Javert's Daughter

Pain

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

My gun fell from my hands as my blood soaked through the sleeve of my shirt. I'd been shot by one o the shooters.

"He was shot!" Combufree spotted my gunshot wound to the arm and Joly came running over, to look at my arm. I avoided looking at him as he tried to look at it and then I spotted my father looking at me with worried eyes before looking at the volunteer who was still standing and talking with Enjolras and Jean.

"Let me have him." The volunteer nodded at my father as Joly wrapped something around my arm before telling me I'd be okay and walked away.

"Do as you please." Enjolras handed the man a knife as he turned and took his spot back at the top of the barricade. I went cold as I watched the stranger take my father to an ally behind the Café. I quickly followed as the other men just drank and watched out for more soldiers. When I finally spotted them I was surprised to see the volunteer cut the ropes that bound my father's hands together.

"I won't kill you," the stranger told my father as he nodded for him to flee. My father hissed something that I couldn't hear before disappearing around the corner and I felt something in me lift. This man wasn't going to kill my father...this man wasn't going to kill my father?

"Who are you?" I asked the stranger as I stepped out so he could see me. His old eyes widened as he realized that there'd been a witness to his mercy. "Why did you let that man go?"

"Death is not ours to decide." He narrowed his eyes as he looked me over. "What is your name young boy?"

"Louis," I lied to him as he walked over to me, never taking his eyes from me.

"Where are your parents? I'm sure they must be worried for their child's safety." His gentle voice made me look up at him. As our gazes met I could see something change in his eyes that made me look back down.

"That is none of your concern!" I shook my head as I turned to walk away only to pause at his voice.

"This isn't a little girl's game." I looked back at him as anger flooded through me.

"You better keep quiet Mousier!" I warned him. "If you speak a word then I'll let them know how you allowed the Inspector to go!"

I didn't wait to hear another word before slipping back into the street without anyone noticing me as I walked over to where I'd been sitting. Not a moment later though a gunshot rang out from the ally and the stranger came out. Everyone looked at him, thinking he'd killed my father. I watched Enjolras though as he nodded at the man before looking down at his gun. I could see the faintest of tears in his eyes.


***~Enjolras' POV~***

I just looked down at my gun after the gunshot had rung out. I had just allowed this man to kill Marie's father as if he'd been no one. If she were here I could just imagine how upset she'd be at my actions. I knew that the Inspector had been the only family she'd before joining us and now he was gone too. Tears filled my eyes as I glanced up to see the blue eyed boy watching me with intent in his eyes.

There was something about those eyes that confused me. They reminded me of Marie's bright blue eyes but they couldn't be hers. She off in some unknown place probably cursing me for not letting her fight. I knew she was safer elsewhere than she would be if she were here though.

"Are you alright?" Marius asked me as he sat down at my side.

"I have no idea where she is," I shook my head as I looked back at the men. They were hardly men though, all of us were mere boys trying to fight for what we saw right. There was no doubt in my mind that most of us would be dead at the end of our fight.

"You were just trying to protect her." Marius tried to reassure me. "When all of this is over she'll be back in your arms, happy to just be with you."

"I was going to ask her last night." I admitted to him as I put my hand in my pocket and felt the cool metal of the ring. "Before she ran off I had planned to ask her but then she got upset and ran off without giving me a chance."

"You'll get to ask her soon enough." I looked up to see a small smile of his face but it didn't carry to his eyes. His eyes showed a darkness that was similar to the one I felt inside of me. The one that told me that we were going to die. "The people will rise and help us!"

"They will," I nodded before standing up and walking to the bottom of the barricade. "Courfeyrac take watch! They may attack before light!" I turned to look at everyone, some had smiles on their faces while others held looks of despair. "The people will rise and fight with us! They will be at our sides!"

Everyone cheered as I caught the sight of a familiar smile out of the corner of my eye. The young blue eyed boy had a smile on his lips that I had seen so many times before, one that I loved to see and that made my heart skip a beat. I followed him into the Café and nodded for the few drunk men to leave so we were alone.

"I told you to stay away from here, it isn't safe." I shook my head as he turned around to look at me.

"I've never been a good listener," Marie's voice brought a smile to my lips as I closed the space between us and wrapped my arms around her small figure. "You didn't even realize I wasn't a boy until now. Gavroche, Ephonie, and that volunteer all had you beat!"

"It certainly explains why you stepped in with Javert," I felt a pan of guilt. She'd seen me send her father off to his death as if it'd been nothing.

"You have nothing to be guilty about," she cupped my cheek in her hand. "You did what had to be done for the men."

"I was so worried about you," I took her hand from my cheek and kissed it lightly as I just held it in mine. "I love you so much, Marie."

"I love you too," her eyes softened as she rested her head on my chest. "I just couldn't let you keep me away from the fight, it's just as much my fight as it is yours. I couldn't imagine not being here with you all."

"We'll make it through this," I assured her but I found myself not sure about my own words. I didn't know if any of us would make it past the barricade ever again. The ring in my pocket felt heavier as I pulled it out of my pocket and showed it to her. "When we get out of here I want you to do me the honor of marrying me, will you?"

"Yes," she didn't hesitate with her answer as I slid the ring onto her finger and I kissed her. It was amazing how one little word filled me with hope and joy.