A/N: Sorry for not updating, I've been too tired lately :/ But thank you for your reviews-just thought I'd say, they don't go unnoticed! This chapter's a little depressing and sorry if it's just a gap filler.
Chapter Twelve: Bitterly Cold Months
Éponine's parents apologised for how they'd treated the girls-but only Madame Thenardier meant it. They'd moved out of Montparnasse's place, but Thenardier still insisted to be friends and continue doing robberies with his 'gang.'
Éponine went back to her family, mostly because of Azelma. Both visited the theatre a lot, Azelma enjoying her time with Jaques. Éponine was more sad, and the new-found light was fading from her eyes a little. She wasn't seeing Marius anymore; he'd forgotten about her.
As the months passed, they were still out on the streets. Winter was bitterly cold, as Éponine and Azelma huddled under a bridge. Their parents also huddled, not bickering constantly for the first time in years. Azelma cried as the cold hurt so much.
Éponine stared into the water. She was used to cold, but this weather was agonising. Marius would have kept her warm...yet he didn't care anymore.
Should I jump in? Drown myself? It's too cold...I have nothing to live for. No, the water will be worse than this. I'll brave it, I must do for 'Zelma. Eponine's thoughts were sombre lately.
At Christmas, an elderly rich pair found the family huddled in the cold. They decided to give them 20 francs to rent themselves a home for the winter, thinking it would be family went in search of an apartment, and for once everyone was humble. They asked around for places, until somebody pointed to a house on the street they were on. "That's the Gorbeau Apartment. You can rent a room there." Somebody told them. Thanking the person, they headed inside the house.
Their room was dingy and dull, with one bed and a threadbare seat, but at least they had a fireplace. Dust and dirt covered the floor, and the corner became full of alcohol-bottle storage and tobacco storage. ...
It turned out it would cost them 40 francs for rent. In despair, they saw they only had ten, after twenty had been spent. Thenardier, back to his usual self, tried bargaining into having 'extra time' to 'earn' money to pay rent. The owner of the house, Madame Bourgon, wouldn't hear of it.
Just before she was about to turn them out, a young gentleman living in the room next door had come up the stairs.
"Madame, I will pay their rent for them." He handed the rest of the money they needed over.
Éponine recognised that well-spoken voice from somewhere, she was sure of it. More than she had been sure of anything in the dreariness of the past few months.
Éponine and Azelma headed to the theatre, like they'd done months before. They reached the door, and knocked. It was answered by a man who they vaguely recognised as Jaques brother, who's name they'd forgotten long ago. "Yes?" He sounded weary.
"We came to visit." Azelma replied.
"Oh, it's you. Jaques bird." He said Jaques name bitterly. "We had an argument. I don't know where he is now. I don't particularly give a shit where he is either. Most of the theatre company have broken up, choosing sides in the politics. Daniel became a soldier. Gavroche and Jaques and a few others are part of that rebellious group. So none of your friends are here. Goodday." He shut the door, leaving the girls standing in the snow.
Azelma felt her heart sinking. Where was he? both girls thoughts were interrupted by a shrill whistle. They looked up, seeing Gavroche sat upon a wall.
"Don't look so disappointed now. I have a letter for you, Azelma, from Jaques." He hopped down, and handed her a letter. "I can't talk, I need to go. Bye, Azelma, bye, Ep." Gavroche ran off.
Azelma clutched at her letter, smiling. Jaques still remembered her! The letter told her to meet him secretly as much as she could, so she did so. It was so secret she didn't even tell Éponine. She would, but it would only upset Éponine as that's what she and Marius once did.
One night Éponine returned home from delivering letters for her father. It was the end of January now, but still bitterly cold with snow. She didn't know where Azelma was. She was wearing a pair of old black leather boots, as even her father understood there was no way she could deliver letters in this snow barefoot without her feet becoming frostbitten.
As she headed up the creaky wooden staircase, she passed a familiar young man. He went straight past without seeming to see her. She hadn't paid the young man next door much attention...but she felt a chill and a warm sensation both at once when she recognised who it was.
It was Marius Pontmercy.
And she was still in love with him after so long.