"Why's winter so long?" Abby asked 2 months later. Enjolras looked up from the book he was reading and chuckled "Abby, winter is just as long as all the other seasons. And winter just started a few weeks ago" he replied. Abby fiddled with the lace on one of her doll's dresses "Yes I know, but it seems so long, especially with all the sickness".
Enjolras stiffened slightly at her words, he knew very well of the disease that was beginning to ravage the city. Joly and Combeferre had stated it was called Cholera, and it was deadly. It was beginning to make Enjolras uneasy, not only due to the fact that he, Abby, and the rest of the Amis were at risk, but so were the people who were to stand up in the revolution to come.
Abby stood up and went over to Enjolras, climbing into his lap and taking his book so she could see it "What are you reading, it looks boring". He rolled his eyes "It's Romeo and Juliet" he answered, showing her the cover. She examinded the picture on the front before looking at Enjolras "Well what's it about?" she asked.
He sighed and opened the book "It's a play. About a boy and a girl who meet each other at a party and fall in love, but they can't be together because their families are enemies" he explained. Abby sighed "Do you hope you'll find that special someone?" she asked him. He shook his head "No, I won't find them, and I don't plan to go searching unlike SOME other people we know".
"Courfeyrac can't help it! He says the ladies just LOVE him" Abby defended innocently, only causing Enjolras to sigh and close his book, putting it on the table next to him and focus on the girl sitting on his lap. Abby was tugging at his cravat, and eventually managed to pull it off and examine it.
She looked up from the fabric "'Jolras, do you think I'LL ever meet that someone?" she asked him seriously. She looked at him with suh innocent eyes that he couldn't help but smile "Yes, I'm sure you'll find someone" he assured her. Abby smiled and handed him his cravat back "Guess what?" she asked him.
Enjolras knew whatever it was she wanted, wouldn't be something he wanted to know, but still, he answered her "What?". She hopped off his lap and looked at him "Prouvaire and Marius said they have a special surprise for me and Gavroche tomorrow!" she told him.
A surprise was the last thing Enjolras would want from either of those two, but he didn't have the energy to say anything about it so he simply stood "It's time for you to go to sleep now" he told her. She picked up her doll and looked at the time "Aw, how did it get to be so late anyway?" she asked him.
He ushered her back towards her room "Time flies when your having fun, that's what they say. Now off to bed, I'll see you in the morning" he told her. She hopped into her bed and Enjolras kissed her cheek, which he only did when he was really worried or really happy "G'Night Enjolras" she said.
Once he was out the door Abby changed into her nightgown and crawled into her bed. She wasn't tired still, but as she lay on her bed her eyelids began to grow heavy and she yawned. Still, sleep wouldn't come to her that easily, so she simply lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling.
After what seemed like forever, Abby heard something in the other room. Sitting up straight, she waited to hear another sound, but didn't hear anything. She tossed aside her blankets and jumped out of her bed, creeping towards her bedroom door.
Quietly, she cracked it open and looked in the main room. Enjolras was sitting at his desk in his nightclothes, he seemed to be thinking about something, but whatever it was bothered him, because he kept running his hand through his hair which was making it stick up.
She gently opened the door and walked over to him, tapping him on the shoulder "'Jolras?" she asked him almost timidly. He jumped a little and turned to look at her, his eyes were red and puffy like he'd been crying "What's the matter Abby?" he asked, his voice cracking a little.
Abby narrowed her eyes slightly "What's the matter with me? I'd ask you the same question!" she said, trying to sound tough. He looked away from her "I must have woken you up, I'm sorry" he told her. She shook her head "It's alright, I was still awake. Why are you sad 'Jolras?" she asked him.
He sighed "I'm just worried. How are the people to stand up in June when they're dying of sickness now?" he asked her. She shrugged "I don't know, maybe this will help the flame of rebellion instead of douse it, maybe they'll demand better care so they don't get sick. 'Cause Joly told me that the sick came from bad food and water" she told him.
Enjolras took a few deep breaths "I had a nightmare" he admitted to her uneasily. She blinked "What was it about?" she asked, he swallowed "The barricade. The people didn't rise up and we were all killed. And I took our flag and they shot me down the the opposite side of the barricade from the rest of the amis, so I died by myself" he told her "And you were killed, and the amis, and Gavroche, and even that girl that follows Marius around" "Eponine?" "Yes that's her".
They sat in silence for a long moment before Abby tugged on Enjolras's arm "Well the best way to feel better is to go back to sleep and have a better dream" she told him. He blinked "How do you know?" he asked her curiously, she shrugged "Because I have bad dreams a lot now. But I know you get annoyed when I cry about them so I just try to get back to sleep and have a better dreams before I can get awake enough to cry" she admitted.
He stood and picked her up "Fine, but then you're coming with me" he said, carrying her into his room and placing her on the other side of his bed. He then proceeded to divide "My side, your side" he pointed. She rolled her eyes "Yes I know. How come I gotta be here? Are you scared your gonna have another bad dream?" she asked him.
Enjolras paused for a moment and Abby raised her eyebrow, he looked up at her "Honestly?" he asked, she nodded "Yes" he admitted. She rolled her eyes again but smiled innocently "Oh 'Jolras, you're not gonna have a bad dream!" she told him.
"I know" he told her "I just, don't want to be alone tonight that's all" he told her. Abby laughed "So do what Courfeyrac does and buy yourself a lady! Would you like me to?" she asked, he shot up and stared at her in horror "NO! No no no! Absolutely not!" he told her. She chuckled and rolled over so she was facing away from him "Suit yourself".
The next morning Abby and Gavroche ran to the park where Marius and Prouvaire had told them to go. They sat under and tree and waited, Gavroche swinging from the branch and hanging upside down "What do you think the surprise is?" he asked her excitedly.
She chuckled "Dunno'' she replied. Gavroche looked at her for a moment "You know, your eyes match the color of the tree leaves in the summer. I wish there were leaves in the trees right now" he told her. Suddenly he flipped up and looked "HEY! I see Marius!".
Abby stood and ran to him "Marius! What's the surprise?" he asked. The young student smiled "Oh it's a really big surprise. But you and Gavroche have to close your eyes he told them. Abby and Gavroche nodded and Marius ran back, ushering out Prouvaire and the 'surprise'.
"Ok. You can open your eyes now" Prouvaire told them. They opened their eyes and gasped "YOU GOT ME A PONY!" Abby yelled happily, running up to it and hugging it. Sure enough, Prouvaire stood holding the lead rope of a small dapple grey pony with a black mane and tail and a star on her forehead.
Prouvaire smiled "Glad you like her. Her name's Esprit" he told her. She rubbed Esprit's forehead which made the pony nicker happily "Oh she's so pretty!" she said. Gavroche walked up "Can we ride her?" he asked, Marius lifted Gavroche onto the pony's back "Sure. She'll do whatever you like!" he told him.
She laughed "Where'd you guys get her?" Abby asked as she ran her fingers through the pony's mane. Marius smiled "Well, I had a little money and saw she was for sale. Thought you might like her" he told her. Abby nodded, leaning on the pony's neck "Oh I love her!" she said contently.
Prouvaire began leading Esprit and Gavroche back towards the cafe "Let's show the others!" he said. Gavroche nodded excitedly "Wait til the others see me on this! I feel like a prince!" he told them. Abby crossed her arms "Well everybody knows I'm the princess" she said as they neared the cafe.
"That's right your the princess" Courfeyrac said as he came up behind them, scooping Abby up and making her laughed "Hi Courfeyrac! Look what Marius and Prouvaire got! A Pony! Isn't she pretty?" she asked. He nodded "The prettiest pony I ever saw" he told her. Abby nodded "I think so too!".
They entered the cafe, leading the pony in through the front door even though she just barely fit and Gavroche had to lift his legs up so they didn't get crushed in the doorframe. "Combeferre! WE GOT A PONY!" Abby called as they entered. The student looked up from his book and groaned "Why'd you bring it in here?" he asked annoyed.
Gavroche jumped off and patted Esprit's neck "She likes it in here" he said. The pony walked over to Grantaire and stuck her nose in his wineglass "Ah, she knows what's good don't she?" Grantaire said, pouring the pony more wine once she finished.
Abby snatched the bottled from him "Nanny! You can't make my pony drunk!" she scolded him. Suddenly Lesgles and Joly walked in, Lesgles dropping the books he was carrying on Joly's foot. "Ow!" Joly yelped as Lesgles stood dumbfounded "Um, does anyone else she the horse standing in the middle of the cafe?" he asked. Combeferre huffed in annoyance "Just wait until Enjolras gets here".
Enjolras walked into the cafe with Feuilly and simply stopped and stared at the pony "Amis..." he said, the students looked up "Yes Enjolras?" they asked. He walked around so he could see the pony all the way around "There's a horse in the middle of the cafe you know" he said. Abby ran up to Enjolras "It's not a horse! It's a pony! And she's mine!" she told him.
He raised an eyebrow "You're pony? Really? And where did you get this pony from?" he asked. Abby pointed at Marius and Prouvaire "They did!" she said happily "Aren't they the greatest?" she asked. Grantaire made a face "I thought I was the greatest?" he asked. Abby went over to him "Of course you are Nanny!" she told him "All the Amis are!".
After what seemed like an eternity Enjolras sighed "Where are we to keep this pony?" he asked. Combeferre crossed his arms "Not at my place!" he declared. Abby shrugged "I'll keep her in my room!" she said, she pulled on Esprit's lead rope and began leading the pony out the cafe, they disappeared down the street.
Enjolras shook his head "I was hoping to get her the pony myself once I found a place to keep it" he admitted to the others. Lesgles patted him on the back "You better go catch up to her make sure she doesn't break the door trying to get that pony in there" he told him.
He nodded and bid goodbye to the Amis before nearly running down the street to catch up to Abby and Esprit. When he finally did Abby was fiddling with her key to get in the flat. Enjolras went up to her and snatched it away "Hey!" she said.
"You're not bringing that pony into my flat!" he told her. She crossed her arms and huffed "Yes I am!" she told him. He narrowed his eyes "No you are not!" he told her. She went over to the pony "Then I'll run away to somewhere where I CAN keep her!" she threatened.
There was a long silence between the two of them before Enjolras finally opened the door and stepped inside "You're picking up after her!" he called as he went into his bedroom. Abby jumped excitedly and led the pony through the front door and into her bedroom "Yay! We're gonna have so much fun Esprit just you wait!" she said.
The grey pony nodded her head and Abby kissed her on the nose before changing into her nightgown, which she said she didn't mind doing in front of Esprit because 'We're all girls here' as she'd told her. She went out into the main room where Enjolras was reading "I'm going to sleep now 'Jolras" she told him.
He looked up and sighed "Alright. Good Night Abby" he said. She walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek "G'Night 'Jolras" she told him before turning and going back into her bedroom. She crawled into bed and looked over at Esprit, who gazed steadily back at her "You and me Esprit, I bet we'll be a good team!" she told the pony. To this, the pony nodded in agreement, and Abby knew it was the start of a beautiful friendship.
And she finishes at 2:30 in the morning! YAY! I'm exhausted but I couldn't sleep so, here's the next chapter! I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be of the getting up to the barricade (Red & Black and Do you hear the people sing speeches).
Earlier I was listening to really sad piano music (Dunno why, just in the mood) and I have already written out the chapter right after the barricade where Abby goes and find everybody dead (Almost). I wrote it and it's actually very heartbreaking.
As per request, I kept the people I was going to save, and none of them got out uninjured. However, someone wanted me to save Courfeyrac, but since they didn't really give me a reason, I just had a really touching moment between him and Abby before he dies. Like, I nearly cried writing it kinda thing.
REVIEW! I love reading them so much! You guys just rock! I think I'm gonna try to finish this story before I go to Kentucky (July 12th) so, let's all get excited! WOO! Ok, I think I've just about covered everything. As always, THANKS FOR READING! And don't forget to review! Thanks!