Chapter 4:
5 days left.
"For it isn't a dream, not a dream."
.
Josephine counted down the days until General Lamarque's funeral. Until the world she knew would begin to change. And, on that day she swore she would protect the ones she loved.
Josephine readied herself for the day, exiting her apartment. Grantaire stood awaiting, drinking wine from his flask, when he saw her he wildly grinned.
"Monsieur Grantaire," Josephine smiled, grabbing his arm.
The drunk led her to the café, where all of Les Amis sat. She let go of Grantaire's arm and made her way to sit in the open chair next to her best friend, Courfeyrac who smiled at her sheepishly. The curly haired boy stood by the bar, no one seeing the look of jealous in his eyes when he saw them together.
The leader of the revolution stood tall look at each one of his companions, cleaning his throat.
xx
The small girl sat at the table the words of their leader echoed in her mind. Grantaire came over to Josephine, giving her a questioning look which she returned with a reassuring smile.
"Are you alright, mademoiselle?" He asked, taking the other side of her, "You look as pale as a ghost."
"It won't matter what I say Monsieur," she began with a sad glance around the table. "You all will still be going to a war you will certainly not win, with such a few in number as you are,"
"You sound as though you have little faith," Enjolras called to her in a forceful voice.
She rose from her seat, "I'm going to fight with you,"
Grantaire didn't like this idea and grabbed her arm roughly. "No, Josephine, that is out of the question!"
She jerked her arm out of his tight grasp, "You think you're the only one that wants to fight for what they love?" She spat at him, turning on her heel running quickly out the café with no second glance.
Grantaire fell back in his chair, feeling a heavy weight of guilt upon his shoulders, he placed the bottle of wine to his mouth and began to drain the red liquid.
Courfeyrac held his gaze to where his petit brown haired rebellion friend left too, he sighed and looked towards Grantaire. "Maybe you should go after her."
xx
Night had fallen on Josephine, she hadn't realized she journeyed so far away and wondered where in Paris she could be. The streets were full of starving and sick people trying to stay warm. An eerie feel swept over Josephine, behind her were footsteps that matched her every move. If she quickened hers, the ones behind her did the same, this made her panic. Her heart began beating faster, she felt a strong grasp upon her wrist. The man who held her twirled her around to meet the face of an old man who's breath had the smell of alcohol on it. And not like Grantaire, who had his own perfect scent of liquor on him.
The small framed woman for once felt helpless, like there was no way out of this.
"Mademoiselle, you look lost, let me help you." The old man said, with a smirk. He had dark eyes that put a fear into Josephine. When he smiled at her you could see his teeth rotting away.
"No m'sieur, I am not lost," she said bravely, not daring to show him the fear that rised in her.
The man knew he could easily over power and it didn't take long before he pushed her against the wall behind them. A tear slid down her cheek when she felt his hand run up her leg.
Before this man could finish his deed, another form of a man that looked quite familiar to her grabbed the dirty old man by the collar and was brutally beating him. His long wild black mane, and when he turned to look in her brown eyes it was those same dark blue eyes that held so much emotion in them.
Josephine couldn't believe it, Grantaire was hovering over this man, who now laid unconscious. "G-Grantaire?" She reached a shaking hand to him and grabbed his sleeve, tears ran down her face. "I- I'm sorry!"
He quickly cuffs her face in his hands still looking deeply into her eyes, "Don't be sorry, Josephine. I should've followed after you sooner, I'm sorry."
Josephine's heart began to melt away as he lowered his head to hers, the same as he had days before. "Josephine." He breathed onto her face as his lips fell upon hers, only for a brief moment. He wiped up her tears running his thumbs over her face clearing the tears away. "Josephine, I only meant what was best for your safety, I want you safe and far away from the funeral and barricade.. I love you." Grantaire was shocked with himself, he had finally told her the truth.
Josephine was taken back by what Grantaire had said, in the seven years she had known him, she'd never had thought she would realize her true feelings for this drunk. Or that he would come out to her and confess as he had.
Without a moment to think she raised herself on her heels and kissed him, pulling back with a smile. "I love you too," her smile then turned into a look of something sour and bitter. She looked away from him. "And, that's why I must join in this battle," She looked back at him, "If you die and the rest of the barricade was to fall, I want to fall next to your side and with it. With you, Monsieur Grantaire, my world has started."
"Now, Josephine, you know Enjolras nor the rest of our companies would aloud you to fall with us. Let's get you home." He finished their debate with this, and she grabbed his arm.
