With Patria's Blood

Chapter 3

The Amis heads turned as Marius burst into the cafe.

"Hey! Emilie isn't crying and Marius is holding her! It's a miracle!" Joked Grantaire.

"I think she's dead."

Everyone fell silent quickly. Joly rushed over and saw the crimson staining Marius' shirt and Emilie's clothes. Her pretty light blue dress was stained red, some dried some fresh. None of it good.

"No." Enjolras felt everything go into slow motion. No one was moving fast enough. He couldn't move fast enough.

"Let's go to my father." Joly went to take the baby but Marius held her tight, cradling her into his chest, biting his tongue to stop himself from crying. He followed Joly out.

"Where's Eponine?" Enjolras asked, finally finding few words

Marius paused on the steps. "She told me to go."

"You left her?!" Courfeyrac was close to yelling. The Amis never left anyone behind. Ohana. They were a family forged by friendship."Was she hurt?"

"We don't have time for this!" Joly yelled as panic set in the Amis. He somehow found order. "Enjolras, come with me and Marius, the rest, go and find 'Ponine. You know where I live. Marius, explain on the way. I fear we may be too late."

Enjolras went to Marius and took Emilie from his arms and held her cold body next to his warm chest. He was close the breaking. "Come on Emilie, just a little further."

They ran.

X

Eponine was still on the ground when she heard the police spot her. She was in agony. She could hardly move. She guessed her father had broken a rib or three on the right hand side. She couldn't twist herself to sit up, let alone stand. The police weren't urgently coming to her. She guessed, as always, the shadows hid her from view, like how she used them everyday. She remembered the curfew. Surely it was past the time. She could spend a night in the cells for being out so late, like a few weeks ago. She tried to move to get up but it hurt immensely. She let out a scream that was silenced and she was startled by the hand over her mouth. She couldn't see their face but the voice was one she knew well, thank goodness.

"I don't think they've seen us yet 'Ponine." Courfeyrac said. "Stay quiet."

"Where does it hurt?" Combeferre's figure came to block her moonlight.

She began to talk but her words came out as muffled, and they were quiet already as she tried to keep the pain from reaching her voice as it had already reached her hazel eyes. Combeferre hit Courfeyrac's hand. "She can't speak with your hand over her mouth!"

"My side. I think it's my ribs." She said, wincing as Combeferre ran his light fingertips over her right side.

"Are you bleeding?" Courfeyrac spotted blood on her ripped chemise.

"No, no it's..." She sat bolt upright, biting her tongue to withhold a scream. "Where's Emilie? Is she...?"

Strong arms hooked around hers and slowly lifted her to her feet. She lent on Combeferre and Courfeyrac as they helped her walk as quickly as she could to Joly's house.

"We don't know. Let's just get you back first." Combeferre finally spoke up throughout the awkward silence filled with Eponine's shallow breaths of effort to stay standing and not to help in pain every few steps.

It's fair to say that the prospect of losing Emilie made her walk faster, despite her injuries.

X

Prouvaire and Grantaire were on watch outside Joly's house. The moonlight added a certain eeriness to the thought that a baby would most certainly die tonight. When Enjolras was finally coaxed into letting Monsieur Joly seeing to Emilie, he almost broke down completely.