Love is Everlasting - An Enjonine Romance

Chapter 18: Once Again A Free Man

Enjolras' POV

I'm wedged in the narrow space between an old crate and a brick wall. Although my knife wound has almost healed, it's still extremely uncomfortable. It's so dark I can barely makes out the silhouettes of Éponine, Thénardier and the Patron Minette. Then the clouds shift and the bright moon lights up the grim scene, just in time for me to see Éponine brush back her hair. The signal.

I leap out of my hiding place, along with Etienne and eight other police officers. I jump onto the back of Montparnasse along with Etienne, forcing him to ground, rendering him helpless. The other policeman do the same until Thénardier and the rest of the Patron Minette are on the ground.

"What's going on?" Montparnasse croaks from underneath me. Etienne quickly binds his hands and we pull him to his feet.

"You've been arrested, Montparnasse." I answer to his shock. His mouth opens and closes wordlessly as he fails to comprehend what has just happened. Etienne and I chuckle as we start to haul him back to the jails. Good thing Éponine convinced us to use the space behind the nearest tavern.

We reach the dingy prison at last and I push Montparnasse into a cell. He stares up at me, furiously snarling. With a grunt, he lets out an anguished scream.

"I hope your time in here will do you some good and help you learn your lesson. I'm glad that you'll be off the streets, and Éponine will be safe from you." I tell him in my trademark marble facade.

"But... I cared for her. I really did." Montparnasse whispers, his throat dry.

"I'm sure you did, a long time ago. And maybe one day, she might forgive you." I walk away from the cell, leaving Montparnasse.

I watch as Éponine hauls Thénardier into a cell and locks it. He's limp on the ground, he's given up on fighting.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell the mademoiselle or the monsieur before they leave?" Etienne asks the prisoner.

"Wait, yes," he croaks, dragging himself to the bars of his cell. "Éponine, my daughter, come here."

"I'm not your daughter," Éponine stiffly replies, but nevertheless stoops down to listen to Thénardier.

"I can see now that I've treated you wrongly, and I beg your forgiveness, 'Ponine." he weakly requests.

Éponine gasps lightly, and I swear I can see her tearing up.

"I can't forgive you yet, Papa-"

"You called me Papa!" Thénardier gleefully cries. Éponine slowly nods.

"Yes, I did. Because you're still my Papa, no matter how much I refuse to acknowledge it." she admits, the tears dripping down her cheeks for all to see. She hurries away into my arms.

"You, boy," Thénardier groans, pointing to me. "Come here." I gently disentangle myself from Éponine's tight embrace and kneel in front of her father.

"Please take care of my Éponine." Thénardier puts a hand on my shoulder through the bars. "She deserves the best in life, and I've failed to give her that. You're her only hope now, so don't make my mistake. Give her all your love. I think she'll need it."

I nod earnestly. "I will. I promise, Monsieur." I gingerly stand up and Etienne gently leads us away from the cells and back to his office.

"Now, wasn't there something you wanted me to do for you?" he asks.

"Yes," I nod pleadingly. "Can you please release Joly?"

"And also clear my criminal record," Éponine puts in cheekily. Etienne chuckles.
"I can tell Inspector Javert that an anonymous nobleman paid a very large sum for Joly's bail, demanding his release, but I don't think I can clear the Jondrette Girl's record just like that," he says. "Perhaps you could fake your death and change your name?"

"That's not a bad idea," I remark thoughtfully.

"Hey, do you want to see your friend or not?" Etienne reminds us. He holds up his ring of keys.

"Yes! Yes, of course!" I answer before he can change his mind. Éponine and I follow him down a different hallway until he stops abruptly. He pushes a key into the lock and the door screeches open.

I hold my breath as the dark shadow of my best friend emerges. "Joly, it's me. Enjolras." I prompt, biting my lip.

"I-is this a dream?" he mutters, slowly creeping towards me.

"No, no, it's really me." I reach out and grab his shoulder, pulling him into the light of the torches.

"Heavens, it is you!" he smiles gratefully. "Wait, why is my cell open?" he glances around, confused.

"Joly, you're free." He flinches in bewilderment.

"H-how?"

"Your two friends here came up with an elaborate plan to get you out, which they will explain to you later because Inspector Javert will be here any minute." Etienne says hurriedly, locking the cell again. He ushers us all out of the jails hastily.

"Nice doing business with you, Enjolras." He shakes my hand once we're at the gates. "Monsieur Joly, don't go 'round causing any trouble, okay? I would hate to arrest you again."

"O-of course, Officer." Joly stammers, still unable to process what has just happened.

"And good night to you, Mademoiselle Éponine." Etienne turns on his heel swiftly. "Now you best go before the Inspector turns up!"

"Thank you, goodbye!" we chorus, beginning the trip home.

"Enjolras, Éponine, how did you get me out so quickly?" Joly interrogates eagerly. "I thought I was doomed; I was to die in two days from now. But I'm free, and I can scarcely believe it!"

With a bit of input from Éponine, I proceed to explain the whole plan to Joly, who listens attentively. He blinks in disbelief that we were actually successful.

"I can't believe you ambushed the Patron Minette." he rambles on. "How did they not - " he pauses mid-question. "Why are we stopping?"

Éponine tilts her head to the flat we are standing in front of, grinning widely. Joly catches her gaze, mimicking her smile.

"Joly, welcome back home."