Hello, everyone! I am finally back! I'm sorry about the long wait. I've been absorbed in many things, NaNoWriMo being on that list. (Guess what? I won!) So let me think...Oh, yes, the poll! Well, I got three votes, and they were each for a different idea. So I'm at a loss. I'm going to give you all one more chance to vote, and if I can't get responses, I'll decide myself. It's okay, I forgive you, though. I love you guys. :) Again, the choices are: "Days of Endless Wonder", "When Autumn Came", and "He Slept a Summer By My Side".

In other news, my famous "Pride and Prejudice/Les Miserables" story is up, if anyone should care to read it. It's called "A Chance Meeting", because I couldn't think of any other title. Yep. I'm REALLY bad at titles. I'm quite proud of this story though, and it's unlikely that I'm going to get many reviews, so I would be very thankful if you would just pop on down and check it out. But Almost an Actress gave it a review and I owe her my thanks. Thanks, mon ami! Anyway, if you are not familiar with Pride and Prejudice, you can still read it. The story will make perfect sense either way, even if you have never heard of P & P and are wondering about it, since your best friend is always ranting on about this Elizabeth Bennet character and how Colin Firth is so hot in the BBC television adaption. Yes. This is partly how I first discovered the book. Thanks, Rachel.

Anyway, I should stop ranting and get on to the actual important stuff. I'm sure most of you are bored and wanting to get over with this incredibly long Author's Note, and I'm sitting here at home, writing it, grinning manically and drinking warm coke in a plastic Harry Potter cup and listening to weird Christmas songs on Pandora while my cat tries to eat my lunch. Anyway, since I haven't had time to respond to all your reviews, here are my responses (If you want to get onto the story already, just skip these and scroll down):

Guest: Okay, thanks! :)

Chanty 420: Thanks a lot! I know, I feel like that sometimes. "Why can't I just click a button and be automatically logged in"?

AlphaThree: Thank you! Thanks for the suggestion. Ahh! Writer's Block is like MURDER to the creative senses. Better go eat some ice cream. Yes, yes. That will help. (Shut up, conscious!)

Almost an Actress: Thank you, TT! Well, you know my updating routine: Hey, I'm bored. What to do? OH HOLY COW I HAVEN'T UPDATED MY STORY IN MORE THAN A MONTH. Thanks for the suggestion!

TheIbis2010: Haha! Thank you! Oh, of course. :) It IS a lovely title idea. Thanks for the suggestion!

BrandonMichelle: You've got that right! :) Thank you!

And thank you to anyone I missed.

And now, without further ado, what you've all been waiting for...CHAPTER 8!

Tholymes' sister arrived directly on time. She was a pretty thing, with thick hair that flowed down past her shoulders in waves of auburn. Her eyes were the color of the ocean, with small silver spots as if like waves, frothing at the edge of the beach. She wore a simple, inexpensive gray dress, which she had probably made herself, being a seamstress.

Favourite greeted her at the door with a brisk, "Hello. May I help you?"

"I daresay you can! Is a man named Felix Tholymes here?"

"Sister!" Felix cried from behind Favourite. Jeanette let out a girlish cry and flung herself at her brother. Though they weren't on the best of terms at the moment, when you haven't seen your brother in a year, you can't help but put aside all your worries and throw your arms around him, no?

Fantine appeared, peeking her head out from around the corner. Felix noticed her, and managed to pry his sister's arms from his neck.

"Ah, who is this young beauty?" Jeanette asked.

Don't tell me you can't notice who I am, Fantine thought. How many pregnant, unmarried women do you think reside in this house?

"Er..." Felix looked at a lost for words. Though he had rehearsed it several times, when the time came to finally introduce his sister to the woman he was having a child with, he did not know how to form proper sentences. "Um...Jeanette, may I introduce you to my fiancé, Fantine?"

You could have heard a pin drop, the room was so silent. "Fiancé?" Fantine heard Zephine mutter. She was just as shocked herself.

"Yes," Tholymes said. "My fiancé."

There was a moment of quiet, before Jeanette cried, "Oh, that is marvelous!" and hugged her brother again, before giving in and hugging his 'fiancé.' "Let me congratulate you," she said. "You are going to be married!"

"So- - you are not mad about- - about the baby?" Fantine wondered.

The other girls shared a look. "I think we better go check on dinner," Favourite said tactfully. "You may have a seat in the parlor when ready. It's not much of a parlor, but anyways..."

She hurried off, Zephine and Dahlia fluttering behind her like birds. Jeanette turned back to her brother and Fantine. "You were saying? Oh, yes the baby." (At this point, Tholymes took both ladies' arms and began leading them towards the small excuse for a parlor.) "Well, I must confess, I was shocked at first," Jeanette continued, "and I still am. But after hearing how you are engaged, it's softened some of the awkwardness of this situation. You must be married as soon as possible, of course. Oh, an autumn wedding! How I envy you. I don't know when Davis and I will ever be married." (Davis was the boy across the street from Fantine.)

She took a seat in an armchair and graciously accepted the tea Fantine offered her. Tholymes, trying to change the subject, said, "Have you not made enough money yet working in England?"

Jeanette shook her head. "I-I have not. The wages are quite low, you see, and the taxes high. And with Davis being in school, how are we ever going to afford a wedding, a house, clothes for ourselves and- - and our children, when they are born?" She put her head in her hands and started to cry. Tholymes put his arms around her and stroked her hair. "There, there, Jeanette. You've had a long journey, you need rest. You may sleep in Fantine's bedroom. Come." He put an arm around his sister and led her upstairs. Fantine smiled as she watched their retreating forms. It was nice to see the warmer, familial side of Felix. She wondered - - if he was this good a brother, would he be this good a father?

And thank you! Reviews are always welcome. In case I don't write another chapter before Christmas, happy holidays to you all! (And please, vote on the title!)

-AzureOtter