Sorry for the longer wait… Exam period is upon me!
This chapter is mostly dialogue, I have to admit, but I feel that it is important.
"What? No? I can't" Eponine gasped, biting her lip. "Courfeyrac, my papa will be angry, very angry, if he finds me…"
"He won't, I won't let it happen. I protect Gavroche and I will protect you also" Courfeyrac said handing her a handkerchief. "Please Eponine; let me do this for you"
"I can't come into your home as if it is my own, especially without Marius' permission. Um, could I stay here?" She asked wiping her eyes
"Of course, I will arrange it with the owner" Combeferre said with a soft smile. "It may be better, as if your father was to see you with Courfeyrac, he would recognise him from when we went to get Gavroche, same with me. We will have to tell everyone to keep an eye out for you. If your father was to put in an appearance, it would be you and Gavroche in danger"
"I will prevent the danger" Courfeyrac said strongly. "It will be alright". Extending a hand, he smiled to Eponine. "Now, Mademoiselle Eponine, will you accompany me to talk to this brother of yours. We need to get a smile on his little face"
Eponine let out a watery giggle and nodded, slowly taking his hand. His smile, large and cheeky, made her heart soar unlike anything before. "Yes" She breathed "He needs to laugh"
With a smile, Courfeyrac gave her hand a squeeze and led her back through to the main room whilst Combeferre went to talk to the café owner. Gavroche had gone back to sleep, curled up small on the bench in the corner, his warm deep red blanket covering him from toes to chin. Courfeyrac smiled softly, bending down to kiss his head. "It seems a shame to wake him but we need to talk to him" He whispered
"Yes, I feel terrible that I scared him. I shouldn't have made him promise to keep the secret" Eponine sighed "I was mean to him by doing that; he wanted me to say, like he was trying to look after me instead of the other way round"
"It's alright Eponine; I understand why you did it. You didn't know that he would react like this, but we can sort it now" Courfeyrac smiled as he sat down carefully and rubbed a gentle hand over Gavroche's shoulder to wake him. "I don't believe that he is angry at you, and I am not angry at you"
"Courf?" Gavroche said sleepily as he opened his eyes and turned to face him. " 'Ponine?"
"Hey little one" Eponine smiled sitting beside him and stroking his hair "Listen, I'm sorry 'Roche"
"Sorry? What for" He yawned sitting up and wiping his eyes free of sleep as he moved to lean against Courfeyrac's side.
"The secret" She sighed sitting close beside him. She understood why Gavroche chose to sit against Courfeyrac rather than her. She scared him with her secret. Courfeyrac was perfect to him, no secrets, they were best friends.
"Yes" Courfeyrac said, wrapping an arm around the boy and moving him onto his lap. "We are sorry we woke you up petit, you are still such a sleepy head. We have to talk to you"
Gavroche nodded, resting his head on Courfeyrac's shoulder and nestling against his neck as he reached across to hold Eponine's hand. "About the secret, but I promised Courf"
"I know you promised, and that makes you a very honourable and loyal little sir but this is important. It isn't a secret anymore, Eponine told us, told me and Combeferre" Courfeyrac replied kissing the boy's head.
"You did 'Ponine, but you said you wouldn't" Gavroche said staring at her. "Merci Eponine, I didn't like the secret"
Eponine nodded stroking her thumb over his tiny hand. "Keeping it a secret was scaring you, it was making you sick"
"Yes, I didn't want to tell anyone anything so I thought it better to stay quiet" He nodded "But you know now, right Courf?"
"Correct petit frère, it's going to be alright. Eponine has agreed to let us tell everyone and we all going to work together to protect her and protect you" Courfeyrac said letting Gavroche rest against his chest. "She is going to stay here so that Montparnasse and your papa can't hurt her at home. If they come here, there will be plenty of people to protect the both of you"
"What if? What if they know who you and Combeferre and Enjolras are? He will remember you all?" Gavroche said worriedly, snuggling closer to the young man's warm body.
"If they come, I will get Marius to take you and Eponine here home, so that you will be safe" Courfeyrac said stroking his hair to relax him.
He nodded. "I'm glad you told 'Ponine, it better that way, everyone will look after everyone else"
Eponine smiled. "You are a very special kid Gavroche, you know that" She smiled. "So brave and loyal, I love you petit frère"
"Love you 'Ponine" the child yawned "Courf, I'm still tired"
"I know ami, you were awake all night, that's why" Courfeyrac smiled. "Before you sleep, I just need you to promise that if anything is bothering you again, you come and see me understand?"
"Oui" Gavroche nodded, resting against him and letting his eyes close. "I promise"
"Good boy" Courfeyrac smiled looking across at Eponine as he felt the boy's body quickly relax into sleep.
"Merci Courfeyrac, for looking after him the way that you do. He trusts you with his life, I can tell" Eponine smiled adjusting the blanket over the sleeping boy. "He loves you"
"I love him, he really is my best friend. I like looking after him, we like each other's company" Courfeyrac smiled leaning back against the wall so that Gavroche would be more comfortable laying asleep on his chest.
"I'm glad to see him so comfortable with you, and that he isn't living out on the streets anymore. I can't believe you let him move into your home" Eponine smiled sitting beside him
"I had a room to spare ,Marius didn't mind and I wanted to keep him safe, so it seemed like a good idea. He likes it, even though he spends most of the nights in my room. I don't think he likes to be alone"
"He feels safe with you that's why" Eponine giggled. "You're good to him, better than others have been in the past"
Courfeyrac smiled, looking at the sleeping little boy. He had to admit that it felt good to have someone who needed him and felt safe with him. Kissing Gavroche's forehead, he sighed in relaxation. "We'll be fine, the revolution will come and if all goes well, I will raise him in a better society. Maybe I could get him into school"
And there we go, we had to bring in Courfeyrac's hopes for the future with Gavroche although we all know what happens…
Please review, and feel free to give me anymore ideas and feedback