-Chapter 12-

Author Note: Things that are provided with "*" will be explained at the end of the chapter! Enjoy reading!

Three weeks had passed since Èponine moved into Cosette's little apartment. Never in her life had she been so glad to have a place to live during the winter. Some days ago it started snowing and the beautiful white snow crystals did their best to cover Paris' grey streets but the sparkling white still wasn't able to cover up the suffering and dying on the streets.

The winter took everything he could get his cold fingers on, not even the crying women on the streets that bemoaned their babies, who froze to death, could make him stop. Èponine caught herself thinking about Gavroche and how he would survive the winter on the streets, but then the cruel reality caught up with her and she remembered with an aching heart that Gavroche wasn't there to see the winter anymore. She imagined him running through the streets, catching snowflakes with his tongue and throwing snowballs at the students. These thoughts brought tears to her eyes and it were those moments that Èponine just wanted to lie down in the snow and sleep forever.

She still didn't have much contact with the students. Cosette visited her two or three times a week and sometimes brought Marius. Sometimes they brought her short letters from the Les Amis and news about new strategies for revolutionary speeches, meetings and plans. The people of Paris suffered more than ever and many people had joined the revolutionaries. The rumours about the government's plan to chase down the revolutionaries had spread across the whole town and the citizens were beside themselves with anger. The thought of revolutionaries being chased down evoked many old memories of the first revolution in the peoples' heads.

Although the Les Amis were excited about the public movements they were still regretting Èponine's absence.

Dear 'Ponine,

more and more people are coming to listen to Enjolras' speeches and of cause he never disappoints them! We are all missing you!

Grantaire stopped drinking, he says that he won't touch a glass of wine again until you come back! We were all making bets about how long he would manage to keep his word but to our all surprise he has been sober for two weeks now… Not that it would raise the spirit.

Joly is going crazy because Musichetta has a cold. You know him: he usually tries to avoid all sorts of viruses, but he cares for her and does everything to make her feel better. Our conclusion: The man really loves her!

Musichetta sends her greetings and says that, if she weren't ill, she would come and kick your ass for letting us wait so long for your return.

We all hope you're fine and think that you shouldn't spend Christmas alone!

-Combeferre-

Èponine was happy that her absence at least had one benefit: Maybe Grantaire would be sober when she returned.

Unfortunately she hadn't seen Enjolras since the night he visited her, but two days ago she found a little packet on her doorstep. It was a redaction of Rousseau's "Discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inégalité parmi les homes"* with a small note that read:

Maybe this helps you changing your opinion about pity and empathy…

E.

Sometimes she was mad at herself because she thought about him so often. 'Too often', she told herself.

It was one week before Christmas when Èponine decided that it was time to finally return to the café. She didn't want to spend the first Christmas and New Year after her brother's death and her departure from her family alone, so she left the small apartment on a Friday afternoon.

The heaven was grey and the clouds were heavy from all the snow. As Èponine walked over the pavement she nearly slipped and had to hold on to the fence of Cosette's small front garden.

She imagined how painfully cold the snow would have felt on her bare feet and was happy that she now possessed white winter boots. Although Èponine wondered why the hell Cosette picked white ones. There was no colour that was more inefficient than white. Especially in winter. But at least they fit to the grey-blue dress, she wore.

It wasn't long until she found herself in the midst of busy Friday afternoon scramble, which filled the streets. To other people Paris might have looked beautiful with its new snow mantle, but Èponine had difficulties not being reminded of previous cold and dark winters not so long ago.

Just as she was about to elude the main street and chose well-known side alleys to reach the café earlier, the familiar silhouette of a young man caught her eye.

It was Courfeyrac, but to Èponine's surprise he was carrying a big suitcase. Now that she took a closer look at the scene she could see a young woman standing beside him. Not an unfamiliar scene, if she considered that Courfeyrac was very influential upon women, but for some reason the woman didn't seem to be under his spell, as all the others had been. And, well that was an unfamiliar sight.

Èponine approached the pair and Courfeyrac's voice reached her ear through the snow flurry.

"And you're sure that you didn't intend to visit or meet me when you came to our flat? Not just a little bit?" Courfeyrac said and Èponine could tell that he was at least doing his best to bewitch her.

"Yes, I am very sure! I didn't even know that you and Grantaire share a flat. All I knew was Grantaire's address! How was I supposed to know that I would find you at his place instead of him?" the woman answered confidently but she avoided eye contact.

"A clever girl like you could have easily found out!" Courfeyrac's attempt to charm the young Mademoiselle made Èponine smile, while the girl only rolled her eyes before she answered in a bittersweet polite voice:

"But clever girls do other things with their skills. So are you going to tell me where to find him?"

"Mademoiselle, not only will I tell you where to find him: I will also escort you there. I don't want to bear the blame if something happens to you, besides I was on my way to the café anyways."

Èponine had to hold back a chuckle. Poor Courfeyrac, this girl seemed to be more intelligent than his usual predatory-pattern. The pair took the main street and Èponine decided to take the side alleys which caused her to arrive at the café earlier than them.

For some seconds her gaze searched the room for the students, but a piercing squeak, which was soon followed by a bone-crushing hug let her know that Cosette had already found her.

"Cosette, shush. We're not alone in here, I'm sure other people want to have some peace and quiet." Èponine hissed and freed herself from the small blonde's grip. Cosette directly started babbling about how happy she was that she was finally back, but Èponine concentrated herself on the others, who sat in the very back.

Grantaire had also risen from his seat as soon as Cosette had greeted Èponine and was the next to hug her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, while Joly bowed down to her and Musichetta, who sat next to him, embraced her as good-tempered as always. She was such a warm-hearted, witty and confident woman that Èponine was always amazed at how good of a drama-actress she was. Joly had first seen her starring the female chief which committed suicide in the tragic end of a theatre play.

Èponine was glad that none of the Les Amis knew of Enjolras' and her rather complicated relationship. This way none of them expected Enjolras to welcome her in any special way and none of them expected her to greet him any different than every other day. So she just gave him a smile and he nodded, while all the others were talking excitedly at once.

After sitting down next to Musichetta, who was drawing an original for new revolutionary fliers and handbills, curiosity got the better of Èponine and she turned to Grantaire.

"I just saw Courfeyrac with a girl and from their conversation I can tell that she was at your flat searching for you…"

Grantaire raised his eyebrows in surprise and smiled ironically. "I am sure the Mademoiselle's name would help me remember her?" he said and ordered to Èponine's surprise a coffee instead of hot wine punch.

"I don't know her name. All I know is that she had suitcases with her and that she seemed to be familiar with Courfeyrac." She said and thanked Grantaire for also ordering her one.

"Show me a woman in this town unfamiliar with Courfeyrac!" Joly chipped in with and his comment caused everyone except Grantaire to laugh. He was frowning now and seemed to be a bit uncomfortable.

"Wait, wait! You said she had suitcases with her? That is not good! Suitcases, are you sure they were suitcases and not some oversized handbag?" He asked aghast.

"I'm a woman, Grantaire, and I'm not blind; of cause I am sure that they were not oversized handbags!" Èponine answered but was cut off by Enjolras, who didn't even look up from his notebooks.

"Great Grantaire, a woman wants to move in with you and you don't even know who she is…"

"Eh, Enjolras, concentrate on your studies or bring in qualified inputs! This is not funny, I don't want to move in with someone, I already have Courfeyrac at my flat-" Grantaire cried out and seemed to lose his nerves now.

"Yes, that seemed to be the girl's problem too. She said that she had your address, but that she didn't know that you shared your flat." Èponine continued.

"Ok, how did she look, I need details! Who knows…" he stopped not knowing how to continue, but Joly helped him out.

"… how drunk you were, when you met her?" he finished Grantaire's sentence.

"Well, I wasn't that close. All I can say is that she is a bit younger than me, maybe eighteen or nineteen. She was dressed in traveling-clothes, and she was slim and a bit smaller than me. Ivory skin and I think she has dark-strawberry-blond hair, but I couldn't really see it because she was wearing a coat and the hood hid most of her features." She tried to describe the girl as detailed as possible.

"So all in all we know that she is a young, blond and slim girl,"Grantaire asked "that is very detailed 'Ponine, truly very promising" he finished distressed.

"Is the coat black?" Joly asked Èponine.

"Yes."

"And the suitcases' colour is dark-blue?"

"Yes, how do you-" Èponine asked amazed but couldn't finish her question, because Joly started laughing.

"Then Grantaire doesn't have to be worried," he said with his gaze fixed on the café's door behind Grantaire's and Èponine's backs "but maybe Enjolras should fulfil his obligations as an older brother more assiduously and keep track of his little sister!"

The next things all happened at once: The café's door closed, Grantaire and Èponine both nearly cricked their necks looking over their shoulders to catch glimpse of who had entered, Enjolras' notebook fell on the table with a loud clash and his eyes were fixed on the girl, which had just entered the room with Courfeyrac.

The pair didn't seem to have noticed what attention it had raised amongst the small party. Courfeyrac was still carrying Geneviève's suitcases and she had taken off her hood. Both were talking and she was laughing about something he had said.

Their conversation suddenly stopped when Geneviève locked eyes with her brother, who stood up to approach her. For a second both looked at each other but then she hastily approached and embraced him.

"Gen! What are you doing here? You weren't answering my latest letters, you could have told me that you planned on visiting!" his voice was surprisingly different to his usual unemotional tone as he cupped her face in his hands.

"I didn't plan it! It just came to my mind… Besides I didn't want to spend Christmas alone." she said, but Èponine saw something in Enjolras' eyes, which no one else seemed to notice: Suspicion.

"Why alone? Didn't the Duponts invite you?" he asked.

"Well, yes they did, but I actually felt like celebrating Christmas with you. I mean you're the only family I have left." she smiled but Grantaire's laughter distracted her.

"Because Enjolras is always up for celebrating! Gen, did I miss your brother being a partygoer all those years or is it something he keeps hidden under this stony façade only for his sister to be seen?" he called "Now Enjolras, stop confiscating your sister, there are other people waiting to greet her!"

Letting go of Geneviève Enjolras turned to Courfeyrac to thank him for bringing his sister to the Café, while Grantaire, uncaring of all the looks the small group already attracted, lift Geneviève up a bit while hugging her.

"I came to Enjolras flat at first, but he wasn't home so I thought I'd have more luck with you. Gladly Courfeyrac brought me here." she explained and winked at Courfeyrac, who was still talking to Enjolras and now gave her a bright smile.

"Oh, this so incredibly nice of him! And totally altruistic, just how we all know him!" Grantaire mocked him with an ironic smile and received a death-glare from his flat-mate.

With time everyone settled down again and Geneviève got a seat between Èponine and Joly after Enjolras had introduced her to everyone. Taking a closer look at her Èponine tried to find parallels between Enjolras and the young girl. Both had somehow aristocratic facial features. Both couldn't deny being heirs to a wealthy family. Èponine caught Enjolras looking at her and she couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of him freaking out, if he heard her describing his looks as aristocratic. Geneviève's eyes were in contrast to Enjolras' not ice-blue, but green. To Èponine's surprise her hair was not pinned up to an elegant chignon, it fell loosely over her shoulders in slight waves while Enjolras asked her about her journey.

"The journey went very well. Of cause the streets aren't easy to pass because of the snowfall, but all in all everything worked out." She smiled calmingly at her brother's worried face. "Look, I know that you would have wanted me to tell you of my visit-"

"Oh, Geneviève, we are all glad that you're here. I have heard that you're dresses are very sought-after in Lyon. There are so many things I wanted to ask you since I knew that you are a seamstress. I mean look at those gloves you wear, they are beautiful and so different to the fashion-style here in Paris!" Cosette blurt out and didn't even notice that she had interrupted a private conversation. Geneviève was a bit startled for a moment and blushed due to the compliments. Cheery as always Cosette took her hand to get a better look at the pair of black gloves that covered Geneviève's skin up to her elbows.

"Thank you so much, but I'm sure that whoever spoke so highly of my skills totally hyperbolised. It's not that big deal. I mean, I only have to earn money for a single-person-household, so it's enough to survive." She said and Èponine noticed another attribute different to her brother. Geneviève didn't like to have all eyes on her, while Enjolras wasn't afraid to speak in front of a whole crowd.

"But you built it up all alone! That is quite a performance as a woman nowadays" Èponine intervened to save the girl from fashion-talk and asked Cosette for the sugar bowl so that her fingers had something better to do than examining the gloves. Sometimes Èponine wondered how a so well-behaved girl like Cosette could be so importunately.

"I didn't do it all alone. The first couple of months I lived with Monsieur and Mademoiselle Dupont and Enjolras sent money over, so that I was aided. We have to see the truth: It is impossible for a woman to start a life that is fully self-supported without help. And that is unacceptable! Woman should have the same chances as men to be financially independent. I mean, isn't it unfair that men are entitled to inherit and women are not? There are-" Grantaire's loud voice drowned Geneviève's and she shot him an evil look.

"Thanks 'Ponine, I was actually happy that Enjolras didn't come up with any profound revolutionary theme and now we have to deal with Gen talking about feminism and women's rights."

"That is easy for you to sweep under the carpet, because you are not the one running around in dresses, which weigh more than your own weight, or being forced into marriage because it is the only chance to avoid ending up on the streets, because you are not authorised to inherit or work properly." Geneviève hissed and Grantaire only rolled his eyes assuring her that women's rights were as important to him as they were to her, just not when he was in Christmas spirit.

"You did a very good job there, Enjolras. She is just as impassionate as you are." Èponine murmured so that only Enjolras could hear her, who gave her a smile.

It was not much later that Enjolras and Geneviève left, declaring that Gen was a bit exhausted from the journey and she really looked a bit pale with those dark circles under her eyes that showed how much the weariness weighed. She gave them all a smile and left, but Èponine noticed that Courfeyrac starred after her much longer than necessary.

"He should better be careful" Èponine jumped when she heard Grantaire's low voice only audible for her and she understood that he too had noticed Courfeyrac's behaviour. "Gen isn't easy to handle. She was very reserved and contained this evening, but I guess that is because she didn't know everyone. And Courfeyrac is happy that Enjolras isn't as good in reading people as we are, 'Ponine." A small smile graced his lips and he leaned back in his chair.

I definitely failed at this chapter… Sorry for the lack of È/E.

*:"Discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inégalité parmi les homes"- Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men

One of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Discourses in which he claims that non-destructive love of self and pity/compassion are the natural qualities of mankind and therefore also the reason why the species of human being survived over so many centuries.