AN; GUYS JUST FOUND OUT IM GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN TOMORROW FOR A GAME WONT BE BACK TILL SUPER LATE SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO POSTPONE THE NEXT CHAPTER TILL THE DAY AFTER I AM SO SORRY! I CANT GET OUT OF THIS! BUT HEY AT LEAST ENJOY THE FEELZ

DONT FORGET TO READ AND REVIEW GUYS ! PARTY ON GARTH!

"Mrs. Amarth….it really is too soon." Eponine called out as she approached the older woman and curtsied exaggeratedly.

Lizbeth's mother pursed her lips to contain a scowl and Eponine felt herself smile at the gesture. It was only fair to irritate the woman beyond reason if she was going to speak to her at all.

"I see you've stopped coming around the house dear, how positively dreadful; if you had you would have caught news of Enjolras's engagement.

"Oh I've heard madam. I just chose not to make it a subject of importance." Eponine said with a slight tilt of her head and some of her her fell in her eyes but she refused to push it back.

"Well one of your kind never does I would say." The older woman remarked and Eponine bit down a smirk and licked her lips.

"Maybe it just wasn't worth my time. Nothing valuable in that head space."

Enjolras's mother turned a shade of dark red that rivaled Nina's hair and gestured at the couple sitting behind her.

"This is Gregory ..Enjolras older brother and his wife Nancy. They've heard...so much about you."

Eponine looked up at the couple with an air of indifference to catch Gregory's eyes riveted on her.

"Hey Greg. Liz chimed in sickeningly sweet voice. "Nice to see you and tits mcgee are still smashing."

"LIZBETH " His mother chastised but it only made Liz smile wider.

Nancy put a hand to her mother in laws shoulder and nodded kindly but Eponine could see her clench her jaw and a vein start to throb in her forehead.

"So you're Enjolras's girl." Nancy said in a holier than thou tone.

Leslie went rigged next to Enjolras mother but stared off at the game as if she hadn't heard the comment.

"I'm Enjolras's friend. Sometimes not even that ." Eponine said stuffing her hands in her pockets and looking out into the field where Joly made a run.

"I hear he's absolutely smitten by you. You take up so much of his time he hardly sees his own family anymore." Gregory put in and despite being next to his wife obviously ogled Eponine.

"I think it would be more proper to give that credit to his fiance don't you Minerva." Eponine said with a quick smile at Leslie's mother in law. " and I'd hardly say hes smitten….hes getting married to another girl. What kind of attraction do you call that."

"The one for a whore." Leslie snarled but Mrs. Amarth raised a palm to silence her.

"And now you are alone is that it sweetheart? I told you it would only lead to heartbrea-"

"No I am not alone." Eponine snapped cutting off the older woman, and she thought about her baby chief. Her amoeba, she would never be alone again. And fuck them for trying to make her feel that again.

"Is that why you called us over here mother…because rubbing our face with something we consider a blessing is really not the way to get under out skin." Lizbeth said calling out her mother with furrowed brows.

For a moment Eponine startled thinking Lizbeth was thinking about the baby too but she realized she had only meant the relationship between her best friend and her brother ending.

"Just wanted to make sure Eponine personally knew of the engagement ….so we don't have any misunderstandings" Lizbeth's mother said adressing them both as Leslie smiled smugly next to her.

"Oh We're clear. Perfectly clear" Eponine bit out with a bit irritation leaking into her tone.

Eponine felt Ferres arm go around her shoulder and she thanked god for sending down an anchor of sanity.

"Combeferre sweetheart, you must learn to not pick up anybody's dirty seconds." Enjolras's mom spoke chastisingly as if to a child and Eponine realized Mrs. Amarth must have watched him grow up alongside Enjolras for years of his life.

"As far as I'm aware she wasn't anybody's second anything. She always came in first." Ferre said bringing her closer to him.

Eponine's face heats and the tension that fell on them was thick enough to loose yourself in if you came to close.

"No matter. You're done with Enjolras " His mom said indefinitely. THere was no room for argument in her tone and Eponine wanted none of it anyways.

"You don't have to fret madam, I know my place. " Eponine took Ferres hand and they walked a bit off while Lizbeth stalked over to her mom with an angry look on her face. She turned to Ferre who looked down at her with concerned eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked soft enough for only her to hear.

"I'm sorry about this. But I've got to make them feel secure that nothing can happen." Eponine whispered into his ear. He looked baffled for a moment and stilled when she took his face in her hands and tip toed until her lips found his for precious seconds.

It was soft and chaste and fast but it didn't stop both the guilt and the butterflies that transversed through her.

Eponine looked into his eyes and he bent to kiss her cheeks softly. " It's okay Ponine, what's a kiss between friends right. " Ferre said repeating her words and hugged her softly before walking back to the dugout.

Inside Enjolras had his head down and was clenching the metal gate in a terrible grip that turned his knuckles white. Eponine sighed and pushed away from all thoughts of him. Things were getting more difficult each day.

She turned back to the Amarth family to find them equally startled and smugly pleased.

Especially Leslie, who looked overjoyed at the kiss she and Ferre had shared. By the look on her face though you'd think he'd taken her right there on the floor.

Eponine pushed down the feeling of pain coursing through her and she made her way to the concession stand for some water. The whole stupid family (sans Lizbeth) had given her a migrane.

"Wait, Eponine." Enjolras's brother Gregory called behind her.

She continued on her way but he pulled softly on her arm and brought her to the darker side of the stadium.

"I'm sorry my brother left you. He can be pretty thickheaded sometimes, I'm sure you're aware. But I can see why he wanted you so bad, you're very beautiful Eponine. So exotic." He said running a finger through her black locks and Eponine pushed away from him.

"Dude no."She felt nausea rising up and walked out into the parking to get away from him and find a place to puke.

"Hey look girl! My mother told me all about you, even had your background checked. I know all about your petty crimes and misdemeanors, even about that stint you did in juvi for stabbing a guy.

Eponine's eyes widened, she had that expunged after they determined that the man in question had been trying to rape her. Javert had paid for the lawyer back then and she'd cleaned out his garage in return as well as the occasional errand as payment. It was a part so dark of her history she had buried deep enough to hope no one would find it. But they did.

"What do you want Monsieur?"

"That's better, you can start by calling me Gregory." The man tugged on her hair and stared down at her with blue eyes that looked so much like Lizbeth's yet lacked any compassion or love that her best friend's had.

"What do you want Gregory?" Eponine mimicked and it earned her a sharp pull on her hair.

"I want you."

Eponine cringed and stared at the man with disgust. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"My brother paid you, how much do you want? Just for one night. " He said in what he considered a loving voice that brought out bile from her throat.

"I'm not a whore." Eponine let out through gritted teeth and though her vision swam she fought to remain upright.

"Yes you are. Don't deny it…a pretty girl like you from the slums…there's only one way for girls like you to stay alive down there. You sell yourself to the night and pray that God makes things better, washes away all your sins, and has a boy like my brother fall in love with you. But that doesn't happen baby.
He cooed in her ear." You're a dirty little whore...that why Coach Javert adopted you isn't it…that's why he bought you from mommy and daddy, so he can have you all to himself and fuck you whenever he wants. Have you whisper papa in his ear while tries to fu-"

Eponine slapped him hard enough to bust his lip and she breathed in and out slightly out of control and shaking. But the man was still smiling as he cleaned a bit of blood from his mouth.

"Why is my baby brother any different from me huh Eponine? It's the same money he spent on you. Daddy's money. If you do really well, I'll even pay you double."

"I didn't screw your brother for his money. I screwed him for his pretty face. The one genetics didn't eagerly pass onto you." Eponine said flicking him off and stalking off back to the stadium.

"You little bitch." He sneered and roughly grabbed her and spun her around until they were face to face.

Eponine had heard enough. Before he could register what she was doing she wound her hand around his tie and yanked until the material blocked his airway and his hands flew to his neck vaily trying to pry it loose or out of her hands, but Eponine was strong.

"Look, Greg." She started sweetly with an air of childish madness." It's not that I don't like you, I really really do, but I don't want to hear another fucking word from your rich little bourgeois mouth again or I'll swear to you I'll tear it from ear to ear. And you know what? It's a really good thing that you know about my track record. It means you know how far I'm willing to take it "Eponine said giving a hard yank and watching his face turn red "just how far a Thenardier will go,and how far I have gone when somebody pushes me the wrong way."

She took out a knife from her back pocket and thanked God she'd kept that as a habit from living in the slums and she pressed the point to his groin.

"There are better heads to think with than the one shrinking in your designer jeans Greg, I'd suggest you listen to it. Now here is the deal. I'm going to pretend you disgustingly high class little motherfucker didn't just try to have his filthy way with me and you're going to go back to mommy and make sure she doesn't call on me again. You aren't going to tell anybody about this and nobody has to find out just how close I was to RIPPING YOUR FUCKING BALLS OFF! You stay away from me, my friends , and Ferre. And if I find out Enjolras knows about any of this….I'll find my real daddy and he'll make sure that the next night you close your eyes to sleep you won't be waking up." She whispered like a lover in his ear.

Eponine kicked him in the balls and he fell to the ground. As soon as he fell his hands flew at his tie letting it come undone and gasping for breath. He stood up with a glare aimed at her but he walked away without another word when she twirled the knife between skilled fingers.

The second he was out of sight Eponine trembled in place for a couple moments and urged herself to not cry. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood to stop the terrifying rage filled scream that threatened to spill from her lips.

Eponine acted tough and held her head high but the truth was inside her heart beat was erratic and the panic coursing through her almost crippled her. Sheer will was the only thing holding her up.

It had been a long time since she'd had to do anything like that, she was forgetting what life could be like when you didn't watch your back. She would not be making that mistake again.

For a few moments Eponine thought longingly for Montparnasse and the streets and knowing how exactly life worked but she fisted her hands and gasped out a small cry.

No. Never again. Never fucking again.

Taking a large breath and counting to ten she made her way back to the bleachers just in time to see Enjolras go up to bat. He caught her eye and she gave him a small smile which made him grow stern. Eponine bit her lip and shook her head slightly asking him to drop the matter and concentrate on the game. She gave him a thumbs up and a more genuine look and clapped along with the others as he walked up to the base. Enjolras gave her one last long look and readied himself for the pitcher.

The smack of the metal resounded in her ears as he took off to run past first base and steal a second. The crowd cheered loudly and from where she sat she could see Leslie and Enjolras family clap regally instead of standing up with the rest of the crowd. Eponine licked her lips and bit down when a wicked idea struck her.

Fuck their need for security. Fuck Leslie and fuck that entire family.

Jehan came up to bat next and as he sprinted towards first base and Enjolras ran, Eponine cheered out Enjolras's name loud enough to draw his families attention to herself.

Leslie went red and stood up but Nancy pushed her back down.

Lizbeth who sat next to her raised an eyebrow in surprise but Eponine only smiled wider when the other girls shrugged and started cheering for the team.

As Grantiare came up to bat Eponine stood up on the bleachers shouted out to him.

" I see London I see France who wouldn't want that in their pants!"

Nina whistled loudly and Lizbeth stood up next to the red head and grabbed at her crotch. Adrianne humped the air and Suzy laughed manically beside her taking photo after photo.

Grantiare sent the girls a kiss before he lined himself into position. He missed twice but on the third swing he hit a home run as the ball flew out the gate and a car alarm went off in the distance.

The crowd went wild and all of a sudden they weren't the only ones standing on the bleachers cheering their team to victory. The four horsemen didn't cheer, they started a mini revolution.

Eponine called out Enjolras name louder than anyone and he shook his head and beamed at her as he passed home. She turned to look at Mrs. Amarth and Gregory only to feel immense satisfaction at their pissed off faces.

The girls all hugged and rallied as they walked to the dug out and Eponine let out one more battle cry for all those intended to hear it.

"One does not simply FUCK with Eponine Javert Thenardier."

"Mmmm where's your boyfriend's cheers ?" Combeferre called out as the girls walked into the dug out.

"I would have cheered if I hadn't been harassed by Enjolras brother." Eponine said carefully enough so the others wouldn't hear.

"What!" Comebeferre tensed and his eyes narrowed as his irises dilated.

"Don't worry, I took care of it." Eponine added softly running her hand down his arm.

"…Ill fucking kill him" He said through clenched teeth.

"Let it go. Hes afraid as it is." It took him a few moments to calmed down and the next thing he said threw her off guard.

"When Enjorlas fnds out he's -"

"He wont." Eponine snapped adamantly.

"What? You can't expect me not to tell him Ponine." Ferre said frustrated.

"Not you, me, or his brother is saying anything. Not one word. I want the matter dropped." Eponine admonished with a glare that would have surely killed a weaker man.

"EP…."

There came a loud yelp from Lizbeth and both her and Ferre turned in time to see him hoisting her onto a shoulder, smaking her ass and walking out into the field.

Eponine and the girls followed behind and Les Amis trialed until they were all lined against the gates of the field.

Grantiare singing the national anthem dragged her all the way to the center of the field and Lizbeth couldn't contain delighted laugher. As soon as they made it to the pitchers mound R dropped her ungracefully onto the floor and Lizbeth smacked his chest as he took out the game ball from his pants and passed it along to her with a bow.

"My hero." Lizbeth joked and she kissed him.

Suzy going crazy taking pictures around them.

Enjolras falls into place next to Eponine and she nudges his shoulder with her own and her repeats the action with a smile.

Lizbeth tries to walk away but Grantiare holds her in place and he drops to both knees to kiss her knuckles over and over again.

"R stop, people are staring." Lizbeth started, her cheeks going a pretty pink and she tries to hide behind her hair which unfortunatly for her is as always up and both her hands are occupied.

"Ahh so my brilliant plan is working then. I think we're ready for phase two." He says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Oh God R! I swear! I've told you a billion times, you can't just flashmob to Call Me Maybe Grant."

"That's my second plan...not as good as this one though. Close second." He said looking up at her with a large smile.

At that point Eponine had caught on and hers and Enjolras's hands found each other and their fingers entwined. The stadium had gone quiet, the remaining families holding their breath as the moment stretched on and only Lizbeth seemed oblivious.

"Then what –" Lizbeth started but she cut herself off with a cry as he put a knee up.

"When I met you, we were just kids Liz, but I knew the second I saw you I wanted you in my life forever. When you left me and wouldn't have me it destroyed me. I lost sight of what I wanted, I lost who I was,and who I wanted to be. I just wanted to forget. I didn't want the pain. I wanted nothing else to matter and until you came back nothing did.

I was shallow, petty, bored, and selfish. I wanted nothing to do with life. You were the little spark of light in my dark fucking world and every time I looked at you I got angry.

Because you were so close to me and so far away at the same time. You wouldn't even turn in my direction and it killed me. I was lost at sea and you were a lighthouse I couldn't fight the current to.

And then you were back. Just like that. " Grantiare said with a quick snap of his fingers as Lizbeth let tears fall on their joined hands.

"When my pretty little Eponine over there fell for our dear Enjolras. Our leader and our commander came together in a blinding crash of sound and light and then in the aftermath and chaos there you were. Standing next me.

And I don't ever want to let you go again.

I don't need to blur the pain anymore, I don't need to hide behind a stupid jersey and a bottle. I have you now.

Nothing else matters. Stay with me forever.

Lizbeth." Grantiare choked out and he took out a ring that dazzled in the bright lights of the stadium.

"Marry me."

After the proposal everybody was out in the field, Enjolras having left her side to hug his sister and get an even bigger bear hug from R.

Eponine felt a hand at her elbow and she followed the line of its arm to Ferre's face.

"It's a good day for your birthday." He teased.

"I like to think I am the reason plenty a good thing happens." Eponine said mockingly.

" I wouldn't deny that. You're the reason everyone here is happy. Really happy." Ferre said giving her hand a small squeeze.

"Oh and how is that?" She said rolling her eyes at him.

"Look at the couples around you. This is the first time I've ever seen Joly look that happy…and his name means fucking happy. Jehan…is probably spewing poetry at a million stanzas per second and Nina is probably going to paint them in intricate detail."

"Adrianne look at her, she was a tease Ep. A tease, never let a boy do more than touch her hair, now look at her she's hugging Courfeyac like a lifeline. Liz and R …I mean…he's practically sober Ep…and its thanks to you. He wasn't lying in that speech. It's always been you Eponine. "

"And Enjolras?" Eponine asked in a small voice.

"He got to be with you, even if it was just for a little bit. I think that counts. I'm sure that counts."

"And you?" Eponine added with a large smile.

"I do too."Eponine blushed, she hadn't expected that answer.

"You're my best friend Ferre. I love you. "

She pursed her lips and Ferre hung his head slightly before kissing her on the forehead.

She didn't have to say the words but they both knew what they were.

But just as a friend.

"For now. Not for always." Eponine said softly before she stepped away from him and kissed him on the cheek.

Combeferre smiled and nodded. " I know. One day, maybe?"

"Maybe." Eponine repeated and made her way out of the crowd and out of the stadium to meet Enjolras.

She hadn't been lying. They both knew the truth. Combeferre had a semblance close to love for her and she loved him as much as she could love another man without being IN love.

So no , she couldn't love him today and he couldn't love her fully. Not today , but that could change with time. When her baby was born and he took over for Enjolras, well… how could she not fall in love with the man who would be father to her child.

Eponine stowed the thoughts away in the back of her mind as she drew closer to Enjolras red sports car.

"You there Apollo?" She called out coyly.

"Is that you Sibyl of Cumae?" he retorted from the swing set near his car. Eponine waked over to him and bit her lip with a scowl.

"That I can remember, I did give you my virginity. Does that mean I'll live for a thousand years."

"I think you'll live forever, I didn't count each grain of sand." Enjolras teased his blue eyes dancing with the moonlight.

"Ah well then I hope each birthday is as good as today." Eponine joked as she took the seat next to him and started to swing.

"It's your birthday today? I had no idea." Enjolras said in fake seriousness." If only I'd known I would have gotten you the perfect gift."

"What is that Apollo, the heaven, Earth ,and skies?"

"The constellations even." He smiled and he bent down to his red jacket on the floor and picked it up.

"You've tried giving me the jacket o doom before. Didn't work remember." Eponine chided with a raised brow.

"It's not the jacket that you want. That's just the wrapping." He teased and passed it along for her.

Enjolras ran his hand trough his hair and for a second Eponine thought she saw it tremble nervously. Laughing to herself she undid the red material which used the sleeves as ribbon and uncovered it to reveal a large leather tome.

" And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire." Enjolras recited soflty.

Eponine's heart echoed in her ears the velvet of his voice lulling her as if a melody. She felt her eyes tear and she clutched the red fabric with her fingers to make them stay still.

"A Tale of Two Cities." Eponine nodded her head and a few tears fell. " That is …ridiculously appropriate for you."

"I thought so too. I would be Sydney Carton and you Eponine would be Lucie."

"I don't like Lucie." Eponine murmured.

"I thought you loved all great literature. "

"Oh I do. I really do, and I do love this book. It's just, god this is embarrassing."

"What is it."

"Sometimes I wish more books had happy endings."Eponine whispered shyly.

"Sydney loved her." Enjolras remarked taking her hand from the swing and holding it in his.

Eponine went still but didn't stop him.

"I heard love is what life is all about."

"There are better things in life than love…" Eponine countered.

"such as…"

Eponine turned to smugly reply but was muffled by the warmth of his lips.

When they broke apart Eponine looked down and her face burned. "Not again." She muttered shaking her head.

"Just one more for the road." Enjolras said softly out of breath.

She nodded with a sad soft smile and they closed the gap between them once more. There was fireworks and lightning and halos and constellations …it was heaven and earth and the skies.

They broke apart again and Eponine felt the world collapse around them until the only thing left was two lost kids and a swing set.

This was love after all.