Révolution du Cœur – Good Samaritan
The town home of the Pontmercy family was more of a palace than a house, but then again they did say those who had wealth had to make sure others knew it, Enjolras thought to himself dryly.
As Marius led them further into the house, he couldn't help but think his sister would have loved such a place. She had always had quite the imagination and the light coming in through the tall windows would have sent her scurrying for pencil and paper to capture the scene.
He had to admit he felt the slight stirrings of envy at what Marius was going to be able to provide Cosette. He looked down at Melodie who was staring resolutely ahead and wondered if she had ever dreamed of something like this, if she still dreamed of something like this. He feared that he wouldn't be able to provide her with such.
STOP.
He didn't know where the thought of providing for her had come from. Melodie was thoroughly independent and even though they had promised to stay together, did not mean that they would be together in the sense the archbishop had been angling at.
And yet … she had not objected to his touch ever. In fact she seemed to utterly enjoy it.
Perhaps …
"Here we are. We won't be disturbed here." Marius led them into a bright drawing room and shut the door behind them. Melodie swept past Marius and Cosette without looking at them. Enjolras followed, throwing an apologetic look at Cosette, who seemed to be fighting back tears.
They all seated themselves, Marius and Cosette on a love seat and Enjolras and Melodie on chairs opposite them. Silence reigned for a long while until Enjolras cleared his throat. His eyes rested on Marius and he felt the old cloak of Capitaine settle around his shoulders. Marius apparently caught on and sat up a bit straighter in his seat.
"Pray, tell us how you survived then Marius." He tone left no room for refusal.
"I was shot, badly mind you, and fell behind the old brick heap. I don't remember anything till I woke up here at my grandfather's home, but it seems a Good Samaritan got me through the sewers and here. I've been recovering ever since. My grandfather only found out where Les Amis was buried today, so … so I thought I'd pay my respects."
"Oh yes because respect is bringing another woman to the grave of the one that died for you." Melodie spat.
Marius and Cosette flinched.
Enjolras reached and touched the back of Melodie's hand, which gripped the arms of the chair with unrestrained anger.
"Calm ange." He muttered to her. She grimaced and sat back in her seat, pinching the bridge of her nose. Enjolras eyed her for a moment before looking back at Marius.
The man had an amused expression on his face that bothered him to no end.
"What are you smirking at?" He demanded. Marius coughed unconvincingly and settled back himself.
"Nothing at all. Now how did you two escape death?"
Enjolras closed his eyes, fighting back the memories of blood, pain, and smoke. When he opened them again, Melodie was kneeling on the floor at his feet, her hands cradling his own. He breathed deeply and focused on her as he told their story.
"I was wounded to the point of death as well. Melodie came back in time to rescue me, getting injured herself in the process. She took us away from the barricade. We've been recuperating at her sister's home since that day. I'd be dead if it weren't for her."
As he finished his short speech, the burning emotion had once again entered her eyes. She squeezed his hands and looked over her shoulder at Marius as though daring him to question her actions.
"It seems Fate smiled on all of you that day." Enjolras glanced to Cosette, who flushed slightly at all the eyes suddenly on her.
Marius picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles.
"It seems so my love." Melodie rolled her eyes discreetly. Enjolras gave her a tired smile and motioned for her to go back to her chair. She raised an eyebrow at him but did as he wanted.
Enjolras stood and nodded to Marius.
"May I speak to you alone please? It's a matter of some urgency." Marius was immediately on his feet ready to go before the words had finished coming from his mouth.
"And just what must you discuss without my knowledge?" Melodie demanded. Enjolras sighed and rubbed the back of his neck before looking at her crossly.
"I'd rather not have you see me beg, thank you very much."
Melodie's cheeks pinked but her eyes were lit with a certain happiness so he couldn't completely regret his embarrassment.
"Oh very well. Just don't be gone too long." He nodded and allowed Marius to show him out of the room. The walked down a corridor and then entered what appeared to be a billiards room. It brought back memories of watching the rest of Les Amis play cards and drink at the end of a long day. He looked to see Marius's eyes glazed over as well.
"It's never going to go away is it? The pain of losing them?" The younger man asked.
"No, no it isn't. But they would not want us to think of them with sadness. We must remember them with life and laughter. To do so otherwise would be an insult to their memories."
Marius nodded and walked towards the empty fire place across the room.
"We're safe here as well. My grandfather avoids this room at all costs, says it reminds him too much of my father."
Enjolras came to stand next to him. They stared at each other, as if gauging whether they could manage a conversation under their combined pain and the ghosts of their friends.
"So what has changed between you and Melodie that you touch each other without so much as blinking?"
Marius broke through the depressing thoughts, causing Enjolras to glance sharply at him.
"What do you mean?" He asked tersely. Marius's eyebrows went up into his hairline at the tone.
"What do I mean? I mean you act like a couple that's been together for years, not the acquaintances you were before the barricade. So what changed?"
"We were hardly acquaintances having known each other for a year I'll remind you." Enjolras groaned and turned to rest his forehead on the mantle.
And here he'd thought Marius would ignore the newly found intimacy between him and Melodie.
"What's changed is that she saved not only my life, but my sanity. I've realized I'm not whole without her. What's changed is that I'm ready to do anything to keep her with me."
The words came out before he could really think them through, but once they were out, he knew they were true. Marius though remained silent at his side.
Enjolras eventually rotated his head to look at his unspeaking companion.
"That's why I asked to speak to you privately. We're both in danger of not only being separated, but of losing our lives. Again."
Marius nodded.
"I'm listening."
So Enjolras explained their situation with the King and Queen, and how he feared the worst not matter how confident he had sounded to Melodie. He explained about the missing inspector and explained his plan to Marius who listened with a calm attitude.
"So do you believe you can convince your grandfather to speak on our behalf with them?" He asked, doing his best to keep the desperation out of his voice that he surely knew was in his eyes.
Marius stepped forward and clapped him on the back.
"I'll see that he does. If he doesn't I'll tell him I'm leaving again which should spur him into action."
Enjolras gaped at his friend.
"I'm not asking you to alienate yourself from your family again Marius!" He exclaimed sternly. Marius shrugged.
"No you're not. But I'm not allowing something as simple as him calling in a favor, which he does frequently mind you, to separate me from my chosen family again. Even if the surviving half of it wishes to beat me into a bloody pulp currently."
Enjolras grimaced remembering Melodie's fury.
"She'll forgive you eventually. I think."
Marius chuckled slightly and shook his head before seriousness settled over his features again.
"What do you intend to do about Inspector Javert?" He asked worriedly.
Enjolras sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Must have picked that one up from Melodie.
"I honestly don't know. Until a body turns up, I can't actually do anything. All I know is that the status of his health will either make or break Melodie and I."
Marius nodded in grave understanding.
"Let's return to the drawing room. I fear for the state of the furniture if Melodie's grip was any indication of her current temperament."
They went to the door but upon opening it, stumbled upon an older gentleman.
"Monsieur Madeleine!" Marius beamed. He grabbed the older man's hand and shook it eagerly.
"Enjolras, this is my future father-in-law!" Enjolras shook hands with the man a little more sedately.
"A pleasure I'm sure."
The man would not meet his eyes and Enjolras felt as if he'd seen that pained expression somewhere before …
"Come gentlemen, let us rejoin the ladies."
Enjolras put the thought out of his mind as he followed the pair back to the drawing room.
For who did he know that moved in Marius's upper circles?
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"Would you like me to ring for tea?" Melodie turned from watching Enjolras leave the room to see Cosette's hesitant expression.
"No, thank you." She replied. Cosette nodded and stared at her fidgeting hands.
Melodie took the time to study the girl. She was as Éponine had described.
With her large green eyes and corn silk colored hair, Cosette Madeleine was the picture of sweetness and innocence. It honestly shouldn't have been surprising that someone like Marius, who always strove to live in the light, would be attracted to her.
She briefly wandered what attracted Enjolras to herself.
Realizing this was a dangerous line of thought, she refocused on the other occupant of the room. Colette seemed to be thoroughly interested in her fingernails. That or she was terrified of Melodie. The thought made her smirk slightly but she decided the throw the girl a bone.
"It's not you I'm angry with." She said quietly.
Cosette looked up quickly, a confused expression on her face.
"You – you aren't?" She stammered. Melodie offered the girl a gentle smile.
"No. It's not your fault that Marius was too foolish to see what Éponine felt for him."
Cosette smiled tremulously in her direction.
"Would you tell me about her? All I remember of her is flouncing skirts and her mother's comparisons between us. I never knew her as a person."
Melodie felt the surprise take over her face, but decided there was no harm in the conversation. She sat back once again and let the memories fill her.
"She was clever, extremely so. A bit of flirt but she had to be to survive in that family of hers. Éponine didn't care for them, except for Gavroche. I think he was the only bright spot in her life. Him and the occasional time spent with me when she wasn't avoiding her father or mother. All she wanted was to be loved for herself and to love another in return."
The words hung heavily in the air when she was finished.
Melodie finally looked back at Cosette. There were tears in the young woman's eyes and her she was biting her lower lip, as though holding back the apologies that she knew wouldn't do any good.
"Thank you Mademoiselle …" Cosette trailed off, obviously realizing they had never been properly introduced, at least on Melodie's end. She smiled faintly at the blush rising on Cosette's cheeks.
"Croyance. Melodie Aceline Croyance." Cosette smiled brightly at her.
"Thank you Mademoiselle Croyance. I appreciate your candidness."
"I am nothing if not candid." She deadpanned. Cosette laughed lightly. At once she stopped herself though and bit her lip again. Melodie cocked her head to the side in a silent question.
"For what it's worth, he told me when he first came to that not all of his heart could belong to me. That much of it had died with his friends and with her. With Éponine."
Melodie stared at Cosette, unsure of what to say. At last she unfroze enough to smile at the girl again.
"Thank you, that is … helpful to know." The two women nodded at each other and turned eager faces toward the door when it opened.
Marius, Enjolras, and an older man entered.
"Papá!" Cosette sprang to her feet and hurried to hug the older man.
Enjolras came and offered her is hand.
"It's time we left, Fabien will have my head if we're not back on time." Melodie nodded but kept her eyes on the older man.
She would recognize the mysterious volunteer from the barricades anywhere. As she watched Cosette talk happily to him, all of the pieces fell into place.
Their mysterious volunteer, Marius's Good Samaritan, the man who had last seen Javert. They were all the same man, for they were all Cosette's father. As Marius, Cosette, and Enjolras led the way back to the entrance, Melodie fell into step beside the man.
"Monseiur, may I speak with you a moment?" She whispered. He looked at her steadily for a breath before nodding wearily and stepping around a corner.
"I know who you are." She started.
Monsieur Madeleine opened his mouth but she held up a hand to silence him.
"No, I don't want your explanations or pleas for secrecy. I have no intention of informing Cosette or Marius of your part in all this. I only ask that you try and get Enjolras and I out of this mess involving Inspector Javert."
They stared at each other for several heartbeats before he nodded.
"I will do what I can." He murmured.
"Thank you." She replied.
And with that, he was returning her to the carriage and handing her up to Enjolras. With a few words of parting, they were back on their way to Arielle and Fabien's home.
"What did Monsieur Madeleine want?" Enjolras asked her. Once again he was seated across from her and she found herself missing the comfort of his presence at her side.
"Oh nothing, he was just wondering how Cosette and I got on. I don't think the poor girl has had much feminine companionship before. Then again, I'm not sure I qualify as a feminine companion." She lied quickly.
She hated doing so, but the more Enjolras was kept out of this, the better.
Enjolras was eyeing her beneath a heavy gaze.
"I assure you Melodie, you are perfectly female."
She blushed as they stopped at her sister's door and let him hand her down.
Perhaps she was feminine after all.
