(AN – Wow! Over a hundred followers and reviews! Thank you guys so much! I love you guys more than Javert loves the stars!)

Chapter 11 – Letters

Three days until revolution, three letters arrived addressed to Enjolras. The first was the usual short letter that he was used to receiving from his father, with only one extra sentence saying that he had heard rumours of rebel makers amongst the students of Paris and he trusted that his son was not involved. Enjolras scoffed as he placed the letter at the back of the draw where he kept all his letters from his father. He truly did not know his son at all if he could doubt his involvement.

The second letter, to his surprise, was also in his father's hand.

Dear Marcelin,

I write to inform you that your Grandfather died last Tuesday.

There is no need to return for the funeral, it will be held before you receive this letter and I shall not be attending.

Yours and Co

Henri Enjolras

Enjolras held the letter away from him and looked out of his window onto the Parisian street below. He waited to feel something, something that he ought to feel on the death of his grandfather but found nothing. Maybe he truly had become the Marble Man as Grantaire liked to call him.

Enjolras recollected the third letter he had received. He turned it over realising that he did not recognise the hand. He broke what was an official looking seal and read the letter twice before the words formed coherently in his head.

Monsieur Enjolras,

Forgive me the impropriety of writing to you so informally before we have been introduced. I have the privilege of knowing enough of you to feel we are old acquaintances whilst you know nothing of me.

I was a dear friend of your late Grandfathers and also his attorney and executor of his Estate due to the circumstances of his break with your honourable Father.

It is of utmost importance that we meet to discuss this matter at your earliest convenience. Please could you inform me by return when you will most likely be able to meet me in Montfermeil.

Yours faithfully

Jacques Du'Lis

Enjolras took out his fob watch as if it had somehow developed the ability to tell him more than just the time, he shook his head ignoring his impulse to go. Although Montfermeil was only a half a day's carriage ride at best it would require him to be out of Paris for a minimum of two days leaving him one day to prepare for the revolution. Impossible and there would certainly be no time in the near future. Although he was not fully certain of exactly how events would take shape after the monarchy was over thrown he was sure there would be no time for such trivial matters as his Grandfather's estate. With this thought in mind he sat down and composed his reply.

~X~

Eponine watched Marius's pen scratch across the paper as he sat across the table from her. Her head resting on her hand she took full use of his distraction to stare undisturbed at his face, memorising each and every freckle aware that the closer he got to Cosette the further he would slip from her.

"Eponine," he said suddenly looking up causing her to quickly pretend she had been examining the tips of her nails.

"Yes Marius."

"Do you think that, 'When I am near you I feel as if I am at one with the God's and heaven is near' is over the top?"

"Not at all." She replied, meaning yes completely, she will probably think you some kind of lunatic. She couldn't suppress her smile at the thought.

"I shouldn't be much longer Eponine and then you can deliver it for me."

"Whoa- When did I agree to that?" Eponine asked incredulously.

Marius did not notice he had bowed his head back over his letter intent on his declarations of love. Eponine soon became lost in her own thoughts once again.

"Marius," she said some time later causing the boys head to jolt up. "Do you think you will really go through with the revolution?"

Marius took a cautious look over his shoulder, noting that Enjolras was not yet at the café.

"Well," he whispered none the less "it's not that I am not dedicated to the cause Eponine, I am. It's just that, have you ever thought you knew what was right and what was wrong only to suddenly think that perhaps you have it all wrong."

"I don't spend much of my life pondering right and wrong Monsieur. It is not advisable in my family."

"I do not wish to abandon my friends and yet I feel that with Cosette my life has begun and I do not wish to throw that away either."

Eponine said nothing in reply, afraid that she would betray her true feelings regarding his relationship with Cosette, Marius took her silence for disapproval.

"I have not made up my mind for certain Eponine. I just can't help but wonder what the price we may pay could be."

Eponine couldn't supress the shudder that ran down her spine at the words. Niggling doubts had begun in her since the death of General Lermarque regarding the true motives for this revolution and she couldn't put them to rest.

Enjolras entered the café at that moment abruptly stopping their conversation. He cast a glance in their direction before proceeding further into the room.

"Apollo." Grantaire greeted him with a broad grin waving his bottle in Enjolras' direction.

"Do you ever stop drinking Grantaire?" Was all the sardonic reply he received.

"I am simply preparing my breath for the upcoming battle. At this rate by the time of Lermarque's funeral I shall be able to take out an entire regiment with a single hiccup."

Eponine watched Enjolras from the corner of her eye, she felt confused. They had managed a whole conversation without arguing the previous night but somehow the atmosphere felt stranger than ever. She was glad they had managed to come to a sort of truce but now she felt unsure of where she stood. It wasn't exactly as if they were friends, but it wasn't as if they were mere acquaintances either. Eponine found her eyes increasingly drawn away from Marius towards the group in which Enjolras sat with Grantaire, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Jean Prouvaire and Joly as the evening progressed. The young men were obviously having a good time. She could see glasses being topped up, excited faces and laughter. Even Enjolras occasionally cracked a half smile at his friends although he mostly looked like he disapproved of what they were saying. In fact whatever topic they were on now it looked as though he thoroughly disapproved, a slight crease had appeared between his brows, the other men however seemed to find the subject hilarious and were laughing heartily, slapping each other on the back. Their table looked a lot more fun than hers with Marius. She got to her feet, what did she care if Enjolras thought she was a friend or an acquaintance or something somewhere in the middle? She was going to use it as an excuse to approach their table and see what they were talking about.

"You will have to tell us in great detail of your first kiss Enjolras…" Courfeyrac was saying.

"Oh that's easy." Eponine interrupted him as she approached the table. "I can tell you everything, it was with me."

The laughter halted immediately as the men stared at her in disbelief, with the exception of Grantaire who had unfortunately swallowed a mouthful of brandy at that moment and proceeded to choke loudly.

"…when you have it." Courfeyrac muttered the now redundant second half of his interrupted sentence.

Enjolras remained where he sat his arms folded across his chest glaring at her.

"Enjolras," Grantaire managed to get out between coughs, "you kissed an actual human girl!"

The awkward silence lasted for another second before the boys once again collapsed into even more raucous laughter.

"Mademoiselle," Grantaire laughed jumping up from his chair and indicating that she should take it, "please sit down and tell us everything. Truly, what kind of magic potion did you use?"

"And how terrible was he really." Joly laughed.

Eponine couldn't help but giggle as she sat down in spite of the look that Enjolras was casting them.

"You can all stop calling him virgin lips behind his back now." Combeferre smirked at his friends.

"You call me that!" Enjolras unfolded his arms, obviously affronted by this new level of mockery.

"Did you tell them that you had never kissed anyone?" Eponine asked shooting him an arch look.

"I never said I hadn't I just never said I had and they all assumed the rest. Anyway it's not like it counts we were children."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Enjolras," Jean Prouvaire laughed, "it's perfectly natural, and happens to all of us. And Eponine is not bad at all you could have done a lot worse."

"So Eponine," Joly turned his attention to her. "What was Enjolras like as a child? Was he always serious?"

Enjolras sent her a look which she was in no doubt was meant to warn her to say nothing, however Eponine was revelling in being the centre of attention and was eager to remain there.

"He was always serious of course." Eponine couldn't help but say. "Although, I do recall one incident involving an attempt to cartwheel on a tree. Oh and the time I convinced him to go scrumping with me, and his favourite game to play was pirates!"

The boys around her laughed harder than before crying 'Aye Aye Captin' at Enjolras and declaring Eponine their new best friend.

"Why have we been letting Marius keep her all to himself?" Joly laughed.

Eponine beamed enjoying her new found popularity. Although as she looked to Enjolras she felt a pang of guilt for selling him out for the cheap laughs of men she hardly knew. They were his friends, she knew they looked up to him because they were willing to fight in his revolution, she was sure all the jesting was good natured but she couldn't help but feel like she had managed to drive an even bigger wedge between the two of them.

"Eponine, the letter is finished." Marius tapped her on her shoulder.

Eponine stood from her chair thankful for the distraction.

"Marius, why must I take it for you?"

"Please Eponine," he implored. "I will look a lot more obvious standing around outside her garden than you."

"Because I'm a shadow?"

"Eponine, I need you." His green eyes pleaded her, Eponine bit her bottom lip as she battled her indecision.

"Ok, Marius," she conceded, "but I'm only doing this for you once ok."

Cosette was already in the garden when Eponine approached the house on Rue Plumet. Eponine spotted her easily sitting on a bench, her feet tucked beneath her. Eponine had no desire to be reunited with Cosette so approached as stealthy as she could quickly slipping the letter between the bars of the fence and turning to leave.

"Wait."

Eponine hunched her shoulders, knowing she had been spotted, she did not turn around.

"Is this from Marius?" Cosette asked.

"Yes." Eponine remained with her back to Cosette.

"Could you please pass this reply to him?" Eponine could tell that Cosette had approached the fence, her voice sounded closer. She turned partially so that her face was still obscured and held out her hand taking the letter from Cosette.

"Wait, don't you want…"

"No," Eponine replied quickly when she heard the clink of coins "Not from you."

If Cosette was puzzled by this she said nothing.

"You cannot truly mean not to give him the letter." Azelma gasped later that evening as Eponine recounted the events to her.

"I do not intend not to give it to him, just not to give it to him straight away." Eponine replied gently tugging at her sister's hair that she was pulling into a plat.

"But Eponine, why not?" Azelma cried turning her head and ruining Eponine's efforts.

"Keep your head still." Eponine admonished. "Because if I give it to him straight away he will write another one and then I will be asked to deliver it and you know I will not be able to say no. I truly do not feel like becoming their messenger service on top of everything."

"When will you give it to him then?"

Eponine fastened a piece of string around the bottom of Azelma's plat "There you are done. As soon as an opportunity arises to give it to him and depart immediately." Eponine lay back on the bed, which seemed luxurious compared to the night before when she had to sleep in an alley while her father's temper cooled.

~X~

Enjolras' eyes shot open, he felt relieved to realise that he was lying in his bed. The images of the dreams that had woken him faded as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of his room.

The same dream that had haunted him for fourteen years, where he was running, but this time he found he was not running to his mother, it was towards a barricade, the people or Paris, the street urchins, the gamins and gamines lined the path he was running down. He had run as fast as he could hoping, as he always did in these dreams, that he would not be too late as he had been before. He had rounded a corner and seen the barricade in the distance but his progress had been prevented by a figure in his way. An old woman with a crocked nose and dark eyes had stood before him.

"Is it enough," she had cried, "to wipe out the past? Is it enough?"

Her words still echoed in his ears as he sat up in his bed. He had no time for doubts, it was just a dream, he told himself, it did not matter. All that mattered was the revolution. It was more important than his life, than anything else. He reached across to his fob watch which sat on the top of a cabinet by his bed. It was two thirty in the morning, a new day had begun. Two more days until revolution.

(AN2 – Has anyone seen a video on youtube called Enjolras + Eponine Losing your Memory. If you haven't you should go and check it out now because it's amazing and I can't stop watching it. Honestly it could have been made for this fiction (it wasn't it was published before I started). One of the best Enjonine vids I've seen)