Eponine later learned that her dear friends Grantaire, Coufeyrac, Jehan, and even her sweet brother were fallen. Actually most of the boys who fought in the barricade died except Joly, Enjolras and maybe Marius, but that was even unknown. Eponine had taught herself not to feel pain a long time ago, she knew how to make herself numb. Sometimes Joly would come and try to talk to her, but she would just look out the window in the small room, hardly moving her gaze. She hardly ate, or did anything at all.

"Ponine you must eat." Enjolras said after two days of her lifelessly staring out the window.

"Don't call me that. That is what my friends call me. We are not friends Monsieur." Eponine said softly, not looking at him.

"Well Mademoiselle do we have a choice whether we may become friends or not?" He said still in the same calm voice he always used.

"Maybe. But it is not right for a man of marble to associate with a stray." She said in the same soft broken voice.

"Eponine is that what you think? You think I believe myself better than you? We're equals. Everyone is equal. And I'm not cold marble like everyone thinks. I do have feelings. I mean all my friends just died and it was me who lead them to their deaths. You don't think I hurt like you do?! Well unlike you I choose to go on with my life. You need to move past these things Eponine. You must leave this room eventually." Enjolras said raising his voice for the first time since she knew him.

Eponine was shocked, and she was almost swayed, but she wasn't giving in. "I'm not hungry." was all she offered as a reply.

This made Enjolras angry. "My god you're so stubborn and selfish! Do you not realize everyone else is hurting too?! All you care about is yourself and Marius! You seem to have no compassion for anyone else!" Enjolras said, now nearly screaming.

This made her smile, which was not the reaction he was looking for. "Oui Monsieur, now you understand. I am not good like you may have thought, I told you I am the devil. Papa always told me I was a useless little thief, a stray, and he was right. I am glad you see now too. Marius made me good you see. I didn't care about myself anymore, I cared about him." Although Eponine was smiling when she said this, her voice was sad and empty.

Enjolras immediately felt bad for what he had said. He knew she was not selfish. He knew she had a life full of pain and sorrow, and she always gave all she had to Gavroche and Marius. He also knew because of Marius' blindness toward her love, and her father's cruelty toward her, she honestly did believe she was a terrible person. "I didn't mean that. You are not any more terrible than the rest of us." He told her, looking into those sad brown eyes.

She only offered a smile as a thanks. He didn't know why but he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. It just felt right. Her skin wasn't rough like he thought it would be. It was soft like a child's.

Eponine jumped at first at his touch but then relaxed. She didn't mind him touching her. It was almost comforting. They both looked at each other. Maybe they were what they needed for each other. Maybe they-

Just then there was a knock and the door and Enjolras quickly pulled his hand away and the moment was prematurely ended.

It was Joly standing at the door. "I'm here to check her wonders." he said.

"Of course" Enjolras said regaining the calm cool sound he usually had in his voice.

"How are you Eponine?" Joly asked walking into the room. But she didn't reply, she nodded.

"We have news Marius is alive. A man carried him away from the barricade to safety." Joly told her.

Eponine's eyes got wide. "Oh Marius I knew he couldn't die! I just knew he had to be alive! Oh I'm so happy! Where is he? When will he come to see me? Oh how I miss him!" Eponine said excitedly.

"He is under the care of Cosette. It was her father who saved him and took him to her." Joly said.

Eponine's heart dropped. Of course he was with Cosette. "Well I hope he's very happy then." She said, her rough voice lacking the life and excitement it had before.

Joly nodded, knowing he shouldn't say more. He checked the rest of her wounds in silence and left her to Enjolras' care. They seemed to be getting along well anyways.

Eponine felt like her heart had dropped to her stomach. Her vision got blurry as she blinked the tears away from her eyes. She always knew they could never be together, but now it was real. Now he was living with Cosette they were probably more in love then they were before. He was probably so very happy in his nice home with his pretty little bride to be. Leaving her alone, with her dirty skin and knotted hair in a world she had failed to escape. She wished she had wings so she could fly away from here but no, she was just a stupid stray who had come to the end of her path, there was nowhere left to run to. Her sobs soon became uncontrollable and she wished she could stop. The door creaked open and Enjolras was in the door way. Now harder than before she tried to make her face straight but she couldn't.

"I know, how silly right, just a stupid little girl crying over someone who was never even hers to lose. You don't need to mock me Monsieur." She said through her tears.

To her surprise he didn't mock her. He came sat beside her, and embraced her letting her cry in his arms. He brushed the tears away from her face and slowly rocked her back and fourth. He never noticed how small she was. She always made her presence seem so big but she was tiny and fragile. Eventually she fell asleep in his arms, and he didn't try to move her. He just laid with her eventually he got up and went to his own bed, although for some reason he wanted to stay all night as just hold her. He didn't want to frighten her when she woke up. He also thought it inappropriate she would dream of Marius and lay with himself. He took one last look at her peaceful sleeping body, and gingerly closed the door so she wouldn't wake.