The Decade

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. I wish I did. But I don't.

She swings a little, back and forth. Once, twice, three times, before she takes a deep breath and nods, "Okay."

"Okay?" He questions. He needs to hear this from her lips. If he hears these words fall from her lips he can believe it, this can be real.

"Okay, we can try to move on from the past. Be friends again and all that jazz," She states looking up at the sky and then at his face. She is glad she caved, glad she looked at him because the smile that graces his face is definitely worth it.

"Okay." He says again, with a small nod as if confirming it inwardly to himself. Which he is.

They sit there in silence and Eponine slowly grows more and more uncomfortable. She is trying to think of an excuse to escape from Enjolras. Something she can make up so that she does not have to sit here next to him and be a part of this awkward silence. She is sure that he is thinking the same thing. She yearns for the days when conversation flowed easily between them, when both always had something witty to say. Some opinion to share.

"You never answered my question." Enjolras accuses suddenly.

Eponine looks up, he had always been blunt, "What was your question?" She honestly does not remember him asking her a question.

Slowly she starts twirling in her swing, awaiting the moment when the chains are tight and she can let go and just spin, let the world blur around her.

"How could you listen to them and leave me?" Oh, this question. This time when he asks, she can hear the hurt in his voice behind the bitterness.

"It wasn't easy," She whispers, still turning, twisting, waiting for that opportune moment, "I was still drunk, I was in shock, I was confused. Hell, I thought you were dead when we crashed, Enjolras!" He flinches at her words, but she does not notice, she continues speaking and her words come quickly although she still spins slowly, "I thought that what I was doing was for the best. The more you got sucked into my life, the worse yours became. I always knew I wasn't worthy of you, of your friendship. The accident was my sign. My divine intervention, I suppose-"

"Eponine-" Enjolras croaks out.

"No! Let me finish," Eponine cuts him off and in that moment, lifts her feet off of the floor and begins to spin wildly, "I suppose I was just waiting for you to rescue me. I thought you would find me, you know? Even though I knew you wouldn't, because I'd hidden myself from you, I always thought you would come be my knight in shining armor," She stops speaking and holds her breath for a moment, her spinning becoming slower and slower before finally coming to a halt, "I don't know what those boys told you. I don't know when you woke up, I don't know how you felt when you did, but I'm sorry for hurting you, okay? I know that can never be enough, but I really am sorry. From the bottom of my heart."

She is looking down at the ground and when she hears his swing creak, she thinks that he is standing up and getting ready to leave her, that he cannot handle this emotional train wreck that is and always has been inside of her. She would not blame him, but his feet do not move away, no, instead she sees them come closer towards her.

"'Ponine," He says her name again, and this time there is another sound following it, almost like a scoff or a half-laugh, "'Ponine, you stupid, stupid, girl."

He slowly lifts her head up and looks into her eyes and offers her a sad half-smile, "I," He pauses and clears his throat before he starts again, "I forgave you a long time ago."

She does not know who initiates it but all of a sudden they are hugging and she knows they have a lot to go through if they are ever going to be real, true, friends again. They are going to have to shift through that day, deal their friends and come to terms with their new lives but it will be worth it. She knows it will because he is her Gabe and she is his 'Ponine and so what if he's in love with some other woman? She will be his best friend for forever if he asks her to be and she will not sabotage anything.

She will be happy.

After all, her biggest wish was just granted, she gets to be friends with Gabriel Enjolras, the love of her life, her bestest friend ever, once more.

By the time they pull apart, Eponine feels flushed and her heart is beating faster than it normally does and she's just a tad flustered when her phone rings and she is saved from making some awkward half-thought out conversation with Enjolras. Even though she wanted this, it came so soon, so suddenly that she isn't sure what to say.

Do they delve right into the root of the problem? Do they make small talk first? Is it appropriate to ask him about his girlfriend? Did he really mean they were going to go back to "normal"?

She does not know the answers to these questions right now but, hopefully, by the end of the night, after a lengthy phone call to Cosette, she will know the answers to some of these questions that she has.

"Hello?"

"'Ponine, I need to speak to you. Can you meet me at my house? It's really important. Really, really, important."

"Alright," She's surprised and holds the phone away from her face to check and see if her brother's name is the one that is lit up on the screen. When she confirms this she shoots Enjolras a puzzled glance and shrugs her shoulders for added effect, "What's the rush?" She questions, tuning back into her conversation with Gav, "Is there some kind of emergency or something?"

"You could say that. I just need you here. Please."

"Okay," Her brother almost never says please. He's not big on manners. So when he does use them, it usually gets her worried, "I'll be there soon. Don't do anything stupid. I love you."

"Love you too," He replies before she hears the beep that signifies him hanging up.

She stands up and shoves her phone back into its rightful place, "I have to go," She says to Enjolras, "Gav needs me and it sounded urgent. If you need my number ask Courf or 'Ferre, they should have it for emergencies." She gives him a fleeting half-hug and turns around and runs out of the park, heading towards her apartment so she can grab her car and head over to her brother's house as fast as she possibly can.

Dear Enjolras,

Sometimes I go out for a jog in the morning. Just to keep in shape and maybe burn off some extra steam, nothing too rigorous, we all know I'm lazier than R. Anyway, today I felt like letting go.

So I ran. I ran as fast as I possibly could and I felt like the wind, it was amazing. Exhilarating.

I bet Pocahontas felt this way too.

I bet you have felt this way. I bet it is why you love your morning jogs. Do you still do that?

Sometimes I fantasize about seeing you run by me. It has not happened yet. It probably never will. But if it does, I wonder if you will recognize me.

I wonder what I will say.

If I will say anything at all.

Enjolras blinks at her sudden departure. She is like Cinderella he muses and the thought is furthered when he spots the bracelet she was wearing on the ground next to the swing she was perched upon moments ago. He just shakes his head and lets out a loud laugh. She's definitely something, something special, his 'Ponine.

Slowly, he starts making his way back to Amelie and Sebastian. He checks the time, it is almost noon, as he opens the door to Amelie's apartment. He has been gone for almost five hours and that surprises him.

Being with Eponine again, it was like a dream and he hopes it was real. Walking into Amelie's apartment, it is like being doused with ice cold water, he is awake.

The first thing that Enjolras notices is that the television is off and that Sebastian is relatively quiet while coloring on the floor.

"Hey, kid, where's your mommy?"

Sebastian merely points in the direction of the bedroom and continues to color in the coloring book that Amelie bought for him last week. He looks to be almost done with it, and the kid colored in the lines, Enjolras is impressed.

He is surprised, however, by the news that Amelie is still in bed. Usually she gets up by at least ten on the weekends, "What time did you get up?" He asks, sitting down beside Sebastian, ruffling his hair (because he knows the kid hates that) and turning on the television. Surely something must be on, right?

"Eight," He answers, "I was really, really, really, tired," He states, looking up at Enjolras with a smile, "Thank you for the milk, 'Ras."

"You're welcome, buddy," Enjolras says with a smile.

Both Amelie and Sebastian call him 'Ras, Sebastian because he cannot pronounce Enjolras and Amelie because she refuses to call him by solely his last name. She thinks it's weird because they are in a relationship. She reasons that she should be able to call him by his first name.

It took a lot of effort to explain to her that only his family calls him by his first name, that he normally hates the name. He never told her that there is another person who calls him by his first name, but that is because at that point he hadn't seen her in years and didn't have a hope of seeing her again.

She compromised with calling him 'Ras.

"When do you think Mommy will be up?"

The little boy just shrugs and instead of answering asks, "Can I call you Daddy?"

Enjolras is shocked, that question came out of the blue. Yes, he does act like a father-figure to the boy, but he had not expected this and does not know how to answer. How would Amelie feel about this?

"I don't know, buddy, Mommy might not be okay with that." He says, hesitatingly, tripping over his words.

"Mommy might not be okay with what?" Amelie questions, coming out of the bedroom and walking over to the two on the floor. She quickly drops a kiss onto her little boy's head and ruffles his hair before leaning over and kissing Enjolras on the cheek.

"Mommy, will you be okay if I called 'Ras Daddy?" The little boy pleads, his eyes bright and his expression as sweet and angelic as he can possibly make it.

"I-," She starts surprised, looking over at Enjolras, "If it's okay with 'Ras, it's okay with me," She finally says with a smile.

They were becoming more and more like a family and it gives Amelie a tingly, happy, feeling.

"Um, yeah, sure," He says, still in shock. He doesn't want to hurt the boy, what if he and Amelie break up? However, right now, there is no harm done with letting the boy use the term.

Right now, they are okay, right now there is no harm to it.

Dear Enjolras,

I bet you would have wonderful kids, they would look like angels.

Blond hair, blue eyes.

Perfect.

Amelie grins, this is perfect. Things are going exactly how she wants them to. 'Ras is letting Sebastian, her little boy, call him Daddy, and that is the first step, the next step will come soon after. This is the biggest hurdle on their way to becoming a permanent family and they went over it so smoothly!

She feels like she could burst open, she is so happy. Soon she might be married to Gabriel Enjolras, soon her life will be perfect.

She is ecstatic. Things are going great.

This time around, she will get things done right.

This time around, everything will be perfect.

Dear Enjolras,

I saw you today. You were with some girl, I don't know her name. Your arm was around her waist. I think you're dating.

I would be lying if I told you I was completely fine with it because I'm not, but in all honesty, I'm happy for you.

As much as I want that girl to be me, as much as I want to be the one calling you mine, I will be happy for you.

Because you looked happy. When you're happy, I'm happy, remember?

You two look perfect together, in case you're wondering. The perfect couple.

I wonder what might have happened, had you seen me, had I approached you, but I did not, and I will regret that in the future, perhaps.

I saw Combeferre. It was really awkward and if that was awkward, imagine how awkward it would have been if I had approached you.

Can you believe he called me Pony and offered coffee in the same breath? If he had done that ten years ago I would have kneed him where the sun doesn't shine and left him for dead on the streets.

He seems different now. I bet he feels bad for me, maybe he even regrets how things went down in the past. I know I do.

He looked good. I hope he's happy. He deserves to be happy.

Maybe I'll ask Gavroche how he is doing, they're still in touch, I believe.

"Hey 'Ponine, it took you long enough!" Gavroche calls out as she walks in through his front door with his spare key.

"I'm sorry, I had to walk home and then drive here. You live too far away, little man." It is only twenty minutes but she will still complain all she wants. Eponine grins as she walks in and ruffles his hair, he will always be her little brother. She looks at him fondly, "When did you get so big?"

Gavroche just groans and pushes her arm away with his only good one, "Eponine!"

"Sorry, sorry, how's your arm? You haven't done anything worse to it have you?" She grabs said appendage and begins examining it, and, deeming it in good condition she jumps topics, "What's the emergency? And why did you cancel on our bonding time? I was about to use you as an excuse to get out of a very awkward conversation with Gabriel Enjolras, and then you had to text me in front of him and make me lose my cover story."

"Well, I'm sorry but I was accumulating important information from Combeferre and Courfeyrac." Gavroche crosses his arms over his chest in defense.

Eponine, however, narrows her eyes at her little brother, "You didn't seem very surprised when I mentioned that I was talking to Enjolras. I thought at the very least you'd smile."

Gavroche ignores his sister's slightly accusing tone and sighs, "You've always called him Gabe, it's weird to hear you call him Enjolras," He says instead of answering her question.

"It is weird," She agrees, haltingly, as she perches on the overstuffed couch next to him, "I haven't seen him in ages and I'm not sure if I can call him Gabe now."

"If there's anyone he will let call him Gabe, it's you. He still calls you 'Ponine, doesn't he?" Gavroche waits for his sister's nod before continuing "Then it's okay for you to call him Gabe."

"Look at you," Eponine mock sniffles, "All grown up and giving your big sister advice on boys. Where has the time gone?" She shows her sentimental side for a moment and dabbing fake tears before getting back down to business, "Now answer my question. Why were you not surprised?"

"I have my sources," Gav just grins and leans into his sister for a moment before pulling away, "I called you over for a reason, Eponine," Now he is all seriousness, "Why didn't you tell me about what they did on the night you left to be with Montparnasse? It wasn't your fault! Do you know that?"

"This constitutes as an emergency?" She asks with a raised brow, before sighing and giving in when she sees that he is not backing down, "It was my fault, Gav, and I'm tired of explaining it. I caused him harm, I always caused him harm. His life would have been perfect if it weren't for me."

"He loved life because of you," Her brother argues back, angry with his sister for not seeing things his way, the right way.

She just shakes her head, "Let's just agree to disagree, alright?"

"For now." He mutters under his breath, "So," He starts, a little louder, "are you two going to get together now?"

Eponine smiles at her little brother, as much as he tries, he cannot keep the hope from bubbling up inside of him and spilling into his voice.

"He's got a girlfriend, whose kid is in my preschool class."

"Wait, what? You've got the kid of his girlfriend in your class all year and you only just met him today?" Eponine sighs and gives him a recap of events and by the end of it Gavroche has only one thing to say, "Damn, I picked a really bad day to injure myself. Had I known you would have been forced to meet earlier, I would have waited to injure myself."

"Oh, please," Eponine chuckles a bit, "We both know you can't control your clumsiness."

Gavroche just shrugs, "I can always try."

Eponine doesn't give that answer a response, instead she pushes her brother and they end up having a very mild shoving match that ends when they're both on the ground and have managed to break the home of Gavroche's pet fish.

The rest of the day is filled with idle sibling chatter, action movies and a phone call from Azelma. It is not until after dinner, while Eponine is leaving that Gavroche brings up the subject of his former role model again.

"Hey, Sis, just remember, when it comes to a cat fight between you and his new girlfriend, I'll bet on you."

He hears her laughter all the way down the hall.

Dear Enjolras,

Despite it all, today was a good day.

Combeferre sighs, today was not a good day. Not at all. He knows he messed up and he knows he owes both Eponine and Enjolras an apology as well as Gavroche.

He looks over at Courfeyrac, there is only one way they can fix this, "We need to call the gang back together."

"Why? What are you planning?"

"The only way we can earn forgiveness for what we have done is to set things straight," Combeferre says with a stern look in his eye and Courfeyrac knows he cannot talk him out of this.

"Alright, fine. How exactly are we going to do that?"

"We are going to sabotage like we have never sabotaged before."

Courfeyrac just groans, "Enough with the cryptic answers! I'm pretty sure Gav did not give you a concussion."

'Ferre just frowns and tenderly touches his bandaged nose, "We are going to break Enjolras and Amelie up, yes I know it's morally wrong, yes two wrongs don't make a right but you've seen him with them! He would be much happier with Eponine. I am going to fix this if it is the end of me!"

Courf just sighs, it's the painkillers, he reasons, but he knows the 'Ferre is serious in this sabotage business and that they will be calling in reinforcements. He doesn't mind though, he really does hate Amelie, and in this case, hopefully they can right what they've wronged.

"Please, please, God," Courfeyrac says, falling to the floor on his knees while looking up at the ceiling as if it holds all of life's answers, "If you're out there, let R have found a nice boyfriend, please let him have forgiven Eponine."

"Get up," 'Ferre demands, "We have got work to do," and without waiting for a reply, he grabs Courf's arm and places him on the couch, "Start calling."

He misses the tongue that Courf sticks out at his back, but shoots the other man the bird anyway because he knows that he is doing something behind his back.

"I love you," Courf teases, laughing as he hits call on the first person which just so happens to be Jehan.

"My ass," 'Ferre says walking into the kitchen while dialing R, best to get the most dreaded one over with first. The rest will be a cakewalk.

He hopes.

I'm late, I know. It's just that the end of the school year stuff got to me (I graduated on Sunday, guys!) and then I got sick so I've kind of been out of it.

I'm sorry.

In other news, who watched Graceland? I absolutely love that show. I watched it OnDemand and then I watched the premiere and then I watched it today with my mom and got her hooked onto it. I'm not even sorry about that. Johnny and Mike, are definitely my frontrunners on this show. I love them so much.

Thank you for reviewing/favoriting/following!

I promise I'll try to update faster! I'm going to post this and start writing the next chapter right away, so maybe it'll be up by Sunday or Monday.

Don't forget to review! I REALLY, REALLY, like it when you review. LIKE SERIOUSLY, IT MAKES ME SUPER HAPPY. LIKE I COULD BURST WITH HAPPINESS.