Bonjour! I am finally back with an update of A Hopeful Encounter! I am so very sorry I took so long to update! I'm in a camp, which is from nine to three every day. And then two days ago I had written a VERY long chapter, and I was very proud of it, and then I forgot to save it and all my work was deleted! I'm actually pretty sure I saved it, but I must not have, since it was all gone when I looked back at it. And so yesterday I started writing it again, and I was almost done when my cat jumped on the keyboard, exiting the fanfiction screen before I had saved my work! It made me so mad.
Anyway, a hundred hugs to my reviewers! xoxoxo All rights belong to Victor Hugo. I dearly hope you like this chapter!
Eponine groaned as she opened her eyes. She was lying in a comfortable bed in some small room, but she couldn't make out what it looked like as everything was hazy. Someone was dabbing at her head with a cool cloth. She eventually able to see that it was Azelma as her eyes adjusted.
" 'Zelma!" Eponine cried. She tried to sit up but a terrible pain shot up her arm and she was forced to lie back down.
"Relax, 'Ponine," Azelma said. "You need rest."
"Where am I? And what happened?"
"You were shot. One of those schoolboys got into a fight with a police officer and pulled out his gun. He shot you by accident. At least that's what Marius tells me."
"And where am I?"
"In Marius Pontmercy's chambers."
"What?" Eponine's eyes widened.
"In Marius Pontmercy's chambers," Azelma repeated. "Oh, 'Ponine, don't act so shocked. You have been exposed to the evilst of evils, and you're upset about being in some student bourgeois' chambers? What's going on between the two of you, anyway?"
"Nothing!" Eponine said. She could feel her cheeks turning red.
Azelma raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Then why are you blushing, eh?"
"I am not blushing!" Eponine insisted.
"Oh, come on, 'Ponine. There must be something going on. You can tell me. I'm your sister."
"Fine, I'll tell you," Eponine grumbled. "This is what I think of him: I hate the very sight of him. He used me, 'Zelma! He used me like I was a child's doll. The girl has fun with it, and then she becomes too old for it and throws it away."
"But how did he use you, 'Ponine?"
"Well, at first I thought he was simply grateful to me for getting Cosette's address, but then I began to suspect there was something else. Apparently, our Papa saved his Papa's life during the Battle of Waterloo. Accidentally, of course. 'E probably thought Pontmercy was dead and he was gonna get gold out of him."
Footsteps suddenly became audible down the hall. "Azelma, tell him I'm asleep!" Eponine cried. She closed her eyes and parted her lips the tiniest bit.
The door was swung open. "Monsieur," said Azelma politely.
"Thank you," said the voice of Marius. "You are a wonderful sister and friend. I will take care of her now. Get some rest, um-er...?"
"Azelma. My name is Azelma."
Eponine opened her eyes the tiniest bit and caught Marius smiling. She quickly shut them.
"Very well, Azelma," he said. "Get some sleep."
Eponine's heart sank as her sister's footsteps disappeared down the hall.
A cool cloth was pressed to her forehead. Marius came and sat on the edge of the bed. Eponine was sure her cheeks were bright red; she hoped he wouldn't notice. Even though she was an invalid, being in Marius Pontmercy's bed made her very uncomfortable. She didn't know why she felt this way; she had shared a bed with Thenardier's abusive friends so many nights before, she had witnessed drinking, prostitution, debauchery, rape, murder, and so many other horrors-so why did she feel so embarrassed around Marius? Why did her heart beat so and her cheeks feel so red?
After a few minutes, Marius said, "Eponine, you may give up the act any time now. I know you're awake."
Eponine sighed and opened her eyes.
"Does it hurt?" Marius asked. "Your arm, I mean?"
"Of course it hurts!" the girl snapped. "It's been shot, for God's sake!"
Marius winced at her sharp tone, but didn't say anything about it. "We couldn't call for a doctor, you know," he continued. "You're a Thenardier. Your father is one of the most wanted criminals in all of France, and considering he lives just down the hall, it would not be safe to call a doctor. But we are going to call my friend Joly over tomorrow. He is a student of medicine. It's too late now; he's helping Grantaire, who is having yet another terrible hangover. You'll be fine, though; it's only an arm wound."
"I know," Eponine said, gritting her teeth. "You don't need to do this."
"Do what?"
"Take care of me. I'm not a baby, and I've taken care of myself lots before. I'll be fine."
"No," said Marius firmly. "You will stay here, and that is final."
There was a knock on the door. "Marius, let me in," said a voice.
"It's open."
The door was swung open again and a handsome young man with curly brown hair and dark eyes stepped through the door.
"Hello," said Marius. "Eponine, this is Counerfeyrac, a friend of mine."
"A pleasure to meet you," said the man. "Mademoiselle, I am terribly sorry. This is all my fault."
"How is it your fault, Monsieur?" Eponine wondered.
"I was the one arguing with the policeman. He took out his gun. He's apparently a terrible shot, because he got you instead."
" 'Tis not matter," Eponine muttered, though she did feel angry. "You're fighting for a good cause."
Counerfeyac loked surprised. Then he smiled. "You're a good girl, Eponine. And you'll be fine with Marius as your lover. I've never known such a fine man as him."
"He's not my lover," Eponine said quickly.
"Well, whatever he is...be glad you have him." Counerfeyac kissed Eponine's cheek and whispered in Marius' ear before exiting the room.
"He seems nice," said Eponine.
"He is a wonderful person, and he is sincerely sorry about all of this," said Marius. "Now, why don't you get some sleep. Joly will be here in the morning."
"But where will you sleep?"
"On the floor," said Marius, grinning. "I don't mind."
Eponine turned her head and saw him, with a goofy grin on his face and a pillow in his hand, and she laughed. She couldn't help it. She laughed so hard her head hurt, and Marius laughed too. They didn't know why they were laughing; but for the moment, they forgot the tension between them, the uncomfortable fact that they were sleeping in the same room-all their worries, all their fears. Eponine forgot the pain in her arm. For that moment their tired minds forgot everything, and they laughed themselves to sleep.
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-Mademoiselle Azure the Otter