A/N: Just a warning, this chapter contains a lot of my headcanon, so I apologize of not all the facts are straight.

Night was falling. Eponine glanced out the window, shivering.

"Are you cold?" Marius, seated next to her, asked.

"No," she admitted, trying to stay still. She was becoming more and more terrified by the minute. She knew Montparnasse didn't joke around with violence, so if he told her she was going to get hurt tonight, she believed she would get hurt.

"Are you alright, Eponine? You've been quite shaken today." A look of concern flashed across his eyes and Eponine smiled inwardly at the thought that he was concerned for her.

"I'm fine," she placated him. Even if he could tell by her remaining bruises that she was not safe wherever she went, she did not want him knowing about the frequency of the abuse.

"What were you doing with Enjolras this morning?" He wondered.

She bit her lip. "What?"

"When I found you this morning, you looked startled then as well, Enjolras seemed to be helping you." His brow furrowed.

"Oh, well…I ran into an old childhood friend who is…no longer my friend." She stammered out, hoping he would drop the subject.

"And Enjolras scared him off?" A smile curled the corners of Marius's lips.

"Sort of, yes." Eponine admitted, blushing.

Marius nodded. "That was nice of him, then."

Eponine nodded back, then looked around the café. She had spent the majority of the day there, and Marius had joined her in between his classes. But Enjolras had never showed up with any of the other students. "Yes, it was." She decided not to ask of his whereabouts.

Marius looked out the window. "You should probably be going home soon, shouldn't you?"

Eponine didn't have to look outside again to know that the sky was dark. She gulped. "Yes, I should." She stood up, hesitating. She had mixed feelings on whether or not she wanted him to stop her. He didn't.

"You could sleep here again, Eponine." Grantaire's voice called from the bar. Marius and Eponine looked to him.

"What are you talking about?" Marius asked.

Grantaire shrugged. "Eponine and Enjolras slept in the café last night. I'm sure they could do it again." He smiled wickedly.

Marius looked at Eponine in confusion. "What is he going on about?"

Eponine tried to control her flushing cheeks. "I fell asleep here last night and Gavroche told Enjolras not to wake me up so I slept the entire night here and Enjolras stayed to watch over me." She wanted the story to sound as un-incriminating as possible.

"Oh," said Marius. He still looked a little lost.

"Why don't you stay again, Eponine?" Grantaire teased.

Eponine shook her head violently. "No, monsieur. I must be going." She walked quickly to the door. She looked back for a moment at the safe, warm interior of the café.

"Wait, 'Ponine," Marius called, walking after her. She paused in the doorway for him. "Have a good night." He smiled, then turned away. Her heart fell in disappointment, and she left the café.

She could feel the chill in the air the moment she stepped outside, but it was nothing compared to the cold fear gripping her insides. She almost wished to be attacked in the dark Paris streets before returning home, just to avoid her father. She wished for a shawl, or anything to wrap herself in to both keep warm and disguise herself, but she had nothing but the rags on her back. There were still two holes at the sides of her chemise, where Montparnasse had torn.

In her distraction, she tripped over a loose stone in the ground, hitting the ground hard. She winced as she felt pain in her elbows and knees and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the pain to go away. When she opened them a minute later, she saw a pair of well-made shoes in front of her. She scrambled upwards in alarm, ignoring the stinging pain and keeping her eyes cast downward. "Excuse me, monsieur." She hastened to get out of the way.

"Eponine?" The man said. She looked up.

Enjolras was frowning at her. She bit her lip. "Oh, hello monsieur."

"Are you alright?"

Eponine was becoming quite frustrated with the amount of times she was asked this question; even more so with the lie she always had to tell in response. "I'm splendid." She said sarcastically.

"Yes, I presumed as much." He said back, smirking. There was an awkward pause, then Enjolras cleared this throat and gestured to a bench. "Sit with me for a moment?"

She hesitated. She needed to be home, but…"Okay."

They sat together on a bench in silence, then Enjolras asked quietly, "Why Marius?"

Eponine wasn't all too surprised by the question, but she still was not sure what to say. "What do you mean?" She stalled.

"You're not stupid, Eponine. I think you know what I mean." He said. She couldn't quite make out his tone, and when she glanced at his face she saw traces of anger.

"That's right, I'm not stupid." She said slowly, trying to figure out her answer. "But I don't know if I can tell you."

"I think you can." Enjolras looked at her as she looked down again. The moon was out and shining down on them, and images from his dream flashed before his eyes and he imagined the girl in front of him with fleshed-out cheeks and sparkling eyes. When Eponine spoke again, the image was gone and she was once again dirty, with sunken cheeks.

"I met him a few years ago, when I didn't know Paris as well as I do now. I was scared. I grew up very nicely, you see—I had a great childhood. But then things happened, and I ended up here with nothing. I was mostly alone. And then I met Marius, and he was the first person to show me any kindness in this city, and I've been holding onto that ever since." She spoke slowly as to control her voice and keep any tears from spilling out. She saw Enjolras nod out of the corner of her eye.

"But he has Cosette now." He pointed out.

She let out a mirthless laugh. "Yes, and now he has her. Cosette, of all people."

Enjolras looked confused. "What?"

"I have known Cosette since I was a child. You remember how I said I had a great childhood? That was because Cosette was like a servant to my family, and I never had to lift a finger. So it's all too fitting that it is she that Marius falls in love with." She couldn't help the single tear that slipped down her cheek.

"Eponine." Enjolras looked at her closely. "Eponine, it is okay."

She hastily wiped away the tear. "Yes, I know it is. I'm a foolish girl who never should expect romance."

"Don't say that." Enjolras felt a stab of pity. He did not know how to tell the girl that his feelings for her were growing, and he no longer saw her as Marius's shadow or a filthy street girl. He saw her beauty underneath the dirt on her skin and when she smiled he knew something was right.

"Why shouldn't I say that? It's only the truth." More tears started to fall and she did not even bother to conceal them from the handsome boy next to her. She already had no modesty with him and whatever affection she might feel for him, she knew she never had a chance, just like with Marius.

"No, Eponine, I don't think it is the truth." There was a tremble in his voice that she had never heard before. She opened her mouth to respond.

"EPONINE." A voice boomed from several meters away. Eponine froze and Enjolras looked around wildly. Three men were approaching, and it was the first man, the man in front, that had spoken. Eponine began taking deep breaths. Enjolras grabbed her hands.

"Eponine, what's going—"

"We found the hussy!" One of the other men grunted loudly. Eponine shut her eyes. She felt a large hand close around her hair and as she was yanked to her feet, she tried not to squeal in pain.

"Obedience was never your strong suit." She heard a voice growl in her ear and she recognized it as Thenardier's. "When were you planning to come home, Eponine?"

"Tonight, I was just on my way…" She whimpered as he yanked her hair again.

"Eponine!" She heard another voice yell, and she realized that Enjolras had not run away when her father approached. That stupid boy.

"Go away!" She screamed at Enjolras. He did not need to be here, he was pointless. He would only get hurt.

"You were on your way?" Thenardier sneered. "You move slower than the dead then, Eponine." Eponine was breathing quickly.

"Leave her alone!" Enjolras's voice rang out again. Eponine squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see Enjolras hurt. She heard laughter all around her at Enjolras's words.

"This is him," Eponine heard Montparnasse mutter to her father, and she guessed Montparnasse had recounted the morning's events to him prior. She also guessed her father had nodded or given him another positive signal, because all of a sudden she was thrown violently into Montparnasse's arms.

"Why you protecting 'Ponine?" Her father jeered at Enjolras. Eponine opened her eyes slightly. Enjolras stood surrounded by the three criminals, but he did not cringe. He was at his full height and looked almost regal.

"Because she needs protection from mongrels like you."

More laughter.

"Please leave, Enjolras." She whimpered. One of Montparnasse's arms was wrapped around her waist, holding her back, and the other hand was at her neck. Montparnasse chuckled.

"No, Eponine." Enjolras looked directly into her eyes. Eponine tried to struggle against Montparnasse's grip but failed.

"Why do control her so?" Enjolras said to Thenardier. "It's obvious you do not care for her as a father should care for his daughter. If all you do is hurt her, why keep her?"

Eponine's mouth fell open. Was he trying to leave her homeless?

"She brings in money," her father answered. "And it is none of your business how we use her."

"I think it is my business," said Enjolras. "It is not right to abuse her as you do."

Eponine was still on shock that Enjolras remained untouched. Montparnasse's wandering hands were making her squirm.

"And it's not right for an insolent child to tell me what is right or not." Thenardier growled.

Eponine tried to fight her way out again. She dug her dirty nails into Montparnasse's skin and writhed violently. All she got was a yank of her hair and a slap to the face. Enjolras looked on in horror.

"What would it take for you to release her?" Enjolras called.

"I do not feel like releasing her." Montparnasse laughed and squeezed Eponine's bum. She jumped.

"Not you!" Enjolras yelled. He turned to Thenardier. "How much money would it take for you to release her from your house?" He rephrased the question.

Thenardier laughed, before he realized that Enjolras was being serious. "What do you want with her, boy?"

Enjolras took money out of his bag. "I want for her to never have to suffer at her own father's hands again. 1000 francs."

Thenardier did a double take and Montparnasse gaped. "What are you offering?!"

"1000 francs," Enjolras repeated. "And you never lay a hand on her again."

"Enjolras, they're my home." Eponine screamed.

Enjolras held up a hand to stop her protestations. He could tell Thenardier was interested in his offer. "Do we have a deal, sir?"

Eponine felt Montparnasse's arm tighten around her waist and she choked.

"You give me the money, and you take 'Ponine with you?" Thenardier asked, eyeing the money in Enjolras's hand.

"And she never has to see you again if she does not want to." Enjolras nodded.

Thenardier looked back and forth from the money to his struggling daughter, then narrowed his eyes and approached Eponine. He motioned for Montparnasse to release her, but before Eponine could make a break for it, he grabbed her chin and brought her face close. "Did you plan this, you brat? What have you promised this bourgeois? Your virtue, perhaps?"

Eponine shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "No, papa, I did not plan anything." She met his eyes.

He kept a firm grip on her arm as he turned back to Enjolras. "For 1000 francs, she's yours."

Eponine shook her head at Enjolras when he looked at her, trying to convey her emotions without words. Do not waste your money on me.

Enjolras nodded at Thenardier and came closer, taking a hold of Eponine's hand with his free one. He handed the cash to Thenardier and Eponine's father released her. Weary, Eponine stumbled into Enjolras's arms.

"C'mon." Her father cocked his head and the men followed him. Eponine watched as her father exited the street, and, possibly, her life.

Eponine and Enjolras were both breathing heavily and she leaned against his chest. She sobbed for a few minutes and he held her gently. When she quieted down, she stepped away from him.

"Did you just buy me?"

Enjolras laughed. "I think so, yes."

She paused. "What now, then?"

"Come with me."

A/N: Guys I'm so sorry it took me a while to update, I had midterms this past week and they were crazy stressful and I had zero time to write. THANK YOU for all the reviews though, it was the best feeling in the world to check my email between tests and see reviews. I think the feeling I got from that kept me sane. So I love you all, and hope this chapter was satisfactory!

XOXO, Love always,

Lana