Chapter 14

The morning had come sooner than they had imagined. Each woke with the feeling of relief and anxiety, relief that they have escaped near capture and they were safe for now, but anxiety of not knowing their next move or knowing how safe they were now where. Cosette had prepared a small meal for them and put some aside for Eponine when she had the strength to attempt to eat, they were all seated in the drawing room. Courfeyrac and Gavroche were huddled together, Gavroche was still tired from the running so he was resting his head on Courfeyrac's shoulder Courfeyrac couldn't help but place a small kiss on his forehead but refused to pull away. Grantaire was seated next to Enjolras, he couldn't help but play with his food, there was so much going on it was hurting his mind. He figured it was the not drinking that was creating the pain. So this was why he started. He was scared, scared for Megan and Bella especially Bella, if the National Guard found out that both of them had helped them escape who knows what means they would do to get information out of them. He shook the thought from his head and tried remember the last second with Bella. He did it, he finally admitted he loved her. He smiled and prayed that she would feel the same.

"Did everyone sleep well, I know it wasn't much but-" Combeferre looked up from his plate and smiled over to Cosette

"Please Cosette it was probably the best night's sleep we've had in a long time, thank you we really appreciate what you're doing for us." Combeferre nodded over to Marius thanking him as well, he thought back on the journey Taire and himself took last night. The National Guard were on their tail for at least half the journey, when they had finally got rid of them both of them could barely stand up straight. He had never been so happy to see the gates of Cosette and Marius's garden, but he had felt so guilty of no checking on Eponine before going to bed himself. He was ready however to go and see her after he finished eating. Enjolras just stared at his food, his journey had been just as bad just seconds after leaving he heard Courfeyrac's cries to Combeferre

They Found Us!

This caused Marius to speed up which caused Eponine to wake up, the second she opened her eyes and saw that she was somewhere other than the small room she had been lying for the past four days she panicked. She tried to get up but the pain from her chest defeated her she would of fell of the seat if it wasn't for Enjorlas holding her close. He tried to calm her down reminding her where she was and why she was there but it wasn't helping, she was too tired, too weak and the sudden shock had made it worse. She cried in his arms the whole way there burying her head into his chest, Enjolras wrapped his strong arms around her fragile body; he didn't say a word, worried that he would it worse if he did. He just sat there and felt his heart breaking. When they had finally arrived Eponine had stopped crying and fallen once again into a sleep, Marius helped Enjolras carry her inside and Cosette took care of the rest. The silence in the room was broken yet again by Cosette,

"I'm going to go see if Eponine's hungry, Combeferre do you want to check on her?" It was as if she had read his mind, Combeferre smiled and nodded rising from his seat and followed Cosette to the other room, patting Enjolras's shoulder as he passed him.

"I'll go with you." Marius spoke up. Eyes were fixed on him as he followed the two towards Eponine's room. Gavroche couldn't help but squirm from Courfeyrac's hold as he watched Marius walk into Eponine's room.

Marius watched as Combeferre checked over a now awake Eponine, he shifted uncomfortably as he saw how weak and frail she was. Cosette noticed this and squeezed his hand. Marius had told her about Eponine and how she had brought them together, how she warned off her father and his gang when they attempted to rob her house. But most importantly he had told her about her actions at the barricade, Cosette had never known so much bravery, she wanted to show her appreciation for saving her loves life. Combeferre had finished checking over Eponine and they all heard a small thank you, Combeferre nodded over to the couple and left the three of them alone. Eponine looked over to where the two of them stood and gave a small smile.

"Marius." Marius walked over to sit next to her, the same position Enjolras sat the other day Eponine couldn't help but notice, the only difference was he wasn't holding her hand.

"Hey Ponine, how are you feeling?" He smiled sweetly, trying not to look her in the eye.

"Well" She spoke quietly but with a small amount of attitude "Apart from having a hole in my chest, well thank you." She smiled, she looked over to Cosette who had walked closer to the pair, "Cosette."

"Eponine, I'm so happy to see you, I just wish it could be in other circumstances." She looked as if she was going to cry, but Eponine's small hand reaching out to hers stopped the tears falling, Cosette sat opposite to Marius using both hands to warm her hand,

"Eponine if I knew back then what would have happened to you and your brother I would have asked Papa to take you with us, I'm so sorry."

"No, I should be. The way I treated you-"

"All forgiven, you did not know right from wrong, no of us did. You only repeated the actions of your parents thinking that was how to live. I just hope we can start again." She brought Eponine's hand to her lips and kissed it lightly, Eponine's smile grew bigger.

"I would love that." Marius watched the two girls speak and smiled, he was happy to see Eponine alive and happy. Although he knew the guilt would stay with him forever, the guilt of knowing that he was the reason she took the bullet, he tried to look at Eponine but something inside him kept making him look away. Soon it was just too much. He quickly rose from the bed and started walking out the room.

"Marius?" Eponine looked confused, why was he leaving? Didn't he want to speak to her? Marius looked over to Eponine and saw the confusion in her face, no he didn't want to leave it this way.

"Ep," He walked towards the end of the bed, "I'm so sorry, I just when I saw you lying there at the barricade, knowing that-"he dropped his head as the image of her bloody body came into his mind. "I just feel like I don't even deserve your kindness." And with that he walked quickly out the door keeping his head low. Cosette looked at Eponine, she looked hurt, she would too if it was the other way around,

"Sweetie, don't worry I'll talk to him, make him see sense." She gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, "Would you like me to get you anything? Some water or-"

"Thank you Cosette, I'm fine really I just want to get up."

"I'm not so sure if that's possible yet Eponine, maybe in a few days once you have recovered. Now let's have you eat something now shall we." Cosette turned to pick up the plate full of food and helped Eponine eat little mouthfuls.

Enjorlas saw Marius walked quickly out the room, a tear running down his cheek.

"Marius?" Everyone else soon caught on and turned to see a distressed looking Marius. "Is she okay?"

"Yes she's fine, Cosette's with her. She looks-"

"Marius please." Enjolras quickly interrupted silently drawing Marius's attention to Gavroche who was standing looking more angry than worried. Marius wiped the tear from his cheek and faced Enjolras again,

"I'm sorry, it's just I was her best friend, out of all of us I knew her the longest and I just feel-"

"You weren't."

"What?" Enjolras's mumbled had confused everyone, all eyes were now on him even Grantaire's he may have found out one secret but this was new to him as well. Enjolras took a deep breath and cursed himself for what he was about to admit.

"I've known her longer than any of us. I met her when I saw eight years old, when I used to spend my summers and Christmas's in the family holiday home. But after my mother passed, we stopped going. Before you brought her to the meeting for the first time I hadn't seen her in seven years. But of course she was smitten with you." His tone of voice got more bitter by the time he had finished his sentence. It took a while but soon the penny dropped.

"You mean you lo-" Marius began to ask

"Yes!" Silence then dominated the room, shocked filled every face except Grantaire's who was glad that he was finally admitting it out in the open. Enjolras looked over to Gavroche expecting him to look the most shocked, but a surprise hit him, Gavroche had a small smile on his face. Enjolras felt as if the walls were closing in on him, he ran out of the room and shut himself away in the room Cosette had laid out for him. He sat with his back against the door knees pulled up to his chest.

He loved her.