AN Warning: Really long explanation of why this update took so long, feel free to skip.

So I've been meaning to finish this chapter and upload it for a while now. Of course, not the easiest thing to do. University life is fairly busy. Reading Week back in October was great, I got to spend Thanksgiving (we Canadians have Thanksgiving in October) with my Aunt and Uncle (my parents live a two day drive from St Catharine's, where I attend Brock University) and my little cousins alternated between obsessing over me and playing Skylanders. They're really cute and I love them. Then I got to see Cabaret at the Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake, and immediately after that I went up to Mississauga to stay with a friend for two nights because she and her family are awesome and gave me a place to stay while I took a solo day trip up to Toronto (and I didn't get lost AT ALL) to catch the matinee of Wicked and evening performance of The Book of Mormon, both of which were fabulous. Alyssa Fox is a magnificent Elphaba, and hopefully she'll get a chance to be principle Elphaba rather than standby, she's perfect. Kara Lindsay's brilliant as G(a)linda, of course. And The Book of Mormon... I got lucky. I got the last ticket left. $130, Orchestra seat... What the Hell, other university students blow all of their money on alcohol, what's the worse drug here, booze or theatre? Anyway, Gavin Creel was playing Elder Price and he was perfect. Everyone and everything was perfect in that show but him especially. And of course I did stage dooring at both shows, only got Alyssa Fox at Wicked but I got a few people at The Book of Mormon, including Gavin Creel. It was a perfect day. Blew a few hundred dollars on theatre tickets and merch, but so worth it. Already planning to go see Once in Toronto for February Reading Week. Nothing good during March Break though, so I guess I'll just be lonely in res. Drama program's great, making friends. Res people including roommate are awesome too. Only two mental breakdowns so far at school, one was pretty bad and I missed two days of classes, but roommate's understanding and one of my drama friends helped me out and it was comfort week when that happened so an hour in the Puppy Room really helped (if your school doesn't have a puppy room before exams your school sucks, I'm sorry but that's the way it is, trained therapy dogs are the best). Exams were ok, I passed them all. Science is now done for the year but I didn't understand how credits in university work because no one ever explained this to me because small town high schools are not the best for planning for a life outside of said small town probably because the goal of the small town is to suck you in and kill your dreams and trap you there forever so long story short I need another half credit of science. Ugh. And then it was home for Christmas. My exams were all done on the 11th so on the 12th I woke up early - hahaha no I didn't sleep that night so I didn't have to wake up - and made my way to Toronto before flying all the way back to TBay where my dad and grandma picked me up to take me home where I got four hours of sitting in a car, still unable to sleep. Women's and Gender Studies exam on the 11th was at 8am. I got home around 7pm on the 12th. I had a one hour nap after my exam on the 11th. That was the only sleep I got between my exam and getting home. Dog tackled me, went for a walk with my best friend since I was three or four, learned about new friend drama, and finally got some sleep around midnight. Fast forward a bit, had a mental breakdown on the 22nd and had to leave a family gathering after only being there for half an hour, another one on Christmas Eve during my family dinner, Christmas itself was ok, blah blah more friend drama, musical marathon with one of my besties later today for New Year's, that'll be fun. Going back to school this weekend. And now I just feel lost and confused because all of this time I've apparently been homesick for a feeling that no longer exists because my little sister is still better than me at stuff and my parents fight a lot and don't understand me and really it's just all complicated. I've changed my mind I don't want to grow up. Although being a kid was kind of bullshit for me too, parents still fought, little sister was still better than me, I had one friend, and I got bullied a lot. Only difference is now I have friends and while nobody bullies me I'm an anxious, depressed mess who just wants to write because it feels good and then stuff happens and writer's block and it all sucks. Anyway I think that's enough about my personal life, which probably most of you aren't concerned about and you're no doubt at this point wondering where the story is so here you go, enjoy! Hopefully the next update won't take as long, but I now will be getting four day weekends!

Chapter 10

"In my life, she has burst like the music of angels the light of the sun!" Marius exclaimed as he followed Eponine through the streets. He reminded her of an enthusiastic child. It was like when she gave Gavroche, her brother, a treat. "And my life seems to stop as if something is over and something has scarcely begun!" He flew past her, and Eponine sped up to catch him.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm to remind him that she was the one who knew where they were going. He turned to look at her, and the expression of utter joy in his eyes made her heart melt into the ground.

"Eponine, you're the friend who has brought me here," he said, and she felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. He looked so happy, so pleased with her. "Thanks to you, I am one with the Gods and heaven is near!" He spun her around, and she couldn't help but laugh in joy. He was so delighted, and it was all because of her. She had made him this happy. "And I soar through a world that is new, that is free!"

Every word that he says is a dagger in me, she thought. While she was pleased that he was so happy because of her, at the same time, it felt as though he were repeatedly stabbing her through the heart. She knew the true source of that joy and happiness in his eyes. The whole reason she was making him happy. She was bringing him to Cosette. The little blonde angel was the one he really wanted. It didn't even matter that he had been the one ray of sunshine in Eponine's Hell of a life. In my life there's been no one like anywhere, anywhere where he is. If he asked, I'd be his.

He was all that she wanted. A fact that she was starting to curse now, as it was causing her nothing but pain. Just like when she had been a child, she found herself irrationally hating Cosette with every fibre of her being. Except this time it was not irrational, she told herself. Cosette was stealing Marius from her. Cosette had no right to take away her one scrap of happiness, the one person that Eponine loved with all of her heart.

"We're here," she said quietly, stopping outside of the gate. Marius peered in, and, spying Cosette, smiled widely, his eyes lighting up with joy. She tried not to feel the warmth in her heart that his smile always brought to her without fail. No one else had ever made her feel that way, and she doubted anyone ever would. In my life, there is someone who touches my life...

"Waiting near?" Marius asked suddenly, catching Eponine's arm suddenly, a pleading look in his eyes. He wanted her to wait for him.

Don't, a voice in her head whispered, and she wanted to listen, she really did. To wait and watch him make Cosette fall in love with him would be too much to bear.

"Waiting here," she replied. She could never refuse him. She was lost. He had too much of a hold on her by now. She was hopelessly wrapped around his finger, and she hated herself for it. She desperately longed to run away, as far away as possible, and yet she found that she couldn't. Instead, she found herself peaking through the gate, watching the love of her life declaring his love to Cosette, the girl who had taken all of Eponine's dreams from her.

It was sickening, listening to them speak about having hearts full of love. You don't even know each other, she screamed in her head. Stop it! She wanted nothing more than to turn away, or wake up to find that it had all been nothing more than a dream, a horrible nightmare, but she could not.

Right before her eyes, they were falling in love, despite having just met. As she watched, they kissed, and Eponine felt as though her heart was being ripped from her chest. As they parted, Cosette gave a small smiles before taking Marius' hand and leading him away from Eponine's view. She was alone there, outside of the gate, where she had promised to wait for him.

With a sigh, she leaned against the wall before sliding down to sit with her back against it, staring hopelessly ahead. Cosette had stolen her last scrap of happiness from her. She would never forgive her for this, not even if she lived a hundred years.

"He will be mine," she whispered, her eyes darkening as she allowed her anger to consume her, warming her heart as she clenched her fists. "It's only a matter of time."

Suddenly, a noise pierced through the silence surrounding her, startling her out of her fury. Eponine stood quickly, glancing around, trying to pinpoint it. Voices drifted towards her, coming closer, and to her horror, she recognized them. Her father and his gang. The Patron Minette was coming.

"And just when I thought this night couldn't get any worse," she muttered to herself, darting into the shadows to watch. There was no way she was letting them catch her out alone, not when there was a chance they'd been drinking. She would get the information she needed – how sober they were and what they were doing there – before revealing herself.

It wasn't long before they came into sight. Her father had brought the full gang along. Brujon, Babet, Claquesous, and Montparnasse. Her stomach churned at the sight of them all, and her blood boiled in her veins as she realized who their target was: Cosette and her father.

"He'll think this is an ambush... He'll think I'm in it too!" She bit her lip as the realization struck her. How would she fix this? Could she even fix it? "I can't let Marius think I'm involved in this..." She fell silent and slipped further into shadows as the gang came withing her hearing.

"Ten years ago he came and paid for Cosette. I let her go for a song, it's time we settle the debt," her father sneered. "This'll cost him dear!"

"What do I care who you should rob?" Brujon snapped. "Give me my share! Finish the job!"

"You shut your mouth, you'll get what's yours!" Thenardier snapped back as Eponine shifted closer, out of the shadows, in an effort to hear better.

"What have we here?" Brujon asked suddenly as he spotted her.

"Who is this hussy?" her father asked as he looked at her.

"It's your brat, Eponine, don't you know your own kid?" Brujon was incredulous. "Why's she hangin' about you?"

Eponine felt her anger returning, stronger than before. On top of everything else that had happened today, her own father couldn't even be bothered to recognize her? Then again, what else could I have expected from a drunken moron?

"Eponine, get on home, you're not needed in this. We're enough here without you!" Thenardier hissed at her as she approached them. Oh no, you're not. Not if I can help it.

"I know this house, I tell you," she replied. I may hate Cosette, but I hate you more. "There's nothing here for you. Just the old man and the girl; they live ordinary lives." You taught me well in lying, father, too well. And you've been drinking, I can smell it on your breath. This should work.

"Don't interfere!" Thenardier shot back, his eyes dark. "You've got some gall. Take care, young miss, you've got a lot to say."

"She's going soft," Brujon put in dismissively.

"Happens to all," Claquesous agreed.

"Go home 'Ponine, go home," Montparnasse insisted. "You're in the way!"

"I'm gonna scream!" she threatened, "I'm gonna warn them here!"

"One little scream and you'll regret it for a year," Thenardier promised.

Eponine bit her lip and hesitated a moment.

"What a palaver, what an absolute treat to watch a cat and it's father pick a bone in the street," Claquesous commented with a smirk.

"Not a sound out of you!" Brujon warned him, jabbing him in the ribs.

"Well I told you I'd do it, told you I'd do it," Eponine warned before letting out a bloodcurdling scream. Within moments, Montparnasse had grabbed her and had his knife to her throat while Brujon, Babet, and Claquesous looked ready to run, but awaited instruction from Thenardier first.

"Make for the sewers, get underground!" Thenardier shot at the three of them before turning to Montparnasse. "Leave her to me, don't wait around!"

Montparnasse instantly let go of her, throwing her into her father's arms before running after the other three.

"You wait my girl, you'll rue this night!" Thenardier hissed as he held on tightly to Eponine. "I'll make you scream, you'll scream all right!" he promised before throwing her to the ground and following his gang.

What have I gotten myself into? Eponine wondered as she began to catch her breath. She was in for it this time. Home was definitely not a safe place, and it looked like rain later... She hardly fancied another night on the streets...

"It was your cry sent them away!" Marius exclaimed, his voice bringing Eponine back down to Earth. He extended a hand to help her up. "Once more 'Ponine, saving the day! Dearest Cosette, my friend, 'Ponine," he said, quickly introducing the two. For Eponine, the introduction was hardly necessary. She remembered Cosette only too well. And, she realized, judging from the expression on Cosette's face, the blonde remembered and recognized her, too. "She brought me to you, showed me the way-" He fell silent as they heard the door open, and Marius grabbed Eponine's arm tightly. "Someone is near, let's not be seen, somebody's here!" The two quickly ran off, hiding out of sight.

"It was probably just her father, Marius," Eponine hissed as Marius attempted to eavesdrop. "Don't you want to meet the father of your beloved?"

"I don't think it's the best time," he replied. "Cosette told me he's highly protective."

"Afraid he'll think you've ruined her?" Eponine asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, 'Ponine," Marius replied.

"Oh, you really are sheltered, aren't you? Poor little rich boy doesn't understand. What I meant was, are you afraid he'll think you've soiled her. Deflowered her. Slept with her."

Her taunts were worth it. The look on Marius' face at her words was priceless.

"Don't be so vulgar 'Ponine!" He exclaimed. "You're better than that!"

"Oh, am I really?" she asked. There was no harm in fishing for the occasional compliment from her love, and she felt she deserved it after what she'd gone through for him that night.

"Yes, now quiet, I'm trying to listen here."

Her heart sank. He was barely paying attention to her. The compliment meant nothing if his heart wasn't in it. "I- I'll just go then, I'll see you later," she said quietly before walking away. He didn't respond.

When she looked back after several steps, he didn't even seem to care or notice that she had gone. With a halfhearted sigh, she walked away, into the night, dreading the punishment she knew awaited her.