Révolution du Cœur – Explain Yourself

Enjolras awoke with a start. His room was darker than when he first woke up. Only a single candelabrum was lit on the side table and the fire had died down. Still the room was warm and he was thankful for that. The dark wasn't so bad either. It gave him the chance to think and contemplate the wealth surrounding him without being overwhelmed by it.

This place was so vastly different from the world he had inhabited for the past five years and it gave him whiplash to see the stark contrasts between the two. Even his parents' home wasn't this grand. Or at least it hadn't been on his last visit all those years ago.

He felt a dull pang in his heart at the thought. His family probably had no idea about what had happened and they probably didn't care. Well … his sister Brigitte probably would care but being away, she still wouldn't know what had happened until the Paris newspapers made their way to her.

Anyone else who might have cared had been there.

They were dead now, every last one of them.

Enjolras closed his eyes as the waves of loss and loneliness crashed upon him until he remembered Melodie's bright eyes.

No, he wasn't alone. She was still with him, against all the odds. He was still angry with her and still confused beyond all reason by her actions, but in his heart of hearts, he was grateful for her care of him. Not matter what happened to them in the future, he would forever be in her debt.

She had not only saved him from death, but the revolution as well. Death may have touched it for now, but it was not the end.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." He whispered into the darkness.

"Enjolras?" His eyes snapped open to see Melodie standing hesitantly in the doorway. She held a single candle which cast austere shadows on the hollows of her cheeks and eyes. Still, he could see the pleading look on her face and the haunted look in her eyes. It made his throat feel tight.

Unsure he could say anything without his voice breaking, he simply held a hand out to her. Relief washed over her features and she made her way to his side. He frowned at how slow her movements were and assumed that it was from the injury her sister had spoken of earlier.

Melodie placed her candle and some scrap of red cloth on the side table as he took his hand. Seeing it was safely situated and not going to cause a blaze, she sat herself in the chair her sister had left for the doctor previously.

Now that there was more light on her face, Enjolras could see the stress the last three days had left. Melodie was paler than usual and there was a tiredness in her eyes he had never seen before. She didn't say a word as he looked her over but there was a wariness in her features that spoke volumes.

"What time is it?" He asked to break the silence.

"A little after eight in the evening." She answered quietly. He nodded and continued to stare, deciding to let her direct the conversation.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, caution coloring her voice. Enjolras looked down at his body and grimaced. Melodie gently squeezed his hand prompting him to look at her.

"Sore in most places and weak in others." He said. Melodie nodded.

"That's to be expected I guess after a body receiving six bullets." Her voice was matter-of-fact but a tension had entered her shoulders.

"Six?" Enjolras was stunned. He was sure there had been more guns pointed at him than that. Melodie was nodding again and understanding lit her features.

"The French militia isn't about accuracy but numbers. If you can intimidate the enemy enough, you don't have to actually fight them. You of all people should know that Capitaine." She eyed him critically. It was his turn to nod.

"Where did they –"

"One in your right thigh, one in your right shoulder, two in your gut, and one in the left side of your chest. Right here, next to your heart." She reached out and placed her fingers against the area to the right of his heart. He sucked in a breath at the heat of her touch. Melodie pulled her hand back quickly and looked at him with concerned eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." She whispered, anguish in her tone.

"Hush. You didn't hurt me." He squeezed her hand in reassurance. She looked at him askance but didn't press the subject.

"Where was this last bullet then?" He asked, striving for a casual tone. Melodie reached out her hand again and softly brushed his temple.

"The last grazed your head here. It won't scar too much according to the physician, but I'm afraid your hair was a casualty."

Enjolras chuckled slightly, which prompted her to grin. They sat quietly again until he faced her seriously.

"And your wound?" Melodie scowled and fidgeted in her seat at his expression.

"Melodie …" His warning was clear. She sighed in exasperation.

"One of the fools was actually able to hit me. The bullet grazed my rib cage and tore away a small bit of flesh. Nothing more."

"That is not the graze you told me earlier." He glared at her. She shrugged, winced, and then smiled ruefully at him.

"I was a prettier sight than you at least." She teased.

"That I am sure of." He murmured quietly. She flushed and looked away but not before he caught the flash of pleasure in her eyes. Fighting down his own blush at his audacious words, he regained his business like features.

"Are you ready to tell me everything?" He asked softly. Melodie's eyes darkened and she stared at him for a long time before answering.

"I'm ready to tell you what happened that morning, but the rest of my story is a little too painful to fit into one night. I promise you can hear it some other time." Her eyes pleaded for understanding so he nodded his agreement.

"Proceed." He sat back as her eyes got a faraway look in them.

Melodie took a deep breath before she began, causing a slight ache in area around her stitches. She decided to rest her gaze on the opposite wall, knowing that if she kept looking at Enjolras in his night shirt and sleep tousled hair, desire would distract her.

"I heard the cannons after dropping off the last of the boys. I came running and arrived just in time to watch you get shot. I didn't stop to think. I just ran up the stairs of the café to get to you. I think the soldiers were in shock at the sight of a `boy' in their midst, so I was able to shoulder past them. I pulled you from the window and checked your pulse. I can't put into words the relief I felt at hearing it. You were bleeding so much though, so I knew I had to get you somewhere safe. I balanced you as best as I could and started back down the stairs, when two of the soldiers shot at me. The one shot off my cap so my hair went everywhere and the other got me in the ribs. Their commander threatened to shoot me again, woman or not, until I gave him a reason to stop."

"And what pray tell could have possibly made them stop?" He interrupted with a bewildered expression. Melodie took another deep breath and gathered her courage.

This next part would make or break them.

She gently released his hand and reached for the red silk handkerchief on the side table. She brought it into his line of sight and slowly unwrapped the item within. When the last bit of fabric fell away she heard his surprised gasp. The medallion was gold, with a star surrounded by concentric rings of gold and bronze.

"But that's –" Enjolras began.

"I know. My brother-in-law Fabien is an inspector with the Royal Police Force. Last year he ran into me and deduced who I was. Of course he tried to convince me to come home to my sister but at that point I was already in the thick of the revolution. I think he understood what it and all of you meant to me, so he gave me this. It was his only way of protecting me. He knew that if I showed this to anyone in the government, they couldn't touch me or mine. So I used it to get us out of there."

She paused to take a breath and place the medallion back on the table. She could feel Enjolras's stare but continued to look at the wall as she spoke.

"I know I should have told you, but I didn't want you to make assumptions that I was a spy or something like that. If you had sent me away … I don't know if I could have survived that. Does that make sense?" She couldn't look at him and bent her head down, afraid to see the censure in his eyes. When he covered her hand with his own, she jumped a little. His voice calmed her though.

"I understand and you were probably right to be scared of my reaction. Looking back, I was a little … aggressive about trusting people. Please continue." Melodie nodded and fixed her stare back on the wall.

"I tore up my vest and staunched your bleeding before I dragged you here. I'm still not sure how we made it, except perhaps by the grace of God. Anyway, I burst through the door of my sister's house and demanded a doctor. The butler seemed to have a conniption but was able to retrieve my sister who summoned that fool physician. There was blood everywhere. I can still see it flowing from your body onto the floor in my mind's eye."

She knew her voice was no more than a whisper so she cleared her throat.

"Monsieur Médecin arrived and told me rather promptly that you were a lost cause and then had the audacity to reach for me to attend my wound. I of course promptly pulled out my pistol and told him to attend to your wounds or we would be attending HIS funeral."

Enjolras groaned and she flashed him a wicked smile before continuing on.

"He set to work after that. I may or may have not kept the gun at his head while he worked on you but –"

"Why in heaven's name would you do that Melodie?" Enjolras asked in annoyance. She finally looked at him and let her emotions play out on her face. He seemed to be frozen at the look in her eyes.

"Because I was not going to lose you after fighting to get you here." Enjolras swallowed and nodded. Melodie sighed and rubbed her temples before continuing.

"I didn't really need to worry about myself because my sister worries enough for the three of us. She stopped my bleeding while I stood. The physician was able to save you, so she eventually made me go to another room for treatment. I probably gave her too much grief about leaving your unconscious body …"

She had the good grace to look somewhat ashamed and caught Enjolras's tired chuckle at the sight. She smiled a little at him and decided to finish her tale.

"The médecin was able to stitch me up and dosed me with a tonic that put me to sleep for a while. Eventually I woke up and began sitting with you and taking care of you, waiting for you to wake up. This morning the man wanted to check my stitches so I left you in my sister's hands. You know the rest after that." She finished quietly.

Enjolras was staring at her. The look of utter amazement on his face was unusual and rather endearing, though Melodie chose not to comment on it.

"You are either the bravest or most foolish woman I have ever met." He said raggedly. Melodie frowned.

"Oui, mon Capitaine."

"However," he reached out, grasped her hand, and rubbed soft circles with his thumb, "I am eternally grateful and will strive every day for the rest of my life to be worthy of your care."

His expression was so fierce that it stole her breath.

"Enjolras –" She started to speak again but was interrupted by someone clearing their throat at the door. They both glanced up to see Arielle enter the room. As her twin came to stand at the foot of the bed, Melodie noted that Enjolras did not let go of her hand.

"Fabien just arrived home from headquarters."

Melodie felt Enjolras stiffen beside her. Arielle must have noticed as well because she held up her hands in defense.

"He says he will speak to you both in the morning and to please rest comfortably tonight. He also stresses you have nothing to fear yet and to please be patient with him come morning."

Melodie saw the anxiety in her sister's gaze and felt the guilt creep back into her stomach.

"Don't worry sœur. We'll be perfectly agreeable. Well at least as agreeable as two fugitives can be." She cheerfully responded. Her words had the desired effect as her sister and Enjolras laughed aloud. She saw Enjolras grimace in pain out of the corner of her eye and turned to glare at him.

"Calm yourself Capitaine. No undue stress on those injuries until the doctor clears you." Enjolras rolled his eyes at her, but the laughter in their blue depths was so rare and precious that she didn't feel the least bit sorry for his moment of pain.

"Well since that is the case, I suggest you both attempt to sleep some more. I'll send breakfast trays up for you in the morning. Goodnight sœur, goodnight Monsieur Enjolras."

Arielle left the room quietly, as Melodie turned to look back at the man in the bed beside her. His eyes were beginning to droop and Melodie rubbed tiredly at her own.

"I think she's right. More sleep is in order." Enjolras's voice was thickening with sleep. Melodie simply nodded as she watched him drift off. Within a matter of minutes his breathing had deepened and a look of peace settled over his features.

Not wanting to wake him but unable to resist, she reached out and brushed back a gold curl from out of his eyes. Seeing that he was resting comfortably, she quietly gathered her candle and the medallion and quit the room.

After closing his door and making her way into her own bed, she said a quiet prayer of thanks and sent up a plea for strength tomorrow. Feeling a little more at peace than she had this morning, she blew out the light and tumbled into her dreams.