Chapter 8

Erik and Eponine slipped back to the opera as Erik explained himself.

"We must get you a dress," he said, darting through the old costume department.

"I'm sure I kept a few – yes! Put this on, quickly!"

Eponine looked at the gown and suddenly felt inferior again. It was of the finest silk, a deep indigo color, with silver accenting the hem and low neckline.

"Erik, I can't," she said. "It is too beautiful, I don't –"

"You must do this," he growled gently. "Don't say you don't deserve it, because you do. Now, hurry up or I'll put it on you myself."

Eponine took the gown into the Louis-Philippe room and shut the door. A blush had begun to creep up her cheeks at his last words, and she didn't want him to see.

She fastened the dress over the corset she was already wearing; the long, full skirt hid her old boots. The neckline surprised her – she didn't think women of society would want to show that much.

Eponine reappeared in the gown, and Erik's breath caught in his throat.

"It suits you," he said huskily. "Come with me."

She followed him back out into the streets, where the dawn was quickly rising.

"Now," he instructed, "you have to run up to that officer – there – and tell him that a man stole your pearl necklace and my gold pocket watch, and you chased him into the sewer."

"He'll never believe I went down there after it," Eponine argued.

"Don't say you followed him in," he corrected, "just that you know he's down in the sewer right now."

"What are you on about, Erik?"

He smirked. "We are going to make sure your father doesn't steal anything ever again."

"You're… what?" Eponine's thoughts were whirling.

"A man should never treat a woman the way he treated you," Erik growled. "Especially his own daughter. Elaborate the story in any way you will, but go."

Eponine smiled, then glanced at the police officer. She began to hyperventilate, gasping for breath, and ran toward him.

"Monsieur! Au secours! Officer, please! Please, you've got to help!" she cried.

"Qu'est-ce qui se passé?" he asked, alarmed.

"A man, he stole my pearl necklace! I was out for a morning stroll with my husband, and he appeared and threatened us. And he took it and my husband's gold pocket watch, and my husband chased him, but he got away. Please, you've got to find him, he's down in the sewers!"

The officer nodded. "Just show me where, Madame, and I'll get him. Your belongings will be safe."

Eponine smiled. He followed her to where Erik stood waiting by the sewer grate. His fedora was pulled low, as always.

"The idiot wasn't very quiet when he got down there," Erik said. "I tracked the splashes to about 50 yards from here."

The officer nodded and tipped his hat to Erik as he lowered himself into the underground. "Don't worry, sir. I'll have him up here in a moment."

A few minutes later, Thenardier's voice echoed from below, as the officer hauled him up.

"Sir, I wasn't doin' nothin', just lookin' after them dead – ow!"

The officer yanked him out angrily. "I should have suspected it was you, Thénardier. After all that trouble with your inn –"

"Who told ye?" he interrupted. "Nobody knew I was there!"

His drunken gaze finally found Erik and Eponine, and he stared in disbelief.

"You were right, ma'am, he had your necklace, and your pocket watch, sir," the officer handed them to her as Thénardier sputtered. "I found him looting several dead bodies as well."

"Eponine!" Thénardier roared as the officer dragged him away. "She's my daughter, she set this up! Sir, I admit I was lootin' bodies, but I dunno where the necklace an' the watch came from!"

Eponine slipped her hand in Erik's as they walked back to the opera.

"How did he end up with the necklace and the watch, like you said?" she asked.

Erik smiled in spite of himself. "I did tell you I'm multitalented."

"There's more besides a thief, doctor, rescuer and musician?"

"Magician."

"How?"

"I slipped the pearls and watch into his pocket as we passed him in the sewers."

"Erik, you're brilliant!"

She turned and kissed him happily. Erik was caught off-guard, but his internal desire began to take over and his tongue ran along her lips. She opened eagerly and he darted inside, exploring with warm, quick strokes.

"Eponine," he whispered desperately as they broke for air, "we have to get inside."

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A/N: yeah, yeah, you all know what's coming. I couldn't drag it out anymore – I tried! I dunno… smut is weird to write and sometimes weird to read, but ima give it a shot… I really liked doing this chapter, though. Catching Thénardier is always fun, lol.

--Ash