Javert's Daughter

Honesty

***~Enjolras' POV~***

"The people of France will rise!" Marie yelled as the men started to cheer. All I could do was watch her as she rallied them. For the past two months she'd kept quiet and only really talked to Gavroche and Ephonie but now she was yelling and trying to prove herself to everyone around her. She was truly amazing in many ways.

"You're staring at her as if she were a loaf of bread and you were a starving child." Marius whispered to me as the others disappeared inside to have wine and ale. I looked at him to see concern in his eyes and a smile on his lips. "What are you thinking my friend?"

"She turns away her only family for strangers." I shook my head as I tried to think strait but I found myself thinking about how soft her hand had felt when it'd been in mine. "She practically told her father to kill her."

"Love does strange things," his words made my eyes go wide which only made him laugh at me. "It's obvious that she loves Ephonie and Gavroche as if they were her flesh and blood. She would lie down her life for them, it seems you'd do the same for her."

"You've had too much wine my friend!" I gave a weak laugh as I ran my hand through my copper blond curls. Was he right though? Was I willing to die for Marie?

"I am entirely sober," he assured me. "As were you when you placed yourself between Marie and the guns. If you aren't fallen for her than you have gone mad my friend, if not both!"

"Enough!" I snapped at him before making my way inside and up the stairs to our meeting room that was, thankfully, empty. I sat down at a table and rested my head in my hands as I tried to sort out my thoughts. Less than a second had passed though when I heard the creek of wood and looked up to see Marie's blue eyes staring back at me, with a thin rim of red around them.

"My apologies," she looked down so I couldn't see the tears gathering in her eyes. "I didn't know anyone was up here."

"You are fine," I assured her in a gentle voice. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" She looked up but avoided my eyes.

"You," my admission made her eyes widen with surprise. "You had a good and safe life yet you've thrown it away for what is mostly likely death. I back this rebellion with my heart and soul but I have accepted that it will likely be the death of me. Why have you thrown yourself into this mess?"

"You all seem to think that I had the perfect life," she shook her head with a shy smile on her perfect lips. "Sure I have a father with plenty of money and had a nice home but none of that means my life was perfect. I grew up without a mother, all I had was a father who was too consumed with the law and a nurse who preferred to gossip with the other nurses. I tried to make friends but no one wanted to have anything to do with me. When I saw Gavroche getting hurt that day I saw myself in him. Being kicked down because I didn't belong. I jumped in to help him because I've been waiting for that help for years but no one ever gave it to me."

"Is that why you cry?" I asked as I watched the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Why I cry is no concern of yours," she shook her head as I got to my feet and slowly walked over to her as if she were a timid animal. She watched me with her large blue eyes as I used my thumb to wipe away her tears. She looked so much smaller than her seventeen years and much different from the girl that had been rilling the men just moments ago. She seemed lost.

"I understand your pain," I whispered as she tucked a strand of her long black hair behind her ear.

"How can you?" Confusion consumed her eyes but she didn't look away from mine. "Have you ever lost a parent to death while the other has no time for you except to criticize ever word you say and every action you take? Have you felt like you were about to disappear into the background because no one saw you?"

"I can assure you don't fade into the background," I saw the small smile return to her lips and I couldn't help but smile back at her. "Since I first met you I have always seen you clearly, clear enough to see the pain you try to conceal. I don't understand why but ever since we met I've wanted nothing more than to protect you. Marie, I want nothing more than to make sure that you are safe."

"That's why you stepped in front of the guns," her smile faltered and she looked down at her feet. In that split second I could see the sadness returning to her eyes and it felt like something broke in me at just the sight of her sadness. I lifted her chin with my finger so she was looking at me again but neither of us said a word. I kissed her gently on the lips before pulling back to see her reaction. Her lips were soft and I wanted nothing more than to kiss them again but I held myself back, waiting to she any reaction in her. There was a slight pinkness growing her cheeks as she darted out the door and down the stairs, leaving me to wonder what she was thinking.

I didn't have the solitude for long though before Marius came up the stairs with a look of curiosity in his eyes.

"May I ask why Marie went fleeing through the door with Ephonie right on her tail?" He raised a brow at me. I could only shake my head as I wished for nothing more than to have Marie at my side again.


***~Marie's POV~***


His lips had felt marvelous on mine and I had wanted nothing more than to feel them on mine again. Instead though I had run like a scared child. As I'd darted out into the street I could hear Ephonie's small footsteps following me but I didn't slow or look back to see her. Instead I ran right to the flat I'd been staying in, Enjolras' flat.

"What is wrong?" Ephoine looked me over with worried eyes. "You ran here as if a plague was chasing your heels!"

"He kissed me," I whispered just loud enough for her to hear and her eyes lit up. She didn't need to be told who HE was, she knew from my drawings that I was talking about Enjolras.

"He did!" She gave a large smile. "What was it like?"

"It was interesting." That was all I could say. I had never been kissed before so I had nothing to compare it to but I did know that I wanted to feel his lips on mine again.

"I'm not surprised," we sat down on the bed. "Ever since you joined us he's been different, he seems happier. I've seen the way he looks at you, it's the way I wish someone would look at me."

"Someone will one day," I assured her. I knew she wished this from none other than Marius and I hoped that one day she would receive the love from him that she craved. For the rest of the night we whispered with each other about the men and our lives before the starting of this rebellion until I drifted off to sleep.