When Tomorrow Comes {Les Misérables}

Chapter Thirteen

Andra pushed herself to sprint through the streets. She didn't stop, no matter how much pain she felt in her limbs.

Andra turned a corner, grasping onto her ribs in one hand and holding the necklace in the other.

She had no money. She had no family. She had no home. And she only had one place to go.

Andra didn't stop sprinting until she was inside the doors of the ABC Café. The owners and workers were in the back and did not see Andra, which she was thankful for. She did not feel like explaining the bruises and the blood.

Andra walked to the back room, trying to catch her breath. She assumed she would sleep in the meeting room for the night and talk to the revolutionaries in the morning, as they were planning on meeting. She would ask if they knew of a place she could stay and maybe get cleaned up. If they didn't, she'd ask to stay at the Café. She rather sleep on the street than go back to the Opera House now.

Andra opened the door to see a single candle light flickering in the dark along with the shadowy outline of a body standing next to it.

Enjolras looked up at the door, hearing the noise of it opening. When he first looked up, he was glad to see Andra. But once she walked closer to him and father into the light, he saw the bruises forming and the blood dripping from her nose.

"Andraste, what happened?" He asked her. He only used her full names in serious situations.

He placed his hand on the side of her cheek. Even though her skin burned, Andra felt herself melt into Enjolras's touch.

Andra couldn't hold her tears back anymore as she fell into Enjolras's arms, sobbing. Enjolras held onto Andra's body, letting her sob into his chest.

They weren't sure how long they stood there. Enjolras simply let her cry. He didn't even care that her tears stained his shirt. Andra had eventually stopped crying, but her body still shook. She had calmed down enough to
un-cling herself from Enjolras, who stared down at her sadly.

"C-can I stay here?" Andra asked without looking up at Enjolras. She simply stared down at her hands, trying not to think about Enjolras still holding her in his grasp.

"No," he told her. She looked up at him. "You are going to stay with me."

•••

It wasn't a long walk to Enjolras's flat from the Café Musain, which Andra was thankful for. She was also thankful for the fact that Enjolras gave her his jacket to wear and kept his arm wrapped around her as they walked. It was comforting.

Enjolras had yet to press on about what had happened to Andra, but she knew he would eventually. She didn't mind, though. This would be another big step in learning to trust each other.

They entered a large and expensive looking apartment building. It was much nicer than anywhere Andra has ever even imagined of someday living in.

They walked up two flights of stairs to enter a long hallway of doors, the first one Enjolras stepped up to and pulled out his keys. He unlocked the door and held it open for Andra.

She walked in, pulling Enjolras's jacket closer to her. As she entered, she stared around in awe. The flat was beautiful. Truly for any slightly above middle class person it was normal but to Andra it was the most magnificent place she had ever seen.

It was warm and cozy in the flat. She walked into a parlor area that had a kitchen off to the side through a large opening in one of the walls. She assumed Enjolras didn't do a whole lot of cooking in there. There was one singular bedroom.

Enjolras lead Andra into the bedroom, dragging a small trunk out from under the bed and pulling out a woman's nightgown.

"This was my mother's," Enjolras spoke. "It may be a little big but I suppose it will do."

Andra nodded, gratefully, closing the door to the room behind Enjolras as he walked out to let her change.

Once she did, she folded her clothes neatly and left them in the corner to wash them later. She had seen some bruises on her body, most of them in her face, arms, and stomach along her ribs.

Andra walked out of the room to find Enjolras in the parlor, having set out a plate of warm bread and a glass of milk. Andra couldn't remember the last time she took a sip of milk.

Andra sat down on the sofa and began to eat, watching as Enjolras wetted a towel from a bucket of water and walked over to her. He stared down at her for a second, not sure how to ask for her to stop eating so he could clean the blood.

Andra understood as she put the plate and cup down, letting Enjolras sit next to her on the sofa.

Enjolras got to work immediately, wiping away the blood from her nose. He tried not to look at her eyes for he knew if he did, he would get lost in them. Andra, however, had no problem staring into his eyes. The beautiful blue color reminded her of the ocean, although she had never seen the ocean.

"I want to go to the ocean, Enjolras," she mumbled, sleepily. A small smile rugged at the corners of Enjolras's lips.

"I bet you will," He spoke.

"Will you come with me?" Andra asked him, innocently. Enjolras let out a small laugh, nodding.

After Enjolras finished cleaning Andra up and she finished eating, she fell asleep on the sofa. Enjolras bent down and picked Andra up bridal style, one arm under her legs and another on her back.

He brought her to the bedroom and laid her down under the blankets, pulling them up to her collar bone.

Enjolras stared at her sleeping face for a second, admiring her beauty, before he turned and went to walk out the room and prepare his bed on the sofa. He stopped when he heard Andra stirring in her sleep. She sat up in the bed, looking at him.

"Enjolras?" She spoke, sleepily.

"Yes, Andra?" He asked her.

"Will you stay with me?" She asked. Enjolras nodded, watching as she scooted over in the bed and letting him lay down next to her.

Once he settled in, she laid her head on his chest and snuggled into his side. He wrapped his arms around her.

"Bonne nuit, Andra," he whispered and kissed the top of her head. They both soon fell asleep, holding each other in their arms.