"No… NO!"

Azelma woke with a start, shaken awake by her sister's cries. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Eponine and rocked her. It was second nature, the two of them sharing a room, they had always been poor and personal space was something neither of them was used to. But the terror in her sister's voice…

But what shook Azelma to full alertness was when the door opened and two men came rushing in, looking worried. They were sleep tossed and looked as if they had dressed quickly, or had been sleeping in their clothing. They held candles, which brightened the modest room.

"Eponine, are you alright?" the blond man asked, setting his candle holder on the side table. He was about to perch on the edge of the bed, but stopped as his eyes flicked to the other girl.

Azelma put a hand to her thumping heart. It was Enjolras and Grantaire. Anne, the maid, hung back in the doorway. In the heat of her sister's nightmare she had forgotten where she was; whose house she was staying in.

"It was another nightmare," Eponine replied shakily. "I… I'm sorry to wake you. Was I really screaming that loud?"

"We weren't really sleeping," Grantaire said. "At least I wasn't."

"It's passed now," Azelma whispered as she stroked Eponine's hair. "I don't remember you ever having bad dreams."

"I've seen too much," she whispered. "Been through too much. I'm glad you're here with me."

"Me too," Azelma replied. She brushed away her sister's tears. "And I'm glad to know you have such faithful men to watch over you." She looked down. "It's about time you were properly taken care of."

"You can stay too," Grantaire spoke up.

Azelma looked up, confused. "What?"

"You can stay as well," the dark haired man replied. "I didn't invite you here for one night or a few days. Please, stay as long as you want, our house is yours."

"I…"

Eponine took her sister's hand. "Azelma, do you have anywhere else to go?" Focusing on her sister took her mind off the nightmare.

"Just… just back to father." She cradled her wrapped wrist.

"Then it's settled," Enjolras said. "You'll stay here."

"I… I couldn't impose."

Eponine steeled her features. "Azelma, be quiet and listen to me. You will stay here and that is final."

Azelma shrank back. "I… I'll stay. Thank you for the hospitality. But what if father comes after me? He said he would."

"He's locked up," Grantaire told her. "He won't be bothering us. Besides, no one knows where we're staying."

"You should try to get back to sleep," Enjolras told her. "Everything will be better in the morning."

"I think… I think I need a little air," Azelma whispered. "Do you mind, Eponine?"

"No. I'll be alright," she assured her sister.

"I'll stay with her," Enjolras replied.

Azelma smiled knowingly as she got out of the bed. "Take care of her."

"Always." Even in the meager candle light Azelma could see the promise in Enjolras' eyes.

She slid Eponine's robe around her shoulders and left the room. She was vaguely aware of Grantaire following her, but he went to the kitchen. The maid retreated to her own room as well.

Azelma went to the washroom and splashed some water on her face. She slipped into her tattered coat and worn shoes and stepped out into the night. But it was cold and the wind whipped around the frail girl, chilling her to the bone. Azelma found she hated to be alone in this unfamiliar place and quickly returned to the warmth of the cottage; having spent less than ten minutes outside.

It wasn't a big house, so when she stepped in she could see into the kitchen. Grantaire was at the table with a flask of ale. He half-heartedly saluted her with the container.

"Too cold for you?"

"Just a bit."

She took a moment to study his face in the light of the room. His curly hair was still mussed and it looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days. He was handsome in a rough way; worn down by a life she could sympathize with.

"Would you like a drink? This will warm your bones in no time."

"Thank you," she moved to sit at the table and reached for the container.

"Let me get you a glass."

"There's no need." Azelma tipped the flask to her lips and took a hearty drink before wiping her mouth on the sleeve of her coat.

Grantaire just stared.

Azelma flinched under the weight of his gaze. "Sorry, sometime I don't have the best manners."

"No need to apologize," he assured her. "I've never met a girl like you. Actually I don't know many girls at all. I tend to admire them from afar. I'm not good at talking to ladies, I always get tongue tied."

The words escaped Azelma's lips before she could stop them. "Then I guess I'm not much of a lady if you can talk to me this easily."

Grantaire looked shocked. "Why would you say that?"

Azelma took another drink and shook her head.

"I can talk to you because I've been drinking most of the night," Grantaire told her. "This is on me, not you. God, you and Eponine both."

"What about us?"

Grantaire ran a hand through his tangled hair. "You're so down on yourself; there's no confidence; just the need to diminish yourselves."

"Such is life," she replied. A tear slid down her cheek.

"No, don't do that," Grantaire said. "Don't cry." He grabbed her hand but let out a surprised gasp. "What happened?"

Azelma pulled her scarred hand away and curled it against her chest. "I cut it. On broken glass. I don't want to talk about it."

Grantaire took the flask back and helped himself to a drink. "So… What do you want to talk about?"

Azelma looked down. "What about Eponine? Why is she having these nightmares?"

Grantaire sighed. "It was the barricades. There was so much death; it's enough to haunt anyone's dreams."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm saying all the wrong things."

"It's alright," he assured her. "You can't dream if you don't sleep."

"But… You have to sleep at some point."

"I prefer blissful unconsciousness."

"That sounds nice," Azelma agreed. She wrung her hands. "I'd like to know what that feels like."

Grantaire smiled sadly and slid the ale across the table. "Welcome to my world, sweetheart."

Enjolras awoke to Eponine curled against him. She was lightly stroking his arm, whether she had been trying to wake him or not, Enjolras wasn't sure.

"Morning." He was still half asleep.

"You're still here."

"Where else would I be?" He pressed a kiss to her temple.

Eponine pulled away. "If you're still here that means Azelma never came back."

The light of recognition dawned on his handsome face and Enjolras bolted out of bed. Eponine was on his heels as they went to look for the missing girl. But Anne stopped them in the hallway.

"Hush, don't make too much noise," the maid instructed.

"But my sister…"

"Is in the other bedroom, fast asleep."

"I feel bad," Eponine whispered. "She could have come back."

"I would have gladly moved," Enjolras agreed. "Where's Grantaire?"

"Abed on the couch," Anne told him. "He got into his nightly ritual again."

"Then why do need to be quiet?" Eponine inquired. "In that state he'll sleep through cannon fire."

"Don't ever say I never try to be nice to the lot of you." Anne turned away and went to begin her morning cleaning.

Eponine went about her morning routine in the washroom while Enjolras made coffee and collected the empty ale flasks that Grantaire had drained. With this habit eating up much of their coin it was a wonder they had money left. Enjolras knew they would soon have to get jobs so they could stay afloat. But would they be able to with their histories as rebels?

A noise that sounded like a growl mixed with a grunt drew Enjolras' attention to the sitting room. Grantaire rose from the couch and staggered to the hallway. He pushed open the washroom door without a care; which sent Eponine rushing out with a surprised squawk.

"Did you see that?" she demanded. "He didn't even knock, just barged right in."

Enjolras handed her a cup of coffee. "Best let him alone until he wakes up. Damn drunken stupors. Shall I cook this morning?"

"Let me do it," Eponine offered.

"Is there any coffee left?" Grantaire asked as he stumbled into the room.

"We have plenty of coffee," Enjolras replied with a snarky tone. "It's the ale we're running low on."

"I'll buy more when I go out," Grantaire replied.

"And where are you going to get the money?"

"We still have plenty," Grantaire said as he fixed his coffee. "You're grumpy this morning. I'd have thought your company would have brightened your mood."

"Speaking of company," Eponine interrupted, "keep your voice down or you'll wake my sister."

"Your sister will be asleep for a while," Grantaire told her. "She and I were up late commiserating over the ale."

"So that's why she never came back to bed," Eponine replied. "Because you were getting her drunk?"

"It was her choice," Grantaire snapped. "I didn't force her into anything. She wanted to forget her bad night and your father. And speaking of Azelma, where did she get those scars?"

Eponine was about to retort, but Grantaire's concern for her sister made her stop. "What?"

"The scars on her hand," he replied. "She wouldn't tell me the whole story."

Eponine was at a loss. "She cut it."

Grantaire nodded. "On broken glass? There had to have been a lot for her whole hand to be scarred."

"She broke a window," Eponine relented.

"If it was an accident why all the secrecy?" Enjolras asked.

"It wasn't an accident," Eponine confided. "She put her hand through it on purpose. It was father who made her do it."

Grantaire's face went dark. "He made her break out a window? By putting her fist through it?"

"He wanted to swindle money out of Cosette's father," Eponine explained. "So he wanted us to look even poorer than we were. Broken windows, bleeding children…"

"I'm going to kill him," Enjolras growled. "How dare that man exploit innocents like that?"

"Such were our lives," Eponine replied sadly.

"That's exactly what Azelma said," Grantaire spoke up. "That's why she wanted to drink; to forget."

"But you have to remember that's all in the past now," Eponine said. "It was horrible, but it's all over now."

"Can you be sure?" a soft voice asked.

The others looked over to see that Azelma had emerged from the bedroom.

"We won't let him hurt you again," Enjolras vowed.

"But he said he'd find me?" Azelma whimpered. "He thought I was acting and he is going to come here and take me away and I don't want to go back." She was shaking and the tears began to sting her eyes. She ran to Grantaire and threw her arms around his waist. "Please… please don't let him take me!"

Grantaire was taken aback and wavered on his feet from the surprise assault. After a moment he regained his balance and wrapped his arms around her trembling body.

The day went on as normal. Azelma went out with Eponine to shop for food and Grantaire went in search of more ale. Enjolras continued his quest to find suitable jobs for them and Anne, glad everyone had left her, began to scrub down the house.

Grantaire was sprawled out on the couch when the girls came back from shopping. He got up and relived Eponine of two of the bags she was carrying.

"Thank you," she replied.

"We can put it all away," Azelma said.

"If you're sure."

"It's ok, Eponine. I want to feel like I'm useful."

"Azelma, stop worrying," Eponine told her. But she left her sister to put away the groceries.

Grantaire cleared his throat. "If you need me…"

"I do," she replied all too quickly. She flushed. "I mean I need to talk to you. To apologize."

"For what?" Grantaire looked perplexed.

"For how I acted last night and then for this morning." Azelma's hair fell into her face, obscuring her almost completely.

Grantaire took her by the shoulders. "Azelma, stop this nonsense right now. You have every right to be upset; I'd be worried if you weren't. Everyone needs to be comforted from time to time so if you need someone to go to I'm here."

"If you're sure…"

"I insist. And as a matter of fact…"

He trailed off and tipped her chin up. She was shaking again, unsure of what he was about to do. Grantaire pushed the hair out of face and kissed her gently. Azelma gasped out and he pulled away, not wanting to frighten her.

"I'm sorry," Grantaire whispered.

"You… You need comfort too?"

Grantaire nodded. "I do. And it's getting tougher to watch Enjolras and your sister finally finding happiness. I feel like a cad, being jealous of their joy." He dropped into a chair. "I've been through hell too and damn it… I'm only a man. I can only take so much."

Azelma stepped forward and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm here. Grantaire, if you need someone, I'm here."

He looked up. "Azelma…"

It was her turn to lean in and kiss him.