Even if the Barricade Should Fall

Chapter thirty-seven

"What are you doing home? I thought you were staying with Monsieur Enjolras tonight?" Anita questioned me as I entered the house, Gavroche's head laying limply on my shoulder as he let out soft snores.

"I've had a change of plans" I muttered as I headed for the stairs, giving Anita the cold shoulder.

I gently moved up the stairs, taking care not to wake Gavroche. I was truly enraged. The mere thought of Enjolras made me livid! How dare he show such pathetic activity towards the people who adored him, I should've know he would do this. Enjolras is the most difficult-

I was disturbed in my thoughts when Courf spoke in the middle of the joining staircase.

"Where's lover boy?" His voice ran through my ears, into my veins and to my heart. I didn't know if it was the anger, or my previous train of thought, but I burst into tears and walked quickly up the stairs, desperate to get to my room.

"Oh, now you've done it!" I heard Anita scold Courf as I reached the top of the stairs.

I wasted no time rushing to my room and swinging the door open, almost making a hole in the wall where the door handle had forcefully hit on the other side.

I was about to launch into my bed, when I remembered the peaceful angel who rested on my hip, barely even stirring through all of the madness.

I pulled back the duvet on the right side of the bed and gently placed Gavroche down before tucking him in and placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight, my love" I whispered then sat next to him, stroking his hair.

There was a sudden knocking at the door, my mind immediately went to it being Anita so I was surprised when a voice spoke that hadn't a hint of a Spanish accent.

"Gen, can I come in?" Courfeyrac piped up from behind the door.

"What do you want?" I mumbled, barely loud enough for him to hear.

"I don't know, maybe to see if my little sister is ok?" He spoke delicately.

It was on a very rare occasion Courfeyrac would speak such softness, the last time was when my, our mother passed. He always kept up a strong front, not as hard to see through as 'he who must not be named' but still, it took time to see the real him. Thinking back, it was a common factor in all le Amis, other than Gavroche, he's an open book.

"Well I guess you better come in then" I mumbled, unsure if Courf even heard me. I took it as a yes when Courfeyrac quietly entered the room and tenderly approached me, gently taking a seat on the bed.

"Listen, I don't know what to say exactly, because I clearly don't know what will upset you-" he began.

"Courfeyrac, I'm your sister, you don't need to walk in eggshells around me" I sniffed, cutting him off.

"Right, I know. I'm- I'm sorry for what I said, although would you mind explaining what I said wrong exactly?" He nervously fidgeted with his fingers, clearly trying not to touch a nerve.

"Well, me and 'lover boy' aren't exactly the best of pals right now" I said with a sad smile, miserably trying to lighten the mood.

"What do you mean?" Courfeyrac said, a hint of agitation in his voice. I hung my head, not wanting to have to revisit the state of mind in order to explain the story.

"Genevieve, what did he do" Courf not questioned, but growled through a clenched jaw.

"He- well..." I stopped to take deep breath.

"After he dismissed you and the boys, I tried to reassure him but he cut me off. The more I tried to comfort him, the more he told me go, to leave and take Gavroche with me." I gestured to the sleeping angel beside us.

"So I told him that it wasn't like him, that this was so unlike him, that my Enjolras wouldn't back down like this... and he said-" I had to stop, I feared if I went on for just another second my heart would shatter into even tinier pieces, if that was even possible.

"What did he say?" Courfeyrac hissed.

"Maybe Your Enjolras isn't here anymore" I choked out the deadly words that were a hammer to my heart.

"Right that's it!" Courfeyrac stood up in a state.

"Courfeyrac sit down!" I shouted in a whisper, due to Gavroche sleeping.

"No! I knew he would do this! Enjolras has never had a girlfriend in his life, he doesn't know how to take care of a girl! Christ, he never knew what love was!"

"Until you, Genevieve" I thought out loud just as Courf stopped speaking.

"What?" Courf raised an eyebrow.

"'I never knew what love was... until you, Genevieve'" I replayed the words out loud.

"What are you talking about, Gen?" Courf looked even more puzzled than before.

"He- Enjolras, said that to me the night we announced our engagement" I smiled sadly as the hot tears rolled from my eyes yet again.

"He did?" Courf questioned in a hushed tone.

"Yes" I nodded slowly.

"I see" Courf returned to the bed, sitting with his head in his hands as I cried quietly, lifting my feet up so I was leaning against the headboard.

The was a moment of silence between the two of us, I suppose none of us knew what to say. I couldn't stop the scene from playing on a continuous reel in my mind, the way Enjolras confessed that he loved me from the moment he met me, the way he proudly stood and told all of the boys, including my brother, that we were engaged and how he told me I am his first love, or was anyway.

"I'm going to leave you to think things over, Gen, you seem to have a lot to think about here... but I want you to know that maybe if you don't want to be alone yet, I'm you're brother and I'm here. Of course if you'd rather 'girl-talk' then Anita's on call" he spoke with a soft smile.

"Thank you Courf, but I'll be fine, I've got Gav right here if I get lonely" I stroked Gavroche's golden locks.

"Of course, goodnight, Gen" Courf stood up and invitingly opened his arms.

"Goodnight" I got up and let myself sink down into his embrace.

I stayed in my brothers arms for minute longer, enjoying the feeling of his support, it was then I realised how much I missed how he used to hug me. I used to run through to his room when I had a nightmare or there was a 'monster under the bed' and he'd give me the best hugs. All the evil in the world disappeared along with all my worries, he still seemed to have that magic touch.

"Goodnight, Gen" Courf pulled away and headed for the door.

"Courf" I caught him just as he was about to leave.

"Thank you" I smiled.

"Anytime" he cheekily winked smiling, then gently closed the door behind him.