The Decade

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Dear Gabe,

Have you notice how I've been addressing you as 'Gabe' once more?

Of course you have, that was a silly question.

You are Gabriel Enjolras and nothing gets past you.

Well. Almost nothing.

Anyway, since we are friends again, I believe it's time for me to address you in my letters as I do when I see you in person, which is why you are once again, simply Gabe.

"Hey 'Ras!" Amelie calls out when she hears the front door open. He is the only one who has a key to her small apartment, besides herself and the landlord. She looks over her shoulder and there he is, walking towards her.

"Hey," He replies, ruffling Sebastian's hair on his way towards her. Quickly, he gives her a peck on the cheek and then leans against the counter, "What are you doing?"

"Making my lunch, what does it look like I'm doing?" She rolls her eyes at him but at the same time she can tell there's something off about him. There's something different about him from when she saw him last; however she can't put her finger on it so she just brushes the feeling away.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that staring is rude?" He teases and grins boyishly at her.

Amelie simply turns red, she hadn't realized that she'd been staring, "Shut up, you. I can stare at my boyfriend whenever I wish. Especially when he's in an extremely good mood on a Monday morning," She eyes him, "So did something happen or what?"

He rolls his eyes, "Nothing gets past you now does it?" He swipes a blueberry from the fruit salad she is making and she whacks him with her fork, "Ouch, don't use violence against me in front of your son! I'm supposed to be manly!"

"Supposed to be." She murmurs.

"I heard that." He grumbles, sulking, now.

"You were meant to," She sings back to him, "So what happened!"

"I met an old friend. It's been a long time since I saw her last and it was a nice surprise."

At the word 'her' Amelie's heart sinks a little bit and dread she feels makes itself home in a pit in her stomach. Still, she tries for nonchalance, "Oh really?"

"Yes, now hurry up or we're all going to be late."

"Fine, fine, where's my purse?" Amelie becomes a tornado, raging through the kitchen, grabbing all of her things, the girl Enjolras met over the weekend momentarily forgotten, "Sebastian, do you have your backpack? Good. 'Ras do you see my-"

"Phone," Enjolras says, handing it to her.

She smiles, "Yes, thank you," She gives him a peck on the cheek as a reward and picks up her son, "All ready. I can't believe my car died yesterday. Thank you for giving us a lift."

"What are boyfriends for?" Enjolras asks as they headed out the door.

"I know I told you you'd never have deal with Sebastian's school again, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Amelie, really. Besides, I never got to meet the teacher. She was out on a family emergency when I went to pick him up."

"Oh, you'll love Ms. Jondrette, she seems really nice. Is she nice Bast?"

"She's really nice! Do you think Sophie will be there? I hope we can play hopscotch again. She's really nice too and really fun," As Sebastian prattles on, Enjolras turns to his girlfriend and mouths 'Sophie?'

'A little girl he met,' She mouths back.

Enjolras smirks, 'His very first girlfriend.'

Amelie just rolls her eyes and inwardly worries about the girl Enjolras mentioned earlier, now that there's nothing to distract her.

Dear Enjolras,

Sometimes I wonder what happened to that little girl you saved. The one to whom you restored hope.

I wonder what that little girl would be doing right now.

She probably wouldn't be writing to you when she should be studying for finals.

And then I wonder what happened to that little girl begging on the streets, the one who was tough as nails and didn't believe in the kindness of other people.

I bet she wouldn't be writing to you either.

Gavroche sighs as he leaves his little apartment, wondering what he's going to do about Combeferre and Courfeyrac. Should he tell Eponine and Enjolras? Should he tell Amelie? They deserve to know, of that he was certain, but should he be the one to rat everyone out?

They were going to hurt Amelie if they continued with this and they could hurt Eponine and Enjolras as well, so he should tell the truth, yet at the same time he really is Team Eponine. He loves his sister, more than anything. She's done things that she shouldn't have to for him; things that others wouldn't do for their siblings and he wants her to be happy.

He doesn't say it often, but he loves his sister.

Being with Enjolras will make her happy, she may not realize it, but she is still in love with the man. He'd seen it in her eyes when she spoke about him. She'd never been able to hide anything from her amazing little brother.

Still, coming clean would be the right thing to do.

He just hopes they believe him. How will he even start this conversation? 'Hey guys, guess what? Everyone wants Amelie out of the picture so 'Ponine and Enjolras can get together! Anyway, I'm off. Have fun! Bye!' Yup, that would be the day. They day he would get clobbered on the streets, that is.

He quickly stomps down the stairs (his daily exercise) and as he's exiting he sees Enjolras with Amelie and Sebastian.

This has got to take the cake for coincidences. He hasn't seen Amelie since she's moved in, and yet this is the third time he's seen her in as many days. He hasn't seen Enjolras here at all, yet here they are in the parking lot as he's contemplating on how to set their lives whirling.

Enjolras is placing Sebastian into the car as Amelie is leaning against the side door and digging through her purse, most likely looking for something she's lost. Looking at them, he feels a familiar pain in his heart. They look so happy, like the perfect family he never got. How can he break this up? Ruin that kid's happiness?

Still, something deep inside of him whispers that this is what Eponine and Enjolras would have looked like if the gang had kept out of it.

For a moment, he lets himself believe that that's Eponine out there rooting through her things while Enjolras is strapping their kid, his nephew, into the car.

Just as the fantasy becomes almost real, Amelie looks up and the sun shines off of her blonde head as she leans in to kiss her boyfriend and he realizes that his may be a dream that cannot be.

Dear Enjolras,

I learned when I was very young that people lie. They cheat and deceive and, most cruelly, they push people down so that they, themselves, can reach the top.

Therefore, I should have realized that there are certain things I cannot accomplish; but as a young girl I had always thought I was invincible. Even after my parents became what they did, for a time, I thought that I could still manage to live my dreams no matter what, as long as I pushed myself, I could fulfill them.

When that thought eventually faded from my head, when I realized that I am mortal and that no, I could not do everything I thought I could do.

However, a little boy handed me my faith and restored my hope that maybe not everyone rich stranger was a monster and for a short time, that was enough to keep

me going.

Combeferre hesitates at the doorway. This will be the second time he will be confronting a Jondrette and he fears for his safety. Eponine can throw a mean right hook, just like her brother. Tentatively, he reaches up and touches his throbbing nose.

Quickly, before he can lose his nerve, he enters the brightly-lit classroom and is assaulted by encouraging posters, toys and the somewhat nauseating smell of glue. 'Ferre feels very out-of-place in this classroom. The tables don't even come up to his knees! He glances around the room and notices Eponine in the corner, tacking up another cheesy poster and he tugs at his tie (a nervous habit he has acquired from years spent with Enjolras) before calling out, "Eponine?"

The girl turns around, surprised, and why wouldn't she be? He's invading her classroom with no forewarning of being there.

"Combeferre," She greets and he is shocked by her civil approach. She smoothes out her blouse and walks towards him with a professional smile plastered onto her face. He expected something more along the lines of her yelling at him to get out before she threw the stapler at his face, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm heading over there. I just thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing," Stupid. He sounds stupid.

Why was he here again? He really should have thought this out before letting his guilt drive him into making a last minute spur-of-the-moment decision to visit her.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Her eyes have narrowed and her arms are now crossed.

"Oh, you know," He feels really awkward now, "The whole Enjolras thing coming back up and all."

"We've decided to be friends..." Eponine states, letting the rest of her sentence hang in the air while she looks at him with even more suspicion.

"Right, listen, if Gavroche says some things, just don't freak out. Trust me. Okay? Okay. Bye!"

The man whirls around to leave and manages to make it out the door before he is dragged back in by Eponine.

He will never admit this to anyone, but that girl is strong (not to mention determined) and she manages to drag him all the way back to her desk, which lies directly across from the door. With his back against freedom, and his front against a metal desk (because preschool chairs were not made for grown men) he feels like he's back in high school, getting reprimanded for some prank that Courfeyrac pulled.

"Spill." Combeferre winces. Her voice is like venom. He really shouldn't have asked her to trust him, after all, he has proven that he is many things but he is not trustworthy.

"Don't you have kids coming in soon? Besides, I really should be getting to work. If I'm late, I'll be in huge trouble! My poor secretary might pull her hair out, I really must go, you don't want her to be bald, do you? We will talk again later. Have a nice day, Eponine, I'll speak with you soon."

As he tries to get up, he realizes that his butt is wedged into the chair, and reluctantly he sits back down and stares at the papers on Eponine's desk, dejectedly.

He will admit defeat at the hands of Eponine and her evil chair of doom.

"I don't have anyone coming in for another few minutes 'Ferre. Now, if you tell me what this nonsense you're blabbering on about is, I'll get you out of that chair. Do we have a deal?"

'Ferre sighs, he has no other choice; he knows 'Ponine might not let him out of the chair if she finds out about the plan, but at the same time, he knows that he won't be able to get out without her help.

He stares at the top-most paper on her desk as he contemplates. It's covered in her loopy handwriting, which is really quite pretty, so it takes him a moment to decipher the words and when he does, he realizes that this is his get out of jail free card, the ace up his sleeve.

"What's that?" He asks, ever so innocently, pointing at the document that is really a letter.

"It's a paper," She replies, coolly, shuffling her papers so it is moved to the bottom.

"No, it's a letter," He states, with a grin.

"Fine. It's a letter," Eponine crosses her arms and sticks her chin up, daring him to say something else.

"A letter to Enjolras."

"So?"

"I thought it was very touching, Eponine but who writes letters these days?"

While she stares at him in shock, trying to think of a way to reply, he lunges for the stack of papers on her desk and grabs the letter and before she can take it away from him, he reads it, making sure to hold it up high enough that she cannot reach it.

He's taller than her even when he has his ass stuck in a preschool chair, thank God she was born with the short genes. Gavroche is taller than his sister and he doesn't remember, but he's pretty sure Azelma is too.

It takes Combeferre seconds to scan the paper in his hand, and when he's done, he hands it back to Eponine. Honestly, shocked at his own actions but more so at the words and raw emotions she has poured into her letter.

He hadn't expected it to be so personal.

"Get. Out." Her words come out between a clenched jaw, the paper crinkling in her hands.

With wide eyes, he takes a step back and holds his hands up in the typical surrender position, "'Ponine, I'm sorry, I-"

"Out!" The word is ripped from her throat and she sounds murderous, so he obeys her command and flees the scene, his butt still stuck in that stupid chair.

In the hallway, he runs into Enjolras, Amelie and Sebastian.

"Hey guys," He says, trying to sound all cool even though they can see the little chair attached to his backside and he's still sweating profusely, afraid Eponine will emerge from the depths of the classroom and murder him in the very hallway they're all standing in.

He would not blame her.

"Hey, 'Ferre," Amelie says, with a wave, "What have you got there?"

Sebastian is giggling while Enjolras is shooting him a horrible glare. Combeferre realizes, that if Enjolras goes in there then Eponine would sic the already angry man on his tail.

It would be best to distract him.

"Haha Amelie. Enjolras, do you mind helping me unattach this thing?"

Amelie laughs and heads towards the classroom, "Sorry, I plan on finally meeting Ms. Jondrette today," Enjolras states coldly, as he attempts to brush past his former friend and join his girlfriend.

"Oh, no," Amelie states, hands on Sebastian's shoulders and at 'Ferre's rescue, "You are helping your friend."

"Wait. What do you mean you plan on meeting Ms. Jondrette?" 'Ferre asks, confused. He's already met Eponine, why does he have to meet her again?

"Maybe because I want to meet Sebastian's teacher," He replies, going towards the chair. Giving it a firm yank, he realizes that it's not going to come off that easily, "What did you do? Superglue this thing onto your pants?"

Combeferre ignores him and the pain, focusing in on one thing.

Enjolras doesn't know that Eponine is Ms. Jondrette. He doesn't know she's changed her name.

"Nah, Sebastian's teacher gave me a nice lecture and I got stuck in the chair. Then I got her mad and now it won't come off."

Amelie snorts, and covers her face as another fit of laughter passes over her, "Perhaps it's best you don't meet her while she's in a bad mood, 'Ras. Especially, if she finds out you are friends with Combeferre over here," She states, when she can speak again and Enjolras, thankfully, nods in agreement and the girl turns and heads towards the classroom with her son.

'Ferre just gives a muffled "Oomph," As the chair is finally pulled free.

It breaks in half and both men are on the floor, but for a moment it's like old times. However, as soon as Amelie returns, Enjolras stands up, dusts himself off and gives 'Ferre a cold look before leaving the school with her.

At least he's a step closer to forgiveness and now he's got a few tricks up his sleeve. Enjolras' lack of knowledge as well as Eponine's little secret.

More than enough to get started.

The guilt is going to eat him alive if this doesn't work.

Dear Gabe,

When I speak to you, I think you know everything about me, everything that has happened in these ten years and yet, that is not the case.

The you in my imagination knows these things, but not the real you.

The real you has only just reunited with his old friend.

Due to this, I'm constantly balancing on a tightrope, wondering what you know and what I think you know and wondering how I'm ever going to pull this off without you knowing about these letters; because now I realize you can never see these.

You will probably think of me as some sort of crazy girl who couldn't leave you alone. Almost like a stalker and I don't want you to think of me that way.

Maybe I am crazy. Do crazy people think they're crazy?

I don't know what to do anymore.

Courfeyrac sighs and bangs on the door to Musichetta and Joly's apartment waiting to be let in. Neither knew he was showing up here today so he was hoping that they decided to spend the evening in. He is going to have his own little romantic side project going on while 'Ferre is going all crazy and obsessing with this whole interference thing about 'Ponine and Enjolras.

Thankfully the couple is home and unfortunately for Joly, he opens the door and invites Courfeyrac in. The man doesn't even let the young hypochondriac ask him why he's here on this unofficial visit, he goes right for the kill, "What's going on between you, 'Chetta and Bossuet?" Courf asks, sticking his nose where it doesn't belong.

Joly sighs and slumps on against the wall for a moment, "It's not my story to tell," He states before heading further into the apartment, motioning for Courfeyrac to follow him.

In the kitchen, Musichetta is making dinner and Joly pulls her aside for a moment and they have a hushed argument.

In the end she agrees to talk to Courf.

'Chetta gives him a disapproving look as she approaches him but has already given in, "He made me choose."

"Who made you choose?"

"Bossuet," She looks up at him sadly, "He made me choose between him and Joly. He said he loved Joly but he wanted to settle down, start a family. He didn't realize that by giving me such an ultimatum it would only push me towards Joly."

Courf attempts to wrap an arm around her and tries to offer comfort but Musichetta whacks at his arm with her spatula and he whips his fingers out of attack range. However, this is something he's serious about and although he lacks tact, he continues, "Out of curiosity, why did it push you towards him? Not that I don't see him as a good choice or anything. I just always thought you would pick Bossuet in the end, we all did. Even Joly."

She sighs and rubs her forehead, "Honestly, I probably would have. I knew I had to chose eventually and I knew that I loved them both equally. I just waited to see if I could love one of them more. The choice was made for me, I guess, when I realized Joly would never ask me to chose between him and Bossuet. He would let me take my time even if that took until we were seventy-three. I still love Bossuet. I always will, he was my first love, I loved him before I ever loved Joly but in the end I had to pick who was right for me and Joly loves me more than Bossuet ever could. I'm happy, really I am, but," She looks across the room at Joly, "I miss him. A lot. We both do and I wish the three of us were still together. But we are too broken now to ever fix us. It wouldn't work anymore." She smiles forlornly at Courf, "There's your story. I hope it helps with whatever you wanted to hear it for," She says softly, before turning on her heel and walking back into Joly's embrace.

Joly gives his girlfriend a comforting hug and mouths for Courfeyrac to leave now.

Courfeyrac looks away from their private moment and walks towards the door. He got what he came here for and he doesn't feel any better for it. Maybe that old saying is true. You never know what you truly have until it's gone and no one knows that better than Bossuet.

Both Eponine and Enjolras knew what they were losing when they lost it and Bossuet hadn't. He'd had a blind leap of faith that didn't pay off. Now there was nothing Bossuet could do about it; his pride wouldn't let him.

Courf's phone rings in the parking lot as he heads over to his car.

"Hey 'Ferre," He says, unlocking the vehicle.

"Hey. I was worried when I got home before you. Are you only leaving now? I thought I heard you unlock your car."

"Yeah, I am," Courfeyrac hates lying to Combeferre but he can't tell him about this, "I'm running a little late; sorry for making you worry," This is something 'Ferre doesn't need to know.

"Okay. See you soon?" Combeferre's voice sounds odd, like he can tell the Courfeyrac is lying but he doesn't believe that his best friend could ever lie to him.

"Yeah. Soon." He hangs up before 'Ferre can say anything else and starts his engine, heading for home.

Sorry this is so late guys. Life just kind of got in the way, add to that the fact that I was having some writers block on how to fully carry out this chapter, and viola, the recipe for a late chappie.

I've actually been typing this chapter up in the dark because my mom's been home all week and hell-bent on getting me on a proper sleeping schedule (she thinks I'm asleep right now and I'm trying to be super quiet) so urgh, family.

Anyway, I'm going to dedicate this chapter to TcEm because she harassed me into posting it today.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed this story!

Be sure to let me know your favorite/least favorite parts of this chapter.