Here's another chapter. I foreshadowed a bit in the first chapter, and here that will come into effect. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Les Mis, nor, unfortunately, do I own the characters.

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Eponine and Marius walked to the market, chatting amiably. Eponine glanced at him.

"Race ya!" she said and started running. Marius grinned and chased after her, trying to get ahead of her. Eponine was too quick for him. She reached the market place before him. "Beat ya." She said to him, grinning when he caught up to her. Marius grinned and picked her up and ran with her. Eponine was too shocked to say anything. Marius looked at her.

"Now I win, for I have kidnapped you." he told her grinning. They both laughed. Marius stopped running and put Eponine down. She clearly had not been expecting him to do that. Eponine looked at him and saw that he was looking at someone in the distance. She turned and her heart dropped when she saw who he was staring so intently at. None other than Cosette. Always that drasted Cosette! Eponine didn't understand why Marius loved her so much. They barely knew eachother! They met by literally bumping into eachother and, right away, they were in love! Eponine hated it.

Cosette had spotted Marius and started walking over to him. Marius looked at Eponine. He saw the change in her expression and, for the first time, he also noticed how pale she was. Eponine wasn't looking at him.

"'Ponine?"

"Mhm?"

"Are you alright?" Marius asked her. She shrugged.

"I'm fine." she said. Cosette had reached them now. Eponine walked away from them. She didn't want to hear them flirt. Every word that they said was like a dagger to her. She couldn't stand it. She loved Marius. She had known him for years and years. They were best friends! Why did Cosette get him? It wasn't fair! Eponine loved him more than anything in the world! He was the only good thing in her miserable life! Why did Cosette get him? Eponine felt like crying, but she didn't let it show. She couldn't cry in public, in front of everyone. Eponine looked at Marius. He looked happier than she had ever seen him. Cosette was smiling. Eponine had gotten used to seeing the blonde always close to tears when she was little. Her parents had beaten her and forced her to clean their inn. Eponine had never really talked to Cosette. Her parents had told her that she could beat her, but Eponine wasn't a mean person. So Eponine had just stood by. Then Cosette was taken by Valjean. Then Cosette got a good life and Eponine's parents started beating her instead. Eponine had considered suicide. But then Marius came into her life and made it worth living. He was nice to her, he cared about her. And she fell in love with him. And who knows? Maybe if he'd never met Cosette, then maybe he and Eponine would have ended up together. Maybe then Eponine would have been truly happy. But no. Cosette came and ruined everything.

Eponine started to feel dizzy. What's happening to me? she wondered as the world around her seemed to spin. The darkness came without warning. Eponine passed out. Marius saw her fall and ran over to her, Cosette following behind him.

"Eponine!?" he knelt down next to her. He picked her up, noticing how feverish her skin was. He looked at Cosette. "I'm going to bring her home, could you get a doctor?" he asked her. Cosette nodded. Marius carried Eponine back to the house, frowing at how light she was. He hadn't noticed that earlier when he was running with her. He carried her inside. Mme. Pourlesgens gasped when she saw them.

"What happened!?" she asked as Marius placed Eponine down on her bed.

"We were at the market and she just collapsed." Marius told her. There was a knock at the door. Mme. Pourlesgens went and opened the door. Cosette had arrived with the doctor. Mme. Pourlesgens led the doctor to Eponine's room where he examined her. The others had to wait outside of the room. Marius was worrying about her and Cosette was trying to calm him. Mme. Pourlesgens correctly assumed that the blonde girl was the Cosette that Marius went on and on about. Mme. Pourlesgens didn't like her very much. Mainly because she had taken a liking to Eponine and it was obvious to everyone except Marius that Eponine was in love with him. Anyone could see it.

The doctor came out, a grim expression on his face.

"She's very sick." he told them. Marius frowned

"Is there anything we can do?" Marius asked.

"There is medicine that could help her, but it is very expensive." The doctor told him.

"I don't care, if it will help her then we'll buy it." Marius said. He would do anything to help Eponine get better. The doctor nodded and told Marius the price. It was very expensive indeed.

"There's no guarantee that this will work." The doctor told him after he'd bought the medicine. "There's a good chance that it will help, but she also needs to want it. To want to live." Marius nodded.

Cosette left. Marius went into Eponine's room. Eponine was still unconscious. Marius went over and sat next to her on the bed. He held her hand and looked at her. She had to live.

"Everything will be okay, 'Ponine." Marius whispered to her, hoping that he was right. "You will live. 'Ponine, you're going to live." As if to prove him wrong, Eponine's heart stuttered. "It's too soon, too soon to say goodbye."

Eponine slowly opened her eyes. She looked at him.

"Marius?" He smiled gently at her.

"I'm here, 'Ponine." he told her. She smiled at his nickname for her."

"That's all I need to know." she whispered. She coughed violently. Eponine did not feel good at all. Marius watched his friend worriedly. What will become of her? He wondered. "What happened?" she asked him.

"We were at the market. I was talking to Cosette and I looked over at you and you just... collapsed."

"Why?" Eponine asked him.

"The doctor says your very sick. But I bought some medicine to make you better. Everything will be okay Eponine. Everything will be just fine. You will live." Marius told her.

Only time could tell if Marius was right and that Eponine would live.

I hope you liked it! Please review! I'll give you a cookie (::)