Winter settled in and Eponine found herself in posession of a new coat which was warmer than anything she could remember having before. Of course walking home everyday with Enjolras' arm around her kept her warm too. In between his gift and the present of his company it was shaping up to be the best winter she had ever known. She and Cosette went out with some of the other girls to do some shopping for Christmas. The boys had sent them out of the house so they could decorate it and make it properly festive for the upcoming holidays. Eventhough only Azelma, Eponine, and Madame Hucheloup lived in the house now, it was still the main hub of activity, even more than the cafe. After all the king had pardoned them but being seen together at the cafe too much might arouse suspicions.

Enjolras, in the months since the barricades had taken to focusing his passion on finishing his studies. He planned on becoming a lawyer for any poor person that needed proper representation. He still had a desire to fight and tear down monarchies, but he was seeing that the philosophy of his friend Combeferre was superior to agressive activities. To take fear away and replace it with education, that was how to change the world. If the opportunity to fight came he would naturally seize it, but he was not going to lead others to their graves again, not as an initiator at least. He had discussed all these things with Eponine and was delighted that she approved, that she was not going to cling to him and try to thwart him should the opportunity to fight arise, she was actually volunteering to fight by his side should such an occasion arise.

Monsieur Fauchelevent and Grantaire hauled an enormous tree into the room and the rest proceded to cover it in tinsel and ornaments. Enjolras, being tallest, put the star on top and then the rest of them went about hanging stockings and various other decorating activities. They each wanted the room to be a wonder for the women when they returned.

The women had all descended on one shop after another, Eponine and her sister had decided, with Azelma's prompting that they should go to the bookstore to look for some gifts.

"I've been saving a bit of money back" Azelma said. Her pregnancy now showed quite obviously and she felt very self conscious. "I'm just not sure what to get him. Surely sister, you are in love with his best friend, I want to get something that will impress him" she added.

Eponine looked at her sister and smiled a bit. "So you want to impress the philosopher?" she asked.

"Oh Eponine! I know he only treats me nice because he feels sorry for me and because he's such a good person, but if I could win his heart I could be happy. If only I hadn't messed up and fallen into Montparnasse's trap, if only Combeferre were the father" she sighed lowering her eyes in shame.

"Nonsense sister" Eponine said putting her arm around her sister's shoulders. "We all make mistakes, if Enjolras, in all his sparkling pure purity can love me, there's no reason you don't have just as much chance of winning Combeferre's heart." She shook her head "don't worry about it, just keep on being friends with him and hopefully he'll wake up one day and see how pretty you are and fall madly in love with you" Eponine giggled softly. "You will be fine, and someone will love you, baby and all" she assured her, pushing some hair back under her sister's bonnet for her.

"You really think so?"

"I see no reason why it shouldn't be so, it's happened to other girls before, why couldn't it happen to you?"

Two shops down Cosette and Amelia were perusing the wares inside a store that catered to artists. Cosette felt, despite her heart having warnings about the impropriety of buying a better gift for one person than for the rest had decided to go buy a set of artists brushes for Grantaire. All the others were getting simple things, generic gifts, but she wanted to get Grantaire something special. She told herself it was only because he had been so good, and kind, and attentive to her since Marius' death, but a secert part of her told her otherwise. She bought the brushes and on a whim in the next shop bought him an artist's beret for laughs. It was so strange, Grantaire was the only man she had ever felt comfortable enough with to tease and make jokes around, she wasn't very good with jokes, but he always seemed to laugh at hers.

Amelia followed along, silently, helping Cosette carry her things, and being given some francs to go buy gifts herself. In the clothing store the young girl bought a nice pair of gloves, they were cheap, only for everyday wear, and she intended to give them to her idyll. She knew Enjolras and Eponine were in love, and she had no jealousy in her pure childish heart but their being together didn't stop her from daydreaming over the gallant blonde and wanting to get him something nice for Christmas.

At last Eponine and her sister exited the bookstore, each having a parcel under their arm to be given to their beloved. The girls went to the market, found the vendor who peddled hot chocolate and drank their fill while warming themselves by the vendor's little fire. All wore happy faces and were alight with the joy of good fun.

Suddenly, from down a side street there stalked up a wiry man, Azelma and Eponine immediately recognize the fatally handsome face.

"Well, well, well" he almost cooed "what a pretty collection of fillies here. One of which I think is mine." He said cruelly as he glared at Azelma and her large stomach "or maybe two."

"No, nothing here is yours" Azelma said, she found strength in the company of her sister.

"You little hussy" he said taking her hand to drag her away from the crowd. He felt a hot poker jab into his side, Cosette, to everyone's surprise had picked up the poker from the fire and holding it like a sword used it to get Montparnasse to unhand Azelma. Eponine stood to Cosette's side, the pretty nitwit had no idea who she was dealing with. The two formed a wall in front of Azelma.

"If you know what's good for you you will get out of here and leave Azelma alone" Cosette said trying to sound stronger than she felt.

"And how is this any of your business mademoiselle?"

"Azelma is my friend" Cosette said defiantly. "I insist that you leave her alone, can't you see she doesn't want anything to do with you. Leave her be."

"Or what miss?" he asked almost hissing the words.

"Or I shall call the police" she said, after all, it was what she would do.

He laughed, his laughter was hard and cruel.

At that moment, as if on cue from the Fates themselve who were feeling irony was in order a troop of gendarmes came down the street, Amelia at their lead. She pointed and Montparnasse ran, but he was overtaken, clapped into chains, and arrested.

Amelia was rewarded with as many sweets as she could eat, two new dresses, bonnets, gloves, sous. She was heralded as the hero of the day, and the vendor of the little hot chocolate stand even told his good friend who worked for one of the papers about the story and it received a short write up in the news for that month.

After they had recovered from the excitement they started back to the house.

Eponine took Cosette's arm and said to her "I didn't know you had that in you."

She blushed "I didn't either" she admitted.

They had all agreed not to tell the men, especially Monsieur Fauchelevent about their encounter and they entered the house in high spirits, made only higher by the spectacle that greeted their eyes.

The room smelt deliciously of spices and cedar. There was tinsel and ivy everywhere. The tree was immaculate. The stockings festive as could be.

"Can I interest you fine ladies in some eggnog?" Grantaire asked, a little tipsily to be honest. For he had already drank a great deal of the eggnog while the others had been working. He didn't feel that it was breaking his vow to become a better man, it was getting into the holiday spirit he felt. And what was the holiday 'spirit' without spirits.

They all sat down and chatted merrily, Eponine quietly told Enjolras about what had happened with Montparnasse to which he responded.

"It's about time our woeful police force actually did something about it" then he turned and saw Amelia sitting by herself. He went over and spoke with her for a bit then he returned to Eponine's side. "If it doesn't bother you, I think I'll go out and do my own Christmas shopping now, and I think I'll bring Amelia along and get her something too" he looked at her "she's going to make a fine citizen, she already is."

"Can't I come along?" Eponine protested with mock pouting.

"No" he said smiling and tucking some hair behind her ear "not this time, I have to get you your present" he leaned down and gave her cheek a soft kiss that made her heart flutter a bit.

"Aw! now I want to go with you more than ever" she said grinning.

He shook his head, taking her hand and putting a kiss to it "I promise, I will do my best to find the best present for you, just be patient, Christmas is not that far away."

She sighed and watched Enjolras and Amelia leave. She felt almost like Amelia was their adopted daughter, of course so did all the others. Combeferre watched over her like a big brother, Enjolras inspired her like a teacher would, Madame Hucheloup and Monsieur Fauchelevent were naturally father and mother to this girl who had lost both. She also felt like she was mother to Amelia as well. In Eponine's mind she saw a daydream that she felt could never be, but that didn't stop it from coming into her mind at random moments when she felt full of joy because of Enjolras. The vision was her in her best dress, with Amelia going before her tossing flowers everywhere and Enjolras standing at the end of the aisle, dressed in that fne red jacket of his waiting for her, as a preacher stood at hand. She knew it was absurd, Enjolras despite having started down the road to learning romance, was a long way off from matrimony, and he couldn't marry her anyways. He was an only son, bound to inherit, what would his parents do if he brought home a tramp's daughter for a bride, not that he was ever going to go home, but the point still remained.