Hello Lovelies! So sorry it's been a while... school and all... but I am back! With suspense! And danger! And... (my personal favorite...) a little 'surprise' at the end ;) But I'm LOVING the reviews/comments you guys are leaving :) Makes me happy! The more response, the faster the chapters will go up!

Warning: Violence...suspense!

Disclaimer: Blame Victor...

Chapter 14: Mercy

Little did he know that gut feeling was going to be frightfully accurate.

Éponine grumbled to herself whilst she wobbled the four blocks to Gav's school. She whispered nonsensical words to her bulging stomach, pleading with her little devils to stop kicking. Where she was overcome with joy to be having these 'little miracles', she was nearing insanity with not only carrying them around, but everyone being worried upon every waking moment. Jehan is constantly at her stomach, cooing poetry, claiming that's exactly what a baby needs. Combeferre, Enjolras, Grantaire, Bousset and Bahorel constantly eye her whenever she offers to do something or move. Cosette and Musichetta walk into Musain nearly every afternoon laden with new supplies and things for the babies. And Joly's heart rate has yet to resume a normal, healthy beat since not only finding out she was pregnant, but also that she would continue to lead her usual active life while pregnant.

Needless to say, despite the love she felt (and appreciated) from her family, she enjoyed her independence and the little things, like walking to get her little brother from school, were amongst the things she held dear.

As she neared the schoolyard, smiling when she saw the head of scruffy blonde hair running around the playground, she got the oddest feeling that someone was watching her. She shuddered at the thought. The last seven months have been the safest of her entire life. No matter how safe she felt in the halls at uni or with her boys, she always felt her father's anger and beady eyes trailed on her back. Now with him, all, of them gone, she felt at peace. Well, up until this moment. Using the skills that she feared she'd carry forever, she discreetly scanned over her right shoulder then coughed into her arm to scan the left. Gav bounded over to her while she was doing this. He watched her momentarily, confused by her actions.

"Watcha doing Ponine?" He asked, scrambling out of the gates and wrapping his arms (as best he could, he'd picked up from the boys to treat his sister no differently, despite the large appendage she now had.) around her waist.

"Just looking around the school yard, seeing if this is the place I want to send pebbles and bam bam." She covered, smiling down at her little brother.

"Ponine, yor not actually gonna name the babies afer the Flintstones right?" He looked up, slightly nervous by the tiny look of worry in her eyes, but the flicker was gone as soon as it came.

"Well, what do you think are better names Gav?"

"Harry, Ron, or Hermione. Or Leo, Donnie, Raph, or Mikey! Oh! Or,"

"Gav, if I can't name them after television than neither can you." She bopped his nose affectionately before draping her hand over his shoulder and leading him down the street.

"But c'mon Ponine," He whined, "Mikey!"

Her head tipped back in laughter. "We'll see Gav, we'll see."

They continued down their way, the owning of the Musain almost in view. Gav blabbered on about his day while Éponine listened dutifully, rubbing her swollen stomach and musing how wonderful an older sibling figure Gav's gonna be to her babies. After years of drowning in fear, Éponine was finally feeling at ease…that was until the grimy hand shot out from the dank alley they passed and clasped itself painfully to Éponine's mouth.

"HEY! Let go of my sister!" Gavroche yelled, launching himself at the attacker, only to be thrown back in one swift motion, hitting the brick wall with a sickening crunch.

Éponine struggled to scream, struggled to breath as she fought against the ruffian, but she all but collapsed in fear when the attacker whispered,

"Stop your struggling Ninny or I won't give you the option of begging me to spare its miserable life." She felt a rusty blade trace its way up her swollen stomach, pausing slightly, before coming to rest at her trembling neck.

"Parnasse," She breathed, "how?"

"Ah, they didn't tell you I outsmarted them and ran? Pity, this could've been avoided. Isn't that kind of stupidity what that moronic statue fights about?" He chided, carelessly digging the knife deeper into her neck.

"None of this has to do with Gav or my children, so just let us go." She whispered, silently cursing her voice for sounding so frail."

"Oh but Ninny, those…" he paused, a new wave of fury washed over him. "Children?" He hissed. "There are two bastards in there?" And suddenly when the knife trailed back down to her appendage, Éponine began to do something she hadn't done in years, sob and beg.

"Please Parnasse, I'll go with you when they're out but please, please spare them. Just let them see light and be safe, then I'll be yours forever, but please Parnasse." Tears streamed down her face and her voice cracked at the slightest breath. She felt the babies kicking more, pressing into her side, letting her know they were there, but that only made her sob more.

Montparnasse laughed, trailing the blade lazily over her abdomen.

"You're gonna have to do better than that Ninny, these bastards don't stand a chance." His knife was raised and her cries only brought him pleasure.

"I'm sorry Éppy, but it has to be with way for us to be together." He sighed, before bringing the knife down and…

CLIFFE!

(just kidding... I'm not that cruel ;) )

"DON'T you DARE TOUCH MY SISTER AGAIN!" A small voice behind him shouted. The master assassin turned to see Gavroche standing at the entrance of the alley, in his hands what appeared to be a Beebe gun.

"What do you plan to do with that boy?" Montparnasse sneered. "Flick me?"

"Gav, just leave now, it'll all be ok." Éponine pleaded with the boy, still struggling against Montparnasse, desperately avoiding the dagger that was now closer to her stomach.

"Enough of you!" Montparnasse roared, bringing his hand down hard upon Éponine." That's when Gav snapped.

"I said… LEAVE HER ALONE!" He shouted, before pulling the trigger on the Beebe gun that Courf and Taire had picked out for him for his birthday next month (luckily for everyone in that moment, Gav had a knack for finding the best birthday presents weeks before anyone had the chance to wrap them.) There was a small crack and soon Montparnasse was on the ground, writhing and howling in pain, his hands clutching his groin.

"You little ARSE! I'm gonna KILL YOU WHEN I HAVE THE…" Another crack, another howl of pain, followed by a shatter of glass. Gav looked up to see Éponine with a broken wine bottle in her hand, face devoid of color and shaking slightly. Moving towards her brother, stepping over the unconscious criminal, she wrapped her brother into a hug.

"Never provoke him again." She cried into his little shoulder.

"But Ponine, he was gonna hurt the babies." Gav sobbed, fear reaching him now.

"I know, thank goodness you're good with your toys." She laughed, as did he. She stood shakily to continue to the Musain (she needed something…someone… strong.), but a horrible pain shot through her stomach, causing her to nearly collapse.

"No, no, no! I'm not due for another two weeks!" She cursed, swaying slightly. That's when she noticed her pants feeling wet and the puddle beneath her.

Her water had broken, the babies were coming.

There's your cliffie :) I'm mean aren't I? Leave a comment/review, maybe even follow/fav? And I'll be back real soon :)

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Until next time :)