I know, I know, I know. I haven't updated in months, I'm very sorry to everyone. Life is my excuse at this point, for those who still want to continue reading this here is the next chapter! Excuse any grammar mistakes, or just overall shitty-ness. It has been like 6 months, I'm a bit rusty.

Chapter 10

Eponine had begun to realize that the companions she found most enjoyable were Azelma and Gavroche, they would tell her of what was happening on the streets, updating her on her father's gang and the man himself. They would share tales of using their quick wit to get out of situations and would laugh about how children from the street could trick a well-educated man out of his money. It pleased her to see that both of the children were filling out from the treatment they were getting from the Les Amis. She had never seen them happier. Their smiles could automatically brighten her day and make her forget about her injuries. Azelma and Gavroche had been the only ones who did not annoy her with their constant presence as the men and her siblings continued to take turns keeping an eye on her.

Eponine also realized who her least enjoyable companion was: Enjolras. After she had fallen in the bathroom the only verbal exchanges they shared were Eponine begrudgingly asking for assistance and snarky remarks that mostly came from Eponine. She now looked upon her companion, bent over books, tugging at his beautiful blonde curls. Her eyes secretly traced over the muscles outlined by his shirt. She sighed, she had come to realize hours after the bathroom incident that Enjolras acted in such an insulting manner because he was worried. If anything, she should be flattered that his fear for her had broken through his guard. She was tired of this tiff, she still had an extremely high amount of respect for the man and missed their debates. She sat up a bit, running her fingers through her now washed and combed dark hair and said, "I still respect you."

He looked up at her, clearly surprised and his eyebrows were pushed down in confusion, "I appreciate that," he looked at her, "I never questioned the respect I hold for you." He sighed, looking down slightly, "It was far too prominent to ever doubt."

A small part her surged at his comment, it felt almost like the surge that went through her malnourished body whenever Marius smiled at her. She had never felt it with anyone but Marius, and as she sat there, letting her eyes wander across Enjolras' perfectly sculpted body, she felt uneasy. Yes, he was beautiful in a way that even the word itself would scorn at him with envy. And yet, the feeling that she began to get deep inside her gut whenever he would look at her, a feeling that she had always thought was annoyance and resentment had ignited a small fire in her. She suddenly realized that perhaps she misdiagnosed the feeling. She bit her lip, gathering courage that abandoned her and cleared her throat, waiting for him to turn and look at her. He casted her a quick glance before turning back to his books, "Yes, what is it?" He said, his voice softening after her confession to him.

She took a deep breath and rolled back her shoulders, ignoring the blindly pain that shot up throughout her body as she did so, "Enjolras I-" Suddenly something smashed through the window sending shards of glass everywhere. Eponine threw her hands protectively over her head as she let out a scream both from shock and the pain that bolted through her as her body could barely handle such sudden movements. Enjolras instinctively got up and pulled Eponine so his body was shielding her. As the rock banged against the opposing wall, the two sat in the bed cradling each other, both hesitant and unwilling to disentangle from each other. Eponine's steady breath had not progressed into frantic heaves. Enjolras could feel the thin girl slightly shaking in his arms and continued to quietly whisper phrases of comfort to her while gently running his fingers through her hair.

Enjolras leaned back to scan her to make sure no further damage was done and saw her staring wide eyed at the foreign item. He got up and warily walked to the item picking it up. He read that note attached to the rock and inhaled sharply before he could stop himself.

"They found me," She whispered quietly, continuing to stare at the item.

"Yes," Enjolras said attempting to keep his voice at an even level.

"I must see the note," she said.

"It's not important," Enjolras said shoving it deep into his pocket.

"Enjolras!" She yelled suddenly forgetting the whisper she had been using moments ago, "It is my past that continues to haunt me, not your own. You should not have to deal with a single street rat's problems, when you are concerning yourself with so many others by planning this revolution. I will no longer put a halt to your plans and continue putting your life in danger. I am going back to the Inn."

Enjolras kept a quiet tone almost as if he was softly begging her to stay, "Eponine your injuries would never allow you to make the journey."

"I do not care if I die on the way, it seems as though my life has been fated to end no matter what route I take, and I would much rather have my actions be the cause of the least amount of deaths possible," she looked him deeply in the eye, "I will not have the possible savior of the poor's death on my shoulder, Monsieur. I cannot."

"If I cannot save one then how can I possibly save a population?" He moved so that he was kneeling down, their faces so close that he could feel her breath mingling with his, "I once made a promise to you that I would help you see the beauty of the world. That I would shield you from the evil and the ugliness. I do not intended to go back on that promise Mademoiselle, and if it means that I have to march down to the Inn after you, and endure a beating from your father and his gang, I will do it."

"They would kill you," she whispered.

A slight smile broke out onto his face, "Then I would approach the Lord, Himself, to allow me to come back and haunt them."

Eponine laughed weakly, as she felt his hand slide it's way into hers. "You are staying, and you will be safe. We all will be."

And as fast as it came, his hand was gone. Her mind flashed back to that night at the Café when his exterior broke and he took her hand. She couldn't help but notice that the statue was chipping away.

"For Christ's sake, not again."