A/N: I'M NOT DEAD! Sorry this took so long; life as a second-year music major is cranking up!
So, I lied...there's not actually a trial this chapter. But I promise, I'll get to the meat of it in 19! In the meantime, there's some really good stuff happening in this chapter, so I hope you still enjoy! Huge shoutout to Freedom909 for being her awesome self and keeping me inspired! Love you, chickadee!
Richard Enjolras, Sr. awoke promptly at 6:00 am, as he had for as long as he could remember. He got out of his bed, took a shower, and put on a suit, as he always did, before going out to his kitchen and starting a pot of coffee. However, just as the pot finished brewing, he was startled by a knock on his door.
A frown of thought crossed the attorney's face. No one came knocking on his door at this hour unless it was Felix, and he hadn't heard from the bootlegger since his last shipment. He straightened his suit as he walked over to his door, opening it after another impatient knock.
The last man he expected was on the doorstep.
"What the hell are you doing here, Thénardier?" he growled. "Don't think you'll be able to threaten me into doing what you want."
"I ain't here ta threaten ya, sir," the thief said gruffly. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching before he leaned in and spoke soflty, giving the attorney a noseful of his horrible breath. "I have somethin' ta tell ya abou' yer son. Somethin' ya may want te know."
The prosecutor's eyes narrowed as he stepped away and stared at the criminal. "What about my son?" he asked suspiciously.
Thénardier gave a brief nod towards the living room of the apartment. "Lemme in an' I'll tell ya."
As his father was conversing with hers, the younger Enjolras was straightening his suit to go to the courthouse. Éponine was behind him, pulling on a dress. She had insisted on going with him for moral support, even though he had insisted otherwise. Combeferre and Courfeyrac would be meeting them there.
He stared at himself in the mirror, noticing for the first time the tiny lines that had started forming around his eyes. He looked older, more tired. This case hadn't even begun, and it was already taking its toll on him.
A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his reverie. "Hey, you awake?" Éponine asked behind him.
He sighed softly, running a hand over his face. "Mostly," he replied. "I just hope I've done enough…"
"Sweetheart, you've done everything you can do before you can actually argue your case," Éponine said softly, taking his shoulders and turning him to face her. "Stop worrying. It won't accomplish anything."
Enjolras chuckled softly. "Right again," he murmured, half to himself, as he gently stroked the outline of her face. "I love you so much, 'Ponine."
Richard Enjolras, Sr. had never been more furious in his life, and that was quite a statement for a man with a temper like his. His eyes were closed as he tried to reign himself in, fists clenching and unclenching as he made an effort to even out his breathing. "And you're certain of this?" he whispered.
"Montparnasse ain't stupid enough ta lie ta me abou' somethin' like this," Thénardier replied in his gruff voice. "An' 'e said 'e saw 'em wi' 'is own eyes."
The attorney couldn't contain himself anymore, and he slammed his fists on the table, making the thief jump. "DAMMIT!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "I raised a complete and utter fool."
"Ye ain't the only one," Thénardier muttered.
Richard ground his teeth together as he seethed. "We have to do something about this. There's no question of that. But what…?" he let his thoughts trail off as he wondered. It was still difficult for him to wrap his brain around the thought of his son – his son – sleeping with that whore, but at the same time, he should have known his son would be stupid enough to do so. He was blinded by what he thought was "love," and he had to be disenchanted as soon as possible.
"'Ow violent do ye want it to be?" Thénardier asked with a gleam in his eye. "I 'ave men tha' can take care of both of 'em fer us. An' it won' cost ya nothin' if I tell 'em I wan' it done."
That was when an evil gleam came to the attorney's eye, and the most wicked, knowing smile spread across his lips.
Enjolras and Éponine made it to the courthouse in a matter of minutes. She held his hand as they walked up the steps; she could tell he was incredibly nervous. His breath was shaky in her ear, and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze in comfort. "It's going to be okay, dear," she murmured softly. "You're prepared. You've done what you need to do."
He took a deep breath as they approached the front doors, trying to keep from shaking too badly. "You'd best wait out here. I think my father is closing your father's trial today; I don't want to risk either of them seeing you," he said.
Éponine opened her mouth to protest, before she looked deeper into his eyes. He looked so much older, more tired, than he should have. It was clear that for his own peace of mind, she needed to stay outside. So she closed her mouth and nodded. "I'll be right out here," she promised.
A small smile crossed her sweetheart's face. "Thank you," he murmured, embracing her and kissing her temple gently. "I'll be back soon."
"Do what you have to do to keep Judge Gray off the bench," Éponine whispered in his ear. "I don't care what it is."
Enjolras' face grew solemn as he nodded. "I love you, Éponine."
"I love you, too, Enjolras," she murmured softly. She watched him go up the rest of the steps, take another deep breath, and open the door to the courthouse. The reality of what her boyfriend was doing was really setting in for her, and her heart started to quiver in fear.
"Well, well, well," a familiar voice behind her interrupted her thoughts. "Wha's my brat doin' 'ere?"
Éponine clenched her jaw tightly, refusing to turn and face her father. "Go away, Papa. I don't want to see you."
"Oh come on, 'Ponine," Thénardier insisted, grabbing her by the shoulder and forcing her to turn and face him. "Ye don' want a word wi' yer own dad?"
She pulled forcefully away. "No, I don't," she snapped. "I just said, I don't want to see you. Please, leave me alone."
"Oh, now ye got the gall to say please?" he growled.
Éponine's heart started to race. He was going to back her into a corner before she knew it. Enjolras, please come back soon… "What do you want, Papa?" she snapped. "More importantly, why do you have to accost me in front of the courthouse?"
"Yer boyfriend's dad is closin' me trial today," he said gruffly, spitting out the word "boyfriend" like it were a disease.
Éponine stayed quiet for a moment, letting her defenses fall momentarily. She had never used the term "boyfriend" for Enjolras before. They never really discussed the technicalities and the labeling of their relationship. But Thénardier was quick and he saw her still for a moment.
"Wha' is it, 'Ponine? He is yer boyfriend, ain't 'e now?" When she didn't respond, he continued, "Still don't give ya the right to give 'im a free go whenever 'e wants!"
"Enough, Papa!" she barked angrily, surprised at her own force. She took a deep breath before she spoke again. "We'll discuss this later. I'll come down to the base and meet you there, if you want."
Thénardier made a face that could almost be described as pouting, but he knew it was the best deal he was going to get. "Alrigh', have it yer way," he muttered angrily. "Tonight, 9:00 sharp."
"I'll be there," she said, already dreading the meeting as her father hurried away. Éponine immediately turned to face the courthouse again, struggling to catch her breath and putting a shaking hand to her forehead. Was she a complete and total idiot? What the hell was she thinking, arranging a meeting with her father behind the back of the man she loved? He would be furious if he found out…
Wait, that's acting like you're going to keep this from him.
Well, is telling him a really good idea?
Enjolras' approaching footsteps jerked her out of her mental debate. "Okay," he said with a deep breath. "They took the case, and I'm keeping Judge Gray off the bench no matter what it takes."
Éponine nodded absentmindedly. "Good, good," she muttered.
He could tell immediately that something wasn't right. "Éponine? Are you unwell?" he asked, suddenly concerned.
She took a deep breath. Well, are you going to tell him or not, 'Ponine? "It's nothing; I'm fine. I…I just haven't been sleeping well the past few nights."
Enjolras nodded sympathetically. "I'd been thinking you seemed restless in the night. Come on, let's go home so you can get some rest," he encouraged, looping an arm around her waist. Éponine gently leaned her head on his shoulder, trying not to think about what would happen that night.
"Will the defendant please rise?" Judge Roberts asked stoically from the bench.
Thénardier and his lawyer both stood at the judge's command. The lawyer stood straight in his pristine suit, Thénardier slumped to the left side, seeming not to care at all about the proceedings.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?"
A single juryman was standing. "We have, Your Honor."
"On the first indictment of theft, how do you find?"
"We find the defendant, Auguste Thénardier, guilty."
He tried not to swear. That was going to be at least a few weeks in the slammer, and he had a big bootlegging deal coming up. It was going to be very difficult to run if he was in jail.
"On the second indictment of theft, how do you find?"
"We find the defendant guilty."
The irritation mounted in his heart as the same was read for all three counts of neglect of minors. One for Gavroche, and one each for the twins. He started to do the math in his head – two weeks fer each theft sentence, an' three weeks fer each kid – tha's about –
Judge Roberts interrupted his thoughts with the answer. "Auguste Thénardier, I hereby sentence you to 13 weeks in prison. You will be released on October 4th. Court is adjourned," he concluded, banging the gavel once.
13 weeks…tha's 4 months!
As Thénardier was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, he looked over his shoulder at the prosecutor, who gave him one single nod.
The thief only grinned. Their plan was on.
Nightfall came. Éponine had been watching the clock like a hawk all day; she knew exactly when she needed to leave for the Patron-Minette base to make it there by 9:00. Enjolras had been able to tell that something else was wrong from the moment they got home, and as Éponine had predicted, he was less than thrilled when she told him what she'd agreed to do.
The minute hand rose up to 8:45, and his clock chimed three-quarters of its little tune. Time to go. She stood up from the couch and took a deep breath. "Alright, wish me luck," she said to Enjolras. "Don't answer the phone or the door while I'm gone. My father might try to send someone here while I'm out of the way."
With a quiet sigh, he crossed the room to her and held her tightly. Éponine hugged him back, letting his strength fortify her heart. "Be careful," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "I don't want you to get hurt."
"Don't worry about me," she smiled, kissing his lips. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
With a sad smile, Éponine gradually released him and walked out the door. Immediately, she looked down and let her feet take her back to where she grew up on the bad side of town.
It took her less time than she expected to get to the base; she was actually outside the door less than 10 minutes after leaving Enjolras' apartment. With a deep breath, she knocked commandingly on the door 3 times, calling out "Papa, it's me."
She saw an eye in the peephole, before her father opened the door. "Come in," he grunted roughly. "Make it quick; I got ta be back in me cell befor' they notice I'm gone."
Éponine rolled her eyes. Figures. "What did you want, Papa?"
"I wanna talk to ye about' yer boyfriend," he said, again with quite a sour face on the last word.
Éponine bit her tongue to keep down an angry retort, before she realized something. "Wait a minute…how did you find out about us in the first place?" she asked suspiciously.
"That would be where I come in," a smooth voice said behind Thénardier as Montparnasse stepped out of the shadows. "Claquesous and I have been watching you for several weeks now. Tell me, 'Ponine, how long did it take for you to convince him to nail you?" he asked, only a hint of bitterness in his tone.
She could only gape incredulously at the man she used to call a friend. "How could you, Papa?!" she shrieked.
"If ye hadn't had the gall te start shaggin' a demn lawyer, we wouldn'a 'ad this problem!" her father barked. "I had ta keep an eye on ya somehow. 'Parnasse an' Claquesous volunteered."
"I can't believe this," Éponine muttered under her breath. "Actually, I can. You're too controlling for your own good, Papa."
She only had to wait a split second for the slap she knew would come. "Don't ya dare talk ta me that way, ya stupid girl!" her father shouted. "I'm yer father, have a mite of respect!"
"Not when you treat me like this!" she shouted.
Montparnasse snorted from the other side of the room. "Hear that, Auguste? She wants respect," he drawled. "Listen to yourself, Éponine. You're a petulant child."
"Watch what you say, 'Parnasse," Éponine whispered dangerously.
Thénardier laughed at her again. "When are ye gonna quit bein' so naïve? I heard from me friends down at the courthouse today tha' yer boyfriend is plannin' ta blackmail whoever 'e has to ta keep the judge 'e doesn't want off 'is case."
Her eyes widened. "No…he wouldn't," she whispered.
"Oh, 'e would," her father whispered maliciously. "Just when ye think ye know someone, they change. Yer never gonna get away from criminals, 'Ponine."
That was he last straw for her. With a vicious force that took all her might, Éponine lashed out and slapped her father full across the face, actually making him stumble and swear as he clutched his face.
"You listen to me, and listen well," she snarled. "You may be the reason I'm alive today, but that gives you no right to control me the way you do. I am a grown woman, with my own mind, my own thoughts, my own opinions, and my own choices to make. I am an individual, separate from you and completely equal to you, if not above you in every way. I love Enjolras more than life itself, and I will not let you talk him down to your level. He was right about both of you – you are nothing more than scum. I deserve so much better."
For a few seconds that took an eternity to pass, both Montparnasse and Thénardier were too shocked to say anything. When Thénardier finally regained control of himself, he only said five words, in the deadliest whisper Éponine had ever heard.
"Ye watch yer back, girl."
"Don't worry, I won't be turning it on you," she whispered coldly, before promptly turning on her heel and heading home.
For as long as he could remember, Enjolras had a bad habit of pacing when he got worried. He couldn't help it; it was the only way to keep his mind off of whatever was worrying him.
But when it came to Éponine, nothing helped. He had tried a quick drink, music on the radio, reading Kierkegaard – nothing was working. He was so worried about her going to see her father that he couldn't contain it. He knew he wasn't going to change her mind about going, but he didn't like the situation. So he prayed and paced the apartment.
Finally, the sound of a key in the latch, and there she was.
"Éponine!" he said, embracing her tightly as soon as she closed and locked the door. "Thank goodness you're alright. I was so worried."
She gave him a gentle squeeze. "No need to worry about me, love," she murmured into his chest. "I finally gave him a piece of my mind, and it felt so good."
Enjolras chuckled and kissed her brow. "That's my girl," he murmured. "I love you so much."
"I love you too."
They stood like that for a moment, staring into each other's eyes and embracing each other, before a loud, insistent banging on the door interrupted their peace.
"ÉPONINE!"
A/N: Guess who's at the door? :D Review if you liked it!