Not a Dream

Chapter 39

After Combeferre left Enjolras sat down and ran his hand through his hair. Ferre was right, he hasn't been the same since he started to date Éponine. Yes she was one of the best things in his life, but she made him less focused on the revolution and more focused on protecting her. He sighed, what was he going to do?

Suddenly he heard a knock at the door. "Yeah come in" he said firmly. Slowly the door opened and Éponine poked her head through. He forced a smile onto his face and said "hey Ép, what's up?" As casually as he could.

Éponine chuckled, "Drop it Enj, you're a terrible actor. What did Ferre say to you?" She asked eagerly.

He took a deep breath, she couldn't know that Ferre was yelling at him for dating her, he hs to come up with an excuse fast. "He, um, he wanted to talk to me about some of the details of the revolution, you know, who, what, where, when...." he paused as Éponine stepped closer to him and finally squeaked out, "why?"

"Really?" She said skeptically, "Then why did he walk out so furiously?"

Enjolras felt the sweat begin to form on his skin as Éponine interrogated him. "He was mad about, um, the fact that we don't really have enough guns to sustain us all in the revolution. It made him worried" Enjolras answered as smoothly as he could.

Éponine turned away from him, "Do you really not trust me that much, Enj?" She asked sadly.

He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly as he stepped foward placing his hands on her arms, "Of course I trust you Éponine-" he began as Éponine whirled around, "Then tell me what's really going on".

"I can't" he said defeated.

Éponine threw her hands up on frustration, "Why not! It's about the revolution and I deserve to know if I'm going to fight in it and-"

Enjolras held up his hand, "You're what?" He asked in disbelief.

Éponine stared into his eyes, "I'm going to fight in it" she said calmly.

Enjolras shook his head furiously, "No, no, no, no, no. You are not fighting!" He said firmly.

Éponine sighed angrily, "And why not! You need all the people you can get! Enjolras please don't stop me! I need to be with you, make sure you're ok".

"No Éponine" he persisted, "You could get hurt, and if you did I wouldn't be able to live with myself!"

"Well how do you think I would feel if you got hurt and I wasn't there. I wouldn't be with you to help you" she claimed, "Enj. You have to let me fight. After all, I started this cause didn't I? You said you started it that night on the bridge, let me be apart of it, please" she pleaded.

"No you are not fighting and that's the end of it".

"Why not!" She cried, "I could help".

"Éponine you can't get involved".

"Yes I can! I can take care of myself! Why are you so against it!" She yelled.

"Because if you're there you'll be a distraction to me!" He screamed back at her.

Éponine looked taken aback and shocked. Enjolras never yelled. He could see the tears welling in her eyes, "So that's all I am to you, a distraction?"

Enjolras took a step foward, "No Éponine, I'm just worried that if you're there I'd be to focused on keeping you safe that I wouldn't be paying attention to what is actually going on" he said gently, reaching hand out to her arm.

She flinched away from him, "So a distraction basically? Enjolras, I can handle myself! I won't need your help, okay! I managed fine on my own and I can still handle myself now".

He sighed, "Really Éponine? You call living on the streets in constant fear of your father and his gang being able to take care of yourself?"

She groaned, "You know what? Fine, you're right. You happy now? But no matter what you say. I am fighting in this revolution whether you like it or not" and with that she turned around on her heel and stormed out of the café leaving Enjolras alone again in the back room.

He slouched down into one of the chairs. He had successfully pissed off two people that he really cared about in the span of 15 minutes. What was he going to do? If he did let Éponine fight, it would appease Éponine but Ferre would be upset, and if he didn't let Éponine fight, Ferre would be happy but Éponine probably wouldn't speak to him again. He groaned, he was lost. He stood up and slowly walked out of the café, bidding the remaining people on the café goodnight.

He stepped out of the café into the night. It was getting warmer, summer was coming, but he still pulled his jacket tightly around his body. He arrived at his apartment shortly and he took off his jacket and his shirt as he made his way to his bed. He could see a small lump on the far side of the bed and he couldn't help but smile, Éponine had returned home.

He climbed into bed carefully and pulled Éponine into him. He pressed his lips into her hair and whispered "I'm sorry" while tightening his arms around her waist. He felt her become rigid at first but soon she relaxed and placed her hand on his arm. All had been forgiven. Enjolras kissed the back of Éponine's head before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.