Hmm…this chapter is a bit dark. Don't worry though…I'm a sucker for happy endings. So this story will probably have one. Not to give anything away! Also, I stole a bit from the musical for this part. It seemed to fit better.

Thanks for the reviews!

Feuilly started home, and then realized that the ABC Friends were meeting that night, and turned his steps toward the Café Musain, making sure that he had at least five francs in his pocket. The night breeze had turned icy, and a part of his mind wondered how Eponine was faring, despite his desperate attempts not to care.

Inside the café, it was warm and crowded. Feuilly greeted his comrades, scanning the crowd for the Winecask. Upon spotting Grantaire, he strode over and slammed the money down onto the table. The drunk man raised his head and blinked hazily at Feuilly.

"Whasat for?"

"I'm paying you for the filthy wretched bet that never should have been made," Feuilly said bitterly. Grantaire's face twisted into an ugly grin, and he pulled a chair up to the table where he sat.

"C'mon, sit down and tell me all about it," he said, carefully pouring some brandy into a glass and pushing it toward Feuilly, who collapsed into the chair.

"I don't drink, Grantaire."

"You need it," the drunk insisted. Feuilly sighed and took a sip, feeling it burn down his throat. The sensation felt good, since the rest of his body was numb, whether with cold or hurt.

"She's in love with that stupid Pontmercy!" Feuilly said suddenly and angrily, not waiting for another prompt from Grantaire. He took a bigger gulp of the brandy.

"I can't be around her when it's 'Monsieur Marius' this and 'Monsieur Marius' that. He treats her as if she were a bit of manure stuck to his shoe! And when it's convenient, he'll use her to find out about some other rich girl he's in love with."

"Who's this? Feuilly, are you drinking?" Combeferre had come up, and now took a seat at their table.

"Yes, I'm drinking," Feuilly said grimly, tossing back the rest of the brandy, "it's a dire circumstance."

"Dear God! Has someone died?" Combeferre asked in astonishment as Feuilly grabbed the bottle and shakily poured another glass. He laughed bitterly and shook his head.

"No. I've lost a bet to our friend the Winecask."

In between glasses of brandy, Feuilly related his story to Grantaire and Combeferre, ending with his head in his hands as if he was in the depths of despair. Combeferre raised an eyebrow at his now drunk comrade.

"And the worst part is, I don't even know why I care so much!" Feuilly mumbled from between his fingers, "She's just a beggar girl who I tried to help! Why should I give a damn if she's in love with that stupid Bonapartist?"

"It sounds to me like you care for her," Combeferre said carefully, suspecting that his friend felt something a bit deeper than friendship. He hadn't missed the dreamy look Feuilly had worn when he spoke of Eponine in her new dress, sitting in the sunset.

"I do! She's like a younger sister! That's it!" Feuilly burst out, "I wouldn't want my younger sister in love with someone like him. If I had a younger sister." He drained the last of the brandy from the bottle and looked around hazily.

"I think you've had enough," Combeferre said quickly, thankful that Grantaire had settled his head down on the table awhile ago and was asleep. Feuilly looked as if he would fight for a minute, but then turned pale.

"Are you going to be ill?" Combeferre asked. Feuilly nodded and bolted out the back door to wretch the contents of his stomach onto the cobblestones of the alley.

In another part of Paris, a shivering Eponine heard familiar voices. She jumped up, wondering what her father and his gang were doing in this area. Then she realized that she still had the dress she had bought with her honest money.

"Oh, what am I going to go?" she groaned to herself, then slapped a hand over her mouth. Her father turned around to squint into the darkness.

"Hey! Who's there?"

"It's me, dear father," Eponine cried, and sprang ferally at his throat. He caught her and pushed her back.

"What are you doing?"

"I just wanted a hug," she said sweetly, restraining herself. Thernadier took a step back, his thief's eyes not missing the nice clothes his daughter wore.

"'ey, where'd you get that?"

"I…I've been stealing a bit extra to 'ave me own money," Eponine lied.

"You've never been good at fibbin'," he snarled, grabbing her shoulders, his face inches from hers, "where'd you get that dress?"

"I…" she trailed off. Thernadier shook her, making her teeth rattle.

"I've been workin'! For a nice young man who apprenticed me!" she cried out, flinching as he raised a hand to slap her. Thernadier froze, his eyes narrowing.

"So that's where you've been off to, eh? A nice young man?" he asked sarcastically. His gang snickered, and Montparnasse looked infuriated.

"You turn me down, yet you'll be a whore for a stranger?" he demanded, coming forward to grab Eponine away from her father. Thernadier waved him away.

"Get off 'er, you little snake! We've got a job to do. You can 'ave her afterward, if you bring me 'nuff loot," he said. Montparnasse nodded, and Eponine shivered. Thernadier turned toward Cosette's house.

"It's not like that! I'm not his whore!" Eponine cried, but the gang ignored her.

"Now, if you rats 'aven't made too much of a ruckus, we should make a good bit off this."

"No! Not this house!" Eponine cried, forgetting Montparnasse completely. She couldn't let them rob Cosette's house while Marius was there!

"There's nothing 'ere," she said desperately, "just an old man an' a girl. They're not rich at all. You won't find a sou here."

"Hush, you!"

"I'll scream! I'll do it!"

"Don't you dare. You're already in enough trouble wif me!" Thernadier said harshly. Eponine was frozen for a moment as the gang approached the house. Her mind raced; she had to save Marius. He would try to save his stupid love, and then they would kill him! That thought made her decision for her, and she screamed with all her might.

"Get underground!" Thernadier hissed at the rest of the gang. They scattered, except for Montparnasse. The door opened and Marius came out as Thernadier disappeared, leaving his daughter with the youngest member of his gang.

"Hey! You there!" Marius called, "Unhand that lady!"

Eponine's heard soared as Marius advanced toward them with a lantern. He had called her a lady! And now he would see her in her new dress and fall in love with her! He would save her from Montparnasse and they would get married…

"Eponine?" Marius asked as the lantern illuminated her face. She nodded. He frowned.

"What are you doing here? Did you scream?"

"Yes! I…my father's gang was going to rob you and…" Montparnasse slapped a hand over her mouth.

"We wasn't gonna rob you, Monsieur," he said sleekly, "she's just a bit crazy in the 'ead, that's all. Ran away from me, an' we 'ad to find 'er. I musta startled her."

Eponine bit his hand hard enough to draw blood, and he uncovered her mouth.

"Don't believe him Monsieur Marius! 'E's lying! Make 'im let me go!"

Marius looked back and forth between the two, obviously confused. He backed up, toward the house. Cosette appeared in the doorway.

"Marius? Is everything allright?" she asked.

"It's fine, darling. Go back inside," Marius called. Eponine didn't miss the love in his voice, and it made her blood boil. She struggled against Montparnasse, looking desperately at Marius.

"You know I'm not crazy, Monsieur Marius. Please help me," she begged. Montparnasse covered her mouth again and pulled her back into the street. Marius made no move to help her. Eponine whimpered, and for the third time that day, tears streamed down her face. He wasn't going to help her.

"So is that the young man you've been seeing?" Montparnasse hissed in her ear as he pulled her down a back alley. Eponine shook her head.

"The what's 'is name?"

"I ain't tellin' you!"

"What is his name, Eponine?" he spun her around to face him and raised his hand threateningly. She didn't flinch.

"No!"

Montparnasse struck Eponine across the face, and she gave up. She'd seen the beatings he was capable of.

"Feuilly. 'Is name is Feuilly," she sobbed quietly. Montparnasse's eyes narrowed, and he continued down the alley, dragging her with him. Eponine no longer cared. Marius hadn't saved her. He was in love with Cosette. The weight of the realization hit her harder than any blow from Montparnasse could. She had lost hope.

Ahhh this is sooo dark! I'm going to write a happier chapter ASAP! Promise! Also, I really don't hate Marius. I'm just making him evil for this story.