A/N – M'kay, finally some interaction with Éponine and one of the boys! So, I've been asked, and just to clarify, I am basing my Enjolras on a mix between the Hugo character and the musical character. Therefore, he and our Mlle Thenardier won't be getting together too soon. But they will. Just join me for the ride!

Chapter Three – Confessions

Éponine sat up in the bed, putting her now empty soup bowl on the nightstand to her right. The large window also to her right provided a clear and lovely view of the garden behind the house. The corner of her mouth rose slightly upon the sight of Enjolras hobbling through the flora. It brought her a little more relief to know she still had friends alive, though she and Enjolras weren't necessarily friends. Mutual acquaintances was probably a better term to describe them. Still, he was another familiar face, and that was good enough. She looked on as he was joined by another figure. Éponine could tell just by looking at him from behind that it was Marius. She had spent enough years following him to know the back of his head.

Why? Why had he insisted on her taking the letter to Cosette? But more importantly, why did she do it? Éponine wanted nothing more than to be everything Marius thought of, yet she had been the one to bring them together. Why could she not refuse him? Anything he ever asked of her, Éponine did without a second thought. Did he really not see how far she would go for him? Did he not see the pain in her eyes every time he spoke of his angel on earth? Did she not see that Marius could never love a vagabond girl like her? She felt a warm tear escape the corner of her eye and hurriedly wiped it away.

"You are a fool, Thenardier," she thought aloud.

"I should say so," came an unmistakable voice from the doorway. Marius moved toward the edge of her bed, both hands together behind his back, a teasing look on his face. "Only a foolish girl would disguise as a boy and climb over a barricade just to deliver a letter." He had taken a seat next to Éponine on the bed, and before he could speak another word, she flailed her arms around him and held him close. Marius in turn wrapped one arm around her, while cradling her head in his other hand, stroking her dark hair repeatedly. They remained so for a while, until Marius just had to look her in the eye.

"Éponine, please forgive me," he whispered, his voice quivering. "You would have never been wounded had I not asked you to find Cosette for me."

"Marius, no," she retorted, taking hold of his hands desperately. Éponine did not want him feeling guilty for her sake. "I chose to go. I am truly the fool. I could have said no. But I could not refuse you." Realizing her words, she cast her gaze down. "You are my friend," she added quickly.

He continued to watch her as she kept her eyes down, sitting in communal silence for a moment. The silence was killing Marius. He had to know…

"'Ponine, at the barricade, when you were shot, did…did you say…were you trying to tell me…"

"Yes," she answered quickly, not wanting to hear it from his lips. She remembered only too well the last exchange they'd had, as she had lay dying in his arms. Or so they thought. She shut her eyes tight. If she didn't open them, the tears wouldn't fall out.

It was as if Marius had been shot once again. Only this time, the pain emanated from his chest. "But 'Ponine, why didn't you ever tell me?"

Her eyes shot open and stared at his incredulously. She had to hold back a bitter laugh and let his hands go. "Did you really never ask yourself why I was constantly at your side? Always ready and willing to do whatever you asked of me? Anything and everything, I would do for you Marius! Even delivering your letter to that bourgeois doll of yours! You showed me such affection, that I had hoped you would come to love me…" Her voice trailed off, accompanied by heart-wrenching sobs that only made Marius feel so much the worse.

"Éponine," he began, speaking over her cries. "Éponine, please. Forgive me. I…I didn't know." He felt like the worst human being on the face of the earth. How could he have been so blind? All this time, he had only thought she was being friendly, looking for that escape from the life she had led alongside her delinquent parents. And without realizing it, Marius had encouraged her sentiments, always treating her with the utmost kindness, compassion and respect, as he would any lady. But she had taken it as something else…But he should have seen it too!

"How could you not see it Marius?" she cried. Her tears only flowed faster, her breathing becoming sparse. "The whole world saw it! Enjolras saw it! Joly! Grantaire! Even little Gavroche knew, for God's sake!"

Marius felt himself falling apart inside. He had to exert all his strength not to break down in front of Éponine. "'Ponine, I am sorry. There is no excuse for my stupidity. But you must know, I have always seen you as a great, great friend." He searched for her hands, as she had done before, but she swiftly pulled them away, not looking at him, but out the window. He continued anyway. "And as long as you are my friend, not a day will go by when you won't have food, clothes, and a place to sleep at night. From now on, this house is your home. And everyone in it is your family. Your true family." Marius reached to touch her cheek softly, and felt her shiver under his touch. Realizing that wasn't the best idea, he quickly retreated his hand, got up, and closed the door behind him. He remained at the door however, silent and still, where he could still hear her crying. Leaning his head against the door, Marius let a few silent tears roll down his face as well, knowing full well that he had broken her heart. And it hadn't been in such fair condition to begin with.

In that moment, he vowed to himself that he would never let Éponine Thenardier suffer at the hands of anyone ever again. Most especially at his own.

Inside the room, Éponine was wiping away her tears when she realized she was doing so with something that did not belong to her. Tied loosely around her neck was a black muslin cravat, now soaked in her tears.

A/N - See, I had this chapter all planned out. Then when I get to typing, it comes out waayyy different! I had not planned for this chapter to be so angsty! But I just got inspired! And I think it will play out well with the rest of the fic. Thanks so much for staying with me! Oh, and if you feel my chapters are short, tell me, so I can post more substantial chapters. Review, por favor? :D