"Is it humanly possible for you to drive slower? I don't think it is." Éponine complained, her voice strained from the pain.

"Do you want to get pulled over right now? Is that what you want, Éponine?" Mont shot back, glancing quickly over to her and back to the road. He didn't mess around while driving. He was overly paranoid, and he didn't know why, about driving and cars. The idea that something could kill him so easily, with just one wrong move with the wheel.

"You drive like an old lady!" Éponine groaned, her face contorting as the pain came back, worse than it had been at any point before. She let out a low cry, writhing around in her seat to get comfortable. It didn't work. Mont frowned and shot another quick glance at Éponine.

"Look, look, the hospital is right there. It's right there." Mont soothed, pointing for a fleeting second. Éponine breathed in and took a shaky breath.

Mont pulled into the parking lot and as soon as the car stopped, sprang into action. He dashed to the other side of the car to help Éponine out and put his arm around her for support as they entered together. Éponine felt sicker as they entered, as this hospital held some rather dark memories for her. She had spent nearly a month stuck in a hospital bed, half the time flirting with death. As she walked in, she shivered a little. Mont could tell exactly what was running through her mind and rubbed her back comfortingly. She looked up at him with a weak smile.

"Who is her doctor?" The familiar nurse asked.

"She..doesn't have one." Mont sighed.

"Um, alright then," the nurse nodded, "we'll put her with Doctor Shaw then..".

As the doctor came to the lobby with a wheelchair, Éponine shook her head. She was not doing that again. The doctor sighed and lead her along, Mont trailing behind.

"You can wait outside, just for a moment, sir." The doctor said, shutting the door behind her. Montparnasse paced anxiously through the hallway, dragging his feet a bit, as he waited. The thirteen minutes he waited felt like an eternity. When he saw a nurse rushing past him, he became alarmed.

"What's happening?" He asked, trying to keep his composure, though he was worried and terrified beyond words. Nobody answered him.

"Excuse me!" He tried again, as another walked towards the room.

"Yes, sir?" The nurse asked.

"What's happening?"

"Ms. Thénardier is going into labor. You can come in if you'd like." The nurse said, his calm and smooth tone doing nothing to calm Mont. His eyes widened.

"Now? That can't be true." Mont shook his head quickly, bounding into Éponine's room. Éponine looked at him, almost apologetically but with alarm apparent in her eyes as well. He rushed to her side, taking her hand in an all-too-familiar gesture. But, he thought, he should push that memory away. That was completely different, a dark, depressing time. This was a happy one. At least, for Éponine it was. He returned her look with a forced smile and squeezed her hand.

"You ready, love?" He asked softly.

She raised her head and nodded quickly. "It will be nothing."

Montparnasse chuckled a little and kept his eye intently on her as the minutes went by slowly.

Hours had passed. Many hours of Éponine pushing, shouting, swearing, offending nurses. This made Montparnasse laugh, if he was being completely honest. She did not try at all to be disarming, yelling and cursing at nurses who got on her nerves. Montparnasse covered his mouth each time. She would shoot him a quick glare and get back down to business, her face contorting again.

At one point, Montparnasse dared to let out a small yawn.

"Shut the fuck up," she turned around to him angrily.

"Sorry, sorry," he sighed, trying to look more alert. She held his hand tightly, so tightly he thought it would fall off, until finally a happy cry came from the doctor.

"I see a head!" She called. Éponine's face lit up. Now she could finally see it was so worth the hours she had spent in distress. She grinned widely and turned to Montparnasse, who found himself grinning as well.

"Everything is going well! Very soon now! Keep going strong." The doctor called again. Éponine nodded and pushed again, harder, squeezing Mont's hand. And suddenly, the doctor's voice was drowned out by loud, high-pitched cries. Éponine took a long, deep breath and grinned, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Congratulations!" The doctor beamed, "on your healthy baby boy." Éponine out her hand over her mouth as tears streamed down her face. As the doctor took the baby away to prepare it for Éponine, she watched her walk away and turned back to Montparnasse. Mont grinned and hugged her tightly.

"You did it! I love you." He grinned, kissing the tip of her nose lightly.

"I can't wait to hold him." She breathed, wiping her eyes.

"I know, love," Mont grinned, "he's going to love you so much."

"And you!" She added, widening her eyes. Mont nodded with slight chuckle. Doubtful.

As soon as the nurse came in carrying a little blue bundle, Éponine shot up and put her arms out.

"Here's your little boy," the nurse said with a smile. The second Éponine looked down at the child, she was in love. More tears flowed down her face as she let out inaudible squeals. She could not take her eyes off of the little angel.

"Mont.." She breathed, "he's perfect." She gently brushed a thin wisp of dark hair off of the baby's forehead, her hands shaking with excitement. Mont couldn't speak, he was overcome with emotion. He was completely bombarded, as he hadn't expected to feel this way. He couldn't take his eyes off of the little guy either. He swatted at the tears welling up in his dark eyes. He never would have guessed he had the capacity to love anyone more than Éponine, but here he was already feeling ridiculously attached. He reached out and touched his tiny little hand tenderly.

"He is perfect," Mont whispered.

"I told you you'd love him." Éponine murmured with a chuckle, rocking the baby gently as he cried.

"Do you want to hold him?" Éponine asked, handing the little bundle to Mont a bit reluctantly. Montparnasse held the baby as gently as he could, which made Éponine chuckle. Tough, muscular, tattooed Montparnasse holding this pure, perfect little boy was a rather amusing contrast. At the same time, it just looked right.

"Hey, little buddy," Mont grinned, more tears welling up in his eyes. "Look at your mommy. Look how pretty she is." Éponine smiled softly, her eyes still set on the little nameless angel.

"What should we name him?" Éponine asked finally after a while more of the little family enjoying each other.

"What does he feel like to you?" Mont asked softly, meeting the eyes of his son.

"I-I have no idea," she stammered, finally taking her eyes off of the boy and meeting Mont's.

"Well we have to pick something." Mont sighed, smiling slightly at Éponine. She looked back down at the baby with a gentle sigh.

"I can't decide right now!" She groaned loudly.

"Well until we decide, his name is Baby Boy Thénardier-Montparnasse."

"I'm fine with that," she shrugged, "it has to be the right one and I can't force it."

"Whatever you want," Mont sighed, smiling at Baby Boy.

"I can't wait to bring him home!" She grinned, though after a few moments her grin faded as she looked down at the little guy.

"Éponine? What is it?" Mont asked, concerned.

"He's so perfect." She breathed.

"Yes, he is," Mont nodded slowly, "but what's the matter?"

"He deserves so much better than me. Look at him, Mont. He's an angel."

"You love him and that's enough. And I love him, too." Mont reassured with a small smile.

Éponine nodded, her bright smile coming back. "Okay, I believe you," she nodded, "I can't believe we all get to spend our lives together. This is the best day of my life."

"Mine too, 'Ponine." Mont admitted, kissing her cheek and taking the little baby's hand, "the first day of our new lives, yeah?"

Éponine nodded, grinning and stroking the baby's wispy hair. She felt completely blissful with her gaze on him.

"Mont?"

"Mm?"

"Now that we've done this, are you going to tell me your first name? I asked you when we were fourteen and you said to wait. I think I've waited."

Mont laughed, "you want to know?"

"I do," Éponine nodded eagerly.

"Okay fine, but you better not call me this."

"I promise I won't," Éponine replied.

"Alexandre.." He mumbled, blushing.

Éponine grinned. "Alexandre? I love it!"

"You aren't allowed to call me that, 'Ponine."

"Can I call him that?" She asked gesturing to the baby. "That's his name."

Mont smiled, "You really want to name him Alexandre?"

"I really do," she grinned, kissing Alexandre on the forehead, and then Mont.

"Well good," he nodded, "I always knew I was worthy of having a child named after me."

"Shut the f-" Éponine stopped herself, "shut the heck up."

"Nice save," Mont flashed a grin.

"I swear, Alex's first word is going to be fuck and there's nothing I can do about it." Éponine chuckled, rocking him gently.

"Oops," Mont laughed with a shrug, "At least he'll be cool."

"Oh god," Éponine chuckled.

"Do we have a name yet?" The nurse asked, opening the door slightly.

"Alexandre," Éponine replied with a smile.

"It suits him so well!" The nurse grinned, walking to the bed. "But I'll have to take him just for an hour, for a couple of tests, okay?"

Éponine frowned, but nodded slowly and handed her son to the doctor reluctantly.

"I miss him," Éponine sighed after a few moments of silence. Mont had been watching the door, waiting for his baby to come back. He missed him too.

"I know, dear, I do too." Mont agreed, putting a hand on Éponine's shoulder.

"Isn't he just the most perfect little angel? I can't believe he's mine." She grinned widely.

"I know. He must've gotten the perfect from me." Mont teased.

"He did, though." Éponine smiled, taking Mont's hand.

"But mostly you, love." Mont smiled back at her. Éponine grinned. She didn't even feel a shred of her usual self-loathing. If she could create something as perfect as Alexandre, there couldn't be much to hate.