A Star Within the Barricade

The crowd continued to move around them; the seconds of silence daunting and feeling longer than it was. Either side determined in their own way, and yet it came to a surprise as Javert put on his uniform hat and stared at her coldly, saying nothing and turning in the other direction to do his duty.

"Eugéne!" She shouted out after him, but he was gone within the crowd - Leaving her to her choice.

So she went, it wasn't long before she found Gavroche. He took her hand and they went to the barricade, helping the efforts of the Les Amis in every way they could; helping build the barricade and generally keeping up moral. It was difficult and led to her getting various splinters in her fingers, but it was eventually done. Leaving her to the silence, until Gavroche sat next to her with a frown. "Why aren't you with the inspector - Surely he's planning on going against all'a this." He sat beside her, his eyes shining up at her and causing her to feel a pang. Upset once again. "This is what I believe in; Husband or not I refuse to not be here." She smiled down at the young boy, patting his head an deliberately scuffing his hair to cause a reaction. At least they were able to exchange some form of happiness among the chaos and planning.

The men around her riled with excitement and ultimately fear, unsure of the outcome or the result of all their work and passionate goals. Here they were, at the final moment of their arrangements, ready to face what they had only threatened to do. Marianne could tell that some of them had only intended words and not actions. But in the group there was the real men, the one's who were so dedicated to their work that they shined in this place of potential chaos. Enjolras was the main one, ready to fight for France as he had said, he was waiting for the time to come when the fighting would begin. She felt it to, every second passing with a pang of nervousness. The other women had fled, closed their doors and shutters and hid in their bars and houses. Marianne was the only one that remained in the Barricade with the men. The rest had gone, long gone.

The time passed so slowly, they weren't sure if it had been hours or minutes. Each second ticking with its own presence. Daunting.

During this, there was news of a man from the enemy lines, everyone ran forward to listen, Marianne was too far to see what was happening, but the voice she heard was familiar to the point where she strangled her own shocked gasp. It couldn't be, she was hopeful as it began to process. She ran forward from the crowds of men with guns, waiting to see her husband, had he decided to go with her? Did he see sense to the cause?

But it was too soon for her choices, as she pushed through the crowd; Gavroche yelled; "LIAR!" And he was ceased, just as she was able to catch a glimpse of him. "Eugéne!" She spoke in but a whisper among the rustling and anger of the crowd. The guns all pointed towards him as his lies were brought into the light. Marianne was left with yet another spike in her heart at the idea. She hoped, perhaps it was just as his position made it so. She was about to step forward and plead his honesty when Enjolras stepped forward; "Throw him in the Tavern over there, the people will decide your fate Inspector Javert." Once again she pushed against the men in front, but they were too strong and their standing remained unhindered by her pressure. But perhaps it was for the best, as she heard him speak with the familiar cold tone of Inspector Javert. Not her husband.

"Shoot me now or shoot me later, Every school boy to his sport - Death to each and every traitor, I renounce your people's court." And with those words her heart seemed to freeze. Death to each and every traitor..

He wished her dead. Her own husband supporting her death, the thought made her feel ill. He was getting dragged when their eyes finally met. She didn't realize it until then she was crying; He stared at her for a second which felt like hours as they finally made eye contact. He began to fight against the grasp of the men, perhaps fighting to get towards her as they took him back. But she turned away as he went to call her name and began to walk when the noise from the drama ceased. There was then silence. But not for long.

They all then heard the threatening sound of the army approaching. Ready to attack.

But of course, it wasn't long before it happened. Before it all began to spark dangerously; like an ember near a bucket of gun powder. The men approached with bayonets, coming near the barricade in force, threatening to end it within minutes with their force. Marianne grabbed Gavroche as things became panicked, clutching to the boy with a strong developed protectiveness. Ready to defend him to perhaps even her last breath. Clutching desperately to his tiny figure and waiting. The men ran forward, "Hold fire!" Enjolras waited as they approached. Silence, deathly silence as they did approach. "WHO'S THERE!" They shouted dangerously, awaiting a reply. But then, Enjolras answered; "French Revolution!" Which seemed to bring fires and gun shots. Marianne ran with Gavroche, who tired to fight her efforts to protect him. But she did so regardless. But during the chaos Marius ran forward, a barrel of gun powder in his grasp. Threatening the guards and vowing the blast the entire barricade to shreds. Ready to kill them all; Marianne and Gavroche included.

The men retreated, unprepared to go through with attack. As Marius was scolded and celebrated; a girl fell down with a shard thud against the barricade, sat in her own blood. Even Marianne could see it from her distance. She was dying, Young Eponine, sitting and clutching her chest with a gasp. Marius approached in horror and held her as she slipped away; Silence taking over the barricade. They were speaking softly, Eponine speaking about him keeping her safe and close, her love for him so obvious but perhaps not to him. Everyone around him knew and equally were touched until she passed. Her body taken away, Marius approached Marianne and Gavroche.

"Will you do me a favor?" and so Gavroche agreed, she reluctantly let him out of her arms to do the task. She felt almost lost without him there. She realized he had became her calming focus. The time passed where he was gone and it made her anxious, thinking of the potential damage that could be done, if he were caught...

"You should go with the other women Marianne, it is not safe for you here." Marius offered her a smile, knowing how she felt, almost. "I will stay, besides wasn't it said many a time I am one of the men here? I'm sure even Enjolras called me an honorary member." She smiled, as false as it was the men seemed to warm to it regardless; they needed a smile. "That being true Mademoiselle I fear it isn't advised for you to be here. Your safety-.." But she cut Enjolras off with a hand to his mouth, smiling. "Is second to our cause, you need me here, I can help the injured if it comes to it and I also know my way around a gun if it is required. I have chose my side and made my path." She spoke sadly, they all knew what she meant.

She had chosen this, the cause. Went against her husbands wishes, practically a sin and yet she did it for their cause. Even though her husband was beaten and held captive she remained vigilant. They recognized her pain and saw her anguish in her expression, but they respected her choice and her way of smiling. Although it was pretend, and although they all knew. It was welcome. "Very well."

Marianne walked to the side with Enjolras, allowing her real feeling to become known; he knew it to be present and yet seeing it so open on her face was almost painful. "I know you may be on edge with me, as I am married to a spy and you think I would be in his interest, but know he chose this over me. As I chose this over him, our marriage and opinions seem flawed, but I love him Enjolras and I need to speak with him...I trust you know I wouldn't do anything foolish, just allow me to speak with him." She smiled, trying to allow herself the power not to crumble at the time.

He knew the potential risk of him being let go by her, she was his wife...But that same thing was the reason he allowed it. Who knew if they would be alive by tomorrow; they all deserved time with their loved ones, regardless of who they were.

Marianne went inside the abandoned building silently. It being rather odd to see the Café like this, empty. In a mess. Maurice was gone, once the revolution kicked off he left the Café to avoid being dragged into it, although a supporter he was an old man. He left them his Café and spirit.

Seeing a man so beaten and dragged down was horrible for anyone, yet seeing a man who used to be so powerful, even in this state he still was - It was strange. "Oh my." She felt her eyes tearing as she walked forward to his side, he was hunched over. Not even looking at her. "Why did you do this, you knew they would recognize you, you foolish man." She placed her hand upon his face, he leaned in to the touch a little, wincing at the pain of contact and yet he remained. "It is my duty."

"You could have got yourself killed, I don't know what they will do with you; They might still kill you and I-.." But he began to speak over her. "You put yourself in a death sentence, The army is massive and the force brutal, most of the other barricades, if there are any will be torn down before they are able to gather enough arms to last even an hour against the armies. You will die, that is certain - As will I. If I'm going to die for my duty when I chose a way to do it so I could perhaps see you again." He laughed bitterly as he spoke. "So weak you have become Eugéne." Mumbling to himself pitifully, like he despised his choice. "I could have led my men to the battle, joined them in it and yet I couldn't, to be a direct part of the battle, to kill the men you call family with my own hands. Perhaps even you if it came to it?" He looked up at her with tired eyes, looking so weak as he watched her in his battered state. "No. I didn't have the heart, my stone heart failed me and made me weak, caused me to do this as means of supposedly putting them off guard, but there was more than that, to see you, to spare myself the added torment of perhaps killing those around you. I was weak."

She ran her other hand through his hair with a gentle smile. "You were not weak, you faced a barricade of men by yourself; knowing you'd be discovered and knowing you may be killed for it at that second. Not weak at all, You did your duty but you did it in a far more brave way than those with Bayonets and guns. You faced them directly without an army behind you in your own way...But now look at us." Her words were true, she only spoke them to ease his torment. But now she knew he wanted to see her, knowing the alternative would be he'd have to kill her perhaps with his own hands, it hurt her on more than one emotional level.

She pressed her lips against his forehead, remaining close to him for a moment as tears freely fell. "I don't want us to die Eugéne." She admitted rather sadly, Marianne edged closer until they were practically in each others arms. He looked up at her, although still strong his eyes showed his inner turmoil. "Leave." He spoke almost urgently. "Leave the barricade before it happens, they were scared off you have enough time to leave. Don't stay, promise me you'll go before it happens. You don't deserve to be here, you deserve better than this, you're throwing your life away if you stay here and I cannot let you do that Marianne. Please." He suddenly began to beg.

Marianne never thought she'd see it, he was reduced to nothing but his raw self, his emotions bare to her. His desperation obvious. "I can't allow you to die."

"I will not leave" She spoke firmly, kissing his forehead repeatedly and running her hand soothingly through his hair. "My love, If I leave I will be haunted for the rest of my life knowing I left my family. My friends..You." She took her hands on his chin and made him look up at her, he acted like a sulky child when she spoke. It was odd, insanely odd, to see him reduced to this. Yet comforting as she knew under the uniform he was simply a man. And that's who she married.

"This is my life and I will stand with it. As you did what you must, I will do mine, I must remain to help how I can and protect my little Gavroche and even you if I can. I will do all I can to protect you my love for if I leave now I know I can't. I must stay here, help as I can. This is MY Duty." She smiled."I promise that out of this chaos there will be something good, there has to be. God is kind."

She once again rested her head on his shoulder, still crying openly beside him. With every tear he seemed to tense. "How you have changed me..." He laughed again as he kissed her head. "Marianne." He spoke simply in a saddened whisper, leaving a little silence between them. Only the noise outside, the loud shouting of an enemy marksman being in view was around them. Followed by gunshots. But they did not care.

"I Love you, Eugéne." She placed her hand over his tied ones. She became aware of the men approaching, ready to remove her from him, Enjolras was in view from the window to take her away. She placed her lips upon his, pressing them urgently to seal their goodbye. They were silent as their foreheads touched, eyes closed and waiting for the inevitable when she heard it, three words which made her happy and yet filled with anguish.

"As I love you, my Marianne." He smiled, so small it was only for her as they approached, taking Marianne by the arm and forcibly dragging her away as she held some resistance. Javert was pained to watch her getting dragged around like a rag doll, unable to defend her. Yet he was tied, bound. But perhaps what was worse was after she was gone, for a moment he was alone. But after that he met the eyes of an old face; Jean Valjean.

Gavroche sat beside Marianne as she dried her tears. "I'm sorry I ratted him out, I guess this is my fault really." He looked up at her with wide eyes, so sweet and sad the boy was beside her. "Hardly, he knew what would happen. It was his own fault." She dragged the boy into a hug as she watched a man go into the Café with a gun. "What's happening." her voice a cold whisper as it happened. Gavroche spoke rather awkwardly, knowing she'd take it terribly. "I thinks' he's gonna' shoot the inspector, he asked for it personally." He watched as Marianne went rigid and processed the information. Trying to gain composure. Time flew by, leaving Marianne feeling numb, knowing her love would be dead so soon.

But perhaps the harshest stroke of reality was the gunshot that rang out. Cutting through the silence and telling her what she didn't want to hear. It was followed by the man returning from the the building. Marianne placed her hand over her lips, silencing her sobs and walking away from the sight. She couldn't look at him, or anyone for that matter. They all turned to watch her walk off; knowing her pain and yet respecting her for having stayed. She found a small secluded area to spend the night in her anguish. Gavroche remained at her side after a moment, cuddling next to her and helping her grieve. Them men around them sang and prayed, speaking of memories which Gavroche gently joined in with, but he remained with her even through it all. Remaining with her through the night.

Javert knew he couldn't return, they all thought him dead. But he thought of a plan to get Marianne away from it all, to bring her back to his side. He would sneak in before the battle, the men planned on talking the boys out of it before the attack, during this he could take Marianne without being noticed, even if he was the potential of battle would be too important for them to stop him. He would retrieve Marianne from the barricade and escape before they would get caught in battle.. He remained close to the Barricade, watching through hidden sidelines as the men did their final prayers and spoke to each other reassuringly. It was a strange pang he felt to know they would all most certainly die. His mind was still racing from his encounter with Jean Valjean.

Knowing he had spared him. Javert was in his debt and yet in duty to arrest him. His only solution was to leave with Marianne; to remove himself from the situation to not fail his duty and yet not go against the man which spared him. As he waited through the night, hidden silently - He noticed Marianne with the irritating boy who cleverly bought his facade. She was up for most of the night until she cried herself into a silent slumber. The sight of her anguish over his assumed death caused him pain he never experienced. He prayed to god for her safety, even for a short while just until he could take her torment was so raw, each tear a stab in his soul. Yet he watched, waiting for the moment he could take her away from the pain and danger, the moment he could bring her home.

The morning started for Marianne filled with excitement and fear. Her heart was racing through the entire thing until the Armies approached again. She was lifeless, like a reanimated corpse as she waited for the inevitable. Knowing she had her duty to help the men, to help the wounded and protect her little Gavroche, but her tranquil state was short lived as talk of wet gunpowder spread, there was less ammunition than they thought and their chances were slimmer. Death even more likely, the odds stacked against them.

It all didn't bother her, until the little figure of Gavroche disappeared into the barricade before her eyes. "No..no, no, no!" She ran after him, going in the same as he and narrowly going through. She couldn't let him get hurt.

But what she didn't know was that the horrified eyes of Javert watched what she was doing. Watched as she threw herself straight into the firing line of the armies for the boy, right in the line of danger and he was powerless to stop it. The boy was cleverly getting the gun powder; knowing they'd need it and yet Javert saw what he did not. The figure of a a gun going into aim. On closer inspection he realized it was Elliot, the damn irritating boy who tried to tease him on his involvement with Marianne. Marianne noticed this also, he saw her look directly at the gun as it was pointed at the pair. He wanted to shout, to stop it, to tell her to run and yet his eventual shouts were drowned out by the panic of the men who just noticed what was happening. Shouting at the boy to get back, begging Marianne to get away from there. But it was too late.

A gun was fired as Marianne pulled the boy away and she was hit, Javert couldn't see where, but she fell to the floor with a blood curdling scream of pain - Elliot had shot her. Then, it was silent. Until the boy's dived to get the boy and Marianne away, pulling them from the firing lines and shouting at the armies. "YOU SHOT A WOMAN, YOU SHOT HER YOU BASTARDS!" Marius was screaming in rage, as where the others. But Javert felt powerless as he watched Marianne; Limp and lifeless being dragged into an abandoned building like an old sack. No dignity or respect. His love, treated like dirt before his eyes.

He knew now what he needed to do. It was all clear before him. It was his right to die...

DUN DUN DUN!

Don't hate me, it isn't the end. I have cards up my sleeves so don't shoot me just yet :)

Thanks for reading.

Jenny ;)x

P.s Excuse the mistakes, I uploaded without a read through. Oops.