I Will Wait For You
Disclaimer: I own nothing. None of the characters and none of the recognisable words.
Rating: T for character death.
Pairing: Éponine/ Enjolras
A/N: Slight AU from the musical. Sequel to my We Are All Alone story.
"There's a boy climbing the barricade!" She heard a voice call. A gunshot. It stung her. She stumbled from the broken bits of furniture and sat on the edge of an upturned table.
"Good God! What are you doing? 'Ponine, have you no fear?" It was Enjolras. Marius had moved forward to hold her but Enjolras had beaten him to the chance. "Why have you come back here?"
She took slow breaths and stared up at him. The night before they were in each other's arms. She was there again. But she was dying. "Delivered a letter for Monsieur Marius." She tried to stand up but she couldn't. She fell back into his arms. "I don't think I can stand any more."
"Éponine, what's wrong?" He stroked her head, pushing her hat away, her long hair tumbled down from its confines. "There's something wet upon your hair." He brought his hand away from her hair. Blood. She was bleeding. "No. Éponine, you're hurt. You need some help." He was becoming frantic. Was he losing her? He pulled her coat apart. "Oh, God, it's everywhere!" He looked up at Joly, desperate for help. But the young medical student knew it was no use. Joly shook his head silently and turned to help a friend in need, someone who could survive.
"Don't you fret, Enjolras." She smiled weakly at him. "Did I do good? Did I fall in love with you?"
He tried to smile but he couldn't. "You did. I did too." He pulled her closer to him. Enjolras ignored the looks he was receiving from his friends. For as long as they have known him, they have never known him to show affection towards a woman. But now he was showing it for Marius' shadow? That is what they called her. Marius' shadow, the girl who just followed him around. "We have to move you. Get you better."
"Don't you fret, Monsieur Enjolras. I don't feel any pain." She chuckled nervously. That was a big lie. She was in so much pain. She put on a brave face.
Droplets of rain started to fall on them all. "Let's get her inside." Enjolras whispered as he shifted her in his arms but stopped when she gave a small cry and gripped his arm tighter. "Éponine?"
"A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now." She leant her head against his chest, hearing his heartbeat comforted her. It was racing. It felt good. "You're here, that's all I need to know." She let out a shuddering breath. "And you will keep me safe and you will keep me close. And rain will make the flowers grow."
"No," he whispered, "I'm losing you. But you will live, 'Ponine." He kissed her forehead. "Dear God above. If I could heal your wounds with words of love." The rain was light as it fell down upon them.
She smiled. "Just hold me now, and let it be." She pulled herself closer to him; her head resting on his shoulder. "Shelter me, comfort me."
He was crying. It was only last night when he finally had her in his arms. She was in her arms again, but he was losing her again. "You will live a hundred years. If I could show you how. I won't desert you now." He bent down, brushing his lips against her parted ones. Enjolras could feel every eye on them. He had been right the night before. Not one of them had noticed him watching this girl from afar. The rain grew heavier and he attempted to hide her from the weather.
"The rain can't hurt me now. This rain will wash away what's past." She gasped as the pain of her injury grew and then subsided. "And you will keep me safe, and you will keep me close. I'll sleep in your embrace once more." Her own tears mingled with the raindrops. "Monsieur Enjolras."
"Hush-a-bye, dear Éponine. You won't feel any pain." He pulled her closer, their faces inches from each other. "A little fall of rain can hardly hurt you now. I'm here."
"That's all I need to know." She was close to sobbing. She was trying to stay strong for him. "And you will keep me safe, and you will keep me close." Her life was slowly slipping away. She knew it.
He could feel it. Her breathing grew shallow and her grip on his sleeve was loosening with every passing second. "I will stay with you, till you are sleeping."
"I will wait for you," she whispered, "right at the pearly gates."
He chuckled and bent down, kissing her softly. "I will be right behind you." His voice a soft whisper.
"And rain will make the flowers..." She was gone. Died right there, in his arms.
"Grow," he finished for her. "'Ponine." He cried softly. She was gone. He had her for a brief moment, and now she was gone. "My God! Éponine." He kissed her forehead once more before Combeferre stepped forward and lifted her up, taking her away from the chaos and the rain. His original fight was for the people for Paris. Now, it was in her name. "For Éponine." Her hand gripped in his hand, putting it into his pocket for safe keeping.
A/N: Due to the whole of tumblr now shipping these two, I had to write another story. I may even do a different era for the two of them. I hope you all enjoyed this story. :)