Autumn came to Paris, the winds sweeping through the streets. Éponine and Enjolras had been living together for a couple of months. When Marius was healed, they had gone over to visit him and Cosette. Éponine smiled at the memories.
Enjolras and her had waited hesitantly in front of Marius's grandfather's house. It was very rich, and luxurious. They had said they were friends from the barricade to the man who had opened the door. Marius had walked over, and nearly screamed.
"Éponine!" He cried and hugged her with one arm, as the other was in a sling. "Enjolras!" Marius shook hands with Enjolras. "You two are…here!"
"Yeah, we are," Éponine said, smiling slightly.
"Come in, come in. Cosette and her father have just arrived," Marius said. They entered and walked into the parlor.
Cosette gasped and ran to hug Éponine. Éponine hugged back tight. Cosette pulled away and wiped tears from her eyes, tears of joy.
"First Marius, now you!" Cosette grinned. Enjolras, Marius, and Cosette's father left the girls to talk. No doubt they were going to talk about politics or the government or something like that.
"How's Marius doing?" Éponine asked, quietly.
Cosette sighed, "Most of them, he's alright. He'll go into these moods though…he'll just get so depressed and I don't know what to do!"
"Just be with him," Éponine said. "Enjolras and me are the same way. It's always the worst at night, with the dreams and nightmares."
Cosette hugged Éponine again. "I can't ever imagine the horrors. But you guys are here and safe, you must be thankful for that."
Éponine nodded.
Most of the time, the dreams were rather okay. Éponine dreams would vary: Jehan writing poetry, drinking with Grantaire, Courfeyrac flirting, Joly freaking out, Bossuet and his bad luck, Bahorel getting into a fight, Feuilly working on a fan, and Combeferre reading. Enjolras's dreams were more personal memories of him and his friends, all of their fun times together. The light in their eyes when they were as passionate as he was.
The dreams could turn to nightmares quickly. Whether it was Marius standing in front of the rifle, Éponine soaked in blood, Grantaire with his bloody chest and small smirk, Gavroche being shot out, Jehan in his pool of blood, Combeferre's dead eyes, or the image of Joly sobbing over Bossuet. Nearly every night Enjolras or Éponine would wake up sweating or crying. They would be hugged and comforted slightly, but they knew these dreams were never going to go away.
Grantaire would watch his friends, from a distance. He had wanted to speak with them, but he was afraid they'd scold him again for drinking. He watched Cosette and Marius walk around, Cosette helping Marius, since he was injured. Éponine would accompany them once in a while. It seemed to him that Éponine and Cosette were bonding more and more. Sometimes Enjolras and Éponine would go out. Both looked pale, skinny, and as if they hadn't slept in days. Sometimes, they would look at each other with love, but then their faces would fall back into sadness.
Grantaire hated seeing a frown on his Apollo's face. He hated seeing him sad. Grantaire wished he could do something to help him, but he had no idea.