A/N: Sorry I have taken longer than I wanted. Anyway... I hope that you enjoy! A little bit of Cosette and Èponine bonding...

Chapter 4: Catching Up

Cosette spoke as she went through her wardrobe. Her words were some what muffled as she spoke but Èponine made sure that she tried to get every thing that the girl said. She had plopped herself down on the end of Cosette's bed as she watched as Cosette pulled out different articles of clothes.

"So, Èponine..." she began as she laid a beautiful violet dress down over a chair. Èponine eyed the dress with wide eyes... It was beautiful and though the outfits that Enjolras got her were very nice, she had made sure not to make him get her anything too nice. She didn't want him to worry too much about her... They had only been together for a little and she didn't want him to spoil her... He gave her a roof to stay under, food and love. What more could she ask for?

She thought that the dress was beautiful... But she was not going to make Cosette give it to her. She had gone so many years without beautiful things such as that- she didn't need it now. She was content.

"Cosette..." she responded.

"How is your family?"

"My family?" she repeated. Cosette let out a little "mm-hm". Èponine nervously scratched her head. She wasn't sure if Cosette knew that her family had lost their inn not too long after M. Madeleine had taken Cosette all those years ago. "Oh... Yes. I guess that you are lucky that you haven't run into them on the streets." She gave Cosette a little shrug. Cosette, in return, gave a confused expression.

"I am not sure I have..."

"Very lucky... But wait! Didn't I see you run into them not too long ago? And they I warned about the law coming and everybody dispersed? That was when Marius... Saw you." Cosette let a little smile cross her face at Èponine's words.

"I think I remember that. Those people did look a little familiar. I didn't see you though... I didn't even recognize you in fact. That was your parents?" Èponine nodded and added in a little embarrassed grin. Cosette sighed. "I am sorry, Èpo-"

"You can call me by my nickname," Èponine interrupted. Not really sure why she did. She didn't dwell too long on that though.

"Okay... 'Ponine," she beamed as she went back to pulling out more clothes. "Who were those people with them that day though? There seemed to be more people?" Èponine gave a slight nod and let out a huff, slightly blowing her bangs from her forehead but with no avail.

"That was my father's gang... Full of thieves and forgotten criminals that would never leave out inn when it was- um- still around." Cosette immediately gave a glance. Perhaps Marius had told her?, Èponine thought as she saw the sympathy in her eyes. "Patron-Minette... Babet, Claquesous, Brujon and Montparnasse. Don't know if you remember them... Slobs."

"I think I remember some of them... Not the Montparnasse character you speak of..."

"My father and mother came across him one evening while they were out. He was a young boy and they saw how stealthy and cunning he was as he picked some old bloke's pocket. They told him that he was welcome to work in my father's gang and he agreed. He is our age I believe... Unfortunate for me. He had a-"

"Love for you?"

"Yes... He was kind when he was not around my father. And when he was... Sober and he was not going through a bad day. He would carry on a good conversation... Most of the time though, he was abusive to me. It was very confusing." She rubbed her eyes as though she saw the man before her and he wouldn't go away.

"That is miserable, 'Ponine..." Cosette whispered.

"When I met Marius, I was able to hide from 'Parnasse. He was very possessive of me... It was scary sometimes... Especially when he was drinking. He would tell me that he loved me and..." she trailed off when Cosette sat beside her.

"No need to continue..." she whispered. Èponine gave a nod and looked at her feet.

"I think that I need to give you a few things..." Cosette smiled. She left Èponine once more and went to the chair with the dresses. She picked up the violet one that she had seen Èponine eye before. She walked over and handed it to the girl.

"What is this?" she asked as Cosette gave her the dress and pulled her up and pushed her over to the mirror.

"A dress of course..." she giggle. Èponine gave a little huff and looked at herself in the mirror.

"I want you to try this on... I will help you get into it. No complaining... I have no need to keep this. I think that you will look better in it. Better than I could..." Cosette told her as she helped Èponine begin to take off her dress that she wore currently.

"Alright... But only because you insist."

They both laughed a little and continued with the task at hand.