O_O I don't know what came over me yesterday. I think I might write another chapter today. Enjoy! Love, thegirlwiththewords
Eponine could hear Enjolras leaving the house with Joly and Combeferre. She looked around. Only Gavroche, who would be sneaking in with her. Suddenly she cursed. Her pants, shirt, cap, and bindings were all either torn or at her father's house. There was no way she could sneak back in. Why was it so important for her to go to the meeting, even injured? Maybe it was because she thought they were fighting for an admirable cause. Maybe it was because she could help. Maybe it was a certain best friend who was as good as married to Patria.
She only knew one person that could help her. "Anne?" she whispered, entering the kitchen. The plump-faced housekeeper looked up from her sweeping.
"Dear girl, what can I do for you?" Anne propped her broom up on the table, and before Eponine could speak again, smiled knowingly. "You want to go to the meeting, but Enjolras insisted on keeping you home so you don't hurt yourself again. Also, you have no 'boy' clothes." Eponine nodded, eyes wide at Anne's intuition. Anne sighed. "Enjolras is stubborn, but so are you. When you waltz in, he'll put a fight, but I can see you will too. There's no need to dress like a boy. Enjolras has eyes like hawk when it comes to you, adn You'll need to turn the charm up to win that argument." Anne clapped her hands. "I have the perfect dress for you! He won't be able to keep his eyes off you in that dress. That boy, oh, he's just so serious. It'd do him go to let go and have fun with the young people."
Eponine followed Anne in her room, suspiciously. Anne must be talking about Marius...but for a moment, it sounded like she was talking about Enjolras.
She and Gavroche sneaked out of the back door, just in case anyone from the Les Amis saw them. She couldn't quite run yet, without the risk of tearing her stitches and causing pain.
"Where you goin' all dressed up?" Eponine shuddered suddenly as she heard Montparnasse's rough voice come from the alley. The young black haired man came out, holding a brandy bottle, his green eyes glinted nastily. The only thing worse than Montparnasse...was a drunk Montparnasse. Montparnasse the murderer. Montparnasse, her father's friend. Montparnasse, her ex-friend. Montparnasse, the evil. They had been friends, once upon a time, but after he had nearly killed Azelma, she had come to despise him. "Ah, all the fine feathers couldn't hide that face. Hello, 'Ponine."
She whirled away from him and spat in his face. "Only my friends call me Ponine." Montparnasse whacked her in the face, hard, with his bottle, and she crumpled. "Leave my sister alone!" Gavroche shouted, and attempted to punch the man, but instead, Montparnasse clocked the young boy on the head, and he fell next to Eponine, unconscious. "You monster!" Eponine screamed, gathering Gavroche up in her arms.
Montparnasse simply laughed. "You tell anybody about this encounter, or try to run away, and I'll kill that pretty boy of yours. What was his name? Enjolras?" Eponine's pulse quickened.
"I promise."
A low chuckle emanated from Montparnasse. "Good girl. Now I'm taking you home." He wound his arms around Eponine, and started to run his filthy hands over her body.
"Like hell you are," Eponine growled, pushed forward, and kicked him as hard as she could in his balls, and grabbed his pistol from his belt. He doubled over, as Eponine threw Gavroche over her shoulder. Once, Eponine thought she felt him gaining on them, and fired the pistol twice. To her gratification, she found it already loaded. Her father had taught her how to shoot when she was young, and she found she had lost none of that raw talent. She heard Montparnasse's cry of pain, but didn't stop.
She ran blindly, until she realized she was bleeding again. The bandages had stopped most of the flow, but, Eponine thought, with a wry smile, Joly wouldn't be happy. The lights of the Cafe Musain neared, and Eponine nearly cried with relief and she stumbled in, tired from carrying the still unconscious Gavroche.
Enjolras walked down from the pedestal, a smile on his face. All the work and planning had been worth it, and the plan was going ever so well. He sat down in the corner again, and out of habit, ordered a glass of wine, even though he never actually drank it. It was more for Grantaire, his drunk friend, who sat on a stool, surrounded by fluttering barmaids who wore too much paint. Enjolras shook his head. Grantaire thrived in that enviroment. Enjolras did not do well around women. Well...Eponine was an exception.
As if he had summoned her, the door flew open, reminded Enjolras of that sad night when he had seen Gavroche at the door. But it was Eponine this time, and Gavroche was thrown across her shoulder, unmoving. Enjolras tried not to think about what that might mean as he rushed to take Gavroche from Eponine. As if reading his thoughts, Eponine sighed. "He's unconscious. He'll be okay though. He's a tough kid."
It was then Enjolras noticed that she was panting and the silvery sheen of sweat covered her face. She clenched a silver pistol in her hand. He was about to ask her about it, when Joly materialized out of nowhere. "Eponine!" he shrieked. "Tell me you did not run. Tell me you did not!"
Eponine looked up and grinned. "I didn't." Joly breathed a sigh of relief. "Well actually, I did, but you wanted me to tell you that I didn't, so..."
Joly clutched at his chest melodramatically. "Your stitches!"
Eponine shrugged her shoulders. "I'm pretty sure they burst," she said, off-handedly, while Joly looked like she had just given him a mini-heart attack.
Joly ushered Eponine away to the back room to restitch her up, while he ordered the rest of the men to get Gavroche some ice.
Enjolras followed Joly. "What happened, Eponine?" he demanded. "Who hurt Gavroche and made you run?"
"Nobody," Eponine whispered softly. "Nobody. It was my fault."
Enjolras had not grown up around his father, a man who always knew when someone was lying, for nothing, and he could tell when she was hiding something. He would find it out.
Montparnasse, her father, and danger are back in the scene! Never fear, Enjolras will keep Eponine safe! :) Bye! Thanks for reading. Love, thegirlwiththewords
