4. Epilogue/Finale
It was strangely quiet, like all sound had been muted. Eponine blinked several times, wondering where she was. It looked like the square where they had taken the funeral procession - here Gavroche's elephant, there a massive barricade, taller, stronger than it had been before. Everything was brighter, but still had a certain hazy quality she couldn't quite place. She was standing at the foot of the barricade, but with a thought, she found herself at the top, and looked down to see the Café Musain. The streets were eerily empty, but she thought she could see, if she peered hard enough from the top of the gigantic barricade, movement inside the café.
Suddenly she spotted, to her shock, herself, lying in a corner of the square. Enjolras - she could tell by the red jacket - knelt next to her. What was he doing?
She found herself drifting towards him, and with another shock she realized she was floating. She was now near enough to see what Enjolras was doing, however, and the shock wore off as she peered over his shoulder at her still body.
He was closing her eyes, sliding the lids over her empty stare. Then, with a gentleness that surprised her, he brushed the still-visible raindrops off her face. He stood, looking down at her. Eponine rose with him, unable to look away from her peaceful-looking body.
Then Enjolras began to speak, and his strident voice echoed in the square like it had so many times before - but instead of delivering a rousing speech about liberty or Patria, he was delivering a eulogy - for her. She watched his face, fascinated - he was so full of life and fury in this hazy and muted place she now occupied.
"And," he finished, looking down at her body once more, "we will be fighting under your name. Now we will be fighting for you… Eponine."
He turned to go back into the café, but before he went, Eponine pressed a kiss to his forehead, in thanks and benediction. He paused, as if he had felt something, then continued on, going back to his revolution.
o0o
Enjolras looked around, confused. He was back at the barricade - but all the soldiers were mysteriously absent. Last he remembered, he'd been facing down a squad on the second story of the Musain, side by side with Grantaire. What was this?
A slim figure was approaching him, picking its way over the top of the barricade. With a start, he realized who it was. "Eponine?" he asked. She looked up at him with a sad smile, and all his guilt came rushing back. But if she was here, then that meant…
"I just met Gavroche," she said. "He was with Courfeyrac."
Enjolras just nodded, still in shock.
"And Joly and Feuilly and Prouvaire are somewhere along the way," she continued, gesturing behind her.
"Are they," Enjolras said, mostly just to say something. Eponine smiled that same sad smile.
"It's all right," she said, and somehow it was all right. And yet… "It takes a little time to get used to it."
He frowned. "Where - where are we?" He felt as though his mind was working at half speed.
"I'm not sure, really," Eponine said, frowning. "I could see everything that happened after I… after I died, and people started showing up here soon after, but I couldn't do anything to help you…" She trailed off, lost in dark memories. Then she looked up at him, and a sly smile crossed her face. "Thank you for the speech, monsieur," she said. "It was very inspiring."
He gaped at her. "The - the square was empty," he stammered, in a rare loss of composure.
"I heard you," she said, looking amused. Then she sobered. "I haven't seen Monsieur Marius," she said. "Do you know - did he - " She seemed unable to finish. He felt a strange surge of pity. She'd died for him; of course she should know if he lived. Unfortunately…
"My apologies, but I don't know, Eponine," he said, and she looked down, uncertainty marring her face. "Things were so scattered…"
"I understand," she said heavily.
"We could look for him," Enjolras offered, holding out a hand to her. She looked back up at him, as if gauging his sincerity.
"All right," she said, taking his hand and letting him help her over a table that stood between them.
"Did anyone else come with you?" she asked as they made their way down the barricade, floating over some places, climbing in others. "They all were coming at the same time and there was a lot of confusion, but they stopped after you got here - it's fitting, I suppose, that you were the last."
"Grantaire," Enjolras said, and the surprise struck him anew. "I died with Grantaire. He stood with me at the last."
"I knew he had it in him," Eponine said, warmly. "We should look for him also."
"It will be a good thing if we do not find Marius, you know," he said, giving her a sideways glance.
She smiled sadly. "I know."
They reached the bottom of the barricade, and in the square stood Grantaire, Courfeyrac, Combeferre, and Gavroche, all laughing uproariously at something Grantaire had just said.
"Salut," said Enjolras, and they all whirled to look at him.
"Apollo, I found Gavroche!" Courfeyrac cried happily, and Gavroche beamed.
Grantaire was looking at him with an odd mixture of pride and defiance. "Mon bon ami," Enjolras said with a grave nod, and Grantaire smiled, then glanced down and raised one eyebrow.
Enjolras realized he was still holding onto Eponine's hand. With that realization came the memory of their mission. "Have any of you seen Marius?" he asked. Grantaire shrugged. Combeferre shook his head, and Courfeyrac looked apologetic.
"I saw the ol' man takin' 'im," Gavroche said, pointing to the alley behind the café. "Went inta th' sewer. I fink they got away."
"What old man?" Enjolras asked, frowned.
"You know - th' one what killed Javert," Gavroche explained, with a touch of impatience at Enjolras's lack of memory.
"Cosette's father?" Eponine breathed, mostly to herself. "He will be safe, then." A sort of peace spread across her features. "That is good news, Gavroche," she said, smiling at the small boy.
"Anytime, mam'selle," he replied with a cheeky grin and tip of an imaginary hat.
"Listen," said Combeferre, frowning. They all paused.
Do you hear the people sing, lost in the valley of the night? It is a music of a people who are climbing to the light!
The song seemed to be carried on the wind, and held the sound of a hundred voices all at once. "It's our song," said Courfeyrac in wonder. "The revolution's."
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord… We will walk behind the plowshare, we will put away the sword… The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward…
"It's the people," Enjolras breathed. "The revolution - it wasn't in vain - ?"
Eponine lifted her head and laughed joyfully, then added her voice to the song, her alto blending in perfectly. "Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade, is there a world you long to see?"
Enjolras took up the refrain, hearing the rest of his friends join in. "Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums? It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!"
And the sun broke over the horizon, and the square was diffused in golden light.
A/N: The end! As promised, Ghost!Enjonine. I love the final song, it's so good. I wanted to change it up a bit, and I KNOW, I know the revolution didn't actually succeed in real life, but it's the afterlife. Enjolras can think what he wants. Also hope he was not out of character... I know some people are a bit touchy when it comes to him, myself included.
So, you have finished this (hopefully decent?) piece of Les Mis fanfiction. But you want more! Here are a couple recommendations:
Les Trésors de Mes Jours d'Automne, by Sasha Snape. This is a really awesome, really adorable, really clever piece that is somewhat of an AU. There is also Enjonine. It's wonderful. It's not finished, but maybe if more people read it and review, she will update it again?
Icarus Drowning, by unicornesque. Another AU, from the book Delirium. This one is also not done, but, like I said, if you read and review, perhaps it will be updated?
We'll Find It On Our Own Time, by Lady Stormbraver. Just a clever oneshot. Enjonine, of course.
All of these are definitely worth a read!