A/N: I promised Friday, didn't I?


Eponine and Enjolras sat in silence for several minutes after Marius's body was taken back to the cafe. The strange duo didn't speak, both unable to convey the rush of emotions that were talking over them.

The shooting ceased. After a few minutes, a revolutionary ran to Enjolras to inform him that he overheard the National Guard leaders commanded their armies to rest and protect their gunpowder for the morning, after the rain had stopped.

"Thank you, citizen," Enjolras said firmly, wiping his red palms against his black trousers.

With a sigh, Enjolras stood up. He glanced down at Eponine, who still stared at her palms that were stained red.

"They're not going to be shooting anymore tonight," Enjolras informed his men, his usually ridged shoulders sagged with grief and exhaustion. "Try to rest, they will attack again at dawn, no doubt."

With that, Enjolras turned back to Eponine, who now had Gavroche clinging to her. She did not hug the boy back, still too deep in her shock to register that the child was there.

Enjolras knelt next to the Eponine and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Enjolras!" Gavroche cried, moving from Eponine to throw his arms around Enjolras. Enjolras hugged the boy back with one arm, keeping a hand on Eponine to prevent her from drawing in on herself too much.

"It was an accident, Gavroche. You thought you were doing the right thing and I understand that. With that in mind, you need to realize that this is the reason armies have leaders. Before you run off and do something, ask me first." Enjolras pushed the boy back slightly. "I'm going to take care of Eponine. Go to the cafe and see if you can help Joly with anything. Tell him Eponine is with me."

Gavroche nodded and spared one last glance at his sister before running towards the cafe.

Enjolras glanced up at Courfeyrac, who was hovering around Enjolras. "Courfeyrac, go help Joly with the wounded," he commanded firmly. Courfeyrac gave his leader a quick nod before following the path Gavroche took.

Manoeuvring himself so that he could kneel in front of Eponine, Enjolras raised her chin to look at him.

"What can I do to help you?" Enjolras asked the broken girl softly. Eponine seemed even smaller and more fragile than usual, which was quite a feat. Despite her malnourished appearance, there was a part of Eponine that always seemed unbreakable, despite her unrequited love for Marius.

Furrowing her brow, Eponine's tears ceased for a moment. She sat in concentration for a few moments before answering. "Let me take Cosette the letter. Let me deliver Marius's message."

"Excuse me?" Enjolras asked, hoping that he misheard her. "I told you that it's not safe."

"I am going to deliver the message to Cosette. I have go right now if they're set on leaving France," Eponine said softly, still enraptured with her stained palms, barely registering that Enjolras was still there.

"You cannot leave the barracks, Eponine. It is far too dangerous!" Enjolras contradicted, crossing his arms over his chest. His musket hung loosely from his right hand, his left still clutching the bloody revolutionary flag.

"You can't stop me," Eponine stated, looking up at Enjolras for the first time since Marius died.

The hollow look in Eponine's usually bright brown eyes only served to add another crack to Enjolras's resolve. The pain that shone in them was unlike any that Enjolras could possibly know and was eager to never feel. The fact that Eponine could even lift her head to look at him only served to solidify the growing respect Enjolras felt for the young woman.

Enjolras spared a glance over his shoulder to his resting men. They were hunched over in exhaustion and grief, though the fire of determination was still present in their eyes and the half-smiles of encouragement they shared with each other.

Enjolras was grateful for their spirit. It kept his faith alive to see his friends and followers so committed to the cause, even if their fellow citizens had abandoned them.

Not that anyone could blame them, Enjolras added quickly in his mind before scolding himself for such traitorous thoughts. He was confident that once the citizenry were educated, the class divide that plagued France would be relieved.

Still, examining the young students, Enjolras could tell they were in desperate need of a break. One more night that allowed them to act their age, to revel in alcohol and pointless stories.

"I will escort you there," Enjolras decided suddenly, almost shocking himself with his words.

Enjolras extended a hand and Eponine slowly placed her hand in his outstretched palm. Her movements were slow due to her shock, it was almost as if she was wading through mud.

Hoisting her to her feet, Enjolras extended his other hand, quick to catch her in case she fell. Eponine surprised him by standing on her own, although her shoulders were still hunched in grief.

"If it's what Marius wanted, it's the least I can do," Enjolras said firmly, answering the question she never asked as he dropped Eponine's hand. "But be careful. And we have to be quick."

Eponine swayed slightly when Enjolras let go of her hand but she did not fall. She turned without a word and began walking towards the barricade's exit, carefully sneaking through a small gap between the sets of row houses that surrounded them. Enjolras followed her quickly, nodding to Combeferre, who seemed to understand Enjolras's intention without a word.

Unlike Eponine, Enjolras was well-fed enough that squeezing through the tight space was more of a struggle. When he reached the other side, he noticed that tears began streaking down Eponine's face again. Enjolras shifted awkwardly, not sure how to soothe her. Though he too was feeling the sharp pain of grief for Marius, he was unable to succumb to these emotions, not while their friends were risking their lives for freedom.

Enjolras followed Eponine without a word as she began leading him through twisting lanes and alleys towards Cosette's dwellings. He trusted her to lead them safely but kept vigilant never the less. Gamaines like Epoinine know the streets of Paris in a way that a bourgeois, even a fallen one like Enjolras, would never be able to grasp.

Before long, Enjolras found himself in front a small almost cottage-like house. It was quaint and didn't seem to fit with the rest of Paris, far too provincial for the rapidly decaying city.

"Is this it?" Enjolras asked in a whisper. He watched as Eponine nodded sadly, not looking him in the eye. Her head was bowed as if merely standing was getting to be far too much of an effort for her. Enjolras rested a hand on her shoulder in a vain attempt of comfort as he gazed through the gate, trying to deduct how to get through the barrier.

A flash of blonde from the corner of his eye caught his attention.

"Mademoiselle!" Enjolras whispered loudly to the girl. "Is that her?" He asked Eponine quickly, eyeing the blonde as she approached them.

Eponine glanced up quickly at the other female and nodded sharply.

"Who are you?" Cosette asked cautiously, keeping a safe distance from the duo on the other side of the fence. Her nose wrinkled at their appearance, caked in blood, Enjolras with a gun slung over his shoulder, Eponine even filthier than usual.

"We're from the barricades. I am Enjolras and this is Eponine," Enjolras noticed the blonde's mouth turn down as her eyes settle on Eponine. For her part, Eponine kept her eyes adverted. "We… have some news."

Cosette rushed towards the gate, grasping the bars when she reached it. "Is it of Marius?"

A sob tore through Eponine's throat and Enjolras tightened his grip. He used his free hand to reach into his pocket and extract the letter, now stained with the blood of the fallen soldiers that Enjolras never seemed capable of fully washing off.

"No," Cosette whispered, not taking the letter immediately. "He's not…"

Eponine let out another sob, cementing Cosette's fears.

"I'm sorry," Enjolras muttered as he dragged the grieving brunette into his arms, turning her head into his chest to attempt to smother her sobs. The last thing they needed was to be caught by a stray police officer or a sympathizer of the monarchy. "He died a hero. He died saving a young boy, as well as myself."

Cosette's knees seemed to give away as she sank to the ground, the mud staining her pure white gown. Her body began raking with sobs, echoing in the small street.

"Please, Mademoiselle!" Enjolras whispered frantically. "I don't want to leave you alone but we cannot be caught!"

"Who's there? Cosette?" A voice boomed from the front door of the cottage. A greying man dashed towards them when he saw his crumpled daughter.

"Cosette!" He exclaimed, dropping to the ground with her. He gathered his daughter in his arms and rocked her as she wailed unintelligible words. "What did you do?" He demanded, looking up at Enjolras.

Enjolras opened his mouth to speak but Eponine beat him to the punch.

"It's Marius." She declared finally, pulling herself out of Enjolras's arms. Eponine took the letter from Enjolras's hand and knelt down. "He wanted me to deliver this to you but it wasn't safe. I was needed elsewhere," she explained, glancing up at Enjolras.

"Monsieur Marius told me… he asked me to tell you, before he died, that is," Eponine stumbled, forcing herself to push her own grief aside to complete her beloved's final wish. "He wanted me to tell you that he was sorry he had to leave you like this." Eponine paused as Cosette's large eyes fell on her. Eponine took her cap off and wrung it in her hands.

There was no use pretending to be a stranger now.

"He said he wished he could have spent a million mornings with you," Eponine waited a beat. "Marius really did love you."

Cosette pulled herself from her father's arms and crawled closer to Eponine, taking the letter from her and tucking it into her dress. "Thank you, Eponine," Cosette said with a watery smile, tears still streaking down her face.

Enjolras observed the scene, feeling awkward and guilty. If he had handed the situation with the National Guard better, perhaps Marius would be alive.

If you handed the revolt with less arrogance and nativity, perhaps they would all live, Enjolras's mind taunted him before he shook the thought from his head.

"I must get back to the barricade," Enjolras said finally. "Sir, may I trust you to offer Eponine shelter until this is over?"

Eponine shot up suddenly. "What?" She exclaimed, standing tall in front of Enjolras for the first time since Marius fell. "I'm coming with you! Joly needs my help!"

"He'll manage," Enjolras replied, shaking his head. "You are in no state to be back there."

"But Enjolras-!"

Enjolras put a hand up to stop her protests. "I know how capable you are, Eponine. I also know how grieved you are. I cannot allow you to go back with me."

"But my brother, Gavroche, he's all I have! I need him to stay safe!" Eponine pleaded, grasping the lapels of Enjolras's jacket.

If he was shocked by the news that Gavroche was Eponine's brother, Enjolras didn't show it. He pried her hands from his jacket and stepped back. "I will keep him safe, I promise."

"And if you fall?" Eponine questioned harshly.

"Another will rise to complete my duty. You are not coming with me."

"But I am."


A/N: So, I know what you're thinking...

"Man, theartistprince, it's taking an awfully long time to get to the romance part of this story!"

To which I would reply:

"Yes, kind reader, it is taking an awfully long time to get to the romance part."

Sorry for that. It will come, don't you worry. I just have to get some WAR/WAR BONDING/FRIENDSHIP SHIT out of the way first.

Also, are you beginning to see why Marius dying had a point? More on that next chapter.

Speaking of which, shall we say update on Tuesday? I don't have any chapters other than the next one written right now but I hope to do some on the weekend. I might be too drunk, though, I haven't decided yet.

But hey! The more you do your thing, the more I do mine.

(PS: your thing is reviewing and reading and clicking and whatnot.)

(My thing is the writing.)