"Leslie."

Enjolras walked into their shared room and closed the door behind him resolutely.

The blonde girl looked up from her reflection to smile sexily at Enjolras.

"Hey baby." She stood up from her place in front of the mirror and walked over to Enjolras to run her hands through his hair the way he liked when they first started dating.

Enjolras grabbed her hands and pulled them down softly before looking her over. "You look very pretty."

"Don't you mean beautiful." Leslie sensually purred leaning up to press her lips against his. He turned his face away and they landed on the corner of her mouth instead. She felt irritation at the move and pursed her lips.

"I need to talk to you."

"This is about Eponine isn't it?" Leslie bit out as she rolled her eyes and sat back down with a scoff.

Enjolras nodded and he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm breaking off the engagement."

Leslie looked into the mirror to stare at his reflection and their eyes met. There was no semblance of apology in them.

"You're not breaking off anything." Leslie commanded with a tone used to get after a child. She stood up and stalked over to him and wrapped long arms around his neck again,cooing into his ear. "Don't' you see she doesn't want you anymore Enjorlas? And even if she did do you honestly think she'd leave of someone like Combeferre for you." She laughed." The idiot practically worships her. You think she's going to go running back to you after the way you threw her aside, like the trash she really is? You aren't her type baby. You're my type. You're going to go to a fancy law school and get rich little bastards off with a slap to the wrist. You're going to live the life of luxury you've always known. You're going to marry me. And you're going to take over your daddy's firm and be richer than a king. That's your future Enjolras. I'm your future. Eponine …hates that future. She hates you."

Enjolras swallowed roughly and broke away from her to grasp at a nearby chair. He didn't say a word and Leslie felt a smirk find its way to her face.

"You think your mom is going to let you marry Eponine? You honestly think she's going to let you throw everything away for a bad piece of pussy, the scum of the streets. She's a THERNARDIER."

Enjolras glared at her. "Don't talk about her, you don't know her or me. You underestimate just how much I want her."

"That doesn't scare me Enjorlas, she's not a threat anymore now that Combeferre's next to her. Baby, honestly you've slept with her more times than I can count. When is it going to be enough? You aren't noble, you aren't …pure. Her Ferre is. He's her perfect person. He'll give up everything for her. You couldn't even let go of me." Leslie lazily drawled out leaning her front against his back and rubbing a hand on his arm.

"Unless you didn't notice this is me giving you up. I'm giving up everything for her. I'm going to use my schooling for the better of my country; I'll turn my family's name towards good. I'll change things. I'll be better. I'll be good enough for her." Enjolras bit out shrugging away from her yet again.

"NO YOU WONT! God you are so fucking stupid. You aren't better Enjolras, you're just like me. We're cut from the same cloth and no matter how many civil rights lectures you attend, and oh yes I've known about them for months, your little ventures into social injustice and all that nonsense will amount to nothing. No matter how hard you try baby…you're still going to fail. You're too much of a coward "She sang out bitterly and Enjolras felt chills run down his spine and her words cool his heart to stone.

" They call you captain, leader, chief, but I've always seen what you really are. You're just a scared little boy, you're lost. You don't know how to lead Enjolras, and that's okay. That's what I'm here for. A woman will ALWAYS lead a man."

Enjolras looked at her with dead eyes and she kissed his lips before finally moving back to her seat.

"She's never really going to love you Enjolras." Leslie calmly chimed as she combed her hair.

"You don't love me." Enjolras said in a soft voice. His tone stopped her mid-brush and she pursed her lips.

"I love you…in my own way."

"I don't love you. I never will, I never did." He rocked slightly in place and looked everywhere but her, a slight red in his cheeks.

"So? That didn't matter before and it doesn't matter now. I'm the best you've got Enjolras, boys like you don't know how to love." She sneered and she continued tugging at her hair with greater force.

There was a sharp knock at the door and Granitares voice drifted through the wood. " Dude. Hurry your ass up. We've got to get dressed." Enjolras nodded but didn't reply as the sound of R's footsteps echoed in the hall.

"This conversation isn't over. I'm calling off the engagement Leslie, that's final. " Enjolras said rubbing his eyes with a fist before leaving.

"SHE DOESN'T WANT YOU ANYMORE!" Leslie yelled and he slammed the door shut to drown out her words.

She glared at the door for a few moments before turning her hateful look at her own reflection. She sat back in the chair and felt a few tears escape, hastily wiping them away before they ruined her mascara. She clenched her jaw and felt sobs rack through her body.

That fucking little bitch. She would pay. Dearly.


"Oh god…Oh god It doesn't fit." Lizbeth panicked looking into the three way mirror.

"You're putting your arm in the wrong hole you idiot." Eponine heaved as she helped tighten the cords of Lizbeth corset.

"Come on hurry up! We still need to fix your hair and I still have two dozen Lemon squares to finish. SUCK IT IN!" Eponine managed to gasp out pushing her own foot to the girls back and pulling with all her strength until the back closed.

Lizbeth sucked in a sharp breath and laughed. " I knew I shouldn't have had those tacos you made for lunch."

"You forget about the lemon squares you need to change like now! and you…your hair looks like a rats nest." Nina admonished helping Eponine finish draping Lizbeth's dress around her.

" There all done. " Eponine grunted proudly and stood back to take in the view.

"Adrianne check in on the boys, Ep go put on your dress ,I'll help Hannibal over here get her crown on. " Suzy commanded storming into the room in full brides maid regalia. "Am I the only one ready? Jesus! we need to get a move on NOW!"

Eponine nodded with a smile and walked into the next room to see the seamstresses and hairdressers working at a fast pace around her.

"OH GOOD GOD! DID AN EXPLOSION GO ON IN THAT DAMN KITCHEN OF YOURS HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET YOU READY!." Lacey chided and Eponine shrugged.

"Best maid and baker extraordinaire kinda comes with the territory. " Eponine joked smacking away Lacey's hand as it delved into her hair. "Lacey its fine. I've got to get some stuff from the kitchen I'm still missing-"

"Maid of Honor. You are the MAID OF HONOR. No time for kitchen duty, you creepy cafeteria lady, come on let's get you into your dress and make you look like a girl for once."

Eponine rolled her eyes and laughed but allowed herself to be shoved into her dress and get her hair pulled and prodded by Lacey's assistants.

Thirty minutes later Eponine let out a sigh of relief as the Eponine dubbed Lacey Lackeys backed away and rushed her into the foyer with the other girls.

"Oh God. You look beautiful Eponine. Hurry slam your face into something. You look better than I do and that is just not going to flow yo." Lizbeth teased nervously. Eponine stood stark still for a few beats and felt herself cry before she rushed to Lizbeth's side to pull her into a long hug.

"Were is my ugly duckling and who replaced her with a Stepford wife? They told me you would stay that way forever." Eponine cried as she looked Lizbeth over with a bright smile and she brushed a stray curl back to join the others. "You look like a godess."

"The one and only time we'll see you with your hair down." Suzy teased handing Eponine a bouquet of roses which she gave to Lizbeth with care.

"You ready homeskillet?" She joked clearing tears from her eyes.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Lizbeth shook in place for a couple minutes and the girls all huddled around her.

"So not at all?" Nina asked laying her head down on Eponine's shoulder.

Lizbeth shook her head and squinted to keep herself from crying. Adrianne squeezed them all together and whispered quietly into their huddle.

"R is one lucky lucky son of a bitch, I could have spooned you every night for the rest of my life…but NOOOOO he just had to go and make a proper woman out of you."

"You had me at could have spooned."


The ceremony was lovely, Lizbeth cried with a smile as her father walked her down the isle, Grantiare cried harder as Enjolras patted his back. ( All I know how to do is cry!) There were a dozen doves released which drove Eponine and Adrianne into a fit of laughter as members of the family gawked in horror at their display. Nina and Suzy trying in vain to contain their own giggles which just ended up making them look constipated.

The boys all started fist bumping when Lizbeth made it next to R and he raised the veil above a crown of small white roses. There was a fire burning in between them everybody could see, their love so blatant it was almost crude.

"R, I promise to love you, take care of you, and smack you atop the head if you ever fuck up until the day that I die, which in that case I'll make sure to take you with me by a cruel and not socially acceptable fashion. You are my god, you are my castle, and everything I'll ever need. I don't care if we live in a wine box as long as I have you. Grantiare…I never loved before I met you and I promise you after today I'll never love anyone else again."

"Lizbeth, I promise to love you, cherish you, worship you, and at any moment of the day go to the local convenience store and buy you chunky monkey to avert any possible fight and or danger of female wills that might occur. I love you Liz. You are the earth beneath my feet, eternal and everlasting. You are the air I breathe and the same that suffocates me. I was lost without you, I was so fucking lost. You are my light Liz. And I'll never snuff you out. "

Both Grantiare and Lizbeth laughed at their own vows and it was clear that it didn't matter if it was just them listening or the whole world. Their smiles were bright and the small tears that escaped with laughter as the priest finally ended the ceremony.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Grantiare pulled Lizbeth to him with a wicked smile and then yelped when Lizbeth dipped him and kissed him hard on the mouth. The crowd of friends cheered both Les Amis and the four horsemen laughing and rallying them on until they finally broke apart.

Eponine felt herself go breathless as the two looked at each other with something like benediction.

She looked away from the pair in front of her to find Ferre but her eyes met Enjorlas instead and both of them gave each other small secret smiles. Enjolras's father whistled from the crowd and the bride and the groom made their way down the aisle. Enjolras shook his head and broke his gaze away first and Eponine bit her lip to turn away from him.

The congregation moved forward and collided in a frenzy of hugs and loud yells and Eponine felt Ferre fall into step beside her.

"You look stunning." He said looking down at his shoes.

"Not so bad yourself there kid." Eponine teased as their hands laced together and he led the way to the courtyard that had been converted into small dance floor.

The light was finally starting to fade in the day and Eponine rested her head against Combeferre's shoulder as he pulled them into a slow dance. They swayed in place for two songs Eponine finally letting all the stress of the day melt away in his arms.

"May I cut in?" Eponine looked up to find Henry, Enjolras father standing with a soft smile and Ferre passed her to his arms without hesitation.

"I'll go get you a drink." He winked at her as Henry pulled her in for a waltz.

"You look beautiful dear."

" Why thank you Mr. Amarth, you look better than all the strapping young lads in this nearby vicinity." Eponine winked and Henry chuckled as he spun her around softly and moved the hand on her waist slightly forward making her stumble in slight discomfort at how close he was to her baby bump.

"Eponine, there …is something I must confess to you." Mr. Amarth started looking at her in the eyes before letting them drift further from the crowd to the fringes.

"Sir?" Eponine felt herself growing dizzy and they stopped spinning for a moment before he continued to sway.

"I suspected it for a while, but I overheard you and the girls the night before." Henry looked down at her and Eponine felt her heart go erratic in her own chest and a knot form in her throat.

"I don't know what you're talking about Mr. Amarth but I assure yo-"

"I know about the baby."

Eponine froze in her spot and she felt the earth go sideways and she gasped for a breath. Enjolras's father stepped in front of her to shield her from the crowd and she chocked out a sharp sob.
"Please sir, I'll stay away from your son I–"

"I do not wish you any harm to come to you Eponine. I knew the moment I saw you that there was something going on. I've been aware of your situation for quite a while."

"How?" Eponine asked timidly still looking for a way out.

"Eponine please I have three children. I've seen all three of them brought to this world." Mr. Amarth chuckled and placed a hand on Eponine's shoulder.

"Your child shall want for nothing. I wish things could be different but I won't pretend to make any decisions for you. I do want you to know though, Enjolras would be an a great father, I have no doubt he would be.

Eponine nodded sadly and shrugged. "It's complicated. Do you plan on telling him?"

"No. That is for you to decide my dear, but if I may ask why not just tell him."

"Your wife hates me sir, Leslie would murder me, and Enjolras doesn't want me." Eponine deadpanned looking over the man's shoulder to see Enjolras dance with his sister and she smiled softly.

"He would drop everything if you told him you were pregnant. He would do right by you."

Eponine made a face and turned away from the crowd." I don't want his pity…or his false sense of responsibility. I'm not going to hold him down to me because of a pregnancy. A woman like that is disgusting."

Henry smiled wryly with eyes hazed with memories she didn't know ." Yes , there is something to be said for a woman that manipulative. They're capable of anything."

Eponine tried to break the tense air that had fallen around them and she cracked a smirk.

"If Leslie didn't have a band on her finger I'd wager it would have been her next move. Then again, she could always spring it up as a last resort." Eponine scratched her nose and laughed at the idea of Leslie ever trying to deal with a child.

"Ah well, at least that would make my wife happy, not many things do these days." He smiled kindly at her." Eponine, I did not lie, I want you to know you have my full support. I will be there in any way you will allow. It is my first grandchild after all."

Eponine stopped short and softly nodded. " Thank you Mr. Amarth."

"Does Combeferre know about your condition?"

"It's not exactly easy to hide, I'm starting to take up more space." Eponine teased and the man let out an honest laugh and he started leading her back to the crowd.

"So he'll be taking over for Enjolras."

"Yes sir. It's not a job opening. It's definite." Eponine said with a bit bite.

"I wish you would reconsider. Enjolras would want to know. He deserves to know." His voice more hopeful.

"Yes I know he would, but I won't take his pity sir, and I won't ruin him for his wife, the wife HE chose over me. His mother would never allow me to keep this baby if she knew." Eponine allowed herself a small glare at the man and he pursed his lips and nodded resolutely.

"No….I'd say you'd be in far more danger without Enjolras there for you when it comes to my wife. If you're adamant about not telling Enjolras, I advise you to steer clear of her….and to make sure Ferre is there to protect you when even I cannot Eponine. "

"She's dangerous isn't she?" Eponine gulped, fear pumping in her veins.

"I won't lie to you, not when there's something so precious on the line. When something is in the way of what she wants. Yes. She's dangerous, she's deadly " Henry said going rigid and pulling her into a waltz.

They stayed quiet for a while both deep thought and meditation Eponine still trying to swallow down his words.

"He's going to look just like Enjolras. The Amarth genes have always been very strong." Henry teased fianlly drawing her away from dark thoughts.

Eponine chuckled and shook her head. "Maybe not, Gregory looks nothing like you sir."

Enjolras father smirked and twirled her around ." Ahh well then who knows, maybe it'll get your dimples."

Eponine smiled in earnest and shook her head.

"You sir are a cad. "


Enjolras watched Eponine dance twice more with his father and then be swung back into Combeferre's waiting arms. He watched jealously as his best friend whispered in her ear and she broke out in a loud laugh.

"An Amarth does not moon from afar." Enjolras's father stepped beside his son and handed him an amber drink. "He takes what he wants, what he deserves."

Enjolras said nothing and kept his eyes trained on Eponine.

"You know I used to look at a girl like that once."

Enjolras turned to his father and scoffed. "I haven't seen you look at a woman, ever. Not even mom. he commented with a shake of his head before looking back at Eponine

Enjolras had long made peace that the marriage between his parents was once of convenience and need. There was no fire or even a kindle of embers of love between his parents, he often wondered how they had even managed to have three children. They were the picture of perfection to the media, but the inside of their little family was the farthest thing from picturesque. There was scandal here and then, such as when Lizbeth disappeared but his mother was always quick to fix their problems. Reputation and the family name were all that mattered.

He'd always been taught to look for the same in a woman, that was what a successful marriage looked like. All his family friends were taught the same thing.

You marry a name.

Enjolras sought out Leslie in the crowd and found her with a champagne glass talking merrily to the few high profile ladies that Lizbeth had appeased her father to invite. He grimaced. She looked perfectly in place. She belonged there.

Eponine would have stood out like a rose in the winter.

Enjolra's father coughed before speaking quietly and Enjolras drank from his glass.

"She was beautiful, my Fantine. "