A/N so me and Smiles1998 were both wrong - it's a boy! I can't stop smiling! YAYY! So happy for the Duke and Duchess and of course, our new Prince!
How weird is it that that baby will be my King one day?! (I say 'my' in case you're not British, which most of you aren't... unlucky, friends. We have a special golden easel just to announce babies. If you are British, our king :L)
I couldn't leave it on a miserable chapter today, it's too happy an occasion! So have another one :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Les Mis or Cats. I don't even own a cat, let alone capital C Cats the musical.
'In the case of a guilty plea voluntarily submitted by the defendant, particularly early in the case, sentences are often reduced for minor crimes, at the discretion of the Judge in session.'
Enjolras sighed in frustration. He had definitely read that sentence at least four times in the last half an hour. He already knew all this, of course - it was far from the first time he had read this book – but he was determined to squeeze some more knowledge from it before his exams. He looked around at the deserted café - his friends were all long gone, and even the staff had left once he had reassured them that Musichetta, the owner, would not mind him being left alone to lock up. It seemed it might be time for him to retire for the night; he clearly wasn't taking any more information in anyway.
He locked the café before starting on the walk back to his apartment. He enjoyed the peace and silence of Saint-Michel at night, but wished he hadn't let Combeferre convince him to leave his car at home. It wasn't as warm as it was earlier.
He was minutes from home when he heard a desperate, heart-wrenching sob from the next street over. He stopped walking and frowned, his ears straining to hear any other clues as to what was going on. Is someone in trouble? After a minute, when he had heard nothing more, he was about to continue on his way, when out of nowhere he heard a beautiful voice coming from the same direction as before.
Midnight
Not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?
She is smiling alone.
In the lamp-light, the withered leaves collect at my feet
and the wind begins to moan.
Enjolras felt glued to the spot. Who was singing? Was it the same person who sobbed? Why were they singing? It was clearly a woman… why was the voice faintly familiar? And… why did they sound so sad?
Memory
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then.
Perhaps he should go and see who it was.
I remember the time I knew what happiness was…
Let the memory live again.
His curiosity got the better of him and he cut down an alleyway to reach the next street along, Rue Xavier Privas.
Every street-lamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning.
Someone mutters
and a street-lamp gutters
and soon it will be morning.
He turned the corner to see a small figure in dark clothing making their way slowly up the street. 'Whoever it is, they're a fool, it's far too cold to be out in just a t-shirt' he thought to himself. Strange... he was sure those long, dark brown curls were familiar.
Daylight
I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn't give in
He saw the curls tumble further down the stranger's back as she lifted her head, almost as though she was daring someone to question her. The emotion in her voice was heart-breaking.
When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin
His stomach hit the floor in shock as he realised it was Éponine.
Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale cold smell of morning
He stayed a short distance behind her as she kept walking. She was headed for the river.
The street-lamp dies, another night is over
Why would she be going there? Why was she even out at this time of night?
Another day is dawning
They had reached the river. She seemed to stop singing at this point, which, for some reason, left him disappointed. 'Why would that disappoint you Enjolras? Get a hold of yourself, for God's sake. You don't even know her!'
She stood for a while, staring a while at Notre-Dame across the river. 'Should I let her know I'm here? She seems upset. I could help her, find out what's wrong?' The events of that morning and the teasing in the café flashed across his memory. 'Perhaps not…'
He felt the weight lift from his stomach as she began to sing again, louder and more passionately than before. As she did so, she stood on the stone wall that ran along the river and stretched out her arms.
TOUCH ME!
IT'S SO EASY TO LEAVE ME!
ALL ALONE WITH THE MEMORY
OF MY DAYS IN THE SUN!
IF YOU TOUCH ME
A horrible thought suddenly occurred to him – she… she wasn't going to jump, was she?
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPINESS IS -
Before he could stop himself he shouted 'Don't!'
Her singing abruptly stopped. Enjolras moved back into the shadows of Rue Xavier Privas, out of sight. She looked at her feet, then all around her, hopping off the wall back onto the pavement of Quai Saint-Michel. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief – she clearly wasn't planning on jumping off anything.
She looked all around for a moment, focussing for a little while on the corner where he was hiding. Enjolras held his breath. I really don't want to have to explain what I'm doing here. I'm not even sure myself.
'Montparnasse?' she said quietly. 'Is that you?'
Silence.
Apparently satisfied there was nobody there, she turned to face away from him again, towards the cathedral. Taking his opportunity, Enjolras turned and walked briskly away, back in the direction of the apartment he shared with Combeferre.
He was halfway down the street when he heard, softer than before:
Look
A new day has begun…
All the way back, he scolded himself for his nosiness and stupidity. Honestly, leave her alone. She doesn't even like you after you freaked her out with that staring session. You're an idiot. An idiot who deserves to get no sleep because he wandered the streets of Paris all night after some girl he doesn't even know. She's none of your business .Nothing to do with you. Best to forget this whole episode even happened.
Éponine was at the river, standing on the railings, feeling like she could fly. The cathedral was lit up like a beautiful Christmas tree. She was finally alone and could release some of the emotions she'd been bottling up all day.
First of all, she was still annoyed at that Enjolras not shaking her hand. She was used to people looking down on her but that was a step too far. What was his problem? And why is it bothering me this much?
She also didn't know why tonight had affected her so much - it wasn't as though she hadn't done it before, and there was still no danger of her worst nightmare - Marius finding out - coming true. Maybe it was the way above average number of men. Maybe it was the violence of the last guy. Maybe it was that Azelma didn't even try and stop it, as usual. Maybe it was the contrast to how happy she had been earlier that day. Singing allowed her to get rid of all the anger and the hurt without exploding.
Then, out of nowhere, she heard a shout behind her.
'DON'T!'
Who was that? You idiot, Éponine, someone could easily follow you with all that noise you were making. What if it's one of Papa's gang? Wait… Don't what?
She looked at her feet and bit back a laugh - someone must have thought she was going to jump. What's the point? What good would that do!?
She hopped down from the barrier to have a better look around. For a moment, she could have sworn she saw movement on the corner of Rue Xavier Privas, where she had come from.
Who cared enough to stop her? Marius wouldn't be out at this time… none of Les Amis would, and besides, she hardly knew them. Wait, it couldn't be... him. Could it?
'Montparnasse?'
Silence.
'Parnasse wouldn't stay hidden once he knew I'd noticed him.
I'm just being paranoid. There's nobody here. It was a bird or something.
The sky was deep blue, with the first light of dawn on the horizon. Notre Dame looked beautiful.
Against her own better judgement, she finished softly 'Look, a new day has begun…' before turning for home.
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