Hello Lovelies! I'm back! Here for another chapter :) Loving the response and the reviews so far, it makes me happy :)
Here is chapter 5, more surprises to come!
Disclaimer: I still don't own it... so because of Victor, this chapter (WARNING) is going to be dark with injury descriptions and such...
So here we go :) Leave a review before you leave!
Chapter 5: Outbursts
previously: Taking advantage of Thénardier's distraction, Éponine bound past him into the wide living room, only to recoil slightly in horror.
Her precious baby brother was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. His usual bright blonde hair was caked with blood and his joyful blue eyes were watery, tears streaming down two dark purple bruises that had swelled to the size of golf balls. His little lip was split and part of his beloved Ninja Turtle shirt was torn, blood dried around the tear.
"Ponine." The little boy whimpered, eyes alighting with relief. "They s-said yo-you'd r-rund away. That I was a burden. You solded me."
"No Baby," She cooed, moving towards him, not noticing the menacing looks of the gang members surrounding the siblings in darkness. "No, I would never run away from you, and I would never sell you Baby, never."
"But C-coof an Ta-taire, they d-don't care?" He sniffled, wrapping his weak arms around Éponine's neck once she'd freed them.
"They care more than anything Baby, just you wait." She whispered in his ear. She could feel him smile slightly into the crook of her neck, but that's all she could feel before a pair of fierce hands yanked her away by the hair, dragging her away from Gavroche.
"Let me GO!" She roared, kicking anywhere she could reach, smiling when she heard a satisfying crunch followed by a yelp of pain. She was promptly dropped to the ground and swiftly kicked. She'd only managed enough time to cover her abdomen, but the kick resulted in a sickening crack, followed by immense pain. So she let out a scream.
"Shut 'er up, will yeh? We don't want the whole damn neighborhood wakin up on 'er behalf!" She heard Thénardier shout. More hands yanked her back up and she was greeted by the grotesque mugs of the Patron-Minette. Holding back tears, she addressed her father,
"What did you do with Musichetta and Cosette?"
"Them? Well, they're taking care of." He winked, and she attempted to lunge at his throat, but Montparnasse's arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back. She felt the blood drain from her face as his arm lingered over her belly. He yanked her to face him, his face murderous.
"Get your hands off my pebble!" She growled through clenched teeth, struggling to escape his grasp.
"You little whore!" He shouted, backhanding her. "Who's is it? You been sleeping around haven't you?" whack! Éponine bit back tears, never wanting to give any of them the satisfaction.
"I have not been sleeping around Parnasse." She ground out, clutching her arm, she'd managed to wriggle free of their grasp, turning to face them, she failed to notice the audience behind her.
"I've only been with the man I love, and we made this baby together, and we're going to have it together, and you're going to stay the hell out of my life!"
The boys seemed to arrive a moment too late. A scream broke through the night once they had entered the building and it took all Combeferre's will power not to charge through the door. Once they'd gotten up there, Joly, Bousset and Marius all let out distressed shouts. Sprawled on the floor were Cosette and Musichetta, relatively unharmed, but sleeping under what seemed like a strong dose of chloroform.
"Where the hell is Ép?" Combeferre hissed, moving around Marius clutching Cosette."
"Where's Gav?" Courfeyrac hissed back, following Combeferre in suit. That's when they heard the crack, and Combeferre nearly shouted, bolting towards the sound. They found themselves in the living room and Grantaire ran forward to claim the small mound curled up on the carpet.
"Gav!" He cried, moving to pick the boy up.
"Taire?" He replied weakly.
"Yeah bud, it's me. Oh Gav, what'd they do to you?" He sighed, taking in the boy's many injuries.
"Go get Pony." He whimpered, fading into darkness. Just as Gavroche closed his eyes, the boys caught wind of Montparnasse's shouting. Combeferre nearly collapsed when he realized what the master assassin was saying.
"Ferre, is he implying?" Enjolras questioned, moving beside the guide. Just then, Éponine's statement burst through the small living area and hit Combeferre like an anvil. The rest of the boys were silent, all curiously watching how the philosopher would take the outburst.
Without thinking, without letting anyone stop him, Combeferre burst through the kitchen doors.
"Get your God damn hands away from my fiancé and our child."
Éponine's eyes widened for a moment, but then she broke into a watery smile. Thénardier's eyes narrowed, as did Montparnasse's.
"Who thinks I gives you permission?"
"I paid fair and square pretty boy."
"Wrong choice of words gentlemen." Combeferre growled, and without warning, Courfeyac, Enjolras, Bahorel, Feuilly, and an incredibly furious Jehan, burst in behind Combeferre and went to work. Combeferre quickly swept his growing family into his arms and carried her into the next room.
"Did you mean it Ferre?" She whispered, bringing her hand to cup his face. He broke into a watery smile as well.
"I was planning something a little more romantic, but under the circumstances, and especially after your confession." He found her eyes, "Did you mean it?" It was a whisper. The outburst caused him a moment of sheer panic, was he ready to be a father? He was only two years out of college, could he do this? But the thought that the baby might not exist, or worse, was lost during this fight, was more terrifying than before.
She met his eyes with a shaky nod. "I should've told you earlier, but I was afraid if I got too happy, it might go away."
Combeferre looked at his darling Ponine, so small when scared. Then he looked back at the kitchen, where the sound of fist hitting flesh was loud and constant, and Bahorel's victory grunt almost always followed. Then he saw the flash of blue and red out the window, and heard the sirens approaching.
"Ép," he sighed, "everything's is going to be alright." And with that, he kissed her, sealing his words with a promise of satisfaction.
"Guys," Grantaire's voice broke the moment, it was wobbly and hoarse with on coming tears. "Gav's not responding."
BUM BUM BAH! Two cliffys in two days! I'm mean ;) More story... review please :)
Until next time...