Azelma sat on the opposite of the bar, elbow against the polished wood, and chin in the palm of her hand. No one had come into the Inn that night for drinks. Smart people stayed inside when there was a foot of snow on the ground and blinding white sheets of snow falling from the heavens. Anyone who was staying at the Inn had long gone to bed, curled up in the blankets they had to pay extra for. They kept the Paris drunks drunk and the passersbys poor.
To her surprise she heard the creaky door open, and the sound of someone stomping off snow at the door. "What can I get for you?" She asked as she walked around the bar, not looking up at whomever had walked in.
"A few answers to a few questions." Grantaire said, pulling his coat tight around his body as he walked to the bar. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, but the winter air still clung to him.
"Grantaire!" Azelma whispered harshly, "What are you doing here?"
"I want another, I mean answers. Sorry." He shook his head, trying to clear away the alcohol induced fog that was clouding his mind. "Enjolras said to come and get answers."
"What did he tell you?" Azelma kept her voice low, looking hesitantly towards the stairs that led to her parent's room. She unconsciously placed her hand on her lower abdomen, knowing that the bar would shield the motion from Grantaire.
"He told me that you…" Grantaire took a deep breath, trying to remember exactly what Enjolras had said. It had only been a few hours ago, but the few drinks he took between then and now seemed to make it cloudy. "Need to tell me something."
"I have nothing to say to you." Azelma replied, regretting how harsh her tone was.
Grantaire cocked a brow, giving her what would have been a smoldering look if he hadn't been quite so drunk. Currently it looked more like he had an upset stomach. "You don't miss me?"
"No." Azelma mentally smacked herself. She felt those pleasant tingles through her body as she stared at the sandy haired man that she loved.
Though mentally slow and perhaps a little unsteady Grantaire wasted no time to move around the bar and catch Azelma by the arms. He pulled her towards him, smirking as she by habit wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. His lips were so close to hers that she could taste the ale on his breath. It had become a part of Grantaire that she had grown to love. She recalled how he tasted of ale and spice, how his young masculine form against her flooded her with pleasant heat.
"Liar." Grantaire rasped, his lips brushing against hers with the word. He leaned towards her, capturing her lips with his. He had expected someone who "hated" him to be repulsed by his actions. But instead he found someone who willingly responded to the slightest touch. He ran his hands from her hips up her waist, letting his fingertips teasingly graze beneath her bosom. He felt her shudder beneath his touch, pressing her hips up against his hips. Her fingers twisted in his shaggy hair as she leaned up into his lips.
Azelma was the first to pull away from the kiss, gasping for breath but not unwinding herself from Grantaire. She had missed being this close to him, she missed being even closer to him. She ran her hands down his muscular arms, keeping him pressed against her.
"Grantaire, I don't want you to get hurt." Her voice was heavy with desire. One hand reached up to cup his cheek, smiling as he leaned against her touch. "My father doesn't want me to be with you. He won't get any profit out of me getting monogamous like Éponine." Azelma leaned up and kissed him again, "He threatened to kill you. I cannot lose you. I would rather live my life never knowing your kiss again then to know that you had your throat slit and where lying in some gutter somewhere." Azelma let her lips draw along his throat, her teeth just slightly grazing the delicate skin.
Grantaire pressed her against the bar in response, giving a chesty growl at her ministrations. "I wish you would have just told me."
"I was afraid. I'm not like Éponine. I'm not that bold." Azelma ran her hand down his chest, meeting his eyes as her hand skimmed the waist of his pants, smirking as she let her hand slide back up to his shoulder. "There's more than just my father Grantaire." She bit her lip, not exactly sure of how to tell him.
"What?" Grantaire could hardly focus on what she was saying, he was never good at multitasking. Currently his mind could only concentrate on that damn hand of hers that just kept, nearly, going where he wanted it to go.
"Honestly, it can't be that big of a surprise to you. I'm…" How did you tell someone that you were having their child?
"AZELMA!"
"Dammit!" Azelma gasped, pushing away from Grantaire quickly, "Get to the back!" She whispered, ushering the drunk towards the kitchen door. "Yes father?" She called, trying to sound as unflustered as she could. Her heart was beating fast and her blood was burning hot in her veins from Grantaire. Was she flushed?
"Did I hear the door?" Her father could be heard lumbering down the stairs.
"Uh," Azelma glanced at the snow at the door, where Grantaire had cleaned his boots off. "Yes, he came in and asked for our rate. Said it was far too high." Azelma noticed the melted snow that trailed from the front door to behind the bar. Looking around for an answer to that mess, she quickly bummed a pitcher ale, watching as it clattered to the floor and spilled its contents all over the floor. "Damn!"
"What did you do you clumsy oaf?" Her father asked as he finally made it down the stairs.
"Bumped a pitcher, I'm sorry." Azelma started to mop up the mess on her hands and knees. "I think I'm going to call it a night soon. I don't feel very well."
"Clean up the mess." Her father said coldly, looking around the Inn. "There's still tables that need to be cleaned."
"Yes father." Azelma replied, keeping her eyes low. If she looked up she knew she'd look to the kitchen and give away Grantaire. She just prayed he didn't do anything stupid. Grantaire always did something stupid.
With a satisfied grunt her father head back up the stairs, "Have you seen Montparnasse today?"
"No." She shook her head, looking up briefly before continuing to clean up the spilt ale.
Azelma waited until she heard the door to her parent's room slam shut and the heavy steps of her father finally end in the room. She rose limberly and slipped into the kitchen. Startled by Grantaire grabbing her around the waist and pulling her towards him, placing kisses along the curve of her neck.
"What if I were my father?" Azelma teased.
"This would be awkward." Grantaire ran his hands across her stomach, his path was intended to continue to rise until he reached her breasts but she caught his hands.
"Grantaire, there's something I need to tell you."
"Yes?" He nuzzled his face against her neck.
"I'm pregnant." Azelma felt him tense against her, she could feel his heart beating against her back.
"You are?" His breath hitched in his throat. "Is it-"
"Yes, the baby is yours." Azelma could tell him that for a fact. She hadn't been with another man in the last month and a half. She'd gotten creative and found ways to spend her customers without betraying her relationship with Grantaire.
"I'm going to be a father… No… Really?" That thought frightened Grantaire. Enjolras was the perfect father type. Not him. He was the perfect Uncle. But a father? A drunk father for that matter. He always said he'd feel terrible if some poor girl ended up pregnant with his spawn. But Azelma. Azelma was different. There was some tiny part of him that was excited at the thought of his child forming inside her. Excited at the thought that her belly would swell with his seed.
"Yes really!" Azelma laughed, turning around in his arms to look at him. His excitement was fueling her own. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
"But if I can't see you, how am I going to help you raise this child?"
Azelma frowned, "I hadn't got that far yet. I'm not sure." She smiled slightly as he reached out to touch her stomach, stroking it slowly. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you too." Grantaire pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. "I wish I could send…" Grantaire laughed at his own mistake. "I mean spend one more night beside you. I miss waking up beside you. And I know you've missed waking up beside this." He gestured to himself.
Azelma smirked, "You mean this?" She unlaced the neck of his shirt, reaching for the hem and tugging it from his pants. With a jerk she pulled it off over his head. "Yes I have missed this." She drummed her fingers against his chest. "A lot."
"And I have missed this," Grantaire gave her a smug grin as his fingers fumbled with the laces of her bodice. His hand eye coordination wasn't the best and he regretted all of the ale he'd consumed before he had come over, as she helped him loosen the laces and pull the bodice away from her chemise.
Azelma hesitated as he helped her remove her chemise. They were in the kitchen, they could be easily caught. They were against the door of the kitchen so that would at least waylay someone finding them for a few seconds. But she had missed him dreadfully. He was right there, half dressed, and as smug and handsome as ever.
"I love you." She leaned up and pressed a hot kiss against his lips, her hands went to the laces of his trousers, slowly drawing each lace out of its eyelet.
"I love you too my little vixen." Grantaire groaned, biting his lip to fit off being more vocal than he needed to be. The alcohol might have dulled some of his senses, but his currently important senses were registering every little thing she did.
~o~
The snow was falling in heavy flakes over Paris. Enjolras was bundled up tightly in a warm overcoat and a scarf that Éponine had knitted (he hadn't known that she knew how to knit or sew for that matter, until she delivered to him a finished scarf when winter started). He wished he could be spending the evening with Éponine, having a warm meal and a warm bed but instead he was out looking for Inspector Javert.
He was not going to jail without a fight. He hadn't survived the barricade to end up in prison for a little scuffle with a devious crook. He had a family. He had a wedding! If he went to jail now he'd never be able to hold up his end of the bargain. Making an honest woman out of Éponine. What had started out as little feelings and sympathy for Éponine had blossomed into true romance. He wasn't letting anything ruin it.
"I need to see Inspector Javert," Enjolras said as he walked into the jail.
"What for?" Questioned a rather severe looking gendarme, eyeing Enjolras.
"I have a few things to discuss with him about my case."
"One moment please." With sharp movements the gendarme left the front office. It was moments later when he returned and motioned for Enjolras to follow him.
"What is that you wish to discuss?" Javert gritted as he saw the rebel enter his office. He felt the damning weight of what he was doing to this man. He was sending him to a jail and letting a true villain go free.
"Jean Valjean." Enjolras replied once the gendarme had left the room. Javert's eyes widened, his Adam's apple bobbed at the silence after the convict's name.
"What about him?" He was hesitant to respond, feeling his composure slip. He went against ever thing he stood for by letting Montparnasse get away with a bribe.
"Would I be correct to assume that 'Parnasse has informed you that Valjean has returned to Paris? Has Javert honestly caved to the bribery of a known thief and murderer?"
"I-" Javert slammed his fist against his desk. "Do not come into my office and claim what you do not know."
"You mean that you did not know that he was returned?"
"I was aware. I heard it around." Javert lied, looking down at his hands.
"And you wouldn't put an innocent man in jail for the information?"
"You are far from innocent Dorian Enjolras. You could easily be imprisoned for treason alone."
Enjolras' brows knitted together, "I am well aware of this. However I am also aware that treason from an aristocrat is not nearly as heinous as a murderous street urchin. Am I correct?"
"You are correct." Javert retorted, looking down at the paperwork on his desk. "I have spent my life tracking down Jean Valjean. To finally have him imprisoned-"
"And me as well?"
Javert let out an irritated sigh, "Dorian, I have known you since we were both very young children."
"Yes you have. If you recall I was a wealthy young boy who was very kind to a boy who was born in a jail cell. Your mother was imprisoned for –"
"A scuffle with the wrong person." Javert gritted. "I do not wish to send you to prison."
"Then don't. I have a family to provide for. Montparnasse has only himself."
"He told me something yesterday, which I do not know if you know." Javert shook his head, regretting that he ever let Montparnasse convince him to do this.
"That 'Parnasse is the father of my child with Éponine?" Enjolras' jaw was set hard as he spoke. He hated the truth behind those words. He despised that he could not have fathered their first child together.
"Yes. Then it is true?"
"You know as well as I know that a woman's word means nothing in court. Éponine was raped by the bastard. I know that I will be able to raise the baby better than he would ever be able to do. I'm sure you have heard of the Enjolras who was unattached to any woman and was righteous – Éponine has turned me into an impassioned lover and humbled father."
"I can sway the judge." Javert shook his head, gritting his teeth. The longer Valjean evaded his capture he felt his morals slipping away. He was more easily swayed and bribed. He was no longer the rigid image of the law, he was now the image of a breaking man.
"Thank you Javert." Enjolras replied, giving a little bow as he turned to leave.
~o~
Éponine was already asleep when you Enjolras returned home. He crept into their bedroom as quietly as he could, undressing down to his sleep clothes. He wanted to wake her up excitedly and tell her that he wouldn't be going to jail after all. But he hadn't returned home to tell her that there was in possibility for him to lose the trial.
How would she react when she found out that Montparnasse knew about Dunstan?
He slipped into bed beside her, curling against her. This wouldn't be the last night he spent with her after all.
"Where have you been?" Éponine asked, waking up at the feel of his cold hands against her warm skin.
"I'll tell you in the morning." Enjolras yawned against her shoulder, pressing a sleepy kiss to the warm flesh there.
"You're freezing cold."
"It's completely white outside." Enjolras stretched out as Éponine turned in his arms. "Might keep us locked up a couple days in here."
"You're not going to be locked up are you?" Éponine pressed her cheek against his chest.
"No." Enjolras kissed the top her head. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I kept Dunstan awake all day so he would sleep all night." Éponine chuckled softly, lazily kissing Enjolras' chest where her cheek had just been. "I had thought you'd be home sooner."
Enjolras smirked, "That explains the lack of clothing." His hands ran over the vast expanse of bare skin beneath their sheets and blankets. "Thought you might be mad to sleep in such little clothes when it's so cold."
"I was hoping that you would be able to warm me up." Éponine kissed Enjolras, toying with his sleep pants.
"It's always my pleasure to warm you up." Enjolras rasped as he pressed his lips back against hers, giving her a searing hot kiss. They were finally finding ways to be together without constantly being interrupted. Éponine was everything he had ever wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
Éponine wrapped herself around Enjolras, enjoying the warmth they shared between them. She could happily spend the rest of her life in the bed with Enjolras. Now that she didn't think that they were going to be separated for years she didn't have to worry that this day had been wasted in two separate places.
A/N: Well I think this is the first chapter I've ever written of a story that was well over 2.5k words! I'm excited. This is what happens when you drive through the middle of nowhere for 5 hours. I hope you enjoyed everything that's happened. It felt like a slow chapter despite some stuff that happened in it. Don't worry there's a lot more to come. I'm not sure what to do to end this story, however. I'm a bit stuck, because I don't want it to end really.
Anybody catch a Tangled reference? Greatest movie ever!
