I'm so sorry for the long delay in updating—nearly two months—but I'd had a lot of things going on. Anyway, I'm going to try to make a weekly updating schedule from now on. And here's the next chapter!

Eponine nodded and said, "I think...I think I know a place."

Erik nodded gravely. "What is it?"

"Well, I think I saw my brother going there once. Follow me." She ran ahead of him, in the shadows, looking around for certain streets, knowing only a few ways to get there.

As they rounded a corner ten minutes later, Erik beheld a giant wooden elephant. He frowned. "What is this?"

Eponine looked at it. "Ah!" she said, noticing it. "It's a big elephant," she replied simply, examining it from afar. "This may not work. It looks as if only a small boy like my brother would be able to get into it..."

"I'll see if there's any other way." Erik darted forward, then into shadows underneath.

She waited outside of the gate, hiding in the shadows, so she wouldn't be seen.

After a moment of looking, Erik moved aside a plank at the stomach region. "It... would be a little tight..."

Eponine squinted and whispered, "You won't be able to get in, and it's freezing out here. I don't know if I could squeeze through either..."

Erik fiddled with the plank, and it widened a little. "I think you can make it... don't worry about me, I'll be nearby."

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking at the plank. She pushed it up and tried making a wider hole. "Damn rats," she muttered.

Erik shrugged, his silhouette almost visible as a full form. "I've had worse. But you must be... you must be like a queen, and I, providing you with every nice thing I can..." You must be my new Christine.

"Oh, don't bother with me," Eponine replied. "I don't need nice things; I never did. I just don't want to die yet. And I hate these rats." There was squeaking from inside the elephant, and she shooed it away. Picking at the boards, she started to make a bigger hole. "Gavroche won't be happy, but this is better than nothing. We'll need another board to cover the hole."

Erik looked inside. "I'll just... deal with these rats, then."

Eponine growled and hit another board. It made a blunt sound and then cracked quietly. "It's working," she said, "but...with all these rats, we'll be eaten alive."

Erik scowled, proceeded to get out some item, entered, and then there were loud shrill squeaking shrieks.

Eponine backed away and whispered, "Shhh! They'll hear us!" She looked in through the hole and noticed her brother had made a small alcove protected by fencing. "Well, fancy that! Gavroche is smarter than I thought."

Erik came back out. "Well, the rats shouldn't bother you as much now..." He flicked some small furry things away.

"What did you do to them?" she asked in awe, and a bit of fright.

"They're dead. I was prepared in case of defense... it worked this way as well."

Eponine looked at him—well, his shadow—and said, "You killed them? How? Where is your weapon?"

"Well hidden." He receded again, towards the fence. "Good night, Eponine."

She climbed into the elephant with a bit of difficulty and looked over in his direction. "I think there's a mattress there. I'll use it, if you don't mind."

"Of course." Erik gently pushed it towards her. It was stopped by the fencing, which made a small rattling noise. She crawled onto it and yawned, lying down. She looked around for Erik, and was silent when she found his shadow. After a while, she said in a whisper, "...What is your name?"

He sighed. "Would you truly want to know?"

"Yes," she replied firmly. "Even if you're not human, you must have a name."

"Very well." He paused for a few minutes, as if he had forgotten, or drifted into sleep, then whispered his name: "Erik."

Eponine had been waiting patiently for his name, and once he said it, she allowed herself to close her eyes and sleep.

If you're reading this, both Izzi and I would love for you to comment in any way. Feedback is part of what makes the experience of fic-writing a pleasure :)