A Franc or Two - Les Misérables [IN EDITING]

To Watch a Grown Man Cry - Chapter 58

Once you had been completely cleaned up (when you were both disinfected and covered in stitches, Grantaire and Joly helped take you to a safe place.

The original plan was to take you to the convent. They knew, then, that nobody would disregard you simply because of your profession and association with the revolution— at least, they shouldn't be...

But, because it was closer (and you were on your way there anyway), they ended up carrying you to Enjolras's house, where they would discuss on where to go from there...

And of course, Enjolras was nowhere to be seen.

At the moment, you were laying down in the living room, your skirt up and stomach bandaged quite tightly. There was only a single candle to light the room. You were propped against a pillow, Grantaire was seated in a chair by your head, and Joly was everywhere, grabbing ointments and continuing to insist that you keep drinking water.

"What can we do for the baby?" you asked, staring at the nearby flame as it rose and fell. You gulped and glanced back up at Joly. "I know he isn't alive, but... I don't want to just throw him out..."

"Bossuet's seeing to that as we speak, Mademoiselle," Joly reassured you, his eyebrows furrowing as he felt your face for a moment. He frowned and glanced to Gavroche. "Would you mind grabbing your sister for me, Gav?"

"Of course, Joly," Gavroche replied, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked to you. "Do you want me to grab Courfeyrac, too? He's really good at comforting people..."

You had to think for a moment.

Did you want Courfeyrac to see you like this? Of course not— though you knew he wouldn't hate you for it, you also knew how humiliating this was... After all— your child had just been murdered and pulled out of you, and now you couldn't do so much as walk. Hell, you couldn't even change yourself— Eponine would have to do it for you...

But at the same time, he had certainly seen you at your second-lowest point... You had been so desperate for an extra buck that you had attempted to steal from him— and yet, knowing everything about you... He still loved you nonetheless.

"Sure Gavroche," you muttered, flashing him a pained smile (that he returned— and yes, it was certainly hard for him to do so). "It wouldn't hurt..."

"Okay, M'selle," he said, sniffling as he crawled over you... And again, he pressed a kiss against your cheek— afraid that something terrible would happen if he didn't. "I'll be back soon."

You heard him and his heavy footsteps rush out the door.

"Do you know where Enjolras is, Grantaire?" Joly asked, taking out some more bandages... You seemed to be bleeding through the previous ones already (which certainly wasn't a good sign, but... at least it wasn't as profuse as it had been earlier). He wiped his forehead before glancing up at him. "Perhaps we should let him know that I might have to spend the night?"

"No, I don't know..."

The lot of you went silent for a few moments before Grantaire shook his head a little, sitting in the seat nearby

"At least now he can't be down our throats for being irresponsible," Grantaire muttered... though, telling from the way his jaw clenched, he wasn't genuinely optimistic. He let out a sigh before letting his head rest on the back of the chair. "Good God... the one night we really need him—"

The door opened, letting in some of the cooler air (it had been raining again), and you watched as Enjolras made his way inside...

You had no idea how to feel about seeing him.