A/N: Finally! It has taken me way too long to finish this chapter, missing more than one of my self-imposed deadlines. Forgive me for this week was a busy one in the kitchen, and I'm often dead tired when I get home. Ok, enough of that… on to the story.

Long chapter and no E/E interactions YET (don't leave!), I just have to get this out of the way. And I really am glad that it's done. There are lots of new names and characters to meet in this one. Hope you all enjoy it.

Read on.

The little boy ran as fast as his little legs could take him, he caught himself in front of his mother's parlor, catching his breath and composing himself as he was taught to do. He knocked, and entered when her mother told him so.

"Maman! Maman!" He called out pulling at her skirt.

"Easy now, Christophe. What has gotten you in such a state?" She said as she set the book she was reading down.

"Memere calls for you! A girl! You must come see!" He said as he pulled his mother by the hand all the way to the kitchen. The sight that greeted her made her eyes widened, and for a second she just stood in shock. There on the kitchen table laid an unconscious girl with a bandaged head and shoulder. She wore a clean but tattered man's shirt over a worn-out skirt. The bandages looked old, and needed to be replaced. The lady of the house snapped out of her surprise and organized her thoughts. "Christophe, call your father. Hugo, fetch the doctor at once! Memere, please find Suzette, and tell her to gather some clothes for this poor thing."

Once the rest disbanded at her command, she took a clean cloth off a counter and a bassinette of water to the table where she began to wipe the girl's face, and then her neck, and her arms. Feeling her temperature, she gave herself a bit of peace when she didn't detect a fever.

It was indeed such a rare action for a lady of high society such as her to take part in, but she was different from all those snobbish women who only had their dresses and hair to worry about. This was exactly why her Daniel had fallen so deeply in love with her.

On the other part of the house, inside his study, deep in concentration Daniel Bertrand was reading an urgent letter from Paris from his Uncle. He knew anything from him was regarding family and of the utmost importance, but he did not expect any of what the letter was informing him of. It almost sounded as if the writer was in a bout of fantasy, yet he could not shake the nagging feeling that his cousin – of which the letter spoke mostly about – was capable of the things his uncle wrote of.

He was about to finish reading the letter for the third time when a frantic knock broke the silence of the room. He put down the letter and rushed to the door, when he heard his son calling for him in such a panicked way. As the little boy did with his mother, he had began pulling at his father's hand without any explanation, and Daniel Bertrand didn't have a choice but to be dragged to wherever the boy intended him to be.

The doctor had come and gone, and they have transferred the mademoiselle to one of the guest rooms. The doctor said that the girl had gotten an injury to her head that she could have acquired from falling or from something that hit her there. He also pointed out the bullet wound on her shoulder, and how it damaged the tissues and muscles there, warning them not to let her move it around too much when she wakes.

There was a obvious sigh of relief from the people in the room when he pronounced her stable, and even complemented the treatment she was given, although it was notably a couple of days old. After replacing her bandages, and prescribing some medication to ease the sting, the doctor left and asked for the master to call on him should there be any complications or when she finally wakes up.

With the servants properly dismissed and off to return to their tasks. Daniel and Sabine spoke to each other quietly as the young Christophe took to studying the young woman's face.

"How did she get here?" Daniel asked.

"Mémère Claudine said that Hugo found her inside his cart, just as he was dropping some of the supplies for the main house."

"So she came from Paris?"

Sabine gave a timid nod, "or she could have been placed there when Hugo stops over. He does it twice in a trip, if I am not mistaken. For all we know it could be anywhere from Paris to here."

Daniel looked over to the bed where his son was poking at the mademoiselle's hand, hoping for a twitch or any sort of reaction from her. There was no doubt that the girl will be taken cared of for as long as she wished to be. They didn't even have to discuss it, it was a given, and the house help knew it as well.

A person coming to them for help was a regular occurrence, and one that the family did not ever reject. But this had to be the first time that they would have to wait for the person to regain consciousness before their inquires were to get answers to.

"Now that we know she will be fine, you'll have to excuse me, dearest. Uncle Gerard had sent word. Alexandre will be staying with us indefinitely." He lowered his voice noticeably, and Sabine gave her husband a concerned look. "He has strict demands for the arrangement of Alexandre's stay, and I have to see to it and get it done before night falls."

"Is everything alright?"

"I'm afraid I can not guarantee anything. We shall discuss this later when I get this straightened out." He cupped her cheek with a gentle hand, looking into her eyes, begging for understanding.

She gave him a small smile. "I shall stay here with Christophe, lest the mademoiselle wakes up. Would you mind finding Suzette and tell her to fetch me my book, please."

"Consider it done. I'll send her back with some tea as well, and some of 'Tophe's lessons so he won't annoy our guest too much." And with that, he kissed her gently on the cheek and went on his way.

The room was slowly beginning to dim as the sun resigned for the day. Christophe was asleep curled up in a ball near the mademoiselle's feet after returning from playing in the gardens when he finished his lessons earlier. Sabine sat on the plush seat still reading her book, when she heard a faint whimper. It was so weak that she thought nothing of it until she heard another, this time more noticeable.

Her head snapped up to the source of the sound and she rushed to set the book down and headed to the bedside. The mademoiselle seemed like she was having a nightmare of sorts. Her face twitching as she mumbled and moaned, sweat beads formed on her temple, and Sabine reached for her hand at an attempt to comfort the girl.

Christophe awoke to the sounds, and sat up groggily at the edge of the bed watching silently as his mother soothed the stranger as she would him on his restless nights. His eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped when the mademoiselle finally revealed caramel colored orbs as her eyes fluttered open.

The girl was finally awake.

Mémère Claudine, the head housekeeper who has been with Madame Sabine since she was a little girl, was the most trusted employee of the Bertrand Family. Unlike other housekeepers of prominent families, she was treated as a part of the family and called like one as well. She was impressive with her duties and was respected and endeared by the others who worked with her. The Bertrand Family trusted her with everything, so at 8 o'clock that evening when a carriage entered the estate gate, she was the only one besides the Monsieur and Madame who knew of the people it arrived with.

Mémère Claudine had been instructed to make sure none of the other servants find out who Daniel's guests were. She had skillfully directed everyone else so that none of the others would cross paths with the men on their way from the main door to the master's study. No one suspected anything more than a visit from one of their master's colleagues.

After Mémère Claudine excused herself allowing Daniel to enter the room, the eldest of the men spoke. "Are you sure she is to be trusted? One small mistake and I cannot guarantee that the Enjolras name will keep us all away from the guillotine."

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have risked this, father." Daniel eyed his young cousin who stood near the window looking out to the gardens, held up with the aid of a cane, still as a statue.

"Do not be ungrateful." Gerard Enjolras said sternly. As he expected, his son did not quite appreciate using their connections and power to escape his fate. He knew Alexandre would have willingly died for the foolish cause, but he was not about to let his only child throw away his life after surviving the barricades. He didn't want him to rot in the gallows, or to die in Chatelet. He wanted him to start anew, but this was the best he could afford him now.

Recalling the contents of the letter, Daniel made a mental checklist of the things that his uncle stressed upon.

Alexandre is believed to be dead. Anyone who bares witness to his living state might be taken into interrogation, and will most probably be arrested as an accessory, IF he is discovered.

It is of the utmost importance that no one else but you, Sabine and a trusted servant who will assist him from time to time will know of his stay at your estate.

He must not be allowed to wander around, and will be kept in his own quarters at all times far from the eyes of others.

Daniel breathed in deeply as if to steel himself for the conversation. His uncle was not one to beat around the bush. "Everything has been arranged as requested, Uncle." He said to the man, and then to the other, "I am glad that you are safe, Alex." The young man by the window did not even care to turn.

"Good. Now where are Christophe and his mother? I would very much like to see the little boy before I have to part."

"Christophe is probably in the main parlor, practicing his piano. Sabine is presently occupied with another serious matter, Uncle. I believe you'll have to excuse her." Daniel replied.

"I will not be staying for long, I shall rush back home to bring your aunt the news, so her heart could get some rest and she could ease herself of some worry. Send Sabine my regards." Gerard Enjolras said the last part as he longingly glanced at his son, waiting for a reaction from him. He got none.

They've exchanged their thoughts and opinions on the matter at hand during the long ride from Paris. And although he was greatly disappointed and exasperated at the actions his son took that lead them to this situation, he could not shake the relief he felt when he was safely within his watch. He brushed of his son's disapproval of his plans, and the cold shoulder that came with it. Better you cry for not getting what you want, than your mother crying for losing you. His heart felt heavy still, but he refused to show any of it.

"Very well. Would you like me to accompany you?" Daniel said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Why, do you think me a forgetful old gent already? I still know my way around." His tone was amiable trying to ease things out. They shared that elusive Enjolras smile that was capable of charming the skirt off any woman on earth and catch the envy of men around. Gerard Enjolras, for all he was worth, was a charming fellow with a very clever mind.

Daniel understood that this man only wanted his son safe. He knew he would do the same if it were Christophe in Alexandre's place. His son can begrudge him all he wants, but he will not stand idly and watch him suffer if he can help it.

Gerard was about to reach the door when Alexandre spoke, "Tell mother I am sorry to have her worry about me."

His father replied shortly before stepping out the room. "She'll always worry about you." As will I.

Daniel waited a few moments to compose his thoughts before addressing his cousin. They were inseparable as children, and they've always appreciated each other's company. However their correspondence and meetings grew lesser as the years flew by and especially when Daniel started his life with Sabine and Enjolras was off to Paris for his studies. Daniel recalled with surprise that the last time they've been in each other's presence was on Christophe's third birthday, and that was a good two years ago.

"What the hell were you thinking Alex?" So much for organizing his thoughts. They always spoke like this, he was the older brother trying to lead the younger man to a less radical life. Alexandre always had grand ideas as a child, Daniel knew he was bound to make an impression in the world. And now that he did, well, he wished he could've had more influence on the boy then maybe they wouldn't be meeting under these circumstances.

"I was thinking about Patria. I was thinking about her children starving on the streets, of her daughters selling their flesh and of her sons slaving the days away but still not being able to feed their families at day's end. I was thinking about the king who sat in his throne, oblivious to Patria's plight." Enjolras turned as he spoke coming eye to eye with Daniel.

The latter noted the sincerity of his words, but was worried when he couldn't find the intensity in his eyes that used to come with his speeches.

"And where did helping Patria get you?" He said before thinking it through. He regretted it deeply for Enjolras just stood there looking broken and defeated. Enjolras was never one to back out of a fight, or an argument. The extent of the damage might have been deeper than what Daniel could understand at the given time.

He was sure he could see the marble man crack.

Sabine was deep in thought when Daniel finally entered their chambers, but she finally looked up from the book she was studying when her husband sat on the armrest of her seat and placed a kiss on her hair. "Are we having another child?" Daniel asked, surprise lacing his words, when he realized that it was a book of names that Sabine was studying.

Sabine laughed, "Oh no, sorry to disappoint. It's just that, well I wanted to find a good name for the mademoiselle. It would not do well for us to address her as just 'mademoiselle'. I want her to feel at home, I have no doubt it will help her recover faster."

"Oh. Right." Daniel somehow disappointed, offered a small smile and reached for her hand. "How is she doing?"

"Poor dear, she's still a bit confused about the whole thing. I guess I would be too if I woke up in a place I've never seen before with people I don't recognize."

"So she still has no recollection of anything at all?"

"No. The doctor said it is most probably because of the injury on her head. Everything seems to be fine with her with the exception of her shoulder and her memory though." Sabine flipped the page. "But she's calmed down enough, and is now resting. Christophe seems to have charmed her already, and I think Memere Claudine and I have succeeded in making her more comfortable."

"At least we have that to be grateful for." He sighed, running his free hand through his brown curls. "We have two people to ease into recovery now."

Sabine looked up to meet Daniel's eyes; concern was obvious in her eyes. "How is Alex?"

"Broken."

A/N: Phew. So what do you think? Allow me to pic your brains again. (A big shout out to SleepingwithinWater who kindly answered my questions from last chapter. Highly appreciate it.) I actually just have one question, what name would suit our brave, gentle, yet naïve Eponine? I've been wracking my head and google for a possible name, but nothing's caught my fancy yet.

No, sorry, wait. I have two! What do you think of the new characters?

I'd like to point out that I will refer to Enjolras as Alexandre where the Bertrands are involved. Daniel is part Enjolras, so I think it would be normal for them to be more familiar and personal with our favorite revolutionary. I hope you don't mind, but if it's too confusing for you, let me know, and I'll see how I can ease you to it. I think the same rules will be applied to Eponine and her temporary name too. But note that I will be using their original names when they finally interact.

Big thanks to the followers of this story and to those who left reviews, I've got nothing but lesmis-love for you. Lets see how things unfold as they finally cross paths again in the next chapter.

Don't forget to leave a review. :)