possible. I wish there was something I could give her, but it's too far progressed. I'm sorry, Eponine."

I nod solemnly. I didn't want to hear that, but I knew one night wouldn't chance her outcome. I look at both of them men standing there.

"I'm going to go see her," I rasp.

I walk into the room to find her awake. Her breaths are rattly and shaky and she looks at me through foggy eyes.

"How are you feeling, Azelma?" I ask as I sit down and take her hand.

"Sick," she says quietly.

I decide to try to take her mind off of it.

"Monsieur Enjolras went and bought us some things to make us more comfortable. Would you like to stay in this bedroom, or would you rather me and you sleep in the living room together on mattresses?"

She looks toward the small window in the wall.

"Is there a bigger window in the living room?" she asks.

I think for a moment.

"Yes, there is. One where you can see the street and trees and stars."

"Then I want to be there, 'Ponine."

"Alright," I whisper before leaving the room to talk to Enjolras.

"She wants to move in here where the bigger window is, so I'll stay in here with her."

"Okay. We can do that. Are you okay, Eponine?" he asks.

"I suppose. Foggy, though."

He nods, then we get to work making up the beds, loading them with blankets and pillows. Enjolras tries to keep me from helping, but I refuse. I want to feel useful. After he practically forces some food down my throat, I take some soup to Azelma. Enjolras stands in the small hallway, giving us privacy but there in case I need assistance. I manage to only get a few spoonfuls into Azelma when she refuses any more, her eyes welling up. I sit the bowl down and wipe her eyes.

"'Ponine, am I dying?" she asks.

"Everything's going to be just fine, 'Zelma," I soothe.

She shakes her head, "No, don't tell me that! Tell me the truth. I'm dying aren't I?"

I don't know what to say to her. I can't confirm her fears. I can't speak. I just hold my breath, trying not to cry in front of her. After a moment, she seems to answer the question for herself, but instead of becoming hysterical, an intense calm comes over her. She just lays there silently, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. I stroke her hair until her eyes grow tired and she drifts off. I know that if I stay in here much longer, I'll begin to sob, and I don't want to wake her up. I soon as I leave the room, I see Enjolras standing there, and an overwhelming need to be comforted comes over me. I haven't felt that since I was a child. I know he heard what Azelma said. I feel the sadness bubbling inside me, and I can't contain it anymore. I cover my face with my hands and cry. I feel Enjolras lead me over to the sofa, and he sits beside me, a hand placed on my back. I can tell he is uncomfortable with this sort of thing, this display of emotion, but I know he's doing his best. It is enough. When I finally calm down, he looks at his feet.

"You aren't going back to your father's. Why don't you take a warm bath? It will help. I'll move Azelma in here, and everything will be ready once you get out."

I nod numbly and he gets up to draw the bath. I would immediately get up to stop him and do it myself, but I haven't drawn a bath in years, and I don't know my way around his home yet. He returns a few minutes later, hands me a nightshirt and gestures to the washroom.

I sink into the warm bath water in the solitude of the washroom and let out a sigh. It feels so good. I haven't taken a warm bath in a very long time, and it simply feels amazing. I just sit there and soak for a few minutes, my eyes shut. He was right. It is helping me to relax. Then I take the soap and work the lathers into my hair and scrub my body. When I am finished, the water is murky. It makes me sick to know I was that dirty. I am that dirty. One bath isn't going to make me completely clean. It helps, yes, but doesn't fix the issue. I know that must, unfortunately, return to reality, so I stand and use the towel Enjolras left me to dry off as best as I can. Then I slip on his clean nightshirt and squeeze my wet hair with the towel. I don't want it to drip all over his home. I slip out of the door and see Enjolras pulling the blankets up over Azelma, and I involuntarily smile.

"Thank you," I say.

He jerks around, startled.

"Of course. I think I'll turn in for the night. Goodnight, Eponine. Don't hesitate to wake me if you need me," he answers, politely averting his eyes from my rather scantily dressed self. His shirts don't do much to cover me.

"Goodnight Enjolras."

I wait until he disappears into his room before I crawl beneath the covers. Azelma is already fast asleep, but I brush the hair from her face and grip her clammy hand. I drift to sleep in the midst of a prayer for my little sister.

* * *

_Enjolras_

It has officially been a week since the Thenardier sisters came to stay under my roof. I know it can't be much longer before Azelma passes. She needs more and more of the herbs to help the pain, and she coughs up more and more blood. Joly told me a week ago that Azelma was struggling to breathe and would probably only last another week or two. He didn't have the heart to tell Eponine that her sister could barely breathe for herself. So he informed me, and told me what to watch for, how we would know it was close. And all of the signs were slowly pointing Azelma to death. I sat and watch Eponine cater to the girl'a every whim and sit by her side ever hour. It pained me to see the sad tears in her eyes because no one should have to go through this. Just like Joly, I don't have the heart to bring up the fact that Azelma will probably not live past tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 9

Nine

_Eponine_

My heart is breaking. I can feel it snapping into two pieces as I sit here with Azelma. Tonight is the night. I know it is. Joly is here, and so is Enjolras. They stand a fair distance away, giving me and my sister privacy. Her breaths are coming in wheezes, blood dried in the corners of her mouth. The herbs no longer work for her. The pain isn't being numbed. She stares up at me with tears in her eyes as I grip her hand and stroke her hair.

"I'm not scared anymore, 'Ponine. Just tired," she gurgles.

I offer her a weak smile, "Good. Don't be afraid. Everything will be fine. I love you so, so much 'Zelma. I'm right here."

"I love you too," she sighs.

The next words that I know I must say almost refuse to leave my mouth. I feel like my chest is going to cave in.

I take a deep, shaky breath, "Azelma, you can let go. You don't have to be tired anymore or fight anymore. It'll be alright. It will be. I won't leave your side. It's okay to let go, Azelma."

She only nods, staring up at me. Her labored breathing slows, and she gives my hand one last squeeze before closing her hazel eyes. And then she is gone. It all feels like a terrible, terrible dream. I don't even cry, not yet. It doesn't feel real, ever after the weeks of suffering. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look to see Joly standing there with a sympathetic look on his face. I get up because I know he needs to do his final examination, kissing her forehead one last time.

When I turn around and see Enjolras standing behind me, his own eyes misty. I lose it then, running to him. Even if he still feels awkward about comforting me, he overlooks his feelings and wraps his arms around me. I bury my face in his chest, sobbing. He strokes my back, and I can hear him trying to keep from crying himself. He holds me for a long time, so long that Joly has left to retrieve the dreaded wagon that carries away the body of your loved one. I am too poor to give her a proper burial. It is a terrible sight. I don't want to see Azelma's body. I want to remember her as she was, so I keep my face buried in Enjolras's shirtfront. He is patient and doesn't ever act like I am a trouble. He just stands there and lets me grieve. I hear noise and realize that my sister is being carried away. Enjolras runs a hand down my arm, and I take that as my sign that it's okay to look. I step back and see that his eyes are red. He has been crying. I give him a look, but I am too emotionally exhausted to question it. I realize then that my legs are quivering, so I move to sit on the sofa. He comes to sit beside me, and I stare blankly as Joly picks up all the bed linens and wraps them into a bundle.

"Eponine, I'd like to pay for a memorial for your sister," he says quietly.

I look up at him, completely shocked, "You don't have to do that. I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You aren't asking. And I want to. If she's not getting a proper burial, she at least deserves a memorial."

I didn't know how to respond.

"Thank you. But you should know I won't be staying here much longer. I feel slightly obligated to tell my parents of Azelma's...passing, even though they don't deserve to know. Then I'll be on my own. I don't want to intrude any longer."

"You wouldn't be intruding, but I understand."

I look away and stare at the spot where Azelma was lying. I already miss her. It hurts, hurts like a gaping whole in my chest. If I stay inside much longer I think I'll suffocate.

"Excuse me. I need some fresh air," I say, leaving the house. I walk to a nearby alley and sink to the ground. I always feel better when I'm alone, but for some reason, I feel even worse now. Being alone isn't helping. It's making the whole in my heart burn like fire. I wrap my arms around my chest and begin to sob.

* * *

_Enjolras_

Eponine has been gone for a while. Honestly, I don't really know how to handle all that's going on. Thankfully, Joly is taking care of most it. I am just left to be there for Eponine, and frankly I am not the best at dealing with emotions. I am trying though. I don't want her to sink into a depression, although I couldn't really blame her if she did. She just lost her little sister. I feel at a lose because I can't relate to what that feels like. When I was three, my mother gave birth to a stillborn baby girl, but all I remember is my mother being very sad for a while, and every year on the baby girl's birthday, they named her Belle Ange, my mother would shut herself in her room. I have never truly experienced loss, so I don't know how to handle this situation. Eponine looked at me curiously when she realized that I'd been crying too. Honestly, I am saddened by Azelma's death. She was so young, had her whole life ahead of her. Had she not been in the conditions she was, she would be alive today. It is a soul-shaking thing to watch the life leave someone, especially if you know them.

I realize I should probably go find Eponine, but at the same time, I know she probably wants to be alone, so I get to work cleaning up the living room instead. Joly already took Azelma's bed and linens to be disposed of, so I got to work freshening Eponine's bed up. I sigh as I sink onto the sofa, wondering how, in just a few weeks, these two people have found a place in my heart.

* * *

_Eponine_

After a while of sobbing to my self, I decide it's not going to do me any good to just sit here. I don't really want to return to Enjolras's flat just yet, so I start walking. I let my feet take me wherever they please, my mind numb. For some reason, I end up in front of a church, a place I haven't been since I was very young. Even then, I found it on my own, sneaking around being the curious little rat I was. I hesitate, then decide to go inside. The church is empty, but it draws me further in. I sit in one of the wooden benches, staring at the altar and the detailed artwork in the beautiful glass windows.

"May I help you, Mademoiselle?" I hear a shaky voice say behind me.

I jerk around to see the elderly priest standing in the aisle.

"Oh, I'm sorry Father. I was walking and just wandered in."

"Nonsense. There is so need to apologize. God's children are always welcome here. You look troubled, child," he says.

I hesitate for a moment before sighing and looking down at my hands, "Yes, I am. I lost a dear person to me and now I feel so lost, so alone."

He gestures to the bench, so I slide over so he can sit as well.

"I am terribly sorry. You will be in my prayers, but know, child, that you are never alone."

I look at him curiously.

"God, our Heavenly Father, is always with you. You aren't even alone. He loves you and is always watching over you. All you have to do is talk to him. He will listen," he explains.

I have heard these words before, but they are so hard to believe right now. How can I believe that He is always watching over me when so many terrible things have happened. Hot tears sting my eyes.

"But how could He let such terrible things happen? How could He let my sister be raped and later take her from me? I could give me parents who are terribly evil? How could he let me be forced into prostitution?" I ask angrily.

"My dear, all I can tell you is to trust in Him. Bad things are going to happen, because of human depravity, but if you place your trust in our Heavenly Father, you will always get through your hard times and everything will be alright," he says, taking my hand.

I sit for a moment and soak in his words. I know his right.

"This might help," he says after a moment.

He reaches under the bench and pulls out a leather bound book, the words Holy Bible inscribed on the cover. I take it from him, tracing my slightly less dirty fingertip across the letters.

"Thank you, Father," I smile.

"You are always welcome here, child."

"I think I'll be back," I smile.

Then I disappear into the, now, night to go back to the flat, the Bible tucked tightly under my arm.

**Author's Note: Hello readers! I have received some notes expressing that this is very depressing, and I apologize! But I encourage you to keep reading. The title is "The Night Will End" so we've got some rough plot points to work through before our lovely characters' dark times will end. Hang in there with me, and I promise it will get better. It was very rough for me to write the death of Azelma, so I hope I did it justice. **

**On another note, I hope the church scene was alright. I would like to voice that these are my personal views. I was inspired to include this in my story after reading a scene in one of stagepageandscreen's stories where she expressed her faith. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to drop me a review or a PM. I will be happy to discuss with you. As always, I value everyone's comments and opinions, so I hope you'll let me know what you think. Hopefully the next installment will be up soon! Thanks so much for reading!**

**~loislane16**


	10. Chapter 10

Ten

_Enjolras_

The next morning, I get up to find Eponine fast asleep on her pallet. I want to take her to find a spot for Azelma's memorial today, if she's up to it, but I don't want to disturb her. I go to the kitchen and make some tea before sitting at my small table and sipping it slowly while reading the newspaper. A few minutes into reading, I hear rustling in the living area.

"Enjolras?" I hear Eponine croak.

"I'm at the table, Eponine. And I made some tea if you'd like some."

"Okay. Just give me a moment."

I hear her pad down the small hall and into the washroom. A few minutes later, she appears, slipping into the chair across from me. I reach over and pour her some tea.

"Thank you," she says quietly.

"How are you?"

"As well as I can be, I suppose."

"Listen, Eponine I was thinking that, if you were feeling up to it, we could look for a place for your sisters memorial today," I say.

She offers me a half smile, "I think I'm up to it."

"Wonderful. Take your time with your tea. I'm ready whenever you are."

Not even ten minutes later, we are leaving the flat. I offer her my arm, and she gives me a strange look, as if she is taken aback, but she slips her hand around arm anyway.

"Enjolras, I wouldn't even begin to know how this works," she admits.

"Well, if you own enough land, you can have a memorial there, but because I don't have any land, I thought we'd go to the cemetery."

She looks at me wide-eyed, "But that will be much too expensive! I can't ask you to do that! And besides, we don't have her body any longer."

I just smirk as we continue walking. Once we arrive at the cemetery, I take her to the far back corner, where it is more wooded and point to a small stone near recently upturned dirt.

"What's this?" she asks, releasing my arm to step closer.

She begins to read the etched words on the stone, "Azelma Thenardier, Beloved Sister," she whirls around to look at me, "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yes. I had Joly take care of it yesterday."

"You mean, she is actually buried here? She was given a proper burial? And you took care of it all?" she rasps, tears in her eyes.

I nod, and she lets out a ragged breath.

"You welcome here whenever you like," I tell her.

"Why? Why are you so kind to me?"

"As I have told you before, you are a friend."

"You barely know me! I have never met someone who is so kind."

"Then you must have never had a true friend," I say quietly.

"Thank you," she replies after a moment.

"Eponine, I know you said you would be leaving, but you should know that you are welcome at my flat as well as the cafe."

"Again, I thank you for your offer, but I want to try to make a life for myself. It's about time I start over. I just left a few things at your flat that I need to get."

"Of course."

Later that afternoon, after I make sure she eats a plentiful lunch, I watch her pull on her hat and tuck a book I didn't realize she had under her arm.

"Well, I should be going," she says.

"Don't be a stranger, Eponine. And I do hope you continue coming to our meetings?"

"Of course I will. Thank you again, Enjolras. I'll see you soon," she smiles.

"Soon," I smile in return.

Then she is gone and a part of me already feels lonely again.

**Author's Note: Hi readers! I realize that this is a very short chapter, but I wanted to at least give you guys something. The truth is, I'm feeling pretty discouraged about this story right now, so I'd really like to know your true feelings about it. I need to decide if I should put it on hiatus for a while, or if I should continue. So any of your thoughts will help me in my decision. **

**~loislane16**


	11. Chapter 11

Eleven

_Eponine_

I am already dreading what I have to do next. Well, I don't really have to do it, but I am choosing to. As much as I despise my parents, part of me still believes that my parents deserve to know about Azelma's death. Even though they never truly cared for her, Azelma was still their daughter. But I am afraid that when I return to tell them, they will try to keep me there. I must stand my ground. Before I go to my old home, I look for a place to stay for the time being. I am just coming out of the market when a small body collides with me, hard. The little boy looks up in shock and I realize it's Gavroche. I haven't seen him since that night at the case when we were reunited.

"Gav!"

"Can't stop. Follow me," he pants, grabbing my hand and pulling me along.

He doesn't break his stride, and I am running with him tugging on my hand, darting in and out of alleys. Finally, we stop and Gavroche releases my hand, collapsing against the brick wall of an alley.

"What was that about?" I huff.

Gavroche opens his tattered jacket and pulls out a fresh baguette.

"Did you steal that?" I demand.

Gavroche rolls his eyes, taking a generous bite out of the bread, "Oh come on, 'Ponine. Like you've never stolen before. A pup has to eat, doesn't he?"

I just sigh and decide to change the subject. I know I can't lecture him on anything. We are both guilty of plenty of sins. He lives his own life and I live mine, as much as I wish it was different. We do what we have to do to survive, and I can't reprimand him for that.

"Well, you should be careful when your running like that. At least watch where you're going."

"Well you shouldn't have gotten in my way," he smirks.

I ruffle his hair, "Alright, tone down the attitude."

He just smiles, "Where've you been? You haven't been coming to the meetings, and Enjolras has been really quiet, more than normal. Is something wrong?"

"I'm not living with Enjolras anymore Gav. It was temporary, just while...while Azelma was sick," I say, taking his hand.

"Azelma? My other sister, right? I don't really remember her."

"I didn't figure you would. But yes, that's her. Well Azelma, she didn't make it. Monsieur Enjolras was very kind and gave her a burial. I just left his house a little while ago. Just looking for a place to stay for now."

Gavroche's eyes light up, "You can stay with me, 'Ponine! I live in the elephant!"

I frown, "The elephant? The big statue in the middle of the city?"

He nods, "I used to live there with several other boys but they haven't been back in a while, so now I have the whole place to myself. There's plenty of room for you there."

"Alright, Gav. Lead the way," I smile.

I don't know that it's actually safe or if it's even legal, but I don't care. I get to spend time with my little brother whom I haven't seen in years. If he's been staying there for a while, I trust his judgment. And it means shelter.

I follow him through the streets until we reach the backside of the elephant, an area of the city that scarcely has any people. I stare up at the giant statue, wondering how in the world we're going to get inside when Gavroche scampers up to the inside of one of its back legs and pushes a broken piece of plaster into the hollow statue. It reveals a hole, just big enough for someone small to fit through. I stare at him for a moment, thinking how genius it is. It is easily hidden, in a place that no one would ever a circular crack in the elephant's leg. He crawls in, and I crawl in after him. Through the light coming through the hole, I can see I rope ladder hanging down the elephant's leg and leading to its hollow body. Gavroche carefully puts the misplaced piece of plaster back where it should go, sealing the hole. I can't see anything because it's so dark.

"Your eyes will adjust in a bit," I hear Gavroche say.

We both stand there for a moment until we can see the shapes of our surroundings. Then Gavroche mounts the rope ladder and begins climbing. I follow, and as we get closer to the top, more light shines through. Gavroche finally hoists himself over the side into the body of the statute, and I do the same. My eyes have adjusted even more, so I can see several pallets made up of grain sacks and tattered cloth. The light I saw is coming from holes in the top of the statue.

"You can take one of the empty pallets. I don't know when the boys will be back, if ever," he tells me.

I walk over to the pallet closest to his and pull the Bible out of my bodice where I'd stashed it.

"Gav, I've got to go out and take care of some things."

"Alright, but be sure to come back the way I took you. It's not as noticeable."

I nod at him before beginning my descent down the rope ladder. I should've told him where I'm going, but I don't want him to talk me out of it, and I don't want him to worry. I pull my hat farther down my head and trudge toward an all too familiar place. It takes a good bit of a walk, but I finally make it to my old home, my parents' run down apartment. I take a deep breath and walk through the door without knocking. I know they don't lock it.

As soon as my father sees me, his eyes light up with fury, "You brat! Where've you been?" he yells storming toward me and grabbing my arm in a crushing force.

My mother hurries to us, placing a hand on my father's shoulder.

"Dear, that's no way to greet our daughter! We haven't seen her in so long. Let's be nice," she smiles.

And I see right through it. My mother is as evil as my father. She just likes to hide it. Reluctantly, my father releases me, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"I'm so glad that your home! How've you been, sweet?" my mother asks, stroking her hand across my cheek.

I think this is the first time she's ever cared about be before, yet I still now it's fake. I jerk out of her reach.

"I'm not staying. I simply came to tell you that Azelma has passed," I say roughly.

The fake smile fades from my mother's face, and my father has already become uninterested.

"Oh, I see. Was she buried anywhere?" she asks.

Anger builds inside me as I stare at my malicious father and my mother who is only pretending to be upset about her youngest daughter's death.

"I don't think you have the right to know that," I say, fury making my voice tremble.

I turn around and storm out of the house, going down the street as fast as I can. I hope to never see my parents again.

**Author's Note: So, I've decided to keep working on this story. I have to warn you that I am about to start college soon, so updates may be slower than usual. I hope I still have time and the will to write! Please, let me know what you think. The support I got from the last chapter helped tremendously. I always ask my readers if there is something they would like to see happen in the story, so if you have something, please don't hesitate to mention it to me. It just might end up in the story! Thanks for sticking with me!**

**~loislane16**


	12. Chapter 12

Twelve

_Enjolras_

I haven't seen Eponine in a little over two weeks. She hasn't been to the meetings for Les Amis, but Gavroche has been telling me that she's been with him. At least I know she has shelter. I do wish she'd continue to come though. I don't know why, but I do feel drawn to her. There is another meeting tonight, so maybe she'll show. The day passes slowly, but these days that's normal for me. I am too focused on bringing change to our country to enjoy my studies. I am antsy and as a result head to the cafe early. Of course, I'm the only one there, so I sit in the secret empty room upstairs flipping through my writings. Slowly, everyone begins to file in. My lips involuntarily twitch into a smile when I see little Gavroche bound up the stairs. Sure enough, Eponine slinks in behind him, holding her tattered skirt up so she doesn't trip and her head hung low. I can tell she isn't doing well. I watch as she moves around the room, avoiding people's eyes and skirting around the outside of the room. Finally, she finds an empty chair next to Grantaire and sits, but they don't say anything to each other. Grantaire has always been good about sensing when someone doesn't want to talk about their problems but just needs company. Marius walks over to them with a smile on his face, placing a hand on Eponine's shoulder. I thought for sure her demeanor would change but it doesn't. Her sad eyes remain sad, and she manages a smile, but I can see right through it. She is hurting. Deeply. I begin the meeting but keep a close eye on her. Once everyone begins talking amongst themselves when the meeting dies down, I see her sitting by herself in the corner since Grantaire has left in search of something else to drink. I slowly walk over to her and slip into the empty seat.

"Eponine," I smile.

"Enjolras," she returns. I can hear the sadness in her voice.

"We haven't seen you in while. We've missed you," I say.

"I've had to take care of some things."

"I do hope one of those things is yourself. You need to be taking care of yourself."

She snorts, "Now you're beginning to sound like Joly!"

"I'm serious, Eponine. How've you been?"

"I've been fine, Enjolras," she says under her breath.

I lean closer to her, just to make sure no one overhears, "You and I both know that isn't true."

Her eyes dart up to mine, and she gives me a curious look as if she herself is confused. I see Combeferre beckoning me from across the room.

"You know where I am. Don't be a stranger," I say before standing and leaving.

When I reach the other table and sit, I glance in her direction only to find her gone.

* * *

_Eponine_

Tears sting my eyes as I flee the cafe. Enjolras was right. I haven't been fine. My heart still longs to be with Azelma again, but I know that will never happen. Sometimes before the sun goes down, I read the Bible the Priest gave me, but it is still so hard to believe. It's hard because it hurts so much. And while I do feel comforted from reading the Holy Word, I am still confused as to why these things must happen. I haven't been back to the church because I don't feel that I am presentable enough to go there. Maybe I am wrong, but I have already experienced enough ridicule in my life. I don't want to face anymore. Maybe one day I'll be able to go there again, whether it be because my circumstances change or my mindset changes. Until then, I'll just cling to the Bible i was given and hope that this gaping hole in my chest will heal. By the time I make it back to the elephant, it is dark. I crawl up the leg and find my pallet. Curling into a ball and clutching the Bible to my chest, I pray that my pain will end soon.

**Author's Note: I am so sorry it has been so long. I am adjusting to college life and have hardly any time to write. But I finally was able to get a little bit written. I hope this tides you over until I am able to post again! I hope it will happen more frequently once I get into the swing of things. Thank you so much for sticking with me.**

**~loislane16**


	13. Chapter 13

Thirteen

_Eponine_

Upon Gavroche's insistence, I accompany him to Les Amis meetings more frequently. I know he just wants to help me, but I just want to be alone. Grantaire tries to help when I do show. He knows exactly how to help. He just sits with me, letting me know he's there. I don't need him to say anything or try to make me feel better. I suppose Enjolras knows how to help as well. He doesn't act sorry for me or patronize me. He simply makes a point to talk to me, which I guess is his way of being a friend.

The sunlight shines through the small holes in the top of the elephant statue, and I know I need to get out of here and into society. As much as I want to be by myself, I know sitting here will only further my depression. I remember how bad that feels, and I don't want Gavroche to see me like that. He wasn't around the last time I got to be in a bad place, when I thought about going for an eternal swim in the Seine. Wrapping my shawl around my shoulders, I grab the rope ladder and begin to step downward. When I reach the street and replace the piece of plaster, I take a deep breath and try to forget my sadness for the moment. The fresh air feels good to my lungs, and I know this outing will do me well.

Not too far into the streets, I see a familiar face that makes me smile. I pick up my pace to try to catch up with him, but I'm quickly losing him in the crowd.

"Marius!" I call, hoping he'll hear me.

It seems to work but as he spins around to look at me, a young woman slams into him, knocking the basket she is carrying out of her arms. Marius quickly recovers and leans down to gather up her belongings. But as they both stood up, something happened, and I could see it. He paused when he passed her the basket, and I saw something change in his eyes. He looks at her in a way that I have always wanted him to look at me, and I can feel my heart slowly crushing, making itself smaller and smaller. After they exchange a few words, the girl hurries away, and Marius's eyes trail after her. I walk up to him, trying to hide the disappointment in my face, although he wouldn't even notice as he is still watching the young woman's fleeting form.

"Marius," I greet, probably a little too flatly.

"'Ponine, it's been a while," he replies, although he isn't paying much attention to me.

"It has. I've been staying with Gavroche."

Suddenly, he looks at me with a brightness is his eyes that involuntarily makes the corners of my lips twitch upward, and he places a hand on my shoulder.

"I have to find her again, 'Ponine."

My smile deflates, "Find who?"

"That girl, the one I collided with. I have to find her. Could you help me? You know your way around."

I don't want to help him. If I do, I'll lose him forever. But if I don't, I will betray him. I want him to be happy, don't I?

Regretfully, I sigh, "What is her name?"

He smiles, "She said is was Cosette."

Suddenly, memories hit me like a blow to the chest. I know that name. Cosette. She was the little girl who lived with me for so long, the one who my parents treated as a slave. Look at us now. She is beautiful and rich. I am a filthy street rat. How the tables have turned. She can't know who I am. I can't face that humiliation.

"I can find her by tonight," I say to Marius.

Delight spreads across his face, "Thank you so much, 'Ponine! I'll see you tonight!"

Then he is gone, and my heart is shattered.

_Enjolras_

Yet another meeting has rolled around, and I sit in the cafe waiting for everyone to arrive. Gavroche is one of the first to arrive, and as he comes bounding up the stairs, I wave him over to me.

"Evening, Enjolras," he says cheerily when he bounces up in front of me.

"Good evening, Gav. Will your sister be joining us tonight?" I ask.

I don't know why, but Eponine has been on my mind a lot. Maybe it's because of how she seemed so down the last time I saw her, so fragile. I am concerned about her.

Gavroche shrugs nonchalantly, "Said she's got some errands."

Before I can say anything else, the boy dashes off to basically tackle Courfeyrac. I was hoping I could speak to her tonight, just in hopes that she would be in better spirits. Just then, Marius comes up the stairs with a ridiculous expression on his face. He begins to chatter incessantly, but I can't hear what about over the noise. After a moment, I begin to hear the mutters surrounding a mysterious girl and love. I am immediately infuriated. Not because Marius has seemed to fall head over heels for some girl he barely knows, but because of his complete disregard for Eponine's feelings. Now, I certainly don't want her to show up to the meeting. Finally, I stand.

"Marius, we don't have time for this nonsense. Do you not realize that we strive toward a larger goal?"

He smiles at me, "Enjolras, I realize you don't see the necessity of love in someone's life, but had you been there you would understand. It was breathless delight. Now, I must find her.

"You aren't a school boy anymore. You need to decide if you stand with us or not. If you do, we do not have time for these games," I reiterate.

He seems to ignore my words and continues on, "My world is dark as night if she isn't a part of it! She completes my -"

I raise my hand to interrupt him, "Marius, no one cares about your lonely soul!"

With that, his mouth snaps shut, and he slinks into a chair defeated. I was probably more harsh than necessary, but we have business to attend to. The room falls silent after that, and I begin the meeting. About halfway through the meeting, I notice movement at the top of the stairs and glance in that direction. I see Eponine standing there, staring at the floor with despair written all over her face. Marius nearly leaps up, the legs of his chair scraping against the wooden floors, making the sound echo through the room. Eponine disappears then, and Marius follows closely behind. And everything clicks together. Eponine already knew about Marius's "love," and she was helping him in some way to find her. I have to keep myself from sighing in exasperation. Why would she inflict that kind of pain on herself? I decide to cut the meeting short, simply because I'll be too distracted to continue.

I have just settled in for the evening on my sofa when something hits my door. I ignore it at first, but then something hits it again. Curious, I decided to get up and see what's going on. When I open the door, I am floored at what I find. Eponine lays crumpled at my door step, gasping for breath. I notice a cut across her cheek and tears in her dress.

"Enjolras," she rasps.

"Eponine, what happened to you?" I exclaim as I gingerly slip her into my arms.

She grabs hold of my shirt front as I carry her into the house, her fingers trembling, "My father. I can't. I need to catch my breath."

I sit her on the sofa and examen the cut on her cheek. Seeing that it isn't too deep, I sit with her until she regains her breath and is able to tell me what happened. Finally, she is able to speak almost normally.

"I took Marius to Cosette's house, but as I was waiting for him, my father showed up with his gang. He was going to rob the house, but I couldn't let him because Marius was inside the garden. Essentially, I ruined my father's raid, and he wasn't happy about it."

"And Marius didn't help you?" I ask, my voice hinting at the anger I felt.

"They knocked my out. Marius probably didn't even see me. When I came to, you were the first person I thought of for help."

"I'll be back. I'm going to get something to clean your cut."

I hurriedly grabbed some old cloth and some alcohol I kept in the cabinet for emergencies. I sit back down beside her and use one piece of cloth to wipe the blood off of her cheek. I uncork the alcohol and grab a clean cloth.

"Tilt your head to the side. This is going to sting," I tell her.

She does as I said, and I drip some of the alcohol into the cut. She hisses, her face contorting in pain. I dab the cut with the clean cloth and make sure it is dry.

"I'm sorry, but we couldn't have that getting infected. Are you injured anywhere else?"

Her hand brushes over her side, "My ribs, I think he broke one."

"We'll have to bind them, then."

I find a set of old bed covers and begin to rip them into strips. I can feel Eponine watching me as I work, but she doesn't say anything. For her decency, I begin to wrap the strips around her abdomen on the outside of her dress. It is thin enough that it won't be an issue. She winces when I tug on the fabric and when I knot the strips together, but smiles gratefully at me when I finish.

"Thank you, Enjolras. How did you know how to do all that?" she asks.

"I've lived on my own for a while. I don't have anyone to take care of me. Besides, when I was young, my parents made me learn to ride horses. We had a temperamental horse that didn't like to be ridden, and he managed to break a few of my ribs over time," I smirk.

"Oh," she laughs.

"Why don't you stay here for the night? It's late, and I don't know that you can climb up that elephant with your ribs like that," I offer.

She shakes her head, "I don't want to intrude."

"I think we've had this conversation before. You wouldn't be intruding."

"Fine, but I'm sleeping right here. I don't really want to move," she sighs.

"Agreed," I say to her.

**Author's Note: Wow you guys. I am so sad right now. I haven't been able to write in so long, and it is driving me crazy. College doesn't give you much time for yourself. I hope you enjoy this little bit. I really want to write more during the week, so maybe I'll get a chance to. There will be more E/E coming up though, I promise. I applaud my faithful readers for sticking with me. You guys rock! So, speaking of my faithful readers, I have a question for you. If I were to write something "publishable" would you want to read it? Anyway, I hope to have more time to write. Please drop me a review if you're still sticking with me, so that I know you're there! I would greatly appreciate it. **

**~loislane16**


	14. Chapter 14

Fourteen

_Enjolras_

Sleep isn't an easy thing for me. And tonight, my mind will not stop racing. I need rest for my classes, but it's doesn't look like I'll be falling asleep anytime soon. I can't help but think if what Eponine's father did to her. He beat her, cracked her ribs, he harmed his own daughter. I can't imagine that. My father wasn't the best, but certainly wasn't abusive.

Swinging my legs around to stand, I pull myself out of bed, slipping my linen shirt and trousers on in the dark. I step out into the dark living area, and a floorboard creaks loudly. I pause for a moment, hoping I didn't wake Eponine.

"Can't sleep?" I hear Eponine ask, her voice hoarse.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" I say apologetically.

"No. You didn't answer my question."

"No, I can't sleep," I answer as I fumble for the oil lamp.

It's so dark that I can barely see I thing. Finally, my hand finds the knob and I twist until the flame sparks and illuminates the room. I can see Eponine sitting propped up on the sofa across from me with one arm wrapped around her waist, looking down at her lap. Even with her head down, I can see the redness that rims her eyes and the faded tear streaks on her cheeks. I don't know what to do. For some reason, emotions always make me stumble so to speak. Yet everything within me wants to do everything I can to take her pain away.

"Do you need anything?" I ask, sinking in to a chair adjacent to her.

There is silence for a moment before she finally looks up at me, her eyes weary, "Enjolras, do you ever wonder if your life really matter? Would anyone care if you were gone?"

I know she is referring to herself. I see in her eyes a tiredness that leads only to giving up, and I won't let her give up.

"You don't mean that, Eponine," I say lowly, speaking to her underlying statement.

She stares blankly at me for a moment before her face contorts in a way that shows her deepest sadness, and she brings her hand that isn't holding her ribs up to cover her face.

"You're right. I don't mean it," she sighs, "Why are you always right? How do you always know what to say?"

I raise my eyebrows in shock. I didn't realize I always said the right things to her. I have just tried to let her know that I was there for her.

"I…I don't know. I didn't realize I did that."

She tilts her head, "I'll let you in on a little secret, Enjolras. Over these past few weeks since before my sister died, the things you've said to me have partly been the reason that I haven't thrown myself into the Seine yet. And I know it hasn't been much, but when you simply acknowledge that you know I'm not okay, that's enough because I don't have to pretend with you. I don't have to act like everything is okay and I am happy because you see right through that and you call me out on it."

"You shouldn't have to pretend at all," I tell her.

"I'm not going to be the person to bring down the group. I can't burden everyone else with my problems," she snorts.

"You wouldn't be a burden. You have to tell someone."

"Enjolras, no one that I know well enough to tell would understand my problems."

I think for a moment, knowing what I'm about to say won't go over well with Eponine, but I know I have to say it anyway.

"And did you think Marius would be the one you could eventually tell all your problems to?" I ask quietly.

Her eyes flash with anger but then they soften, and she stares at me sadly.

"Yes," she responds, her voice breaking, "But that's never going to happen, is it? Especially not now."

"Eponine, I don't want this to sound callous or rude, but you would be so much better off if you forgot about Pontmercy."

She shakes her head, "I love him, Enjolras. I_ love _him. I can't just forget about him!"

I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, "Do you love Marius, or do you love the idea of Marius?"

I know I am wading in deep waters, but I see no point in going back now. I can see the frustration written all over her face.

"What do you know of love?" she huffs.

That one hurt. I fall back in the chair.

"More than you know," I respond.

"How can you understand? Marius told me your reaction to his news about Cosette."

I debate for a moment whether or not to tell Eponine the words that are on the tip of my tongue.

"You let me in on one of your secrets, so I'll let you in on one of mine. Everyone seems to think that I am incapable of romantic love. They seem to think it is a foreign language to me, but that isn't true. Contrary to popular belief, I am not opposed to love or marriage. I don't sleep much, and the thoughts that keep me awake most nights are the thoughts that I might very well grow old and die alone. I am a very lonely man, Eponine, so I do know something of love. I know that I have yet to find the girl meant for me and that I very well may never find her."

Eponine won't look up at me. She stares at her hands.

"I'm sorry," she mutters.

"There is nothing for you to apologize for."

"What do I do, Enjolras?" she sighs.

"Let him go," I say gently.

Her face crumples and she tries to hold back her tears, but it doesn't work. She lets out a ragged sob. I know I can't just sit here and watch her cry, so I move to sit beside her on the sofa.

"It'll be alright," I whisper as she rests her head on my shoulder.

As she gathers control of herself, she takes deep breaths and I can feel her trembling against my shoulder.

"It's going to be so hard," she sighs.

"It will be. But you can do it. You're strong."

She sits up and offers me a half-smile, "Thank you, Enjolras."

Something about her smile and warm brown eyes makes me want to smile.

"Call me Gabriel," I tell her.

"Gabriel. I like that," she smiles wider.

**Author's Note: So, I finally got this chapter out. I would say that this chapter is definitely one of the turning points in this story, so can you guess where I'm about to take it? ;) I know my updates are slower, and I apologize for that, but college is so much work. I am busy all the time. Writing is my stress release, and it's killing me that I don't get to write as often as I'd like to. However, I am by no means abandoning this story. I have grand plans for it, and I do hope you'll stick around to see what they are. Don't be a stranger! Leave a comment, and let me know what you think!**

**~ loislane16 **


	15. Chapter 15

**NOTE: I just wanted to profusely apologize for the mishap that happened with the text. I have no idea, what happened, but hopefully it is fixed and will not happen again. I have reloaded this chapter and the previous one! Thanks sooooo much for letting me know and I'm so glad to know that I still have readers!**

**~loislane16**

Fifteen

_Eponine_

I wake early and prepare to leave Enjolras's flat, not wanting to worry Gavroche. I tug on my torn dress as best as I can with my injuries and quickly scribble a note to Enjolras, letting him know that I am returning to the elephant. I know it will be difficult climbing up the rope ladder with my cracked ribs but I can do it. I've gotten through much worse things. Beads of sweat begin to form on my forehead as soon as I step out of the door, a sure sign that summer has arrived. When I make it to the elephant and climb up the ladder with much effort, I find Gavroche to be missing. Probably out darting through the streets. I see my small Bible on my pallet and pick it up, thumbing through the pages. It reminds me of the Priest who spoke to me that day after I lost Azelma, and I begin to wonder if he could give me advice now. But I am too weak to climb back down that ladder and try to make it to the church.

I remind myself that today is a new day. It is the first day that I will begin to take Enjolras's advice. It's time to let the idea of Marius go. But I know that if I continue to be around Marius, I will only fall harder for him. That means I have to keep myself away from him. My heart sinks a little when I realize that I won't be able to go to any more of the Amis meetings, but if that is what it takes, then so be it. My stomach growls loudly, and I glance around the dark plaster statue for any remnants of food but fail to find any. I hope Gavroche will bring something back for us. Until then, I open the Bible to a random place and use the little bit of light coming in from the holes in the ceiling to read.

_2 weeks later_

_Enjolras_

It has been two whole weeks since I have seen Eponine. She left the morning after I told her my first name, and I haven't seen her since. She left a letter on my desk explaining that she didn't want to worry her brother and thanking me for my care. I put it with the other note she left, in between two of my heavy books. I've missed her input at the meetings, and when I question Gavroche as to where she is, he simply shrugs. Honestly, I am worried about her. I hope she was able to heal well and keep her cut clean. Late at night when I can't sleep, I find that I'm wishing for her opinion on my plans or simply conversation. There is something about her…I just can't put my finger on it.

In other news, Marius has been dreadfully cheery lately with daily visits to his new love. Maybe it's a good thing Eponine hasn't shown in a while. Hopefully she is taking my advice and trying to forget about Marius. I don't want to see her be held back by him. She deserves to have a life, and if she wastes all her years pining after Marius, she'll look back one day and realize that her life is gone. She has a great mind behind those bright eyes, and if she just had an equal chance, I know she would accomplish extraordinary things.

Amidst all of this, the revolution is stirring and events are whirling around me. It will be soon, we all agree on this. But am I ready? I thought I was, but as it draws closer, I am beginning to doubt myself. However, everything has already been set into motion, and there is nothing I can do about it now. It will proceed whether we are ready or not. It's time for change, and it's time for us to rise.

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! First of all, I wanted to apologize for this incredibly short chapter. The next chapter will hopefully be longer. I'm hitting a rut in this story, but no worries. We just have a few rough chapters to get through. As you might could see, I'm also trying to speed somethings along. I WILL get through this story with everything I have planned. However, I would greatly enjoy your feedback to know that there are still people sticking with this story. Feedback definitely helps me write. Thanks for your support and I hope I can crank out the next chapter soon! Love my readers!**

**~ loislane16**


	16. Chapter 16

Sixteen

_Enjolras_

I feel as if I haven't seen Eponine in so long, and I have found that I actually miss her. I don't know what's going on with me. I am distracted during my classes, thinking of her and hoping she is well.

Even tonight as I sit with my closest friends, Combeferre and Courfeyrac, trying to discuss plans my mind is wandering. I wish she was here and able to give us her input. She is wise, and I can tell she cares about the cause. Her caramel eyes sparkle when she talks about it. But since I haven't seen her in so long, I can only assume she is huddled somewhere for shelter, her mind plagued with ways to survive this cruel world. I would give her the world if I could. She deserves it; she deserves so much more than she has. Her smile is too dazzling, her dimples too charming to be masked by hardship and sadness.

Suddenly I hear Combeferre calling my name.

"Hmm," I murmer.

Courfeyrac smirks at me, "We've called your name several times, Enjolras. Is something wrong? You look as if someone dear to you has died."

"I'm fine," I say, probably with a little more force than necessary.

"I don't think I've seen you like this before, Gabriel. Are you sure you're alright?" Combeferre questions.

I stand, "Yes, I'm just rather tired. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some sleep."

Before they can answer, I have my satchel and am striding away from my friends into the night. I wipe my sweating palms on my trousers and steady my breathing. The truth is there is something wrong. The truth is, I've found _her._

_Eponine_

I am pretty miserable. I haven't seen anyone in three weeks, completely secluding myself from everyone in hopes to stay away from Marius. I have no way of surviving, so I've gone back to working the streets for the Madame. I had no other choice.

Frankly in the past weeks, I've come to resent Enjolras. I took his advice yet I am just as miserable as ever. The only difference than before is that I now have no hope. At least while I was pining after Marius, I had hope that he would one day love me. And I think part of me resents him because I know he's right. Marius will never love me.

As the sun falls below the horizon, I wedge my Bible in the back waistband on my skirts, where I always keep it, and set out to work. I hate work, but I don't have another choice. As I step up to the Madame, she raises an eyebrow at me.

"Well lookey who decided to come in t'night," she smirks, yanking my top down to reveal more of my bust.

"Where would you have me work from tonight?" I ask, ignoring her actions.

"The corner 'round the way. Ya tend to get the richer gents there. More ya make, more I make."

I do as she says and slink through the shadows to the assigned corner. The first few men that pass ignore my advances, but I know I must get into the mindset first. As another man comes into sight, I try my best to put on the act.

"Good Monsieur, how about a little fun tonight?" I croon, sauntering further out of the shadows.

Then, I realize who that man is and quickly dart back. But it is too late.

"Eponine? We need to talk," I hear Enjolras's voice say with a bit of shock.

He follows me into the shadows, and it isn't long before I can make out his golden curls and stern features.

"I am working," I say to him quietly.

"Why are you still having to do this?" he asks a little louder than necessary.

His question infuriates me, and I was already upset with him.

"Why do you think? I don't have money like you do. If you'll excuse me, I have to continue, and we both know you aren't going to buy a whore for the evening," I spit.

His demeanor changes, "You're wrong."

He turns on his heel and marches over to the Madame. I suddenly become nervous. I know he wouldn't do anything to harm me because I know he cares about me, but what did he mean by 'you're wrong?' He comes back over and holds out his hand.

"I've paid for the evening," he states.

"I'm not going with you," I exclaim with a tremor in my voice.

He huffs, "Eponine, don't make this harder than it has to be."

I clench my jaw and follow after him, refusing to take his hand or arm. When we reach his flat, he holds the door open for me to enter and then locks it once he's inside.

"I need to talk to you, Eponine."

I cross my arms, standing in the middle of the room, and wait for him to continue.

He stands in front of me, his eyes nervous, "Do you remember when I told you I was a lonely man and that I'd never find the woman that I'm meant to be with? Well, I've found her."

I roll my eyes at him, "Enjolras, did you honestly pull me away from making a living to tell me you met a girl? I don't have time for this."

He shakes his head, "Don't you understand, it's you! I care about you, Eponine! I haven't been able to quit thinking about you since we saw each other last. I don't even know how to describe it. I just know that I've fallen for you. And quite frankly, I'm losing my mind."

I can't comprehend the words he is saying. He begins to pace, but then he stops and places his hands on my shoulders. I see an intensity in his crystal eyes that I have never seen before, not even when he speaks of the revolution.

"Eponine, I was ready. I was completely ready. Then you, _you_ made me afraid to die," he exclaims, his voice breaking.

"Gabriel," I whisper, part of my heart crying out to him.

Slowly, gently, he presses his lips to mine in a kiss, and for a moment, I kiss him back. It is sweet, and something about it makes my heart sing. I can feel it all the way in the tips of my toes. Then I pull away. I am so confused. With a cry, I slap him hard across the cheek, and he looks as if he is physically broken. I immediately cover my face with my hands.

"I'm sorry, Enjolras. I am. I'm just so confused," I cry.

I feel his strong, calloused fingers wrap tenderly around my wrists, and when he pulls my hands away, I look up to see tears in his eyes.

"Tell me," he says shakily.

I pull my hands from his and step back, "I took you're advice, and frankly I am more miserable than I've ever been. I secluded myself because I saw no other way to keep my distance from Marius, and I've only come to resent you. I'm so alone. Yet at the same time, I know you're right. I was only in love with the idea of Marius. I don't love Marius. And something inside me draws me to you. But I don't know what to do or how to feel. I'm confused and I'm tired."

He takes my hand again, but squeezes it so he can keep hold.

"Eponine, you've changed me. You've given me something to live for besides the revolution, and I don't know how to handle that. I'm just as confused as you are."

I shake my head, stepping away slowly so that my hand limply falls to my side, "I'm sorry. I just need time. I need to think."

I've never seen him look so defeated, so I turn away squeezing my own eyes shut. After taking a deep breath, I step out of his flat, leaving him where he was standing, and when I hit the street, I finally allow the sobs to shake my frame.

_Enjolras_

I stand in shock as the front door slams shut, Eponine gone. I had no intentions of confronting my feelings tonight or even at all. But when I saw her, it was like I couldn't stop myself. A snowball effect was created, and it was too late for me to stop it. Hopefully I haven't ruined my chances with her. It gives me hope that she said something draws her to me, but I can't say anything for sure. I am still angry with myself for doing it in such a manner. I_ kissed _her, something I should have never done, not without knowing if she was okay with it first. But, but she kissed me back. I don't know what to do. I guess there isn't really anything I can do. I can't force her into anything, nor would I want to. All I can do is let her think, so that's what I'll do. I'll let her think and try not to be too distracted while the revolution looms over me.

**Author's Note: Well…what do you think? I hope you like it! So what do you think Eponine is going to do? Is Enjolras making the right decision by leaving her alone? Please, please let me know what you think! I hope to have the next chapter very soon because I honestly can't wait to write it! I have some devious stuff planned! Thanks for sticking with me! **

**~loislane16**


	17. Chapter 17

Seventeen

_Eponine_

It's been a week, and I've been wrestling with my thoughts and my heart ever since, still not coming to any better conclusion than I was before. When Enjolras kissed me, I felt something when I hadn't felt anything but sorrow in a very long time. But can I trust that? I can't be sure of anything anymore. I thought for certain I was in love with Marius, but my heart and mind deceived me. I just don't think I can trust myself to make decisions anymore. I curl up on my raggedy pallet in the elephant and wrap my arms around myself.

I'm just so confused and tired. I don't want to do this anymore. I just want this night I'm living in to be over. I pull my Bible out of my skirt and run my fingers over the cover. Maybe my night can end. Maybe it's just not how I imagined it would end. Maybe it's only going to end once I'm with my sister. I don't see any other options. I'm not going to risk getting burned by love again. It will be too much pain. Gavroche knows the happenings of the upcoming rebellion, so I'll listen to what he talks about and use the uprising as an end to the night I've been living in for so long.

_Enjolras_

Tonight we have received word that it's time to rise. The rebellion is here. There are preparations to be made, yet all I can do is sink down on the edge of my bed. I run my hands over my face, trying to make some sense of this. The time has come that I could quite possibly die.

I haven't heard from Eponine since she told me she needed time to think. My heart aches to think that I could very well die without knowing if she feels for me what I feel for her. I am going to die without knowing what it's like to spend life with the woman I am meant to spend my life with. I can hardly bare to think about it.

But fortunately, I have to push those thoughts from my mind. Any chance I have to live is jeopardized if I am distracted in the fight. The date set for the rebellion is only a few days away, and I have to stay focused. I have to stay confident for my friends. I hope we've gathered enough people and weapons. Combeferre wishes for there to be no bloodshed and as good as that sounds, I know that it simply isn't possible. We all knew the price we might pay when we became involved and now it's time for that payment. I can only hope that the outcome will be worth the payment.

_Eponine_

The day is here. Gavroche has kept me informed, and I know that Les Amis will be rising today. I found some boys clothing to disguise myself, because I know Enjolras and several of my other friends would never let me stay if they knew I was there. Gavroche is bustling around the elephant, filled with nervous energy and humming a tune.

"I can't prevent you from going today, can I?" I sigh, placing my hands in my lap.

"Nope, 'Ponine! I'll stand with my friends!" he exclaims proudly.

As he passes, I grab his hand and tug him to me. I place my hands on his shoulders and look into his brown eyes that are almost identical to mine.

"Just promise me you'll be careful, Gav. I love you so much," I say.

The energy in his eyes fades slightly and is replaced by a softness, "I will, 'Ponine. I love you too."

Gavroche doesn't know my plans. He doesn't know that I won't leave the fight today. I don't want to upset him. He simply thinks I am choosing to stand with Les Amis as well. I savor these last private moments I have with my brother and hope that one day he'll understand why I am doing what I'm doing. That is all I can hope for. That, and I can hope that someone will take care of him when this is all over.

Gavroche tells me goodbye and clambers down the rope ladder. It's time for me to get ready. I bind my chest to give myself a more boyish appearance and then slip on the clothes. They are very baggy on me, but they will do. I stuff my long tresses up into my hat and lace up my boots. Without thinking about what is about to occur, I climb down the rope ladder and step onto the street. This is it. My night is finally going to end.

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's short but due to what happens in the next chapter, I felt that this needed to be separate. I hope to have the next chapter up soon even though I have two papers due… Anyway, I would really enjoy your feedback! And I'd also like to add that this story should be going to a while. I hope to make this the longest I have ever written. So I do hope you'll stick with me. I have lots of treats planned! Hope to hear from you soon!**

**~loislane16**


	18. Chapter 18

Eighteen

_Eponine_

I stand in a corner of the barricade, slightly in the shadows, to watch the hustle and the bustle of the barricade. The soldiers haven't struck yet, but I'm afraid that will come soon. The men run around, loading guns and preparing materials. Grantaire has already taken his place with a bottle, and I am tempted to join him if it wouldn't blow my cover. I thought by standing here that I would end up watching Marius, but I haven't. I have been watching Enjolras. With his golden hair and bright red jacket, he has been a whirlwind around the barricade. Although he never notices me, I catch glimpses of his crystal eyes and see that they are alight with a fire. I see him smile and clap his friends on their shoulders, ablaze with a passion more intense than I have ever seen before.

And yet, every once in a while, I can see flashes on his face of fear and worry. His eyes crinkle this way or the corners of his lips fall slightly. The words he told me, basically pleaded to me, when he said that I made him afraid to die. It makes me want to run to him and take his face in my hands, telling him everything will be alright. As tormented as his soul is in this very moment, he is beautiful, and I could watch him for hours. It as if he is light himself.

Then, I realize that maybe my only way out of this night is not just death. I begin to think that Enjolras was right that night when I refused to listen to what he had to say. Is he my light? Would our relationship bring me up out of this dark? Suddenly, I am willing to risk heartbreak and hurt for this chance to feel alive again, to become reacquainted with the loving person I once was. And in this moment, I am no longer ready to die. Just as I made Enjolras afraid, he has done the same to me.

The soldiers impending footfalls have forced away from me any chance I had of acting on these realizations. The barricade falls eerily quiet as the men ready their weapons. And then the barricade is ablaze with gunfire.

_Enjolras_

The fighting has been going on for what feels like days, but has truly only been two hours. We started out so hopeful, but now our strength is fading. Too many have already died, and I don't even know who they are. I thought I was ready, but I wasn't. I can't let anyone else die. This has to stop. I sent my best, Combeferre, out to propose a deal with the National Guard, one that would turn this fight for the lesser into a much more civil one. He is much calmer than I, and handles negotiations much better as well. Now I am waiting for him to return. I hear scraping, the sound of a piece of the barricade being moved away, and then I see him. Combeferre has returned unharmed, his face serious.

"Well?" I ask, practically jogging to him.

Slowly, his lips curl into a smile, "They agreed. We can meet with the state to discuss further matters."

I smile as well, clapping him on the shoulder. Combeferre is my closest friend and we can communicate without speaking. I nod him my thanks with a grin and he returns it. I turn around to spread the news, but as I begin my stride I bump into a small frame, eliciting a yelp from the person. A yelp much to high to be a man's. I grab the person's shoulder and my stomach drops when I look into Eponine's golden brown eyes. Her eyes are tired and foggy.

"Eponine? What are you doing here?" I ask.

Suddenly she sways, leaning into me. I catch her under her elbows as she grabs the lapels of my jacket. It is then after she is pressed against me that I feel an eerily warm wetness slowing soaking my shirt.

"Gabriel," she rasps.

"Eponine, what's happened to you?" I ask shakily.

"Please. My side, I was shot."

My heart slams against my ribcage. She has to be okay. I pull her up into my arms, and she leans her clammy forehead against my shoulder. I press one of my hands to her side, and she cries out, a sob escaping her lips.

"It's going to be alright, Eponine. You'll be just fine."

I start walking as fast as I can without jostling her too much. I feel her begin to tug on my jacket.

"Gabriel, stop. Stop walking," she pleads.

"No, Eponine. I have to get you help."

"Just for a moment…please."

Reluctantly, I do as she asks, and she lifts her head up off of my shoulder.

"Gabriel, I don't want to die, not yet," she begins.

"I know. That's why we have to get you help," I exclaim.

She places her bloody palm on my rough cheek, drawing my eyes back to hers, "Wait, listen. I came here to die. But I don't want that anymore. You were right, and I didn't want to listen to you. I have been living in night for so long, but maybe, just maybe together we can create light. I want to give us a chance."

Her words floor me, only causing my heart to pound faster. I bend my head slightly and kiss her forehead before beginning to walk even faster than before.

"We'll get that chance, Eponine, I swear it. You're not going to leave me."

Luckily, Joly sees me rapidly coming his way and swipes a table clean. I lay her gently on the table, but she cries out due to the stretching out her wound. I turn to leave her with Joly when she grasps my hand, pulling me back to her.

"Don't leave, please," she whimpers.

I kneel beside the table, running my thumb along her wrist, "Never."

"Gabriel, I love you," Eponine smiles, her eyes pooling with tears.

Tears of my own cloud my vision as I lean down and place a kiss to her temple, "I love you."

**Author's Note: So, how's two chapters in one day? I am loving being on break from college. I have greatly appreciated the response I got from the last chapter, so now I hope you'll tell me what you think of this one. There is a lot of emotion in this one, so I apologize if it's a little heavy. The next chapter is the moment of truth, so to speak. Who survives?**

**~loislane16**


	19. Chapter 19

Nineteen

_Eponine_

I woke up several hours ago or I suppose it has been several hours. No one has come in the room where I am laying, and I have no idea where I am. I try to wiggle in bed but it sends a burning pain through my side.

Finally, the doorknob wriggles and someone eases into the room. It is Joly. His eyebrows raise when he sees me looking at him.

"You're awake. How long?" he asks.

"A while," I croak.

My throat is incredibly dry. He quickly reaches for a glass by the bed and helps me drink from it. After I feel refreshed, I put my head back on the pillow.

"Where am I?" I ask.

"You're at my home. You were the only one injured that needed more care than what I immediately gave to them. But you should be just fine now with some rest. You were very lucky, Eponine. The gunshot was only on the very edge of your side and didn't seem to injure anything internally," he explains.

I sigh inwardly with relief. I'm going to be okay.

"That's good news. Where is Gabriel?"

I notice Joly's coy smile, and I can feel a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"He is out, but he told me he will be by later to see you."

I let myself smile, comforted by the fact that I can see him and that he is okay. Joly turns to leave me to rest, but then I realize that I still do not know the outcome of the uprising.

"Joly, wait! What was the outcome? Of the rebellion, I mean."

His expression is unreadable as he turns to face me, and it worries me. I am normally able to read people, but I cannot tell by his face if his thoughts are good or bad.

"I should let Enjolras explain. It is more of his place to do so," he answers before leaving me alone in the room.

I don't like his answer. It makes my stomach drop and my heart pound loudly. Now I just have to sit and wait for Enjolras to come to see me. It seems like hours again before I hear voices and footsteps outside of my closed door. It slowly opens and a head of blonde curls peeks in. I involuntarily smile.

"Gabriel."

After seeing that I'm not sleeping, he opens the door further and steps all the way inside. I am so happy to see him, but he looks like he is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He shuts the door behind him and drags a chair up to the side of my bed. Taking my small hand in his large one, he strokes his thumb across my wrist.

"'Ponine," he greets, relief clear in his voice.

Hearing him call me by that nickname strikes something wrong inside of me.

"Don't call me 'Ponine. That is what Marius and my scum of parents call me. I want to have a nickname that only you call me."

His eyebrows furrow as he thinks for a moment, and then his lips spread into a smile.

"How about Ep?" he suggests.

I grin, "I like it."

"Good. You'll be my Ep," he sighs, kissing my forehead.

I trail my fingers across his unshaven cheek as he leans back up. The dark shadows under his eyes are almost scary.

"Have you not slept?" I ask.

"Not much. I have been taking care of business."

My heart pounds again as I think about what that business might be.

"What happened on the barricades? What was the outcome?" I ask hesitantly.

"We reached a civil agreement with the National Guard for the time being. They are allowing us to meet with the state to discuss some of our issues and thoughts. I just…I couldn't see any more people die," he says shakily.

My stomach drops again, "Who?"

He looks away from me, but I can see his eyes clouding. His jaw clenches, and I can tell he doesn't want to talk about this.

"Too many," he states, still not looking at me.

I tug on his hand, squeezing until he looks at me, "Gabriel, who?"

The only people who are confirmed to still be alive are myself, Marius, Joly, and Combeferre. Grantaire and Gavroche…they're missing," he answers.

Tears immediately begin to form, and I blink my eyes rapidly to keep them from falling. My brother and one of my closest friends are nowhere to be found. My breaths become short and I squeeze my eyes shut to keep tears from falling. After a moment, I hear Enjolras let out a ragged breath. He strokes his hand across my hair.

"Please look at me, Ep. I'm so sorry. Please."

I hear the tears in his voice, and I realize that he is blaming himself for all of this. He thinks I'm blaming him for this. I immediately open my eyes and grasp his hand, holding it against my cheek.

"Gabriel, don't you dare think I blame you for any of this. None of this was your fault," I say.

He looks at me, his blue eyes watery and sad. He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he re-opens them, he is almost like a different person. That deep sadness is gone, but only on the surface.

"We'll see about getting you moved to my flat," he states, changing the subject.

I know he doesn't want to talk about the rebellion, and even though I know he needs to talk about it, I don't push it. We will work through it eventually, together.

"What will people think? I don't think that will look very good to society."

"I don't care. I love you, and you have no where to go. And after what we've been through, I don't think I can bare spending another day apart," he smiles, kissing my forehead.

Just like before, I feel his kiss all the way to the tips of my toes. It feels right.

"Well then, as soon as I can move without cringing, I will gladly have you take me to your flat."

He frowns, "Are you in much pain?"

"It's more of an irritating discomfort."

He places his hand gently on the bandaged spot on my side, but I still suck in a breath.

"Ep," he sighs.

"Joly said I was very lucky, and I should heal quickly. It isn't a major wound," I explain.

"That doesn't make up for the fact that you were shot."

The blame he puts on himself is written all over his face.

"Let's just be thankful that we're both okay and can be together."

He smiles slightly and kisses my knuckles. We just sit there, content to be in each other's presence without saying a thing. It is a great feeling to be near the one you love.

_Enjolras_

Over the past week, I have been preparing for Eponine to come to stay with me. She is getting stronger each day, and I can see the frustration on her face from being cooped up in Joly's home. Though I love her dearly, every time I look at her I cannot help but feel guilty. I was my actions that injured her. Furthermore, it was my actions that got my friends killed, that caused her brother to disappear. She tells me not to blame myself, but how would I not? I was the leader, the orchestrator of all of this. I try not to focus on it and set my mind to preparing my small flat to be inhabited by two people, but it is always there in my mind.

Having not returned to classes and Combeferre still negotiating with the government for a meeting with the state, I have had the whole week to clean my flat, rearrange the living arrangements, and get the required items for Eponine to live with me. Joly has finally given the go that she can transition, so I go to the stables by my flat and saddle my horse to a carriage. The walk from Joly's home to my flat isn't very far, but for Eponine in her state, it will be challenging. I climb up in the carriage and snap the reigns to be on my way. When I arrive at Joly's house, I find Eponine waiting for me in the living area, a smile on her face. She wears a dress Musichetta let her borrow and while it is too big on her, she is still so beautiful. I sit next to her on the settee, and she immediately intertwines her fingers with mine.

Joly laughs at her enthusiasm to see me, "She has been ready since early this morning."

She laughs, her cheeks coloring with a pink blush.

I stand, extending my hand to her, "Then, shall we go?"

She stands slowly with me having to pull most of her weight. The wound in her side slows all of her movements down, which frustrates her, evident by the furrowing of her brow. I slip an arm around her waist to help ease her strain. Once she is fully upright, she smiles at me.

"Thank you, Gabriel. But I hate to say that I don't believe I can walk all the way to your flat," she frowns.

"I've got it all taken care of."

She smirks at me, "I should've known."

Taking one of her hands, I place my other hand of the small of her back and walk with her slowly. When we reach the carriage, I help her climb up and onto the seat which takes a lot of effort for her. I thank Joly for everything he's done for her and hop up onto the carriage to take us back to our flat. Eponine snakes her hand into the crook of my elbow and places the other hand on my arm.

"Gabriel, I love you," she sighs.

"I love you, Ep," I reply.

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for being patient with me as I finished this chapter up! I really hope to get the next one out soon! Thank you so much for the feedback from the last chapter!**

**~loislane16**


	20. Chapter 20

Twenty

Eponine

My healing process has been rather quick and easy. Enjolras has spent as much time as he can with me to keep me from feeling lonely. He often sends Combeferre to the government buildings to negotiate if he himself doesn't absolutely have to go. I told him that I don't mind being by myself, but he's insisted to stay with me. I have to admit it's been rather nice, spending time with him. However, I can tell that he isn't entirely himself, and I know he is still carrying all the blame for what happened at the barricades. I want to talk to them about that, but I know he will only shut down. There is still no sign of either Gavroche or Grantaire, and that is taking a toll on both of us.

I was thrilled to move in with him, even though I am worried about what the public would think once I am able to venture out more. Enjolras has been more than kind as far as providing for my every need. When I arrived at his flat, I found his entire living area to be rearranged and a bed in the corner of the room. He had piled it high with pillows and bedcovers, making it look simply heavenly. Even with this pain in my side, I slept wonderfully my first night at the flat. He brings me food whenever I am hungry and helps me around the house when I simply insist that I need to get up off of the sofa. He has kindly let me read his books, and I have already almost completed an entire shelf. I have thanked him many times and told him he didn't have to do everything he is doing, but he insisted that he was doing these things because he loved me. That is a hard concept for me to grasp. I read my Bible and it talks of the Heavenly Father loving us unconditionally, yet that is so hard for me to fathom. I have loved before, but I have never been loved in return.

Today, we have just finished eating our lunch together and I am sitting on the sofa as usually thumbing through another one of his books while he has disappeared into his bedroom, probably hunched over his desk. There is a knock on the door, but before I can even begin to stand, Enjolras is out of the bedroom and headed to answer it.

"I'm sorry. I just can't move very quickly," I say.

"Ep, there isn't a need to apologize. I don't want you straining yourself. Don't stand," he says back, almost with exasperation.

I know he isn't exasperated with me. He is just tired of telling me to quit apologizing. He is patient with me and my brain that can't comprehend this level of love and care. When he opens the door, I see Cosette's rosy cheeks and blonde locks standing there.

"Good afternoon, Enjolras. I just came by to give something to Eponine," she smiles.

Enjolras lets her inside, "Of course, Cosette."

They both come to sit in the living area with me, and Cosette sits on the edge of her chair. The barricades have made her uneasy as well. Marius was injured worse than I, and she has been taking care of him every passing hour. I notice that in her basket appears to be clothes.

"Hello, Cosette. It's good to see you," I say.

We had a rough past but that doesn't mean we can't become friends now. I have begun a new life. I am a new Eponine. After all, the men we love are good friends. Things would become quite awkward if we were to continue to be strangers with each other.

"You as well, Eponine. You seem much better."

"I am. Gabriel has taken good care of me."

My statement is true, but I say it partly because I want to see his neck and cheeks flush.

"I brought you some of my old dresses. Enjolras happened to mention to me that you only have a few things, and he wouldn't have the slightest clue of what to get you. I really think these will suit you well," she smiles at me.

"Thank you, Cosette. That is very kind of you."

"Of course. When all of this…calms down, I would love to go with you to pick out some fabrics and dresses."

"I might have to take you up on that offer," I laugh.

Enjolras, who has been silent for this whole exchange, speaks up, "How is Marius faring, Cosette?"

At this question, Cosette's eyes become tired.

"He is healing, but slowly. In fact, I really should be going. I don't like to leave the house for too long."

"Send him our well wishes, and do stop by again. As soon as Eponine entirely mobile again, we'll come by for a visit," Enjolras says, walking Cosette to the door and taking the dresses from her.

"That was nice of her," I say as Enjolras sits down by me.

"It was. I am sure you too can grow to be friends once things settle," he says.

I make a sound of agreement as I rest my head against his shoulder. He takes one of my hands in his and presses my knuckles against his lips.

"You aren't yourself," I suddenly say, deciding we need to address the elephant in the room.

He looks down at me, "I could say that same about you, Ep."

"I realize we're both out of sorts, but I was shot."

He winces when I talk about my injury.

"I'm just going to need time," he sighs.

I twist to face him, trying to disguise my pain, and take his face in my hands so he will look at me.

"Gabriel, I know you need time, but know that keeping it bottled inside doesn't help. I am here for you, always."

He covers one of my hands with his and kisses my forehead.

"I love you," he breathes.

His face is inches from mine, and I think that he will kiss me. We haven't kissed since he professed his feelings for me, and every moment we spend together makes my desire to kiss him grow stronger. But he doesn't. He pulls away from me and stands, and my heart sinks.

"I should prepare us something to eat. I'll have to go pick up some things soon. But will vegetable stew do for the evening?" he asks.

"Sounds delightful," I reply quietly.

Enjolras

I could sense Eponine's disappointment when I pulled away from her and began to prepare dinner. But I want to show Eponine true love without the physical aspect first. I want her to see that physical affection isn't all there is to love. I want to show her love in all the very little things too. The life of prostitution is all she has known when it comes to physical affection, and I know that I won't be able to truly show her love in that physical manner until she knows that I love her for so much more than just that. I hope she can understand that.

She was right when she said that I am not myself. While she sleeps on the bed I've gotten her in the living area, I am up into the wee hours of the morning, not able to wipe the images of the barricade from my mind. When I do fall asleep, it isn't restful. My dreams are filled with nightmarish scenes, reliving that day along with other horrors. I dream of Eponine injured terribly, but I am unable to reach her. She bleeds out in front of me, calling for me, but there is nothing I can do. Those nightmares make me never want to sleep again.

But just as I am not my normal self, neither is Eponine. She is more reserved, quick to agree to whatever I say. It's like the fire inside her as been fizzled out, and I want it to return. But I know she is worried about so much right now. Her brother, Grantaire, me, her health. I know she tells me it's not my fault, but it isn't easy to just let that go. It's going to take so much work, but I don't know that I want to think about it. I just want to close my eyes, forget about all the horror that has happened, and sleep until everything goes back to normal, if it even will.


	21. Chapter 21

Twenty-One

_Enjolras_

Eponine has gotten much better over the weeks, and I have been able to leave her at my apartment to meet with the state. She has been becoming closer to Musichetta and Cosette. She's worked her way through most of my books, at least the one's she's interested in. Now that she's a little better, she's been going to the market and picking out books of her own. She's taken a liking to William Shakespeare. She's becoming back to her normal self, although I can still see the worry in her eyes.

I was able to get on at a law firm and have been sitting in my office all day, coming up with proposals for the state. I heard a commotion coming from outside my door. When Combeferre entered my office without knocking and his face was much too pale, I knew something was wrong.

"Enjolras, they've found him."

_Eponine_

I have just put on a pot of stew when I hear the front door to the flat creak open and then shut again. I wipe my hands off and go into the other room to greet my love. However, my smile fades as soon as I see him. His face is ashen, his shoulders sagging. His eyes look lost and far away. I rush to his side and place a hand on his arm.

"Gabriel, is everything alright?"

He squeezes his eyes shut, "Ep, let's sit down."

"You're scaring me," I say shakily as he leads me to the couch.

"They've found him, Eponine. They've found Grantaire."

My heart plummets into my stomach, "And?"

He takes his hand in mine, and I can feel his fingers trembling, "He…He's gone, Ep."

I keep the tears from falling long enough to ask Enjolras another question, "What did they do to him? What did those Guardsmen do to my closest friend?"

Enjolras breaks then. His face crumples momentarily before he regains his composure and lets out a shaky breath.

"Ep…"

"Tell me Gabriel!" I demand, hot tears stinging my eyes now.

"He was tortured terribly, in ways I can't begin to vocalize to you," he says quietly with pain in his voice.

I fall apart, burying my face in Enjolras's chest. I don't believe I've ever cried this hard before. Not only has my closest friend be taken from me, but he suffered at his end. The thought shatters my heart. I then begin to wonder if my brother's body will be the next one they find. It feels like I'll never stop crying. Enjolras wraps his arms around me and rests his chin on my head. I can feel him shaking with sobs as well. He lost a friend too by such horrible circumstances. I need to be there for him as much as he is there for me. I reach around and find his hand, intertwining my fingers with his, squeezing. I feel him squeeze back, and we sit there and mourn our friend together.

What feels like hours later, I sit up and sniff. Enjolras's eyes are red-rimmed and he looks worse than I've ever seen him before, yet he runs the pads of his thumbs over my cheeks to clear away the tears.

"What now?" I ask softly.

"We've transported him to a doctor that will take care of preparations for a funeral. I couldn't dare ask Joly to do the job. As for the vile creatures responsible, an investigation will take place, no doubt, and they will be punished appropriately for what they've done. I will make it part of out agreement with the state to make sure justice is carried out."

I rest my head on his shoulder, "What if Gav is next?"

I hear him suck in a breath.

"For all of our sakes, Eponine, I dearly hope that isn't true."

I decide that if I sit here for much longer consumed in thoughts of this disaster, I will slip into a depression, and that is the last thing I need.

I trace the callouses on Enjolras's hand, "Are you hungry?"

"Not really, but I suppose I must eat."

I stand and rub my swollen eyes.

"Stay here. I'll dish us out some stew," I tell him.

We eat our dinner quietly, thinking long about memories with Grantaire. I know Enjolras is blaming himself for this as well as the other deaths, but now certainly isn't the time to bring the issue up. I wonder if he would respond the kind priest I spoke with that day? Maybe. I know he was never really religious. Maybe I can convince him to go to the chapel with me.

Evening turns into night, and we get ready to retire silently. Enjolras kisses me on the forehead and tells me he loves me before disappearing into his own room. As I curl up on my bed and put out the oil lamp, I am not prepared for the nightmares that await me in my sleep. I awaken from a dream of all of the people I love being tortured in front of me when Enjolras shakes my shoulders. My eyes snap open to see Enjolras leaning over me.

"You were screaming, Ep."

"It was a nightmare," I say, breathing heavily.

He slides onto my bed and pulls me into his arms, humming a soft melody until I begin to doze again. It is right before I fall asleep that I realize how much this man loves me. He has done so much for me, and showed me love in almost every way possible. I didn't believe that love really existed like this, love without a physical side. I thought it was only in fairy-tales, but I was wrong. I now know that Enjolras loves me for so much more than my body and our physical love. Gabriel loves me in ways that I never thought to be possible. He loves me with all of him. He loves all of me. He truly loves me.

_Enjolras_

It has only been two days since Eponine and I sat in the living room and mourned Grantaire's passing, and I can see a change in her yet again. She is sad and quiet, yes, but there is something else. She seems to notice every little thing I do for her, and she seems to cherish it. I think she is finally understanding where I am coming from regarding showing her love, and I couldn't be happier. Frankly, this is such a messed up time in our lives. We are grieving lost friends, stressed with making propositions to the state, yet our relationship is finally getting the chance to flourish. It's such a confusing time, with so many highs and lows.

Today is Grantaire's funeral. As much as I am not ready to face this, I know Eponine is having so much more trouble with it. She has been close to silent since we woke up, and the light that is normally in her eyes just isn't there. I sit in the living room ready, in all black, waiting for Eponine while she uses my bedroom to change. I hear the door creak and then soft footstep before Eponine comes into sight. Her dress is as black as the night, almost touching the floor and coming all the way to the base of her neck. Her long hair is pinned up, but a few loose strands hang down defiantly, framing her face. Even though this is a time for mourning and I know my mind shouldn't thinking of such things, I can't help but acknowledge her beauty in my mind. I stand and she walks to me, placing her hand in the crook of my elbow and resting her head on my shoulder.

"Are you ready?" I ask.

"No, but I suppose we must go," she replies quietly.

We make our way to the secluded cemetery, the one where our other friends and comrades were buried. The crowd is small. Myself, Eponine, Joly, Musichetta, Combeferre, and Cosette are the only people there to pay respects. Marius is still too ill and Grantaire didn't have any family, or at least any family who cared enough to come. Words are said, and we each take a turn tossing a handful of dirt onto the coffin. I watch Eponine closely, but she is completely blank, void of emotion. I know she is trying to hold it in. I choose to step up to the hole in the earth last and after I toss in the dirt, I reach into my jacket pocket and withdraw a small bottle of Brandy. I lean down and place the bottle right on top of the coffin. Grantaire's drinking habit was something that I never encouraged. In fact, I was very hard on him about it, and looking back, I regret that. And now there is nothing I can do to show him I am sorry for the words I've said and the ways I've judged him. It breaks me to think about, but I thought I could at least send him off with something he enjoys. Maybe it's a way of me telling him that I'm sorry. Eponine notices my gesture and I see the tears begin to well in her eyes as she gives me sort of a crooked half smile. She tucks herself under my arm, and we walk back to the flat silently.

**Author's Note: I feel like it's been a while since I posted, but maybe it hasn't. The time has just gotten away from me. Honestly, I am just now getting really excited about where this story is headed, so I hope you'll stick with me. I'm pretty sure this will be the longest story I've ever written. I do apologize for Grantaire's death. Frankly, it was very hard for me to write. I had planned on going into more detail, but I just couldn't do it. Grantaire is my favorite character, after all. Anyway, I've really been on a writing kick lately, so maybe I'll get the next chapter out soon. Thanks so much for your support!**

**~loislane16**


	22. Chapter 22

Twenty-Two

_Eponine_

The morning after Grantaire's funeral, I wake early and begin to prepare us a breakfast. I am almost finished cooking when I hear Enjolras's door creak open, and his footsteps coming my way. Soon, he comes into view, wearing his linen pants and loose cotton shirt, his blond curls disheveled.

"What's all this?" he asks.

I walk up to him and wrap my arms around him, playing with curls at the nape of his neck.

"I made breakfast."

"You didn't have to do that."

"But I wanted to," I smile.

He kisses my forehead and rests his hands on my hips. It's the most physical affection he's shown me in a couple of days, and I lean into his touch. He pulls away soon after and pours me a cup of coffee.

"Sit. I'll prepare our plates," he tells me.

I watch and sip my coffee as he plates the pastries that I made and brings them over to the table. We begin to eat our breakfast silently, but a few bites into his pastry, Enjolras clears his throat.

"I thought we could visit Marius and Cosette today. I know he might want some visitors since he wasn't able to attend yesterday."

"That would be nice," I reply quietly.

It will be good to see Cosette. Maybe she will take my mind off of things. I stare back down at my plate, but soon feel Enjolras reach out and grasp my hand. I think he's noticed that I am in desperate need of affection. I look up at him and can tell by the way his crystal eyes stare into my caramel ones that he can read my mind.

"We'll find him, Ep," he says quietly.

Gavroche. My baby brother. I swallow the lump in my throat to keep from losing control of my emotions.

"I know."

After we finish eating, I clear the plates away, and we begin to get ready. I sit on the sofa and wait for Enjolras. He comes out of the bedroom dresses but his cravat hanging around his neck, untied. He begins to fumble with it while also trying to look for his boots. I get up and stride over to him, placing my hands over his to stop his half-hearted tying.

"Let me," I say.

He lets his hands drop to his sides and stands there as I tie the cravat. I've never tied one before, but I learned from watching him tie his everyday. When I finish, I step back and run my hand down his jacket sleeve.

"Thank you," he says softly.

He shifts his weight to one foot and hesitates before adding, "I love you, you know."

I smile, "I know. And I you."

It isn't long before we are arm in arm and on our way to Marius's.

Cosette lets us inside, and the large house is quiet.

"Marius will be happy to see you. It's been rather lonely in the house, you know. Just myself, Marius, my father, and Marius's grandfather," she explains.

She leads us through a maze of hallways until we reach a door that is cracked open. She eases it open and smiles.

"Marius, we have visitors."

We enter the room then to find Marius sitting up in bed and an elderly man sitting in the corner reading. I have met Marius's grandfather before, and I know that isn't him.

Marius's face brightens, "Enjolras, 'Ponine, it's good to see you!"

"And it's good to see that you're healing," Enjolras says.

"I could say the same for 'Ponine. You seemed to have healed very well," Marius smiles.

My external wounds, yes, but he cannot see the internal wounds of worry for so many that I love.

"Well, I have been under good care," I reply, placing my hand on Enjolras's arm.

I can feel the elderly man's eyes on me. He is familiar. Did Cosette say it was her father? Is this the man that took her from my father's inn?

Marius's face turns smug, "So, you two, huh?"

I can feel Enjolras becoming uncomfortable. He has never been one to enjoy discussing topics like this.

"Yes, I suppose so," Enjolras says, clearing his throat.

He reaches and finds my fingers with his fingers, intertwining our hands.

"I, for one, think you two are very good together," Marius nods.

Suddenly, Cosette squeaks beside us, "Oh! Where are my manners! I'll fetch you two chairs. And I forgot to introduce my father. Father, these are mine and Marius's good friends, Enjolras and Eponine."

With that, she scurries from the room, searching for chairs. Her father sets aside his reading material.

"Call me Jean. It is good to meet you, Monsieur Enjolras. And Eponine, it is nice to see you again."

Enjolras looks down at me, shocked.

"Yes it is, Monsieur," I reply, not knowing what else to say.

"You have met?" Enjolras asks, looking from me to the man.

Jean smiles slightly, almost hauntingly, "It was a long time ago."

I make a mental note to fill in Enjolras later. It isn't really a conversation I wish to have now, even though Cosette has probably already told Marius about the inn and her years there. In perfect timing, Cosette returns with a chair under each arm. Enjolras quickly takes them from her and sets them down for us.

"Thank you, Cosette," he says.

"Of course."

Our conversation continues for what seems like hours. Enjolras fills Marius in on all the happenings in the state and with the investigation into Grantaire's death. Marius and Cosette also inform us that they plan on marrying when Marius is well enough. We leave after eating a small lunch with the couple. Enjolras winds his arm around my waist as we walk back toward his flat.

"So, would you like me tell me about how you know Cosette's father?"

"When we are inside the flat," I answer.

Once we arrive home, Enjolras leads me over to the couch, and we sit.

"You remember about how I told you Cosette was taken from our inn by a man? That is Jean. He is not Cosette's real father. He adopted her," I explain.

"So he knows you from the inn when you were a girl?"

"Yes. I've only seen him from a distance since."

Enjolras's eyes flash with something like recognition, "Is he the man that Javert was after for so long?'

I nod, not wanting to confirm out loud. My father tried for so many years to get him in trouble with the law again. I feel like if I speak of it out loud, I am betraying Monsieur Valjean.

We are silent for a moment before I speak again, "What ever happened to the inspector anyway?"

I figured Enjolras would know, negotiating with the state now.

"He is still an inspector. I am actually considering working with him. He has been known as the best out there, and I don't know how we could get any further into the investigation about Grantaire without him."

"You can't be serious, Gabriel. While some of the government has agreed to negotiate with you, Javert would do anything to have your head. He doesn't take kindly to rebels like you."

Enjolras sighs, "What choice do I have, Eponine? We may never find out who did those heinous things to Grantaire, and I can't settle for that. He deserves so much more."

I place my hand on his cheek, "I know. I just…be careful please Gabriel."

He covers my hand with his, "I will be, Ep. I promise."

Our faces are so close that I can feel our breath mingling. His thumb strokes my hand, and his other hand comes up to sweep a curl away from my face. He closes his eyes, and I know he is restraining himself. I don't want him too. He goes to turn away, but I draw his face back with my hand.

"Just kiss me, Gabriel," I breathe.

"Eponine," he whispers.

Then he presses his lips to mine, and I can feel the overwhelming energy between us. I kiss him back, and it is slow, passionate. His hands move to rest at my waist, and I wind one up to tangle in his curls. This kiss moves from tender to full of need in a matter of moments. It is Enjolras who breaks the kiss, resting his forehead against mine and brushing back my now tangled hair.

"We should stop," he breathes, still catching his breath.

"I suppose," I say, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

He kisses my nose before leaning back to look at me.

"Thank you," I say softly.

He eyes me curiously, "For what?"

I look down at my hands. I have never felt so vulnerable before.

"For loving me with everything in you."

He wraps me up in his arms, kissing the top of my head.

"Always, Ep. Always."


	23. Chapter 23

Twenty-Three

_Enjolras_

I wake later than usual, the sun streaming through the window in my bedroom. I think back to the previous day, and I begin to wonder if it was a dream. But that kiss was too real to be a dream. We both felt too much for it to be a dream. I rub my hand over my face, flopping back onto my pillow. We shouldn't have done that. Yes, she asked me to kiss her, but we shouldn't have gone as far as we did. That kiss shifted from love to need, and I am not proud of that. I am trying so hard to just show love, and now I know I have to be more careful.

I can smell something wonderful, and I suppose Eponine is cooking something. I reach over and grab my pocket watch, shocked to find that it was almost noon. I am just about to get up when I hear a knock on the door, and only a few seconds later, a scream. I bolt from the room, thankful I am already decent. Instead of finding danger, like my first instinct told me, I find the front door wide open with Eponine on her knees and a boy with a familiar blond mop of hair in her arms. She is sobbing, her shoulders shaking. I run over to them, brushing the matted locks of hair back to see Gavroche's smiling face. My knees become weak, and kneel, wrapping my arms around them both.

"Gav," I exclaim.

I am just overwhelmed that he is alive. He isn't dead. I didn't cause this little boy's death. Eponine and I finally pull away slightly, and Eponine takes the boy's face in her hands.

"Where've you been all this time, Gav? It's been weeks!"

"I've been watchin'. Waitin' to see who survived and all. I didn't want to get my hopes up and find I was the only one left," he explains, tears in his eyes.

"No, Gav. We've been here the whole time. I am so happy you found us again," Eponine cries.

I study the boy in Eponine's arms for a moment. He is dirtier than before, and much more malnourished. He looks incredibly weak, like he could topple over at any moment.

"You'll live with us from now on, Gav," I say, "Eponine, could you prepare some food for him, and I'll help him clean up?"

Gavroche stares up at me, his eyes wide in delight, yet he also tries to make them proud.

"I can clean myself up, Enjolras. I am ten after all," he says stubbornly, all the while his small legs are shaking.

He may be ten, be he only looks to be five or so.

"Why don't you just let us help you for once, Gav. You deserve it," I persuade.

He consents, and I pick him up, afraid he will collapse on the way to the washroom. He weighs hardly anything, and I feel like I could hold him with only a couple of fingers. I set him down to begin preparing a bath and tell him to strip his clothes off. We will have to by him new ones. For now, he can wear one of my shirts, though it will be more like a dress on him. Once his bath is prepared, I help him climb in and begin working soap suds through his matted mess of hair. It is a long process, and the water is cold by the time I have rid his blond mop of tangles and grime. I let him clean his body off and then hand him a towel as he steps out of the tub. The water has turned almost black, but Gavroche looks like a new boy. I slip one of my shirts over his head before he nearly runs out of the room to eat.

"Here you go," Eponine says as she places a plate of food in front of the boy.

He scarfs the food down, faster than I've ever seen someone eat before. Once he finishes, which is only in a matter of moments, his eyes begin to droop.

"Gav, when's the last time you got some good rest?" Eponine asks.

"I don't really know," he responds, face scrunched up.

They boy is practically falling asleep where he is sitting, so I go and pick him up. He curls against my shoulder, sighing deeply. He falls asleep in the matter of seconds it takes to walk to my bedroom, and I place him gently on my bed, pulling the covers up to his chin. I walk back into the main area of the flat to see Eponine cleaning up the mess from Gavroche's meal. I walk into the kitchen and stand behind her as she places the plate into the wash bin, setting my hands on her shoulders.

"He's asleep," I say softly, kissing the crown of her head.

She turns in my arms, and there are tears in her caramel eyes although she is smiling brightly.

"I can't believe he's here. He's with us," she breathes, a tear trailing down her cheek.

I brush the tear away with the pad of my thumb, smiling at her, "I know. It's wonderful."

I want to kiss her, but I also want to keep control of myself. I can tell she wants me to kiss her, but I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead instead. I see a flash of confusion on her face, but it is quickly gone, her joy back.

"Must you go to the state buildings today?" she asks, gently gripping my sleeves.

"No, but I have work at the law office, I'm afraid."

"Alright. I suppose that's what I get for falling in love with a lawyer. Works all the time," she sighs.

"I'm sorry, Ep. I'll be back tonight. Now, I've got to get ready. I'm late enough as it is."

It isn't long before I am pulling my coat on and heading to the law office. At precisely, two o'clock, our appointed time, there is a rap on my office door.

"Come in," I announce.

In steps Inspector Javert, his face serious and not a detail of his uniform out of place. He shuts the door behind him and comes to stand in front of my desk. I drop my pen and rise, shaking Javert's hand.

"Thank you for meeting with me. Please, sit."

Although it seems as if the request disgruntles him, he abides and sits in the chair across from my desk.

"I should be arresting you right now," he growls.

I raise my hands in defense, "We have made an agreement with the government."

Javert scoffs, rolling his eyes, "And why am I here?"

I lean back in my chair, "I wish to employ your expertise."

He leans forward, eyes narrowing now that he is suddenly interested.

"My friend-"

"A traitor," Javert interrupts.

I slam my palm against the desk, "Do not speak of him in that way!" I shout.

Javert looks surprised, yet also angered at my outburst, and I take a few breaths to regain control of myself.

"I apologize. As I was saying, my friend Grantaire was taking captive by soldiers in the National Guard. He was tortured gruesomely before he ultimately died. We have been pursuing an investigation into who is responsible for this malice act, but have come up short on every lead. I want your help in this investigation. After all, you are one of the best out there and Grantaire deserves justice," I explain.

Javert sits for a moment, stewing on my words. He leans forward and puts his hand on my desk.

"I might be interested in helping your case."

"Thank you. I do believe you are just who we need to reach a conclusion."

"However, I have a condition, a compromise," he smiles evilly.

My heart drops into my stomach.


	24. Chapter 24

Twenty-Four

_Eponine_

Gavroche is still asleep, and I am tidying the room when Enjolras returns from the law office, much earlier than usual. His face is ashen, and it frightens me. This is the second time he has returned home like this, and the first time did not bring good news. I look at him, awaiting what he has to say, but he just strides over to me, taking my head in his hands and kissing my forehead. He gathers me in his arms, crouching to bury his face in my hair.

"I love you so much, Ep," he breathes.

I pull back from him and run my fingers down his jawline, "It isn't that I'm not enjoying this affection, but you're frightening me Gabriel."

He intertwines my fingers with his and kisses my knuckles, almost apologetically.

"I met with Javert today," he says quietly.

"Gabriel," I hiss.

His eyes become hard as he stares at me, "Don't chastise me, Eponine. I am only doing what I feel to be right."

"I apologize. I know you are. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"He has agreed to help the investigation into Grantaire's torture and death. However, he has a condition."

My heart nearly stops, "Go on."

"He has agreed to help our investigation on the condition that I serve time for my actions. I have worked him down to two months of hard labor," he explains.

I stare up at him, my eyes wide, "You cannot be serious!"

He hangs his head, closing his eyes and squeezing my hand, "Ep," he whispers.

I jerk from his grasp and tears pool in my eyes.

"Gabriel, no! This has gone too far!" I nearly shout.

Suddenly, the door to the bedroom creaks open, and Gavroche steps out, rubbing his eyes.

"What's the matter?" he asks sleepily.

I spin so that my baby brother can't see my tear-streaked face, and I hear Enjolras walk over to him.

"Nothing, Gav. Your sister and I are just having a discussion. Could you do me a favor?"

I assume he nods, because I do not hear a response.

"Would you go to Combeferre's place and tell him that I need to speak with him later this evening, please?"

A few seconds later, Gavroche bounds out of the door. The flat is silent for a few short moments before I turn to face Enjolras, haphazardly brushing away my tears.

"Gabriel, you can't do this. I know what happens in these prisons. You will be wasted away to nothing! I cannot stand the sight of that," I cry.

"And what of Grantaire, Eponine? He was left to be tortured and killed, taken from us, while the people who hurt him run free? This is not about either one of us! This is about our friend," he exclaims.

"As hard as this is for me, Gabriel, Grantaire is gone. It matters not to him what happens on this world now. Putting yourself through hell to have the chance at finding these people is not going to bring him back," I walk back over to him and take his face in my hands, "Nothing we do can change what has happened. Grantaire would want us to live. To carry on."

He breaks then, letting out a ragged sob. He rests his chin on the top of my head until he composes himself, and then he looks back at me.

"Everything you said is completely true, Ep. I just have to do this for me. I am just as scared as you, but I have to find these men who did this to him. I was a lousy friend when Grantaire was in my life, and it is the least I can do to try to right my wrongs."

I stare into his sorrowful blue eyes for a long while and then pull him tightly to me, resting my head on his chest. I steady my shaking hands and calm my nervous heart before pulling back just enough to look up at him.

"I love you, Gabriel, and I am always here for you. If this is what you think you must do, then I stand by your decision. I will always stand by you. I should be the one you can turn to no matter what, and I should be your biggest supporter. And that is what I intend to be, always."

His eyes water again, and I stand on my tiptoes to kiss away the streaks of tears down his cheeks.

"You are the love of my life, Eponine."

Before he has a chance to walk away, I kiss him. The kiss portrays all of our feelings of love, and it does not progress like the last one. It is much gentler, much slower. When I finally pull away, I kiss his chin and then his neck before wrapping my arms around his neck.

"And you are mine," I say softly.

He smiles, but in the crinkle of his eyes, I still see sorrow.

"I suppose I should let Javert know that I am willing to accept his compromise so that arrangements can be made."

"I suppose. But you come home to me before you let him take you," I say tearfully.

"Of course."

Once he leaves, I curl up on the sofa and open my Bible to try to stifle the tears. I just have to trust that our Heavenly Father is in control and will bring my love back to my safe and healthy.

_Enjolras_

Once the people at the Justice Department see who I am, the officers let me straight through to Javert's office. I knock, but enter after, not waiting for an answer.

"Excuse you, what do you think - Enjolras?" Javert exclaims.

"I'll accept your deal, on the condition that I will be pardoned after my two months, and you give me time to get my affairs in order," I say stonily.

"I can agree to that. Will a week do?"

"I can make it work."

Javert smiles ruefully, "Well, then. I will see you in a week when I show up at your door to arrest you."

I sigh, "You get your satisfaction, I get a solved case."

I walk out of his office without saying a word. I have something to plan before I am carted away for two months.


	25. Chapter 25

Twenty-Five

_Eponine_

I know that we have a week before Enjolras is taken from me, but every moment that he is late returning home, I am worried that he is gone. I don't know how I'll last these next two months. Gavroche, being the vagabond that he is, still rotates whose house he stays at. All of the amis love him immensely, so he is welcome everywhere. It has been nice having some alone time with Enjolras before we are separated. He has made arrangements with his boss at the law office and will thankfully return to a job once he is released. Combeferre will be taking over all the state affairs and negotiations for now.

Tonight, I wait for him to come home, only two more days until he leaves. Gavroche is staying with Combeferre, and he will be staying with other people until sometime next week. Our friends have volunteered to take care of him for a while, knowing that I will have some coping to do with Enjolras gone. Even though I know it is not forever, I cannot stop my mind from worrying. Hard labor is rough on the bodies of the prisoners, and I am certainly concerned about the condition he will come back to me in.

I busy myself tidying the small flat, sometimes cleaning things more than once. Our meal is cooking, so there is nothing I can do but wait for it to be done, and I am too anxious to read. After dusting every single book in the house, which is quite a feat, I go to glance at the clock. I stop dead in my tracks when I see that it is an hour after Enjolras was supposed to be home. Where is he? I begin to pace, trying to decide what to do. Finally, I decide that I must try to find him. I don't care if our cooking dinner burns down the flat, or if I get sick from the slight chill that has settled over the city. I have to find him. I bolt for the door, not bothering to grab a coat or anything else.

Just as I swing the door open, I see Enjolras standing there, key in hand and a shocked look on his face. Overwhelmed with relief, I yelp and sling my arms around his neck, burying my face in his chest. After a moment, I feel his free hand snake around and rest at my back.

"Ep, what's the matter?" he asks.

I look up at him, my heart still settling in my chest, "You were late, and I was worried."

He looks at my apologetically, kissing my forehead, "It's okay. I'm here."

He ushers us back inside and shuts the door. As he sheds his coat, I catch him smiling at me.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Nothing. I just love you."

I can feel myself blushing, so I go to the kitchen to plate our dinner. As I set the plates and the glasses of wine on the table, I can hear him rummaging around in the bedroom. I listen for a moment to see if I can tell what he is doing before i wipe my hands on my skirt and sit.

"Gabriel, dinner!" I call.

I watch as he comes back into the room, still wearing his work clothes, but his sleeves are rolled up, his cravat loosened, revealing a triangle of skin at the base of his neck and top of his chest. His blond curls are wild on his head, unruly after a day of work. And I think for a moment about just how handsome he is. He sits across from me, and reaches across the table to grasp my hand.

"It smells wonderful," he smiles.

I know he is trying to be cheerful for us in this dark time, but I can still see the sorrow and exhaustion in his eyes. I know he doesn't sleep well. I worry about what kind of depressive state he will slip into when he is alone and has all the time in the world to think. I try to push the thoughts from my mind as we only have a short time left together for the time being. We eat our dinner in almost complete silence, a habit we have developed. Although, I do notice that Enjolras is acting a little strangely. I credit it to the upcoming imprisonment and continue eating. After we are finished, Enjolras rises and takes his plate to the wash bin.

"I'll be back in a moment," he says quietly before disappearing back into the bedroom.

I am washing the dishes when I hear Enjolras call my name. Wiping my hands on a towel, I make my way back to the bedroom. I stick my head around the doorframe to see him sitting on the side of the bed.

"Come here, Ep," he says softly, patting the space beside him.

I sit and look at him curiously as he grasps my hand, "What's bothering you, Gabriel?"

"You know I love you, but I have realized, Eponine, that I cannot imagine life without you. I used to have dreams of growing old with the woman I love, somewhere secluded and beautiful. Now, instead of a woman I don't recognize, I see you in those dreams. I want those dreams to be a reality. So, if you would allow it, after I return, I would be overjoyed to make you my wife," he explains softly.

My heart hammers in my chest. I look up at him with tears in my eyes, seeing nothing but love and adoration in his crystal blue ones. I place my hand on his cheek.

"Gabriel, I want nothing more than to be your wife. Of course, I'll marry you."

He pulls me to sit across his lap, hugging me tightly. I reaches into the pocket of his trousers and pulls out a dainty but beautiful ring and slips it on my finger. I press my lips to his, tangling my fingers in his curls. He pulls away after a moment, but keeps his forehead rested against mine.

"Now we have something to look forward to," he says.

He laughs lowly, and I can feel the vibrations of his chest in mine as we are pressed together.

"That's very true," I breathe.

He kisses me again, but this time quick and chaste.

"I love you so much," he sighs.

"I love you too. You be careful."

He scoops his arm underneath my knees and stands, spinning me around. I hold onto his neck tightly and throw back my head in laughter. This is only the beginning of our lives together.

_Enjolras_

It is the morning that I am to be arrested, and I have to say that I am extremely nervous, not just because I am going to be serving hard labor, but because I am leaving Eponine alone for two months. I know she can care for herself. I don't doubt that. She is strong and independent. I would just feel more comfortable being with her. It is my job to protect her.

I am standing in the washroom shaving for what will be the last time in two months when I hear Eponine's soft footsteps before she appears behind me in the mirror. I can see the worry lines around her eyes. She watches intently as I run the blade down my jawline, getting rid of any excess stubble. I finish up and swirl the blade in the wash bin, cleaning it.

"You missed some soap," I hear Eponine say as she grabs a towel and strokes it over the back of my jaw.

It is only a matter of moments later that there is a banging on the front door. My eyes immediately meet Eponine's caramel ones and her's are already full with tears. I grasp her hand tightly and pull her behind me as I go to the door. Javert is standing there, smiling wryly at me.

"Well, Enjolras it's that time."

"Let me say goodbye to my fiancée," I say, a lump in my throat.

Javert nods, stepping back slightly to give us more space. I turn to Eponine whose tears are now spilling over.

"These two months will be over in no time, love. I promise I'll come back to the same as I am now. Busy yourself with wedding plans, and I'll be sure to make you Madame Enjolras when I return. Be careful and safe, my love. I love you more than you could ever imagine, Ep," I say hoarsely.

"I love you immensely, Gabriel. You come back to me," she whimpers.

I lean down and press my lips to hers, tasting her salty tears. I pull away and squeeze her tight to my chest, running my hands through her long, chocolate tresses, breathing in her scent. I pepper kisses to her neck, her cheeks, her forehead, her nose before kissing her lips one last time and squeezing her hands again. I turn and walk over to Javert, letting him place the shackles on my wrists. He leads me over to an enclosed carriage and once I am inside, I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to look back to see Eponine standing in the doorway, staring after the carriage.


	26. Chapter 26

Twenty-Six

_Eponine_

It's been just over a week since Enjolras was taken away, and I am so lonely. The first night was awful. I cried myself to sleep, and I slept in his bed rather than my own so that I could feel close to him. I have been writing letters to him, even though I do not know of a way to get them to him. If nothing else, he can read them when he returns and can know what he has missed. I am slowly coping, reminding myself that is it only two months, and that Enjolras is strong and will be okay.

Gavroche is supposed to come stay with me again, so I need to go to the market to get more food. I have been living off of measly scraps, not wanting to leave the flat. But I cannot do that to my brother, so I have to restock our cabinets. I grab the pouch with some of the money Enjolras left for me and tuck it into my skirts before leaving the flat. It is still very early in the morning, and hardly no one is out yet. The market has just opened for the day. I planned my trip like this so that I could get the freshest and best goods. I am a few blocks from the market, my mind bouncing from thoughts of Enjolras and Gavroche.

Just as I am passing an alley, I feel something enclose my wrist tightly and yank me to the side, almost pulling my arm from its socket. My back slams against the brick alley wall, knocking the breath from my lungs. I see my father and Montparnasse looming over me. I try to scramble away, but Montparnasse grabs me by the waist and pins me to the wall, pressing a blade to my neck.

"Lookey, it's my little runaway," my father snarls.

"What do you want?" I gasp.

"Ya left an' quit workin for Madame. I do believe ya owe me some money, brat!"

"I owe you nothing."

Montparnasse digs the blade deeper into my neck, and I yelp.

"Search her," my father commands Montparnasse.

I grimace as the dirty piece of scum cops a feel while searching me. He finds the pouch and dangles it in front of my father's face. My father opens it and smiles.

"Ya've found ya a rich fool, 'aven't ya," he laughs.

"You have your money. Let me go," I plead.

He pushed Montparnasse aside and restrains me himself, "What'd ya do with yer sister?"

"Azelma's dead," I respond harshly.

My father shrugs, "One less mouth to feed," he bellows.

I want to attack him, claw his eyes out and strangle him for that comment but I think better of it. He finally releases his grasp on me and shoves me back toward the street.

"I've gotten what I need from ya, brat. For now."

Then, he and Montparnasse disappears into the shadows. That's when the trembling begins. My whole body is shaking, and I am fighting back hysterics. I break into a run, not stopping until I reach Combeferre's place. I beat on the door, screaming for him. Finally, he swings the door open and pulls me inside. I cling to his chest, still trembling. He is shocked, but after a moment, he wraps his arms around me.

"Eponine, what's happened?" he asks.

"'Ferre, my father found me. I was going to the market, and he pulled me into an alley and threatened me. He took the money I had on me and told me he would leave me alone for now."

"It'll be fine, Eponine. We won't let your father lay a hand on you, I swear it."

I back away and wring my hands, 'I know he is more talk than action, but it still frightens me."

"I know it does. You can stay here tonight if it will make you feel better."

I think for a moment, the offer sounding nice considering how scared I am right now, but then I shake my head.

"Thank you 'Ferre, but I won't let my father win. He is not going to control my life."

Combeferre smiles, "That's our Eponine."

I am about to leave, but I turn around and face him again.

"It's only been just over a week, and I miss him so much already," I say softly.

"I'm sure he feels the same. He really loves you Eponine."

"I've been writing letters to him, but I don't know of a way to get them to him. If I could communicate to him in some way, even if he couldn't write back, it would make me feel better."

I can almost see the wheels turning in Combeferre's head.

"I think I have an idea."

A few minutes after Combeferre explains his plan to me, we are on our way to the Department of Justice. After getting approval from the receptionist, Combeferre knocks on Javert's office door.

"Come in," I hear his gruff voice say, muffled by the thick wood.

I follow Combeferre into the office, nervous to ask anything of the inspector.

"May I help you?" he asks.

"I am a friend of Gabriel Enjolras's, and this is his fiancee. We wanted to ask for letters to be delivered to him."

"I am afraid that is not possible," he replies harshly.

"You've taken her support system away from her and left her alone for two months. The least you can do is allow her to send letters to him," Combeferre presses.

"Need I remind you that he did this to himself? This was a deal that we made, and this was not part of the deal."

His comments anger me, and suddenly something pops into my mind. I step forward, out from behind Combeferre.

"Don't you remember me, Inspector?" I ask, cocking my head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"I realize that I am clean now, and dressed properly, but you should still recognize me as Thenardier's daughter."

Javert's eyes widen, "I apologize. You have changed, Eponine."

"I have. I've got a good life now. And Inspector, I do believe you owe me."

"Why might you assume that?"

I can feel Combeferre on edge behind me. He has no idea where I am going with this, and I cannot believe what I am about to say.

"Don't you remember when I helped you catch my father and some of his gang members for one of the heists he pulled? Do you want to know why I haven't helped you since?"

Javert stares at me blankly, but I can see deep in his eyes that he is begging I stop speaking. He doesn't want to hear the honest truth.

"My father knew it was me who ratted him out. Bad things happen to rats, Inspector. Once you released him, the first thing he did was come to me. He beat me to a pulp, Inspector. I couldn't even stand or pull myself up. If that wasn't enough, he let his gang rape me as many times as they pleased. It lasted all night. I bled for days, and it took well over two weeks before I was mobile again."

Javert holds his hand up, motioning for me to stop.

"I'm just telling you the truth, Inspector. After that favor I did for you and what it cost me, I do believe you owe me," I say softly.

Javert won't look up at me. He sits with his hands folded, staring at his desk.

"Bring me your letters once a week, on Fridays and I will make sure your fiancé receives them. That is the best I can do."

"Thank you," I smile slightly.

As we leave the Justice Department, Combeferre is silent.

"Eponine, I-"

"Let's not speak of it," I say, cutting him off.

"Is it true?" he asks.

I nod.

He is silent for a moment before I hear him sigh.

"Does Gabriel know?" he asks, quieter than before.

"Most of it, yes. Some I have not been able to muster the courage to talk about."

We do not speak for the rest of the walk until I tell him goodbye as we part ways. I have letters to write.

**Author's Note: Hi lovely readers! I'm sorry I was updating so quickly and then left you hanging for so long. It is final exam week in college, and it is slowly killing me haha! But, that means that break is just around the corner, and I sure hope to do a whole bunch of writing since I'll have the time for it. I somehow managed to get this chapter written. I was just from taking breaks from studying statistics. I girl can only take some much of that! I hope to be posting again soon! Reviews are always welcome.**

**~ loislane16**


	27. Chapter 27

Twenty-Seven

_Eponine_

It has been a month without Enjolras. I write a letter every day so that he has plenty to read. Gavroche is staying with me now, giving me company. And I haven't heard another peep out of my father. Things are calm. I just miss Enjolras so much that it physically pains me. I have spent a lot of time at the church, and I have found a peace about everything that has happened in my past and with the rebellion. I hope that Enjolras will go with me once we are reunited. I want him to find that peace too. I want to see the sorrow disappear from his eyes.

I sit at Enjolras's desk, penning another letter to him when I hear a knock at the door.

"Gav, could you get that please?" I call.

He bounds over and unlocks the door, letting in Cosette just as I sit my quill down. She is simply glowing. Due to Monsieur Valjean's declining health, she and Marius were forced to have a quiet ceremony and marry earlier than they expected. She has looked happier than ever since.

"Cosette, I wasn't expecting you today!" I say, smiling at her.

"Well, I came for a very specific purpose."

I know what she is about to say.

"Eponine, you are an engaged woman now. Enjolras will be back in a month. It's time to make wedding plans," she says seriously.

"Don't you think Enjolras should be here to help make the decisions?"

"Didn't he tell you to plan the wedding so you two could get married when he arrives home?"

I huff, "I suppose. I just don't have any idea what I'm doing. And we don't even care to have a big wedding."

"Plans still have to be made, and that's why I came to help," she laughs.

Gavroche runs up to me, his eyes already bored, "'Ponine, can I go find somewhere else to play? Wedding plans are girly things," he complains.

I ruffle his hair, "Fine, Gav. Just stay safe and be back by dinner."

He leaves and Cosette drags me over to the sofa.

"Let's start with the dress," she squeals.

I laugh at her enthusiasm.

"Of course it will be white," she starts.

I hold my hand up and shake my head, "I cannot wear white, Cosette."

"Well, why not?"

"Cosette, you know my past. I cannot wear a white dress."

Cosette takes my hand in hers, "Eponine, that means nothing! You can wear a white dress if you want to. Your past is exactly that. In the past."

Her words sink in deeply. Who knew a discussion over my wedding dress color would change the way I think about myself?

"You're a wonderful friend," I smile.

"Well, we need to get your dress commissioned soon, so I suggest we go to the dress shop before the week is over. Now, we still have lots of other things to discuss…"

Cosette's voice fades as the thought that I will soon be Enjolras's wife rings loudly in my mind. I twirl the engagement ring around my finger, anxious to see my love.

_Enjolras_

About two weeks ago, Javert showed up at my cell after I had been working in the sun all day. But what he was there for re-energized me. He had a stack of letters from Eponine. I tore through each one, reading them over and over. It has been rough. I am weak and weary from all of the work and little nutrition. But just seeing Eponine's handwriting helps me to carry on.

Today is the day that Javert usually stops by with the letters. I only know because I have scratched tally markings into the cell wall, helping me keep track of the time. I wait as patiently as possible, lying on my hard bed, for the delivery to come. Sure enough, I hear the key turning in the lock on my door and I jump up. Javert appears, holding a bundle of letters and a candle. He holds them out to me.

"Well, Enjolras, you have made it to the halfway mark. You've only one month left," he states, placing the candle down.

"Thank you," I say, the letters the only thing on my mind.

I sit down by the candle and begin to read them, not even noticing Javert leave. I get to the third one when I see Thenardier's name pop up halfway down the letter. I read hurriedly as it explains everything that happened in the market. Slamming the stack of letters to the ground, I jump up and slam my palm against the wall, shouting in fury. I should have been there to protect her! If that man ever lays a hand on her again, I'll make sure they find him face down in the river, along with his henchmen.

As I calm down, I finish reading Eponine's letters and then climb into my bed. Sadness settles over me. Not only am I missing Eponine greatly, but I have had too much time to think in here. I caused my friends' deaths and no matter what anyone else says, I will always hold myself responsible for that. If only I hadn't been so stupid.

_Eponine_

The day is drawing nearer and nearer to be reunited with my Enjolras. Wedding preparations are almost complete. The biggest thing that must be done is for me to have my groom and for us to pick when we shall be married. I am jittery already. A knock at the door nearly makes me jump out of my skin. Gavroche jumps up off of the couch, but I wave him away, telling him I will answer it. I am shocked to see Javert standing on the other side of the door.

"Javert, is everything alright?"

My heart hammers in my chest, thinking something has happened to Enjolras.

"Yes, Mademoiselle. May I speak to you for a moment?"

I step back from the doorway, wide-eyed, "Of course. Come in, please. Gavroche, won't you go play outside for a while?"

He scampers off without a word, and Javert steps inside, taking off his hat and giving me a strange look. I know what he must be thinking. Gavroche looks an awful lot like Enjolras.

"My brother," I clarify, shutting the door, "Please, sit."

We both take our seats in the living room, him on the couch and me in an adjacent chair. Javert looks nervous, and he clears his throat.

"Eponine, I just wanted to apologize. If I had ever known that all those terrible things were going to happen to you if you helped me, I would have never made you my insurgent. How old were you then? About fifteen? It horrifies me that I caused that, and I'm so sorry," he admits.

"Inspector, I don't blame you for any of that. I blame my father. It has been five years. And I have a much better life now."

I must have been absentmindedly messing with my engagement ring because I notice Javert look down at it.

"He is a lot like me, you know. Very passionate and dedicated about what he believes in. We just happen to be opposites in our beliefs. He loves you greatly, though. And I only know this from the way he reads your letters. He will be very good to you," he says softly.

It is strange to hear something so vulnerable coming from Javert. It proves he is not as hard as everyone thinks he is.

"I have no doubt we will be very happy together. And while he would never admit it, yes, you two are alike."

We stand for me to walk Javert to the door.

"I will bring Enjolras back here the same way I picked him up when it is time for his release," he tells me.

"Thank you. Gabriel and I are getting married not long after he is released. I wanted to invite you to the wedding."

"I don't believe Enjolras would enjoy me being at his wedding," Javert chuckles.

"Nonsense. You are helping him with Grantaire's investigation."

"I will think about it and let you know. Thank you for your invitation. I assume I will see you in a few days with another stack of letters."

I shut the door behind him and sit back down in the chair. Javert is not the cold-hearted man I assumed he was.


	28. Chapter 28

Twenty-Eight

_Enjolras_

Today is the day. I have not slept all night because I am too anxious. Part of me thinks that I am wrong about the date, that my tally marks are wrong. But then I re-read Eponine's letters to me and see her promises see me in only a few days, and I know I am correct again. I am weak and have withered down to almost nothing, and I do not want to see the anguish that I know will be in Eponine's eyes, but I have to see her. I am in desperate need of a bath, and this is the longest by beard has ever been. Shaving will feel so nice. I can see the sun coming up in the small opening at the top of my cell, and my heart beats a little faster. I grasp all of Eponine's letters in my hands and sit alert on my bed, ready for Javert to retrieve me. And my wait isn't long. When I hear the cell door being unlocked, I jump up. Javert steps inside and smirks at me. I know I must have a wild look in my eyes.

"I do believe today is the day of your release, Enjolras," he says.

"Yes."

"Then, shall we go? You have a fiancee at home that is very anxious to see you," he smiles.

I smile back at him, surprised to see Javert speak to me in such a friendly way. He turns and walks out of my cell, and I follow close behind. I am given the clothes I was wearing the day I was imprisoned, and I get to change out of my prison clothes. They hang off of me because I have lost so much weight. Javert leads me to an inclosed carriage, and I stuff the letters in my jacket before climbing in. Our ride is silent, but halfway back to my flat, Javert speaks up.

"Your fiancee was my informant for my case against her father at one point. I won't go into much detail because she should tell you, but that is why I allowed her to write you letters. I visited her to apologize for some of my past actions in regards to her father's case, and she invited me to your wedding. I don't know if I'll come, but I thought I would tell you."

"That was kind of her. I hope you can make it," I reply.

He looks at me shocked, "Really? I figured you wouldn't want the man who imprisoned you at your wedding."

"Well, it was a deal, remember? You are helping me. And if Eponine invited you, I cannot go against her wishes."

"Thank you for your kindness, Enjolras. Also, I deal is a deal. I will begin looking into the investigation of Grantaire's torture and murder at the start of next week."

"I am glad to hear it. He deserves justice."

Suddenly, the carriage lurches to a halt. Javert swings the door open.

"We're here," he smiles.

I step out of the carriage, and before I even look at the flat, I look back at Javert.

"I am free to go?"

Javert nods his head toward my flat, and I turn my gaze where he is looking. My heart nearly stops in my chest when I see Eponine standing there waiting for me. I barely notice Javert get back in the carriage and it pull speedily away. I start walking toward Eponine, but hold my hand up, keeping her from coming to me.

"I'm dirty," I call to her.

She shakes her head and yells, "Do you think I care about that?"

Then she breaks out into a run, nearly tackling me. Even though I am weak, I still have enough energy to pick her up and spin her around. I set her back down, and she looks up at me, placing her hands on either side of my face.

"Look at you. You've wasted away," she says quietly.

I haven't looked at myself, but I know that my beard is long, my hair is longer than normal, and I certainly need a bath and a good meal.

"I am just happy to be back with you," I reply.

She takes my hands in hers and smiles at me, "Let's get you cleaned up."

She pulls me along behind her into the house. I watch as she draws my bath. Once she is finished, she turns to me and stands on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my lips.

"Take your time. I'll be putting on some lunch," she says.

I strip my dirty clothes from my body and sink into the warm bath. I sigh in relief, feeling stress leave my body. After a few minutes of soaking, I begin to scrub. I work the soap through my hair and all over my body. I am nearly exhausted by the time that I get myself clean. I stand and step out of the tub, drying myself off. I look at myself in the mirror and see someone I don't recognize. My beard is long and scraggly. My hair is too long, and my cheeks are sunken in. I look like I have been an urchin my whole life, but I am too tired to trim my hair or shave. I wrap the towel around myself and walk to the bedroom to put on a pair of my linen pants and a loose shirt. I walk out of the bedroom to find Eponine in the washroom, set up with a chair, scissors, and my razor. She pats the chair.

"You must want to get rid of all that excess. I know you're tired, so I figured I'd help," she tells me.

The idea sounds glorious. My hair is shaggy, and my beard is itchy.

"You don't have to do that," I say.

"I want to, Gabriel. I want you to feel like yourself again."

I sit in the chair and close my eyes as I feel Eponine begin to trim my hair. Then she lathers my face and begins to run the blade down my face. It feels so good to be rid of that scraggly beard. I keep my eyes closed as Eponine finishes up and drags the towel across my face, getting rid of any lather or hair left behind. She places her hands on my shoulders and squeezes gently, leaning down to place a kiss to my neck.

"Thank you," I sigh.

"Lunch should be ready. You have to be hungry."

Almost on cue, my stomach growls ferociously, and Eponine laughs. Her laugh is sweet, melodic. It makes me heart sing. I follow her into the kitchen, and she dishes out a large bowl of stew for me. As we sit at the table and eat lunch together, I can feel Eponine's eyes on me. The stew is the best food I have had in two months, and I wolf it down, going to seconds. Eponine finishes before me, but she sits there with me anyway. I love her so much. As I finish my second bowl, I can feel my eyes drooping. Eponine reaches over and grasps my hand.

"You need to sleep, love," she says.

"Only if you join me," I smile.

She follows me into the bedroom, and I climb under the covers. Eponine lays beside me on the top of the covers, and I pull her against my chest. I breathe in her sweet scent, burying my face in her hair.

"I love you immensely, Ep," I say, kissing her head.

"I love you. Sleep love," she tells me.

It doesn't even take five minutes for me to drift off. For the first time in months, I sleep amazingly with Eponine in my arms, and pleasant dreams filling my mind.

**Author's Note: Hi wonderful readers! I am back for a good month! I hope to write lots of chapters while I am on break from college. I must say, the reviews I have been getting have been warming my heart. You guys make me want to write all the time! They motivate me. I hope to write the next chapter soon. **

**~ loislane16**


	29. Chapter 29

Twenty-Nine

_Eponine_

As much as I don't want to get up out of the bed, I know I must start dinner for us. I stare at Enjolras for a moment, taking in the serenity of his features. He looks so calm. I want to kiss him, but I'm afraid I'll wake him if I do so, since he is a light sleeper. I slip out from under his arm as gingerly as possible and pad out of the room. It feels so good to have him back with me again. I begin preparing our meal, but I cannot get the image of his thin figure out of my mind. After finishing everything else, I decide I will make pastries too, a special treat. It isn't long before I hear movement in the bedroom, and Enjolras appears in the kitchen with me.

"Just in time for dinner," I say.

"It smells wonderful," he sighs, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

I grasp his hands and lean back into his chest.

"I know I've already said it, but I am so glad you're home," I tell him.

"You have no idea how glad I am, Ep."

We eat dinner quickly, and I can't help but notice how malnourished Enjolras looks. He tries to help me clean up the kitchen, but I shoo him away, telling him to go sit. I put two pastries on a plate and walk into the living room. Enjolras pulls me down to sit across his lap, and takes a pastry from the plate.

"I know you wrote me many letters, but have I missed anything else?" he asks me.

"I suppose I explained everything to you in the letters. Although, I have been going to the church frequently. It has helped a lot. I have found peace, Gabriel. Won't you consider going with me?"

He looks down, "I will think about it, Eponine."

I can see in his eyes that he is keeping something from me, but I decide not to press the issue now. We have just been reunited.

I rest my head on his shoulder, "All that matters is you're okay. You are okay, aren't you?"

He kisses my head, "I am okay, Ep. Much better now that I'm back with you. I am glad it's over."

"I as well. You can talk about it if you want to," I offer him.

He shakes his head, "There isn't much to talk about. Hard labor is what it sounds like."

I press a kiss to his cheek, "I am ready to become Madame Enjolras."

"Are you now?" he chuckles softly.

"The only thing left to do is set a date."

He smiles at me, "Wonderful. Do you think in two weeks I will be back to myself again?"

I nod, "With my help, you will be."

"Then let's set the date for then. The less we have to wait, the better."

"I completely agree," I smile.

Enjolras tries to stifle it, but he can't and yawns widely.

"Still tired?" I frown.

"Exhausted," he sighs, "They wore me out, Ep."

I brush my fingers through his curls, "Then sleep love."

"I don't want to be away from you. I haven't seen you in two months."

I shift so that I am standing in front of him, leaning over.

"We have a lifetime," I say quietly, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"That we do," he smiles.

He gets up and kisses my forehead before retreating back to the bedroom. It is still barely light outside, although the days are getting shorter and the air is getting colder. It will be winter by the time we are to be married. I spend a few minutes tidying up the flat and go to peak in on Enjolras. When I crack the door open, I see him already fast asleep in bed, on his side with his arms folded across his chest. He looks so peaceful.

As excited as I am and knowing that it is best to let the priest know soon that we wish to be married in two weeks, I wrap my shawl around my shoulders and lace up my boots. The cold wind tickles my cheeks as I make my way to the church, my hair blowing in my eyes. There is light coming from the church windows, so I know someone must be inside. I open the large wooden door and step inside quietly. Enjoying the warmer temperature, I rub my hands together. The candles are lit at the altar, so I know someone is here.

"Father?" I call, "Are you here?"

I have come to the church and talked with the priest often. We are now acquainted with each other.

There is silence for a moment, but then I see an elderly man with white hair come around the corner, probably from his private room.

"Eponine, my child, it is good to see you," he smiles.

"You as well, Father. I have news," I tell him.

He has made his way over to me, and we sit in a pew.

"Go on."

"My love has returned from his stay in prison. We wish to be married in two weeks, and well…I was hoping that you would marry us," I say softly.

"Of course, Eponine. I would be happy to."

"Thank you, Father. And I am trying to get Gabriel to come here with me. He has told me he will consider it, but I know he is holding something back from me."

"Pray, child. God will work," he tells me.

I tell him thank you one last time and make my way out of the church, not wanting to leave Enjolras home alone for long. Just as I am stepping away from the church, someone comes around the corner that I recognize.

"Monsieur Valjean?" I question.

He looks rough, much like Cosette has described. He is thin and very tired looking.

"Mademoiselle," he nods.

"Do you go to this church? I have been speaking with the priest here for sometime now," I ask.

"I go several places. Wherever is convenient. I assume you are happy to have your fiancé home with you?"

"Very much so. He is at home sleeping. I know you know of how they are treated in that prison," I say quietly.

He nods solemnly, and I can see a troubled look come across his face.

"Listen, Eponine, there is something I need to say."

"Alright," I say slowly, not sure where this is headed.

"I want to apologize. If I had only known, Eponine. If I had known how you were going to be treated once I took Cosette away, I would've found a way to take you with me as well. Part of me blames myself for all the terrible things you had to endure, and I only know part of your story. I do hope you can forgive me, and know that I would have never wished this life on you," he admits tearfully.

I step closer to him, "Monsieur, I do not blame you for anything. There was no way you could have known what would happen to me. Besides, I was their biological daughter. Do you think they would have let you take me? My life, while it has been rough, has made me who I am and has made me strong. I do not resent you for taking only Cosette. You have been a wonderful father to her, and I know you would have been a wonderful father to me, but that was not how things were meant to play out. Don't blame yourself, please. I have a good life now. I have Enjolras and Marius and Cosette and you and all of our other friends. I have a family and you are part of it."

Valjean sighs, "Thank you, Eponine. You and all of your friends, I like to think of you as my children. I would do anything for any of you. Cosette and Marius love you, so I do as well."

I pause for a moment and then cock my head to the side, "Monsieur, Gabriel and I are to be married in two weeks. Would you want to give me away?"

He looks shocked, but then he smiles as me, "Only if that is what you'd like, Eponine."

"I would like that. Very much."

"Then I will be happy to give you away to Enjolras."

Smiling, I bid Valjean goodbye and head back to the flat. With Enjolras still asleep, I change into my nightclothes and climb into my bed in the living area. In the darkness of the flat, I twirl my engagement ring around my finger and contemplate just how blessed I am.

**Author's Note: Hi guys! I have to admit that this chapter was hard for me to write. I battled writers block a lot, which is what took me so long. So, I hope you like it. I think the next chapter will be much easier for me to write. At least I hope so! All the feedback I'm getting is warming my heart. I hope to post again soon!**

**~ loislane16**


	30. Chapter 30

Thirty

_Enjolras_

It is only a week away from mine and Eponine's wedding, and I am simply giddy inside. Yes, I still have a lot of heaviness on my heart. I try to focus on the positive and look forward to the happiness that is coming as Eponine becomes my wife.

I didn't wait long to return back to work at the law firm. There was simply too much to do. After getting plenty of rest and eating Eponine's hearty meals, I feel somewhat back to myself and ready to hit the ground running. Although, Eponine doesn't feel the same way I do. She cautions me all the time to slow down and rest. But I don't feel like myself unless I am doing something. I have never been one to like sitting idle. So despite her protests, I returned to work a few days ago.

About two hours before I plan on leaving, I hear a knock on my office door. The door opens without me saying anything and the head of the firm steps inside.

"Blanchard, do you need me for something?" I ask.

"No, Enjolras. I was just stopping by to tell you to go home. You need the rest, and there isn't much more to do here. Go home," Blanchard smiles.

Although I am hesitant, I know to do as he says.

"Thank you, Blanchard. I'll see you tomorrow then," I say before finishing up what I am writing and pulling on my coat. Only a few minutes later, I am stepping into the flat.

Before I can even shed my coat, I hear fussing from the bedroom.

"Hold still, Gav!"

"I can't hold still if you keep pricking me," the little boy whines.

I stand in the open bedroom doorway to see Eponine sitting on the ground, her skirts bunched up all around her, and Gavroche standing before her with new trousers on. They don't notice me standing there.

"Gavroche, please do not step on my skirt! I don't want to have to repair that as well!" Eponine fusses.

"Well, if your skirt wasn't everywhere then maybe I wouldn't step on it."

It is amusing to see them fighting like actual siblings, although Gavroche is nearly half Eponine's age.

I clear my throat to get their attention and they both look up at me.

"Enjolras, would you tell her to stop sticking me with those pins?" Gavroche complains.

"Gavroche, the wedding is a week away, and these trousers must be tailored before then. Now if you would only do as I ask, I wouldn't accidentally stick you," Eponine huffs.

I hold my hands up in surrender, "Gav, what she says goes," I laugh.

Gavroche groans and shifts, resulting in another pin stick and yelp.

Eponine snatches the pins out of the trouser leg and slams them down on the dresser, "I've been working on this for over an hour and have gotten no where! That's it. I'm taking you to Cosette," she huffs.

As Gavroche busies himself taking off the wedding trousers and putting on his regular pants, I reach down to help Eponine up.

"It just takes practice, love," I tell her.

She sighs, "I know. You're home early."

"Blanchard told me to go home. You cannot argue with him."

She reaches on her tiptoes and plants a kiss to my lips, grasping one of my hands. I smile when I hear a noise of disgust come from Gavroche.

"Could you not kiss my sister in front of me, Enjolras?" he gags.

Eponine spins to face him, "You'll have to learn to deal with it, Gav. We're about to be married, and I can kiss him whenever I want."

Her words cause a blush to creep up on my neck, which further embarrasses me.

"Well, before I keep gagging, I'm going to go to 'Ferre's where there won't be any kissing."

Eponine grabs the back of his jacket and pulls him to her, "Oh no you don't. We're going to Cosette's for her to hem your trousers."

Gavroche groans and sulks into the living area. It is a rare thing to see Eponine act so motherly, but she is good at it. I know she will make a good mother one day. The thought strikes me odd though, as I have never had a great desire to have children. But maybe things are changing. Maybe with Eponine…

_Eponine_

It is the day before the wedding and the nervous jitters are already setting in. Although, I don't really know why I am nervous. I have wanted to marry Enjolras for sometime now. Spending the rest of my life with him sounds like a dream come true.

Gavroche has had to tell me to calm down several times, as I have been bustling through the flat making sure everything is in order. Gavroche is not very good at distracting me, and with Enjolras at work, I have been left to run through my checklist a dozen times. To busy myself, I press Enjolras's suit and lie everything out for him in the armoire. Then, I pack my overnight bag, since I will be staying the night with Cosette and Marius. Finally, I hear a key in the lock on the front door and my heart leaps. Enjolras steps inside and Gavroche leaves, going to 'Ferre's for the night. I run to him and he drops his coat just in time to catch me as I hug him.

"I like this welcome," he laughs into my hair.

I lean back and comb my fingers through his curls, "We're getting married tomorrow," I smile.

"Are we?" he asks.

I smack him playfully on the arm, "You'd better not forget!"

"I could never," he smiles.

He kisses me gently.

As he sits to take off his boots, he looks up at me, "Marius stopped by the office. Cosette has a night planned for you two."

"I am half excited, half dreading it. There is no telling what Cosette has up her sleeve," I admit to him.

"You'll be fine. And just think about that tomorrow morning, you will officially be Madame Enjolras."

I sit beside him on the sofa and rest my head on his shoulder.

"I can't wait," I say softly.

Enjolras leans back and wraps an arm around me, pulling me into his side. We sit there in silence and that's all we need. Just each other.

Finally, I break the silence, "Your suit is laid out in the armoire for you. I was a little restless today."

He chuckles softly, "Thank you."

All too soon, it is time for me to make my way to Cosette and Marius's house. I sling my bag over my shoulder and wrap my coat around me, as it is now winter.

"You remember how to get to the church, right?" I ask.

He nods, "You don't need to worry about anything. Everything will be fine. Enjoy tonight, and the next time I see you, we will be getting married," he says, ushering me out of the door.

I stop and stare up at him.

"I love you, Gabriel," I whisper.

"I love you too," he replies.

He tangles his fingers in my hair and kisses me passionately. Then I turn and leave, my heart hammering loudly in my chest.

_Enjolras_

I wake with a start. Today is the day. Eponine and I are to be married. I jump out of bed with a spring in my step. I get dressed quickly, using my nervous energy to speed up my process. As I am tying my cravat, I stare at myself in the washroom mirror, taking a deep breath. I am about to be a married man, something I never imagined happening.

I am the first one to the church besides the priest, so I walk up to the front of the church to introduce myself.

"You must be Monsieur Enjolras," the elderly man says.

"I am. Thank you for performing our ceremony," I say, shaking his hand.

"Of course. I have gotten to know Eponine well."

Just then, Marius steps through the front door.

"Enjolras, are you ready?" he asks me, clapping a hand on my shoulder.

"Nervous, but ready," I smile, "Where are Cosette and Eponine?"

"They're in a room in the front of the church. You can't be seeing the bride before it's time!"

I just nod and wait. Time feels as if it becomes slower by the second. Slowly, all of our friends arrive and just before it is time to start, I see Javert slide in the back. I survey the crowd and not only see all the remaining Amis, but also my boss and co-workers, Javert, and Gavroche. We have a slew of people there to support us, and I couldn't be happier. Finally, the priest taps me on the shoulder and instructs me that it is time to start. I stand at my place at the altar and wait.

Soon, music begins to play and the front doors of the chapel ease open. I see Monsieur Valjean first, but then my eyes drift to my fiancee and my heart nearly stops. She is more beautiful that I have ever imagined. Her hair is pinned up elegantly, stray strands framing her face. Her dress is white, long sleeved, touching the floor and bringing attention to her collarbones. Then, I notice the personal touch she added; she has a bright red sash around her waist, my favorite color. I knew she would never be conventional, which is something I love about her. She looks nervous, gripping Valjean's arm tightly. But finally she meets eyes with me, and I smile at her. A warms blush spreads on her cheeks.

She and her escort finally reach me and Valjean passes her hand to my hand. I squeeze her fingers gently, and she smiles up at me. I hear the priest begin to speak, but it is only a murmur as I stare into Eponine's caramel eyes.

This is it. My biggest dream is finally going to be realized. I will not have to grow old alone. I will have Eponine by my side to share my days with, and I could not be a happier man. I can feel tears beginning to form, prickling the back of my eyes. When Eponine squeezes my hand, I know it is time for our part of the ceremony.

"Do you, Gabriel, take Eponine to be your lawfully wedded wife in holy matrimony? Will you love, honor, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her as long as you both shall live?" the priest prompts.

"I do," I smile.

The priest turns to Eponine, "Do you, Eponine, take Gabriel to be your lawfully wedded husband in holy matrimony? Will you love, honor, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she whispers.

"Now for the vows," the priest announces.

"I, Gabriel Alexandre Enjolras, take thee, Eponine Marguerite Thenardier, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live," I rasp.

She wipes a tear away from her eye, "I, Eponine Marguerite Thenardier, take thee, Gabriel Alexandre Enjolras, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live," she smiles.

I slip a ring onto her finger, "With this ring, I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."

Eponine does the same for me, but I barely hear her since she is smiling up at me the whole time. We turn and both sign the legal document that binds us together for eternity.

I hear a voice announce that we are now husband and wife and telling me that I may kiss my bride. Eponine stands on her tiptoes, and I cup her cheek with my hand as I plant a long kiss on her lips. There are cheers from our friends and when we pull away, Eponine lets out a musical laugh.

The priest smiles at us, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the newly married, Monsieur and Madame Enjolras."

With Eponine gripping my arm tightly, we almost run from the church, making our way to Marius's large house for a celebration.

_Eponine_

The wedding celebration has been fun, but I can tell that all Enjolras wants to do right now is be alone with me, and I have to say that I feel the same way. Finally, Enjolras breaks away from a conversation with a co-worker and finds me sitting with Cosette.

"Should we retire, love?" he asks me.

I nod with a grin. Not only am I ready to be alone with Enjolras, but I am ready to get this dress off. After telling everyone a quick goodbye, Enjolras helps me into the carriage that is set to take us home. I lean into his side, intertwining our fingers.

"We are finally almost alone," I breathe.

"We are," he replies softly, kissing the top of my head.

The carriage lurches to a halt in front of the flat, and Enjolras helps me out. Nearly as soon as my feet touch the ground, Enjolras sweeps me up into his arms. I laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck. He carries me into the flat and shuts the door behind us, still holding me. There is a beat of silence before I press my lips to his. Our kiss is passionate and slow, conveying our love and joy, but it soon turns to something more. Enjolras slowly sets me down on my feet, never breaking our kiss. One of his arms wraps around my waist and the other hand tangles in my hair, drawing me close to him.

Somehow, we make our way to the bedroom, bumping into things along the way. Enjolras kicks the door shut behind him. We both fall onto the bed, a tangle of limbs, and our wedding garments now sufficiently ruffled. I break our kiss for a moment to gaze at my now husband. Taking a deep breath, I run my hand through his hair and then down his jaw, tracing his every feature. His crystal blue eyes shine with adoration and my heart leaps for him.

"I love you, Gabriel," I tell him.

"And I love you, my Ep," he whispers back, drawing my closer to continue what I paused.

**Author's Note: So, as a Christmas present to my wonderful readers, here is an extra long, extra special chapter! I really hope you guys enjoy it! Let me know what you think, and I hope to get the next one out soon. P.S. This is the longest story I've written. **

**~ loislane16**


	31. Chapter 31

Thirty-One

_Eponine_

I wake to sunlight streaming in the bedroom window, and Enjolras's arm draped over my waist. My bare back is pressed to his chest, and I can tell that he is already awake because his thumb is tracing circles on my hip bone. Gingerly, I roll over to find his crystal blue eyes gazing at me lovingly.

"Morning," he smiles, kissing me on the nose.

"G'morning," I yawn.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Better than ever," I reply, placing my hand on his cheek, "What time is it?"

He lets go of me long enough to roll over and grasp his pocket watch from the bedside table.

"It's 10 o'clock," he sighs, replacing the watch.

I scoot closer to him and rest my head on his chest, "Must we get up?"

His chest vibrates as he lets out a low chuckle and begins twirling one of my curls around his finger, "I suppose we should. Although, I could lie here forever."

I sit up slightly and give him my best pitiful look, but it doesn't have an affect on him. Instead, I place a kiss on his neck, then down his jaw, finally landing on his lips. Slowly, his hands find my hips, and he spins us so that he is hovering above me.

"I suppose a little while longer won't hurt us," he smiles.

_Enjolras_

After dressing for the day, I make my way to the kitchen to see if we have anything to eat. I am rifling through the cabinets when there is a knock at the door. Marius stands on the other side.

"Hello, Marius. What brings you by the day after the wedding?" I ask, a bit disgruntled since I was hoping to have the day just with Eponine.

"I apologize, but Cosette sent me. She felt you two should know…where is Eponine?"

"We should know what?" Eponine asks as she appears from the bedroom, pressing the last of the pins into her hair.

I usher Marius inside, unable to miss the worried expression on his face. After we settle into the living area, Marius sighs heavily.

"Cosette's father has taken a turn for the worst. The doctors only give him a few days at best."

Eponine's hand flies to rest over her heart, "The wedding did not worsen him, did it?"

Marius shakes his head, "No, he was already bad off, but because he had promised you he'd give you away, he stayed true to the promise. That man is a very good liar."

"I feel terrible. If I had only known, I would have refused to let him…"

Marius stops her, "Eponine, there was nothing you could have done. He was set on giving you away at the wedding. He felt it was the least he could do to make up for leaving you with your parents."

"His guilt is unnecessary, but I greatly appreciate his kindness. We will be praying for his health," she replies softly.

I give Eponine a look that conveys that I need an explanation later.

"Thank you. I should be going. I don't want to leave my wife alone long in case something were to happen," Marius explains.

"Send our best regards to Cosette and Valjean," I say I as walk him to the door.

When I turn back around, I see Eponine sitting on the sofa, wringing her hands with worry. I sit beside her and pull her into my side, kissing her temple.

"I do hope he'll be alright," she says quietly.

I sigh, "He is an old man, Ep. There probably isn't much to be done except to make sure he is at peace. I would like to know why he felt so guilty regarding you."

"I was at the church, and I saw him as I was leaving. We started a conversation and suddenly he apologized to me, saying he should have taken me with him when he took Cosette. He feels that he could have protected me from the rough things that happened to me, but I tried to tell him that it was okay. There was no way my parents would have given me up, and back then I was not mistreated. I was rather spoiled. He had no way of looking at the situation and seeing what was to become of me over the years. I told him that while my life was hard, it has made me who I am today, and I have a wonderful life now with you," she explains.

I am silent for a moment, contemplating what she has told me. It is hard to believe that he blames himself for her hard life when he could have never known, but I can also see where is guilt comes from.

"He would want to see you before…before he passes," I tell her.

"I suppose," she looks up at me, "But I don't think I can go alone."

"Of course, Ep. We're in this together, for better or for worse, remember?"

"For better or for worse," she breathes, nestling into my side.

_Eponine_

Enjolras and I have decided to visit Monsieur Valjean this afternoon before dinner before he gets any worse. I am nervous to see him because I don't know how I will take it. It makes me think of when Azelma died, and it took me a good while to get her emaciated features out of my mind, to remember her as the happy girl I once knew. I do not want everything to come rushing back to me.

Winter has fully set in, so I wrap my cloak tight around my shoulders as I wait for Enjolras to reappear from the bedroom. When he does, I notice that he is wearing one of his favorite coats. We step out onto the street, and after he locks the door, he offers his arm to me. I take it gratefully, stepping close beside him. He notices that my grip on his arm is a little tighter than normal and looks down at me worriedly.

"Ep, you okay?"

I nod, trying to stop the racing of my heart. As we arrive in front of the large Pontmercy manor, I squeeze my husband's arm a little tighter. He senses my nervousness and moves the arm that I am gripping tightly so that it is now wrapped around my waist, pulling me tight to his side. He reaches up and knocks lightly on the large wooden door. Only a minute or so later, Marius creaks the door open, dark shadows beneath his eyes.

"We felt we should come see him, if that is alright," Enjolras explains.

"Of course," Marius replies hoarsely as he steps aside to let us enter.

The house is so quiet that the only noise I hear is our footsteps.

"This way," Marius whispers.

We follow him through a maze of hallways until we reach a door that is cracked slightly open. He pushes it open to reveal Monsieur Valjean propped up in bed and Cosette sitting attentively at his side.

"Monsieur, Madame," Valjean croaks, his lips curling into a slight smile.

We go to stand by his bedside, and Enjolras keeps a hand on the small of my back.

"Hello Monsieur. We wanted to come see you," I say softly.

"Eponine, dear, it is good to see you."

His voice is quiet and hoarse, and it unnerves me, but I know I must be strong in front of not only him, but also Cosette. I reach out and grasp the elderly man's hand.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did for me at the wedding yesterday. It meant a lot to the both of us," I tell him.

His eyes get a far away look as he stares at my face, "I wish I could have been your father. Wish you can 'Sette could have been sisters, grown up together."

"Valjean, I consider you a father and Cosette a sister. I want you to know that you always have a place in my heart, and I do consider you family," I say tearfully.

He smiles and closes his eyes, leaning his head back against the pillow, "You should know that even though I did not raise you, I consider you both my children, Eponine and Enjolras. I wish you many years of happiness and love."

"Thank you, Monsieur. We appreciate your kindness," Enjolras says quietly.

Monsieur Valjean's head lulls to the side and panic shoots through me. It must show on my face, because Cosette pulls the covers up to his chin and looks up at me.

"He fell asleep," she says quietly.

She and Marius lead us from the room so that we are more free to speak without disturbing Valjean. I am quiet, barely hearing what the other three are saying. I know I must get out of here soon, because memories of Azelma's death are flooding back to my mind. Faintly, I feel Enjolras place a hand on my back and lead me from the manor. Everything is a blur to me until I feel us halt and hear Enjolras's voice murmuring to me.

"What?" I breathe, not able to make out what he said.

"I asked if you were alright," he tells me, concern laced in his voice.

It is only then that I realize that my hands are trembling immensely.

"I just want to get home," I say.

We continue are walk, and before I realize it, we are walking into the flat. I can see Enjolras looking at me with deep worry. I sit on the sofa rigidly, trying to push the thoughts from my mind, the terrible memories.

Enjolras sits beside me but doesn't say anything. Finally, he gets tired of waiting for me to speak and sighs.

"Did it make you think of Azelma?" he asks.

He has always been able to read me so well. I press my palms into my eyes to prevent the tears from spilling. I am still trembling, and I feel like I might lose it when suddenly Enjolras wraps me up in his strong arms, pulling me to his chest. I begin to take deep breaths, feeling much better as I hear him whisper comforting words in my ear.

"I'm here. You don't have to keep any of this hurt from me anymore. I'll always be here," he says softly, running his hand up and down my back.

As I take a shaky breath, I wonder to myself how I managed to become so lucky. But somehow I know that my life with Enjolras was not luck, it was meant to be.

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to get this chapter out. My dear friend has introduced me to the Harry Potter series and I have become addicted! I have been trying to finish them all before my break from college is over, but that is quite a task. So, I've been trying to write, but this chapter did not come easily for me. I have also been working on a novel that I am writing, so it took me a few days to get back into the Enjonine state of mind, I guess. Well, hopefully I'll be able to write more soon although my break is coming to a close, but I do have great things planned for this story so I hope you'll stick with me. **

**~loislane16**


	32. Chapter 32

Thirty-Two

_Enjolras_

Honestly, I had been hoping for more than just a day alone with Eponine, but I suppose that idea was too good to be true. The morning after visiting the Pontmercy manor, we are awakened by a loud banging at the door. Being a light sleeper, I hear it first and jump out of bed. From outside the flat I can hear a muffled voice yelling.

"Enjolras, 'Ponine, ya in there? I 'ave been callin' forever!" the voice shouts.

Sleep still heavily in my eyes, I fumble to the front door and sling it open, "What is it, Gavroche?" I ask, rather testily.

"Well g'mornin' to you too, Enjolras," he smiles, waltzing around me and into the flat.

I shut the door and stare down at him in bewilderment.

"Do you not realize what the hour is? You should know your sister well enough that she will not be happy to be awakened this early."

Just as I am finishing my sentence, Eponine trudges out of the bedroom, her nightshift thoroughly disheveled and an highly irritated look in her eye.

"What on earth..?" she huffs to herself as she tries to clear her eyes.

Finally, she spots Gavroche, and her hands fly to her hips.

"Gavroche, you little scamp. I should've known it was you making all of that racket. Why in the world have you been banging on our door this early, waking up half the street?"

He smiles mischievously, "It's been awhile since I stayed here with you two, and I thought now might be the time since Enjolras is now my brother."

I run a hand down my face and sigh, and I can see Eponine trying to suppress a laugh.

"And again I ask, why at this hour?" she asks, slightly less malice in her voice.

He fumbles with the hem of his shirt before finally mumbling, "because I was excited," looking entirely sheepish.

Eponine no longer can contain her smile, and neither can I. She walks over and ruffles his hair, thoroughly agitating him.

"We're always glad to have you, Gav."

"I'll start on breakfast," I tell them.

As I stand in the kitchen preparing enough breakfast, I can hear Gavroche chattering at full force to Eponine. After a good amount of time, I hear the chatter die down, and Eponine slips into the kitchen beside me.

"Are you sure you don't need any help in here?" she asks, winding her arms around my waist from behind.

"You know, somehow I did survive before you came into my life," I chuckle.

She presses a kiss to my spine, sending shivers up and down my body.

"Alright then," she laughs, "I'm willing to be doted on."

"Is Gavroche catching you up on all his latest adventures?"

"You know it. They are quite interesting. Although, I have the slightest suspicion that he might be stretching the truth on bits of them."

I laugh, knowing that to be all too true. I put the breakfast on a large plate and call for Gavroche.

"Breakfast, Gav."

As I turn, Eponine catches my lips in a kiss. The plate in my hand is very annoying because it prevents me from drawing her closer. She seems to sense my frustration and presses her body closer to mine.

"YUCK!" we hear Gavroche exclaim, and we break apart to see a look of utter disgust on his face.

Eponine doubles over in laugher at his actions. She grasps his shoulders, still giggling and steers him over to the table.

As he plops himself into a seat, he looks up at me with a sour look on his face.

"That's my sister, Enjolras," he says threateningly.

"Well, guess what? Now, not only is she your sister, but she is my wife, which means that I can kiss her anytime I'd like," I say.

A blush crawls up onto Eponine's cheeks, something that rarely happens. Gavroche takes to pouting and shoveling breakfast into his mouth.

"Are you working today?" Eponine asks me.

"I'm afraid so. Blanchard is drowning in work and can use extra hands. I will try to be home by dinner."

She reaches over and grasps my hand, "Well alright. I'll miss you."

Gavroche makes a gagging sound and Eponine shoots him a look of warning.

"I'll miss you as well, but I trust you and Gavroche will have a good day together," I say, eyeing them both with hopes that they don't kill each other.

Hours later when I return home to the house completely silent, I am worried that my worst fears have come true. They have killed each other.

"Ep? Eponine, are you two in here?" I call.

It is only then that I notice Gavroche asleep on the sofa, but luckily my shout as not caused him to stir.

"The bedroom, Gabriel," I hear her say.

I enter the bedroom to see her resting against the pillows, a blank look on her face.

"What is it love?" I ask, climbing onto the bed beside her.

"Monsieur Valjean has passed, Gabriel," she says softly.

My heart aches for the loss of this man, but I know Eponine is struggling more than I am. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head.

"Are you alright?"

She nods, sighing, "The funeral will be soon, day after tomorrow."

"Then we'll be there for them. How about you wake Gavroche and we'll go out somewhere for dinner?" I suggests.

"Alright. Give me a moment," she replies, swinging herself off of the bed.

"Take your time."

Minutes later, we are stepping out of the front door of the flat, Gavroche bounding in front of us and Eponine tucked happily into my side.

_Eponine_

It is the morning of the funeral, and we are hurrying around the house to get ready. Gavroche decided that we were too boring for him and left to stay with someone else, so at least it is a little less chaotic. I stand in the bedroom, struggling to lace up the corset that is needed for me to wear my solid black dress. After another miss, I drop the laces and huff.

"Gabriel, could you please help me?" I call.

He rounds the corner but stops slightly when he sees that I am in nothing but my unlaced corset and chemise. It has become an adjustment for both of us to realize that we are now married. He recovers quickly, and I turn to grab hold of the bedpost. He begins yanking the laces and the corset begins falling into place. As a particular tight pull forces more air out of my lungs, my fingernails dig into the bedpost.

"This thing is horrid," I grumble.

Enjolras chuckles and places a kiss to the back of my neck.

"Then why wear it, love?"

"I must with the dress," I answer gesturing to the long black dress hanging from the armoire.

He finally finishes and runs his hands down my arms. I walk over to the armoire and pull the dress on, settling it into place. Enjolras, already dressed, sits on the edge of the bed and watches me. I stand in front of the mirror and begin to twist my hair into pieces, pinning it to my head.

"I'm glad I'm a man," he says behind me.

I smile, inserted the last few pins, "Being a woman isn't as bad as it seems. It was when I was younger, but now I am no longer with those people who made it difficult," I walk over and press a kiss to his lips, "I have much better company now."

Grabbing hold of his hands, I pull him up, and we make our way out of the flat. The funeral is short and rather small. Standing in the cemetery is only Cosette and Marius, and our few friends. I can hear Cosette's soft cries as Marius wraps her with his arms. Tears well in my own eyes, but I try not to get to worked up because I now I must be strong for my friend. After the service is over, the small crowd disperses, and Marius and Cosette make their way over to us.

"It was a lovely service," I say as Cosette wipes away a tear.

"It was, wasn't it. Thank you for being here," she replies.

"Well, is there anything we can do for you? How are you holding up?" Enjolras asks.

"Other than being tired, we are holding up well. Thank you for your offer. This sounds terrible, but this sudden event just came at a rough time, with the baby and all," Cosette says hurriedly.

It takes me a moment to process her words.

"Cosette, did you just say the baby?" I ask.

She clamps a hand over her mouth, and then relaxes again. She grips Marius's arm and looks up at him.

"Well, we weren't going to tell anyone yet, but I guess I just let it slip. I am expecting," she smiles.

Shocked, I stare between her and Marius for a moment and then I throw my arms around her neck.

"Congratulations, 'Sette, Marius. That's wonderful!"

Enjolras smiles, clapping Marius on the shoulder, "I'm sure you'll be wonderful parents."

Marius turns a little red, "Thank you. But would you mind not mentioning it to anyone else? We want to wait a little longer before spreading the news."

"Of course," Enjolras nods.

Cosette looks up at Marius, "Dear, I'm rather tired. Can we return home now?"

"Yes, love. We'll see you soon," Marius says to us.

The way back home for us is rather silent. I grip Enjolras arm loosely, and we find a steady rhythm to our walk. I turn a question over and over in my head, but I am kind of afraid to ask. As we are both changing out of her clothes, I am working up the courage to ask my question.

As I begin pulling the pins out of my hair, I glance at him in the mirror.

"Gabriel, do you want children?" I finally ask.

He is shocked at my question. I can tell because his fingers slip off of the button on this shirt.

"Well Ep, I haven't really put much thought to the matter. I suppose I'm not against it. If one day we were to have a child, I would of course be happy. But I suppose I am okay with whatever happens."

I nod, pulling out the last of my pins, my heart hammering loudly in my chest.

"What are your thoughts?" he asks.

"I feel the same," I reply quietly, although I know that it is a lie.

**Author's Note: Wow, I am so sorry it took me so long to update. College has started back for me and it is taking up all of my time. I hope as I get adjusted to the new semester that I find more time to write. So why do you think Eponine is lying to Enjolras? I want to know your thoughts on this chapter. Thank you so much for reading and hanging in there with me. **

**~loislane16**


	33. Chapter 33

Thirty-Three

_Enjolras_

The few days after Valjean funeral are peaceful. Initially, Eponine's question about children struck me off guard, but we haven't spoken on the subject since, so I am assuming it was just brought on by Cosette's sudden announcement of her pregnancy. Work has not been as taxing, allowing me to have my mind focused more on Eponine when I am home. We have certainly bonded in our marriage, and I feel that our love is stronger than it has been yet.

I love everything about Eponine, and every time I think of her, I am further certain that my life will be joyful as long as she is in it. I could imagine no other person at my side to the end of my days. In married life, I have been able to see her in new ways. I always thought of her as such as passionate soul, but at home I see how gentle she is as well. To her friends, she is still guarded, hiding behind stoney walls, but to me she is open and vulnerable. It thrills me to know that I am the one that she chose to share her heart with. As strange as it sounds, the fact that she is willing to be open with me and share the thoughts deep in her mind with me is a sign that loves me. She would never do that with anyone except the ones she deeply cares about. Even so, she can still be a bit of a mystery when her old ways creep back into her mind, but I know that with years of marriage, I will be able to read her as well as I can read myself.

Thankfully, it is the weekend, and we can spend time together without interruptions like work. After sleeping in and enjoying lunch, we are sitting on the couch, Eponine tucked snugly under my arm as I read from a book. A knock at the door stops me mid-sentence. Eponine unfurls herself and steps lightly over to the door. She only stands with it open for a few seconds and comes back reading a piece of official looking paper. As her eyes scan the page, her hand suddenly flies to cover her mouth.

"What is it?" I ask nervously.

"Gabriel, they've found him. They've found the man responsible for orchestrating Grantaire's torture and murder," she answers shakily.

I stare at her in shock, and when she holds the letter out to me, I take it. I scan it several times, all the way from where is addressed to me until I see Javert's signature. I also notice that Javert has requested my presence in his office immediately. I jump up, letting the letter flutter to the sofa.

"Gabriel, what..?"

"Eponine, he requested me. I must go."

As I tug on my jacket, she helps by tossing me a scarf. She grabs my hand as I go to leave, causing me to spin back to her.

"Just don't…don't do anything rash, Gabriel, please," she pleads.

I kiss her softly and dart from the apartment, unable to promise her anything. At the speed I am walking, I make it to the Department of Justice very soon. As soon as I step through the door, the receptionist looks at me and points me to Javert's office. Without knocking, I open the heavy wood door and step in. Javert is sitting behind his desk alone, the office quiet.

"Well, you said you caught him?" I ask, slightly out of breath.

"Yes. I thought you might want to have a word with him?"

I nod stiffly, but he makes no move to stand.

Instead he leans forward, "Enjolras, I do want to brief you on some things first. This man was well on his way to becoming a General in the National Guard. I'm not sure where he went wrong, but he is definitely guilty of orchestrating this horrid event. I know that other men were, of course, involved, so I am using him to help find out who those men are. I think with the charges that I present him, I will have no difficulty getting the other names as well. I will send word when all are in custody."

After he finishes speaking, he stands and walks to a small wooden door and disappears down a dark hallway. He returns only moments later with a weasely looking man in rumpled clothing. His dark eyes dart around the room, and when they land on me, I see a flash of recognition and then hate on his face. Javert shoves the man forward until he is only a foot from me.

"Bernard, this the man whose friend you tortured and killed. I believe you two might have met in…passing…on the barricades. Do you have anything to say to Monsieur Enjolras?" Javert says coldly.

The man's cold eyes stare me down, his mouth in a snarl. Instead of saying anything, he spits on my boots. As an instant reaction that only comes from the anger already built inside me, I rear back and punch him hard in the nose. A few more punches and he is crumpled on the ground, where I place a few swift kicks to his stomach. I stand there fuming as he sputters and coughs, trying to regain his composure.

"That was for Grantaire," I snarl.

Slowly, the man stands and turns to Javert.

"Inspector, the man assaulted me! Did you not see that? That was a crime!" Bernard gurgles, blood dripping from his mouth.

Javert squares his shoulders and looks at me directly, "I saw nothing," he says stonily.

I can hear the criminal muttering curses as Javert grabs him roughly and leads him back down the dark hallway. I wait for Javert to return to express my thanks, and then I slowly begin my walk home. I thought that seeing Grantaire's killer in custody, getting the justice he deserved would lift the burden from my shoulders. But it hasn't. In fact, it is heavier than ever.

_Eponine_

When Enjolras returns home and I ask him about what happened, he tells me very little, what seems to be the bare details. He is very reserved, more so than normal, and I know something is troubling him. I debate whether or not to question him on the matter, but I know that it is best to wait a while for him to not be so worked up. Enjolras is a very emotional man, although many would not say this. It takes someone who knows the depths of his heart to know this about him. In fact, I might even say that his downfall is that he is especially emotionally driven. After a few days though, I am tired of the quiet, sullen air in the house.

I am sitting in a chair mending a dress, but watching him out of the corner of my eye. He is holding a book, but his eyes are blank and he hasn't turned the page in ages. I replace my mending in the basket by the chair and go to sit by him.

"Love, what has been bothering you?"

"Nothing, Ep," he says quietly, placing the book on the side table without even bothering to mark his place.

"Why will you not consider going to the church with me?" I ask abruptly.

I can feel his mood become cold.

"Eponine, I don't wish to discuss church at the moment."

"Well, I do wish to discuss it," I say defiantly.

He will not get out of this discussion that easily. His eyes flash to mine, and I can see that he is getting angry.

"I just want to know why you avoid the topic so."

He sighs, "Ep, I really don't - "

Before he can finish, I press a finger to his lips.

"Gabriel, I am your wife. I don't want you to feel as if you need to keep things from me. There shouldn't be any secrets between us."

As I finish saying this, a pang of guilt hits my heart because I know I have a secret I have kept from him. This is making me a hypocrite.

He stares at me for a long while, and when I look into his eyes, I can see that whatever he is about to say is not easy for him. I grip his hand to encourage him, and he runs his thumb absentmindedly across my wrist, looking down blankly at his lap.

"It comes from my childhood, Ep. My parents were not as bad as yours, but they were not good people either. My father was so cruel to the people who didn't have as much as we did. I swore I would never become him. As I child, it was almost a rule that we were to attend Mass every Sunday. It was a chore, and that is all it was. And, Eponine, if those are the types of people who go to church, then I don't want to go. I don't want to be like them."

So relieved that he finally opened up to me, I smile at him and place a hand on his cheek.

"But you don't have to be like them. Gabriel, yes there are people like that who go to church, but there are also good people who go to find solace in God. It is up to you which person you are. Just going to the church will not determine that. I know your heart Gabriel. You will not become your father. You are a wonderful man, and I love every part of you," I say, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you, Ep. I love you too. I have to let what you said to me stir in my mind though," he says quietly.

"Of course, love."

He seems a little better after our talk, but that night when I wake up to him sitting on the side of the bed, sweaty and shaking from a nightmare, I know there are much deeper things troubling him.


	34. Chapter 34

Thirty-Four

_Eponine_

I sit up and place a hand on Enjolras's back as he runs his hands over his face. He jumps at my touch.

"What is it, Gabriel?" I ask groggily.

He spins around and even the dark room, I can see his blue eyes are wide and frenzied.

"Just a nightmare," he says.

I slide out from under the covers and move to sit beside him on the edge of the bed. I light the oil lamp and grab a handkerchief from the side table. It is only when I place it to his forehead to wipe away the cold sweat that I notice how pale he is.

"Are you ill? Is there anything I can do for you?"

I place the rag on his cheek and his hand covers mine as he closes his eyes.

"No, I'm fine. I just…I just need some air," he sighs.

He stands, causing my hand to drop to the bed. He pulls on his linen pants quickly and changes out of his nightshirt.

He leaves the room, and I faintly here him mumble, "Get some sleep, Ep."

Nearly every night for the next two weeks proceed in this manner, and I am tired of seeing him so torn. As apprehensive as I am about it, it is time to take action. It is time to get him to talk to me. I wake before he does one morning because he once again lost sleep due to a nightmare. Finally, he joins me at the breakfast table, and I can see the dark shadows under his eyes have become darker. I reach across the table and grasp the hand that is lying there limply as he stares into his mug of coffee.

"Gabriel, I want to know. It's killing me to see you like this."

He gives me a look that is full of pain, but before he can say anything I speak up again.

"It's okay," I whisper.

He releases my hand and rubs his face.

"I see them, Ep. Every night, I see them all bloody. Their cold, dead eyes staring up at me," he says shakily.

"Les Amis?" I ask, knowing I am right.

He nods, "It still haunts me every night. You were injured early on. While we managed to only lose a few, it was still horrible. They were my friends, and I let them down."

"I have told you this before, but you mustn't blame yourself."

"How could I not?" he asks incredulously, "I was their leader! I was supposed to keep them safe. And every day I feel guilty that I am the one living, the one able to find love, and everything else that I do not deserve."

I don't know what to say to him to make him believe that he isn't guilty in the slightest. I just sit for a moment, we both do, in silence.

Finally, I speak, "I know you aren't going to want to hear this but I'm going to say it anyway. When I lost Azelma, when I came to a point where I didn't have any hope anymore, that was when I went to the church, Gabriel. It will help. Would you please just come with me, just once, and if you don't feel the slightest bit better, then you never have to come with me again."

He stares at me for a moment, and I can tell that he is trying not to cry. He nods slowly, and my heart leaps. He has reached the end of his rope. He will give this a chance now.

It is that very evening after work that he decides he is ready to go speak with the Priest. We walk there in silence, and I can sense his anxiety. I slip my grip from his arm to his hand and rub relaxing circles into his palm.

"This is strange for me," he says quietly, "I feel like a boy again."

"Well, you aren't. You're my husband, and I care deeply for you."

As we enter the church, I see the Priest caring for a homeless man. He sees us enter, and he smiles. A nun leads the other man away, presumably to food.

"Madame Eponine, it is good to see you today," he exclaims, walking over to us.

"You as well, Father. I have brought my husband with me today."

"Ah, Monsieur, welcome! I saw you last at the wedding. I trust things have been well for you."

I don't say anything so that Enjolras can speak for himself. I prompt him with a squeeze of the hand. He is very tense.

"Actually, Father, I wished to speak with you today," Enjolras finally says in a tight voice.

"Of course," the priest smiles.

I stand on my tiptoes to place a kiss to my husband's cheek, "I'll wait here."

I watch from the back pew as Enjolras follows the priest up to the front of the church and they both sit. I am immensely proud of him, because I know this is a hard thing for him to do. I want to be with him, but I know I don't have a part in this conversation. They talk in hushed tones for a long while, and I can tell that Enjolras is relaxing more and more with each passing minute. He is listening intently to whatever the priest is telling him. It is only when Enjolras begins to weep like a child that I can no longer hold back my need to be there for him. I walk slowly up the aisle and sit beside him. The priest has a hand on his shoulder as Enjolras weeps loudly, head in his hands and shoulders shaking. I place a hand on his knee and, without looking, he draws me into his arms. I wrap my arms around him and hold him as he shakes, his face buried in my neck. Faintly, I think I hear him sob a thank you into my ear.

After he gets control of his emotions, I leave again so that he can speak with the priest alone, and it is only a few minutes later that he steps outside with me. He takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles.

"Thank you for making me do that," he says softly.

We return home and that easily becomes one of the best nights we have had in a while.


	35. Chapter 35

Thirty-Five

_Enjolras_

The next day, I feel lighter and there is a spring in my step. Even though I feel completely emotionally drained from speaking with the priest and spending a quality night with my wife, I feel infinitely better than I did the previous day. I feel as if nothing can bring me down.

I return home from work to find an amazing aroma filling the apartment. I shed my coat and gloves, the weather being very nippy, and place my satchel on the floor by the desk.

"Ep?" I call, eager to see her.

"I'm in the kitchen!" she calls back.

I walk in to find her stirring a pot of stew. I hug her from behind, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her neck. She turns in my arms and before she can say anything, I capture her lips in a passionate kiss. When she finally breaks away, she stares up at me, wide-eyed and breathless.

"What's gotten into you?" she laughs, playing with the curls at the nape of my neck.

"I just needed to do that," I smirk.

I press another quick kiss to her lips before stepping back and looking into the pot.

"That smells divine, Ep."

"I hope it will be."

I tug on a loose strand of her hair, "I'm going to go freshen up before dinner. I'll be back in a moment."

After untucking my shirt, loosing my cravat, taking off my boots, and splashing some water on my face, dinner is ready. In the kitchen, Eponine is dishing stew into bowls. I take the bowls out of her hands and place them on the table before pulling her chair out for her. After she is seated, I sit as well, and we both dive into our stew. We talk causally for a while, about work and about our friends, until I notice that Eponine becomes very quiet.

"You're awfully quiet tonight, love," I point out.

"I just…I don't want to intrude, but what happened last night that brought about this change in you, Gabriel?"

I could tell she was wondering this. The only problem is, I don't exactly know myself. I think for a moment, trying to figure out how to word an answer.

"Well, I don't really know how to explain it, Ep. All I know is that I have found peace."

I think I see tears appear in Eponine's eyes but she quickly blinks them back. She reaches over and squeezes my hand.

"I am so happy for you," she says softly.

We continue to eat our dinner, a bit of a lighter air between us now that we have somewhat discussed what happened last night at the church. After dinner, I help her clean the kitchen before settling on the couch.

"I think I'm going to get more comfortable," she smiles.

When she reappears from the bedroom, she is wearing her dressing gown and her long, dark tresses are flowing in waves down her back, almost to her waist. She moves to sit beside me, but I catch her around the waist and pull her onto my lap, making her squeal in surprise. She presses a kiss to my lips, tangling her hands in my hair, before resting her head on my shoulder.

"You know, Christmas is only a couple of weeks away," I mention.

She raises her head and looks at me curiously.

"I haven't celebrated Christmas since I was very young," she says quietly.

"Because of your parents?" I ask.

She nods slowly. I press a kiss to her temple and squeeze her waist.

"Well, we'll have to rectify that, now won't we."

"We'll celebrate Christmas together?" she questions, and I can hear excitement in her voice.

"Of course we will! And I'll make sure it makes up for all those missed Christmases."

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" she laughs, tears in her eyes.

I didn't realize something this simple would make her cry. But I suppose it is only simple to me.

"No, I just love you more that I can express," I smile.

_Eponine_

It is Christmas Eve, and I could not be happier. So far, Enjolras has gone above and beyond with making this special for me. He have a Christmas tree in the living area of the apartment, and I have used the hours that he is away at work to decorate the apartment even more with garland and mistletoe. After much discussion with our friends, we decided to all celebrate Christmas with each other the previous evening. It was more fun than I've had in years. We talked for hours, laughing and having a good time. It was great to see how Cosette was glowing with her ever-growing baby bump, and to see Gavroche simply have some fun for once. Joly, Musichetta, and Combeferre all helped to make the celebration unforgettable, and I know I will always treasure my first "real" Christmas.

Enjolras and I have decided to celebrate Christmas tonight so that we will have all of Christmas day to relax and just enjoy each other's company. I spent so much time thinking of what to do for a gift for him, and I hope that I've gotten something he will love. With his first present wrapped and under the tree, I spend the afternoon in the kitchen working on his second present. I hear the door creak open and rush out of the kitchen to greet him. He is home early, and I suppose that his boss let all of them off early.

He smiles and grasps my waists, spinning me around before kissing me solidly on the lips.

"Merry Christmas Eve, my love," he says.

"You're first present is almost ready. Why don't you get a little more comfortable and then come into the kitchen?" I purr.

When he arrives, I have his favorite meal sitting on the table with various candles to provide a softer light.

"This looks wonderful, Ep. Thank you," he says, kissing my forehead.

We enjoy a peaceful meal together, and my heart leaps when I see the look of delight when Enjolras takes the first bite of his favorite meal. I have made it adequately, and all I wanted to do was do something special for him, to make him happy. After dinner, he takes me by the hand and leads me into the living room. I dart over to the tree and grab the package I wrapped only hours earlier.

"Here is your other present," I smile, handing him the package.

He carefully tears open the paper and opens the lid to the box. First, he pulls out the new quill pen I picked out. I see his eyes widen as he sees what lies underneath it. He delicately draws out the gorgeously bound leather journal with his initials engraved on the front.

"Open it and read what it says," I say.

I watch as he pulls back the cover, and his eyebrows raise as he notices that the writing is not on the first page, but is engraved into the leather of the inside cover. It reads:

_My dearest Gabriel,_

_Part of what made me fall in love with you was the way you could string words together in such an eloquent way, making everything you say sound like a work of art. With this journal, I wish that you write the story of our love and our life together, as I could think of no better person to tell our story. Just as I made this letter to you permanent, the story of our love will also be permanent, living on through the years. You mean the world to me, and you always will. I will love you forever and always. _

_Your love,_

_Ep_

He closes the journal and leans over to capture my lips in a kiss, tilting my head back slightly with his hand.

"That was the best gift I've ever gotten, Ep," he whispers.

"I'm glad you liked it," I smile, my heart fluttering in my chest.

After giving my thigh a light squeeze, he gets up and retrieves a small package from under the tree. The size and shape of the gift make me curious, because I simply can't put my finger on what it might be. I tear the paper open hastily, and I can see that there is a nervous look in Enjolras's eyes. I open the box to reveal an old key with a ribbon tied to it. It's pretty, but I have a hard time not being slightly disappointed.

"It's…it's lovely, Gabriel. Although, I am a bit confused," I admit quietly.

He chuckles, "I knew you would be. Well, your present isn't simply the key. It's what the key unlocks."

I raise my eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles, "Well, I wanted this Christmas to be extra special for you, and as much as I love this flat, we can't stay in it forever. It was certainly more fit for a single man."

My heart begins to beat wildly, "What are you saying, Gabriel?"

"That key goes to our very first house," he smiles.

"You're joking," I breathe.

"I'm not, Ep. It's a cottage tucked away down a quiet street. I thought we'd go see it tomorrow. It was one of the many places that Monsieur Valjean left to Cosette in his will, and she and Marius didn't have a use for it, so they sold it to me. It isn't huge, but it is tons bigger than this place, with a garden, and it's ours."

Tears jump to my eyes, and I nearly tackle him in a hug.

"Thank you, thank you so much, Gabriel. I have never lived in a house. And now the first time I do, it will be with the love of my life. You have given me more than I could ever ask for," I say softly, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

He moves and captures my lips in another kiss, and it soon moves from gentle to full of need. He grasps my hips and pulls me so that I am straddling his lap on the sofa. I break away from him and run my fingers through his blonde curls, staring into his crystal eyes.

"I love you, Ep," he rasps.

"And I love you," I respond as he lays me down on the sofa, his body covering mine.


	36. Chapter 36

Thirty-Six

_Eponine_

I wake earlier than Enjolras, presumably because I am excited, and I roll over to face him. He is so peaceful when he sleeps, all the worry lines gone from his face. I reach up and ghost my fingers over his jaw, bringing them up to twist one of his curls. Slowly, one of his blue eyes creaks open and he groans as the light hits his eyes. I pull myself up and kiss the tip of his nose.

"Morning sleepyhead," I smile.

"G'morning," he sighs, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulls me into his chest, "It's too early, Ep."

"We have a big day ahead."

"And what's that?" he mumbles into my neck.

I smack him playfully on the arm, "You know."

He pulls back and looks up at me, raising an eyebrow, "If you're talking about lunch, then I highly doubt that will take all day or that we need to be up this early."

I roll my eyes, "Oh, you're just being silly. You said you'd take me to the house today."

He smiles, "Oh yes! I did say that, didn't I."

He leans over and kisses me softly, trailing his lips down my jaw and landing on my neck.

"Gabriel!" I giggle.

I reach up and place my hands on either side of his neck as he rolls us over. He hovers above me, resting on his elbows and his blonde curls framing his face. I see his crystal eyes twinkle as he smiles mischievously at me.

"That house isn't going anywhere you know," he smirks, kissing my collarbone.

"I suppose you're right," I breathe, succumbing to his touch, wrapping my arms around his strong back.

In merely my robe, I sit on the edge of the bed facing the mirror, brushing out my hair. Enjolras returns from the washroom after freshening up, and I watch in the mirror as he pulls on his trousers. It is now pushing lunchtime. I stand and pull a simple shift-dress out of the armoire so that I don't have to wear a dreaded corset and discard my robe. I pull the garment over my head and begin the long row of buttons down my back when I feel my husband's gentle fingers cover my own.

"Let me," he says softly.

His fingers trail up my spine as he deftly fastens the buttons. He finishes and runs his hands down my arms as I turn to face him. I place a hand on his bare chest, and he brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Thank you," I smile.

"I'm awfully hungry, so how about I make a quick lunch and then I'll give you the grand tour. I would say that we would go to a cafe but it is Christmas day, so I don't believe that many places will be open," he says.

"Sounds wonderful."

As I pin my hair up, Enjolras finishes dressing and disappears into the kitchen. When I come into the kitchen, he has prepared a small but nice lunch for us, cheese, bread, and wine. We enjoy it together before Enjolras notices that I can hardly contain my excitement to see the cottage. He laces up his boots, I slip on my leather soles, take his arm, and we are out of the door.

We walk on the main streets for a while, but as we approach the section of town where Luxembourg Gardens begins, we turn down a small residential street. It is quiet and sweet. As we approach a curve in the cobblestone street, Enjolras gestures to an iron gate, and I can see the top of a cottage peeking out from behind a couple of trees.

"Is that it?" I smile.

He nods and uses the key in his pocket to unlock the decorative iron gate. We step into the front yard and I nearly gasp at the beautiful, quaint cottage before me. It's stone walls are covered in beautiful green vines and moss, crawling up to the roof. It is framed with a wooden door, windows with pretty shutters, and a stone chimney stack.

"It so beautiful, Gabriel," I breathe, tears in my eyes.

We start to walk toward the door, but Enjolras places a hand on the small of my back and leads me to a brick pathway down the side of the house. As we round the corner, I see a very green garden with stone benches and a tree big enough to hang a rope swing from. It is like it is from a fairy-tale storybook.

From there he takes me into cottage and begins to show me around. There is a kitchen, much bigger than the one in the flat, a dining room, a living area with a nice fireplace, multiple washrooms, and a study big enough for Enjolras and I to share. He leads me down a small hallway and points to several doors. He swings one open and I stare into a blank room that looks like a bedroom.

"What's this room?" I ask.

He wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder, "These three rooms are the same. I thought they'd be perfect for our children."

My breath catches in my throat as his hand covers my stomach. My heart sinks in a way I cannot explain.

Somehow I manage to regain my voice, "You have decided that you do want children?"

I pray that he can't feel how hard my heart is slamming into my ribcage.

"With anyone else, no. But with you, Eponine, yes. I do want a family. I want to see a piece of you and a piece of me put together."

His words make tears sting my eyes. I can hear the joy in his voice, the hopefulness, and I can't bear to speak right not. I simply turn around and press my lips to his. He thinks the kiss is out of joy, which I can tell by the way he grips my waist, but only I know that the kiss is apologetic. When he finally break away, he stares down at me, his eyes shining.

"I've got a surprise for you," he whispers.

He takes my hand and pulls me down the hallway and into a much larger room with another fireplace. I notice a thick pallet of blankets and pillows on the middle of the room with a basket tucked away in the corner.

"This is our new bedroom. I thought you might like to spend the day and night here, so I arranged for bedding and dinner. Would you like that?"

I finally manage to swallow the lump in my throat and I smile at him, "Yes, that sounds lovely."

Slowly, he kisses me, intertwining our fingers.

"I'm so glad you like the house," he smiles.

"I do. I love it."

I pull him fiercely to me, wanting him to make me forget the sinking feeling in my stomach. I tangle my hands in his hair and encourage him further, losing myself with his every touch. He grabs my by the hips and picks me up, carrying me to the pallet. We take no time at all in burying ourselves in the multitude of blankets. He makes me forget.

**Author's Note: Hello readers! I am so grateful for all the support I have gotten so far. I'm not sure how many chapters I have left to write, but I know I still have several major plot points I want to cover, so you shouldn't expect this story to disappear anytime soon. I do hope you'll continue to tell me how you feel about this story. I love your input because it helps me become a better writer. Thanks again! I really hope to update again soon, although college may get in the way of that. I hope not! See you soon.**

**~loislane16**


	37. Chapter 37

Thirty-Seven

_Enjolras_

The new year has passed, with only a few weeks of winter left, and while we wish to move into the cottage now, we have a lot of planning to do before that happens. We haven't nearly enough furniture for such a place, and moving will be quite a task for us with all the books and papers we have. It will be a while before we are finally able to make the permanent transition to our permanent house.

Eponine has been exceedingly quiet since seeing the house for the first time, but I am taking the silence only as a sign of contentment. I have confidence that she would tell me if something was wrong. We have made that promise not to keep things from each other. We are husband and wife; we share each other's burdens.

The possibilities ahead for our small family excite me and make me happier than I've been in a while. We have a permanent home now, not a tiny apartment. It's ours, and we can fill it with memories. My long time dream of growing old with the one I love in our own home is coming to a reality. It is also highly possible that I will be getting a promotion soon at work. My boss is considering making me his co-associate at the law firm. That means I am one step closer to having a firm of my own.

On top of that, I cannot wait for the day that our three empty rooms are inhabited by children. I was never certain whether or not I would feel confident having children, raising them and caring for them, but mine and Eponine's relationship has assured me. I want a family with her. The thought of creating something with her that holds part of each of us thrills me, and I fell as if it is only a natural result of our love. We've been married less than a year, so I shouldn't be expecting much I suppose, but we've yet to have any progress in that area, not for lack of trying. I suppose in due time, when it is supposed to happen, it will.

Today has been a rather stressful day at work, as we have several cases we are supposed to handle, so I am greatly looking forward to seeing my wife at the end of the day. I thought I would take her out to dinner tonight, give us both a little treat. We both need to relax more. I love her more than I could ever describe, and the thought of what the next few years could bring makes my heart pound with joy.

_Eponine_

The stress of giving Enjolras a child is getting to me. I have known for months that he has desired this, but only on Christmas were my fears confirmed. I knew it, so why didn't I accept it long ago. However, I have been feeling rather lethargic lately, and the naive girl in me takes every little thing as a sign. I know I want to wait longer to experience more symptoms before I get checked out to have my thoughts confirmed.

In the middle of doing the laundry, I feel particularly nauseous and head to the bathroom. It is in there that I discover that my cycle has made an appearance yet again. I drop my head into my hands and try to take deep breaths, but the sobs come anyway. From years of experience, I dry my tears quickly, take care of myself and return to the laundry. I must not look distressed when my husband returns from work in only a few minutes.

I hear the noise of the door opening and his heavy footfalls coming into the flat. After some rustling, he appears in the bedroom beside me. He wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my neck.

"How was your day?" I ask.

"Long, but much better now that I'm home with you. And yours?"

"Same," I reply.

He sits on the edge of the bed with a sigh and begins to take off his boots. Feeling down, I just focus blankly on the laundry. I move to place a stack of clothes in the armoire, and when I try to pick up the second stack, Enjolras grabs my wrist. My eyes meet his, and I can see the concern on his face.

"Ep are you alright?"

I force a smile, "Yes, I'm fine Gabriel."

Through the rest of the night, I feel dazed, blank. Even as we enjoy a meal together in a cafe, I am not fully there. I try to smile, to carry on conversation, but it is so hard for me. I am breaking on the inside, full to the brim with emotion. It is not until we are sitting on the couch reading that Enjolras brings the topic up again.

"Eponine, what is wrong?" he asks again, more sternly this time.

"What makes you think anything is wrong?" I ask in return, not looking at him.

He huffs, "Your face is gaunt, there are dark shadows under your eyes, you've barely spoken in days, there's a glazed look in your eyes, and you've been reading the same page for the last ten minutes."

I shake my head, "You really know how to read me, don't you."

"Of course! So are you going to tell me what is the matter? Are you ill?"

I sniff, "No, I am not ill."

He grasp my hand, "Does that mean…? Are you pregnant, Ep?" he asks, brightly.

The hopefullness in his voice, the joy in his eyes breaks me. I fight with all my might, but I can't hold it back anymore, and I dissolve into tears. I turn away from him, sliding down the couch slightly, but he follow me and circles me in his arms. At first I fight, but then I give in and let him hold me.

"Eponine, please tell me what's bothering you," he pleads.

"I'm not pregnant, Gabriel," I sob.

He strokes my hair, "That's alright, Ep. It takes time."

"No, you don't understand!"

"Then please, help me to understand, Eponine. I want to know how to help you."

I sit back from him and wipe my eyes roughly. The best way I know to tell him is just to say it.

"It isn't just that I'm not pregnant. I can't give you a child, Gabriel."

"What makes you think that?"

I sigh heavily, "I don't think it. I know it."

"I'm still confused Eponine. How could you know that you can't have a baby?" he asks, and the patient tone to his voice almost breaks me again.

"I haven't told anyone this. Ever. When my father forced me into prostitution to make money, naturally I became pregnant several times. At first, I didn't realize what he would do if I told him. I thought it would be okay. That I would have the baby and raise my child, but I was wrong. Every time I got pregnant and he found out, which he always did, he would beat me until I lost the baby. I wouldn't be able to move for days. Finally, he got tired of it happening and took me to this man who he says was a doctor and told him to make sure it never happened again. I fought, but that didn't help. I never thought I'd find love or have the chance to have children with anyone. And now I can't give the man i love more than my own life a family," I weep.

Enjolras doesn't say anything. He just pulls me into his arms and holds me tightly. I sob into his neck for a while, the memories so painful to recall. It was something that I swore I would never speak of, that I would never relive. I couldn't even protect my own unborn children, and that makes me sick. I never thought I would have to face it again, but here I am, all the emotions flooding back to me.

"Why didn't you tell me before now?" he asks, but I can tell in his voice that he isn't angry.

"I didn't want to disappoint you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Gabriel," I sob.

He pushes me back and wipes my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

"Hey, you shouldn't be sorry. You didn't ask for this. And there is nothing to prove that what that man did worked. We can't lose hope in that," he says softly.

I nod, "I know, but hoping hurts me now. As each month rolls around, and I am not pregnant, I break a little bit more. You can still hope, but I don't know if I can anymore."

He runs his fingers comfortingly though my hair, "That's alright. Child or no child, I'll still love you the same. You're my Ep, and nothing will ever change that. I love you."

"I love you too," I whisper back, silent tears rolling down my cheeks.

I collapse back into his embrace, and we sit there until time seems to stand still.


	38. Chapter 38

div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"emEnjolras/em/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Over these past few weeks, Eponine has been in much better spirits since we discussed what happened to her as a teenager. Now that she is assured that having a child is not the most important thing to me, the pressure has seemed to be lifted off of her. It is no longer constantly on her mind. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Being a Sunday, we are both able to relax together and this afternoon we are sitting on the couch, my arm around her as we read from the same book. A knock on the door makes me lose my place on the page. I hand Eponine the book and go to answer the door. I smile as I see Cosette and Marius standing there. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""To what do we owe this visit?" I ask, ushering them inside. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Cosette, who is very pregnant, waddles inside with a hand on her stomach and eases into a chair. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""We thought we would just drop by for a visit," Marius says, standing behind his wife. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Look at you! You're glowing," Eponine smiles, gesturing to Cosette. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Cosette blushes and smooths her dress over her growing stomach, "I'm glad you think so. This pregnancy thing isn't easy."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""I'm sure it isn't, but you sure don't show it," Eponine replies. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Cosette hesitates for a moment and shifts in her seat./div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""While we're on the topic," she begins hesitantly, "I have a question to ask you Eponine."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Mine and Eponine's hands are already so close together, but I feel her fingers touch mine, and I take her hand almost unnoticeably. Eponine nods for Cosette to continue./div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Well, seeing as you are one of my few friends, and I could really use some support, I wanted to know if you'd be there when the baby is born? I do have several months to go and I know it's strange, but I thought as well as being my support, you could get an insight to what it's like for when you and Enjolras start your own family."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Eponine squeezes my hand at the word family, and I rub my thumb across her wrist to soothe her. She doesn't speak for a moment, but then I see a small smile spread across her face. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Of course I'll be there with you, Cosette."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Thank you so much, Eponine," the blonde woman smiles. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""So I assume I have the job of keeping Marius from loosing his mind," I ask, trying to lighten the mood. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Marius chuckles, "It seems so."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"We talk for a long while, enjoying each other's company. It has been a while since we have seen each other. In the middle of a conversation, Eponine mutters a quiet excuse me and glides from the room. My eyes follow her worriedly until she reaches the washroom. She must only have to relieve herself. When she returns minutes later, her face is pale and there is sweat forming on her brow. She stands in the opening of the room and wrings her hands. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""I don't mean to break up the party, but I am feeling rather under the weather and need to go lie down. It was wonderful seeing you both," she announces quietly. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"After the bedroom door clicks shut, Marius and Cosette stare at me curiously. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""That was sudden. What's the matter?" Marius asks. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"I am just as surprised as they are, "I have no idea. She was perfectly fine earlier."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""We should go," Cosette says hurriedly. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""I'm sorry, but I should really tend to her."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Cosette waves her hand dismissively as she stands, "Oh there is nothing to be sorry about. Please, let us know how she is, and we'll see you both soon."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Thank you," I reply as I walk them to the door. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Once they are gone, I rush to the bedroom to find the curtains drawn, no oil lamp on, and Eponine nestled under the covers, still in her dress. I sit down on the edge of the bed beside her hand brush some hair out of her face, making her eyes pop open. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Ep, love, what happened?"/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""I got sick, Gabriel. I'm just so nauseous," she sighs. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""You haven't got a fever," I ponder out loud, placing the back of my hand on her face, "Is there anything I can do?"/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"She shrugs noncommittally and turns to bury her face in my side. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Well, my mother would also make me a special tea when I got ill, and it helped. Would you like to try that?" I ask. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"I take her sort of wheezing grunt as a yes and kiss her temple before standing. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""I'll be back shortly."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"When a return with the tea, I find her in the same place I left her in, slumped over on the mattress, blankets up to her neck. I manage to rouse her so that she is sitting up and I sit beside her, handing her the mug. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""What is it?" she says hesitantly, sniffing the liquid. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""It's ginger tea. I promise it will help. Just try it."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Eponine sips it slowly and her eyes close, "It's really good."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""See? Drink up. It will help your nausea," I encourage. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Thank you," she sighs, leaning her head on my shoulder. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Over the next few days, Eponine's nausea comes and goes but it never fully goes away. She drinks so much ginger tea that I think she must feel like she's floating. I'm beginning to worry about her. If it was just something that irritated her stomach, then she wouldn't be sick still. But she refuses to let me send for Joly since she is able to move about the apartment and isn't confined to the washroom or bed. When I get home from work one evening, Eponine is sitting on the sofa, her legs tucked under her. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""How are you feeling?" I ask, sitting down beside her. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""The same. Listen, I want to talk to you about something," she says./div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Talk away. You know we don't have to keep things from each other."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""But, I don't want you to read into things at all. I just want to think things through with you."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"I nod, waiting for her to continue./div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Well, my nausea won't go away. And I missed my monthly cycle. I don't want to get my hopes up, but…"/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""I think I should fetch Joly," I state. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"I can't stop my heart rate increasing even though I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions. I move to stand but she grabs my arms tightly./div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""But Gabriel, what if I'm not?" /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"There is panic in her voice and fear in her eyes. I take her hand in mine. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""If you aren't then something it's something more serious, and Joly definitely needs to check you out. Whatever the answer, it will be okay Ep," I say soothingly. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Okay," she whispers. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Before she can stop me again, I leave the flat and begin my trek to Joly's apartment. I explain the situation to him and he returns home with me. I watch nervously as he and my wife disappear into the bedroom. It seems like forever before they return. Eponine eases down beside me and I wrap my arm around her shoulders. Joly waits for her to get settle before he sits in an adjacent chair and clears his throat. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Well, Eponine you are clearly showing signs and symptoms of pregnancy. However, it is very early, so I suppose we won't know for sure until a few weeks from now. Until then, I suggest staying healthy and getting plenty of rest," he says./div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""So I really could be pregnant?" Eponine asks, her voice shaking. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""It looks so," Joly smiles. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"Eponine lets out a shaky laugh and I thank Joly before seeing him out. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""This isn't real, Gabriel," she says to me, her eyes watering. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""But it is."/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"She smiles one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen and wraps her arms around me. I hug her tightly. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;""Things are looking up, love," I say to her. /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"strongAuthor's Note: Wow, I am so sorry that it has been so long. I promise I am still working on this story. College is just taking over my life right now, and I'm having to work on it little by little when I have a few minutes. So, do you think Eponine really is finally pregnant? Leave me your thoughts and hopefully I'll be able to write the next chapter faster! /strong/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;"strong~loislane16/strong/div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;" /div  
div style="font-family: -apple-system-font; line-height: 16px;" /div 


	39. Chapter 39

Thirty-Nine

_Eponine_

The weeks carry on, and there has been nothing so far to disprove the suspicion that I am truly pregnant. I look for every possible sign, not willing to let myself to get too excited or too comfortable with the idea that Enjolras and I might actually have a family.

This morning I am feeling rather lethargic, and I did not rise with Enjolras. I listened to the sounds of him getting ready for work before he pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek and left. Now I have finally mustered up the energy to get out of bed. I must go check on Cosette and she how much longer she thinks it will be before the baby comes. The Pontmercys do not know that I am most likely pregnant, nor does anyone else besides me and my husband. We don't want to spread the news only for something to go wrong.

I feel off today for some reason, and as I discard my dressing gown, I go to look at myself in the mirror. My eyes trail down to my abdomen and my heart nearly leaps into my throat. Is it really there or am I only imagining it? I ghost my hand there, daring myself to touch it. Finally, I press my palm against my stomach, sliding it from side to side. I let out a ragged breath. I wasn't imagining anything. There actually is a slight curve there. Tears sting my eyes as I realize that there really is life growing inside me. I have to tell Enjolras. There is no way that I can make it to tonight when he returns from work to tell him that I am sure, to show him the slight curvature of my abdomen.

I pull on a simple shift dress and hastily pin my hair up. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I notice that it is almost lunch time. Quickly throwing together a simple lunch for us and slipping on my leather soles, I am out of the flat with the basket on my arm. It is a short walk to the law firm, and I greet the receptionist with a smile before knocking timidly on Enjolras's door.

"Enter," he calls.

His business tone of voice almost makes me laugh because it is so different than the voice he speaks to me in. He must sound strong and professional here, but with me he is tender and gentle. I enter his office, and it isn't until I shut the door that he looks up.

"Ep, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't feeling well today," he states, shock on his face.

"Well, I wasn't but I thought we could have lunch together and well…Gabriel, will anyone come in here without knocking first?" I blurt out.

He looks at me utterly flabbergasted, "Well, no I suppose not. But Eponine, I don't know what you have up your sleeve, but I don't know if this is the proper place. We would be heard," he whispers, his neck growing red.

I wave a dismissive hand at him, "Oh no, Gabriel, I'm not referring to that. I just have something to show you."

He looks clearly relieved at my words, "Alright."

I walk around his desk and he moves so that I can stand in front of him. I begin to pull up my dress, only leaving my simple chemise between my stomach and my husband.

"Eponine, what.."

"Shh!" I interrupt, "Just look."

I smooth the chemise over my abdomen and his eyes widen as he notices it.

"Is that…Eponine, really?"

"I didn't think it was real either, but it is. I am pregnant, Gabriel, and I have the tiny bump to prove it," I beam.

He stares back up at me with wonder in his eyes, and I drop the hem of my dress so that it is hanging normally. He grasps my hips and pulls me closer, pressing his palm to my stomach, feeling the curve there. Enjolras kisses my stomach gently, stroking my hips.

"Hello there, Baby. It's your Papa. You're Mama and I love you very much," he whispers.

His words bring tears to my eyes and I move to sit across his lap, his hand never leaving contact with my tiny bump. I tangle my hand in the curls at the nape of his neck and I press my lips to his sweetly. Our kiss turns passionate as he rubs his hand up and down my thigh, the other at the small of my back, pressing me into him. I am running my hand down his chest when we hear someone clear their throat. Enjolras and I jump apart, and I end up standing beside him, looking up wide-eyed at the head of the firm.

"Blanchard, I do apologize. She stopped by for lunch and we…"

Blanchard chuckled, "Enjolras there is no need to explain. I understand. Young love. Who am I to stop a husband and wife from enjoying each other's company. I wouldn't have bothered you, but there is a young woman here to see you and she says that it is urgent."

"Thank you Monsieur. Please, send her in."

Blanchard disappears, but the redness on Enjolras's neck is no where close to going away.

"Should I go?" I ask.

He shakes his head, "No, let's see if she is even a client first."

The door flies open and a familiar head of red hair bounds in. Musichetta immediately addresses me.

"I assumed you were here when you didn't answer the door at the flat. Cosette is going to have the baby. Joly sent me to fetch you," she explains through breaths.

"But, now? Isn't it early? I thought she wasn't due for another week or two?" I exclaim.

"Tell the baby that," Musichetta deadpans.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming."

I spin around and give Enjolras a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Tell Marius that I am just going to wrap some things up here and I'll be there," he says.

I nod before following Musichetta from the building. She is a blaze of skirts and hair as we hustle through the city. When we finally reach the Pontmercy Manor, the bottom floor is silent. Out of no where, Marius bustles up to us, his eyes frantic.

"She's in the bedroom upstairs. Please, take care of her," he says quietly.

"She'll be fine Marius. Enjolras said he will be on the way soon," I assure him.

I see him nod ever so slightly before we turn and climb the stairs. We ease the bedroom door open to see Cosette lying calmly in bed and Joly messing with something in the corner.

"How are you, 'Sette?" I ask, going to her bedside while Musichetta shuts the door behind us.

"Oh, I'm fine right now. I am honestly just ready to hold my baby," she sighs.

"You'll do wonderful," I assure her.

Not even thirty minutes later, Cosette is gripping my hand with crushing force, her face contorted in pain. Finally, she relaxes and her hand falls back on the bed.

"That one was tough," she huffs.

Joly smiles over his shoulder, "That was only the beginning Cosette."

She groans, and I copy her inwardly. It is going to be a long day.

_Enjolras_

I am sitting downstairs in the Pontmercy's manor, watching Marius tread a rut in the floor from his pacing. I have tried to block him out by thinking about my own child, slowly growing inside Eponine, but it isn't working anymore. His footfalls are becoming heavier as he becomes more anxious, and with every little noise from upstairs, his head whips to look at the stairs.

"Marius, why don't you sit?" I ask casually.

"Enjolras, she's been up there for hours. You don't think there's something wrong?" he asks nervously.

"I know I'm not an expert at these things, but I do think having a baby takes a while. Besides, if anything was wrong, someone would come get you, I am sure of it."

My words don't seem to comfort him, as he keeps wearing a hole into the wood. After another hour or so of these actions, he seems to have finally worn himself out and slumps into a chair beside me.

Resting his chin in his hand, he looks at me wearily, "Enjolras, can I confide in you about something?"

"Of course you can," I respond.

"I'm utterly terrified. I'm scared for Cosette, I'm scared for the baby, but most of all I am terrified of becoming a father," he admits.

I reach over and place my hand on his shoulder, "Marius, everything will all be fine in the end. Don't worry about Cosette. She is a woman, and this is like an instinct to them. She knows what to do. And you shouldn't be scared of being a father either. If I ever pictured any of us, the Amis I mean, with children, it was you. I know you'll be an amazing father."

"What if I lose her?" he asks quietly.

"You won't. Don't you even think like that. Cosette can do this, and in just a little while, you'll be able to sit there with your wife and baby."

He quiets down after this, but his nerves aren't helped when a terrible scream echoes from upstairs. He jumps up, making toward the stairs, and I do as well, but to grab him around the waist and drag him back. He fights me, but I have always been taller and stronger than him, so his actions don't effect me.

"She's fine, Marius. If you go bursting in, you'll only distract her or scare sit here and try to stay calm."

We move from where we are to a bench closer to the stairs. He watches the hall at the top constantly.

After a few more incidences of him trying to break down the bedroom door, Eponine is finally gliding down the stairs with a bundle in her arms. Marius doesn't move but stares at her in amazement. He finally stands when she gets to him and she gently places the baby in his arms.

"Marius, meet your son."

"My son," he rasps back, staring down into the baby's face.

"Cosette is tired but fine. She wants to see you," Eponine says quietly.

Without another word, Marius goes to climb the stairs, his eyes still on the baby. Eponine eases down beside me, and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Tired?" I ask.

She nods and rests her head on my shoulder, "And if I am, then Cosette surely is exhausted."

After a moment of silence, Eponine sits up abruptly and grips my hand.

"You are not allowed to leave me when it's my time," she says quietly, and I can see the fear in her eyes.

I press a kiss to her forehead, "I wouldn't dream of it, Ep. That bad, huh?"

"Let's just say that you ought to love me a whole lot," she chuckles nervously.

"And you know I do," I reply.

I place lightly on her abdomen, and she covers her hand with mine, smiling with watery eyes. She reaches up to wipe a tear away and she laughs.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so emotional. You can blame it on your child," she giggles.

"Oh, my child, huh? I think this baby is a little of both of us," I smile, kissing her shoulder.

"Well, I suppose you're right," she says in a joking tone.

"You know, we don't really have room for another person in our flat. I think it's time to pick up our pace on preparing the cottage for moving."

"I think so too. And we'll actually have a nursery," she smiles.

I grin widely, thinking I am more blessed than ever, "Our own little family in our own little cottage."


	40. Chapter 40

**TRIGGER WARNING!**

Forty

_Eponine_

I must have slept late because when I wake, the space in the bed beside me is empty. Enjolras didn't wake me, presumably because he thought I needed rest. I have to say that I am grateful for a little extra sleep. I am still feeling rather lethargic, and I suppose that won't go away any time soon.

It's been a week since Cosette delivered her baby and they are both perfectly healthy. They decided to name him Jean Georges after Cosette's father and Marius's grandfather. I haven't been to see them since Enjolras and I left the manor that day, wanting to give them time to adjust and rest. However, I am just itching to hold that baby again. I assume my motherly instincts are kicking in.

We are running low on food in the cabinets, so I decide to stop by and visit our friends on the way to the market. It will keep me out of the house for longer, and the fresh air will be good for me. I might even pick up another book. I've been flying through the ones we have lately. As I step out of bed and change my clothes, I think I hear a noise from the living area.

"Gabriel?" I call, listening close for an answer.

When one doesn't come, I quickly assume that it is merely the foundation of the flat shifting or wind hitting the door. I don't hear another noise after that. I sling my basket on my arm and slip on my soles. My arm is reaching for the doorknob when a thick, grimy hand clamps down on my mouth. It comes as such a shock that I can't even scream. I drop the basket as I begin to claw at the large hand on my face. I feel a dull ache in my head and then everything goes black.

_Enjolras_

As I approach the flat, I immediately know something is wrong. The sight of the door ajar sends my heart racing. I quickly step inside and my heart rate only increases when I see Eponine's basket discarded on the floor in a rushed manner.

"Eponine?" I call loudly.

When there is no answer, the panic takes over. Eponine is gone, and it doesn't look like she went willingly. Slamming the door behind me, I immediately speed off to gather friends. The only one home and able to help me is Combeferre, so we go straight to Javert's office. We burst through the door without knocking and Javert looks up at us wide-eyed. I speak before he can.

"Eponine is gone. She's been taken, and I'm sure it had something to do with her father."

"Are you sure it's the Patron Minette?" he asks.

"Yes, I am sure. There is no one else it could be," I bite back testily, "And you should also know that she is pregnant. I fear for her and our child."

I can feel Combeferre's shocked eyes on me, but now is not the time to explain. Javert jumps up and begins to unlock one of his cabinets.

"There is a warehouse by the docks where we have been monitoring some gang activity. She'll likely be there. I'll go with you two to help," Javert places guns in the palms of both of our hands, "And Enjolras, we are to use whatever force necessary to get them back safely to you."

I nod, returning the grim look on his face, and we follow him at top speed out of the building and down the street.

_Eponine_

When I wake, there is a stabbing pain in my head and my cheek is pressed against a dusty surface. I am finally able to wake up completely and open my eyes, seeing that I am in a small, dilapidated room. I have no idea where I am or what happened, but I know I must get out of here. I push myself to my feet with much effort and rush to the door. I snatch on the knob, but to my horror, it's locked. Panic bubbles in my chest, and I feel tears sting my eyes. I snatch on the knob over and over again, rattling the door in its frame.

"Please someone! Please help!" I scream, pounding my fists on the wall.

I gasp as the door jerks toward me and Montparnasse pushes himself inside, slamming the door behind him. Fear creeps up into my throat. Why does he have me here?

"Now, now, 'Ponine, there's no reason to be screaming like that," he says evilly.

"Let me go, 'Parnasse," I say, my voice trembling.

"I don't think that will be happening."

My fight instincts takes over, and I lunge toward the door, trying to side-step around him. It doesn't work and he catches me around the waist. I scream and fight, clawing at his arms. Suddenly, pain blossoms in my middle and causes the breath to leave me, and I realize he has punched me in the stomach. While I am incapacitated, he hoists me up over his shoulder. A sob escapes my lips as he walks farther into the room.

"Well, since you're going to be like that…" he mumbles before slinging me down to the dirty wood floor.

Standing over me, he captures my wrists and ties them to the grate of the small fireplace. While I still have fight in me, I raise my leg and slam my heel into his knee. He yelps before slapping me hard across the cheek. Montparnasse squats in front of me and takes my chin roughly in his hand.

"I have no intention of hurting you. Quite the contrary really. You see, years ago, your father promised you to me, and I thought the time was right for me to take you as my own."

"I am a married woman! I will never be yours for the taking!" I scream, spitting at him.

A dark look flashes in his eyes, "We'll see about that," he snarls.

He jerks back and when he angrily jerks my skirt up my body, and a piece of me dies knowing what is going to happen. I The hot tears spill over in waves and I close my eyes, trying to will the world to disappear.


	41. Chapter 41

**Forty-One**

_Enjolras_

We approach the warehouse, our guns drawn. Javert hold his arm out to stop us from walking any further.

"Here's the plan. I knock the door down and we storm the place. Don't hesitate to shoot. We spread out and clear the entire place. Whoever comes to Eponine first needs to clear the room without putting her in danger and get her out of the warehouse safely. Got it?"

Combeferre and I nod sternly. We edge closer to the door. We find ourselves at the door of the warehouse quicker than I expected. We stand before the door, and Javert signals us on the count of three. Suddenly, the door flies open due to the force of Javert's foot.

"Police!" he yells.

We are instantly swarmed but all I register is the flashes of light and the bangs.

Bang. Bang. Bang. I hear bodies thump to the floor, and we scatter.

_Eponine_

My whole body aches, and my nose is bloodied. I am still attached to the grate of the fireplace and soot is now covering me, my clothes ripped. Just as Montparnasse leans over me to have another go, a loud crash echoes outside of the door. Montparnasse looks over his shoulder for a moment.

"Probably just a fight," he grumbles.

However the next sound stops his actions. I swear I hear gunshots.

"What the…" Montparnasse hisses, jumping up to go closer to the door.

My heart pounds in my chest as he pulls a gun out of the waistband of his trousers. I squeeze my eyes shut as the door to this dirty room I am in explodes. I hear a bang and a thud, and everything goes quiet. Rough hands begin to work at my bindings.

"Eponine, everything is going to be fine," a deep voice says.

I breathe a sigh of relief and open my eyes once I recognize Javert's voice.

"Javert, thank God," I wheeze, every part of me trembling.

I barely have any energy, and I think Javert senses that because he scoops me into his arms. I rest my head against his broad shoulder, shivering. He takes me out of the dilapidated building and across the street. Only seconds later, I hear people running toward me.

"Ep, oh thank God, Ep," Enjolras yells, running up to us.

His hands slide under me and I am shifted from Javert's arms to my husbands. I cling to him, burying my face in his neck, breathing in his scent of parchment, ink, and musk.

"Gabriel," I sob.

"What did they do to you, Ep?" he asks, his voice low and deathly.

"Not now. I just need to breathe for a moment."

Combeferre rips a piece of his shirt and hands it to me to hold to my nose to staunch the bleeding.

"We need to get you medical help. Enjolras, I'll fetch Joly if you just want to take her back to your flat," Combeferre offers.

I grip tightly to his shirt front, "No Gabriel, I don't want to go back there. I can't."

My emotional wounds are too fresh. I cannot go back to the place where I was taken.

His eyes soften as he looks down at me, "Alright, alright. We won't go there. We'll go - "

"You can go to my flat," Combeferre says.

Enjolras nods his thanks, and we continue toward shelter, Javert following behind. I know that this will only bring many more issues to come, but right now I am just happy to be in the arms of my beloved.

_Enjolras_

Combeferre parted from us to fetch Joly, but he gave Javert the key to his flat, and we let ourselves in. I am about to sit Eponine down on the couch when she shifts in my arms.

"Gabriel, I think I can stand. I really need to visit the washroom," she tells me.

"Of course," I reply, settling her down on her feet and waiting for her to keep steady.

I settle into a chair as I watch Eponine make her way to the washroom, Javert pacing the room. I wonder if he is normally this wound up when things like this happen. I rub my hands over my face and try to steady the trembling. My adrenaline is just now settling. However, a faint scream sends it pumping again.

"Gabriel," Eponine cries out.

Javert stops in his pacing and stares toward the washroom as I leap up and barge down the hall. I throw the door open to see Eponine standing there, her skirts gathered up and her face ashen. And then I see it. The thin red line making its way down her leg. She is bleeding. The baby. I quickly sweep her up into my arms and I feel her whole body trembling in terror.

"Gabriel no. Not the baby. Not again," she whimpers, eyes wide and full of tears.

I sit her down gently on the bed, brushing the hair from her face.

"It's going to be alright. Help is coming," I try to reassure, but my voice is shaking.

"I hadn't thought...'Parnasse he...he punched me when I tried to escape...slipped my mind," she moaned, the large tears now streaking down her face.

"It wasn't your fault, Ep. You just need to focus on relaxing. Joly will be here any minute."

I try to keep her calm, stroking her hand, pressing kisses to her temple, but each minute seems to take an eternity. I am beginning to go mad waiting for help to arrive. Finally I hear the door slam and footsteps heading toward us. I meet Joly at the bedroom door.

"She's bleeding...the baby," I rasp.

He nods at me and shuts the door behind him. I return to Eponine's bedside. Normally, Joly doesn't allow others to be in the room when he is treating a patient but I know he can sense this is not a normal case. We need to be together right now. Eponine is sobbing quietly.

"Eponine, we'll get you taken care of, I promise," Joly says calmly, beginning to clean the blood from her legs, "We'll check on your baby first, and then we'll take care of your bumps and bruises."

She whimpers again, her entire body trembling.

"Eponine, it is important that you stay calm. Can you do that for me? Focus on Enjolras," he says in again that calm voice.

It takes a special person to do what he does because I am panicking in the inside. How can he be so calm? But I am grateful for it because I can visible see Eponine begin to relax some. I stroke her hair, and she looks up at me with large, terrified eyes. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Joly moving about, doing his examination, but I am determined not to take my eyes off of Eponine. After a few minutes, Joly clears his throat, and we both look at him. He is tossing the instrument he just had pressed to Eponine's abdomen around his neck.

"Your baby is fine," he grins.

We both breathe a sigh of relief, and new tears flow from Eponine's eyes.

Joly holds up a finger, "However, you have clearly suffered abdominal trauma. The bleeding should stop, but if it ever returns you must notify me immediately. I also suggest very little activity over the next few weeks and to take it easy for the rest of your pregnancy."

Eponine nods vigorously, "Okay, thank you Joly."

As Joly begins to bandage her cuts and scraps, I step out of the room to tell Javert and Combeferre that the baby is fine. They both look relieved.

Javert stands, "Well, the Patron Minette has been taken care of for good. A team has looked over our raid and found every last one to be dead, including Thenardier. You can sleep peacefully tonight, Enjolras, knowing your child is alright and your wife's assailants are gone."

"Thank you," I say, shaking the man's hand.

"Of course. Do not hesitate to contact me should you need me. Let me hear word of Eponine and how she is healing."

With that, he leaves and Joly exits the bedroom.

"She is asleep Enjolras," he tells me.

I nod and slump down onto the sofa. I do hope Javert is right. I do hope we can all sleep peacefully tonight after what has happened.


	42. Chapter 42

**Forty Two**

_Eponine_

Recovery is slow. Painstakingly slow. And even know I am technically "in the clear," Enjolras won't let me do so much as lift a finger. I know he is worried, but I just feel so useless. While I spent a few days at Combeferre's being monitored, Enjolras employed the help of friends to simply get the basics set up at our new house. Having owned it for several months now, it really is quite silly that we don't live it in yet, but now as I am refusing to stay in the flat, we have an excuse to move things along. Tonight, we spend our first night in our cottage as officially living there. I am spending the day resting at Combeferre's, being watched like a hawk by Musichetta. It's really quite annoying, although I know she and the rest of my friends do care about me. I realize that I haven't begun to pack up what little belongings I have here, and Enjolras will be here soon to pick me up. I move to stand and Musichetta nearly launches herself into the air.

"Sit, sit, sit! I'll take care of it, whatever it is," Musichetta shrieks, waving her hands at me.

"'Chetta, I am capable of walking around the flat," I huff, settling back against the sofa so she doesn't faint.

"I know that, but I am under strict orders from your husband that you are to exert no energy whatsoever."

I sigh and rub a hand over my face, "Fine. I just need my few things packed up so that I'll be ready when Gabriel gets here."

Not an hour later, Enjolras arrives. With a sigh, he leans down and places a kiss to my head before greeting Musichetta.

"Are you ready, love?" he asks.

"More than ever."

I am ready to be rid on this constant watch. It makes me feel like a child. At least when Enjolras insists on doing it, I can see the crease of concern around his eyes. I stand and tuck myself into his side. He has brought the carriage to transport us, as it is a lengthy walk from Combeferre's. When we arrive, it is like I am seeing the cottage for the first time all over again. It's beauty takes my breath away, and I remember the night we spent here only a few months ago, quite newly husband and wife. It was magical. And I know many years to come will only get better.

Enjolras spends the remainder of the evening watching my every move, as I expected he would. After a brief heated argument, he is begrudgingly letting me walk around the house instead of confining me to a piece of furniture. After all, there is only a bed and sofa for me to choose from, and I refuse to be confined. Being the gem he is, Enjolras makes us dinner and we eat in the overgrown, yet beautiful garden due to the lack of dining table. It is a good, peaceful evening.

That night, I sigh contently once I am wrapped in his arms in our bed, the large window bathing us in moonlight. His thumb is tracing circles on my abdomen, our legs intertwined.

"I know you don't want to return to the flat, but we must pack it up. I thought maybe if we were all there - the amis - and we only worked in the day time, we could get it done tomorrow. I don't want to leave you here alone all day," he says softly.

"I suppose that will be alright. It will keep my mind off of it."

The day after being rescued, I finally told Enjolras everything that occurred during my kidnapping. I will never get the image out of my mind of how he shook with fury, red from his ears to his toes. I wasn't afraid though. I could never be afraid of my Gabriel. I know he was angry at the men who hurt me, men who can never hurt me again thanks to Javert, Enjolras, and Combeferre. I remember bursting into tears when he told me they had all been killed. He apologized, but I quickly corrected him, telling him they were tears of relief. I finally feel like the monsters that haunt my mind, haunt my every moment are gone. I thought I got a new start with Enjolras, and to some degree I did, but my past still chased after me. Now, it is gone forever. Now the darkness is gone, and I can truly live, unafraid. That's all I've ever wanted. I snuggle into Enjolras's chest and his stubble tickles my skin as he kisses my forehead.

I stand in the living area of the flat, watching our friends bustle about. Stepping in for the first time since the attack was hard, considering all I felt was the fear that consumed me. But this moving day is rather boring consider Enjolras won't even let me lift a piece of cutlery. I tried to tell him that I was alright, but he won't have me do anything but watch and order people around. Watching through the opening to the kitchen, I see Enjolras arguing with Combeferre about how to pack our dishes and I smirk. Suddenly, a thought strikes me. Now's the chance for me to put myself to use instead of just standing here. Enjolras is much too occupied to police my every movement. I sneak into the bedroom alone and begin running my fingertips along the spines of the many books on the bookshelf. One by one I pull the books off of the shelf and begin to stack them in my arms. Just as I pull the last I can hold off of the shelf, I feel a hand on my waist. I jump, all of the books tumbling from my arms.

Enjolras clears his throat, "And just what do you think you are doing?"

I hit him lightly on the arm, "Don't do that! You scared me, and I dropped all the books. I just want to help. I want to feel useful," I whine.

He brushes a strand of hair back from my face, "I know you don't feel like it, but you are being quite useful actually. You have the most important job. You are tasked with taking care of yourself and keeping our child in good health," he says, placing a hand gently on my abdomen.

Tears well in my eyes. I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it's just the hormones or maybe it's that he's actually made me feel very important when I've felt entirely useless and inept the past week. I place my hands on each side of his neck and pull him to me for a lingering kiss. Enjolras finally pulls away and places a soft kiss on my nose.

"We're almost finished packing. After we can spend sometime with just you and me, maybe enjoy the garden. We can unpack later," he states.

"That sounds perfect," I smile.


	43. Chapter 43

Forty Three

_Enjolras_

It has been a few months, and Eponine has had no other trouble with her pregnancy. We successfully completely moved into the cottage, filling the rooms with new furniture and life. Eponine was not happy that I did not let her help me unpack and put things in their places, but she was a bit satisfied that she got to order me around, telling me to do this and that.

As her stomach grows, I find it harder and harder to leave her at home as I go to work each day. Just a month ago, I felt the baby move for the first time. It was magical, and it only made me more excited to become a father. I cannot wait to hold my child, our child, in my arms.

Today is just like any other day, and as soon as I finish my work at the firm, I speed home, anxious to be with my wife and unborn child. I unlock the gate and take the short path to the front door, smiling at the birdhouse Eponine insisted we install in the front yard. She wanted it to look welcoming. The sound of the door shutting echoes through the cottage as I enter. I am surprised that Eponine isn't in the kitchen. She has loved having a bigger space and I often find her baking treats or experimenting with our dinner. Kicking off my boots and setting down my satchel, I go off to search for her in the cottage. I step into the doorway of our shared study and see her nestled into the sette, a book resting on her large stomach and her brow furrowed.

"What are you reading, love?" I ask, walking closer to her.

Her head snaps up, "Oh, you're home. I suppose I lost track of time. I was just reading through my favorite again."

I sit beside her and place a kiss to her forehead, "I'm glad you were enjoying yourself. You should rest like this more often."

"I know. I just go so stir crazy. I have to be doing something," she huffs.

"Well, you are doing something. You're keeping yourself and the baby healthy."

"Speaking of the baby, we had a good talk today," she giggles.

I raise my eyebrows, "Oh did you now?"

"Well, I suppose I was the one doing all the talking. It was rather amazing. When I would speak, the baby would kick and move, like he or she was trying to respond."

"That is remarkable," I say, stroking my hand across her bump.

"You try," she demands.

I clear my throat and lean down, "Hello there, baby. This is your Papa. We are so excited to meet you. You are already so loved."

As if on cue, I feel a thump against my palm.

Eponine gasps, "Did you feel that?"

I nod and press a kiss to her bump, "You know, we should probably think about giving Baby a name."

"Well, I'd like to have Azelma in her name if it's a girl," she says, resting her head on my shoulder.

"And Grantaire if it's a boy," I suggest.

"I just don't know what we should call the baby," Eponine sighs.

I think for a moment, "Well, maybe we don't have to pick that part of his or name right now. Maybe we can wait until he or she is born and decide from there."

"I like that idea," Eponine smiles.

"Now, how about you keep reading that book, and I'll find us something to eat."

"If you insist," she smirks, pressing a kiss to my lips.

_Eponine_

Today, I am spending the day with Cosette. She wanted to spend the day with me, helping me get basics for the baby and giving me tips for when Enjolras and I are finally parents. Enjolras and I picked out things for the nursery about a week ago, and he told me that he would take care of putting it all together. He practically pushes me out the front door, giving me a quick kiss. I know he is anxious to get to work. Cosette links arms with me and begins to talk my ear off about diapers and feedings and labor.

Hours later, we return. Cosette hands all our packages of diapers and clothes to Enjolras, who promptly sits them on the floor. After bidding her goodbye, he takes me hand and smiles.

"Did you have a good day?"

"Well, yes. Although I do think I know more than humanly possible about babies now," I smirk.

"I knew she would thoroughly educate you," he laughs.

"If that's what you wish to call it," I huff.

I love my friend, but she is a bit overwhelming and over the top sometimes.

"Are you ready to see the nursery?" he asks excitedly.

"I can't wait."

He covers my eyes and leads me through the cottage, gently guiding me by the small of my back. When he finally uncovers my eyes, I gasp. The room is full of light, decorated in soft white. There is a rocking chair, armoire, and wooden crib standing in the room. A small mobile of little lambs hangs above the crib.

"It's beautiful Gabriel," I say, tears swimming in my eyes.

"There's a matching cradle in our room. I thought we could add color once we know if Baby is a he or she," he responds, kissing the top of my head.

"I think that's a wonderful idea. Thank you," I smile.

He places a hand on my large stomach and looks down into my eyes, "Anything for you two."

**Author's Note: Alright guys. I am so sorry it has taken so long to get this chapter out. I have been so busy with school. I'm sorry this isn't much, but it's all I could manage right now. Seeing as I have a hard time making time for writing, I will be ending this story very soon. There will be one more chapter and an epilogue. Thanks for sticking with me. **

**~loislane16**


	44. Chapter 44

**Forty Four**

**_Eponine_**

The pain woke me up. Being just into my ninth month of pregnancy, I analyze every little thing that happens with my body. I I was able to fall asleep early and it's still early in the night, so I am very annoyed with the baby for waking me up when it is so hard for me to sleep anyway. I roll over onto my back, trying to shift into a more comfortable position. I stare up at the ceiling, hand on stomach, just waiting for another pain to shoot through my abdomen. I wait for what feels like forever, but nothing happens. I close my eyes and nuzzle back into the blanket. As I am drifting back off to sleep again, another pain hits. This time I groan, partly from pain and partly from frustration. Enjolras shifts beside me, and I know I have woken him up, something I didn't want to do. There is no reason for him to be alarmed if nothing really is going on.

"Are you all right?" he asks, his voice heavy with sleep.

"I've just had a pain," I say.

He sits up on his elbow to look at me, now much more awake.

"Do you think…"

I cut him off, "I don't know. This is only the second time it happened and everything is just uncomfortable now that I'm this big."

"Let's just wait and see."

I barely make out the whites of his eyes in the moonlight, so that's where I look. I enter into another anxious waiting period. We stare at each other unwaveringly for a long while before another cramp breaks my stare with him.

"That's the third one," I explain when it passes.

Enjolras immediately throws the covers back and lights the oil lamp, making me squint.

"It may be a false alarm, but I'm going to get Joly. I would rather us be over prepared than under prepared."

I nod at him and prop myself up with pillows, watching him quickly change into a loose linen shirt and his trousers. He leans over and kisses me on the forehead, placing a hand on my large stomach.

"I'll be back soon."

While he is gone, I experience more cramps and I know that I'm in labor. Yes, I've never done this before, but I have a woman's intuition. I know I am only a few hours from meeting my baby. It terrifies me and thrills me all at the same time. Before I know it, my husband is back with Joly at his heels.

I explain what I've been feeling and Joly decides to perform an examination. Only a few minutes later, Joly smiles at me.

"Well Eponine, you are definitely in labor. Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I look up to Enjolras whose face has gone ashen, "I need you."

He sits down on the bed beside me and grips my hand, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you however you need me."

"Thank you," I whisper.

**_Enjolras_**

Eponine grips my hand with crushing force as another pain rips through her. It is now the middle of the night and very little progress has been made. Every time she lets out a cry of pain, I just want to take it away from her, but the only thing I can do to help is just be here. I help her move into various positions that she thinks will help ease the pain. Now, she's sitting on the side of the bed, leaning forward against me as I support her. I hear her gasp for breath as the pain eases up and she tilts her head back to look at me.

"This isn't working. I have to walk or something."

"Tell me what you want, and I'll help in any way possible," I tell her, brushing back some of her sweaty hair.

I help her stand and she begins to slowly pace the room. I give her distance but stay close enough to help. Joly has be in and out, checking progress along the way. After only an hour or so of walking, Eponine is having greater and longer pains. The gasps and moans escaping her are making me more and more anxious. I want to take her pain away, but I don't know what to do to help. Joly comes back into the room and decides he wants to examine her again. I help her climb onto the bed and stroke her wrist with my thumb as he begins.

"Alright Eponine, it's time to start pushing now," he announces, "Enjolras, could you help her slide to the edge of the bed and sit behind her for support?"

I do as he says and prop her up against me. She reaches back and squeezes my knee, and I know she is nervous. I press a kiss to the crown of her head and reach so she can grasp my hand.

"You can do this, Ep," I whisper.

And then it begins. Her cries of pain with every push break my heart. Sweat soaks her forehead and she grips my hand with crushing force. She throws her head back against my shoulder in another anguished cry and I whisper encouraging words in her ear. Several hours later, just as the sun begins to shine through the window, another cry joins Eponine's, but it is softer and sweeter. Eponine collapses against me, gasping for breath. After a few minutes, Joly brings a small bundle up and places it in Eponine's waiting arms.

"Congratulations, you have a daughter," he smiles.

Eponine lets out a quiet sob and I place a kiss on her cheek while staring down at the squirming baby.

"You did it, Ep." I smile.

"We did it. She's beautiful."

"She is."

Joly cleans the baby and Eponine up and helps us readjust so that Eponine is comfortably reclining in bed, the baby nestled into her arm, and I sit beside her.

"What will we name her?" I ask, stroking the baby's cheek with my finger.

"What about Lucie? It means light. She's our light," Eponine smiles.

"Lucie Azelma Enjolras. It's beautiful, just like her," I exclaim.

And now I can see it. My long time dream of growing old with my wife, sitting with her while our grandchildren run around our feet. That is going to be a reality one day. We've finally been brought out of this darkness. We've been given our light: Lucie Azelma.

**Author's Note: Hello readers. I am so sorry that I have been MIA for so long. I have been incredibly busy and I have lost inspiration for this story. I have been working on school work, community work, and I have been working on my novel as inspiration strikes. So, this is the last installment of this story. I wanted to thank you all for sticking with me and supporting me. It has been great. I will probably not appear for a long time on this site as I work more and more on my novel. If you want to check that out, visit my website: .com. Once again, Thank you so much. I am grateful for all of you and this journey we've been through. **

**~loislane16**


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Les Miserables, Drama, Romance