Éponine woke up to the sound of her brother crying her name.
"Éponine! Get off! Éponine!" she heard Gavroche say. There were sounds of things being broken and furniture being dragged across the floor. Startled she ran to the living room, place where all the sound came from. She found her favorite lamp had been broken, her coffee table was turned and -
"'Ponine! Help me!" upon hearing her brother calling her she ran to the door. There she found a very angry Gavroche trying to get Montparnasse let go of his arm. The kids arm was already red from all the struggling and she fumed when she saw there were also thin scratches covering his small arm.
"'Parnasse!" she yelled. When the man heard the anger on her voice he let go of the boys arm. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Your father is looking for him" said Montparnasse pointing his filthy finger at Gavroche. The boy ran to find shelter behind his sister. "You know it is for the best if he comes with me now than if Thénardier comes here himself". Éponine knew it was true, it was for the best if her brother did not make their father wait.
"Did my father say what his business was with Gavroche?" she asked afraid for the boy. She hated when her father made the young make his dirty work.
"It does not concern you" answered Montparnasse, from the look he was giving her she knew he was calling her all sort of names in his head. "Just give me the boy and I will leave".
"No" said Éponine. She could not let go of her brother, he was happy here with her.
"Éponine.." said the man saying her name with hatred. She knew that if he did not bring the boy back with him that meant problems also for 'Parnasse, but Gavroche really did not deserve the life he had ling with her parents. He did not deserve the life he had living with her, he deserved better and she knew it, but still living with her was much better than with her parents.
Éponine saw as Montparnasse took big breaths, he was losing his patience; she even saw how he fisted his hands. Eventhough his arms were still at his sides the fact that he had formed his hands into fists scared her. Montparnasse had hit her before, sometimes he even had to take her to the hospital after one of his rage attacks. The hitting was not what scared her then, it was what would happen if Montparnasse hit her in front of her brother. Gavroche, she knew, would stand up for her and Montparnasse doesn't know how to control his strength when he is angry.
She saw as Montparnasse looked down as his hands, upon finding them forming fists he stretched his hands. Éponine was relieved but tried to hide it from her face.
"Whatever" he said finally after a very stressful silence. "You know what will come upon you if I don't take the boy with me".
"I do" responded Éponine, with that she closed her door and heard as Montparnasse made his way down the stairs.
Once she heard him leave the building she turned to Gavroche. She tried not to, she really did, but when her eyes met the boys tears started flowing freely from her eyes. She hugged her brother with dear life and heard as he let go of a breath he had been holding; they both knew they were lucky Montparnasse had left.
"How do you feel if we go out for lunch?" she asked her brother. She knew it was not wise to use money, the little she had, for eating out but she really had the need to leave the building, she could feel the tension with every breath she took.
"Thank the God in heaven! I thought you'd never ask!" exclaimed Gavroche hugging her tighter.
Eventhough it was embarrassing, they ended up going to the Café Musain. After breakfast they agreed on going for a walk on the park in front of the cafe. It was the end of winter for the snow had all melted and if one looked closely, you could see little buds on the flowers that would bloom for spring.
They were walking peacefully when Éponine heard someone calling her name.
"'Ponine!" looking she found a happy waving Marius accompanied by Courfeyrac.
"Marius!" said Gavroche giving him a high five.
"Long time no see, little man" said Marius. Gavroche shrugged and Marius went to give Éponine a hug. "Last night I was supposed to bring you home. I was worried you left alone" he said releasing Éponine. She following her brother's example shrugged but muttered something about being able to take care of herself.
"Courfeyrac, this little demon is my brother Gavroche" she said once she also saluted Courfeyrac.
"So what are you up to?" asked Gavroche trying to make himself look mature for his age.
"We were on our way to Marius's. Want to join?" said Courfeyrac.
Éponine nodded and the four of them started to walk to Marius's apartment.
Enjolras was walking though the park with Grantaire hanging from his arm. Classes had ended early so les amis had agreed to meet up at Marius's; all except for Jolly, for he had still another class on the afternoon. They were meeting to plan their revolution.
"Babe" said Grantaire pulling his arm to make him look at her. "Do you really think that making an uprising is a good idea?"
"R, what are you talking about? Don't you want this? Do you think that what is done to the poor every day is fair? Do you even believe on revolution?" asked Enjolras. He could not believe she was asking such things, his girlfriend of all people.
"Well, yeah I do believe in it. But do you truly understand what a revolution will cause?" she asked letting go of his arm.
Enjolras looked her in the eye and said with the most serious voice he could muster. "Yes, I understand the consequences of our actions. Actually I think we all do, well all of les amis except for you apparently, Grantaire. We all agreed, when he started to make our meetings out in public, that we were making this for a better France. This is for Patria, Grantaire. You don't seem to have grasp the idea of revolution yet".
"I do understand, but -"
"You do not if there are 'buts' on your sentence" said Enjolras.
"Well maybe if I don't understand maybe I shouldn't be going to this fucking meeting!" she said exasperated. Without further word she walked away, leaving a angry Enjolras behind.
Good, if she didn't want to come then it was for the best she hasn't. Enjolras continued walking to Marius's without looking back.
Enjolras was surprised by the person who answered the door when he knocked. Had he knocked at the wrong apartment? Suddenly he heard a voice he wished it was not that easy for his brain to recognize.
"Grantaire, what are you doing at the door?" asked the voice.
He saw as she made her way toward the door, opening it fully so she could see who the newcomer was.
"Oh, Monsieur Enjolras" said Éponine. "I am sorry. Was my brother bothering you?" and without waiting for an answer she added, "Please, do come in".
"I was not -" started the boy.
"Shush, Gavroche!" she said closing the door behind them. The boy who's name seemed to be Gavroche left to the living room, leaving them behind.
"Brother?" asked Enjolras rising an eyebrow. The boy and Éponine could not look any more different. When the boy had golden hair, Éponine's hair was dark as night itself; her eyes were dark and his were light; the boy's skin was pale and Éponine's was olive toned.
"More like a demon that torments my life" he did not miss the affection in which she said this.
"How was the walk home?" he asked. Obviously she got safely to her apartment but hoped nothing bad had happened on the way.
"Nice, actually. Last night was a full moon and the streets were vacant" she said as she leaded him toward the kitchen. "Besides, I like being on my own sometimes. That way I can meditate my day or sometimes think about things I can't with this chaotic life that surrounds us. You know what I mean, Monsier?"
Enjolras only managed to nod but he did understand her. Oh, how he understood what she just said, for he had the exact same thoughts. Somehow, it seemed that every time they met he was more intrigued by her.