Hamliza One-Shots

Rain at the Barricade

-»part two to The Other Girl. if you've seen les mis, you already know what's coming up 🙃 also I'm using mckennarowell 's prompt of the day.

Eliza crinkled the letter given to her by Maria in her hand. She didn't read it because she couldn't bare to see the contents. She felt a warm liquid soften the thin, clean paper, turning it a nasty crimson.

Her legs suddenly gave way, and she felt herself collapse onto the barricade, the legs of a chair poking her in her back. She leaned back against the furniture and breathed in heavily and painfully.

She kept her hand over her wounded stomach and closed her eyes, trying to get through the searing pain. It would all be over soon, she kept reminding herself. Soon, she would be happy.

Her eyes slowly began to flutter, and her breathing became more relaxed rather than harsh. She slowly felt the pain and life drain away, welcoming death into her arms. She felt her head droop towards the ground, but her eye caught a frantic looking Alexander rushing towards her.

"Eliza, have you no fear? Why are you back? I told you to leave!" He put his hands on her shoulders, studying her pale face. Eliza managed to look into his eyes weakly.

"Take this." She said, shakily holding out the crumpled paper. "It's from Maria."

Alexander looked at the blood stained paper and pocketed it, much to Eliza's shock. She had expected him to take the note and start reading it in front of her.

"Why is it bloody?" He asked, analyzing her body. He noticed that her long trench coat seemed to be darker towards her stomach and chest area, and ripped away the coat, revealing a large, damp, bloody spot on her oversized shirt.

"Eliza...you're hurt!" He exclaimed, frantically looking around for a medic. "You need a doctor-"

"Don't leave me, please." Eliza cut him off as soon as he stood to fetch a medic. She reached out to him, and he got down on his knees again.

"Really Alex, I'm fine." She gave a small laugh, which turned into a pained wheeze. "I cannot feel any pain when you're here."

"We can save you, just hold on a little bit longer Liz."

"Alexander, I'm not going to make it. Why should you waste precious bandages on a lost cause?" She asked, firmly making her point. Alexander shook his head.

"Oh Liz, you're not a lost cause."

"My parents sure thought so." She mumbled under her breath. "I'd rather be dead than go back to them and live a living hell."

"Eliza, please." He pleaded, tears brimming his eyes. "Do not leave me. Stay alive. You cannot die now.."

"Alexander, I do not fear death," she let out a low chuckle that turned into a pained cough, "but I do fear what may happen if I live another day."

"Eliza, you are hurt, you need assistance." Alexander clutched onto her, bringing Eliza into his arms. Eliza smiled softly as she felt his arms around her.

"This...rain cannot hurt me. You know why, Alexander? Like I just said, it is because you are here, you'll keep me safe." She told him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do not worry for me."

"Eliza, stay with me. Liz, please!" He wrapped his arm around her stomach, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Alexander, please. It's my decision. I embrace death with open arms at this point." She said these words in jesting tone, yet there was nothing comedic about her words. Alexander couldn't help but believe she actually meant it.

"Fine." He nodded painfully. "It's your choice, but do not jest about such dark themes."

"Who said I was jesting-" she gave a hacking, pained cough. Blood trickled down her mouth, dripping onto her already-bloody shirt.

"Liz!" Alexander exclaimed, pulling Eliza tighter. She began to breathe more sharply and heavily than she did before, causing Alexander to cry even harder.

Eliza noticed a small, leather bracelet hung tightly around his wrist. She reached for it, and slid it off of him.

"You found it, Alex. I was looking all over for it." She said, wrapping it around her own wrist. "I felt so bad that I had lost it."

"It slid off that day when you suddenly stormed off." He whispered in her ear, cradling her.

"Thank you, for keeping it." she looked off in the distance, truly meaning what she said.

"Of course, Liz. Of course. Anything for you, my dear." He managed to croak out. Tears were spilling down his cheeks now as he watched his best friend slowly fade away.

"Alex?" Eliza whispered, turning towards Alexander.

"Yes, Liz?"

"I.." With what little strength she had left, her face began to inch towards Alexander's. Alexander instinctively drew his head back, not knowing what she was doing.

"...love...y-" Suddenly, he felt her body relax. Her head drooped back onto his chest, and her hands now laid limp. The leather bracelet slipped off her now lifeless wrist, hitting the brick road with an inaudible thud.

"Liz? Eliza? No no no, don't leave me. Eliza!" Alexander yelled in disbelief, slightly shaking her in hopes that she was asleep. This had to be some sick and twisted nightmare, right? She couldn't leave him now.

"Eliza...please..." Tears were freely flowing down his clean-shaven cheek. He sniffed, and brought her head towards his lips, giving her a long, but soft kiss on her forehead.

Alexander, still cradling her body close to him, looked up and around. The entire barricade was silent, watching Alexander and Eliza with somber expressions. Laurens, Lafayette, and Hercules all gazed at the broken man sadly, knowing that she was the first to die here.

John stepped forward, gently taking Eliza's lifeless body into his arms. He bent down towards Alexander, who was still silently crying.

"She will have not died in vain." He whispered, and with that, he whisked Eliza off towards the inside of their cafe. Alexander leaned back on the tables and chairs, giving a shaky sigh to himself. He sharply inhaled, his eyes widening with realization.

"She loved me." He muttered simply. He blinked back fresh tears with the realization, wiping them away with his bloodied sleeve. It was shocking to him, but at the same time, it made perfect sense. That's why she left the alleyway so suddenly when he had first seen Maria, and that's why she leaned towards him just a few minutes earlier. She was going to kiss him.

She truly loved him, and he was a blind fool to not see it.