Chapter 10

Grantaire was waiting for what seemed like an eternity. He was sitting on a chair outside the spare room in the Cafe` Musain; his fingers entwined in his dark curls while bitter tears stained his cheeks.

He didn't believe in God but right now he was praying for a miracle. the terrible events replayed in his mind.

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Grantaire got knocked out of the way by Carmen's strong fist. His vision was dazed, he was trying to get his head around what was happening.

BANG!

His vision cleared, he saw Enjolras with his musket staring at Carmen in horror... What happened?

Grantaire saw as Carmen swiftly collapsed but caught her before she could hit the floor. That's when he saw her blood soaked shoulder.

"No. Oh god no!" Grantaire thought. The Cynic held Carmen close to his chest. Tears streaming down his face.

"Please Carmen... stay with me... I need you... I lo..." Her eyes were already closed. Grantaire looked up to see Apollo's marble facade cracked slightly but quickly return to normal when Combeferre grabbed his attention and ran down into the crowd.

"JOLY!" Grantaire screamed "I'm right here." Joly said putting a firm hand on the Cynic's shoulder pulling him up with Carmen's lifeless body in his arms.

The gentlemen managed to squeeze their way to a small alley and make there way quickly to the Musain.

"Go put him on the bed in the spare room upstairs." Joly ordered Grantaire as soon as they entered the cafe`.

The Cynic raced to the room and placed Carmen on the single bed which lay there. Joly followed behind with his medical supplies, pulled up a chair up to the bed and reached for Jacques' shirt.

"What are you doing?" Grantaire panicked as he stopped Joly's hand from doing anything else. "I'm unbuttoning his shirt so I can treat his shoulder." replied Joly.

" Oh. Of course you are... but Joly, before you do anything... well... Jacques is not... well..." Grantaire hesitated "He's not a boy!"

Joly just looked at him in shock, his mouth open but not making a sound. Grantaire reached his hand to the brown cap on top of Carmen's head and let her thick waterfall of hair loose across the pillow. Joly instantly recognized her "Is that..." "YES." Grantaire interrupted.

"Just... don't ask questions. Do what you have to do..." Grantaire ran out of the room before he lost all control of his emotions.

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Grantaire was swimming in tears of guilt, he felt terrible for breaking his promise to Carmen, but what else was he meant to do, Joly would have found out anyway and be even more shocked.

Grantaire's world was collapsing at the thought of never spending another day with Carmen... how would he cope, he could turn back to alcohol again but that would only fill his empty heart temporarily, Carmen was now and forever in his heart in his heart permanently.

The door of the spare room swung opened to reveal a somber Joly. "Is she all right?" Grantaire pleaded as he stood up. Joly walked over to his friend.

"She's fine Mon ami. It was a clean shot so I was able to take the bullet out easily, all we need to do know is make sure the wound gets cleaned and to put on clean dressing everyday, and make sure that Jac... err."

"Carmen."

"...CARMEN. Gets plenty of rest."

"Has she woken yet?" Grantaire asked

"No. She will probably be asleep for a while." Joly said solemnly

"God. She could have died." whispered Grantaire

"She did it to save her Father didn't she?"

"Yeah... Oh God, I tried to stop her, me and Courf..."

"Its OK Grantaire." Joly stressed as he put his friend down on the chair and keeled next to him "I know she's Javert's daughter, but what is she doing here?"

Grantaire explained everything; how Carmen had sneaked out every Sunday dressed as a boy, gave food and money to those on the streets and then joined a revolution for a free France; all without her Father knowing.

"Wow... she had me fooled that's for sure." joked Joly "How long have you known?"

"For a while. I sort of guessed that she was a girl, took a bit of finding though."

"But you didn't tell anyone." Joly said

"No... I didn't."

"Because you love her."

Grantaire couldn't lie anymore. "Yeah... I do. I love her."

Joly smiled. "What do we tell Enjolras?"

"Tell me what?" Both men turned to see their leader standing on the stairs in front of them.

"How long have you been there?" Grantaire asked as he and Joly stood up.

"Long enough." He said with an emotionless face.

"So you heard all that about..."

"Who Jacques is... yes." Enjolras turned to Joly "How is she? I hope I didn't injure her to badly."

"No she's fine."

Enjolras simply nodded, his arms folded.

"Apollo, believe me, Carmen meant no harm, she is loyal to the revolution she wants a free France..."

"I know Grantaire. She was just trying to protect her Father. I'm not angry at her, in fact I admirer her bravery."

"What happened at the rally?" Joly asked

"Well... Thanks to Mademoiselle Javert, I missed my chance to get the Dog. Which I'm thankful for, the plan was flawed I only just saw that after you two left. I had to get the Les Amis out of there before it turned into a blood bath. But too much was happening... I-I lost them all and I had to get out of there my self." Enjolras explained. "I came straight here, I only hope the rest of the Amis do."

"What's going to happen?" Grantaire asked

"We need to wait till all of the Les Amis turn-up to tell them about Jacques. But for the mean time, we have to look after our prisoner."

"Wait.. What?"

"I may have not been able to kill Javert. But Patria will have justice for what Javert has done wrong to her people. We take his beloved daughter as revenge." Enjolras' facade was well fixed on. Grantaire was speechless.

"You can't do that to an innocent girl." Joly protested

"She may be innocent, but her FATHER is not! She's staying and that is all I will say on the matter." Enjolras walked away into the room where the meetings are held.

Grantaire hit his fists on the wall. "He can't do that! Not to her!"

"Grantaire..."

"NO JOLY! He may be our leader but I will not let him diminish the freedom of the woman I LOVE!"

Grantaire burst through the spare room door, he instantly calmed down when he saw his Carmen on the simple bed. Her ebony hair caressing the pillow, her heart-shaped face looked peaceful yet pale, her bare shoulders peaking out from under the blanket, one was smothered in a white bandage. She looked like Sleeping Beauty; Grantaire wished that he could kiss her awake.

He sat down on the chair next to her bed and caressed her soft sleepy hand.

"Oh Carmen. I'm so sorry." He whispered

"'Taire?" a small soft voice spoke. Grantaire looked down to see two dark eyes; no longer shining with fear.

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