(sorry i took forever to update 3 please review!)

Eponine could hear waves crashing on the ocean, and couldn't help but smile as she climbed out of the car and Courfeyrac told her to keep her eyes closed, "fuck you. This is ridiculous, I'm not seven years old, Courfeyrac," Eponine laughed, as she reluctantly closed her eyes and he picked her up like a little child.

"Hey. I would never treat a seven year old like I treat you. Shut up and close your eyes. I know you're peeking. I can see parts of your beautiful eyes flickering in the sunlight," he said. She closed them fully and he began to walk onto the sand.

"That's the cheesiest fucking line I've ever fucking heard," she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck but keeping her eyes closed.

"You just said fuck three times in two sentences," he commented, and she threw her head back, laughing.

"What are you implying?" she laughed, opening one eye for a second but then closing it when he caught her immediately.

He laughed, "nothing, Ep, jeez, I swear to god your mind is worse than mine."

"That's impossible. Can I open my eyes now?" she demanded.

"I've walked like three steps. What do you think the answer is?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it's 'Courfeyrac needs to learn how to walk faster,'" she teased.

"Sweetheart, that doesn't make sense."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Four times," he teased, smiling down at her frustrated face with her eyes squeezed shut. Watching the way the sunlight dripped down onto it; even with her smeared makeup from earlier and baggy sweatpants she still looked beautiful. Distracted, he tripped and the two of them fell into the damp sand. She opened her eyes and fell onto his chest, laughing.

"Last time you're carrying me anywhere," she smiled, looking up at the sky. It was a nice place they were in, she felt considerably happy especially since he had refused to tell her where they were going when he picked her up. She did love the beach, but never recalled telling him that, which means he must have asked someone. She blushed.

He looked down at her and couldn't help but smile too, "that's really too bad, I love carrying you."

She relaxed and closed her eyes for a moment, moving her hand in the damp sand and feeling Courfeyrac's fast beating heart against her head. "Thank you," she said.

He squeezed her hand and closed his eyes, praying that this would be it, that she wouldn't start talking about Marius or something like that. Then he felt guilty for thinking like that; it was enough just to be here with her, to be the one who makes her happy. She didn't let go, and he felt his heart skip a beat, "what for?"

"For making my shitty day amazing," she sighed, "I don't know why you put up with my crap."

He took a deep breath, looking out into the ocean, "except that you do know," he whispered, feeling his face heat up as she sighed again and shook her head.

She shifted her head on his chest, not knowing what to say. She did know, she knew exactly why he wanted so badly for her to be happy, even if it hurt him. She considered how he way he had never really given up on her since their first night together, four years ago, how she had snuck out of bed in the early morning to get back to her apartment and see Marius. Things had changed so much since then; four years ago she would never have expected her life to be the way it was now, still in love with the same boy she had loved since childhood, except that he was married now. And here she was now, lying on the beach with a guy who had actually managed to make her happy after one of the most painful days of her life. She couldn't stop smiling, despite how happy she felt. "Say it," she said.

"What's the point in stating the obvious?" he asked, in a way that made it sound like it was not a question at all, but a painful fact, "do you want to go swimming?" he asked, standing up slowly and taking her hand, the two of them running up to the water.

She laughed, loving the feel of the freezing water on her feet. There was almost no one else here, and the blissful expression on Courfeyrac's face was priceless. He never let go of her hand, even when the waves halfway knocked her over. They stood waist-deep in the freezing water in street clothes, but they didn't think consider the cold, or what to do afterwards, considering Eponine hadn't brought extra clothes. She forcefully splashed water in his face, then let go of his hand and swam away into the deeper water, giggling. He laughed, standing in shock for a minute as he watched her gracefully slip away, before chasing after her.

He just managed to grab her hand and stop her, softly splashing water into her face, the only dry part of her body at that point, "you're still gorgeous."

She smiled, feeling drips of water slide down her face, not having felt this genuinely happy as long as she could remember. It felt so right, standing here amidst the crashing waves, laughing and holding hands with a boy who actually cared about her. She couldn't help but smile at his sweet face, the way he couldn't stop grinning at her, the way the water was dripping from his curls into his bright eyes. Without thinking, she leaned forward and kissed him. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist and pulling them closer.

She pulled away, surprised at herself but smiling, "I'm sorry," she said.

He kissed her forehead, and looked down at her flustered expression, lifting one hand to her flushed cheek, "why?"

She sighed, and then rolled her eyes and reached up and kissed him again, "I don't know." He picked her up again, carrying her out onto the sand, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and watched the colors of the sunset flicker on his soaking face and hair. He put her down gently on the sand down and lay down next to her, slipping one arm around her waist.

"Eponine…" he started, but she reached up and pulled him onto her, kissing him deeply before he could continue. He kissed her back; it was so different than the other times they had been together. It felt real, it felt like she cared about him the way he did about her.

"What time are Enjolras and Grantaire getting here?" she whispered, out of breath as he moved down and kissed her neck.

"Twenty minutes ago," he replied, looking up at her, suddenly concerned, but shrugging it off as he kissed her again and she ran her fingers through his curls. She smirked as she pulled his soaked shirt off, tossing it into the sand as he shifted halfway on top of her, pressing them as close as he could with the arm he had wrapped around her waist.

They heard a car pull up and looked up, then smiled at each other. Eponine looked over to the car; it was Enjolras.'

"I guess this is my karma for walking in on them. You know when you passed out," he teased, sitting up. She punched him playfully and then got a horrible feeling in her stomach as Grantaire staggered out of the car. They couldn't see him too well from where they were sitting, but he looked injured. Courfeyrac stood up, taking Eponine's hand as the two of them ran up to him. His one eye was swollen and bruised, and both were red and puffy, his hands shaking.

"What happened?" Eponine asked, "Are you okay?" she ran up, hugging him and then pulling back to examine his swollen eye.

"I'm fine," he snapped, slightly irritated sounding, and then a tear rolled down his face, "Enj is in the hospital. It's horrible, we have to go now," he stammered.

Courfeyrac put a hand on his shoulder, steadying him; he looked ready to fall over, "Grantaire, what happened?" he demanded, as Grantaire turned abruptly and got back in the car.

"I fucking told you. Enj is in the hospital," he replied, as the other two climbed in the car and he started the engine.

"No way are you driving like this. Move over," Eponine said, getting out and opening the door of the driver's seat as Grantaire reluctantly shifted over to the passenger seat. She then looked over at him, and placed her hand gently on his shaking arm, "how did Enjolras end up in the hospital? I'm not driving until you explain."

He took a deep breath and looked out the window as he answered, "There were these guys harassing some homeless man. Enj went up and punched the one guy, and then this other guy pulled a knife on him, and then the police showed up and tried to break it up but the guys were getting away so Enj punched this cop to go after them and then he pretty much passed out. It was so horrible-can we please go now?" he begged, as Eponine started the car. "So I called an ambulance, and got him to the hospital but those assholes wouldn't fucking let me in to see him. They insisted its family only. I fucking hate-,"

"He doesn't have any family that'd come out here to see him; he's managed to piss pretty much all of them off," Courfeyrac mumbled.

"Yeah that's why I picked you up. You've known him your whole life; that has to count. Oh god, Eponine, drive faster," he demanded, burying his face in his hands. Eponine squeezed his hand.

"It's alright. He'll be fine, R, don't worry. You'll see him," she said, almost whispering.

"What if he doesn't make it? I can't even-," he started, his hand, which Eponine noticed was deeply cut, was shaking intensely.

"He's gonna be okay. He won't give up. He's Enjolras," Courfeyrac assured him, reaching forward and squeezing Grantaire's shoulder while he pulled out his phone, "I'm gonna call everyone."

Eponine looked over at Grantaire, who nodded his head, "You look pretty bad too, We should pull over," she said.

"No," he replied coldly, and then softened, "Eponine, I love him so much, I don't know what I'd do if-,"

She shook her head, "Don't say that. He'll be fine," she said, wishing she could make him believe it.