Hey guys! So I'm sick despite just getting over being sick and I'm gonna try to update as much as I can.
Disclaimer: I don't own Les Mis or the characters, et cetera, et cetera.
"We have to go look for him." Eponine said, standing up.
"You shouldn't be going anywhere in your condition." Combeferre advised.
"I'm fine."
"You're pre– tty weak, still." he replied. He had been about to say pregnant, but stopped himself.
"We can't just do nothing!"
"And we won't." Enjolras assured her. "You stay here and we'll go looking for Marius."
"But–"
"Don't argue," said Grantaire, "you're outnumbered."
Eponine sighed,
"Well, then go!" she said, tears forming in her eyes. "Find him... Please..." her voice was soft and pleading. Jean Prouvaire placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We'll find him, Eponine." Combeferre promised.
"Allons-y." said Courfeyrac.
Les Amis de l'ABC all left the Café Musain, save for Jehan, who remained with Eponine to keep her company.
"What if he's hurt?" Eponine asked through tears.
"I'm sure he'll be fine."
"What if he's not?"
"Combeferre and Joly would do anything they could to help him."
"God, I'm scared..."
"I know; but it will be okay, Eponine. I promise."
"I'll try to believe you."
...
Les Amis de l'ABC walked through the streets in search of Marius. It was late, nearly midnight, and as such, it was rather dark.
"We should split up." said Feuilly.
"In pairs." Enjolras advised, "Just to be safe."
That was exactly what they did: Joly with Bossuet; Bahorel and Feuilly; Courfeyrac and Combeferre; and Enjolras with Grantaire, though Enjolras was not sure of how he came to be partnered with Grantaire. In these pairs, they searched the streets.
...
"Bossuey, did you hear that?" Joly asked.
"Hear what?"
"I thought I heard whimpers."
"I heard none."
"I'm sure I heard something. This way!" Joly grabbed his hand and pulled him off in the direction he had heard the whimpers coming from.
...
Bahorel cracked his knuckles as he and Feuilly rounded a corner.
"You're hoping we end up in a fight, aren't you?"
"I sure as Hell wouldn't mind." Bahorel replied, grinning crookedly.
"Let's just find Marius."
"I'm sure Pontmercy will be just fine... until he has to face Eponine."
"You think he's just stayed out late of his own accord?" Feuilly asked.
"Could be. And, if not..." he cracked his knuckles again.
...
"Marius!" Courfeyrac called out, "Marius, where are you!?"
"I don't think that's helping."
"MARIUS!"
"Courfeyrac, you might attract unwanted attention."
"PONTMERCY, WHERE AAAARE YOOOOU!?"
Combeferre sighed.
...
"That has nothing to do with the task at hand."
"Well it's true, Enjolras."
"No, it most certainly is not."
"Yes, it is."
"My first name is not Apollo!"
"I disagree."
"You disagree with everything I say."
"I disagree with that."
...
"MARIUS, WHERE ARE– Wait, Combeferre, do you hear that?"
"The whimpering? Yes. It sounds like someone's in pain." he replied, frowning. "Let's go take a look." He headed off in the direction of the whimpering, followed closely by Courfeyrac. Not too far ahead, they caught sight of two familiar figures.
"OI! L'aigle, Jollly!" Courfeyrac hollered. The aforementioned turned and waited for them to catch up before continuing on their way, followed by Combeferre and Courfeyrac.. "You two heard it as well?"
"Joly did; I didn't." Lesgles replied.
"Well, that's understandable; you are 40. It was only a matter of time before your hearing went."
The whimpering was louder now; they were close.
"Marius?" Combeferre asked as they approached a figure sprawled on the pavement in something that resembled a pool of blood, "Is that you?"
Joly stooped and gently turned the man–for it was clearly a man–over to see the face. It was, indeed, Marius. He was covered in a light layer of snow; his skin was tinged blue.
"Oh my God..." Courfeyrac whispered.
"Marius, can you hear me?" Joly asked him as he checked his pulse. Marius whimpered in response. His face was covered in cuts and bruises; both of his arms and one of his legs hung at odd angles. By the way he breathed, he must have had some broken ribs. "We have to get him out of here." Joly said, "We have to get him somewhere safe, somewhere clean."
"The Musain." Combeferre said. "Help me lift him." He knelt down on the other side of Marius and he and Joly lifted him up, causing him to cry out in pain. "I'm sorry, Marius; but we can't just leave you here."
"Bossuet, Courfeyrac, you two should go find the others and tell them to head back to the Musain." Joly suggested. They nodded and headed off in search of Enjolras, Grantaire, Feuilly, and Bahorel.
Marius's head lolled forward; he could not support it. His eyes were half-closed.
"Try to stay awake, Marius." Combeferre advised. Very, very carefully, they carried him back to the Musain. The others were already there. Immediately, Eponine stood and hurried over to them.
"Marius..." she breathed.
Combeferre and Joly set him down on one of the tables. Before either had the chance to ask, their medical bags were brought to them by Courfeyrac. They set to work, resetting the bones that were out of place and bandaging the deeper cuts. Eponine found herself unable to look away from Marius, from the wounds, from all that blood.
It was nearly 4 AM by the time Combeferre and Joly had finished tending to Marius. He looked awful and had lost consciousness in the middle of having his bones set. He had not yet awoken and it scared Eponine more than she could possibly say. She watched as they carefully lifted him from the table and followed as they brought him to the room he and Eponine shared above the Musain. They gently laid him on the bed. Eponine merely stood in the corner and watched. She felt numb. Marius could have died; Marius was severely hurt; she almost lost him. After a few minutes of staring at Marius's limp form, it became apparent to her that somebody was calling her name.
"Eponine?" Combeferre said for the fifth time.
"Mm?"
"You should probably rest."
She nodded, but did not move from the corner.
"Eponine?"
"I'm fine..."
"Rest."
"I will." she lied. He placed a hand on her shoulder for a moment before leaving the room.
"Eponine?" said Joly, "I'm going to leave a small bottle of morphine, just in case he wakes up."
"Thank you."
"You'd best do as Combeferre says. You need to rest."
"I will." Another lie.
She spent the rest of the night (which was only a few hours) standing in that same spot. Even when the sun started to rise, she did not move. She spent a fair amount of the following day standing there. She only stirred when she heard a familiar voice call to her,
"'Ponine?"