(Thank you all for your support! Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it..)

Combeferre had to bite his lip to keep from shouting out when he hung up the phone. How could this be happening? How could life suddenly be so cruel? What had they done to deserve this? How could he - with his arms wounded tight around his broken best friend - rip Enjolras' heart out even further by telling him that his boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, was in the hospital in critical condition and about to have surgery? How could he cause Enjolras even more pain when the anguish he was in was already so tangible that Combeferre wondered if his own heart was showing cracks as well?

But then again, how could he not? Enjolras needed to know.

He reluctantly pushed his friend a bit away from him, so that they could look at each other. Enjolras was so far lost in his own mind and memories that he hadn't even noticed that Combeferre's phone had rang. It took the medical student some time to get his younger friend's attention. He called his name, but no response came and Enjolras just kept staring blankly ahead. His friend only seemed to realize Combeferre was trying to tell him something when the older man shook his small shoulders and squeezed his upper arm tightly.

Combeferre's heart twisted painfully when those crystal blue orbs stared up at him. A pleading look in his eyes, as if he was silently begging him to make everything better. To take the pain and sorrow away. And here Combeferre was about to make it worse.

"Julien, w-we... we have to go. Grantaire is in the hospital... Courf said... H-he said it's not good..."

As soon as the words had left his mouth, Combeferre noticed something change in Enjolras' eyes. It was only brief and had he blinked he would have missed it, but he hadn't missed it and it made him feel sick. Combeferre was sure he just saw that bright light - that had always shone vividly in Enjolras' eyes - go out completely and it was replaced by a blank, empty stare. His young friend locked himself away and Combeferre saw it happen. No matter what he said or tried, Enjolras didn't give any form of response.

Not knowing what else to do, Combeferre carefully pulled Enjolras to his feet and maneuvers him out of the apartment and into his car. As he drove to the hospital, the medical student kept glancing sideways at Enjolras, hoping that his friend would show some sort of sign that he knew what was going on, that he was still there with them. But Enjolras was just sitting there, staring at his feet, not making a sound, and perfectly calm. Too calm.

It scared Combeferre.

When they arrived at the hospital, Combeferre gently led Enjolras towards the waiting room where Courfeyrac and some of their other friends were already waiting. Combeferre didn't miss the badly covered gasp of shock coming from Jehans mouth when he saw them enter. He knew Enjolras made quite the sight. His friend's eyes were red and puffy and he was shaking so bad that Combeferre had to keep a firm hold on him to keep him from toppling over. He pushed Enjolras in a chair next to Cosette - who threw a comforting arm around him - and quickly made his way to Courfeyrac.

His close friend was pale and looked extremely concerned. Combeferre placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it softly. "Do we know more?"

Courfeyrac shook his head. "No more than I told you over the phone." His friend's eyes glided over towards Enjolras' calm form behind Combeferre. "What about Julien?"

Combeferre followed Courfeyracs eyes and swallowed thickly. He clenched his hands into fists and hid them away under his armpits. "Worse," was all he said. He looked around the waiting room, taking in the faces of their friends. Jehan was there, so were Joly, Bahorel and Cosette. They looked worried, confused, sad. Eponine was there too, standing in a corner by herself. She looked angry and Combeferre hoped that anger wasn't directed at Enjolras, because he didn't know if he could keep his cool if it was. "How much do they all know? About Julien and R?"

Courfeyrac sighed and shook his head. He dragged a tired hand across his face and smiled wryly. "As much as we do...Which is pretty much nothing..."

Combeferre nodded and turned back to his best friend. He sat down next to him, smiled at Cosette and placed a reassuring hand at the nape of Enjolras' neck. He felt the blonde lean in to his touch ever so slightly but that was the only reaction he got. Out of the corner of his eye Combeferre saw Eponine narrow her eyes at them and he glared back at her, silently warning her not to do anything stupid. She just shook her head and turned away.

Combeferre closed his eyes. Courfeyrac was right. They knew next to nothing about what had transpired between Enjolras and Grantaire that evening. And all the could do now was wait.

Wait and wonder.

TBC.

(Hope you liked it! Please review? :) Next is Courfs point of view)