Valerie (An Enjolras Love Story)

Chapter Seventeen

(Marius P.O.V)

A few days after the barricade had fallen, I had begged Cosette to take me to the café to see if there was any news on the others and see if anyone else had survived. She was unsure that I should return to the Café Musain, in fear that I wouldn't find what I was looking for. But she had finally agreed and she helped me into the carriage to take us to the café.

Because the street leading to the café was narrow, the driver had to stop at the end of the street and wait for us there. With the help of Cosette and the walking cane I had to rely on since my injury at the barricade, we made our way down the street. As the café came into view all the memories of the final battle at the barricade. I could feel Cosette staring at me as we got closer, and the sadness spread across my face.

There were a few women in front of the café, helping to clean the street. We approached a few of them at the entrance of the café.

"Excuse me Mademoiselle, but would you happen to know of any other survivors? And where I may find them?" I asked one of the girls.

"I'm sorry Monsieur, but there were no survivors. It was a horrible scene when we arrived, bodies scattered the streets. And a man was even hung out the window!" She said as tears started filling her eyes.

"Please Mademoiselle, was the man in the window in a red jacket?" She just nodded. "And what about a woman? She was dressed in a royal blue dress! Was she among the dead?" I asked fearful that Valerie may have been killed as well, leaving absolutely no one alive.

"Yes, Monsieur. She was on the second level among a few others." The girl explained. My heart instantly sank. My knees started to buckle under the shock I was feeling. I had come here with so much hope to find some alive, but it was confirmed that no one else but myself had survived.

"Marius, should I take you home? This is too much Marius, it's too soon." Cosette started trying to convince me to leave, but I shook my head and pulled away from her.

"I just need a few minutes alone please." I said walking into the café and climbing the back stairs up to the second floor. I looked around the room, which had once been filled with my friends chatter and laughter. But now it was completely empty, aside from a single chair and table. I shuffled over to the chair taking a seat, looking around the room once again, images of ghosts filling my head.

"There's a grief that can't be spoken, there is this pain that goes on and on." I said taking a breath, trying to hold back my tears. "Empty chairs, at empty tables, now my friends are dead and gone." I said as a single tear escaped from my eyes. "Here they talked of revolution, here it was they lit the flame. Here they sang about tomorrow, but tomorrow never came."

I looked around the room, as it transformed into what it used to be. Tables crowded into the room, filled with my friends. I smiled slightly at the sight of them again. I looked over into the famous corner where Enjolras had always sat.

From that table in the corner, they could see our world reborn, and they rose with voices singing. I tought to myself as the room filled with one of Grantaire's drunken songs. "And I can hear them now, the very words that they had sung." I said as more tears escaped my eyes. Became their last communion. On this lonely barricade, at dawn. I walked back over to the lonely chair at the empty table and sat back down. I held my head in my hands as I began to sob heavily.

"Marius" I heard a whisper. I slowly lifted my head to see the source of the voice.

"Valerie" I smiled looking up at my best friend's ghost standing before me. "Oh, my friends, forgive me. That I live and you are gone." I started sobbing again. I felt a light touch on my shoulder.

"Remember us, though we have to say goodbye. Remember us and don't let it make you cry" She sang softly. I looked back up at her.

"There is a grief that can't be spoken, there is a pain that goes on and on" I looked at her as the rest of the Les Amis gathered around me placing their hand on my shoulder.

"Remember us, don't let it make you cry Dear Marius." Valerie said wiping a stray tear away from my cheek. "Tell our story Marius, let us live on through you." She smiled at me, I stared at her as Enjolras appeared behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder and smiling down at me.

"Remember us Marius, for even though we are far away, know that we are with you." Enjolras spoke as he walked over to the window that faced out onto the street. I shook my head to try and wake myself up from this dream.

"Phantom faces at the windows, phantom shadows on the floor." As light started appearing out from behind the clouds on this gloomy day and I watched as one by one the Les Amis walked over to the window and disappeared into the light, until all that was left in the room was Valerie, Enjolras and myself and the room became empty once more. "Empty chairs at empty tables, where my friends will meet no more." I spoke softly. I tore my gaze away from Enjolras who still stood next to the window and looked towards Valerie who stood in front of me.

"Oh, my friends, don't ask me what your sacrifice was for!" I started sobbing again. Valerie lifted my chin so that I could look her in the eyes.

"This was a sacrifice we were willing to take Marius. We wanted a better future for our country. We may have fallen, but our story will live on through you! You can finish what we have started. And we will be with you every step of the way, though it may not be in person, but in your heart." She said placing her hand over my heart.

"Valerie, thank you for always being the sister I never had. I love you and will never forget you." I smiled at her as another tear trickled down my face.

"Come my love, we must go now." Enjolras said holding out his hand towards Valerie. She smiled at me one last time and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. I watched as she walked over to Enjolras, our fearless leader and the love of her life. Together hand in hand they walked towards the window, turning back one last time.

"Remember us, though we have to say goodbye. Remember us, don't let it make you cry. For ever if we are far away." They said together as they disappeared into the light, only their voices floating on the wind.

"I hold you in my heart" I whispered as the light disappeared behind the clouds.

EmptyChairs, at empty tables. Where my friends will sing no more 

   A/N- And this my friends, brings us to the last chapter before the Epilogue. 

I am very sad to see this end, but I am so happy to have you all on this journey with me. Thank you all for the love, support and AMAZING comments throughout this whole thing!

Thank you all! I hope you enjoyed my take on Les Miz and my love you Enjolras!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

- Nat