Author's Note: It'e been 4 years since I last uploaded. I don't know if all the people who read this story are still on Fan Fiction, or is there are even fans still out there of Éponine and Enjolras, but I have had this story saved and never seemed to want to delete it. Things got so hectic at school especially when I was about to graduate that I didn't even have time to write for fun, let alone read for fun. It was Thesis 24/7. So by any miracle if there are any of my original readers on here that started this story back when I started uploading. I am so sorry for the delay, like this deserves a world record in longest delay ever. Welcome to anyone who is still reading Éponine and Enjolras fan fictions. I plan on finishing this because I'm trying to break the habit of leaving everything half done. Hope you all have a wonderful day! NOTE: These chapters were already written and I just proof read them and posted them. My writing had changed immensely these four years, so the chapters I haven't written, might have a different writing style. Thank you! :)

Chapter 8: Kidnapped Pt. 2

When Enjolras awoke, he found himself laying on a couch back in his small flat, with Grantaire and Clara looking down at him. The very fact that Clara was back into her normal outfit, made him wonder if everything had been a dream. His dry mouth and pounding headache made it hard to focus on anything. He slowly lifted his head and saw himself in his everyday brown trousers, and the infamous red coat he made a point to wear. Could this have been only a dream?

"Éponine?" He found himself whispering. He found this it was the only thing he could push out through the intense burning sensation that was running through his throat.

He heard Clara's heavy sigh. "I've looked everywhere and I can't find her. You slept through the night. I left Combeferre in charge until we find Éponine. And we will find Éponine." She spoke softly, yet succeeded to be brave with her words, which is something that Enjolras was not entirely used to.

He nodded and started to slowly sit up. Grantaire handed him a glass of fresh water. As he felt the water go down his hoarse throat, it was like it had come alive again. Clara released another heavy sigh and sat in front of him.

"What happened?" she asked. Enjolras' hand slowly combed his caramel curls back, as he remembered the dreadful encounter with Montparnasse.

"Éponine and I where speaking, when out of nowhere Montparnasse appeared," Enjolras' sigh was choppy, just by remembering the look on Éponine's face. Clara froze. The world around her closed in as she realized what kind of danger Éponine was really in.

"Oh no," she whispered in a trembling voice. "No, no! This can't be happening. We need to find her!"

Enjolras' fear began to grow along with his worry. He slowly stood, as he saw the panic on Clara's face. His stomach began to violently turn. "Clara, what is the matter? What is it?" he asked desperately.

Clara took in deep breathes and looked at the two men. "I . . . protect Éponine from Thenardier and Montparnasse. Thenardier is one thing, but Montparnasse . . . he's something completely different. All you need to know if that we need to find her immediately because while Thenardier beats her once in a while, Montparnasse never stops.

Clara could feel the warm tears forming and decided to look away. The last thing she wanted to portray in this moment was vulnerability. She had let one night pass and didn't want to imagine what Éponine had gone through. Clara felt so careless, so guilty for not looking harder.

"Okay, well, let's not waste any more time," Grantaire announced. Soon they were exciting the comfort of the flat.

"We stay together. Thenardier's crew is not to take on alone," Clara warned. The familiarity in her voice seemed to be more alarming than the warning itself. Both men nodded in agreement as they ran into the cool afternoon air. Running down toward Éponine's flat, Enjolras silently prayed she was alive.

Running through the decaying stairs, Clara wasted no time in kicking open the door, causing splinters to fly all around them. They found Thenardier and Mme. Thenardier counting the money they had just conned out of people. Clara pulled out her to handy revolvers and pointed them right at the two theives' heads.

"You have only but a moment to tell me where she is or I will blow your heads off." Clara spoke quietly, frighteningly so. Enjolras did not hold her back this time. He only glared at the poor excuse for parents, who were staring back in tremendous fear.

"She's with Montparnasse-" Thenardier began.

"I know, but where!?" Clara yelled.

"You better answer her, now!" Enjolras demanded.

The Thenardiers looked at each other, and both Clara and Enjolras believed they had seen a hint of sadness pass through their face. Just like it came, it had gone and Thenardier turned back to them.

"We don't know. Miss Clara, you do know that if Montparnasse desires to take Éponine anywhere and not tell us, he is allowed. It is how his ownership works." As Clara lowered her revolvers, Thenardier released a sigh of relief.

Clara sighed in anger and turned back to two men. "He's right. Thenardier won't know where they are."

Enjolras kept repeating what Thenardier had said. The word ownership spun inside his head. Clara quickly went through every single place Éponine had taken her to. Enjolras, on the other hand, had a brighter idea.

"He's taken her somewhere she's not familiar with, but where? She knows all of Paris," Enjolras explained. Clara looked back at the Thenardiers and their eyes went wide.

Clara finally understood and without her permission, one small, quick, and quiet tear fell to the floor. "She's not in Paris. That's why I couldn't find her, and I know exactly where he took her." Clara never took her eyes off the Thenardiers. "Enjolras, call for a carriage. We're going to Montfermeil, and when I get back we're going to have a talk Monsieur Thenardier," Clara advised.

As they exited the building Clara broke down. Her sobs took Enjolras and Grantaire by surprise. Enjolras embraced her gently in his arms.

"If I would have protected Éponine better, or threatened Montparnasse more maybe this could have been avoided." Her reddened, moist eyes looked up at her brother as he shook his head.

"This was my fault, not yours. I was the only person with her and I should have done more to stop her from getting kidnapped." The memories of Éponine's screams filled Enjolras' head as he spoke.

"You couldn't have known that would happen. You only knew of Thenardier, but no one around her knew about her and Montparnasse-" Clara stopped abruptly and sighed wiping her tears. "Let's start heading down, we can't waste any more time."

Grantiare took her hand and gave Enjolras a look that advised him not to ask any further. They made their way to the Musain where they found everyone already hard at work. Combeferre made his way to them as soon as he noticed their presence.

"Have you found her?" he asked. Clara shook her head.

"One of Thenardier's men took her to Montfermeil. That's why no one has spotted her in the city. How is everything here?" Clara looked around at all the working revolutionaries as Combeferre let out a heavy sigh.

"Well we just got news that Le Marque has been having a remarkable recovery, but it is not something to take lightly. He can still be gone at any time."

Enjolras nodded and patted his friend on the shoulder. "We will return shortly. You have been doing a wonderful job, keep it up." he assured. As Clara scanned the room she spotted Jean, tapping Grantair's shoulder they made their way over to him.

"Jean," Clara called out. As he turned, his blue eyes scanned the room with a panicked look.

"Have you found her?" he asked, Clara shook her head.

"She's the reason why we come to you. We need your carriage. She's being held in Montfermeil, would you loan it to us?"

Jean quickly nodded and started leading them out of the Musain. Enjolras had given a few orders to Combeferre then quickly followed Clara out of the café. They made their way to the Pouvaire's residence. Their black carriage stood behind the house already attached to the beautiful black stallions.

"Is there anyway I could accompany you?" Jean asked, as he led the horses to the front gate. "You may need my help. I owe it to Éponine for her help last night." The three revolutionaries in front of him gave a look of confusion, but decided against elongating the conversation unfolding.

'We could use the extra man power. Speaking of extra help, when we get back with Éponine I need you, Grantaire, to call for Joly. She's going to need him." Grantaire nodded as he helped her into the carriage. The more Clara spoke, the more worried Enjolras became for Éponine. Was the situation more brutal than he could fathom at this very moment? If it was, then he didn't know how to prepare himself because what he wad thinking at this very moment was already more frightening than he could ever imagine. How would he find her? He prayed, in any state except dead.

It was nearly morning when they entered Montfermeil, the streets were empty except for the peasants who had no home to enter into. Clara had only heard of this place through Éponine. Streets paved with dirt and hunger, buildings silently rotting, and only signs of wealth left in the mouths of elders. From what she knew, the Thenardier Inn was very well known, even after many years.

"Stop the carriage," Clara ordered. As they began to slow down she reached inside one of her trouser pockets and pulled out a small coin. She stepped out of the carriage and spotted a woman with dirt-filled auburn hair, clutching a bundle tightly against her chest. Clara recognized the body of an infant and approached her. The young gamine looked up at Clara with her hungry green eyes. Eyes filled with fear, sorrow, but a hint of hope. Clara carefully kneeled down in front of her. The bundle against her chest began to whimper as she held it tighter. Clara, again, reached into her pocket taking out a gold coin this time and placing it in her palm in front of the gamine. The young woman's eyes shined as the coins came into view, but she did not take them.

"For your baby. All you have to do is answer a question, s'il vous plaît." Clara spoke in a gentle voice. The young woman looked, once again, from the coins to the strange woman in front of her. Slowly reaching out, she grabbed the silver and gold coin from Clara's palm. Clara smiled and nodded.

"I need to know if you can tell me where the abandoned Inn is? A friend of mine was taken there." Clara asked.

The gamine immediately looked confused. "You gave up twenty-five francs for one question?" the woman asked.

Clara shook her head and her expression became sad. "I gave up twenty-five francs to save my friend. Do you know where the abandoned Thenardier Inn is?" Clara asked again.

The gamine gasped softly. "You're here to save Éponine." She said shocked. Clara raised her eyebrow, her attention heightened, and she scooted closer to the young woman.

"You know Éponine?" Clara asked.

The gamine nodded. "She would sneak away to my home when her father began beating them. She was my only friend, and when they lost the Inn she moved away and I never saw her again. Until two days ago. During the night she arrived screaming and being pulled by a frightening man. He took her into the Inn around the corner of this street. Everyone hears her screams during the night, and sometimes . . . even during the day." The gamine's eyes became moist and she clutched her child even tighter against her. "Throughout the day is it even worse, because she pleads for help. Screaming for someone to save her, but everyone here is too afraid to face that man."

Clara fought her hardest to hold back the tears pushing to come out. "We're here to help her. We're not afraid of him. She'll be safe, and once we save her both you and her are coming with us."

The young woman gasped. "But mademoiselle-"

Clara placed her hand lightly on the gamine's arm and shook her head. "You helped us save Éponine, it is the least I can do." Clara smiled and helped her up. "What is your name?"

"Belle, mademoiselle," She said as they walked over to the carriage.

"Belle, I'm Clara. It is nice to meet your acquaintance," Clara offered. There as genuine smile on her face, though deep inside tremendous fear lingered for Éponine. As they entered the carriage, quick introductions were given, but Belle's eyes set on just one man. Enjolras gave Jean the order to head to the Inn.

As they pulled up, Clara told Belle to stay in the carriage. Standing in front of the monstrous, decaying two-story building, the four revolutionaries snapped their revolvers out. The name of the Thenardier Inn had been torn down, and the double doors were wide open. They could see the wide staircase in the middle of the wide room, falling apart. Abandonded bags adorned the dust filled floor, and chair were broken and scattered all over.

"If and when you find her, do not take on Montparnasse, call for everyone. I'll deal with him," Clara ordered. The men nodded in understanding and she cocked her revolver and let out a deep sigh. "We're here Éponine."