Chapter 13!

This is where the drama starts to build again, the patron-minette are causing trouble for Eponine and the revolution is approaching …

Enjoy!

Eponine winced, holding a dirty rag to her bleeding lip. A bruise covered her left shoulder to her collarbone and her cheek was starting to swell from the cut that run from just below her eye to the corner of her lip. She had been fine until Montparnasse had arrived. Her father had been continuing his usual beatings, kicking her and smashing bottles over her, but she could handle that. Thenardiar, of course, was not aware that Eponine knew about him holding her brother hostage or that she even knew that Gavroche was still alive. She kept that her secret, for Gavroche's safety. Her brother was truly safe for the first time in his life, living with Courfeyrac and Marius. She was thankful for that.

When Montparnasse had arrived, looking for his girl of the night as he called her, Eponine had tried to run. She hated the young man, he treated her like dirt and like she was a willing lady of the night. She wasn't willing in any meaning of the word. As she run, Montparnasse had grabbed her by the shoulder, slamming her against the wall and pressing his knife to her cheek. She had closed her eyes, wishing herself away to safety. She could imagine living with Marius, having him love her and treat her like royalty. She could live there in happiness in her dreams, having Marius at her side and knowing that Gavroche was only down the corridor in the comfort of his own bedroom and having Courfeyrac to look after him. She was happy in her imagination.

When it was over, Montparnasse had left the run down slum house in a fury, leaving to join the patron-minette out on the streets. Eponine used the cleanest of the rags she could join to clean the blood from her body. She wanted nothing more than to run to the café. She could sit and admire Marius as she often did and see Gavroche. He was beginning to recover, walking better now. But she also knew that he never slept through the night. Getting herself as clean as she could, she snuck out of the broken window at the back of the house.

She walked quickly, nervously looking around for any members of the patron-minette. She felt weak and sick to her stomach, feeling her legs shake below her. Getting to the café, seeing Marius and wrapping her arms around her little brother were the only joys she had. It was all that mattered to her. As she walked, looking at her bare feet below the tatters of her ragged dress, she heard a laugh that made her heart soar. Surprisingly to her emotions, that laughter did not belong to Marius, nor did it belong to Gavroche. The laughter rather belonged to Courfeyrac. Looking up, she smiled brightly at the sight. Walking not far ahead of her, his direction obviously to the café, was Courfeyrac. He walked with a slight spring in his step, holding Gavroche on his shoulders. The boy had his hands on his knees as Courfeyrac held his legs, keeping his safe on his shoulders. Gavroche also had Courfeyrac's top hat perched on top of his mass of blonde curls.

Eponine was not sure why the sound of Courfeyrac's laughter had made her heart soar in the way that it had. Perhaps it was because she knew that wherever Courfeyrac was, Gavroche would be there too and it was the excitement of seeing her little brother that made her feel that way. Or perhaps she had taken a strong liking to the young man who had saved her brother's life and cared so greatly for him. Shaking her head free of these complex thoughts, Eponine walked as fast as she could to catch up with them. "Monsieur Courfeyrac! Gavroche!" She called.

"Hey 'Ponine" Gavroche smiled brightly turning his head to see her as she approached. His smile fell when he saw the bruises and the cut.

Courfeyrac turned to face the young girl, he too staring at the injuries. "Mademoiselle Eponine…What happened?" He asked putting a gentle hand under her chin and turning her face from side to side to inspect the cut and bruise.

Eponine gave a nervous laugh, brushing his hand away. "I took a fall whilst working down by the factories" She said. "It doesn't 'urt, is but a scratch". Gavroche stared at her, not convinced, looking at her with a serious look in his eyes and a pout on his lips. Eponine returned the look, putting on a smile at the look on his little face. "Gavroche, don't you look at me like that you cheeky boy! You know how clumsy I am" She said with a giggle. She was used to lying to cover up her injuries, even Marius didn't really know what happened when she went home.

Courfeyrac sighed carefully lifting Gavroche down from his shoulders. "It looks like more than a scratch dear Mademoiselle, let Joly or Combeferre take a look at it" He said

"If it will make you stop calling me mademoiselle, I shall" She said "Look at me in my rags and tatters, I ain't no mademoiselle like you see walking in the Luxembourg. Call me Eponine, 'Ponine if you wish. You are raising my brother, there's no need for all these formalities"

"Then you must call me Courfeyrac, or Fey like Les Amis do, or Courf like 'Roche does" Courfeyrac smiled slowly continuing to walk with Gavroche close at his side. "Eponine, you coming?"

Eponine nodded stepping beside them and taking Gavroche's hand, running her thumb over his knuckles. He stared up at her for a moment, his young eyes wide with so much understanding there, too much understanding of pain and cruelty for someone of his age. He knew, she knew he did. "Come on 'Roche, I would carry you petit but you're too heavy for me" She said holding his hand tightly as they walked together.

As soon as they arrived at the café, Courfeyrac got Combeferre to tend to Eponine, fully believing her little story about falling at work. Gavroche, on the other hand, was silent. Normally, upon arriving at the café, he would sit with Courfeyrac playing cards until the meeting began. But now with his best friend helping sooth Eponine's injury, he slowly climbed up to sit by the window, staring out at the street below. He could imagine the scene, too well in fact, of his father or the people who worked for him. Tall and strong young men that towered over Eponine's petite frame. He shook involuntarily and brought his knees up slowly, resting his head on his knees, trying to ignore the pain it was causing his back and ribs.

"Use the side room to clean yourself up Eponine, it looks like you tried to clean this with dirty rags" Courfeyrac said with a comforting smile once Combeferre had checked her wounds. The young doctor did not look convinced of her story but tried to brush of the temptation to mention it.

When Eponine returned into the main room, she walked to Courfeyrac who was trying to get Gavroche to talk to him. He held the little boy in his arms, stroking his hair. "What is wrong with you tonight, are you in pain?" He asked. The little boy nodded. It wasn't an exact lie, his protective position had been painful.

"Petit frère, your recovery will take time" Eponine whispered kissing his head.

Gavroche nodded once more, leaning his head back to look at Courfeyrac. "You have to go to the meeting Courf, I'll stay with 'Ponine" He whispered.

Courfeyrac nodded and kissed his forehead, sitting him with Eponine. "Yes, than I shall take you home, you need to rest" He said, slowly moving to the table for the meeting, shaking the thoughts away that something was really bothering Gavroche.

"Papa did it didn't he?" Gavroche whispered leaning against Eponine's chest as she hugged him close. "Tell Courf, he'll help you"

"I can't tell nobody, and neither can you 'Roche" Eponine side holding him close. "Papa can't know anything; he doesn't know I know you are alive. He thinks I know nothing. And it wasn't Papa, it was Montparnasse. You wouldn't remember him"

Gavroche did remember him. The young man had always been a bully, even when they were small children. "But 'Ponine, they hurt you, please 'Ponine tell Courf, or Combeferre, or Enjolras or Marius"

"No, I won't tell anyone, especially not Marius" Eponine said. "And you can not tell anyone either, you promise me Gavroche Thenardiar, this is our secret"

With tears in his eyes, Gavroche nodded, falling against her chest and throwing his arms around her. "I promise, if you stay away from Papa, and Montparnasse and everyone else Papa works with"

"I shall 'Roche, I'll try for you" Eponine sighed kissing his head. "Don't cry please, you'll make me cry"

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave reviews with any suggestions and just general comments; they make me want to keep writing

Thankyou