A/N: Thank you so much for the follows/favorites/reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying it so much! So this chapter is kind of long, hope not too long. Also, you guys might hate me after this chapter, sorry. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next one should be up soon!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter three: Rock Bottom

"But I'd like to think I can cheat it all, to make up for the times I've been cheated on"- Fun

Everything was perfect. Eponine was out of the reach of her parents and she was with the love of her life. Eponine would go to work and come home to share drinks and laughs with the boys and go to bed with Marius. She was with her best friends and she knew her brother was safe. He would come over often. Things could not get better.

It was a normal day at work for Eponine. She was looking forward to seeing a movie later and going out afterward. Marius had been distant lately, but she figured it was just school stuff. She had been working like crazy. She knew they were both exhausted. She was hoping tonight would give them both some time to relax.

Caught in this daydream, Eponine almost didn't recognize who walked in the door. Almost. She smelled him as soon as he walked in. He smelled of alcohol and smoke. She had grown up smelling that. He walked in with a perverted smirk on his face. "'Ponine! How is my dear little god-daughter?"

Eponine almost threw up. "You make me sick, Montparnasse. Why are you even here?" she snarled. "Get out." Her hands were shaking. This man was one of the disgusting guys her dad played poker with, when they weren't out robbing people. Her early teenage years were scarred by her father and his entourage, namely Montparnasse.

"What, a guy can't come to see his best friend's daughter at work?" he slurred. He reached across the counter and put his hand on top of hers, breathing his awful breath in her face. She quickly jumped away, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Why are you here?" she asked again, stone cold.

"Your father wanted me to co-"

"Liar!" Eponine interrupted. "My father doesn't give a shit what happens to me. Why are you here?"

"Okay, okay" Montparnasse put his hands up in surrender. He leaned over the counter, slowly looking her up and down and licking his lips. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. I haven't seen you in months. You know, we used to have really good times."

Eponine backed away from him, eyes searching for an escape route. He had done things to her before, he was more than likely going to try again. There was no one to be seen in the café. Eponine had no idea where her boss was, but now would be a nice time for her to make an appearance. He stared at her, lust darkening his eyes. "get out," she warned.

"Or what?" he asked with a smirk. Eponine's hands searched for something, anything to defend herself. Her fingers curled around the handle of a mug. In the blink of an eye, she had covered him with scalding coffee.

"You little bitch!" He yelled out, causing her boss to run out. "You fucking crazy bitch!"

"What the hell happened here?!" her boss yelled. Had she been there a moment earlier, she would have understood, but now, Montparnasse looked like the victim.

"Your employee attacked me!" he screamed. "I tried to have a normal conversation, and she throws fucking coffee all over me!"

Eponine's boss turned to her, red with anger. "Get. Out." she said, voice quaking with fury.

"But, Madame! He was trying to attack me!" Eponine argued.

"I don't want to hear your excuses. Get. Out," she said again.

"Madame!" Eponine's voice cracked. "please. I need this job"

"Out!"

Montparnasse smirked through his pain. Eponine scowled at him and ripped off her apron, furious. "I never liked this fucking job anyway. Both of you can go to hell," she spat. She stormed out and headed to Marius's apartment.

He was in class currently, so when she walked in she could break down. She went into the bathroom, turning on the shower. She stripped herself down and got in. She sat and cried for what seemed like hours. What kind of mess had she gotten herself into? Where was she going to find another job? With her past on display for any searching employer to see and the reputation of her parents, it was hopeless. She had had the job at the café for almost a year. She had barely anything when she had a job, and now she really had nothing.

When she couldn't cry anymore, she got out. She looked like a wreck, but she didn't really care about that. Eponine headed down the street to her favorite bar. She sat down and ordered a beer.

"'Ponine? What are you doing drinking at three in the afternoon? I thought that job was privileged to only me!" said a familiar voice, draping an arm around her.

Eponine shrugged the arm off. "not now, Grantaire. Please."

Instantly, Grantaire knew something was wrong. The usually witty, sarcastic girl was defeated and exhausted. He put his arm around her again and asked, "what happened, Ep?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she snarled, shoving him away. She saw the instant hurt on his face and felt a pang of guilt. Her immediate response was to shove the feeling away and turn her heart to stone.

"come on," Grantaire said, putting some money on the counter. "let's get out of here. I don't know what happened, but I don't think a bar is the right place to be now. And that's coming from me" That made her laugh a little.

"where are we going?" she asked, letting herself be led out.

"just walking. Nowhere particular."

They walked in silence for about seven blocks. Eponine was so grateful for Grantaire. He was there for her, and allowed her to open up when she was ready. She had never really seen this softer side of him but she was glad he had one. They were always cracking wise ass comments at each other, never having serious conversations.

After a while of silence, they sat down on a park bench. Grantaire put his arm around her and she leaned on his shoulder. "I got fired today," she said so softly he almost didn't hear her.

"I'm really sorry, Ep," he said. "But you'll find something else, I'm sure of it. I know you think your parent's reputation will stop you from ever getting a decent job, but you'll find one." He rubbed her arm encouragingly. "What did you do, if I may ask?"

"I threw coffee in a customer's face."

"Did he deserve it?"

"Absolutely."

"That's my girl."

Eponine and Grantaire were out until around eight, talking and walking. He was strangely encouraging when he wasn't completely wasted. He told her he might even know of some job openings for her and would try to set her up. She was feeling better when she got back to the apartment, but all she really wanted to do was snuggle up and watch a movie.

She walked in to find Marius on the computer. "Look who decided to show up," he said sarcastically.

"Excuse me?" Eponine said, defensive. She wasn't really in the mood to get yelled at for nothing. "I was out with Grantaire. I texted you and told you that."

Marius guiltily glanced at his phone, which was blinking to tell him he had a text message. "I thought we had plans tonight. But you decide to blow me off to go drinking with Grantaire?" he said, clearly offended.

"You don't even know that we were drinking!" Eponine said, her voice rising a bit. After all Grantaire had done for her today, she wasn't about to let Marius undermine him.

"Please, it's Grantaire we are talking about," Marius retorted. "That man doesn't do anything else."

"He has been your friend for years, and yet you are so quick to judge him. It seems like I know him better than you do, and you've known him for years. We weren't drinking, he was comforting me. Something I don't see you, my own boyfriend, doing," Eponine snapped, trying to walk away from the fight. She knew her temper and didn't really want to lose it.

"How on earth was I supposed to know you were upset?" Marius said while standing up and grabbing her arm to pull her back.

"Maybe if you actually read your texts, you would see that I said 'Long day. Not really feeling up for anything tonight. Gonna be out with Grantaire, but call me when you get this. It's been kind of a rough day.' But you couldn't even care enough to look at the text, let alone call me!" Eponine ripped her arm out of his grip.

"Well I'm sorry that I've been super stressed with school lately, trying to get a good education! Things haven't exactly been peachy for me either, you know." Marius's voice was close to yelling.

"I know they haven't, and who has been here for you the whole time? Me. You have been so distant lately, Marius. You've been so distant from me and I don't know how to pull you back. I can't be the only one giving in this relationship! It's like you aren't even trying! This is exhausting. I'm working like crazy, plus I have to try to handle a one-sided relationship and try to make it work? I would be better off alone, on my own." Eponine felt her cheeks heating. She realized what she had just said, but at this moment, she thought it was true. She couldn't do this anymore. Relationships shouldn't be this exhausting.

"Fine. If that's how you feel, why don't you leave?" Marius stared at her stone-faced. She had never seen him like this, this angry. He had his jaw firmly set as he looked at her.

But Eponine was just as angry. She stared back, her dark eyes flaming. "I don't find any reason to stay," she snarled. She grabbed her hat and coat and stormed out. She was halfway down the road when what had just happened really sunk in. She had just gotten angry at the only person who could make her happy. The only person who had cared. But what hurt even more was that he let her go. He didn't try to stop her. Eponine took out her phone, hands shaking. She dialed Grantaire's number and he picked up on the third ring.

"Heyyyy girl!" he slurred, obviously intoxicated. "What's up?"

"Can I come over?" she tried not to let her voice break.

"Well, I would love more company, but I'm kinda preoccupied at the moment, if you know what I mean," Grantaire said, laughing hysterically. "Besides, what about lover-boy? Isn't he dying to give some comforting sex to his girlfriend?"

"That's the thing..." Eponine said softly.

Grantaire understood immediately. "Where are you? I'll come pick you up." His voice was much more sober now, though he was still slurring his words. She could hear him shooing people out of his apartment.

She told him her location and sat down on the curb to wait for him.

When Eponine woke up on a couch the next morning, she didn't know where she was until she saw Enjolras, Courfeyrac, Joly, Combeferre, and Grantaire standing around her. The night before was a blur of alcohol. Right now though, all she could focus on was her throbbing headache and the light that was too bright. Squinting, she sat up and put her head in her hands.

"Well, look who's awake!" Grantaire said cheerily.

"What the hell happened?" Eponine asked, looking up at him. "Why am I here? And why are you being so loud?"

"You don't remember?" Courfeyrac asked, concerned. "Marius called me last night saying you didn't come home. So I called everyone until Grantaire told me he put you up for the night. Why did you go?"

Marius. The night's events all came rushing back. For a moment, Eponine felt a pang of pain and guilt. She should have never left. Already she missed him, missed his touch, his voice, his everything. She wanted her boyfriend back. And then Courfeyrac's words sunk in. "Did he say anything about what happened?" she asked.

"No, he just said you never came home..." Courfeyrac said slowly, trying to piece together what happened.

"That asshole. I came home alright, and we broke up," Eponine said, apathetic. She would not let her emotions get in the way.

There was a chorus of gasps. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a large embrace. They all wrapped their arms around her, telling her encouraging words.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed. "Marius is your friend, why are you comforting me?"

"We're your friends too," Enjolras said.

Eponine was surprised by this. She never expected the Les Amis to stay her friends if she and Marius broke up. "Well, thank you," she said sincerely. "I never expected you to all be here for me."

"Of course we are," Combeferre said, as if this was common knowledge. "You're kinda cool."

Eponine laughed, "thanks."

The guys stayed around for about an hour. They talked and laughed, and for a moment, Eponine forgot about her troubles. When they left, Eponine walked up to Grantaire and hugged him.

"What was that for?" he asked with crooked grin.

"Thank you for putting me up last night. And dealing with my drunk, just broke up self. How much did I tell you anyway?" There was no telling how emotional Eponine could get when she was drunk. She felt bad for making Grantaire having to deal with that.

"Actually, you didn't tell me anything," Grantaire said. "I didn't ask and you didn't tell. I figured you just had a fight, not that you broke up. I'm really sorry. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need to until you're back on your feet."

"Thank you," she said, hugging him again.

Eponine had stayed with Grantaire a month before she decided to leave. She had searched everywhere for a respectable job. No one would hire her. She had no way of helping Grantaire with food or anything. He wasn't really well off to begin with, he definitely couldn't afford to feed another mouth. Of course, he didn't tell her this, but she knew. Eponine still had her pride, so she wouldn't ask any of her other friends to put her up for free.

After about two weeks of staying with Grantaire, Eponine had gone to Marius's apartment. She hadn't gone to beg for him back, but rather to get her stuff. She was still pretty mad at him, though she wouldn't have minded if he was doing horrible and wanted her back. However, when she knocked on the door, a woman's voice answered, "It's open!" Eponine couldn't force herself to go in. She tried to tell herself that it was nothing, but she knew. The thought of Marius already being over her broke her.

Also, things had been awkward between her and the rest of the guys. They would come over to Grantaire's house and hang out with her, but she could tell they were purposely trying not to mention Marius. She told them it was okay to talk about him, but of course they never did. So a lot of their conversations felt forced and uncomfortable.

So Eponine decided it was for the best that she leave and never see them again. She knew where she could stay, though it killed her to even think of going back there. They could probably even find her a job. But she that meant she had to cut all of her friends out of her life. Though she tried to never let herself get close to people she knew could potentially hurt her, she had let Les Amis get close to her. They were her best friends. They took care of her in her worst time. But this was for the best. She knew how to disappear, and right now, she had to.

So Eponine packed up her few belongings and walked to that dreadful place. She knocked on the door and it swung open. "Hi, mom. Hi, dad."