Note to my dear readers: there is one part here that is rather different from the musical and more like the book… I simply changed the fact that Marius knew Eponine saved Cossette and her father from M. Thenardier, since I wanted Eponine to be more "heroic" in a way without Marius knowing. What's fanfic without a little alterations, eh? :D Thanks! From your humble author.
"What's taking him so long?", "Him, late? It's unheard of!" and "Ah, there you are!" greeted Enjolras as he joined his fellow revolutionists, who were sitting on benches scattered in a solitary park. The day was darkening slowly, and the new morning would hold the fates of these brave, young men.
"Are you ready for this, Enjolras?" asked Combeferre, looking at him steadily.
"Of course!" he retorted irritably, "why wouldn't I be?"
The other shrugged. "You don't seem to be in very high spirits as you ought."
Enjolras pondered over the reply, "Why would I be in high spirits when I knew there was a possibility of my dying the very next morning," but he knew that wouldn't be a very encouraging thing to say. So he answered shortly, "I'm thoughtful today."
"Thoughtful?" cried Grantaire, throwing his head back to laugh, "And what might you be thinking of? A lady, p'raps? Do tell!"
Enjolras, who was not quite innocent of the accusation since he had, in fact, been thinking of the miserable Eponine and her whereabouts—Henri and he had seen her defending Marius at the Rue Plumet , but she had been taken by her father before they could go after her—reddened and replied angrily, "What is that to you!"
At that instant footsteps pattered towards them and Enjolras looked up to see young Monsieur Marius approaching.
"Late again, young lover?" said one among the students, perhaps Joly.
Enjolras stamped his foot impatiently. "Are you here to dream and prattle about that girl who lives at the Rue Plumet or to join us in battle?" To tell the truth, he was rather angry with Marius for two reasons, the first being Marius' blind indifference to Eponine's welfare and the second being his own lack of sleep.
Marius turned a ghostly pale, startled by the words he had just heard. His voice was low when he spoke: "How did you know, monsieur, where she lives?"
Again, Enjolras was caught. But, much to his relief, another pair of footsteps was heard and this time, young Eponine herself could be seen, staggering more than walking to one of the benches a bit further from them. Her face was entirely covered by her hood, but Enjolras could see her eyes shining directly at him and he knew she was addressing him.
He was rather reluctant at first, but then remembering Henri's descriptions of her and her own brave sacrifice for the lovers at the Rue Plumet, he stood up with slight eagerness and went across to her bench, wondering what she could want with someone like him.
"What may I do for you, Eponine?" he asked simply, for Henri had told him how she disliked being called mademoiselle.
She looked up, startled by his gentle tone, and her hood fell to her shoulders, revealing a face marred with bruises and dried blood. He gave a quick gasp, but she quickly turned away and lifted her hood over her head once more.
"I am sorry, monsieur, for—"
"Enjolras."
"Enjolras then. It's not a pretty sight, I know. But I had to come to you. I thought, Monsieur Enjolras might know where my little Henri is. I said to myself, 'Yes, I will go and ask him.' Here I am, monsieur—"
"Enjolras."
"Here I am, Enjolras, to ask you."
"Why?"
"Do you know?"
"Yes."
"Where?" said she.
In her excitement she had unconsciously pressed a pathetically thin hand on his own. He did not draw his back. Instead, he held hers up gently, observing it with a sympathetic look that made her redden and try pulling back.
"He is safe in my house," said the man gently, "Do not worry. He will be happy to know you are safe. But let me help you with those wounds. I have a friend who is a doctor over there and will be able to clean them for you. It will only take a moment."
"No, monsieur—Enjolras, I mean—I would rather not," answered the girl, returning his look with one of a frightened deer. It contrasted oddly with that bold glance she had worn during her confrontation with her father and his gang; Enjolras wondered if she was more frightened of a few kind, intelligent students than a pack of ignorant thieves.
"Henri will not be pleased seeing you like this," he insisted. "Come."
Seeing the truth in this, Eponine stood up reluctantly and followed him to the group of laughing young men. Enjolras noted that she moved closer to him as they walked, not daring to touch him but unconsciously facing his direction as they walked, perhaps because of fear for these students who had never before noticed her at the ABC café.
"Do not be afraid," he whispered to her.
"I am not, monsieur," was the bold reply made useless by the lack of confidence in her eyes. She started and moved involuntarily closer to him as a new voice called,
"Who's that, Enjolras?"
It was Marius who had spoken.
"A friend," he answered, and it confused Eponine to hear no reluctance in his voice and only an anger that was directed towards the interrogator. "Remove your hood, Eponine," he whispered to her.
With obvious reluctance on her part, she did as she was told and gasps arose among the other men. Marius stepped forward and looked at her, his face betraying horror. She looked down, and if her face hadn't been dirty as it was now, Enjolras would have seen her color with shame.
"What happened to you, 'Ponine?"
"Nothing, monsieur," she replied, eyes still remaining on the ground.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," after a pause.
"Then can you do something for me?" he persisted to ask. "I will give you whatever you want for it."
"Of course, monsieur," she said, though there was no enthusiasm in her voice this time.
"No, she cannot," interrupted Enjolras firmly, drawing her away from Marius. "She is occupied."
"I am not, monsieur," began Eponine, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"Yes, she is," he continued, staring hard at the young man in front of him. "By the way, Marius, have you decided which path to take?"
Marius looked down, and Eponine, observing something mournful in his eyes, struggled to disengage her hand from Enjolras's. "The lady from the Rue Plumet," Marius began sorrowfully, "is leaving Paris. You know my answer."
"Yes," replied Enjolras softly, for even he could see the man's pure despair. "Come with me, Eponine," said he nevertheless.
"But monsieur—Enjolras—he needs me," she protested.
"I cannot spare you," he said simply. "You have done enough for him, Eponine. Come," and taking her firmly yet gently by the hand, he led her to Joly, who was studying something in a bottle.
"Joly, can you look at this woman's wounds for me?"
"Of course," said the other cheerfully. As he began gently washing the bruises on her cheek, Enjolras began a short interrogation.
"How did this happen?"
"My father."
"Why?"
There was a laugh before the bitter reply: "He isn't really one for mercy, you know."
"That is not what I meant. Why did you save the house on the Rue Plumet?"
She looked up at him suddenly, and there was wonder in her eyes. "How did you know?"
He did not answer.
"It was the right thing to do."
"But if you hadn't warned them, the father would have found the two lovers out, and Marius would be forbidden to see his beloved again, I am sure."
There was a short pause. "Did you see that look in Monsieur Marius's eyes just now?" He nodded. "That was sorrow. Surely even you are familiar with it." Another nod. "I would kill myself before being guilty of giving him that pain, monsieur," she said quietly.
"All done!" cried Joly triumphantly. "The wounds are clean; they'll heal in time. Just make sure not to give them any cause to get infected, yes?"
"Yes, thank you, monsieur."
"The pleasure is mine, mademoiselle!"
"Come, Eponine," said Enjolras, "I'll take you to Henri."
This chapter is kinda pointless, but I wanted to point out the growing friendship between Enjolras and Eponine. Hope I did that okay! Oky-doki, it's time to study French! I wrote this bit in thirty minutes (my break before I start school again!) Hope you enjoyed! :D