A/N: Here you are, the chapter that chapter 11 should have lead to (again really sorry for the delay)

Two things real quick; 1) The '*..*' means i tooks lyrics from Les Miz in spanish and translated them in (what can i say some of those really speak to me, the english lyrics dont get a '*' since i am sure most of you can pick them when you see them)

2) While I will not admit an Enjy model will say my vision of Grantaire is Hadley Fraser, he is just perfect (but he was also a great Marius...and National Army Genral... and Raoul, dammit Hadley why are you so perfect!?)

I am now off to get a head start on my running away from certain people (e/e and m/e shippers alike) who are going to come after me and try to kill me after reading this chapter

Enjoy, and please review :)

The only sound that could be heard was the rumbling of the car as it drove over the pavement. Eponine remained silent and wide-eyed as Enjolras continued driving, neither said a single word. She pulled her arms tighter around herself, secretly thankful Enjolras had loaned her his warm jacket -though she would never admit it since she tried to refuse it at first- and turned her head nervously to face him. The look on his face was a something she had never seen him show before, especially considering he always looked so cold. He still had that cold stoic look but there was something else to, it was like a combination of irritation, anger, focus, and something she could not place, was it concern? Relief? Annoyance? She continued staring at him not really knowing what to say, she opened her mouth a few times but no words came out.

Enjolras kept his eyes on the road but out of the corner of his eye he looked at Eponine and noticed she was staring at him too. He had no idea why he did what he did, it just happened. For as long as he had known Eponine he had learned one thing very clearly, she is hard to scare; so when he saw the look of fear in her eyes when they pulled up into her house he knew he couldn't just leave her there.

After a few more moment Eponine broke the silence, "Where are you taking me?"

"Huh?" he hadn't expected her to ask that so suddenly

"Where-Are-You-Taking-Me?" she annunciated

"I heard you the first time, and…I don't really know. I hadn't planned that far."

She rolled her eyes, "You didn't have to do that you know."

He looked offended, "What did you just expect me to let you put yourself in danger?" he asked

"Well I didn't expect you to interfer with something that wasn't any of your business."

"Can't you just thank me?" he asked, annoyed, "Like a normal person." he whispered the last part under his breath.

She heard him clearly, "Can't you be like a normal person and just tell me where you are taking me? Otherwise I may just assume you are kidnapping me."

To that he let out a laugh, "And why would I want to kidnap you?"

"I don't know! You're the criminal master mind here, not me!" She let out a little chuckle, "Well where were you heading when you saw me?"

"Nowhere really," he paused for a moment, "I was planning on going to the café but…"

"That sounds good to me; in fact I think we are already there."

"What?" he said before glancing out the window and realizing she was right. "Well alright then." He pulled into a parking space and turned to face Eponine, "Would you care to accompany me for a cup of coffee?" he asked, hoping it would lift the tension.

It worked, she laughed, "I'm actually not a fan of coffee, it's too bitter for my taste, but I wouldn't mind accompanying you." She answered as she got out of the car

Enjolras sat there for a moment, speechless, before he shook his head and came back to his senses. He quickly turned off the ignition got out of the car and caught up with her, luckily the rain let up.

"Wait you work in a coffee shop and you don't like coffee?"

"Ironic isn't it?"

"Very."

"I'm sure a cup of hot chocolate would work just as well," she responded, "as long as you're paying."

"Hold on, why am I paying?"

"Because you're the one who offered." She answered as if the answer was obvious. He looked at her in confusion, causing another laugh from her, "Don't worry I'll get a small so not to leave a dent into your oh-so-small funds, unless you don't want to pay in which case I'll go back and…"

"No it's fine," he chuckled, cutting her off, "I can pay."

"Great." She grinned, turning her head to face him and not noticing how close the first step to the café was until he tripped over it. She expected to fall head first on the ground but instead felt a strong arm around her waist holding her up.

"You should really be more careful."

"Thanks," she blushed, "I'll keep that in mind." She regained her footing, brushing off her embarrassing fall and the pain his arm around her bruised torso caused, and the two quickly stepped inside the café.

"Enjolras how are you doing my boy….Eponine!" greeted Mr. Myriel, "what are you doing here? You aren't scheduled to work today."

"I know; I just love this place so much."

"I'm glad to hear that." He smiled and then something caught his eye, "Well you kids enjoy your evening, I have to go take care of something."

Enjolras nodded, "Thank you sir."

As Enjolras stood in line to get the drinks Eponine went to save a table for them. She chose one by the large window and while waited she found herself gazing out the window. There were still raindrops on the window and on the black pavement of the parking lot.

In the rain, the pavement shines like silver she sang in her head; all the lights are misty…

"Order up." Enjolras said, breaking her out of her trance, "You know it's ironic, on some other day you would be the one bringing the order to me."

She giggled as she took the hot chocolate, taking note that spared no expense and got he got her a large, "Which is why I'm going to take advantage of this now."

"Fair enough." He said, nodding his head slightly.

For a few minutes nothing was said between the two, they sat there at the table sipping their drinks and avoiding eye contact.

Finally Eponine couldn't take it, "Thank you." She mumbled

"For the chocolate? I assure you it was no…"

"No," she said with a slight head shake, "for…everything."

"What you do you mean?"

"For offering me a ride and for, well, not leaving me at my home just now"

"It was the decent thing to do; I couldn't just leave you there it looked unsafe. It was what anyone would do."

"Not anyone I know." She said under her breath, "In my life, there hasn't been anyone that nice to me, most people just let me be on my own and don't really give me a second glance…ACHOO!" she sniffed

"Bless you, and that's their mistake." He paused for a moment before continuing, "So are you going to tell me what was wrong."

"Thanks," she said out of instinct as she took out her phone, "and I did tell you, it was nothing."

"Eponine…"

"No matter how many times you say my name like that it won't change anything."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Because it's none of your business."

"Like hell it isn't, you're my friend and I for one want to know why my friend is upset."

"Oh yea that's me Eponine Thenardier, 'Queen of the friend zone." She muttered bitterly under her breath.

"Would this have anything to do with Marius liking that one friend of yours?"

"I don't know what…"

"Don't even try that Eponine, I saw you with a blonde girl clear as day at the game and something tells me it the same girl who has captured Marius' attention."

"If you know so much then why are you asking?" she asked bitterly

"I'm sorry….for earlier today. I shouldn't have mentioned that to Marius."

She looked up from her phone, "It doesn't matter now, what's done is done. He had already texted me a couple times, most likely so see if I can help him win Cosette's heart."

"So that's her name…Cosette."

"Yea pretty and elegant, just like her." She said sadly

Enjolras took note of her tone, "Between you and me," he said bringing his head in close, "I think Marius is an idiot."

"Huh?"

"He barley even sees the girl and yet he claims he is head over heels. What if he meets her and she turns out to be a bitch."

"She isn't," Eponine answered sadly, "she is actually the nicest girl I've ever met."

"Oh." He said, his face dropping a bit. "What compelled you to fall for a guy that impulsive and impressionable? I would assume you would be into someone more steadfast and ... well more like you."

She shrugged, "I don't know. In my life there hasn't really been anyone like him anywhere. I guess that he just suck out to me."

"Apparently"

"Yeah, you know I used to dream that *maybe, in some place* he would see me like I see him."

"Eponine I don't know how to put this gently but I wouldn't get my hopes up."

"Don't you think I know that?! *I know how easy it is to dream*, but that never stopped me from doing so."

He placed a hand on hers, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's not your fault he never saw me there." She looked up at him and tried her best attempt at a small smile, "Oh geez I must sound like a wreck right now." She said not only in regards to her messy hair and muddy clothes, but her emotional state

"On the contrary it's nice to see the oh-so-tough-as-nails Eponine Thenardier show her soft side. It's like finding a four leave clover."

"Oh shut up." She grinned, smacking his shoulder.

After that the mood lightened up again the two joked around and laughed. Eponine wasn't like the other girls at school, she was street-smart, witty and sarcastic, and she had a different perspective on issues than the guys did and he appreciated that point of view; due to that she was one of the only girls Enjolras could hold a conversation with that lasted more than two minutes or involved anything other than class work. Enjolras was handsome, there was no doubting that, and being the quarterback of the team attracted many girls, and the fact that he wasn't a player or a douche attracted even more. He was constantly being flirted with but always brushed it off, he didn't really like girls throwing themselves at him and he didn't really have time for them anyway.

Their conversation mostly centered on school, Grantaire's behavior, and other light subjects, Enjolras was careful not to bring up Marius. They noticed both noticed that she sneezed and sniffled more than usual, which prompted Enjolras to tease her about being right about the rain, causing a sugar packet to hit in the dead center of his forehead. After about two hours at the café Eponine told Enjolras that she thought the coast was clear for her to go home now and asked if he could take her back, to which he happily obliged.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Enjolras asked as he drove her home.

"Yes I'm pretty sure, most of them usually don't stay this long and those that do are too drunk by now to be any real concern."

"You've been through this same situation a lot haven't you?"

"More than I'd like, but I usually try to avoid being home when they are, or if I am I just lock myself in my room till they leave." She answered very simply as if she was stating the answer to a math problem.

"Then why were you going to face them today?"

"It would have been weird to get out of your car and walk away from the house or to ask you to take me somewhere else...ACHOO...well I guess not that weird considering how it turned out."

"I guess not." He chuckled. "Oh and bless you."

"Thank you." She sniffed

They finally pulled up to her house and just like she predicted most the cars were gone, only one remaining, and the crowd in the living room seemed non-existent.

"Are you sure you will be ok?"

"Nothing I can't handle." She shrugged and began to unzip the sweatshirt.

He put a hand on her shoulder, "No its ok, it's still cold out and you need it more than me."

"Th-thank you," She stammered, smiling as well, "for everything."

"It wasn't a problem; on the contrary I actually enjoyed it. You're much better company than Marius at the moment."

She smiled shyly again, "Thanks, wow I'm saying thanks a lot today aren't I?"

"Little bit." He answered, extending his thumb and pointer finger together. "And don't let Marius get to you, I know in the end everything will work out."

She grinned a bit but it soon faltered as a thought came into her head, "Please don't tell Marius about this."

"About what?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.

"About me liking him, it would just make things awkward."

"You never know, he could change once he realizes your feelings, he might even start to feel the same way."

"I doubt that, from what I've heard his taste is the exact opposite of what I am, he will never feel this way." She shrugged

"So you are just going to go let him go on about Cosette while you sit there in silence?"

She shrugged, "Again, I'm used to it."

Enjolras didn't really know how to take that, he noticed that her attitude changed from earlier had changed from moody and irritated to speaking as if she stating facts from a book. Whether she actually felt that way or was forcing herself to be like that he couldn't tell.

Eponine smiled at him, "Thanks, once again, for tonight Enjy, you're a great friend."

"I thought I asked you not to call me Enjy." He teased

"And I thought I asked Grantaire to stop poking me." She responded as she grabbed her bag and opened the door, "Good night Enjolras."

"Night 'Ponine."

She smiled as she realized that was the first time he called her by that nickname before turning around to walk to her door, waving good-bye to him as he drove off.

He really is a great friend , annoying and stoic but great She thought before entering her dark house.

Oh snap she just friend-zoned him! Looks like the Queen of the Friend zone wants to share the title :P

*Dressed as a boy to further hide myself from m/e shippers since Enjy wont let me hide behind him (and to hide from Grantaire who was making some passes on me when he was drunk...)

Enjolras; Hey dont drag me into this! And how many times do i have to ask you to stop calling me Enjy?!

Me; I think we past that line awhile ago, and you can ask however many times you want, I'm not going to stop :P

*Enjolras grunts in frustration and walks away