Chapter 2

The first thing young Eponine saw of baby Montparnasse was his big toothy smile.

He was not quite a baby per say but he looked like it, round little cheeks, wide innocent eyes and teeth to still grow in. His hair looked still to be fluffy and had a hint of baby blonde within the brown.

The little boy had picked her a flower but in his excitement had crushed it in his chubby little hands.

Still he offered it to her proudly while lightly bouncing foot to foot.

Eponine could not help but smile at this sweet gesture and smile wider at noticing the deep blush on the boy's face.

–-

It had been snowing through the night and in the morning was the perfect mix of soft snow and part ice. Eponine loved it. Where some people despised this weather for its cold. Eponine loved the dull sting in her cheeks as the cold air hit her, the rush she got as she slid along the ice in her shoes. The smell around this time of year and the fact all the children met to have snowball fights.

Later that night she would go home and her mother would take one look at her and huff before rushing to take off her daughter's wet coat and to push a cup of hot liquid into her cold hands. Her father meanwhile would laugh at her mother's fussing and rustle his daughter's hair in a way that made Eponine's flush at the affection.

''I heard if you eat snow you turn into a bird with beautiful snowflake wings..."

''Really?" Young Eponine's face lit up with excitement. Eyes blown wide with wonder.

"Yes" The boy puffed his chest out proudly. Eponine ran past him and beyond.

''I will meet you by the clouds then.''

Both had unexplained ill stomachs for the following week as it seemed - where one went the other followed.

–-

''Stop it...' Another light ping at the back of head. 'I said stop it!'' Twelve year old Eponine wailed.

This had not been the first time she had faced adversary but usually it was just petty comments from other children. Any other day she would have just walked back into her house and that was that but this hell was better than the one waiting for her at home.. Any other day... when her Mother's last words weren't ringing in her ears she would maybe have the will to run away down the street.

As it was, she decided to give them no reaction in the hope they would get bored. Time passed, and Eponine found herself lost in her own mind where things were a lot brighter... and still they persisted.

Useless she had been called and ugly. Maybe her Mother was right. She felt her back ache in points from their onslaught.

It was her first real confrontation, and it scared her.

Before the thought fully formulated in her mind she had spun round and faced her attackers. There were two. They looked older which surprised her, expecting ones her age or younger considering the immaturity of their actions.

Anger overtook her, anger at her life, anger at these boys and the anger at the loss of friends when she lost her money.

They looked right back at her, clearly not intimidated, then suddenly their eyes widened and they scampered. She must of conveyed her anger through her eyes... Eponine considered carefully. It was a powerful feeling.

All that was to become Eponine was made in that moment.

And the boy standing behind her with a large piece of torn fence, well he just let her have her moment before sneaking off unnoticed.

–-

Montparnasse's family seemed to disappear for months at a time. Where his father would go, his mother would follow. Either in jail or the unknown. At the beginning Montparnasse himself would be flung to friends and family. Which would be bad but not too bad as it was close to Eponine and his friends. Sometimes he would be lost in bets and have to clean his hosts houses while he stayed there. Sometimes his parents did not have to be gone for this to happen. It simply was.

As revenge one day after a too brutal disciplining from someone not his father – he made sure to take a pocket watch and a good quality cravat from the man. The cravat had truly caught the young man's attention with its deep purple colour, so unusual yet beautiful.

Walking out hand in hand with his mother, he prayed to any and all gods that the ticking of the clock would not give him away. It took a week for him to relax. Another month for him to wear the cravat and a good year to wear the pocket watch... and when he did he felt a thrill.

This was to be the start of Montparnasse.

–-

Two weeks after his 14th birthday Montparnasse turned up at the Thenardier house. Dressed up in finery from his newly ''acquired wardrobe'' only to be told by an indifferent mother that Eponine had disappeared and for a good few days.

Montparnasse left immediately and looked for her. He found her hours later, curled in a ball by the river. Her figure so slight it could hide partly under the overgrown weeds. He shook her awake and asked her why. He cringed at his tone being less gentle as intended. Her lack of survival instincts caused Montparnasse's heart to squeeze uncomfortably and it made him angry. She was important and she could be so damn careless of her own safety. It make no sense to the young man who took his life moment to moment, surviving on what he could salvage from his surroundings. His mixed emotions remained even as he unconsciously pulled her frozen body close to his. After a few moments he got his answer. It was definitely Eponine's voice but it was oddly soft, too soft and it put him on edge.

"The river is beautiful 'Passe..." She continued in her soft almost childlike tone.

''It is ever moving where as I am forever stuck." with this he felt a self depreciating grin form against his shoulder.

He walked home slowly later that night, Eponine's words echoing around him.

–-

"I would like to court you, Mademoiselle"

"I am no Mademoiselle, 'Passe. Do not mock me"

''Yes you are. Yes you are and you are beautiful" The young man gave her a full toothed smile. His wayward hair flicking back to over one eye again.

"I am soaked, my hair is drenched, how can you speak so!''At her own reminder, she shivered. He cringed at this comment and stood closer.

''Rain cannot hurt you sweet 'Ponie nor wash away your loveliness"

"You are mad"

''I want to leave this place. I will get the funds somehow dear Mademoiselle. When I do...will you join me?"

''I may be whisked off by then if you take too long" she teased.

''I will have to find it quick then''

To Eponine the whole conversation had seemed absurd. 'Passe was a friend and she did so hope he was making fun of her with put on romantic notions. Yet part of her would like to think he was her prince.

–-

A cigarette hanging from his mouth Montparnasse stood outside the Thenardier house waiting for his next pay. It was always late.

–-

The 'jobs' were getting darker now and Montparnasse was unsure if he had actually became the character he portrayed to Patron- Minette or if it was still an act. He did not give his thoughts too much time however. It was refreshing being able to act and not over think. To switch off his feelings. To have money. He liked to think he was simply becoming stronger minded rather than darker in soul. He wanted to name that feeling before a kill as guilt rather than excitement but honestly that would be lying. It had been months since he had seen Eponine and although he missed her... he liked the thrill more.

–-

"For sale?" The skinny but lean man asked. ''Is this a joke, dear Thenardier? What is the service pray tell me? My apartment is messy, I could do with some help. Or is it to steal? I am capable but it would be time saving I suppose to have a helper"

There was a silence before an eruption of laughter filled the pub. Montparnasse's heart had fell to his stomach the moment Thenardier had spoken such words but he tried not to show it on his face. Especially around these men, they were all wine filled and loose tongued. He tried not to let the rage fill his face as throughout the night the comments became cruder and cruder while the father to the subject – sat and laughed along with them.

–-

"Go away, you filth"

Montparnasse entered the bedchamber to see an angry figure on the bed. She was dressed in garish coloured lingerie. A far cry from the conservative attires she preferred to run around in, there was too much rouge pressed on her cheeks, her lips which had always been beautiful were distorted by a too bright red colour.

''Is that how you greet an old friend?'' So concentrated on her attire, he missed the shock on her face followed by the look of women who had just watched her world come tumbling down. He crouched down to the young women. So familiar yet so different. She looked at him warily.

His decision to go there that night was to save her from a stranger taking advantage. It was heroic and he did hope that this action cancelled out all the bad he had done recently.

He reached out a hand slowly before withdrawing it. He did not want to taint her. So preoccupied on his hands and the proximity of hers. He did not see a tear fall down her cheek nor her distrusting eyes search his face for any explanation.

By the time he looked up, unsure whether he needed to explain his intentions or not, she had taken on a look of cold indifference like he had never seen before.

–-