Part Two: Chapter Eleven

Enjolras walked to the front door of the manor, ready to go search for Libertè since she wasn't home yet. When he swung open the door, he stopped immediately, completely shocked by what he saw. There stood Libertè holding hands with a young man he didn't recognize. She dropped her hands from his and turned to face Enjolras, just as shocked as he was.

"Papa," she started.

"What's going in, Libertè?" he asked, glancing between his daughter and the boy, whose face had gone white.

She struggled for words for a moment, but finally said, "This is George. We were out together at the cafe. He walked me home since it was getting dark."

George started to apologize, "I'm so sorry Monsieur. This is my fault. I didn't mean to-"

Enjolras held up a hand, interrupting the boy and signaling for him to stop speaking. Then, he turned back to his daughter.

"How long has this been going on?"

She couldn't meet her father's piercing gaze any longer as she muttered, "Several weeks."

"Weeks?!" Enjolras exclaimed.

She just nodded shamefully in response. Enjolras sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Get inside, Libertè," he said.

"Papa, please!" she pleaded.

"Inside!" he said sternly.

She bit her lip and ducked her head, letting her blonde curls fall into her face as she brushed past him into the house where Eponine had watched the whole thing take place. Then, she and Eponine disappeared into the kitchen. Enjolras stared at the young man for a moment. He noticed that his face looked very familiar, but he couldn't place it. Suddenly, it hit him.

"What's your name, son?" he asked.

"George," he responded quietly.

"No. Your full name," Enjolras bit out.

"George Pontmercy."

Enjolras paled and grew a little angry at the sound of the Pontmercy name. Now that he looked at the boy, he noticed how much he looked like Marius when he and Enjolras were just starting at the university. Enjolras thought back and realized that George was the oldest child of the Pontmercys, the one born shortly before they left for England. If this was Marius and Cosette's son, which he was, that meant that they were back in France. Enjolras knew what he had to do. George was looking at him curiously, his face still white.

"George, go home. As soon as you get there, tell your father that is presence is requested immediately at the Presidential Manor. Do you understand?"

George nodded, and then darted away. Enjolras ran a hand through his curls, frustrated with everything that was going on. He shut the door and made his way to the kitchen. When he entered the room, Eponine was wiping down the counters and all three children sat at the small table. Jolie was playing with a doll, Gavroche was working on school work, and Libertè had her chin resting in her hands, guilt on her face.

"Eponine, I need to speak with you," he said.

She nodded and put the rag down, moving to Enjolras's side. Then, he turned to Libertè.

"I will speak with you in a moment," he said firmly, his eyebrows raised.

"Libertè's in trouble!" Gavroche teased in a sing-song tone.

Eponine gave him a stern look, "Do you want to join her?"

"No, Mama," he grumbled.

She gave him another stern glance, and Enjolras placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her from the room. Once they were inside the study and the door was shut, Eponine spoke.

"What happened?" she asked.

He sighed, "She's been seeing him for weeks, 'Ponine, weeks!"

"I know. I heard everything until you sent Libertè inside. What happened after that?"

Enjolras just shook his head, pacing the room. Eponine could see that something had really bothered him. She reached out and grabbed his arm, making him face her. His crystal blue eyes were even more icy than normal.

"Enjolras, what is it?" she asked.

"He's Marius's son. They're back in France," he finally said.

Eponine gasped, "What?!"

"I know. This is insane. I don't know how to react. I'm just frustrated with this whole situation. Marius is coming here, and I don't know what to say to him. Why would Libertè keep this from us, from me?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should ask her that. As far as Marius goes, I have no idea what you should say either. It's been so long," Eponine said.

"Well, he'll be here soon, so I guess I should talk to Libertè."

Eponine nodded, "I'll go get her and put the others in bed."

She left and a few minutes later, Libertè opened the door, a look of hesitancy on her face. Enjolras motioned for her to come in and sit on the couch while he leaned against the desk.

"I want the whole story from the beginning," he said calmly.

Libertè took a deep breath and began, "Shortly after we returned from Grandmother's funeral, I was meeting Gabriel in the courtyard of the university as I always do when I collided with George. He helped me up and introduced himself. I didn't see him again for a few weeks, but when Gabriel and I were in the library, he showed up and asked us for directions to his class. The day you and Mama sent me to have some time out of the house, I went to a cafe to read and have some time to myself. Then, Antoine showed up with George, and when Antoine went to order coffee, George asked me if I wanted to do something with him sometime. Without thinking, I agreed. Ever since then, we've been meeting a few days a week after classes."

"Did he know who you were when you met?"

Libertè knew what her father meant. He wanted to know if George knew that she was the president's daughter.

"Not until tonight," she responded quietly.

Enjolras sighed, "Why didn't you tell your mother and I, Libby?"

Libertè blinked, trying to keep tears from forming, but it wasn't working.

"I was afraid of how you'd react. I'm so dedicated in school and my goals that I figured you'd see George as a distraction. I was afraid you'd be disappointed in me," she said, looking up at him.

Enjolras moved to sit beside her on the couch and put his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him.

"I am most certainly not disappointed in you, Libby. Yes, George could be a distraction, but he'll only be one if you let him. I just wish you would've told me from the beginning," he said gently.

"I know, Papa. I wish I had too. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, but there are still some things we have to talk about and some things I need to tell you."

"Like what?"

"You know about the barricades and all my friends back then."

She nodded.

"Well, George looked familiar to me, so I asked for his last name. It's Pontmercy. Did I ever tell you about a friend I once had named Marius?" Enjolras asked.

"You mentioned him, but you haven't really said much about him," Libertè said, clearly confused.

"Well, Marius and I were friends since we were very young. In fact, he was the one who introduced me to your mother. Your mother was desperately in love with Marius. She was always with him. That's the only reason I ever met her. She was with him in the market one day, and I was there as well. Your mother and I became close friends, and I was there when she was heartbroken by Marius. He met a young woman by the name of Cosette with the help of your mother and they fell in love almost instantly. Long story short, after the barricades, your mother and I fell in love and Marius married Cosette. We remained friends for a while. While Courfeyrac and I were planning the second rebellion, Marius and Cosette were expecting their first child. One day, we were attending Cosette's father's funeral, and Marius pulled me aside. He told me that he couldn't support the cause any longer, and he told me that they were leaving the country after the baby was born. I was furious because I didn't understand how he could abandon his country after he'd watched practically all of our friends die for the cause. Honestly, I still don't understand, and I'm still angry. Just as he told me, as soon as their baby was born, the Pontmercys left for England. I realized that George looked familiar and when he told me his last name, I was shocked because Marius's last name was Pontmercy. Then, I realized that George is Marius's oldest child, the one born before they fled to England, and now they are back in France," he explained.

"So, George is your old friend Marius's son?" Libertè asked for clarification.

Enjolras nodded, "Yes. When he left, we weren't on good terms. I was perfectly fine with never speaking to him again. He betrayed me, Courfeyrac, the cause, and his country. I haven't spoken to him in over seventeen years, and I wanted to keep it that way, but he's on his way over to the manor now."

Just as Enjolras finished speaking, they heard a knock at the front door.

"That must be him. Go on out. I'll be there in a moment," Enjolras said.

When Libertè left the room, she saw her mother walking toward the door. She opened it, revealing a man that looked like an older version of George.

"Eponine," he smiled hesitantly.

"I can't believe you're here, Marius," Eponine smiled, letting him inside the manor and hugging him tightly.

"I know. It's been so long, too long."

As Eponine pulled away, Marius turned to Libertè.

"This must be your daughter, the one my son is quite taken with" he said to Eponine, causing Libertè to blush slightly.

"Yes. This is Libertè," she replied.

"It's nice to meet you, Libertè. It was rather obvious who you were. From what I remember about your father, you look just like him."

"Yes, I've been told that quite a bit. It is nice to meet you as well, Monsieur Marius," Libertè half-smiled.

"Speaking of Enjolras, where is he? I believe he scared my son half to death and instructed him to tell me to come here."

Eponine didn't have to answer Marius because Enjolras came out of his study. His face was emotionless, almost like stone, but he was obviously fighting back irritation.

"Marius," he said with a bit of bitterness in his tone.

"Enjolras," he replied flatly.

To Marius, Enjolras and Eponine still looked the way they did all those years ago. Eponine still had dark, wavy hair that fell down her back and golden brown eyes. A few lines were etched on her face and some of her hair was greying, but that was the only sign on aging. Enjolras had more lines on his face than Eponine, but his hair was still a mass of golden curls, and his blue eyes were as piercing as ever.

The two men stared at each other for a moment before Enjolras finally spoke in a biting tone, "Let's talk, Marius."

He turned, disappearing into his study again, and Marius followed. Eponine and Libertè went to the living area to wait, which was the room right next to the study. They sat quietly reading, Eponine straining to hear what the men were talking about. Eponine didn't have to strain to hear for long because they started to scream at each other. They couldn't understand everything the two men were yelling, but they could make out some things. Enjolras was yelling things like, "coward", "gutless imbicile", and "disgrace to the people." Marius could be heard yelling back phrases such as, "best decision for my family", and "for my family's protection." As Enjolras's slurs continued, Marius resorted to yelling things like, "pompous", and "arrogant fool who likes hearing himself talk." This only infuriated Enjolras even more, and he got even louder, screaming at the top of his lungs even more slurs and a few obscenities at Marius. Eponine cringed and looked at her daughter, who had stopped reading. She had a shocked look on her face and looked a bit frightened. Eponine had heard Enjolras yell before, but Libertè hadn't, and Eponine knew why. Many years prior, before they were married, Enjolras had raised his voice at Eponine, and she ran off, leaving him for a week. Eventually, she went back to him, and they made amends. Ever since then, Eponine hadn't heard Enjolras raise his voice out of anger at all, especially not at her or their children.

"Libby, why don't you wait in your room?" Eponine suggested as the yelling continued.

She nodded and left the room quickly. Eponine sat listening for a little while longer as the men's voices quieted. Eventually, she decided that she'd make some tea and on the way back from the kitchen, Marius emerged from the study. His face was red, and he still looked a bit angry.

"It was wonderful seeing you, Eponine. I've truly missed you. It was nice to meet Libertè as well," he said, hugging her.

"I'm glad I got to see you again as well, Marius. Tell Cosette hello for me, please. Will you be back?"

"I don't know," he said quietly.

Eponine nodded in understanding, and then he was gone. She made her way to the study and saw Enjolras sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. She placed a cup of tea on the desk and walked around behind him, resting her hands on his tense shoulders.

"What happened?" she whispered.

He shook his head, "I'm assuming you heard most of it."

"A lot, but not all of it."

He straightened and turned to face her.

"When we weren't screaming at each other, I was trying to get some answers for why he left and didn't come back for almost eighteen years. I wanted to know why he abandoned the cause and country. Of course, he said it was to protect his family, but I just can't accept that. Eponine, I would do anything, anything, to make sure you, Libertè, Gavroche, and Jolie were safe. No matter what, I would protect you, and when we did have to fight in the rebellion, I made sure you and Libertè were protected. Marius could've found a better way, other than fleeing the country. He wasn't fully invested in the cause, and I'm beginning to think he never was," Enjolras said.

Eponine rested a hand on his cheek, "I know. He thinks much differently that you, Enjolras. I know that him leaving hurt, and he betrayed you and the cause, but you've got to let it go. It was years ago, love," she said softly.

"I don't know if I can, 'Ponine."

"Did you two talk about Libertè and George?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

He nodded, "Apparently, he knew that George was seeing someone, but he was surprised to find out who she was. It shocked both of us, I guess."

"What are we going to do about all this?" she sighed.

Enjolras sat back in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face, thinking for a moment. Eponine moved to sit in a chair across from his desk.

"Well, I can't exactly keep her from seeing him, can I? I mean, I could, but she would only rebel. She'd find a way around it. My parents' disapproval never stopped me from doing something I set my mind on. Of course, she'd probably stop seeing him if we were disappointed in her, but we're not. That would only make her miserable anyway. I guess I just need to talk to her about this George. Then, we should talk to George," he said.

"Alright. She's in her room. I sent her there when things got really heated between you and Marius. She seemed a bit shocked."

Enjolras cringed, "How much did she hear?"

"Not as much as I did, but enough," she replied.

"OK. I'll go talk to her, then."

Enjolras got up and left the room, quickly kissing Eponine before doing so. He walked to Libertè's room and eased the door open, seeing her sitting on her bed with a book. When she saw him, she tried to discreetly wipe a tear from her eye, but he saw it anyway. He stepped into the room the rest of the way, shutting the door behind him.

"Can we talk?"

"About what?" she grumbled.

"George."

"Are you going to let me see him again?" she asked quietly.

He sighed, "I don't know yet. I'm still thinking about that."

Libertè's eyes welled with tears, and she let her emotions get the best of her.

"It's because of his father, isn't it? You don't like him, so you don't want me seeing his son. You don't really care about how I feel about all this!" she snapped.

The comment angered him because she didn't know what it was like to have parents who didn't care.

"You have absolutely no idea what having parents who don't care is like," he said sharply.

She looked up at him, but immediately looked away when she saw the look on her father's face. It was the look he gave her whenever she did something that upset or disappointed him, and it struck her deep into her core. When she was little, she was hardly ever scolded because that look alone would send her to tears.

"I didn't mean that," she muttered quietly.

He sighed and sat down beside her on the bed.

"Libby, your mother and I most certainly care about your feelings in all this. It is because we care about you that we are thinking this through. I meant what I said when I said you don't know what it's like to have parents who don't care. Your mother and I both grew up with parents like that. You saying that made me realize that you don't know a lot about mine or you mother's pasts."

She wiped another tear away and looked up at him, "What do you mean? Grandmother cared about you."

"Well, she was the only one. My father thought I was a disappointment. When I wouldn't give up on my revolutionary ideas, my father had enough. He disowned me and kicked me out, even though I was his only child. My mother begged him not to do it, but what my father said was final. No one ever challenged what he said. So he kicked me out, and I didn't see my mother for years. She secretly wrote to me and sent me money, but I didn't get to actually see her until my father died. I had it was better than your mother. She grew up incredibly poor with parents who were innkeepers. They were awful people who stole and cheated. Her parents even kicked out your mother's younger brother, Gavroche, the one your brother is named after, when he was a very young boy. Her father had a gang, which Montparnasse was a part of. They went around robbing and murdering. In fact, George's mother lived with your mother for a short time because her mother couldn't care for her. They treated her like a slave. Once she left, they began to treat your mother like a slave. Her father forced her to participate in his awful deeds, and if she refused, he would beat her senseless. When I first got to know your mother, she owned maybe two dresses that were full of holes, she was dangerously skinny, and she hardly got a bath. She couldn't read or write, and she was one of the bravest people I've ever met, even though she was afraid of her father and Montparnasse. After the barricades, she refused to return to her parents' inn. When your mother and I got engaged, her father found out accidentally, and he forced her to go back to the inn. When I went to get her out of there, I walked in on him beating her until she was unconscious. She almost died. Her father went to prison shortly after that and we married," he finished explaining.

Libertè looked up at him with wide eyes, "I can't believe it. I had no idea. I'm sorry I said that about you not caring. I know you do. I just let my emotions get the best of me."

"I know. It's alright. It just hit me that you really knew nothing about our pasts, especially your mother's, and I thought you needed to know."

They were silent for a moment, and then Libertè turned back to her father.

"What about George?" she asked quietly.

"You really like him, don't you?" he asked.

Libertè bit her lip and blushed a bit, "Yes, Papa."

Enjolras ran a hand through his hair. He knew this day was coming, but that didn't mean he was ready for it.

"You can still see him, but I want him to have a long talk with your mother and I," he sighed.

"Thank you," she smiled, hugging his neck.

She pulled away and looked at him with hesitancy in her eyes.

"What is it, Libby?"

"I was wondering if you might could at least try to get along with Monsieur Marius again? For me and George?" she asked.

He looked at her for a moment, and then half-smiled, "I'll try."

"Thank you," she said again.

"It's late. You should get some sleep," Enjolras said, standing up.

"Goodnight, Papa."

"Goodnight, Libby," he replied before leaving the room.

As Enjolras made his way to his bedroom, he realized that Eponine was right. The day had come where Libertè found someone who made her happy. He saw it in her eyes. And just as Eponine said, he melted. He knew that not only Libertè's world would be turned upside down, but so would his and Eponine's. It was going to be very hard to let go of his first born, his little girl, but he was going to have to deal with it. He stepped into the bedroom to find Eponine in her robe and brushing her hair. He shut the door, but didn't move any further into the room.

"You were right. I gave. I completely melted," he said, a bit exasperated, and he began to loosen his cravat and collar.

Eponine laughed and got up. She snaked her arms around his waist, and he rested his hand on his hips.

"I knew you would," she smiled and stood up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips.

As soon as she broke the kiss, he swept her up into his arms and gently placed her on the bed.

"So what all did you talk to her about?" she asked as she watched him get ready for bed.

He undressed and slipped under the covers, propping up on his elbow. He began to tell her what all he said, including the conversation about their pasts. Eventually, Eponine's eyelids began to droop, so Enjolras turned out the light and moved close to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she relaxed, sighing into his chest.

"Goodnight, 'Ponine," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Goodnight, Enjolras," she said sleepily.

In the darkness, Eponine sat up a bit and placed another kiss on his lips before settling back down into Enjolras's arms.

Author's Note: Hello readers! Sorry it's been a little long, but things have been pretty crazy as my school year is coming to a close. This is the longest chapter yet! Almost 4,000 words! I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, so reviews would be greatly appreciated. I really want to know what you guys are thinking. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading. Please review!