To everyone who is still waiting patiently for this story to be updated, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know it's been a long time coming, and I apologize deeply for the wait. The third year of law school was the busiest one yet, and I barely had a chance to blink between my graduation day and beginning to study for the bar exam. The studying process was, without a doubt, the most grueling and stressful time of my life. I barely had time to eat, let alone write. Unfortunately, I only passed half of the exam, so I have to suffer through the other half again in February, though it will be much easier and less time consuming to study this time around. I recently moved to Florida and started a great job as a juvenile pd, so now that my life is finally getting settled into a routine, I've had a chance to update! I don't know how frequently the updates will come, but I am quite optimistic that it won't take me a year between chapters again. The goal is 1-2 months between updates. I can't promise anything, but if you guys still love this story, I'm still committed to finishing it. Again, thank you to everyone who is still reading, and enjoy this long overdue chapter!
February 11, 1832
It was nearly midnight when Eponine, deep in slumber, found herself startled awake by a grimy little palm clamping over her mouth. Her eyes shot open and she gave a muffled shriek. Fortunately, the sound was dampened enough that her Papa did not waken, for he would have been quite alarmed to find a tiny little urchin hovering over his daughters' bed.
"Gavroche!" Eponine hissed, once she had yanked his hand away from her mouth. "What in the name of Heaven are you doing? You frightened me half to death!"
"'M sorry, 'Ponine," Gavroche whispered, his normally mischievous eyes wide with worry. "I didn't know where else t'go." Eponine swung her legs over the side of the bed, but before she could speak, she felt the bed's other occupant stir.
""Gavroche?" Cosette said, her eyes still heavy with sleep as she sat up in bed beside her sister. "Darling, whatever are you doing here? You'll catch your death being out this late at night," she added as an afterthought, hurrying out of bed to fetch a spare blanket.
"Oi, I've slept through nights lots colder than this with nuffin but the shirt on me back," Gavroche boasted as Cosette wrapped the warm wool around his shoulders. Still, he tightened the blanket around his shoulders and gave the blonde girl a grateful smile, which she returned along with a gentle kiss on his dirty forehead.
"Cosette, for pity's sake, stop coddling the boy and let him talk," Eponine demanded, climbing out of bed and placing her hands on Gavroche's shoulders. "What is it, Gav? Why have you come?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"It's the boys, 'Ponine," Gavroche said urgently, confirming her fear. "There's been trouble. I need your help."
"Trouble?!" Cosette practically shrieked, causing Eponine to slap her hand across her sister's mouth and look in alarm towards the door. Gavroche, on instinct, ducked beneath the bed. The panicked children could have passed for a trio of statues as they all gazed fearfully at the door, listening for the sound of Valjean's heavy footfalls. But after a full minute had passed, Eponine breathed a sigh of relief and removed her hand from her Cosette's face, rolling her eyes as the blonde girl gave her an apologetic look.
"Come on, Gav," Eponine whispered, reaching down to help the boy crawl out from under the bed. "Tell me what happened," she said, standing him in front of her once more and grasping his shoulders firmly.
"There was a skirmish on the streets t'night," Gavroche said, his breaths short and rapid from panic and chill. "The police were tryin' to get a buncha kids off the street, sayin' they was causin' a disturbance, but they wasn't! One of 'em got rough and knocked a lil' mite of a girl down, and she started bleedin' all over."
"Oh dear!" Cosette gasped. "Is the poor child alright?"
"I think so," Gavroche said. "But that's not the bad part. The boys were all walkin' 'ome from Musain, and saw it 'appen. 'Taire saw the lil' 'un fall, and he got real mad. You know 'ow 'e is when 'e's drunk."
"Indeed," Eponine said dryly, not able to resist rolling her eyes at the thought of the drunken, though goodhearted, rogue. "So then what happened?"
"'Taire went crazy and threw 'is empty wine bottle at the policeman that pushed the girl," Gavroche continued. "'e missed, but the policeman got into a right state, 'n walked up 'n belted 'Taire in the jaw. Then Enj shoved him away, 'n before I knew it, there was a big brawl 'tween the boys 'n the police. I saw 'em all gettin' 'auled off t'jail, 'n that's when I come to find you."
If Eponine had been any less of a lady, she would have let out a string of curse words that would have put even Grantaire to shame. Instead, she restrained herself and closed her eyes for a brief moment. "Gav, which of the boys were arrested?" she asked, sounding much more calm than she felt.
"All of 'em, 'cept Bahorel 'n Joly," Gavroche replied. "They was still at Musain chattin' up the barmaid. I woulda gone t' them for 'elp, but it'll take money t' get the boys out, 'n Bahorel and Joly ain't got a sous between 'em."
"Oh no!" Cosette cried softly, clutching her hands to her chest. "Marius is in jail?"
"Not for long," Eponine said before Gavroche could answer. Jumping up from the bed, she hurried over to her closet and withdrew one of her finer looking gowns. "Gavroche, turn around," she ordered, before she began to change.
"Eponine, what are you doing?" Cosette said nervously.
"I'm going to go pay for the boys' release," she replied, sounding much more confident than she felt.
"But…how?" Cosette fretted, coming over to the closet herself. "You have no money, and it's in the middle of the night. You cannot think to walk the streets of Paris by yourself in the dark!"
"I won't be by myself," Eponine assured her, tying up her sash quickly. "Gavroche will be my guide. He knows which places to avoid, and he'll see me to the jail safely."
"But the money…"
"I'll be right back," Eponine interrupted her, placing a finger to her lips to signal for quiet. Slipping through the bedroom door, Eponine crept down the hallway into the sitting room. Glancing nervously over her shoulder, she knelt beside a small box that was kept next to the fireplace. Most of Valjean's money was kept away from his daughters' eyes, but he kept a sizeable amount of coins for various household needs in the small cedar chest. Swallowing her feelings of guilt at essentially stealing from her Papa, Eponine quietly filled her small change purse with two large handfuls of gold coins, praying that it was enough to release the boys. Creeping back into her bedroom, she shut the door softly behind her.
"Try not to fret, Cosette," Eponine said, touching her hand to her sister's face. "I'll be back before dawn." Without giving her sister a chance to argue, Eponine climbed out the bedroom window, Gavroche following closely behind her.
As Eponine allowed Gavroche to lead her hurriedly through the dark streets, her mind drifted to thoughts of Jourdain. Since he had left her the rose on Christmas Eve, he had been far more outwardly affectionate; at least, by his standards. Occasionally, while Eponine was sewing on a sash or stacking leaflets, Jourdain would walk by and touch her shoulder. A few times, he had even grasped her hand as he bid her farewell at suppertime. Eponine knew that such little gestures did not come naturally to him, and she was grateful for his efforts. Still, it was sometimes discouraging to see how easily Marius held Cosette in his arms or brought her hand to his lips. Eponine sometimes wondered if she could ever expect that level of intimacy from Jourdain.
Before Eponine could dwell on the thoughts of her young insurgent any longer, Gavroche came to a halt in front of a foreboding building. "This 'ere's the jail," he whispered. "Blimey, that officer sittin' at the desk is the one who threw the first punch. 'e ain't likely to be cordial. 'ow are you going to get the boys out, 'Ponine?"
"Don't worry, Gav," Eponine said, much more calmly than she felt. "I have a plan." Mustering all of her courage, Eponine held her head high and strutted into the police station.
The young officer looked up as she entered and removed his hat respectfully. "What can I do for you, mademoiselle?" he asked in a gruff, but polite voice.
"Earlier this evening, you arrested seven young men for coming to the defense of a small girl," Eponine answered, her tone proud and confident as she ignored the traditional formalities. "I am here to secure their release. I have more than enough money to afford their bond."
"I am sorry, mademoiselle, but I cannot let the boys you speak of free," the officer replied. "They assaulted the police, and that can't go unpunished. They'll be before a judge by morning."
Taking a deep breath, Eponine raised her eyebrows and fixed the man with a hard glare. "Monsieur, I have it on a good authority that the "assault" you refer to was merely an attempt to prevent you from battering small children in the streets. I realize it is your duty to protect the streets of Paris, but I am quite certain that pushing a small girl into the ground and causing her to bleed is not in your job description. Furthermore, I have a reliable witness that can attest that it was you who committed this atrocious act against the small girl.
"Now just a moment, mademoiselle-"
"I'll thank you, monsieur, not to interrupt me," Eponine said smoothly. "My father is a wealthy man, and a close confidant of the chief of police. One word from him would be enough to have you dismissed in disgrace from the police force. Now, you may either accept this money for the release of the young men, as well as a little extra for your troubles, or you may keep them locked up and be out of a job by midday tomorrow. The choice is yours, monsieur."
The police officer stared, mouth slightly agape, as Eponine withdrew a large handful of gold and placed it on the desk in front of him. Swallowing hard, he did a quick mental count and realized that there were at least 10 extra coins, possibly more. Looking up once more into Eponine's cold, haughty eyes, he decided that perhaps it would be best to accept the money and release the boys. He did not know who this girl was, but she certainly spoke with the confidence of someone in a high position of authority. As a lowly junior officer, he did not want to risk his career for a few young hoodlums.
"I suppose…I mean, I guess that there would be no harm in releasing them," the officer said hastily, scooping the money into the drawer in front of them. "I'm sure they've learned their lesson from being locked up. I'll go fetch them right away, mademoiselle."
"Thank you very much, monsieur," Eponine said, sweeping regally towards the door. "I shall wait outside to collect them. Thank you for taking care of things so swiftly."
No sooner had Eponine shut the door of the jail behind her than tears came unbidden to her eyes. She couldn't believe how easily the lies had come rolling off of her tongue, and she said a silent prayer of thanks that the officer had believed them. Pressing her hand to her mouth, she closed her eyes until she felt a small hand tugging at her sleeve.
"'Ponine, what happened?" Gavroche said anxiously. "Where are the boys?"
"It's alright, Gav," Eponine assured him, hastily wiping away her tears. "They're being released as we speak. I just…I'm glad that I was successful." And wasn't arrested myself in the process, she thought to herself.
"I knew you would be, 'Ponine," Gav said, patting her arm awkwardly. Eponine smiled down at him, grateful for his innocent company.
It was only a few minutes later that the doors to the jail opened, and a group of bewildered looking boys wandered out, Enjolras leading the way. His confusion over his sudden release turned into relief and happiness as he saw Eponine and Gavroche standing under a street lamp. Giving Eponine a grateful smile, Enjolras walked over to her. But before he had a chance to open his mouth to speak, he found himself stumbling backwards as Eponine's tiny palm slapped him furiously across the cheek.
"What in the name of Heaven were you thinking?!" Eponine screeched, all of the emotions she had felt that evening finally coming to a head. "Brawling witha police officer? Have you become suicidal? Of all the stupid, reckless, pointless things to do! Was a single moment of justified rage worth throwing away all your hard work? What if I hadn't have been able to secure your release? I swear, Jourdain Enjolras, I've half a mind to…"
Eponine's tirade was cut off as Enjolras wrapped his strong arms around her and brought her head close to his chest. "I am sorry I frightened you," he whispered, so lowly that even his curious comrades could not hear him. "You are right, I made a foolish mistake. Thank you for coming to rectify it."
All of Eponine's anger instantly dissipated as she melted into Enjorlas's warm embrace. This certainly wasn't how she had imagined him holding her for the first time, but she couldn't imagine it feeling any more wonderful, regardless of the circumstances.
"Don't ever frighten me like that again," she whimpered, allowing her tears to soak his red jacket.
Enjolras didn't respond, but held her tighter and rubbed her back. He knew that fighting for his cause would undoubtedly put him in more dangerous situations in the near future, but he made a vow to try and be more prudent with choosing his battles. Eponine's tears cut his soul far more deeply than he could have imagined.
The rest of Les Amis had been watching the whole exchange in shock. Not only had they been released from jail when they certainly should have been sent before a judge, but they had just witnessed a tiny girl slap their fearless leader with all the strength she could muster. Even Grantaire's usual blank look was replaced with one of surprise.
After several minutes, Eponine reluctantly pulled away from Enjolras to face the other boys. "I realize that you all are committed to social justice, and I am proud of each of you for standing up for those who cannot fight for themselves," she said sternly. "But I must ask that in the future, you try to refrain from getting yourselves arrested over small incidents. A young girl being injured is hardly something to brush aside, but there were other ways to rectify the situation than getting into a physical altercation with the police. You are lucky that I was able to convince the officer to release you, and next time I fear our luck will run out. Please," she added in a kinder tone, "Just be more careful. You all mean too much to the cause, not to mention Cosette and I."
"You're right, Eponine," Courfeyrac said as he hugged Gavroche close to his side. "We need to learn to pick our battles. We're all very grateful to you for rescuing us this time."
The other Les Amis murmured their assent, so Eponine, now satisfied, turned her attention to Marius. "I'll tell Cosette to expect you at the garden tomorrow evening," she said firmly. "She'll have likely worked herself into a state by this point."
"I shall go to her at once!" Marius exclaimed, but he barely made it a step before Combeferre stopped him.
"It's best to wait until tomorrow, my friend," Combeferre said seriously. "We should all go to our homes and lie low for the next day or so. We don't want to give the police another reason to arrest us."
"Quite right, Combeferre," Enjolras said, placing his arm around Eponine's shoulders. "You all head home. I will see Eponine home, than return to my own quarters."
"You most certainly will not," Eponine scolded. "Gavroche got me here safely, and he can escort me home just as well as you can. I want you safe in your bed where you belong."
Enjolras opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it when he saw Eponine's stubborn glare. "Very well," he said quietly, drawing her near for another embrace. "I shall come to you the day after next. We'll let Marius and Cosette have tomorrow evening to themselves."
Eponine wrapped her arms around his waist. "I shall be waiting for you," she said softly. The pair held each other for a moment longer before Enjolras reluctantly released Eponine to Gavroche.
The walk home was quiet, though about halfway through Gavroche subtly slipped his little hand into Eponine's. She said nothing, but gave the little appendage a warm squeeze and continued walking. It had been a difficult evening for both of them, and she was glad for the comfort. The inky blackness of night was just beginning to fade into a deep gray as the pair finally arrived at Number 55 Rue Plumet.
"Ponine?" Gavroche said tentatively as Eponine went to open the window. When the girl turned to look at him, he hesitated for only a moment before charging at her and wrapping her in a crushing embrace.
"Thank you," he said, his voice muffled against her waist. Eponine blinked back a few unbidden tears as she returned the hug.
"Thank you for coming to me, Gav," she whispered, giving the boy a soft kiss on top of the head. "You saved the day, you know."
Gavroche looked up at her, his rare display of sentimentality disappearing in a flash. "So's I did," he said, giving Eponine a cheeky grin. "Bet the boys never thought a pup like me could be so useful."
"Well, now they know," Eponine said with a laugh. Reaching into the change purse on her waist, she extracted one of the remaining coins. "Go get yourself something to eat. A reward for a hard night's work," she instructed.
"Yes, mademoiselle!" Gavroche said, giving her a little salute before he scampered back through the hedges. Eponine waved him off before slipping back through the window.
Though it had been a difficult evening for Eponine, she wondered if she had gotten the easier of the two jobs when she was Cosette huddled on the bed. Her poor sister's eyes were red rimmed, and she was rocking back and forth anxiously. When Cosette saw her sister enter, she sprang to her feet and tore across the room.
"Oh 'Ponine! 'Ponine, are they alright? Is Marius safe? Oh, I've been so sick with worry…"
"Hush, Cosette," Eponine chided gently, taking her sister's hands in her own. "Everyone is alright, including Marius. I was able to secure the release for a price, and they have all been sent safely home. And I gave them a rather stern talking-to about frightening us like that. Marius will be along tomorrow evening to apologize profusely."
Cosette breathed a deep sigh of relief and touched her forehead to Eponine's. "Thank you for going to free them" she whispered. "You have always been so much braver than I."
"More reckless, maybe," Eponine said with a smile, wrapping her arm around Cosette and leading her back to the bed. "I carry my bravery in bold acts, but you carry yours in quiet strength. There is no shame in either."
"Thank you, ma douce soeur," Cosette said softly, lifting the blankets back so they could crawl into bed. "Come, we must get some rest. Papa will worry if we awaken with shadows under our eyes."
Eponine nodded in agreement and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, dreaming of Enjolras's strong arms holding her close.
I know that wasn't my finest chapter, but at least it got the ball rolling again. And who can resist Gavroche? Coming up next: the saga of the Barricade is about to begin! Some will fall and some will live, but since it's AU, everyone has a chance. Once again, I will clarify that Eponine is NOT going to die-I would never do that to Valjean. To answer one reader's question, the Thenardiers will not be making an appearance in the story, but Javert certainly will. Let me know if you're still out there reading! Love you all!