A/N: I apologize in advance for this chapter...It's not K+ anymore... So heavy warning for this chapter.
Worlds Away
Chapter 9 - You Know I've Had Close Calls
It takes approximately 0.5 seconds to throw a punch and hit someone or something. Yet, those 0.5 seconds can leave weeks or even months of damage. That means there are 172,800 chances in a day for something so quick to leave a lasting pain. Small occurrences can happen so fast but can also leave your life forever altered.
Eponine could barely utter another word. She stood frozen with his lips still near her ear. But she was strong and she would not show him her fear.
Thenardier had put Montparnasse, Babet, and Claquesous on watch outside around the Cafe as added security. He figured that if Eponine wouldn't come willingly, he could always force her.
"It's been too long, 'Ponine," Montparnasse hissed in her ear. "Where have you been for so long?"
Eponine questioned whether she should respond. It took her a long time to form a complete thought in her head before she answered, "Nowhere."
"I highly doubt that." He breathed as he stepped around in front of her, meeting her gaze. Eponine looked past him, averting his gaze. Montparnasse stepped closer to her, only centimeters away. He bent his head down closer to her face. "I've missed you..."
Still paralyzed by fear, Eponine did not move as she felt his hot breath on her face. He moved closer and closer to her by each passing second. At the last second, she squeezed her eyes shut and pushed him away from her. "Leave me be, 'Parnasse!"
Fury rippled through his once calm face. He grabbed her forearms with his two hands like a vise on each. Her eyes remained shut, too scared to look him in the face.
"Eponine!" Her eyes shot open to see Enjolras as he bolted from the Cafe. Joly was close on his heels, flanked by Thenardier. His eyes scanned the road and he saw her at the corner in Montparnasse's grip. Montparnasse's gaze hardened at the sight of him. Enjolras marched over to the pair and gripped Montparnasse's wrist. "Let go of her." He said in his stern voice.
Montparnasse's grip only increased on Eponine and she winced. Before Montparnasse could respond, Thenardier cackled loudly at the sight in front of him. The trio of heads whipped around to see Thenardier before them. "It appears we got a real Prince Charming 'ere!" He mocked. He turned to Enjolras, pulled back his fist and punched Enjolras square in the face.
Enjolras stumbled backward, letting go of Montparnasse's wrist. Joly immediately jumped to his friend's side, placing his arms on him, trying to get a look at his face. His attention turned to Thenardier, "What do you want?"
"I want my daughter." Thenardier said menacingly. "And you two blokes are getting in my way."
Enjolras brushed Joly off, holding his nose. "You're not taking her." He stated.
Thenardier's eyes narrowed. "Babet! Claquesous!" He hollered. Two figures emerged from opposing sides of the streets. It seemed as if they appeared from thin air, having been so well concealed in shadows.
Enjolras stiffened and Joly remained resolute. The figures approached the group on the street corner. The bigger of the two figures, Claquesous, looked to Montparnasse and gave him a nod. Montparnasse looked back at him and gave an identical nod. He started walking with Eponine still in his grip.
Eponine struggled against him, planting her feet, only to stumble as he pulled her along. "No! No! Enjolras!" She protested. She could feel her eyes welling.
Enjolras tried to make a run for them only to be struck down by Babet. Thenardier then punched him in the gut. Joly took on a beating of his own by Claquesous. Both boys fought against them but Thenardier had them out numbered.
Eponine stumbled along with Montparnasse, she shook her arms forcefully, she tried to kick him, but he held onto her firmly. She pulled against him again, trying to shake him free. He was beginning to get annoyed by her. Montparnasse slammed her into side of the building. The back of her head hit against the bricks. Once it seemed like her protests had died down, Montparnasse continued walking with her. He ducked into an alley around the corner, forcing her against the wall.
Montparnasse pressed his full weight on top of Eponine. She couldn't push him off of her. "Haven't you missed me?" He snarled.
She spit in his face, causing Montparnasse to slap her across the face. He grabbed her arm again before she could do anything with it. "Play nice now, 'Ponine."
"I loathe you." She spit out.
His face softened a bit, "And I love you too..." He said before his exterior hardened again.
She struggled against him further. He only responded by removing one of his hands from her wrists and placing it on her neck. He used his other arm and his body weight to hold her in place. Montparnasse dropped his gaze to her chest. "You've matured since the last time I saw you." His fingernails dug into her neck and she let a small cry escape her lips. His face was dangerously close to hers. He let his hand drift down her neck onto her shoulder. He slid it further down her side to her hip. He pressed his head into the crook of her neck, biting at her collarbone.
Eponine tried to move her arms against him, thrashing about. He only pressed harder onto her. His fingers circled around her hip bone, playing with the hem of her shirt. "Get off of me." She finally choked out.
Montparnasse smirked against her. "Now why would I want to do that?" His hand found its way up her shirt. His fingers cold against her warm, delicate skin. "Someone's gotta teach you that you can't just disappear for six years while you have obligations to the Patron-Minette." He said as his fingers felt around her breast squeezing it roughly.
"B-But I..." She stopped herself knowing that he truly believed she had been gone for six years just as her father had. Eponine needed to think fast. She picked up her leg and kicked him in the shin. Although, it wasn't a hard kick since she was so close against the wall, but it was enough to make Montparnasse angrier. He immediately responded by stepping on the foot that kicked him and holding it there.
She winced at the pain, buckling her knee slightly. His hand continued to roam inside her shirt. His lips rested against her neck, tasting her. He opened his eyes and looked at her shoulder. Her shirt had been pulled down by his arm on top of her revealing a few black marks. He looked closer at it, noting it was stitches. "Oh...what 'ave we here?"
He slipped his hand out from under her shirt and pulled the sleeve down further off her shoulder. "'Parnasse, please..."
He looked her in the eyes and smiled. "What happened?" He said as she stroked his fingers over the neat threads.
Eponine closed her eyes. "Nothing." His gentle touches felt like daggers on her skin.
"Doesn't look like nothing." He gripped his hand around her bony shoulder and pressed it together hard. She softly cried out in pain. He took his hand and twisted her shoulder back pulling the skin. He was mesmerized as he watched the threads pull against her skin. One by one, the threads popped. Eponine's eyes closed with tears and her head fell back in blinding pain.
Soon, all eight threads were loose. The line of the wound began to seep out blood. Montparnasse continued to watch as the blood pooled over and down her shoulder, leaving red streaks against her olive complexion and staining her shirt.
A cry escaped her lips, louder this time. But she was silenced by Montparnasse's lips against hers fiercely. Her lips tasted like salt from her tears. Eponine didn't have the energy to struggle or even pretend to kiss him back. He grew impatient at her listlessness. He gripped her arm again, feeling the blood underneath his hand as it ran down her arm. Montparnasse secured his other arm on her torso. He pulled her arm straight downward until he heard the bone pop.
Eponine let out a blood curdling scream as her knees gave way. Montparnasse let go of her and she fell to the ground. Her arm hung limply at her side. Her head pressed against the cool bricks as she sobbed in pain.
Montparnasse smiled at her from above. "I think you learned your lesson." He paused pondering, "From me anyway. You're dad might have something else in mind."
The last thing Eponine remembered was the shine of Montparnasse's shoes and the hollowed sounds of someone yelling her name. Her world dissolved into backness.
Enjolras and Joly had been detained by Babet, Claquesous, and Thenardier. They beat the two boys mercilessly. Joly's scrawnier frame was no match against Claquesous and Enjolras tried to take on the other two. Thenardier laughed at every blow he threw at Enjolras, watching in double over in pain.
However, after each hit, Enjolras would stand to his feet again. Babet held his arms back as Thenardier punched him in the gut. Enjolras wriggled one of his arms loose and uppercut Thenardier in the jaw sending him flying backward. With the free arm, he swung around and punched Babet in the side of his head, hearing one of his own fingers crack in the process.
Babet let go of Enjolras. He quickly ran to Joly's side who was in a state of delusion from too many hits to the head. Enjolras took his other hand and punched Claquesous so hard his head hit the brick building wall behind him.
Enjolras grabbed Joly by the arm and half-dragged him running down the street corner. "Eponine! Eponine!" He shouted. He felt Thenardier on his tail but didn't bother to turn around and look.
Montparnasse appeared from the shadows of the alley. Enjolras didn't give him a chance to say anything before he decked him across the face. Montparnasse could've sworn he saw stars.
Enjolras peered down the alley and saw Eponine's crumpled form against the wall. Joly held himself up against the wall, and he focused on breathing. Enjolras bent down to her, he gently scooped her face in his hands. Her eyes wouldn't open. "Eponine," He said softly. He looked down at her shoulder that hung at an absurd angle, seeping blood.
The cackling laugh of Thenardier interrupted his thoughts. Enjolras' head whipped around to see him standing at the mouth of the alley. Montparnasse had stood to his feet and was now at the right of Thenardier. Babet and Claquesous stood behind, hunched over in slight pain. Thenardier began to approach Enjolras.
"I've called the police." Enjolras lied. Thenardier stopped dead in his tracks.
"Didn't see ya do it." Thenardier called him out.
"He's bluffin'" Babet sneered.
"I did, and they're on their way." Enjolras said as he stood up. He took a triumphant step closer to Thenardier. "Now, I would suggest helping them out by not going anywhere."
Babet and Claquesous exchanged glances. "Are you crazy?" One of them piped in.
"Not at all." Replied Enjolras calmly. "But I'm sure even you all appreciate the fine work the police do for us. So how about you make their lives easier by staying right where you are and waiting for them to show up."
Thenardier huffed as Montparnasse touched his arm as if to say, Let's go. "I'm not leavin' wit'out 'er!" Thenardier lowered his voice, "She's mine."
Enjolras leaned back, "Great!" He smirked. "Thanks for making it easier for the law. I knew you'd come around."
Thenardier stamped his foot. Babet and Claquesous started to back away, Montparnasse grabbed his arm to pull him along.
"Just remember, pretty boy...I will find her." With that Thenardier disappeared into the shadows with the rest of the gang.
Enjolras let out a long breath he didn't realize he was holding. He fell back against the wall and slid down. He wrapped his arm around Eponine and rested her against him. He shakily pulled his phone from his pocket.
"C-Call...'Ferre..." Joly managed to say.
"Don't worry, mon ami, I will." He whispered.
Combeferre had left the instant he got the call and said he would come with Grantaire, Courfeyrac, Bahorel, and Jehan.
Enjolras fought against his closing eyelids. Joly hadn't had the strength to stay awake long enough to see his friends come.
When Enjolras heard the car doors, his eyes shot open from their dreary state.
"Mon Dieu..." Combeferre said at he beheld the bloodied scene.
Bahorel and Jehan tended to Joly getting him in the car. "Help...her first." Enjolras whispered in shaky breaths.
Combeferre lifted her up gently. Eponine's head fell back over his arm. Her arm swung like it was detached. Courfeyrac provided assistance helping her into the back seat of the car.
Enjolras watched his friends take her away. Grantaire helped Enjolras stand to his feet and supported him against his frame. Enjolras' eyes didn't leave Eponine, She's never been in a car before, he thought before he gave way to exhaustion.
A/N: Like I said, I'm sorry...but it had to happen.
