(AN – I know some of you have been asking for more Enjolras POV so I just wanted to say never fear we've got a lot more Enjolras in the upcoming chapters, I hope you enjoy let me know what you think)

Chapter Nine – The Hour of Fate

Enjolras sat in the Café Musain deep in discussion with Combeferre. Combeferre was as sensitive and Enjolras was sever, he's prospective was usually the first Enjolras sought on all matters, especially the revolution. Combeferre had insights and thoughts on things that would never cross Enjolras' mind and between the pair of them he always felt confident of coming up with a well balanced plan.

Courfeyrac sat across from them but he had not been listening to their conversation for some time. He drew their attention when he began to chuckle, "Someone needs to save Marius from Grantaire and Joly." He said with a smile when he realised they were no longer talking.

"Why?" Combeferre asked curiously.

"He's only gone and met a girl, some bourgeois thing, and he's oohing and aahing about love at first sight. Grantaire's having a field day."

Grantaire, noticing that their attention had turned in his direction couldn't help but bring them into his teasing.

"Enjolras you are there planning the revolution and here," he gestured to Marius "we have our love sick hero. Who needs a night at the Opera this is far better."

The grin on Grantaire's face faltered slightly as he saw the look Enjolras cast in their direction. "Marius, a word, if you please."

Marius got to his feet and followed Enjolras outside.

"What is this about Marius?" He asked the minuet they were out of ear shot of the others.

"A girl a met today, after the rally, you should have seen her she was the most beautiful thing I ever beheld."

Enjolras clenched his jaw, the last thing he needed was Marius going soft on him.

"Marius," he chastised "we are not children. We both know the importance of the cause we are fighting for is higher than any 'love' higher than our very lives themselves. Your lonely soul is of little importance."

"Had you seen her…"

"Who cares?" Enjolras couldn't help but interrupt him "And what about Eponine?"

Marius looked slightly confused as to why Enjolras had brought Eponine into it, "She was there with me when I saw her. She has gone to find the girls address for me now."

Enjolras resisted the urge to roll his eyes, how could Marius be so ignorant. "Do you even know her name?" He asked impatiently.

Marius opened his mouth to answer but closed it again realising that he couldn't. The answer came in a feminine voice from behind him.

"It's Cosette."

Both men swung around to face Eponine but only Enjolras knew the significance of that name and why it was obviously grieving Eponine to even say it.

"Yes, the very same Cosette." Eponine said looking up into his face. Marius did not seem to notice he was too busy repeating his ladyloves name to himself.

"Marius," Enjolras snapped bringing the young man's attention back to the present. He couldn't stand the way Eponine stood there looking completely lost. Marius seemed to collect his thoughts as he grabbed both of Eponine's hands.

"You're the best 'Ponine"

Enjolras saw the way that Eponine's eyes lit up at the contact even under these circumstances. He couldn't understand how the girl he knew could come to have such adoration for Marius, who, although a very good friend of his, had more than a significant tendency to be an idiot.

"Will you take me to her?"

"Yes." Eponine barely whispered as Marius began to pull her by the hand.

"Wait, Marius, I need to speak with Eponine first."

Both turned round and shot him irritated glances. He was surprised on Eponine's part, he had said it to try and spare her the pain of taking Marius to Cosette.

"I will wait for you inside," Marius said "come and find me when you are finished."

She nodded.

Enjolras waited until Marius was inside before he spoke.

"Give me the address I will take Marius there." He didn't have time for this nonsense but he would do it to spare her the pain, after all they were old friends and he had cared for he like a sister when they were young.

"What? No!" she exclaimed backing slightly away from him, Enjolras was surprised this was not what he had expected her to say.

"You mean you want to take him there?" He asked, disbelievingly raising an eyebrow at her.

"No." She looked angry.

"Then why will you not allow me to do this for you?"

"Because he asked me to do it." She said pressing her hand to her heart and looking at him as if it should all make perfect sense and he should ask no further questions.

"Eponine don't be foolish."

"I. Am. Not. Foolish." She cried.

A memory flashed through his mind, the last time she had said those words to him, the last day they had spent together in Montfermeil he could feel his temper getting the better of him again.

"You are a fool if you take Marius to that house, to a girl who he claims to love after having met once. To a girl who his falling in love with is ten times worse for you than if it had been any other girl in Paris. You are a fool, Eponine, for allowing yourself to be devoted to Marius who is also a fool and has never looked twice at you!"

Eponine winced as if she had been physically struck. Her eyes widened and to Enjolras' dismay brimmed with tears which she quickly blinked away.

"Eponine…" he began.

"No, I've heard more than enough from you!" She shot at him "You've made your feelings abundantly clear."

Enjolras frowned he didn't remember stating any of his feelings.

"Let's just be honest with each other. We have met again and that was lovely but we are no longer children so I think it's best if from now on we keep out of each other's way."

"Fine." he said plainly, if she was childish enough to not want anything to do with him just because he had told her the truth about Marius, which she needed to hear, then he had no wish to be friends with her either.

"Fine." She repeated as she marched in to the Café Musain.

Enjolras followed slightly behind her, she was already on her way out again with Marius by the time he reached the top of the stairs. She would have left directly but Gavroche came scampering in ignoring his sister and rushing towards Courfeyrac.

"Gavroche!" she called after him in vain.

"Listen everybody." Courfeyrac called to all present, the talking and laughing that had moments before filled the Café Musain came to an immediate halt. Enjolras could hear his own heart beating in his ears so loud he was sure it would distract the others. He held his breath and waited for Gavroche to make his announcement. Somehow, he just knew that this was going to be a pivotal moment in his life.

"General Lermarque is dead!" The boy shouted.

Enjolras watched the news strike across the faces of all his friends. He saw the mixture of excitement, determination and fear. He knew his time had come, he had to build of the first two and appease the latter.

Jumping up onto a table the words started to flow without him having to think about it. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, this was it, this was what he had been waiting for, this was his time to show his worth and make his mark on France.

"Lermarque," he cried "the people's man is dead. This is the hour fate has ordained for us to act! On the day of his funeral the people will be out in their masses. His death with start a flame of rebellion in their hearts, it is our job to kindle that flame until it is a roaring fire of revolution! This is a turning point in the history of France. This is our moment! Let us have the courage to welcome it with cheer!"

The men around him responding by cheering.

"Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts!" he cried, to which they responded with a louder cheer.

"They will come" he declared "when we call!"

"When we call." repeated Courfeyrac to more cheers

"Vive La France." cried Combeferre.

"Vive La Frace! Vive La France!" The men around him chanted.

"More drinks." cried Grantaire, for once Enjolras was too caught up in the moment to rebuke him.

In spite buzz of excitement which was palpable in the Café Enjolras found his eyes wondering to the spot where Marius and Eponine had been and they were gone.

~X~

Marius grabbed Eponine's wrists and spun her round as they made their way through the streets of Paris. For a split second her sadness was forgotten and she laughed out loud. But then he let go and walked a few paces ahead of her and she remembered why she had been upset in the first place because she was leading Marius to her own doom. She was well aware that if she continued with him down the street they would shortly be at Rue Plumet and once they were there all hopes she had ever entertained for herself and him, all her dreams that kept her sane, that she clung to when her father hit her or Montparnasse kissed her would be gone forever. She wasn't entirely sure how she would carry on without them.

Marius was talking excitedly as they walked. She did not make any attempt to listen to his words as she knew they would only hurt her. What I would give for him to be that excited over me she thought with a slight shrug. Her head and her heart both urged her to turn back now before it was too late but her feet kept walking. She imagined herself dressed as a bourgeois, imagined that her family had never got turned out of their inn, she could see herself in her pretty bonnet and fine dress. Then Marius would perhaps have looked twice at her. Enjolras would never have been able to say he hadn't, not that he would have said it to her because he would not have been ashamed to know her and they would have still been friends. The thought caused her images to dissolve around her, she realised that she was upset not just because of Marius but because she wanted to be Enjolras' friend again. She wanted to be the little girl who had bossed and teased him again, she wanted to run and laugh with him like they use to. To hear his fears and tell him her own, but it could never be that way anymore.

She felt a lump form in her throat as she recognised the fancy iron gates that they were now standing before. She did not wish to speak as she was worried her voice would give away her true feelings so she simply pointed towards the house that she had followed Cosette to earlier that day.

Marius did not stop to ask questions he had already seen Cosette and Cosette had already seen him. They were walking slowly towards each other as if sleepwalking each certain of their inevitable destination. Eponine melted back into the shadows and watched.

Cosette had grown beautiful under the protection of the gentleman who had taken her away. Her heart shaped face was currently tilted up towards Marius, moonlight setting off her features perfectly. Her large blue eyes were no longer full of fear as they had been when they were children. Her rosy lips were no longer downturned and trembling but smiled shyly as she stared into Marius face. Eponine wanted to be happy for her, she had gotten away from the cursed Thenardier's just in time she had avoided the fate of Eponine and Azelma and Gavroche. But a bitter jealousy was rising like bile in her throat, the injustice of it all was causing her heart to twist in her chest. What was it that made Cosette so special, first Enjolras when they were children, then the man who came to take her away and now Marius? What was it about Cosette that captivated people and drew them towards her when they couldn't seem to get away from Eponine fast enough?

And why did it have to be Marius, the only thing Eponine had wanted. Cosette could have had anyone but she had to want Marius. Was it fate because she had been cruel to Cosette as a child when she had known no better?

Eponine braced herself against the wall of a nearby building and slid down onto the floor watching Marius and Cosette. With every word they whispered to each other she felt a coldness spreading through her veins.