A/N: Morning! Well, not really, since I woke up at 10am today. I don't know why ...

Now for some more serious news. After chapter, I will not be updating everyday anymore. I'm sorry! But there is a good reason. The lovely, lovely Penulis, has offered to beta my work! So while she does that, I'm gonna give her some time (because she was so nice to volunteer in the first place) to work on it. Therefore I shall not post as often so she can catch up. I'll still be posting, just not everyday. Also my writing has become really ... rigid lately, so I think a break would be good. Just a heads up for everyone.

Now to the story!

Disclaimer: No, I still do not own Les Miserables, but if I even do, you'll know.

Enjolras hates parties. Everyone knows that. It's common knowledge. After tonight's turn of events, he despised them even more. He didn't understand the concept of jumping around like fools to music that wasn't even decent, along with poisoning themselves with alcohol and trying to get rub up against one another. There really was much better things to do. In some ways, he was glad he had come, if he didn't, he wasn't where Eponine would end up. Maybe in the hands of some scum that takes advantage of drunk girls, which was probably a good eighty-five per cent of the guys that attended the party. He knew that maybe what he had just done was a little overboard, he didn't have to pull her away from the party all together, but he just wanted her to get away from all those people and all that alcohol. It wasn't doing her any favours. If she were going to be mad, then she'll be mad at him, he wouldn't mind.

Eponine panicked when Enjolras buckled her into the front seat of the car, but she was so drunk that she couldn't find the button to release the seat belt. "Do you have your keys?" he asked, while he ever so carefully dug into the small bag she holds to see if she has her keys. But she moves around too much, trying to push him off her. "Nevermind."

As they drive away, Eponine's gaze stays on the where the party that was still happening. The further away they became, they sadder Eponine looked. Suddenly she was crying. Ugly crying. Enjolras knows that he can take care of a drunk Eponine, but a crying drunk Eponine, he wasn't so sure. He decided to ignore her.

"Why do you always have to do that?" she tried her best to say in between sniffs, "Why do you always have to take care of me? I can do that myself you know!" he doesn't answer, "I think I've proven that I'm capable of taking care of myself. I grew up being dirt poor, had to take care of my brother because they parents didn't want anything to do with him. I made ends meet; I had jobs and still got good grades in school. I protected my brother from my father's stupid drunken outburst. I can do it! I got into this college all by myself. Counsellors didn't want to take a second glance at me, teachers were never there to help, I did it all on my own! Full ride and all!" her tears now turning into anger, "Why do you always have to save me and be the hero? I'd like to save myself. I've protected others; I think I can protect myself just fine! Why do you have to be so kind to me? What did I ever do to gain your trust and hospitality? Why are we even friends?" she looked at him, but he doesn't have anything to say, she laughed, "And then Cosette! Oh Cosette! Always teases me about my and Enjolras' friendship! And I lovvveeeee our friendship, I love being his friend, but then she makes me question whether or not I have feelings for him!"

The car goes off lane slightly just for a second, but she doesn't notice. "I mean, I know what everyone says, that he's a 'marble statue' or whatever. No emotions and whatever. But I feel like I know him a bit better than them, you know? And he does have feelings, but I don't know if he has any towards me." Enjolras has to remind himself that she's drunk and that the words coming out of her mouth could just be absolutely random and mean nothing. And that she might forget everything in the morning. His brows crease. "Because the more I think about it, the more I realise that I'm okay with Cosette and Marius being together. You know what, I've started to be happy for them. And then I question myself, am I beginning to like him? Or do I just think that I like him because Cosette keeps pushing it in my face? And if I do, what will he think? How will he react? Will he go away because he knows how I acted when I fawned over Marius? Then it goes back to the question, do I even like him in that way? And the answer is so painfully obvious but I won't let myself see it because I don't want my heart to be broken like it had been with Marius. But most importantly, I don't want to lose his trust and lose our friendship." Her last sentence comes out quietly, Enjolras beings to think that the alcohol is wearing off. "Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, don't tell Enjolras any of this. He doesn't see me that way." His suspiciouns have been answered, she was still very much drunk. "Promise?" She looked at him with a drunken gaze.

"Promise." They arrive at Enjolras' place. She was staying there tonight. He took her out of the car and she slumps on his shoulder. They struggle up the stairs, but make it at last. "You're wrong about him you know."

"Huh?"

"I think that he only wants to protect you. Wants you to be safe."

"I can do that myself."

"Maybe because he sees you protecting others, he wants to be the one to protect you."

"I don't believe one bit of it." He puts her down on the couch, she almost falls over. He's not used to this drunken Eponine, so wild and free. He's used to the Eponine that's reserved and quick witted, wise with her words, not just saying anything that's on her mind. She spoke her mind on a regular basis, but not on topic of feelings. Even when she used to talk about Marius with him, she would still hold back some of her thoughts. But this night was different, she was intoxicated and he wasn't sure if she was aware whom exactly she was speaking too. He's really glad he's there tonight, or she would definitely wake up in a stranger's bed, and he would definitely beat the shit out of Grantaire. He goes into his room, looking for a big shirt that would be more comfortable for her to wear. He peaked out of the room; to make sure Eponine wasn't doing anything strange. She's just sitting there, laughing with herself. It was not a sight Enjolras enjoyed.

After rummaging through his clothes, he comes out of his room with a shirt in hand. Eponine's small enough to be engulfed in one of his bigger shirts. "Eponine." He tossed the shirt at her. Instead of doing anything, she just continues to sit there with the shirt bunched up in the hands. "Eponine, get changed." He sighs and drags her to the bathroom. He waited outside, but does not close the door, just in case something was to happen. Surprisingly, she was quite capable of changing on her own, much to Enjolras' delight. He didn't want to step over any boundaries, if it did come to that. It only took her a short while to change and be ready.

"Done" she yawns as she walked out the bathroom, dress in hand.

"You can take the room."

She grins at him, "Thank you." He doesn't follow her, like she expected him to. Instead he picked up a book, sat on the couch and started to read. She stood in front of the door until he noticed that she was there. "You're not coming?"

Enjolras is taken aback; he wasn't sure what she was implying. "I-I'm fine Eponine You need to sleep. We'll talk in the morning. Goodnight." He just wanted the Eponine he knew so well back. Instead of bidding goodnight herself, she walked up to Enjolras. She grinner first, a grin that Eponine would never bare, then she took him by the hand and pulled him towards the room. His eyes widened, he's too shocked to even think about pulling back.

They're in the bedroom and she pulls him towards the bed. "No. Eponine, no." he snaps out of his trace and took his hand away from her. She's making the puppy dog face. He closed his eyes and groaned. Weren't drunken people easy to get to bed? Shouldn't they just fall right into bed and have a terrible hangover in the morning? He wasn't sure, he had only hoped that that was all he had to do, put her to sleep and not have to deal with her tampered emotions. When he opened his eyes, Eponine was closer than he expected. She was on the edge of the bed, on her knees, her face extremely close to his. He froze once again. He had never been his close to her, or to anyone for that matter. They stayed like that for a while, just staring at each other.

She's the one that moved. She moved closer to him, if that were possible. He's still frozen, hadn't fully taken in what was happening. This wasn't Eponine, he knew it. This was the alcohol. He wondered how much she could've consumed in the time they were at the party. Apparently, a lot.

While he's lost in his thoughts, Eponine moved closer. Soon their lips were dangerously close. So close. Just a small gap to close between them-

"Stop." He grabbed her by the shoulder. Her lips just narrowly missing his. "Eponine." He shakes his head. "No. You have to get some sleep." She's confused, almost disappointed. He wasn't sure what to do next either, so he lays her down and covers her with the blanket. "I'll be right here, if you need anything." He gestured to the desk chair, "Now sleep."

She's still confused. She was practically offering herself to him and he didn't seem to want any of it. The scene played out in her mind again. She thought she had made it obvious, but apparently she had done something wrong to make him not want her. She's distressed.

But still, she follows orders and decides to just close her eyes and drift off the sleep, knowing that he would be there, waiting for her in the morning.

A/N: Mmmm. I'm in love with Gin Wigmore's voice. It's like a drug.