Drink With Me (Grantaire Love story)

Alternate Ending

I ran viciously to the Tavern, praying with all my might that Courfeyrac, Grantaire were alright but the moment the canons were silenced, my heart dropped but I continued to run, who knew much time had passed and who was still alive. I finally reached the Tavern and already my eyes beheld a long row of limp dead bodies. I glanced at the top of the Tavern and spotted Enjolras’s dead body hanging like a rag doll out of the window, my throat swelled and tears faintly trailed down my face. I pushed against the fallen the barricade and for a moment, I thought about the fallen barricade. It hadn’t just fallen, the boys’ protection, their beacon of light and life had fallen to almost ashes. Their cause had died right along with them and the Barricade. When I made my way into the Tavern, I quickly scanned the lifeless faces but one face had stopped my searching...

Courfeyrac.

Losing all control of my body, I fell to my knees and crawled over to my dead brother. I sobbed his name, cradled his head in my hands and sobbed over his face. Analyzing his bodily wounds, it seemed to look like that he had died from a gunshot wound then a cannon ball hit. My fingers endlessly trailed his face features, I refused to forget them, I traced his eyes, the shape. After that I trailed my shaky fingers around his eyebrows and forehead, his nose and mouth were next. With each touch, an internal statue would build itself inside my brain, I would forever remember his face.

Courfeyrac, brave, intellectual, funny, a hero in my own eyes. Courfeyrac, my brother.

A shoulder gently brushed against my own and I had figured that it was a soldier so I ignored the touch.

“Jocelynn, let him go, he’s gone,” Grantaire whispered softly. Tear stained and puffy eyed, I looked him with both joy and sorrow. Softly, I put Courfeyrac’s head on the ground and embraced Grantaire, who had a few small wounds but wounds that would heal in time. I convulsively cried in Grantaire’s chest, my whole body shaking with lamentation.

“Can we assist you monsieur?” familiar voices inquired, I turned my face away from them and stared down at my brother.

“No, she’s alright with me, I promise I’ll take her back to the institution,” Grantaire murmured, I could feel his chest rumble as he spoke and surprisingly, it was a comfort to me. “Jocelynn, look at me,” he whispered. I obeyed and noticed that I hadn’t been the only one lamenting for lost friends. Grantaire caressed my face between his hands.

“I have to take you back to the institution but they’ve allowing me to stay with, if that’s what you want.” I couldn’t speak, so I nodded. Grantaire helped me to my feet and we had to walk but the more we walked away from Courfeyrac, the more I had finally realized that, that would be the absolute last time I would see my brother - ever again. More tears fell down my cheeks and it had gotten harder to walk around so Grantaire scooped me up in his arms and walked the rest of the way.

By the time we had re-entered the asylum things had quieted down, the old man at the desk looked at me with disapproving eye, the nurses wanted to know if they could help but Grantaire had rejected all of their help. Grantaire set me on my bed without saying anything, he started to leave but I quickly clasped on his sleeve.

“Please.... don’t leave me alone.... I don’t want to be alone....” I whispered defenselessly. Grantaire took a chair and set it next to my bed, took my hand inside his and finally I had gotten a decent night sleep.

Waking the next morning, my face felt crusty and hoarse. The set of fingers that weren’t entangled in Grantaire’s reached up and explored the mysterious substance on my face. Dry tears. I had cried in my sleep. Didn’t surprise me but it was embarrassing nonetheless. I yawned quietly but it had woken up Grantaire. His eyes surveyed the area then rested on my face. We both stared at each other wondering what to say, neither of us had said anything mainly neither of us knew what to say. Grantaire did speak up.

“No matter what happens now, I will forever love you, Jocelynn.”

“I love you so much Grantaire,” I whispered.

“I know it’s really too early to ask but  again I’m asking. Jocelynn will you do me the pleasure of marrying me?”

“Why are you asking me again?” I inquired.

“Because you’ve changed since yesterday and I understand if you don’t want to marry someone who reminds you of Courfeyrac.” I sat upright and took his hands into my own and smiled.

“Grantaire, I love you and I can’t be parted with you. You do remind me of Courfeyrac but you remind of the good times and memories of Courfeyrac. When you aren’t near me, I feel alone and I don’t want to be alone so yes, I will marry you.” Grantaire took off my ring only to put it back on, we giggled at his act but we both could see the dwelling sadness in each other’s eyes. I didn’t know how long it would be there but I did know that we would get through it together.

“Come on Jocelynn, your son is beating you!” Grantaire yelled from the other end of the flowery field. Picking up my daughter, I jogged to catch up.

“Courfeyrac! Wait for you mother and sister!” Grantaire hollered at the bushy brown haired boy.

“Mommy tell Courfe to slow down, I want to win!” my daughter complained. It had been six years since my mother came to her senses and had me declared sane. All those years had been almost pure bliss.

“Why don’t we let Courfeyrac win for a change?” I suggested. I set Emily down on her feet and let her run to her father her light caramel brown hair flying in the wind. Once the two twins stopped running, Grantaire joined my side and took my hand. Together we sat on the grass, Courfeyrac dawdled into my arms. Every time I would look at him, I thought of how much like my brother he looked.

“Mother where did you and papa come up with our names?” Emily questioned.

“I don’t know if you want to hear about them,” Grantaire joked, the two children begged.

“Okay well Courfeyrac, you were named after my brother, your uncle who did something very brave and Emily, you were named after one of papa’s dearest friend, Enjolras who also did something extremely brave,” I explained.

“What did they do that was so brave mama?” Courfeyrac asked.

“I’ll let your father tell you that one.” Grantaire took his daughter into his arms.

“Well a long time ago, I had two best mates, Courfeyrac and Enjolras, we all wanted a better future....”

The End

Thank you to all who read this!!

VIVE LE FRANCE