Thenardier huffed and walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat cradling his head in his arms. Eponine lay crumpled in the same position her father left her in. She had been hit before but never beaten like that, never felt herself changing out of self-defense, lying and whimpering, praying for it to end. She wondered if that is what Gavroche had to go through with her father when Eponine wasn't looking. She prayed it wasn't, she had never seen her father so angry and drunk at the same time, and she was convinced that the men Eponine had seen leaving the apartment had something to do with his current state.

Regardless of what she had told her father Eponine felt had to go and see Gavroche. She watched her father for hours but he did not move, he still sat slumped in the same position. She could not see his eyes but she assumed he was asleep and got up to leave the apartment.

She tried to leave as quietly as she possibly could but it was difficult, everything was sore and her leg hurt from where her father had kicked her causing her to limp slightly. As she opened the door her father sat up abruptly.

"Where do you think you are going?" He barked.

"I wanted some air and thought I would go for a walk."

"Be back by tomorrow evening, I've got another job and you're on the team."

"Yes papa" Eponine said obediently.

"Maybe the stupid lot will do their jobs this time" Eponine heard her father mumble under his breath as she closed the door.

Eponine shuffled through the Parisian streets, shivering slightly. The night was cold and she felt disoriented from the pain. The streets seemed longer than Eponine remembered them and the cobbles seemed to jut out unevenly as if their only purpose was to trip Eponine and slow her in her travels. Eventually she made it to the crate filled alley where she knew Gavroche spent his nights.

"Gavroche" she called, wincing slightly, breathing too deeply and talking too loudly still hurt her. She saw a head dart up from behind the crates, it was too big to be Gavroche's and after a moment she recognized Tyce.

"God Tyce, do you ever sleep?" Eponine asked.

"Sometimes" Tyce retorted, climbing out from behind the crate.

"I've come to see my brother." Eponine sighed.

"You've come to see Gavroche, how very unexpected, I thought you came to see me." He said as he and started walking towards her.

"Please Tyce, can you just wake him up." Eponine said again.

"Why what's so urgent?"

"It's just…"

"Oh my God Eponine, what happened to you?" Tyce interrupted, once he was close enough to see Eponine's face clearly.

Eponine lifted her hand to her cheek which was now covered in dry blood. "Oh that, it's nothing."

"No" Tyce replied, "No it's not nothing" he repeated as he walked more quickly to where she was standing so that he could get a good look at her. "Who did this to you?"

"I've come to see Gavroche." Eponine repeated again.

Tyce looked at her bewildered. "Let's at least get you cleaned up," he said, "You don't want Gavroche seeing you like that do you?"

"Fine" Eponine replied.

Tyce darted back to the crate he came from and grabbed a couple of rags and ran back to Eponine, he dragged up an smaller empty crate to where Eponine was standing.

"Here" he said, "sit down." She did, shivering a bit more. Tyce ran back to his crate and grabbed what looked to be a large man's trench coat. "Here, put it on." Eponine pulled her small frame into the large jacket and felt it engulf her. She felt a bit like she was drowning in beige fabric but at the same time she was glad to be warm. "I'll be right back" Tyce said, "don't go anywhere."

"Where would I go?" Eponine asked.

"I don't know, just…I'll be right back." Tyce ran out of the alley with the rags in his hands. Eponine closed her eyes, her ears were ringing and the walk had tired her. After a moment the sound in her head quieted and she looked around at her brother's home. Light spilled into the alley in patches from the windows of the bordering tavern. The crates where pilled in what seemed to be an ordered manner, pulled out from the stone wall of the opposite building by about three feet. She tried to remember if there was that much space between them when she came this morning, she couldn't recall when she heard feet running on the pavement in her direction.

"I'm back." Tyce called as he kneeled in front of her. Holding what Eponine could now see where two wet rags. "May I?" Tyce asked. Eponine nodded. He supported her head with one hand and with the other started wiping away the blood from her face.

Eponine winced, her whole right cheek throbbed down to the bone and Tyce's rag wasn't helping any. "I'm sorry" Tyce said.

"It's not your fault" Eponine responded.

"Whose fault is it, who did this to you?" Tyce asked again.

"I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Was it your father?" Eponine just looked down and let Tyce continue cleaning her face, he took her silence as affirmation. "You don't have to go back there." He said.

"Yes I do."

"Why?" Tyce asked.

"Because he is my father, plus where would I go?"

"With us." Tyce responded as if it were the only logical answer.

"What?" Eponine was astounded by this offer.

Tyce put down the rag and took her hands and looked her in the eyes pleading, "Stay here with us Eponine, I'm starting to think the boys could use a girl around."

"I couldn't" Eponine replied.

"Just think about it…please."

"Fine" Eponine said, Tyce smiled, "but just to shut you up."

"Good" Tyce said as he picked back up the rag and started work on Eponine's face again.

"Just about done" Tyce said after a few more moments. "I just need to make sure the cut is clean, this could hurt."

Eponine winced, "I'm sorry" Tyce said.

"So Tyce, what was Gavroche's birthday surprise?" Eponine asked, trying to take her mind off the pain.

"What?"

"Gavroche said you and the boys had a surprise planned, what was it?"

"Ohh…the boys and I pooled our money and got some wine."

"You got him some wine?" Eponine asked.

"Yes, so you know, we could have some fun, do you want some I think we might have some left over, it could do you some good." Eponine stood up.

"Ok, well I guess I could be done now." Tyce said confused.

"Gavroche is five, what does he need with wine and fun?" Eponine asked angrily.

"We all need a bit of fun sometimes Eponine."

Eponine just sighed and looked at him. "Is my brother drunk?" she asked. Tyce just looked at her, "is he?" she asked again, louder this time, not caring how much it hurt her.

"Perhaps a little bit."

"You got my brother drunk off of wine for his fifth birthday?"

"He didn't drink that much."

"He didn't have to, he is five, I knew there was something that seemed wrong about you."

"Please Eponine calm down" Tyce walked towards her and placing his hands gently on her sides, trying to steady her. Eponine winced and pulled back. Tyce looked at her concerned, "what else did he do to you Eponine?"

"Nothing I'm fine."

"No you're not, I thought I saw you limping when you arrived, did he do that to you too?"

"I'm fine…enough, I look fine don't I, presentable enough for my brother?"

"Yes, you look fine, but maybe you should wait until the morning." Tyce suggested.

"Why, do I need to wait until he's sobered up?" Eponine jeered.

"I think it would just be best if you waited until you've calmed down." Tyce replied

"Don't tell me to calm down."

"I'm sorry, until you've had a chance to rest, Gavroche will still be here in the morning."

"Fine" Eponine said as she turned to walk away.

"Stay here." Tyce called.

"I told you I wouldn't."

"Not for good, just for the night, you'll be able to see Gavroche earlier that way."

Eponine looked at him, "fine she said, but only to shut you up."