Despite the promise he'd made a few weeks ago, Combeferre keeps finding himself attending the meeting everynight. And he always sees the girl on her usual spot sitting next to Marius.
She didn't said anything to anyone except Marius or Gavroche.
However, tonight, it had been half into the meeting and still he didn't see the girl walked in, nor did he seen Gavroche in here.
He decided that he would asked someone. "Courfeyrac, had you seen Gavroche today?"
Courfeyrac took a sip of his ale and looked around, "No, I mean, I had seen him quite a few times on the streets today but, I didn't see him here, why'd you asked?"
Combeferre frowned. This is unusual, and worrying him. Could something happened to the two? "I don't know, it just bothered me, somehow, regarding how much trouble he's probably in right now"
From where he was sitting, Combeferre could tell Courfeyrac is clearly troubled. He could tell by how the other man swirled the ale absentmindedly. "I'm going to find him"
Combeferre stood up from his seat. "Wait, I'm coming with you!" Courfeyrac said as he followed behind him.
The chilly Parisian air greets them as they stepped out of the café. The two pulled their coats tighter around them. Combeferre didn't know where the boy could be, and they didn't know where Eponine could be by now. The two children are very agile and light on the feet, who knows how far they'd reached by now.
"Any idea where he could be?" Combeferre shook his head. Courfeyrac sighed wearily, "It's going to be a tough one" The two went on with their task.
It was well into the night and the streets had been quieted down. Rarely do people passed the streets. "Combeferre, I think we should head home" Courfeyrac said. He was worried that they would crossed path with some vicious gang and they would rob them blind and kill them in a heartbeat.
"Courfeyrac, we're both grown men. No need to be afraid of the dark" Courfeyrac eyed the surroundings around him warily. Who knows what kind of people lurking behind the shadows? Murderer, thief, robber, and probably some other evil people.
"Who knows what kind of people probably watching us right now? Let's just head back to the tenement where we'll be safe and sound," Courfeyrac tried, but Combeferre didn't even turned his head. "Ethan, come on, please" Courfeyrac pleaded.
Combeferre keeps walking along the dark road. "Combeferre, if we keep going, I swear I'm going to pee in my pants out of fear right now!" Courfeyrac whispered harshly
Combeferre turns abruptly. "I think I just heard someone yelling for help" Courfeyrac groaned, "Combeferre, it's not funny!"
"Who on earth said I'm joking? I'm dead serious here!" Courfeyrac looked around as the boyish voice came again. "Help! Please!" The boy seemed to be close to breaking down. Finally, the source came close.
Gavroche? "Messieurs, please help my sister! She is wounded badly, please help her, Messieurs!" The boy pulled on their sleeves. Courfeyrac crouched down, "Gavroche? What happened to your sister?"
"M'sieur Courfeyrac?" The boy asked hopefully. It amazed Combeferre how gentle Courfeyrac seemed to be when he's with Gavroche. And this is not an act to impress the ladies. Courfeyrac genuinely loves the boy like he's his own little brother.
"Father beats her...because she didn't bring home enough money, he says. He tries to make her go down to the dock but she refused. Please, Messieurs! He beats her bad this time, and he'll drag her down to the dock. Please, help her!"
"Can you show me the way to your parents' home?" Gavroche wiped his tears and nodded. They dashed through the bends of Paris and finally arrived at a rotting building.
Combeferre frowned. Gavroche led them to their parents' quarter, which is on the second floor. "He's gone" The three managed to enter unsoundedly.
Eponine layed flat, blood pooling out of her. Her body full of bruises. Dried blood caked her figure. "This is quite bad..." Combeferre muttered to himself. He's pretty sure it's a stab wound. What kind of person would do this to his own daughter?
After performing a quick examination, they three (along with Eponine, who is currently held by Combeferre) got him to Combeferre's apartment.
They slipped inside. "I need to cut her shirt, I'm pretty sure she'd been stabbed" Gavroche only gives him a silent permission. Soon, Combeferre is already working on the young gamine.
Combeferre is very nervous. Sure, he is a medical student but he never had a patient before. If he messes this one up, her blood is surely on his hands. 'Some comfort,' he thought to himself.
Hours later, he finally managed to stitched the wound. He smiled a little as he finished with the work.
He rummaged through his wardrobe. He's sure some of his sister's old clothes are left here. But he managed to find no clothes, only an old nightgown of his sister's.
He put it on the girl. Gavroche is already fast asleep. Both the glass of milk and the plates of bread and cheese are already empty. "He scarved down the food, poor thing hadn't had a meal in awhile" Courfeyrac said as he smiled sadly at the sleeping figure of the little boy.
Combeferre slumoed at the armchair next to his friend. "How is his sister?"
"She's fine, only sleeping right now" Combeferre smiled tiredly.
"I can tell by how Gavroche speaks of her, she's the closest thing he has to a mother" Gavroche stirs lightly in his sleep. The boy's bony figure saddens him. This boy is smart. He should be going to school, be a child, study, read, write.
Yet, this small boy had been through hell and back. Fleed from home at such young age, living the hardship of the streets, not having a meal everyday.
"Ethan, what will we do with them? We can turn our backs on them" Courfeyrac said worriedly.
"I don't know, Alexandre" The two was silent. They couldn't leave Gavroche and Eponine on the streets. But they couldn't afford to have emotional attachment to the two for the revolution is approaching. But if they turned their backs on these two, then they are condemned.
"It's getting late, Alexandre, why don't you take Gavroche to your quarter" Courfeyrac nodded numbly and took the sleeping boy into his arms.
He walks towards his small apartment. He has a bed, which he thinks will be enough for the two of them. He tucked Gavroche in and head to change into a sleeping attire.
He slipped in under the blanket next to the sleeping boy. He looks so young, so...pitiful.
This boy deserves the world. He didn't deserves all these hardships.
Courfeyrac makes up his mind. He will not abandon this boy. He will care for him and protect him as if he's his own child. He will want for nothing. He will show him love, and care, and happiness, anything he yearned for.
He smiled. Yes, Gavroche will want for nothing evermore. From now on, he will have a better life.
a/n: It's already chapter two! Can you believe it?! And by the way, Killian's Combeferre? OBSESSED! I am absolutely,MOST DEFINITELY OBSESSED w/ Killian Donnelly right now. And Samantha Barks! Just imagine the two together *blinded by a super bright ray of cuteness, I CAN'T TAKE IT!* (Fun fact: They dated!). I also love that moment where he said to Aaron, "Enjolras, no" Just. Love. It. And his "Gavroche!" aaaawwww...I'm swooning :") I'm just completely...in love.
And which is part of the reason I write this story. And because of I love Courfeyrac (and Fra Fee is just a cute Irish hobbit) and Gavroche's father-and-son like relationship, I decided to incorporate the two into this story. And I think they will be pret-ty heavily involved in this.
Special thanks to AnnaLiz2012, Aaronjolras (ha, I often referred to Enjolras in the movie with that name), dizzyizzy123 (and thank you for reviewing! It means a lot!) and crusadecrusader, thank you guys SO MUCH! Your favorites, follows, and review means a lot to me :') Thank you guys so, very much! Okay, I'm going to shut up now before I start bawling.
Next chapter should be up tomorrow if everything is alright. So, cheerio, fellas! 'til next time!