A/N: The plot will pick up again soon, I promise. I just need to get these chapters out of the way. Oh, and the wedding scene is from the movie.
Autumn gave way to winter in Paris. Everything seemed to be stuck in a limbo. Marius and Cosette were planning their wedding, which was set February 16th. Cosette's father had left, and she had no idea where he went. Cosette would talk to Éponine about this, and the two girls would talk all of the time.
Éponine had to go dress shopping, since she barely owned anything. She mostly wore Enjolras's clothes, not caring about the scandalized looks thrown at her. But it was Cosette's wedding, and Éponine wanted to look acceptable. She ended up getting a simple red dress. Enjolras was paying for it, and she didn't want to get anything extravagant.
Grantaire never got up the courage to talk to them. He just watched. He was always there, and he always made sure they didn't see him. Grantaire wondered if he was going crazy. He hadn't talked to anyone for months, and he kept seeing ghosts. Grantaire swore he saw Bahorel sitting at a table one day, as he walked by a café. He kept doing double-takes.
That February day came, and it was truly beautiful. The sky was a perfect blue, and the birds were singing, even though it was still winter. Éponine and Enjolras arrived, and said hello to Marius and Cosette. After that, they just stuck together, talking to each other occasionally.
"Oh no," Éponine said, scared.
"What?" Enjolras asked, alert.
"My parents," Éponine said, stiff. Enjolras looked over to see Marius talking to a couple. Marius looked angry. Éponine walked away, quickly. Enjolras watched the man give something to Marius. They talked for a little bit, and then Marius punched him. The Thénardiers were escorted out by a few big men. Marius ran to get Cosette, and the two left.
E00njolras walked over to Éponine, still puzzled. "It's okay, 'Ponine, they left."
Éponine breathed out a sigh of relief. "Where did Marius and Cosette go?" she asked, glancing around.
"They left. Would you like to go for a walk in the garden?" Enjolras asked. There was a garden outside. Éponine nodded and took his hand.
The two walked outside in the garden.
"I can't believe the weather," Éponine said. "It's like it's good just because Marius and Cosette are getting married."
"Yeah," Enjolras said. Something had been nagging him for a while. "Do you still love him?"
Éponine sighed. "I kind of gave up when I rescued Cosette from the kidnappers. And then I became friends with Cosette, and they got married. A part of me will always love Marius, but more as a brother and best friend. May I remind you who I'm living with at the moment?" Éponine smirked.
Enjolras chuckled. "Yeah." His face grew serious, "I don't think I can stay here. The government is doing nothing, and it has been eight months since the barricade! Everything I see reminds me of my friends, and how the government doesn't care. I can't continue like this. I can't get a job, I can barely get out!"
"Where will you go?" Éponine asked softly.
Enjolras looked at her in surprise. "First of all, you're coming with me. Second, probably to go help unify Italy. There's an organization called Young Italy, I might join it and help. We can first move to the territory that France owns, and then move farther inland."
"Young Italy," Éponine said thoughtfully. "Les Amis de l'ABC had a better ring to it."
They both laughed. In their happiness, they thought they could hear other ghostly beings laughing with them.
"So, when will we go?" Éponine asked.
"Soon," Enjolras said.
They walked in silence for a while.
"I hope there are flowers in Heaven for Jehan," said Éponine. "There were only a couple of gardens in Paris, and he really loved them."
"There will be fields of flowers. There will be whole meadows filled up with the most delicate flowers you have ever seen," Enjolras said.
Éponine squeezed his hand. "Joly will be happy to be in a hygienic place for once. Do you think Bossuet will ever have his luck back?"
"Imagine that…Bossuet with a whole head of hair…Grantaire will still be drunk up there," Enjolras said, saddening at the memories of the cynic drunkard.
"Don't you think he'll actually be sober?" Éponine frowned.
Enjolras sighed, "One thing about Grantaire, he's never sober. He always has a drink."
Éponine's eyes welled up with tears. "I wish they were still alive," she whispered.
Enjolras hugged her. "Me too," he said, softly.