I am not happy with this chapter, but I've been struggling with it for I think nearly a month now, and I just don't want to deal with it any more, and I think you guys have waited long enough for another chapter. I really just want to update. Anyway, happy Barricade Day, mes amis. In celebration, I wore one of my favourite outfits, which is inspired entirely by Eponine. Also, at Music in Motion, which I just got home from, the grade 11/12 music class played two medleys: one from Phantom, and one from Les Mis. They were awesome. I was in the audience as my musical talent doesn't extend past my voice. I got out of there pretty quickly after, though, rather than staying around and dealing with an awkward encounter with one of my guy friends because I kind of screwed things up earlier today, but you probably don't want to hear about the boy troubles of an eighteen year old girl who is graduating in two weeks. And yeah, the end of the school year is indeed my excuse for this poor chapter. So yeah. Just r&r please.

Chapter 16

"Azelma," Eponine whispered as she gazed at her sister. "It is her."

"I thought it might be," Grantaire replied soberly. Eponine flashed the drunk a brief, forced smile.

It really was her sister. The blonde hair was tangled, dirty, and matted with blood, and her scrawny body was pale and bruised beyond recognition, but Eponine would know her sister anywhere, even if she hadn't seen her in several years.

She began to tremble as Joly and Combeferre began to inspect her, looking at Azelma's wounds. Enjolras instantly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

Just then, they heard hurried footsteps, and the door opened, revealing Courfeyrac with Gavroche and Adalina, who looked less confused that Eponine would have expected. Courfeyrac had likely explained what he could to her on the way over.

"'Ponine!" Gavroche exclaimed, running over. "What's going on-" He cut himself off as he saw Azelma's body. "Is that…" his voice trailed off, unable to bring himself to complete his question.

Eponine nodded. "Yes, it's 'Zelma. Grantaire found her."

"Is she…?" Gavroche swallowed, once again unable to finish his question.

Eponine didn't answer, and glanced at the two medical students. Combeferre looked up and met her gaze. His expression was grim. "She's alive, for now at least. But she's been hurt pretty badly."

Without a second thought, Gavroche ran towards Eponine, who quickly knelt down so that her brother could wrap his arms around his neck. Gavroche loved to be independent, but he was still a child.

"Enjolras, you should take Eponine and Gavroche home. They're not going to want to be here for this," Combeferre said, strangely calm. But despite his calm posture and voice, his eyes were full of concern, and Enjolras nodded before leading a reluctant Eponine and Gavroche out.

"Don't worry, you can come back tomorrow," Enjolras told her soothingly as they stepped out onto the street.

"What if she doesn't make it to tomorrow?" Eponine asked, fear in her voice.

"You can't think like that," Enjolras replied, clutching her hand. "You need to be brave, for her sake."

Eponine nodded in response. She suddenly felt exhausted, and she guessed that Enjolras could tell, as he suddenly moved to lift her up, as if he was planning to carry her the rest of the way.

"I'm fine, I can walk," she insisted, suppressing a yawn. "I'm not so sure about Gav though," she added as an afterthought, glancing down at her brother, who appeared to be dragging his feet.

Enjolras nodded without saying anything, and lifted the little gamin up. Gavroche tried to protest weakly, but his voice quickly trailed off into a yawn. Worrying about Azelma had taken all of his energy, it appeared. They remained silent the rest of the way back to Enjolras' flat. Everything had taken longer than they had realised, and it was already dark.

The twins had gone to bed by the time they returned, as had Celeste. Gabriel and his parents, however, were still up, and his mother looked horrified at the sight of them, while his father simply raised an eyebrow, and Gabriel's face held an expression that was a combination of indifference and mild, guarded curiosity.

Without a single question, Enjolras' mother hurried Eponine off to the room she was sharing with Enjolras' sisters, while Enjolras remained with his father and brother, Gavroche now asleep in his arms.

"What happened?" his father asked quietly.

"Grantaire found Eponine's sister. She and Gavroche haven't seen their sister in years." Enjolras took a deep breath before continuing. "Their sister was pretty badly beaten and might die."

His father nodded slowly. "Any idea who might have done it?"

"Their father, probably," Enjolras replied. Gabriel's eyes widened at that, showing actual interest in the conversation at last.

"Their father?" he asked, incredulous.

"Consider yourself lucky that you've never met him," was Enjolras' simple reply. "Anyway, I'd better make sure Gavroche is all right. Eponine and Courfeyrac will both have my head if I don't."

His father nodded, and Gabriel returned to the book that he had been reading. Enjolras sighed and carried Gavroche to the room that his brothers were sharing. He frowned as he glanced around the room. Both beds were in use.

"He can have my bed, Aidan," said a voice from behind him. Enjolras turned his head to see Gabriel behind him. "I can sleep on the floor. He needs the bed more than I do."

Enjolras smiled. "Thank you, Gabriel." His brother simply nodded before leaving to continue reading.

Eponine, meanwhile, was being fussed over by Enjolras' mother.

"Please, madame, I'm fine," she insisted as the older woman panicked over her exhausted, worried state.

"No, you're not, you've clearly been through a traumatic experience-"

"I've seen children die of starvation in the streets, and been shot on a barricade, I'm pretty sure I can deal with my own problems," Eponine replied. That proved to be the wrong thing to say, as Rose then proceeded to fuss even more, hurrying to change Eponine from her dress to a nightgown and brushing her hair out, murmuring what she must have thought were soothing words. If anything, she was just making Eponine feel uncomfortable. Her own mother had never been there for her, and the entire situation was just too unfamiliar. But the feeling of the other woman braiding her hair for her wasn't unpleasant.

Eventually, however, she managed to pull herself away.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to be rude, but I really would like to make sure that my brother is all right," she said apologetically.

"Oh, of course," Rose replied. "Are you feeling better now?"

To her surprise, Eponine realized that she actually was feeling more calm and relaxed. She hadn't realized that it was possible. "I am, actually," she said. "Thank you."

"Anything," Rose said with a smile. "Any woman that's able to gain Aidan's attention is a welcome addition to the family." Enjolras' mother gave her a quick hug before leaving.

Eponine glanced at her reflection in a mirror. She smiled at the girl she saw. Her body was filling out more now that she was eating properly, her face was clean, and her hair was neatly braided, thanks to Enjolras' mother. Perhaps soon Azelma would be the same. With that thought, she left the room and crossed the hall to lean against the doorway as she watched Enjolras carefully tuck her younger brother into bed.

She had never realized that he could be so gentle with another person. Her brother was sleeping peacefully as Enjolras sat on the edge of his bed, pulling the sheets up so that Gavroche was covered. She smiled as she watched Enjolras carefully brush a bit of Gavroche's hair out of his face before standing and facing her.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked her curiously.

"Not long, just a few moments," Eponine replied before walking over to him and allowing him to wrap his arms around her tightly. "How is he?"

"Exhausted. He's been asleep since a few minutes before we got here," Enjolras replied with a small grin as Eponine leaned her head on his chest.

"Your mother's very nice," Eponine murmured.

"Yes, but she's also rather overprotective," Enjolras added with a wry smile.

"Better than my mother. I think your mother might care more about me than my own mother ever did," Eponine replied, half yawning.

"Aidan, where's Adalina?" Rose asked, popping her head in suddenly, not seeming to care at all that Eponine was half asleep in his arms at that moment. "Did she come home with you?"

Enjolras cursed and removed his arms from Eponine's waist. She was quite glad that she wasn't so tired that she couldn't stand up alone, but she still resented the sudden loss of warmth.

His mother, meanwhile, had narrowed her eyes. "Watch your language, Aidan," she warned, her voice suddenly stern. "Now, where is she?"

"Probably still with Courfeyrac," Eponine piped up quickly.

"Courfeyrac? That nice young man who walked her home last night? That's all right then," Rose said before leaving a smirking Eponine and somewhat horrified Enjolras behind her.

"How is that all right?" Enjolras spluttered. "She's with Courfeyrac!"

"Courfeyrac actually seems serious about her, though," Eponine reminded him gently, placing one hand on his shoulder. "He'll be respectful of her."

"He'd better be," Enjolras practically growled.

"I think you're being a tad over-protective of your sister," Eponine commented, trying to supress a yawn.

Enjolras smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I think we need to get you to bed," he murmured.

She simply nodded slightly against his chest.

"Come on, I'll carry you," he said, ignoring her half-hearted protests that she could walk as he lifted her small frame in his arms and carried her across the hall to the room she was currently sharing with his sisters.

He set her down on the bed gently, and pulled the blankets up over her.

"Bon nuit, 'Ponine," he murmured softly, placing a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Could you please stay?" she asked softly. "Just for a little while?"

He sighed before sitting next to her, complying. He couldn't bring himself to leave her. He sat next to her, gently stroking her hair as he waited for her to fall asleep. He didn't have to wait long, unfortunately. Within ten minutes her breathing had slowed, and she was fast asleep. He placed a quick, tender kiss on her forehead before standing and leaving the room to see Adalina happily walking towards him with a ridiculous smile on her face.

"What has you so happy?" he asked, dreading the answer he knew he was going to get.

"Courfeyrac," she replied happily. He decided instantly that he didn't want any more details, so he simply nodded before heading to his own room. So much had changed in so little time. He had fallen in love. With a woman. With Eponine. He couldn't imagine life without her anymore.

And his sister had fallen for Courfeyrac. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around that fact, and wasn't sure he ever would, but he decided that it was probably best to just try to get used to it.

He somehow doubted that he would ever have come to that decision if he hadn't fallen for Eponine. She had changed him somehow, and for some reason, that fact made him happy despite also frightening him. Because he knew, somehow, that she had changed him for the better.