Chapter 2
It's been three days since Eponine was attacked by her father and his gang in order to save Marius. It was also three days ago that Enjolras along with Joly, Combeferre, and Courfeyrac found her bloodied and unconscious in an ally not too far away from Enjolras's place. Enjolras also learned that it was only with his touch that Eponine wouldn't thrash around in her sleep. So for the past three days Eponine has been sleeping soundly with Enjolras right next to her and watching over her.
"W…what's going on?" Eponine asked as she opened her eyes to see Enjolras sleeping right next to her, his arm around her shoulders in a protective way.
"Ah your finally awake." Joly said in a low voice careful not to awaken Enjolras.
"Joly? Um where am I?" Eponine asked as she looked around the room.
"Well your at Enjolras's place recovering from a brutal attack I gather from your injuries. How are you feeling?"
"To tell you the truth I feel stupid. I should have known better but I disobeyed anyway. And what did that get me?" Eponine said tears forming in her eyes.
"Who did you disobey?" Enjolras asked his blue eyes opened. When Eponine turned to look at Enjolras her heart skipped a beat. When she didn't answer Enjolras grew concern and asked, "You ok Eponine? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I apologize Enjolras its just…"
"Just what?"
"I never knew your eyes were such a pretty shade of blue." Eponine said a blush creeping over her cheeks.
"Oh… well… um… thank you." Enjolras replied his cheeks now blushing as well.
"Can I get up and go to the streets? There are people who are counting on me and I don't want to disappoint them." Eponine pleaded hoping that her efforts weren't in vain.
"As long as we're with you I don't see why not." Joly said with humor of the scene between Eponine and Enjolras unfolding.
"Thank you so much Joly. Um… I'll need some cloths." Eponine's cheeks were now beat red.
"You can use some of mine if you wish." Enjolras said getting up off the bed and into his closet. There he pulled out a pair of pants and a white shirt for Eponine to wear. And then he said, "I'll leave you to get dress Eponine." And then he closed the door leaving Eponine and Joly alone.
"Is he ok?" Eponine asked with concern.
"He'll be fine. Let's get you dressed." And with that Joly helped Eponine get dressed in the cloths that Enjolras had provided for her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once dress and fed Eponine along with Gavroche, Enjolras, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Joly, and Grantaire they set off to go to the streets. Once on the streets all of the lower class citizens were either begging or steeling money to survive.
"I can't believe that it's gotten this bad." Enjolras said with despair.
"How long since you've been out on the streets?" Eponine asked.
"To long by the looks of it." Enjolras said.
"Look Enjolras and the rest of you revolutionaries you all talk the talk but when your on the streets you need to walk the walk." Eponine said as she took some money out of Enjolras's pocket. "See." She said as she showed them the money.
"Really Eponine?" Enjolras said with humor in his voice.
"Just watch will ya." And just like that Eponine walked up to a women to be about in her early thirties and gave her some of the money that she took from Enjolras. They all then saw the women hug Eponine and tell her something. "Gavroche come here." Eponine called over a hint of panic in her voice.
"Coming Eponine." Gavroche said running to his sister with great speed.
"What do you suppose is the matter?" Grantaire asked taking a swig of his wine.
"I don't know I just hope that all is well." Enjolras said knowing that something was wrong.
"Hey Enjolras do you like Eponine?" Joly asked trying to change the subject.
Before he could answer Eponine came up with fear in her eyes. "You guys follow Gavroche. He will explain everything. I'll lead them away from you. GO NOW!" and with that Eponine was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When she was on the bridge Eponine looked around to see if her friends and brother were there yet. Since they weren't she began to worry. Just then a hand clamped down on her mouth. "Hello hussy." Thenardier said in a sinister voice. Eponine tried to hold back her tears but her fear was getting the best of her emotions. "Are you crying my dear daughter?" He laughed.
After he let go of Eponine's mouth, she screamed as loud as she could. Luckily for her, her friends were not that far away. "Eponine!" She heard Enjolras call out to her.
"Oh no you don't dear daughter. This time you will die a watery death." With the help from Brujon and Babel, the three of them lifted Eponine up over the ledge of the bridge and flung her in.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Enjolras cried out and he ran to the edge of the bridge and jumped in after Eponine.
"You guys keep them busy until Javert arrives. I'll go around and help Enjolras out." Joly said as he ran around the bridge to help Enjolras out.
And just like that a fight occurred. The Revolutionaries and the Thenardier gang fighting it out. "What's going on over here?" Javert asked as he came upon the scene.
"These men attacked us." Combeferre said thinking up a quick lie to tell Javert.
"Arrest these men." Javert said to his fellow officers who ran to catch all of the Thenardier gang members. And Javert then followed his men. His goal to finally bring in Thenardier once and for all.
"Where's Eponine?" A scared Gavroche asked as he looked over the ledge of the bridge. "I don't see Enjolras or my sister anywhere. Where can they be?"
"Come on guys to where Joly is." Courfeyrac said as Combeferre lifted Gavroche up onto his shoulders.
The group ran to where Joly was and there before them was Enjolras coughing up water while Joly was doing all in his power to get Eponine breathing again. Then a thought came to him. "I hope this works." Joly then began compressions on Eponine's ribcage and tried breathing into her lungs. And after 2 minutes of doing this Eponine gasped for air and then started to cough up water.
"You did it Joly." Grantaire said with much relief. He along with everyone there had their confirmation that Enjolras did indeed have feelings for Eponine.
Enjolras was without words. After he saw Eponine get flung into the river he thought that, that was it. She was a goner. He prayed for the first time in a long time that she would live and was glad that Joly was able to save her. Enjolras looked at Joly and with a genuine smile he said, "Thank you for not giving up on her, Joly."
Joly looked at Enjolras with disbelief and then a look of compassion came across his face and he replied, "It was my pleasure, Enjolras. Let's get her to your place. We need to get both of you warmed up and I need to look at her stitches."
"I've got her Enjolras." Courfeyrac said as he took off his jacket and placed it around Eponine's shoulders. Then carefully lifted her up bridal style. "Let's go."
