Yeah, I'm not going to bother with an excuse as to why I've been away for so long. Life, et cetera, et cetera. Anyway, I'm back now for the Summer.
Disclaimer: I do not own Les Mis.
It took one month, two weeks, and three days for Eponine to finally stop apologising and accept that what had happened to Marius was not her fault. This, coincidentally, was the same day that Marius was deemed fit enough, by Combeferre, to resume his studies, as well as his work as a translator.
Courfeyrac, pleased that Marius had healed nicely, was determined to convince Enjolras to cancel the meeting scheduled for that evening and replace it with a party to celebrate Marius's recovery. It would be a surprise for Marius, who had returned to work that morning and would not know. Enjolras, though initially reluctant to do so, relented.
"Fine!" The blond sighed exasperatedly, "Now will you please let me finish writing this essay?"
Courfeyrac lightly bopped Enjolras on the nose and then left without another word. Enjolras rolled his eyes and continued with his essay. The expression on his face was of utmost concentration.
This was for naught, however, as Little Gavroche soon came running into the Café Musain, leaving the door open and allowing the cold January wind to blow his papers off the table and onto the ground, where they lay in a state of disarray.
"Sorry, smooth face." Gavroche apologised with a cheeky grin. "Seen 'Ponine?"
"Upstairs in her and Marius's flat." replied Enjolras as he stooped to pick up his papers before they could be blown away again. The owner of the Musain quickly shut the door and proceeded to aid him in collecting the scattered papers.
Gavroche ran up the stairs and, without knocking, barged into the flat.
"'Vroche!"
Eponine quickly pulled the blanket from the bed to cover herself and Gavroche quickly averted his eyes; she had been in the process of changing as she had been, in the past few weeks, prone to sleeping in and rousing herself later in the day. Fortunately, Gavroche had not seen much; but he had seen enough that he could not stop the question from tumbling out of his mouth,
"'Ponine, are you knocked up?"
Eponine froze, a smile creeping into her facial features.
"Maybe." She replied as she hastily finished changing. "You can look now."
Gavroche turned back and wasted not a moment, running to her and hugging her. Eponine hugged him back and ruffled his hair.
"'Ow far along?"
"I'm not entirely sure. Somewhere between four and half months and five months."
Gavroche nodded and followed Eponine when she led him to the sitting area.
"Now what did you come running in here for?" Eponine asked, taking a seat in one of the only two chairs in the flat. Gavroche sat in the other.
"I 'eard our old man talkin' 'bout you. 'E's not 'appy. Says next time 'e sees ya, 'e'll wring your neck. Dunno if 'e's serious or not 'cause most of the time, 'e's all talk; but I thought I'd warn ya all the same."
"I do not fear him anymore." Eponine replied. She had intended the words as a lie; but, as she spoke them, she realised their validity. She wasn't scared anymore because she knew that she would not let him take anything more from her, would not let him harm any of her loved ones. Not anymore.
"'Bout time. Didn't I tell ya, you ought to 'ave gotten outta there years ago? Shoulda left when I did."
"I'll never doubt you again, Gavroche." This, too, she meant.
"Better not."
Eponine smiled. The two were silent for a moment.
"So... Do the others know 'bout...?" He glanced at Eponine's stomach, which had developed a definite curve which would have been extraordinarily obvious were it not that she wore loose clothing.
"Enjolras, Combeferre, and Joly do. I'm not sure if the others know. If not, they'll probably figure it out soon."
"Well, if Joly knows then Laigle knows. Joly couldn't keep a secret to save 'is life. 'Chetta prob'ly knows too. Do y'know 'Chetta?"
"I've met her only a handful of times."
"'As she said anything?"
"No, but she gives me almost secretive looks."
"Yeah, Joly really can't keep secrets."
The siblings shared a laugh at the hypochondriac's expense. It was one of those laughs that started suddenly and faded slowly.
"I've missed you, 'Vroche." Eponine murmured after the two had been silent for a moment. Then, without being able to explain why herself, she was bawling. Gavroche stared at her, alarmed and at a complete loss for what to do. Tentatively, he reached over to place a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't cry, 'Ponine. I'll visit more, I promise! Please don't cry!"
"I d-don't know wh-why I'm crying!" She sobbed.
Gavroche got up to put his arms around his sister. It was the only thing he could think to do and, eventually, Eponine started to calm down.
"Sorry about that, 'Vroche. I don't know what came over me."
"It's okay, 'Ponine. And I mean what I said, I'll try to visit more if that's what ya want."
"Of course it is, Gavroche."
"Then that's what I'll do."
"Thank you."
"No problem."
It was nearly time. Marius would be home soon and all the preparations for his surprise party had been made. All but Eponine, Enjolras, and Combeferre crouched down under tables or behind the bar. The former three waited in another room; Eponine because she could no longer crouch due to her pregnancy (though she had said it was due to the illness she had, at this point, mostly recovered from), Combeferre because he wanted to keep a close eye on her, and Enjolras because he refused to crouch down on the floor.
"Combeferre, I don't feel well." Eponine whispered suddenly.
"Nauseous?" He asked. She nodded.
He reached behind him to pick up an empty bucket that was normally used to hold water for the mop and handed it to her just in time for her to violently retch into it. Enjolras, despite himself, took a few steps back from her. Fortunately, the nausea passed quickly. Combeferre took the bucket and left to dispose of it.
"Are you feeling better now?" Enjolras asked her. She nodded in response, though she still looked pale. "Perhaps you should take a seat and–" but he was cut off by the sound of the door of the Musain creaking as it began to open. He and Eponine hurried out just as everyone else was jumping out of their hiding places and shouting surprise.
Marius stumbled back a bit, startled; but soon recovered and grinned.
"You really didn't have to..."
"We did." Courfeyrac disagreed instantaneously.
"Or did you just want to get out of a meeting?" Marius asked, though the lightness of his tone suggested that he was joking.
"I take offense to that!" Courfeyrac gasped dramatically, "That is only partly true!"
The group laughed. Marius strode over to Eponine and hugged her gently, for neither could bear much more than that just then. He kissed her cheek.
"And how are you?" He asked her, his voice low.
"I'm–" but she was cut off by Courfeyrac's sudden cry of:
"Oh my God, you're pregnant!"