Disclaimer: The only character that is mine is Nadine Enjolras. The rest belong to Victor Hugo and I'm just borrowing them for the time being.
Author's note: Because I'm old school (meaning that I'm the most familiar with the Original London and Broadway casts from the 80's), Enjolras and Eponine will be portrayed by Michael Maguire and Frances Ruffelle respectively. So here's the cast list:
Enjolras: Michael Maguire
Eponine: Frances Ruffelle
Nadine: Bevin Prince (from One Tree Hill)
Joly: Matt Cammelle (yes, he was Feuilly in the TAC, but for this story he'll be the med student)
Grantaire: Anthony Crivello
Marius: Michael Ball
Cosette: Judy Kuhn
Javert: Philip Quast
Jean Valjean: Colm Wilkinson
Chapter 1
It was a warm summer night in Paris. There was a bit of a breeze as Éponine Thénardier made her way back to the barricade. She'd done what Marius had asked, delivered the letter to Cosette. The old man told her he would make sure she received it.
She knew she had to hurry or else she would not be able to get back in time; she wondered if Marius had sent her on this errand to save her from the fighting. Truth of the matter was that she had joined the insurrection because she had hope that the barricade would make at least some difference.
She quickened her step, knowing that she wanted to get back to help.
Denis Enjolras finished the preparations for the barricade. There were many good Parisians among them, ready to fight for the rights of the poor, so France could become a republic. He and his fellow students, as well some of the women of Paris, and the group included his younger sister, Nadine.
Nadine had run away from the home they'd grown up in when she learned what he was up to. He was concerned for her, but he knew she shared his ideals. He'd even tried to send her away but she wouldn't go. "I can't fight this war if I'm concerned for you, sister," he'd said.
"Yes you can, because I share your views and ideals, brother," she'd retorted in kind. "And perhaps I can help Monsieur Joly with the wounded."
In the end, that logic had won him over, but he'd made her promise that she would stay out of the fray as much as she could. As a result, she remained in the tavern close by the barricade. It would be there where she would tend the wounded and wait. One of her other unofficial duties as well included keeping an eye on the police spy Javert, who'd been exposed by the street urchin Gavroche.
She feared for her older brother. What if he was killed in this insurrection? Where would that leave her?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a gunshot and shouting. Suddenly, the door burst open and Enjolras came in carrying a young girl who looked no older than sixteen or seventeen.
"Her name's Éponine Thénardier," he told her. "She's been wounded in the shoulder when she was climbing the barricade. The bastards mistook her for a boy."
Joly was behind him, ready to assist Nadine if she needed it. He was the medical student of the group, so he could give her guidance and advice for her first wounded revolutionary. She turned to him. "How bad is it? Be honest with me."
In response, he tore open Éponine's coat and quickly examined her. "It's clean. The ball went clear through. We'll need some hot water and I'll grab my bag over there. Nadine, see if there are any clean linens that we can rip into strips for bandages."
She nodded and approached the bartender about the needed linens. The man directed her to a closet behind the bar where there were clean white sheets. She immediately set to work, ripping the sheets into makeshift bandages. There were also clean washcloths in the closet as well and she grabbed those, knowing she'd need them.
It was an agonizing few hours, but Joly and Nadine cleaned the wound, and bandaged Éponine's shoulder. The only response they'd gotten was the occasional moan of pain from the patient in question. However, they were sure she was past the worst. But the young waif wasn't out of danger just yet. There was still the fear of infection. All they could do was wait.