Awake to Anticipation
Strangely, it was the feel of something jabbing at her ribs that brought Cosette out of the blackness. As she struggled to open her eyes, she found herself looking up into a familiar grimy face.
"M'sieur Feuilly?" she quavered as she shut her eyes again.
"Dieu, Cosette...you'll be fine after all!" the fanmaker shouted. "Courfeyrac, where is Pontmercy?"
"Well Feuilly, I haven't seen him, or any of the others since we brought her here, and they went to get Eponine and Montparnasse away to safety," Courfeyrac said from nearby. "And that was already last night."
Cosette forced herself to open her eyes again. She found that her injured leg had been bandaged, and was now propped up by a box and three textbooks. As she looked around, she realized she was lying on a rather hard bed in an rather small room, furnished with two chairs and a bureau table.
"Marius' room?!" Cosette realized as she caught sight of a familiar-looking coat hastily thrown over a chair. She realized that the bandage on her leg matched the fabric of a torn sleeve on the garment.
She pushed herself up slowly on her elbows so that she could look at the others in the room better. "What time is it already?" she asked Feuilly.
"Three in the afternoon," he replied. "It was a good thing that Marius called for help when he did, and that Courfeyrac here found Combeferre right away."
Cosette smiled wearily. "Thank you, Messeurs," she said.
Courfeyrac shook his head. "That's more like citoyens."
Feuilly frowned. "I heard talk of the Duc d'Orleans, however," he said warily.
Courfeyrac whistled. "From where?"
"From Enjolras' complaining about it," Feuilly chuckled. "He heard some of the others...you know who I mean...talking of what may come next."
"All the while with Polignac and Saint-Cloud lacking ears," Courfeyrac said disdainfully. "Another reason why I want no kings."
Cosette listened to all of this with apprehension; though the news was urgent and worrisome, the absence of her friends, at least to her, was more so. "Have we any way to find Marius and the others?" she asked.
"Marius said he'd stop by," Feuilly said.
Cosette tried to move, but the attempt only sent a bolt of fiery pain up into her leg. "Can I ever be able to walk?" she whispered tearily.
"Combeferre and Joly aren't sure," Courfeyrac replied as he tried to help her get comfortable again. "But you're lucky to be alive, Cosette."
Cosette nodded slowly just as the door opened. Marius peered in, looking even dirtier and more worn-out than ever. "Cosette?" he whispered.
"I'll be just fine, Marius. But Dieu, what happened to you?" Cosette said, motioning for him to sit in a chair.
Courfeyrac handed a handkerchief to Marius. "You look terrible, mon ami. Any news?"
Marius nodded. "There's still fighting, and Marmont isn't doing anything. This city is being ripped apart. Enjolras and Combeferre have gone to speak to Laffite for news."
"Laffite? That banker's got to do with it after all," Feuilly noted. "He was also one of those who signed the petition earlier today."
"Where do you go next?" Cosette asked them warily.
"To the barricades, that's what everyone's saying," Marius groaned. "I doubt I can go..."
Courfeyrac shook his head. "You and Cosette had better rest here. We'll go to the barricades."
"Are you mad?"
"Weren't you earlier? You've been fighting, even if only for necessity."
Marius smiled ruefully. "Unfortunately, there's the evidence."
Feuilly clapped Marius' shoulder. "We'll see you shortly. Take care of yourselves," he said as he and Courfeyrac went to the garret door.
"And you as well," Cosette called after them before Marius saw them out. As she listened to their footsteps fade, she looked up at the ceiling, wondering what there would be to say.
