"Can you believe this Esprit? Why can't Enjolras go out and get his own things?" Abby asked almost a year later on a chilly October day. The pony swished it's tail as they walked down the streets and Abby sighed "Yes I know that he's probably visiting that lady again" she said.
Enjolras had started seeing a girl, Stephanie, not long after he was able to walk out on the streets by himself again. Abby remembered the way he'd acted when he'd come home the night he met her, a lovestruck fool, just like Marius. Marius, at his name she sighed, wondering how the girl he'd loved so much was fairing these days.
They decided to take a short cut across the park "Darn it!" she said loudly as they were stopped by a crowd gathering for one reason or another. Rolling her eyes Abby mounted Esprit and turned her "We'll have to go around" she told the pony. Going away from the crowd until she couldn't hear them anymore, she urged the pony to the river, where it stopped by the edge.
It had been a very rainy fall, and the river swelled greatly. Abby took a deep breath and grasped a handful of Eprit's mane. The pony pawed the shore anxiously "Come on Esprit. I'm sure we can jump it, it's not too far" she said, but she wasn't quite sure. Turning the pony around, she rode a couple yards away from the river, then asked the pony forward as fast as it could.
They neared the river and Abby swallowed nervously, what if they didn't make it? Esprit leapt forward, but she was not big enough, and she landed in the water, not far from the other shore. As she leapt forward to get to shore Abby lost her grip on Esprit and slid off into the raging current.
Not again, she thought as she fought the current. Enjolras had never taught her how to swim, and not she really wished he had. The current swept over her head and she clawed the water, poking her head above the surface "Esprit?" she called.
Her skirts dragged her down, and she began to grow exhausted as the cold water made her limbs stiff "Help!" she tried to yell, but water got in her mouth and choked her. She felt exhaustion begin to drag her down and she began to lose her battle with the river once again.
Suddenly she noticed the crowd she'd tried to avoid not far from her. Using all her strength she cried out, but the water sucked her down under once again as she yelped. She began to contemplate giving up or not, she was hardly flailing now, last time she had stopped fighting and got washed up onto the shore. Would she be that lucky this time?
She managed to take one final gulp of air before disappearing one more under the water, where she began to stop fighting, exhaustion taking over. Seconds seemed like years as water filled her lungs and everything began to grow dark. She was barely conscience when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her to the surface, dragging her to the shore.
They gently shook her, but she was completely still, not breathing. Whoever it was, began pressing on her stomach trying to get the water out and help her breath. After a few compressions she doubled over and coughed up water, before going limp again.
She shivered as the cold air met with her soaked skin. Abby soon could hear a voice speaking to her, and Abby weakly opened her eyes and looked up at the person who was helping her "Abby?" they asked. That voice, she knew that voice, but it couldn't be.
"M... Marius?" she asked as she blinked up at him. He nodded "Still don't know how to swim yet bold as ever I see" he told her gently. She sat up and nearly tackled him "MARIUS!" she cried "Marius, I thought you were dead, we all did. Oh Marius you're alive!".
He wrapped his arms around her tightly, tears coming to his own eyes "Cosette heard your cry from the river and I saw you for a brief moment before you went under. I couldn't believe it was you, I had to rescue you and see if it was true, and here you are!" he told her.
Abby began to tremble from the cold, and from the sheer joy of finding Marius, or him finding her. "What about the others? Enjolras? Grantaire? Gavroche?" at Gavroche's name Abby choked up and shook her head "Only me, 'Jolras, Joly, and Grantaire are left. Everyone else is dead" she told him sadly.
Suddenly she noticed the blonde girl standing quietly behind them "Is this the girl? The girl you were so in love with? Is this Cosette?" she asked him. Marius looked up at her lovingly and smiled "Yes, this is Cosette. Cosette my love" he called her "This is Abby".
Cosette smiled "It's very nice to meet you. But you must be cold" she said. Marius noticed Abby's trembling "How did you end up in the river?" he asked her, rubbing her arms trying to warm her up a little. She looked upstream "Me and Esprit tried to jump, but it was too far" she admitted.
He stood up, pulling her up gently and helping her stand "We must go find her then, and then get you home" he told her. She trambled a lot but nodded "Oh Marius, Enjolras will be so happy to see you!" she told him excitedly. Marius gently put his jacket over her shoulders "I hope so" he said "He might hate me after seeing you like this".
"How could he hate you? You saved me?" she told him, suddenly she coughed, Marius and Cosette looked at her worriedly "You're not safe yet. You might get sick" he told her. It felt like miles before they finally found Esprit, who'd moved away from the river and was eating the grass. Marius took the horse's reins and began leading her out of the park "Where are we going?" Marius asked.
Abby told him where they lived and they headed back to the flat. Nervously, Marius knocked on the door, heading some shuffling inside before Enjolras answered the door. He stood there, dumbfounded as Marius help up Esprit's reins and Abby's arm "I think these are yours?" he asked.
Enjolras didn't move, he just stared at them with his mouth hanging open, Abby's cough broke him out of his daze "Marius? Pontmercy?" he asked in disbelief. Marius nodded "Might we come in, Abby took a fall into the river and..." Enjolras ushered them all in before he could finish. Stopping only to take Esprit and lead her behind the flat, to where he and Grantaire had build a small shed for the pony.
Once he returned he told Abby to change and go to bed at once. When she was gone Enjolras stared at him "You're... alive?" he asked, still in shock. Marius stepped forward "Yes I'm alive, and so are you!" he told him. Enjolras sat down, offering Marius and Cosette a chair.
They began to talk, and Marius told Enjolras of everything that had happened to him from the time of the barricade, to just a few minutes ago when he'd pulled Abby out of the river. Then Enjolras began to tell them of everything that had happened to him since the barricade.
Just as Enjolras was finishing his story there was a knock on the door, Enjolras excused himself and answered it "Joly! You will not believe when you come in here!" he told the young doctor as he entered. Joly stood and stared at Marius as if he was seeing a ghost "MARIUS!" he cried happily, running over and shaking his hand excitedly "Marius you've alive! And healthy! And with the girl of your dreams! I'm so happy for you!" he said so fast nobody really could understand him.
Marius just smiled and nodded "It's great to see you too Joly". Suddenly a raspy cough was heard from Abby's room and Joly looked up "What happened to her?" he asked as he began to approach her door. Marius looked down and coughed nervously as Enjolras began to explain Abby's little dip in the river.
Joly disappeared into Abby's room, when Grantaire burst through the front door "ENJOLRAS! DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE MONEY FOR WINE?" he yelled drunkenly as he entered the room. At the sight of Marius he laughed "Hey Enjolras! Have you ever seen this fellow right here? Looks like Marius" he said.
Cosette couldn't help but laugh as the drunk man stumbled over to Marius "Yes, exact copy. Must be twins o somethin" he muttered. Enjolras went over to Grantaire and pulled him away "Winecask, you've had too much to drink, and that IS Marius" he told him.
Grantaire looked back over at him "Oh, so it is Marius" he said before dropping down and passing out on the floor. Marius looked up at Enjolras "He still drinks?" he asked. Enjolras sighed, almost sadly as he began to roll Grantaire over so he was lying down in a comfortable position "Unfortunately yes, I'm afraid he drinks even MORE now since..." he trailed off and Marius nodded understandingly.
"Me and Cosette must be going now. I promised my grandfather I'd visit him" he told Enjolras. He nodded "You must visit us more Pontmercy. I'm sure the Winecask would like to see you when he's not stinking drunk" he told them. Marius nodded as he lead Cosette out the door, before he could leave though, Joly came back.
Everyone in the room stood and stared at him, his head was bowed quietly "I fear she's caught pneumonia" he told them. Cosette gasped and Marius took her hand, patting it gently. Enjolras looked up "How bad is she?" he asked, Joly sighed "She's been getting worse since she got home it seems. She can hardly breath and she's broken into a fever" he admitted.
Marius stepped forward "I'm so sorry, if I'd gotten her home sooner..." Enjolras held up his hand "It's alright Marius. It isn't your fault. If you hadn't pulled her out of the river she might not be here right now" he said. Cosette looked over at Joly "Is there anything we can do?" she asked.
He shook his head "Nothing" he replied "Just go home and pray her fever will break in the morning" he told them. Marius took Cosette's arm and led her to the door once more "We will pray for her, and shall return to visit very soon. Good Bye my friends" he said before turning and leading Cosette out and into the street.
Enjolras sat and looked at Joly "Is there anything YOU can do?" he asked. Joly went over to Enjolras and put a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head "Enjolras there's a very strong possibility she'll die from this" he told him "I'd stay with her tonight, see if you can get her fever to break". He looked down at Grantaire and sighed "I'll take Grantaire with me tonight so you don't have to worry".
Shaking Grantaire furiously, he managed to half wake the drunk, enough to help him up and stagger out with him into the streets. Enjolras sat for a long moment, taking everything that had just transpired in, before standing and walking over to the sink, getting a bowl of cold water and a cloth, it was going to be a long night.
Abby trembled terribly as Enjolras placed a cool cloth on her head, and pulled her blankets up. Each of her breaths seemed to take a ton of effort, and she seemed to be in a lot of pain. He swallowed, in truth he was afraid, deeply afraid. She could die from this, she could die tonight, or tomorrow, or right now.
He blinked away the tears that came with these thoughts and took her hand in his, looking at her pale face he spoke to her "Abby, you mustn't give up. You have to fight this with everything you're worth" he said quietly. He remembered the long vigil she'd sat at his bedside while he was wounded and on death's door, he didn't think he'd be repaying her so soon.
Enjolras took the cloth off, which was already warm and dipped it in the cool water again. And he laid it on her forehead she coughed harshly, making her tremble even more. He felt himself being torn apart at the thought of losing another friend, he'd lost nearly the entire amis, now he could lose Abby too?
The next morning her condition seemed even worse, and that night was even longer than the first one. Enjolras sat at her bed, praying that Abby could stay. She was so young, had her whole life ahead of her, the amis wanted her to be happy, to have a lover like she wanted.
A week went past and her condition didn't change, he began to lose hope, like he had the dawn when the people of Paris hadn't risen up after all. He took Abby's hand and squeezed it "Abby you hae to wake up, you have to get better" he paused, remembering what she'd told him about Courfeyrac's dying wish "Remember the promise you made! To Courfeyrac, to the amis!" he told her.
Suddenly she stirred, looking up at Enjolras weakly "I remember" she said in a low raspy voice. He took the cloth off her head and replaced it with a new one. Abby coughed "'Jolras, it hurts a lot to breath" she told him, her face pale. He rubbed his thumb on her hand "I know, you won't be in pain anymore. You'll get better, you'll fight off the sickness" he told her.
She coughed and closed her eyes for a moment before looking at him again "Why do I keep getting sick and injured? Is there something wrong with me?" she asked, he shook his head "No of course not. You just get into bad situations is all" he told her.
Abby squeezed Enjolras's hand back and coughed "I don't want to be in pain anymore, I don't want to be sick" she told him "I wanna die". He shook his head and held her hand tightly "No! No you don't want to die don't say such things!" he told her, his voice choking slightly.
"Don't cry 'Jolras, you're not supposed to cry" she told him faintly, beginning to fall asleep. He tried to keep her awake by shaking her slightly "Why not?" he asked. She blinked up at him one more time before closing her eyes and answering "Because you're the mightly Enjolras, who isn't afraid of anything and is too manly to cry at silly things" she told him.
He shook his head as she fell limp "You've not silly" he whispered "You're everything but that". The next day her fever had gone down slightly, but had not broken. Joly came in to check on her, and he listened to her as she struggled to breath, Enjolras watched nervously "How is she?" he asked.
Joly shook his head "I don't think she'll last til the end of the week. She's really sick Enjolras. She's practically gone" he said sadly. Enjolras shook his head "That can't be true. Joly we've lost so much already. There must be something" he said, Joly once again shook his head "There is nothing I can do. Believe me, I love and care for her as much as you do. All the amis loved her equally, we'd all give our own lives to save her. Most of us did!".
With that Enjolras slammed his hands down on the nearby table and confronted him "You speak as if they're still here! As if they matter! They're dead Joly! All of them are gone! So why does it matter what they would do, they aren't here to do it!" he yelled angrily.
The young student crossed his arms and looked at Enjolras, with a certain calmness in his eyes "Are you saying your friends never mattered to you?" he asked him, Enjolras turned away slowly "Are you saying that everything we worked for together, everything they died for was all for nothing? They all died your friends, they followed because they were your friends, because you matered to them!".
After a long silence Joly turned away "I know that they're gone, and I've accepted that fact. Have YOU accepted it?" he asked. As he was about to leave her heard Enjolras break down into sobs "It's all my fault Joly!" he said brokenly. Joly went and knelt next to his friend "It wasn't your fault Enjolras, we all knew what we were doing" he told him.
Enjolras turned away, ashamed, and continued to cry "It was all my idea though! If I hadn't thought up building that barricade, they might all still be here, WE might all still be together, the amis..." he trailed off at the memories of his friends. Joly sat down cross legged and watched as Enjolras cried himself out.
Finally he spoke again "Combeferre would have finished school by now" he said, his voice quivering as he spoke "He only had his exams to take just a few days after the barricade fell. And Prouvaire, he'd been planning to propose to that girl, Flora. Courfeyrac would have found some girl by now, someone to settle down with. Feuilly was going to get a promotion at his job, and Lesgles, Lesgles would still be here, your right hand man, helping you with your studies like he used to".
Joly patted his back "Go sit with Abby now, you just need time to think is all" he told him gently. Enjolras sniffled and nodded, before rising and going into Abby's room, tears still staining his perfect cheeks. Joly watched him go then sighed, remembering the amis sadly.
Enjolras went and sat next to Abby, her breath coming ragged and shallow. He swallowed, remembering what Courfeyrac used to call her, the cafe princess wasn't it? How she'd fallen from her throne since then, not even stepping into the cafe since the barricade fell.
He'd always resented calling her a princess, it went against what they were fighting for. But now, he couldn't help but think of her that way. She was a princess, his princess, and how badly he'd treated her, now that she was dying right now.
"Abby, Princess, Please fight this. For the amis, for me" he told her softly. She stirred and he changed the cloth on her head, waiting on edge as the night went on for something to change. He felt himself doze off sometime in the early morning hours, and eventually he'd fallen asleep with his head on her lap.
He woke to someone shaking him "Enjolras! Enjolras you need to wake up right now!", it was Grantaire. Enjolras waved him off "Five more minutes Wincask" he groaned, burying his head in Abby's lap, suddenly he shot up "Abby?" he questioned.
Grantaire gestured towards her and Enjolras looked, she was still as pale as she had been last night, and her breathing was still ragged and shallow "Feel her forehead!" Grantaire told him, almost too excited to be contained in the small room.
Fearfully Enjolras reached up and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, there was a warmth, but only a natural warmth "Her fever broke" he whispered. Grantaire ran out of the room and Enjolras heard him race down the street yelling something inaudible.
Joly came and checked her, and he smiled at Enjolras "Dare I say it, but her fever has completely broken. She's going to be extremely weak for a while now, but she'll live. It's a miracle" he declared. Abby was semi awake to hear the news "You hear that Abby? You're going to live!" Enjolras told her happy.
She nodded weakly "I saw the amis 'Jolras! I swear I did!" she tried to tell him. Joly shook his head "You're fever was making you imagine things" he told her, pulling her blankets up "You just rest alright?" he told her. Abby shook her head "No! I know I did, I woke for a moment and noticed 'Jolras was sleeping. And the amis were standing around him!" she said.
Grantaire smiled at her "Ah Lassie, and what were they doin to him?" he asked, playing along with her. She smiled brightly at him "Oh Nanny, it was rather amusing but it was them alright! Courfeyrac was poking Enjolras with a stick, and Lesgles smacked him and told him to stop it!" she told them.
Suddenly Marius entered the room "Abby! I'm so glad you're better!" he told her. She looked at him "Marius! They won't believe me! I saw the amis last night I know I did!" she told him. He went over and sat at the end of her bed "Really?" he asked her.
Abby spoke again "Combeferre was watching Enjolras from behind his book, the one he was trying to finish before we built the barricade. And Prouvaire was there with Gavroche, and they were also poking Enjolras but not as badly as Courfeyrac was. He was trying to poke him in the eyes and stuff..." she said, her voice suddenly growing tired.
Enjolras chuckled softly "You've exhausted, you need to rest now. You're still very pale" he told her, pressing her down into her pillow. She looked up at the remaining amis and sighed "I know I saw them Enjolras, I know I did" she told him, beginning to drift to sleep.
He hushed her "I'm sure you did. Just go to sleep now and you'll forget all about them in the morning" he assured her. Her voice grew faint as she slipped into darkness "Oh no 'Jolras, I could never forget them" she whispered before her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Marius looked up at the others "Don't tell me you believed her Pontmercy?" Enjolras asked. Joly laughed "Ah, now he really IS seeing ghosts!" he teased. Marius shook her head "How else could you explain this? She was on death's door last night" he reminded them.
Grantaire took a drink out of his bottle "I believe the lass!" he said in a drunken slur. Joly pushed him over "That's because you're a drunk fool who things 2 plus 2 equals beer" he told him. Grantaire shrugged "It must! Lesgles told me so!" he said defensively.
Finally they began to file out of the room "Did we ever tell you Lesgles failed math?" Marius asked him. Joly and Enjolras began to laugh at the memory of his constant D's in math. They all sat around and began to talk, all about the amis and everything they'd done, and planned to do together.
That was the longest thing I've ever written in my LIFE! Like, WOW Over 4,000 words! So remember how I promised only 2 more chapters? Well I lied again! You know what, just forget it. I'm gonna have to break up the future anyway cause it's just too long for just 2 chapters.
Why this random extremely long chapter? Because our pool just opened and I thought of the idea that's why! Oh well, it was pretty fluffy and dumb wasn't it? The poor remaining amis members.
On a funny note, this kinda reminds me of those survival shows where they all have to vote off each other in the tiki thing... yea idk. It's after midnight, I'm kinda loopy and stuff.
REVIEW! Man you people have gotten lazy with the reviewing. 1 review? Be lucky they gave me a cupcake or there woulda been NO CHAPTER FOR YOU!
Anyway, thanks for reading, I'm leaving in 2 days so, next chapter as soon as I can! THANKS!