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Chapter 4

Eponine walked into Café Musain the next day, consciously covering her bruises. The men were all invested in their conversations and debates, and the few that noticed her gave her large smiles and a quick bow before continuing their conversation. She looked through the crowd and her eyes fell onto Gavroche smiling widely at the drunken man. As Grantaire continued to slur, he would receive swift disapproving glares from the stoic man surrounded by papers and books next to him. Eponine smiled to herself at the sight and quickly made her way to the table.

She bowed her head politely to both Enjolras, who gave her a curt nod in return, letting his eyes linger on her for but a moment before turning back to his books, and Grantaire who smiled broadly at her, "Mademoiselle, it seems that we have gotten off on the wrong foot. Being graced with your beauty the other night seemed to take hold of my actions, for I seemed unable to control what I was saying, or where my hands seemed to be going." He laughed as his eyes scanned her body.

"You seem to be quite the charmer. I could only assume you have the ladies weak at the knees and falling to your feet. Or is that what you do?" She retorted with a devilish smile spread across her face as she glanced at his almost empty whiskey bottle.

"I like you," he declared, "You have got a bite to you. I can only hope you're the same in all areas of exchange."

"Grantaire, that is enough!" said Enjolras in a calm yet stern and threatening voice. Eponine laughed lightly.

"I only jest!" Grantaire said looking up at Eponine, "This one can take it. I believe we will come to be good friends," he said taking her hand and planting a light kiss on it. He took his last swig of whiskey, "Well I must get more of this! Eponine, I truly hope to make your acquaintance again." With that, he nodded to Enjolras and gave Gavroche an affectionate pat and left.

"I apologize for his actions, Mademoiselle," Enjolras said without looking up from his book to Eponine.

"I am no lady, so I cannot be tousled by words easily. Though his humor is a bit, invasive I think I can learn to enjoy it." She said earning a light glare from Enjolras, but she couldn't help but notice a very underlying look to his glare. He seemed almost impressed.

She quickly thought that she must be mistaken, because there was no possibility that the well-spoken leader of the rebellion could be impressed with a common street rat such as herself.

But of course, she had sold herself short for Enjolras was impressed. Not many women could make it through a conversation with Grantaire without getting extremely offended or preaching to him about the proper way to treat a lady. But, Eponine was not the same. She could not only take a joke, no matter how vulgar it might be, but also give it right back. And it was that, that impressed Enjolras. She was not your typical woman.

She turned to Gavroche and revealed a small piece of bread that was the size of her palm, "Look what I managed to swipe for you," she said with a large grin on her face as she watched his eyes light up.

Suddenly his eyes fell on the bruises that had sprouted on her arm. Instead of going for the bread, he gently pulled her arm out to examine it further. "This doesn't look like Father's work, it's too sloppily done." He stated in a factual manner. He looked up at her noticing the bruise on her cheekbone and pointed at it saying, "That does, though. If that was Father's handiwork, who got a hold of you here?"

Eponine sighed and said, "Montparnasse. I had a bit of a run-in with him while I was going home."

The way the siblings were discussing the abuse was so indifferent it shocked Enjolras who had paused his reading to listen. It was as if the two were talking about the weather outside and not mistreatment.

"He didn't…" Gavroche started.

Eponine glanced wide-eyed at Enjolras who pretended to be very invested in his book before she quickly cut him off saying, "Nah, got away before the bastard could think twice."

Gavroche let out a relieved sigh, "Good. They don't seem too rough. But, Joly is a medical student, he could check you over, if you'd like. I want to make sure you're okay."

Eponine quickly shook her head, but before she could refuse Gavroche was already calling Joly over.

The man quickly scurried over, "What do you need, Gav?"

Gavroche pointed to Eponine and said, "She's got some bruises if you wouldn't mind checking them out for her."

"Well not at all! Care to tell me what happened?" He asked gently taking her bruised and battered arms to look them over.

"I fell," she lied and she heard Gavroche scoff in response. Joly seemed to notice too, "But I really don't need this. I'm fine, I've survived much worse than bruises. I do not need your charity, Monsieur." She stated, ignoring Gavroche's scoff and getting genuinely annoyed her brother for making her seem like a charity case. She was a strong person, she did not need the help of the bourgeois men.

"It is not charity, Eponine," He said, remembering she asked him to call her that, "If anything it is a great help to me. I'm a training medical student, you see, and I need all the practice I can get!"

She eyed him for a moment before saying, "Very well."

After that day, it became a routine for her and Joly. She would come in with new injuries that ranged from moderate to worrisome. Joly would check her over asking her what happened. Eponine would lie and say that she fell, while Gavroche would tell Joly the truth when Eponine was out of earshot. Joly would give the same diagnosis every time he checked her over, "Not deadly, but it would do you well to get some rest and let yourself heal." To which Eponine would respond with a smile and a promise that she would, appearing the next day with new bruises.

The other men began to notice too. These injuries did no less than to make them worry about their insightful gamine who had snuck her way into their hearts in the similar way her brother did. During the meetings, she was always there to provide witty and sarcastic remarks that would amuse the men. They became unafraid to tease and pester her for she was always willing to reciprocate the treatment. She had a personalized and caring relationship with every one of them; she had even managed to steal a few smiles from Enjolras on occasion.

Grantaire and she had an unspeakable bond where one could start a joke and the other would immediately catch on, playing off each other perfectly without much more than a single glance to verify that the game had begun. Joly had asserted himself in an almost fatherly figure in her life. He was constantly fretting over her well being and worrying about her every time she wasn't in his presence. Courfeyrac was always there to put a smile on her face by offering her kind words and gestures. He would listen to her, without judgment and would always offer her insightful advice. She would now show up without Marius to escort her and stay late.

One night, she had decided to go back the Café Musain after she had to leave quickly only just remembering her father needed her for his schemes. She walked in to find a passed out Grantaire, and Enjolras, who bent over his papers with what seemed to be a permanent scowl on his face. She walked over to Enjolras and stood over him gently picking up one of the papers to examine it. "It seems you never stop to sleep or eat, Monsieur," she stated as she sat down next to him.

He looked up at her then went back to his papers, "Not until my Patria is free, Mademoiselle."

"I am no Mademoiselle," she said smirking at their ongoing battle of titles.

"Then I am no Monsieur," he stated quickly returning her smirk, looking up at her then grimacing at the sight of a long cut that ran along her cheek.

She noticed, "You men look at me as if I have four heads and not some silly little bruises and cuts."

"Well, we men are not used to this treatment of women, and let alone someone's own daughter," he stated harshly feeling appalled by the living conditions Eponine was forced to endure every day.

"Well, that proves it," she said as if she was talking to herself.

Enjolras looked up from his book surprised, "Proves what?"

"That you do not know the people of the slums very well nor visit there very often," she said looking into his eyes, challenging him to disagree with her.

Though Eponine had become an active member of the Les Amis, he never got the chance to discuss her opinions on the revolution personally. He would hear her comments but he never seemed to be able to get her alone enough to really hear her full opinion. Every time he managed to find her, he would look away for a split second and she'd be gone. He had always compared her to the wind, rushing past you and filling you with sensation for the fleeting moment then was gone. And here they were, virtually alone and Enjolras could not help but take advantage of the moment. "I know that the children are starving, the men are out of work, the mothers and women are being forced to degrade themselves in order to survive. I know the government has turned a blind eye to the tragedy that is taking place on the streets every minute of every day. I know that the government does not care about these helpless people and they need someone to fight for not only their rights, but their lives as well!" he spoke looking up from his work and at her intently, "So tell me, Mademoiselle," he laced the title with an underlying tone of mockery, "What is it I do not understand?"

She seemed taken aback for a moment, then she looked into his deep, blue eyes that were partially hidden by his blonde curls as if the competition was truly speaking through their eyes and exclaimed, "You have forgot that not all of my people are victims. Yes, we are victims of circumstance but that does always not justify our actions! There are wicked people in the slums, Monsieur, more than not! You have forgotten that the children are starving from being abandoned by their parents and said protectors. You have forgotten that the men and husbands are out of work because they are too busy having affairs with prostitutes and drinking away all of the family's savings making the children starve! You have forgotten, Monsieur, that it is also the fathers and mothers that force their daughter to sell herself on the street when she doesn't make enough money from pick-pocketing! You have forgotten that if the child were to refuse selling herself she would get a beating leaving her on the brink of death. The government is not the only thing corrupted in this country, but humanity itself,"

For the first time she realized there were tears streaming down her face. She realized that she was not only talking about what she had observed in the slums, but also her own miserable life. Enjolras stared at Eponine wide-eyed with his eyes filled with sadness and pity, his mouth slightly ajar as he slowly reached and took her hand, as an attempt to comfort her.

She pulled her hand away, wiping her eyes and straightening her back, "The people will not rise."

Enjolras seemed to gain control of himself at that comment. He had returned himself to his distant and statuesque nature for his face hardened as he said, "I do not deny that the stories you tell are true. I have seen them myself. But, you deny and frankly, refuse to see the goodness in humanity. I have seen the tragedies brought on by not only the government, but the people themselves. I have also seen the good. I have seen mothers starve so that their children can eat. I have seen fathers work long hours so they are able to care for their family and put food on the table. Food that they, themselves do not touch. I have seen the poor pray for their fellow poor men, and not themselves. I have seen bourgeois children play with the children of slums in a pure, innocent, and genuine fashion, completely ignorant to the social constructs society has made. I do not deny there is evil in the world that lies outside of the confines of the government. I also, do not deny the good and the righteous. Are you suggesting that just because there is evil in the world, in this country, that there should not be someone to stand up for the population, because a part of it is corrupt? Are you suggesting that we let the good suffer because an evil may be lurking outside their door? Perhaps the older generation is bent beyond repair, but when I see those children of different classes getting along, treating each other as equals, I see hope. And I am one to fight for hope, Mademoiselle, not turn a blind eye to it. It saddens me that you cannot see it. That what has happened to you throughout your life has blinded you, because it truly is beautiful. I hope that not only I, but the entire Les Amis de l'ABC, can help you regain your sight."

After that, both just sat next to each other, inches away from one another, and just looked. Both unwilling and unable to speak another word, afraid to break the trance that had wrapped around the two bodies and both not quite knowing how to.

"'Ponine!" they heard as they jumped and moved apart looking at the door as a love-struck Marius ran in, "There you are! I have been searching for you everywhere. You must take me to Cosette."

Enjolras couldn't help but feel anger towards his friend. He had just told Eponine that he and the men would help her find her way out of this darkness that seemed to engulf her, choking out whatever light she tried to hold on to. And yet, there was Marius, slowly sprinkling more dread on her back, patiently waiting for it to break as if he was in a daze, completely unaware of his actions.

Eponine nodded and got up from her chair and followed Marius out the door. Just before she exited, she turned to meet the gaze that was resting on her back. In that moment, both realized they had developed an unfathomably large amount of respect for one another, shared by silence, for it was too complex to speak aloud.