Eponine sat by for some time, trying her absolute best not to listen to Marius and Cosette, but it wasn't easy in the slightest. She had, for so long, hung on Marius' every word that it was habit to hear everything he said. Relief came sweetly when Cosette's father's voice echoed across the garden. She gave Marius one last smile and hurried to her father, who then escorted her back inside after a backward glance into the garden. He did not see Marius kneeling there, next to the fence.

Marius stood, and upon spotting Eponine, smiled broadly. "Oh, Eponine, you've been here this whole time! She's so wonderful 'Ponine! And you, you are the friend that brought me here! I am in heaven! How can I ever repay you?" He threw his arms around her and pulled her close. She returned his embrace absently.

"No need to repay me," she said, refusing to let herself bury her face in his chest like she so wanted to.

Marius released her. She almost smiled at how happy he looked. At least one of us is, she told herself.

"Thank you, 'Ponine, thank you!" He kissed her on the cheek. A moment later, he was tearing off down the street without so much as a goodbye. Eponine sighed and watched him go. She wondered what the chances were of him making it home at all, as foolish as he was on the streets. And now he was practically dancing about. The fool.

Eponine turned to go, wanting to leave the memories of fifty-five, Rue Plumet far behind her. As she did, though, she saw a burly man slinking down the street. She recognized him immediately. His name was Montparnasse, and he was one of her father's chief henchmen.

"'Parnasse," she called. He spotted her and approached. When he came near, she said, "What on earth are you doing out here?"

He smiled wickedly, revealing a mouth full of rotten teeth. "This house," he said, pointing at number fifty-five, "We're gonna take care of it tonight! Rich man, got a lot of money."

Eponine's heart leapt to her throat. She nodded, and turned to go again, not particularly caring, nor wanting to interfere, but then it dawned on her. If the house were robbed tonight, by her father's gang, Marius would think she was part of it and he would never forgive her.

"No, no, you can't, there's nothing here. It's a waste of your time, I assure you," she tried, but Montparnasse shrugged.

"Take it up with your ol' man," he told her, pointing at the now-approaching Thénardier.

Thénardier shouted, "'Parnasse, who the hell's the girl? You're supposed to be on the job!"

Montparnasse glared. "It's Eponine, you fool! Don't you know your own kid?"

"Oh, Eponine," Thénardier said, looking her over, "you're not needed here. Go home."

She was feeling frantic inside now. "No, father, really, there's nothing here. I know this place. It's just an old man and his daughter. They don't have anything good."

Babet, another member of the gang who was standing a step behind Thénardier jeered, "Goin' soft, ain't ya Eponine?"

"Get home, Eponine," Thénardier shouted at her, giving her a shove.

She steeled herself and snapped, "I'm gonna scream! I'll warn them you're here!"

Thénardier's face flushed with anger. He grabbed her by her collar and whispered, just under his breath, "You'll regret it, I tell you!" He released her and she gave him a look that could kill. For the first time, she was ready, not only to help Marius and Cosette, but to contradict and bring down the man who'd made her life a nightmare.

"I warned you didn't I?" she said with a smile. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Thénardier looked around frantically. "Make a run for it!" he ordered the group, and then turned to Eponine. He took her again by the shirt and flung her backwards. She fell to the ground and her head connected with the concrete, sending her spinning into blackness.

Eponine came to at the sound of rustling plants in number fifty-five's garden. She crawled a few feet so she wouldn't be seen. A moment later, Cosette appeared, her pale face shining in the moonlight. Tear-tracks stained her face. She tucked a note into the fence, and, even in the dark, Eponine could read the name written on the outside – Marius. When Cosette disappeared, Eponine slunk forward and took the note out of the fence again. She opened it quickly and read:

My dearest Marius,

I never thought I could feel this way about someone so quickly, but you have entered my life, and now I know what it is like to love. You have come, and I have found my peace and my happiness. However, Marius, my heart breaks to tell you that my father is taking me to England, in four day's time. There was trouble in the streets tonight, and he has made the decision to flee from the shadows of his past. I do not know what frightens him so, but I do know that I will have to say goodbye to you, Marius, and that is a pain I cannot endure. We will go to our apartment on the Rue de Calais, he says, and then take a ship across the sea. Marius, my love, I am so sorry and I wish, with all of my heart, that we would have had some time together, but it cannot be, it seems. Please, Marius, come find us before we depart. I know that if my father sees how I love you, he will change his mind. Please do not abandon me. I love you.

Yours,

Cosette

Eponine jammed the letter into her pocket, remorse and sorrow coursing through her veins. She would take the letter to Marius, of course, because that seemed to be her duty. He must be happy.

But then an idea struck her. If Marius did not get the letter, Cosette would go to England. She would be gone, and perhaps Eponine could have her chance after all. Perhaps there was hope after all.

Perhaps, however, is a fickle, fickle word.