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I do not own Les Misérables.

"She doesn't want to see you." Cosette is blocking the front door. Enjolras crosses his arms and gives her his best intimidating stare. She doesn't flinch, so he softens and tries another approach.

"I need to see her. Whether she wants me to or not."

Cosette shakes her head. "Look, I'm sorry, Monsieur…"

"Julien."

She narrowly avoids rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry, Julien, but I can't let you in."

He seems to crumple. "I…I don't know what I did…"

"It's not you."

"Then why? Why won't she see me?"

"It's not my place to tell you that." She's scrupulously polite, and that just makes it all worse.

"Dammit, Cosette, I…" He's pacing back and forth across her garden. Suddenly he realizes just how rude he's being. "I apologize, Mademoiselle…"

"Cosette."

"I apologize, Cosette. It's just…I was planning…I wanted to propose to her," he admits finally.

If she is surprised, she hides it well. "Alright then," she says, moving aside reluctantly. "She'll have to tell you eventually, I suppose. She's in the kitchen."

…

When he comes in it is to find Eponine at the counter, up to her elbows in bread dough. She looks up and sees him, and her lips tighten. Silently she scrapes her hands clean before turning to face him.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice, rough from years of misuse, is even harsher than usual. "I told Cosette not to let you in."

"Oui, I gathered that."

She makes a noncommittal noise.

He tries again. "Cosette said…it wasn't anything that I did…I mean, it wasn't my fault you were avoiding me, but…"

"It isn't your fault." Her lips are still clamped together, hard and unforgiving.

"Then what is it?"

She turns away.

"Do I have to guess?"

Silence.

"Alright. Are you pregnant?" He curses himself silently when he sees her blanch and hears her give a small cry. He hadn't meant for it to come out quite so blunt.

Neither of them is quite sure how it happened, but a moment later she is, once again, sobbing against his shoulder. He presses his lips to the top of her head, taking in the scent of her borrowed soap, and tries to memorize the feel of her wrapped in his arms, something that can't be memorized.

"Marry me," he whispers in his ear. Dammit, what is happening to him? He used to be such a great orator. But he's completely forgotten how to make those elegant and convincing speeches. Honesty and truth are all that remain.

She draws away. "What?"

"You heard me." The lady's watch he draws from his pocket is the engagement gift his father gave to his mother all those years ago. "Eponine."

She shakes her head, tears still in her eyes. "I…I can't…" Jerking away from him, she tilts her face towards the window, and a low, tuneless hum escapes her throat. He grabs her arms, somehow remembering to be gentle, and forces her to face him.

"Don't run away from me again, love," he says. She looks down; he lets go of one of her arms and uses his free hand to tilt up her chin. "Eponine." His voice has gone very quiet, but she can hear every word as clearly as if he were shouting. "The barricades rise tomorrow. I may not get another chance to say this to you."

"Don't say that." Her eyes are wide. Is it Marius she fears for? Or could it be she fears for him?

"I have to." He clears his throat. "I'll care for the child, Eponine. I'll treat him or her as my own. I promise you. I…I love you."

There. He's said it. After months of feeling the words eat away at him, longing for a mere glance, the barest scrap of attention from her, he's finally said it.

She's shaking silently. "I…I thought love was supposed to hurt," she mutters.

"What?" That is not what he's been hoping to hear.

"I mean, with Marius, it was always…like an ache. But you…this feels good…and I…"

But he's heard enough. He crushes his lips against hers and feels her melt against him and he's exhilarant, weightless, flying.

He presses the watch into her hand and folds her fingers around it. "You haven't given me your answer yet," he murmurs into her mouth.

She gives a breathless laugh, parts her lips, begins kissing him back in earnest. "Yes, I have."

This chapter's a bit short, so sorry about that, but I felt I needed to end it there. I am on spring break now, so it shouldn't be long before I get the next chapter written. I will also be working more on my Fantine/Valjean fic, Golden, so any of you interested in my writing or in that particular pairing should take a look!

Reviews are so appreciated!