(AN – Hi you guys, I'm so so sorry I haven't updated for a week, I was on holiday and I have had no internet and no phone signal for the last week! I'm going onto a new place now where there will be signal so I will be able to update again but at the moment I've only got 5 minutes of internet connection before I travel on. I can see I've got emails ect from people I'm not ignoring you I just have no time to check them yet. I will reply to them asap I just wanted to get this chapter up for you guys asap)

Chapter Seven – Look What's Become of Me

"You grew your hair again" Eponine cringed. What a stupid thing to say. Of all the things in the world what had possessed her to say that! Her cheeks were burning bright red with embarrassment and that was a very unusual experience for her. It wasn't just what she had said it was the whole situation, the way he had looked at her, the pity she had seen in his eyes. He had seen how far she had fallen since they were children. Perhaps it would have been better if she had just lived in his past so that in at least one person's mind she would always be the carefree girl she once was.

She mentally shook herself, it was far too frustrating. Her first reaction when she had realised it was him had been overjoyed. Her very dear friend, all the happy memories of days spent running around Montfermeil had come to mind. Then she had remembered their parting words to each other.

"You'll probably never see me again"

"Good"

It felt as if her heart had broken all over again. The abandonment somehow seemed much worse as an adult. Yet here he had been in Paris for three years. She wondered how many times their paths might have crossed without either realising.

To her exasperation she felt tears stinging in her eyes. Had he stepped back from her because he had not forgiven her for the nasty things she had said to him all those years ago or was he simply embarrassed to be associated with someone as low as her? Probably both, Enjolras was the missing page from her happy past and now he obviously wanted nothing to do with her and it hurt.

She was so preoccupied with her melancholy musings that she didn't notice the two men who stepped out in front of her.

"Hello lovely lady" said the first one with a leering grin. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and paid them no mind. She wasn't unused to their type when she wandered the street at night.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" The second one asked as both kept up pace either side of her. Eponine rolled her shoulders back and held her head up high making her petite frame look as tall as possible.

"Aye, isn't she Thenardier's daughter?" The first one asked his friend.

"She is an all" the friend confirmed.

Good, now perhaps they will leave me alone she thought. To her surprise they did not, in fact the first young man grabbed her elbow harshly, she yanked it from his grasp.

"No need to act so prim" the man taunted "We all know your father is whoring you out to the Patron-Minette"

That was enough. Eponine rounded on the two men "Leave me alone!"

She turned to carry on walking expecting them to back off in search of easier pickings as they usually did in such cases. She made it only a few more feet before they cornered her. Standing either side of her with her back to the wall so that she was fenced in not even bothering to hide their actions.

"Come on its only one kiss" The first man said grabbing her chin harshly and tilting her face up towards him.

"Let go of me" she hissed spitting at the man and yanking her face from his grasp.

"You'll pay for that you little slut" he cried grabbing her wrist.

"I believe she told you to let go."

Eponine knew the voice without looking up. She closed her eyes tightly and hoped he would go away. This was beyond humiliating, as if he needed further proof of her downfall into worthlessness. She opened her eyes and looked up but Enjolras was still standing there glaring at the two men.

"Find your own whore rich boy" the man who held her wrist said, spinning her round so that her arm was behind her back. "We got this one first and you've got enough money to pay for one at the docks"

Eponine kept her eyes on the ground compelling it to open up and swallow her or better yet, she thought, let me wake up and this whole mortifying episode could just be a dream. She risked a peep up at Enjolras, he hadn't moved from his position glaring at the two men but his hands had curled into fists at his sides. His whole body was bristling with subdued strength the men obviously noticed it as well because she could feel the man who held her loosen his grip.

"What do you want with her anyway?" the second man asked.

"She's my friend, you are hurting her."

Eponine returned her gaze to the floor. The men had obviously decided she was more trouble than she was worth and threw her forwards.

"You have the little slut then."

She stumbled but Enjolras reached out to steady her placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked up into his face, there was that irritating look in his eye again, pity. She didn't need it from anyone, especially him.

"What did you do that for?" She hissed the situation put her on the defensive. He looked at her with incredulity.

"You looked as if you needed some help" He replied, barely able to hide the sarcasm in his response.

"I'm quite capable of looking after myself."

"Clearly"

As if pity wasn't bad enough now he was patronising her, Eponine was suddenly very aware of how close she was standing to him, her head barely reached the top of his shoulders, which were much broader than the last time they had meet, she had to crane her head upwards to look into his eyes. She felt oddly intimidated and took a few steps backwards.

"You've been back in my life the whole of five minutes and you suddenly think you can come charging in like a knight in shining armour? I've managed quite well without you for the last nine years!" she threw her arms up in frustration that was a mistake. His eye's darted instantly to the slightly purpled rings around her wrists curtsey of Montparnasse earlier.

"Eponine what happened? Why are you here?"

"We moved here…"

"No that's not what I meant. I mean here right now, it's dark. You're scared of the dark."

Eponine couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of his statement.

"That was a long time ago Monsieur. I have learned that there are worse things than the dark."

She couldn't stand the way he kept looking at her. Like he couldn't understand where the girl he knew had gone. She often wondered herself.

"Did you run away as you threatened?"

"No" she folded her arms across herself "Someone told me that would be foolish."

"Then how did you end up…"

"Like this? She interrupted him gesturing down at herself. "Quite frankly I'd rather not talk about it." She noted the way he tilted his head at her, no doubt he was wondering how long he would acceptably have to stay here before he could leave without seeming rude, the thought made her angry and sad at the same time.

"I'm not a whore though." She didn't know why she needed to tell him.

"Excuse me?"

"Those men said I was a whore. Just wanted you to know I'm not."

"I never thought that you were"

"Of course you did it was the first thing to cross you mind I'm sure"

He opened his mouth as if to argue but changed his mind deciding to try a different tact.

"So you are Pontmercy's shadow"

She laughed "Is that what your friends call me?"

"I can't believe you're the girl who is always following him around" he said more to himself than her.

"How do you know Marius anyway?" A sudden thought occurred to her "It's you isn't it, you're the student who wants to start a revolution."

"How do you know about that?" He snapped.

"There are a lot of things I know" she smirked at him she could tell she was getting him riled up.

"Who else knows about it?"

"No one else" she laughed she could tell she was annoying him more "Marius told me a little bit about it and I haven't told anyone, I should have guessed it was you."

"Pontmercy" he muttered under his breath.

"Anyway, this has been a lovely catch up but I really must be getting home before Papa gets cross" she darted down an alley and out of his sight before he had a chance to say anything else.

It hurt too much to be around him. It reminded her of what she had been and what she no longer was. It was like her lost innocence was being thrown in her face. In spite of that she smiled to herself, she was glad she had gotten to see him again.

~X~

Despite all his best intentions when he had left the Café the previous night Enjolras had not got the sleep he intended. For once the cause was not the revolution. The confusion and frustration caused by seeing Eponine again only seemed to have increased the more he thought about it, nothing about the situation made sense.

He was trying to concentrate on his lecture but so far he had made very few notes. Bahorel was smirking at him from the next seat. The very fact that Bahorel had bothered to turn up for a change was proof that news of what had happened last night had spread, he was certain his fellow 'student' was there because he wanted to be the first to question him and for no other reason.

His suspicions were confirmed when the lecture was finished. Enjolras had not even begun to gather his things together when Bahorel started.

"So what is this I hear about you and Marius' Shadow?" he smirked.

"I am not blessed with the gift of reading your mind Bahorel so I cannot tell you what you heard" Enjolras run his hand through his hair messing up his curls.

"That the two of you have history" Bahorel explained, clearly enjoying his friend's discomfort.

"If you refer to the fact that I was acquainted with her many years ago then yes, we do have history. If you are insinuating anything else then I must inform you are incorrect."

Bahorel regarded his friend for a moment before placing his hand on his shoulder "Bossuet was right about you."

Enjolras simply raised his eyebrow in enquiry.

"That you suffer for your greatness"

Enjolras couldn't help but scoff at this.

"No, really you do" Bahorel continued "Most of the rest of us have something we fight for apart from the revolution we have the mistresses that make us brave. But you are not in love. There is some debate as to whether or not you even believe in it outside of love for Patria. Yet, you still find a way to be courageous."

"I believe in love" Enjolras countered, slightly confused by the strange remarks and very much annoyed that his friends had taken it into their heads to have such an in depth discussion of his life. "I believe most of all for love of your country. Love of Patria and the republic and love for the people of France. Contrary, apparently, to popular belief though, I do believe in 'romantic' love. I believe that it is one of the most destructive forces in this world and any sane man would strive to avoid it at all costs."

Bahorel looked to his friend with the kind of awe that he sometimes saw on people's faces after one of his speeches. How could Enjolras explain to him that it was more than just love of his country that he fought for? That in a way there was a woman to make him brave. The long lost memory of a ghost of a woman who had told him to always look out for others and that he was in this world to make it great. A woman who he had let down when she needed him.

Thankfully the whole conversation was disrupted by Grantaire who, although it was only mid-afternoon, was roaring drunk and stumbled up to them providing a welcome change of topic. Enjolras pushed the ghosts that haunted him aside. Thinking of Eponine brought memories he tried to ignore back to the fore. He decided that enough time had been spent thinking over a subject on which there was nothing much he could do for the moment anyway and so he decided he would refocus his attention on the matter at hand, revolution.

He succeeded in his new resolve until that evening when he sat in his usual place at the Café Musain and was approached by Gavroche.

"Monsieur, it true what everyone is saying 'bout you knowing my sister?"

"Gavroche, you have no family." He felt that he was stating the obvious and yet somehow he couldn't help himself.

"Well technically speaking I don't but 'Ponine was basically like my Mama till I was kicked out. Even then she put up a good fight for me, paid for it to I should imagine."

Enjolras stared at the boy unable to believe it was the same babe he had held in his own arms so many years ago. Feeling like a bit of an idiot he simply repeated his previous statement.

"You said you have no family"

"Yeah, well, my Papa is part of the Patron-Minette, it's not exactly something I like to advertise. Safer to say I'm on my own."

"Gavroche, if Eponine is your sister you do realise I knew you when you were a baby" Enjolras smiled "I helped teach you to count the three when you were only two years old."

Gavroche grinned widely at this "Merci for that. Knew there had to be a reason why I was so clever. You really were the Serious Boy 'Ponine sometimes talked of then?"

"Wait, Gavroche, why were you kicked out."

"My parents were never exactly fond of me" the boy shrugged "I don't remember Montfermeil, was only a babe really, when we moved to Paris you see but 'Ponine sometimes talked of it. Of the time when our parents stilled loved her and 'Zelma. Anyway like I said, they weren't much fond of me I wasn't really any use to them I was just an extra mouth to feed. Plus I was always getting Papa angry, then 'Ponine would get in trouble for sticking up for me. So soon as I got old enough to realise what was happening I figured it would be better if I left, one day Papa told me to go so I did. Then 'Ponine wouldn't always get in trouble for looking out for me and she would only have herself and 'Zelma to worry about. She still looks after me though, when she can, making sure I got food and stuff. She's a good 'un our 'Ponine."

Courfeyrac entered at that moment and Gavroche scampered off to talk to him. Enjolras was left even more confused. His mind began to wander towards the situation but he stopped himself. Whatever had happened she obviously hadn't wanted to tell him about it and he had no more time to waste on such a trivial matter. He turned his attention back to the notes he was making for tomorrows rally. The whole time trying to ignore the unease that was taking its grip on him.

(P.S I haven't grammar checked this yet so please forgive me if there are mistakes I will probably update them in the next few hours when I get internet back properly! PPS I've managed to write out ugly duckling chapters all the way up to Chapter 11 so should have lots of updates to make up for the lack of them over the past week)