A/N: Wow, guys! Thank you so much for all the reviews and favorites and follows! I am completely humbled by all of it, and I hope that this story can live up to your expectations. If there's anything you'd like to see eventually, just let me know, and I'll try to find a place for it.

Also, I know that France has officially dropped "mademoiselle" from use, but I'm going to use it in the story. I'm going to take extreme artistic liberties with… well… life. What fun would it be if Javert could simply look up Thenardier's fingerprints at crime scenes or if Marius could just facebook Cosette? (none.)

Jondrette: Yes! Professor.. ahem… Doctor Rupert is based off of Professor Callahan from Legally Blonde, which is also where I took the information on 'malam in se' from! Nice call! I chose Rupert for his last name because the OBC Callahan was played by Michael Rupert.

Gabriel Enjolras scratched his curly blonde hair as he glanced around the food court. Where was Marius? He said he would meet Enjolras for dinner at 5, and it was now 5:17. Enjolras sighed as he slowly stirred his soup. Some things never changed. Grantaire never showed up to his classes completely sober, and Marius never showed up on time for anything but exam days in their law classes.

Enjolras caught a glance of Marius as he entered the food court, and the sight made Enjolras' brow furrow even more. He recognized the girl from their class with Dr. Rupert. He had hung back after class today in order to avoid the stares from his classmates. He noticed the girl pull her wallet out of her baggy sweatshirt sleeve. That seemed like an odd place for someone to keep a wallet, but Enjolras had brushed it off. Perhaps she was taking precautions against getting robbed. He had read in the school newspaper today that the infamous crime group, Patron-Minette, was still at large. Still… there was something strange about Marius' companion…

Enjolras ripped himself from his thoughts as the pair reached his table. Marius threw his backpack down on to an empty chair. "Do you mind if I grab some food?" Enjolras dismissively waved his hand as Marius turned to his friend. "Coming, 'Ponine?"

"No," muttered Eponine. Enjolras had to resist the urge to lean in to hear her. "I'm fine. You- you go ahead."

Marius shrugged as he headed for the bistro. Enjolras took in Eponine's unsure stance. "Would you care to sit down, mademoiselle?"

Eponine bit her lip as she considered the possible outcomes of the situation. What if Enjolras got a good look at her, saw how dirty and skinny she was, and dismissed her? Or worse, what if he called her out in front of Marius? However, if she left, she would lose time with Marius, and she would have nowhere else to go but home. Home was a place that Eponine tried to avoid at all costs. And then there was the fact that he addressed her in such a way. Eponine wasn't used to positive attention. The only person who had ever given any sort of positive attention was Marius. Was this a trick?

She started as Enjolras cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow at her. She slowly lowered herself into a chair and he returned his attention to his soup. Eponine didn't want to stare at him as he ate – her stomach was grumbling enough as it was – but she didn't want to just stare at the table either. Eponine decided to look around for Marius. What she saw made her blood run cold.

Marius was staring at a beautiful blonde woman who was slowly packing up her things. The cashier at the bistro was trying to get his attention, but Marius paid him no mind. Eponine frowned as she looked the blonde intruder over. How dare she steal Marius' attentions away from her? And why was she sitting alone in the corner? Eponine snorted in derision. She must have some terrible deformity. Perhaps she wasn't actually attractive at all! Maybe Eponine had gotten so hungry that it was affecting her vision! That must be it! Marius was only staring because this petite blonde was so atrocious!

Enjolras looked up from his soup when Eponine snorted. He followed her line of sight and inwardly groaned. Great. Pontmercy was enamored by a girl. What he couldn't deduce, however, was why the brunette across the table from him was so angry. If she wasn't Marius' girlfriend (and Enjolras was certain she wasn't, as he hadn't heard any sappy monologues from his friend), who was she? He took in every aspect of Eponine's appearance. Her dirty brown hair fell around her heart-shaped face in wavy tendrils. It must not have gotten a good washing for a while, as it looked vaguely greasy. Either that or Eponine had partied too hard last night and was too hung-over this morning to shower... or even run a brush through it, for that matter. Her skin was either very dirty or very tanned. Enjolras was leaning towards the former. Her cheeks were sunken in, and Enjolras suspected that the sweatshirt she was wearing was around three sizes too big for her.

Eponine tore her gaze from the sickening display of whatever it was that Pontmercy had going on, and Enjolras found himself staring into chocolate brown eyes. There was sadness and pain in them, but Enjolras didn't have time to dwell on it as Eponine glared at him.

"It's rude to stare, you know."

Enjolras was caught off guard. "I'm sorry, mademoiselle."

"Don't." Enjolras was surprised to see how affronted she looked. "It's just Eponine."

"Well, then I'm sorry, Eponine."

"Apology accepted." A warm, but hesitant smile graced Eponine's features, and Enjolras took in the dimples that appeared beneath the grime.

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat? I don't want to seem rude."

The rumbling in Eponine's stomach had multiplied, but she didn't dare spend some of the stolen euros and risk her father's wrath. "No, sir, I'm fine."

Enjolras eyed her closely. Something had changed in the dark brown abyss in her eyes. "It's Enjolras, please."

"Well, I'm fine then, Enjolras."

Enjolras still didn't believe her. Before he had time to reply, however, Marius had appeared. "I've just had the most wonderful experience!"

Eponine resisted the urge to vomit. She quickly stood up and grabbed her backpack. "I really must be going."

Marius nodded, lost in memory of the radiant blonde. Enjolras, however, quirked an eyebrow at the brunette's quickly retreating form. Sure, he wanted to get out of here before Marius started reciting poetry and proclaiming his love for a stranger, but something didn't settle in his stomach with the situation.

Enjolras watched as Eponine got to the door, glanced furtively over her shoulder, and left the building. He quickly brushed it from his mind, however, as Marius began to tell the story of how his world was suddenly in color, or some equally as disgusting parallel.

.

Eponine glanced behind her as she quickly walked down the sidewalk. She didn't want anyone from the university to follow her and discover her reality. She didn't really want to go back to the place that she was forced to call home, but she knew that the sooner she got there, the less annoyed her father would be. He hated waiting.

Eponine ducked through some bushes and checked her surroundings. When she was satisfied that no one was around, she quickly darted up to the flat that she was forced to share with her parents. She whisked through the door and was quickly stopped by a rough hand on her shoulder.

"Were you followed?" inquired the rough voice of her father. Eponine risked a glance at his face. His auburn hair was messy, and his breath smelled of booze.

"No, papa. I checked multiple times."

Thenardier's beady black eyes searched Eponine's face. When he was certain that she was telling the truth, he let go of her shoulder and snatched the backpack from her. "Anything good today?"

Eponine silently watched as he pulled out the wallet she had stolen after class. His mouth curled into a sneer as he pulled out 7 euros. "Only seven? Well, we'll have to make up for this mishap, won't we?"

Eponine fought to keep her face void of the fear that was slowly spreading through her body. Thenardier grabbed his daughter and threw her down the hallway. Eponine cried out as her small frame hit the wall.

"The boys and I are going out at eleven tonight, 'Ponine, and I expect you to join us."

Eponine nodded as she crawled through her bedroom door. She closed the door behind her and made her way to the small mirror that she had stolen last week. Her stomach turned as she thought about what tonight would bring. Her father, Thenardier, was the leader of the crime group known as Patron-Minette. They were infamous for thefts and even some murders. Eponine normally served as a look-out, but she hated to be a part in anything so vile. It was better to go along with it, though. When she didn't go along with her father's schemes, he let his gang members beat her.

Eponine winced as she pulled off her large sweatshirt and examined her tiny torso in her small mirror. Her skin was peppered with bruises, old and new. She had to choke back a sob as she thought of what Monsieur Marius would say if he could see her now.