Enjolras stands before the Police, his eyes firm. "Wait." Says a voice coming from the stairs. Grantaire's smile greets them all. He's sober. Somehow, this is the one time Enjolras wishes Grantaire was drunk. What if he could've survived. 'Grantaire, no!' he hisses. 'Run.' Grantaire smiles.

'No. Kill me with him.' Grantaire walks around the National Guard. He stands next to Enjolras. He flashes him a smile and then faces them. 'Kill me with the French Revolution,' he repeats, his voice strains, louder.

Enjolras closes his mind to the fact that he's about to die. And he smiles. It seems right that the Captain should go down with his ship. And he thinks about something else, another moment. The moment before the Barricade fell to pieces.

...

The small figure ran along the streets, her arms close to her body. She had to reach Marius. The girl didn't know why she wanted to deliver the letter so badly. She loved Marius. But he didn't love her. Even so, the girl moved forward, her chocolate eyes watching the scene around her. She shivered. The rain dripped down her body, her hair, her clothes. The wind was light, but still, she shivered. The girl shivered, and she ran. And then she saw something that made her stop. It was the Rue de l'Homme-Arme'. Cosette's place. She was there. Marius' letter felt like it was slicing open her hands. It was meant for someone else. She didn't know why she was going to deliver the letter. She coughed, a short cough that rasped in her throat. Eponine stepped forward, her hand in a fist. And then she knocked. There was silence. A part of Eponine wanted to seize the opportunity to run back to Marius, get rid of the letter and lie. She knocked again though. And it was opened by an elderly gentleman. She recognised him slightly. Why of course, Eponine thought, he's The Man In Yellow. He smiled kindly at her. "Do you need something, boy?" Eponine wanted, in that moment to say no and flee, like a sparrow. Like a lark.

"I need to speak to Cosette." The Man In Yellow's eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"For what?"

"I just need to. Alone. Please. We won't leave this area, and then you'll get her back. Please, Monsieur, please." And Eponine's eyes were so worried, so scared.

The man sighed. "Wait here."

Eponine thought, in his absence. She thought and then she realised. She didn't just need to deliver a letter. She needed to talk to Cosette. And she was so god-damned scared.

Soon the door opened again, and Cosette was there. She was pretty now. She didn't look like her parent's drudgery maid. Their scape-goat. Cosette's eyes flickered upwards. "Hello," she smiled. A worried smile. Of course. Eponine thought for the second time in a few minutes. She's worried for Marius. We can empathise on that.

"Hello," replied Eponine.

"Is anything wrong?" Cosette asked. Her voice was so, so sweet.

"Close the door please." Cosette did as she requested. "Nothing's wrong, Mademoiselle Fauchelevent."

"Is it Marius?" Cosette's voice was a bare whisper.

Trembling, Eponine handed her the letter. It disgusted her and lured her at the same time. It disgusted her because it was Cosette's. It lured her because it was Marius'.

"He asked me to give it to you. He's on the Barricade you know." Cosette lowered her gaze.

"I know."

"I also needed to talk to you about something else." Cosette's eyes flashed in surprise. Cosette stepped closer to the street-urchin. The bourgeois and the street-rat. Eponine nearly laughed out loud from the irony.

"Yes?" Cosette asked. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't blame Marius for liking… this. Eponine's entire body stiffened.

"It's me. Eponine." For a moment there was fear. Eponine's entire body was coarse, waiting for the insults, the rubbing in, maybe even a blow. They never came.

"Eponine," Cosette repeated again. Her lips then curled into a smile. "Eponine. How long it's been."

"You aren't going to hit me? Aren't going to tell me about how low I've fallen, how ironic, everything's turned out? You aren't going to even slam the door?" Eponine's eyes were wide and she stared at the pretty girl before her.

Cosette smiled as she shook her head. "Wait here, again. My apologies, I forgot something."

Eponine wanted to run away. She was freezing and she wanted to run from here. She knew that she was getting punishment. But she didn't run. Payback. Now I'm the scape-goat for my parents. The Irony never ends. And then Cosette came back. There was no broom, nothing that could hurt her. Instead, there was a green jacket. "This is my father's," Cosette explained, "he never uses it anymore." And before Eponine could say another word, the jacket was around her. And it was warm. And it wasn't even uncomfortably hot. In Summer, she died from heat, in Winter she froze to death. And here she was. Alive.

"I need to apologize, Cosette." Eponine was astounded by those words.

Cosette shook her head. "You never hurt me. It was your parents' fault. Not yours, or Azelma's." Eponine stiffened at the mention of her sister.

"But-but I used to make fun of you. You were my scape-goat. Mama's toy."

"Yes. Your Mama's. Not yours. You were a child. You can't be blamed for your actions. But Eponine, if you want to make it up to me, so badly, you'll tell me your story. As for me, everything went up from there. Spent my life in a convent." Eponine hesitated. She'd probably be the object of all gossip. If she made it through the following days. What did she have to lose?

"My parents went bankrupt. That's when my torture started. Father beat me, Mama didn't try to stop him. Then he joined Patron-Minette, and many times I was injured, and hurt, and violated, and then, of course my stupid heart just had to fall for Marius Pontmercy, who was always too much of an airhead to think me more than a friend." Too much information, Eponine. This is Cosette. Now you've got it coming.

"I'm sorry, Eponine. Marius is your only friend. I'm so, so sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. For all those years under Mama and Papa's reign."

"There's no need." Eponine started to turn. "And Eponine. Once this is over and we come back to France like I know we will, our door is always open to you. Stay safe." And then Cosette went inside.

Eponine had a nice feeling inside her. Cosette didn't hate her! Even after her parents were slightly the reason for her death. Eponine ran, once more, through the streets. This time toward the barricade. The rain was heavier now but she didn't feel it too much. The jacket warmed her. The cold bit into her feet, even though they were in shoes. The soles were worn out and chill spread through her body. She gasped as she ran through a puddle. The barricades. Eponine ran towards them, and scrambled up the heap of furniture. "THERE'S A BOY CLIMBING THE BARRICADES!" Someone called out. Then there was a bang. Eponine stumbled and landed on a coffin, with her back against a barrel of gunpowder. Just like my life is exploding right now. No more irony, thought a voice in her head.

And then Marius was there. "What the hell are you doing, 'Ponine? Have you seen Cosette?"

Eponine coughed. "Yes, Monsieur Pontmercy. I talked with her. To apologize. We knew each other as children. In fact, we looked after her. A certain swapping of ranks has taken place." She attempted to smile. She failed.

Marius fitted his hand in the small of her back. His body tightened when he felt warmth. He took his hand away. Red coated his fingers. "'Ponine, you're bleeding." Eponine smiled.

"I've been bleeding for a long time Marius. You know, I can really see why you love Cosette and not me." She coughed, accidentally spraying Marius with blood.

"Eponine, I love you." Eponine's body was failing. She smiled with her eyes.

"N-not like that, Monsieur. You're in love with Cosette. Not me." Marius' eyes glazed over in shock.

"E-Eponine. What do you mean?"

"Goodbye Marius. Please survive. For Cosette. But one more thing. Remember how you were in my debt. When I close my eyes, please kiss me."

Eponine felt her life dripping away from her. She coughed again. Her eyes were now half-lidded. Eponine was tired. She glanced down at her jacket. It was soaked in crimson. Eponine smiled, and felt Marius close her eyes for her. Then she felt his lips against her forehead. And she smiled.

...

Enjolras carried the limp figure of the broken boy. His head lolled and the cap from his head. A mane of dark brown curls escaped and flowed down towards the ground. This was the girl. The girl that was in love with Marius. His shadow. Her lips were a perfect cupid's bow. There was a green jacket around her, probably from a sympathetic bourgeois. Her face was losing colour quickly. The red dripped from the wound in her chest. It dribbled in all directions, The red was trickling down her neck. Her hair was matting together from the blood. This was the Jondrette girl. And then for a moment her eyes opened. They were staring. Chocolate brown. She smiled, dimples showing in her cheeks. And then her eyes closed again. Her arm dropped from her wound and hung by her side.

Enjolras lay her body against the cobblestones. Her skin was like porcelain. Her lips were perfect. The red made the fabric slightly brown.

That was the beginning of the barricade. And maybe a little bit the end of it.

...

Enjolras smiles as he thinks of that girl. How her eyes opened. And the dimples in her cheeks. He faces the National Guard, his golden curls being ignited by the light. He has the flag tied around his waist. It's the same colour as his coat. He raises it slightly and smiles even wider. "Vive la France." It's loud above the gunshots below. He exchanges glances with his friend. The shots ring out. Then Enjolras falls.