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It's been a while since I updated but here I am! I have been busy with other stuff.

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Chapter 11

Questions are all relevant, no matter how painfully obvious the answers may be. To call a question idiotic is to underestimate the one who asks. One does not just tests one's knowledge, but more importantly one sees into the mind of another.

The doctor in a white coat shakes his head while wearing a grim face, which makes him seem older. Explaining the current situation, he uses some hand gestures and technical terms. Jean Valjean stares at the carpeted ground and at his own shiny black shoes with dismay. A part of him is listening to the doctor while the other part is deaf from the grave news.

"Her condition is not going to get better, Monsieur Fauchelevent." The doctor concludes. Seeing grief written all over Valjean's face, he lowers his voice and says more apologetically. "I'm sorry."

Valjean, who is more known as Fauchelevent, presses his lips into a tight line then inclines his head to look at the doctor's face. "Does she know about her… condition?"

"Most likely she was aware of the sickness spreading but not how fast it would take before... Surely, she must have known it would come to this after so long."

"Doctor," Valjean swallows nervously. "How long before… I mean…" In his perturbed state, he is unable to complete his sentence or question.

The doctor feels deeply sorry for Monsieur Fauchelevent and his close friend. Monsieur Fauchelevent is a private man with scarcely anyone to call a friend or companion and it is devastating to helplessly watch his close friend in the hospital. There are times when words fail to convey emotions. The doctor gives a small shake of his head, which is enough of a reply for Jean Valjean.

"Monsieur Fauchelevent," A nurse clad in white interrupts the morbid conversation with an urgent tone. "She's awake and wishes to see you as soon as possible."

The old man glances at the doctor for one last time before following the nurse to Fantine's hospital room at the end of the hallway. He takes long strides hastily but slows down when he reaches the door, which is ajar. Knocking on the wooden door, he pokes his head to see Fantine lying on the bed.

Her voice is weak and barely above a cracked whisper, "is that you, Monsieur?"

Cringing at her sickly tone, Valjean approaches her until he is hovering over her. "Yes, it is I, Fantine. How are you feeling?"

Fantine blinks rapidly to clear her mind from its hazy fog and struggles to keep her focus on Valjean's face. Sweat sticks her hair to her sickly pale skin. She does not even have enough energy to attempt to sit up from the comfortable hospital bed. It is like watching a delicate flower wilt before one's eyes.

She does not want to appear that weak and worry her friend so she nods and forces a smile. "I'm fine."

Despite her smile, he sees through her pretenses of strength. Sighing, he sits on the edge of her bed, careful not to move her. "Fantine," he takes her hand gingerly but avoids her brown doe eyes. "The doctor and I had a discussion about your health... I-I don't know how-"

"It's alright," Fantine squeezes his hand reassuringly. She lets out a hard throaty cough. "Nothing can be done anymore, Monsieur. It's almost over for me, and I have accepted that fact a while back."

Valjean shakes his head while his hands tremble slightly. "I-I should have-"

"You have done enough for me during these past years, Monsieur. I thank you." The sick woman smiles genuinely as if she were not dying or in pain. Valjean could swear he saw a tiny glimpse of a healthy Fantine when her smile shines through her sickness.

"Cosette-"

Fantine gains energy from the sound of her daughter's name. Her eyes widen with excitement. She pleads, "please bring her to me. I must see her one last time before I go. It is my last request."

It is Valjean's greatest regret that he has to bring Cosette to meet her dying mother in her death-bed. He was hoping Fantine would be completely healthy before he reunites them. Under the circumstances, he now has to explain the situation to Cosette. It would be like taking someone to a peaceful walk to the park only to lock them up in a dark room of grief the next day. He would give Cosette a moment's joy before she mourns for her loss. Must Valjean give false hope of a family to an orphan girl? Would that be too cruel? Especially to someone he considers a friend?

Nonetheless, he nods at Fantine's last wish. "I shall see it done, Fantine."

She completely relaxes in bed, and she closes her tired brown eyes. "Maybe I might get better if I see her. I have always believed that love can heal wounds. My Cosette shall finally meet me after so long! I hope she recognizes me... even just a bit. It is funny that she will see my like this. I have long for this for years... I can finally rest soon."

Fantine drifts into a peaceful sleep with the sound of her breathing filling the room.

Antoine Enjolras is on his way to the hospital when he stops at the middle of his walk to hand an elder woman a few coins from his pocket. The old woman pulls her tattered coat around her tighter and gives him a grateful but toothless smile. That is the fifth or seventh beggar he has passed by today. Most of them were children. Children! Children should be in school, preparing for their future and the future of this country! Antoine makes it a habit to pass by roads and streets where there are more beggars so he can be reminded by his cause all the time and maybe help someone out. Seeing his countrymen suffer is throwing wood into a blazing fire which fuels his drive to fight for justice.

A woman curls up against the graffiti-covered wall, hugging herself. Her faded jeans and dark sneakers are dirtied and have holes. Antoine notices a bit of dried blood on her black shirt and bruises on her skinny arms. Her brown hair covers most of her face but Antoine can still see patches of bruises. Coughing as quietly as she can, she moves to press a red stained cloth to her nose.

Antoine, who cannot deny a soul in pain, approaches her and kneels before her. "Mademoiselle, are you in much pain? Do you need assistance? May I help you in any way?"

She looks up to see this weird stranger who offers to help her. Not many people gave her or any poor person a second glance. Their eyes become huge when they recognize each other.

"It's you!" Eponine exclaims. "Antoine Enjolras!"

Without waiting to hear his violent reaction, she moves a quickly as her aching body allows her to. Now on her feet, she stumbles away from him while holding the cloth to her nose. It is a good attempt to escape but she is soon leaning against the wall for support again. Antoine carefully comes to her again without any haste, he knows she cannot run off in that condition.

"Eponine, wasn't it?" He holds out a clean unused handkerchief to her. They are not on good terms with each other but she is still in need of his help. For a second, she glances at his lips. She kissed those lips nights ago.

She spits at the ground near his feet and stubbornly shakes her head. Her voice is venomous and bitter, "I do not need your help, Monsieur. I can take care of myself. You can just try to get me arrested, but I will not go quietly or willingly."

Now is not the time to talk about the ring. She is hurt, for God's sake! "I won't get you arrested if you let me help you."

She is flabbergasted at his statement. "What about your ring? Don't you think lowlife thieves like me should be thrown in prison? Why the hell do you even want to help me?"

Sighing under his breath, he stuffs his handkerchief in his pocket. "I will get my ring back... But you're injured. I can't just turn my back on people who need my help. I do not think you stole my ring for any selfish reason. I do know that there are people who commit crimes to survive and feed their families. So tell me, what happened to you?"

"It's none of your business. Just leave me alone." Slowly and gently, she sits herself on the ground and resumes her position of being against the wall. This is pathetic! He pities me! He probably thinks I'm using his pity to get money or that I deserve this. Probably he is just pretending to be nice so I'll give his stupid ring. Eponine stares at the bruises on her arms sadly.

Soon Antoine is on the ground next to her, making his red jacket and black jeans dirty. Seated Indian-style, he keeps a respectable distance between them.

"Just leave me alone! Damn it!" Eponine snaps.

"Not until you let me help you. I swore I would never, ever ignore someone I can help, and I will honor that promise diligently." Antoine says stubbornly.

If I ignore him, he'll leave soon enough. They sit in silence on the ground. Neither says anything as they watch the passers-by going on with their daily routine. Various kinds of people bustle about the streets, heading towards their next destination. None of the people glance at the suspicious pair who were just watching the world turn.

"My papa did this," Eponine mumbled, her eyes watching a man smiling as he tugs on his laughing daughter's hand. Eponine's papa doesn't smile nor does he laugh, he sneers and scowls. A part of Eponine thinks he is incapable of any happy and pure sign of affection.

Antoine turns his head towards her, "pardon me. Did you say something?"

Clearing her throat, Eponine loops her arms around her knees and props her chin on top of her knees. "My papa used to smile like that when I was just a kid." Antoine follows her gaze and frowns at what she is trying to say. "What happened? What... changed?"

"He became hungry for money, more than usual. Nothing else seemed to matter to him. Not my mother. Not my siblings. Not me. Often, he would use us in this his sneaky schemes like the other night. When we would even think of disobeying... he would never allow it." Why was she talking about this to some stranger whom she was trying to run away from earlier? There is something sincere about Antoine. Like she knows he would not judge her unjustly like most people would.

Antoine knows this is a very sensitive topic to thread on. He had no expected her to actually talk about her problem but he appreciates that she seems to trust him with this. Well, he did say he would help her. "He hurt you?" Eponine nods silently. Her eyes say that it has happened more than once. Who knows what kind of horrors those brown eyes have seen? How many insults and curses have her ears heard? Did Eponine scream or did she just suck it up bravely? How badly was she really hurt? Immediately, Antoine feels disgust and disdain towards Eponine's papa. What kind of father does that to his own flesh and blood?

"What about your dad?" Eponine changes the topic.

Antoine, who was so engrossed in his thoughts, is caught off guard by the question. "My father... He and I don't see eye-to-eye especially about my future. Once he makes up his mind, he is won't stray from that path... We often argue and it drives my mother crazy. But... he's not a bad guy or anything."

Eponine smirks at this but he can't see since she is still holding the cloth to her bleeding nose, "he sounds a lot like you." Antoine wrinkles his nose, "I am not stubborn."

Raising an eyebrow, Eponine says, "you're here sitting on the dirt covered ground with me because you refuse to leave until I let you help me. I'm pretty sure you have other things to do but... you're here."

"Just accept my help." He gives her his white handkerchief, and this time she accepts his offer. Discarding the old cloth, she replaces it with the spotless white one. Eponine mutters, "thanks."

Antoine nods. "You're welcome."

"And thanks for not getting me arrested. I can't get arrested right now..." She meets his eyes before she stares at her shoes. "I need to look for my brother. He ran away weeks ago and I haven't seen him since."

Antoine does not know what to say to that. He does not have any siblings. Instead, he nods uncertainly. "I'll get you some ice for your bruises, okay? Don't go away or run off again. I promise I'll come back."

Eponine puts down the cloth for a while. She smiles weakly at him. "Sure."

He gets up and leaves her for a few minutes to get ice. When returns, she is gone.

"That is not fair!" Feuilly exclaims as the other guys groan at exactly the same time.

Jehan runs his hands through his hair and sighs. "Injustice! Impossible!"

"Ugh," Bahorel throws the cards in his arms in the air exasperatedly. It begins to rain cards as most of the other guys follows suit.

"I'm not cleaning this up." Antoine says from the table behind their circle, a thick law book open before him. Rolling his eyes, he flicks a king of hearts card that has landed on his book.

An ace caught in his messy tangle of curls, Grantaire looks over to the boy in the bed suspiciously. "That is the fifth game you've won. It's not normal, 'roche. How are you cheating?"

Gavroche shrugs innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about. I won fair and square. Guess I'm just really lucky."

Next to the young boy, Courfeyrac laughs heartily then turns to the person next to him, Combeferre. "Do you see that? He won the game! I win the bet, Charlie! Now hand me the money."

Looking unimpressed by Courfeyrac, Combeferre arches an eyebrow and pushes his glasses back. "First of all, don't call me Charlie, Bernard. Second of all, our bet is that Gavroche would win against all of us. As you can see..." He gestures to Antoine who is reading a law book. "Our dear Prince did not participate in the game so technically we are incomplete."

Courfeyrac pouts at the loopholes. "Damn you and your stupid logic."

Joly examines his hands and panics to Bossuet, "do you not see it? It's a cut! I've got a cut from the cards! A card-cut! I think it's bleeding!" The latter smiles patiently and shakes his head, "it's not bleeding, mon ami. Just breathe for a moment." The hypochondriac protests, "I should get it disinfected just in case. We are in a hospital after all." Grantaire snorts, "yeah, maybe they'd give you a Hello Kitty band-aid too."

For the first time, they notice how silent Marius has been. Since he came in with this goofy smile, he has not said more than three words to anyone just a giddy smile and a hello. Now the freckled man stares at the cards on the floor as his mind races off into another world. "Marius, are you all right? Did you catch something?" Joly asks nervously. Grantaire chuckles and whispers loudly to Feuilly, "he looks like he could use a drink or two."

Nodding, Marius smiles as wide as he can. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just meeting someone tonight." Courfeyrac wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, "oh? Did Romeo find a hot chick? Does she have a sister?" The other blushes scarlet and shies away a bit, "I don't think she has a sister but... she's beautiful."

"Is this the same girl you have been drooling over for weeks? You've finally met her?" Jehan pipes while the others groan and brace themselves for a long detailed story about how Marius was able to find the love of his life. Gavroche pretends to be puking at the edge of his bed, and Bahorel makes a gun with his hands and shoots himself in the head.

Whether choosing to ignore their lack of enthusiasm or oblivious to their agony, Marius begins recalling his encounter with Eponine. "I haven't seen her since the party but... I bumped into someone I met at the party- the girl who found my lost watch- on my way to the Musain. I asked her about my beloved and she said she knows who my angel is! I couldn't believe it! She's friends with my beloved! I'm going to meet my beloved tonight at the park near the Musain and it will be perfect!"

Behind them, Antoine puts down his book. He cannot concentrate with this talk of nonsense. Of course, he cannot concentrate at all since Eponine left earlier. With his voice dripping with sarcasm, he says, "as much as we all really care about your love life, could you please refrain from gushing? I think my ears are starting to bleed."

Not offended by Antoine's snide comment , Marius just turns into a bright shade of red. "Sorry... I have to go anyway. I have to prepare for tonight." He stands up timidly and collects his belongings.

"So, what's the name of the fairest among them all?" Grantaire drawls.

"Oh, I found out from my friend... My beloved's name is Cosette. Have you ever heard of a more beautiful name?"

Gavroche sits up straighter at the name, causing a sudden pain in his ribs but he does not care. Suddenly, he inquires, "Your friend... what's her name? Do you know her name?"

By the door, Marius nods, "Eponine... Her name is Eponine." Then, he is gone.

Electricity shoots through Antoine. Can it be? Is it the same girl? Is this his chance to finally get his ring back? Most probably she would be with Cosette tonight. Was she still injured?

"That's my sister." a small voice whispers.

"Did you say something, Gav?" Courfeyrac asks.

Gavroche leans back to the bed. "That's my sister. Eponine is my sister. The last time I saw her... She must be looking for me."

Antoine stares disbelievingly at the boy on the bed. How did he miss the resemblance between them? Eponine's words ring in his ears, I need to look for my brother. He ran away weeks ago and I haven't seen him since. He can still see the sad look in those brown eyes and the bruises on her skin. "Gavroche... I know Eponine. I can help you."