Me: *with lisp* Good morning everyone, or night or whatever it is right now

Gavroche: Why are you talking so weird?

Me: *sticks tongue out* I just got my braces off but I have to wear a retainer and its a little restricting...

Grantaire: *snickers*

Me: Oh shut it R! Anyway we have another person here with us today!

Mormeril: Hello!

Enjolras; Mormerils making yet another appearance?

Me: *shrug* She's my twin she had to come back

Mormeril: And why shouldn't I make another appearance? I've been at the barricade with you guys for quite a while.

Me: she right Enjy. Unlike most people she hasn't left.

Enjolras: believe me I know!

Me: *rolling eyes* moving on... I got a request from some guest to join the barricade but we have a slight problem...

Mormeril: Oh, so we're going right to that rather than mentioning the great progress with the Marble Statue?

*Me and Enjolras blush*

Me: ummm...

Enjolras: The world doesn't need to know. Why don't you tell them about you and Ferre?

Mormeril: Fine. Ferre and I are together now, guys. *kisses Ferre on the cheek*

Me: WHICH BRINGS ME TO AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE! So to Elphie, I'm sorry but Ferre was taken when you asked and I would love to add you in but unfortunately I don't write lines for the people who visit. It's actually lines that other people pm me. Sorry for that confusion...

Courfeyrac: You're still not going to tell them about you and Enjy are you?

Me: Ahhh... Coming joly! *run off*

Mormeril: *rolls eyes* She and Enjy finally semi-confessed their feelings for each other. Still not entirely sure what happened, but they're together. Sort of.

Enjolras: Why did you have to say that!?

Me: Because its true. Deal with it.

Me: *Face palm* Yea... it's been an interesting past few days at the barricades.

Mormeril: Interesting indeed.

Combeferre: Yes Eponine D and Enjolras fought then hugged and fought some more...

Courfeyrac: I was brought in as reinforcement

Me: We are not discussing that! Yuck! *cringes*

Mormeril: Yeah, Courfeyrac, you crossed a line there.

Courfeyrac: It was Gav's idea!

Mormeril: He's TEN!

Gavroche: When I told you to kiss her I didn't think you'd actually do it!

Courfeyrac: How was I supposed to know that!?

Me: It's common sense courf!

Mormeril: You really are an idiot, aren't you?

Courfeyrac: I'm not as bad as Pontmercy

Marius: Hey! Stop insulting me!

Me: ugh let's just get on with the story before I loose it!

Please Review!

"Maman, look at me!" cheered Eponine happily as she ran into the small room lightheartedly. She was wearing a new blue cap that she found on the kitchen table that morning along with a card and a new doll. The doll had a head full of red curls and was wearing a dress that matched Eponine's. She had had her eye on that doll ever since she saw it in the window of a small boutique when her mother took her into town weeks before.

"You look beautiful, darling," cooed Madame Thenardier as she saw her eldest daughter enter. "That hat suits you perfectly! Happy birthday, mon petite ange."

She picked up the young brunette firmly and hung her on her hip before planting an affectionate kiss on her cheek. Eponine giggled and wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's neck. At that moment, the door opened and the two women turned to see a tall figure with fiery red hair enter the room. He had a large smile on his face and quickly took his daughter in his arms. He laughed and she giggled loudly as he swung her around the room. She opened his arms as if she were an airplane and closed her eyes to help her better imagine. The air felt cool as she spun around and everything seemed perfect from her spot above her parents' heads. She felt on top of the world. She had parents who loved her and would get her anything she wanted- who could ask for anything more? When Thenardier finally put her down, he brought her to his chest and embraced her.

"Happy birthday, my dear. I love you, my little 'Ponine."

"I love you too, Papa," she said, returning the hug.

"Oh Eponine...My 'Ponine... 'Ponine...EPONINE!"

"Ah!" Eponine sat up straight in her bed with a jolt. The early morning light streaked through her window and painted patterns on the cracked wooden floors as Eponine tried to focus her attention by wiping sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand. Her dream was a memory of a time when she was happy at home. The memories were scarce nowadays, but they came they were vivid and seemed real, making it all the more painful when she woke up. She was upset to have been woken up from such a nice dream in such an unpleasant way but not surprised; rude awakenings were a normal part of her life now.

A large pounding on her door did the last trick and confirmed her morning awareness. Usually, her father never paid her much mind unless he needed her or she was in the way; at this point Eponine could only guess the former was the reason.

"Eponine! Get your arse out of bed you lazy brat!" shouted the voice on the other side of her bedroom door.

"I'm coming!" she shouted back in irritation as she threw the covers off of her body and swung her legs on the side of the bed. She winced slightly when the cold air hit her body and made her shiver.

"Well, hurry up! Your mother decided to take a girl day and I am starving!"

She sighed in frustration. "You have two hands don't you!?"

"Don't talk to me like that, young miss! I am your father and you are living under my roof!"

"Yeah, I know," Eponine responded before lowering her voice to a murmur she knew he wouldn't be able to hear, "boy, do I know."

"And don't you forget it!" he yelled before stomping away loudly.

Eponine stared angrily at the door for another minute before letting her shoulders drop and rubbing her temples with a sigh. There was no use in resisting her father; besides, it was too early in the morning and she knew better than anyone you had to pick and choose your fights. She didn't like to think about how she learned this lesson. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed being eight. She always told herself she was strong and could handle anything, no matter what her past was like, but it was her happy moments when she was weak. They reminded her of a time she was happy and actually loved her family and they loved her. But times like that were well passed and gone.

"Eponine!" yelled her father through the door once more. "Hurry up and get out here!"

"I'm coming!" she yelled back with equal force in her voice.

"It's not my fault you are gone at all hours hanging out with those no-good, rich friends of yours when you know you know there is stuff you need to do here!"

"Yeah, like make your breakfast..." she muttered sarcastically under her breath.

"Just get out here and make me my bacon before I really lose my temper."

"Aye, aye, sir." She looked over to see the empty bed next to hers and was silently thankful Azelma was spending the night at a friend's house. Iif her father was this angry in the morning it could only get worse. As much as she hated her life, she hated it even more when Alzema had to endure the worst of it too. With another groan, Eponine sulked out of bed and into her closet to pull out a pair of jeans and an old purple v-neck shirt. Her days of new blue caps were well behind her.

When she made it into the kitchen she immediately got to work. She fried up her father's eggs and bacon while simultaneously picking up empty beer bottles from the counter- she would have made him some coffee too, but from a quick glance over toward him she could see his was already making due with a can of Heminkine. Once she gave her father his breakfast, Eponine gobbled down a banana and set to work cleaning the kitchen and the rest of the house, knowing her father would be even more upset if she didn't. Luckily for her the house was small, but unluckily her parents were slobs and left a mess everywhere they went. This extended from shoes left around the halls to bread crusts and dirty plates left everywhere else. Even with the house's small area it still took her well over two hours to pick everything up and make the place at least look clean- there was nothing she could do to get rid of the smell of alcohol that plagued the house ever since her father spilled a bottle one night during one of his drunken spurts or the stains that came with it. It didn't help that every few minutes her father would demand something else from her while he lounged around the living room writing and watching the horse races. She also took the time to vacuum the dirty carpet and wipe the counter tops. She found that she found cleaning a lot less enjoyable when it was her house rather than something at the cafe. The last thing she did was did was separate the laundry and set it out into baskets. The Thenardiers didn't have a washer and dryer- well, they did, but they were repossessed months ago when her father lost some money gambling- so every week or two she would have to go to the laundromat if she wanted clean clothes. It was a pain, but it was her life. Normally, she wouldn't work so hard at once or put so much time into her chores, but with her father watching her like a hawk there wasn't much else she could do.

Eventually, her father passed on in front of the television and Eponine took it as her window of opportunity. There were few things she learned from her parents in the recent past years of her life and one of those things was to take opportunity as it came to you- never waste it. When it came to things like that, she was an excellent student.

The mid-March air was cool and comforting in Eponine's face and hair as she walked down the shaded sidewalk on her way to the cafe. It was midday on a Saturday, meaning most people were out and about enjoying their weekend. Little kids were riding bikes and playing tag while some sat under trees and sucked on popsicles and others climbed trees and pretended they were all grown-up. It was days like these that made Eponine remember the life she used to know. She usually shoved those thoughts to the back of her head and kept them under lock and key, but every so often they would find a way to slip out and infiltrate her mind. Sometimes they would make her happy and send her off on daydreams, but other times, they would give her chills and make her realize what her life had become. As she walked, the latter became the result, and she found herself pulling her- well, Enjolras'- hoodie closer around her body. She accepted what happened to her family, she stopped dreaming her life would fix itself long ago - hope tended to give her more pain than anything else- but she never stopped wondering what her life would have been like. There were so many possibilities, yet she hadn't seen any of them. Sure, she had great friends, her siblings, and Enjolras but the lack of a good home life was something that always caused a hole in her heart that just couldn't be filled.

"'Cause if you won't grieve me you won't leave me behind!"

The sound of her ringtone going off made Eponine come out of her trance. Automatically she slipped her phone out of her pocket to see Marius' picture flash across the screen.

"Bonjour," Eponine answered with an overly thick French accent while noticing the first time just how close she was to the cafe, it was a block away.

The voice on the other line chuckled, "And here I thought Courfeyrac had a bad french accent." Eponine froze in her spot for a moment in confusion, the voice on the line was not that of Marius, however she recognized it instantly. "You know if you wanted a ride to the cafe you could have asked."

She rolled her eyes, not sure if the caller could see it but she did it anyway. "Well I happen to like walking. It clears my head and provides exercise. You should try it."

"With all the things on my plate I don't have time for walking."

"Well maybe you should take on less things Enjy, didn't I warn you that you would be gray haired and miserable by graduation if you didn't take on less?"

"That you did Ep that you did, but whether or not I will take your advice is a different thing."

"You can't see it but I am rolling my eyes at you!"

"I know, I can feel it!" He teased back

She chuckled, "I'm at the cafe door now so I'm going to hang up!"

True to her word Eponine hung up on him slipped her phone back into her pocket as she entered the cafe. Only Marius, Cosette, and Enjolras were present but that didn't seem to be a problem since Enjolras had his nose stuck in a book while Marius and Cosette snugged at had their happy couple moments. Being a third wheel was definitely something Enjolras did not worry about. Eponine took a seat next to Enjolras but kept silent as he studied. She added into the conversation Marius and Cosette where having, trying her best not to disturb Enjolras when she felt a hand on her thigh. She glanced over her shoulder to see Enjolras' nose still in his book but his hand comfortably on her leg. She sent him a warm smile but continued talking to the other two people at the table. It was a nice feeling having such easy conversation with everyone. They didn't really walk about anything life changing but that didn't really matter to her, not having to think made her calm.

Eventually the sound of Eponine's growling stomach echoed by Marius stopped conversation.

"Looks like someone is hungry." Teased Marius

Eponine stuck out her tongue, "I think the correct term is sounds."

"Touche Thenardier..." Marius responded with a raised eyebrow

The group decided to go out to eat somewhere else for lunch, the cafe was nice but they went there often and even the nicest places get old after awhile. They all decided on eating at a Mexican restaurant nearby. Once they sat down and got the menu Marius looked over it apprehensively.

"All this stuff looks really spicy..." he commented

Eponine rolled her eyes, "It's a Mexican restaurant Marius, spicy food is a given."

"Well I am sorry if I don't have the same spice resistance as you."

"That's an understatement. You have a baby tongue."

Cosette giggled, "I can so tell you guys are best friends."

"Well I would hope so," joked Eponine, "we have been for years."

"Yes," added Marius as he linked his arm with hers, "she's my BFFFL."

Enjolras cocked an eyebrow at her, "BFFFL?"

Eponine and Marius shared a knowing look before he grinned from ear to ear and and they replied to him together in perfect unison, "Best Female Friend for Life!
Enjolras shook his head and picked up his menu, "I'm not even going to ask."

Eponine chuckled softly before patting him right in between this shoulder blades and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Wait I want to know how that name came up!" Cosette chirped

Marius wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek before telling the story. "Well this all started Freshman year. Eponine and I were locker buddies and I ended up hanging out with her a lot during the year. She was pretty cool."

"What do you mean 'was'? I still am!" She said in a harsher tone than she intended.

"I know 'Ponine I know; anyway one day she asked me why I hung out with her so much if I already had a bunch of other friends. She wasn't the warmest person..." That comment earned him a tortilla chip in the face from Eponine. Grantaire wasn't lying when he said she had really good aim. "Either way I told her she was cool and I enjoyed her company. She then asked if she was my 'best female friend' and I replied with 'yes for life'. The acronym came after and it stuck."

"What a cute story!" Exclaimed Eponine

Eponine rolled her eyes and joined Enjolras in looking over the menu. While she was normally cheery and spunky her energy had been used up from cleaning the house earlier. When she no energy she tended to be a little more irritable and snappy. Cosette didn't know what to order and looked completely helpless as she read over the menu. After 10 minutes Eponine lost another nerve and she told Cosette to go simple and order some regular tacos. Marius ordered a burrito while Enjolras got red rice and beans with a quesadilla and Eponine got her favorite, Tamales. When they got their orders Cosette looked over her food with a curiosity as she poked it with her fork.

"Cosette it's just a taco! Eat it!" Snapped Eponine

"Ok..." She muttered timidly as if in fright causing Marius to shoot a warning look to Eponine who in turn just rolled her eyes.

Enjolras took a spoonful of rice in his spoon but out no where a sneeze came from him and he lost his grip on his spoon. The result was rice spilling all over his shirt. With a deep sigh Enjolras excused himself and went to clean himself off. Eponine took another bite of her food before deciding it was too dry.

"Cosette could you pass the salsa? The red one please."

Cosette was too involved in studying the guacamole in front of her to hear Eponine's request. Marius made no move to get her the salsa either. Eponine looked at them both in irritation for another moment before finally cracking.

"Cosette, the salsa," Eponine chirped with slight annoyance in her voice, "you heard me ask for something and i never ask twice." She teased

Cosette froze and the smile on her face vanished. Her eyes widened in something in between fright and shock and her lips parted in an 'o' shape as she took a double take at Eponine.

It was right before Christmas and little Cosette was looking out the window watching all the kids play in the snow while she was stuck inside sweeping the floor of the kitchen.

"Cosette!" Yelled a voice from far down the hall, "we are having guests over and I need you to go to the back shed and bring chairs for them!"

The little girl's heart froze, it was the middle of winter and the shed was a good block away from the actual inn, plus it was getting dark and she knew better than anyone that they didn't live in a safe neighborhood. Just then the raven haired girl she lived with bursted into the house with her sister and brother in tow behind her. She danced and skidded along the tile leaving wet slush on the floors Cosette just worked so hard to clean up but the brunette didn't seem to care- in fact she glanced over at Cosette with an evil glint in her eye, as if she was daring her to say something about messing up the floors. Cosette knew better and remained silent, anything else would not end well for her, which is just what the other girl wanted.

"Eponine!" cooed a loving voice, "How are you my darling? Oh you look so cute in that little blue hat sweetie." Eponine smiled at her mother before turning her head and pointing an accusatory finger at Cosette.

"Still here Cosette?" scolded a plump stout woman with black beady eyes and wild hair in a voice that chilled Cose, "I told you to go fetch the chairs from the shed in the back."

"B-but...but madame," pleaded the small blonde child, "it's dark and the shed is so far away. Please do not send me out alone! Not in the darkness on my own."

The woman slammed down her fist on the table and flicked her head to look at the scared little girl straight in the eye, "Now shut your face or I'll forget to me nice!" She brought her so face close that Cosette could smell the rum coming off of it, "You heard me ask for something and I never ask twice." She sneered.

"Oh my God..." Cosette whispered under her breath.

"Cosette, baby are you alright?" Marius asked in a distressed voice as he grasped her hand affectionately.

It all came flooding back to her- her childhood, the inn, everything. The memories of her days as a little girl that have been lodged in the back of her head bursted out. She remembered the gruesome couple who took care of her, or so they pretended. She remembered being ordered to clean dishes and wipe floors till her fingers pruned and she was soaked. She remembered crying at night for her mother to come pick her up, never wanting to admit that she abandoned her- she clung onto her doll to tight at night as if she could actually will her mother back to her. But most off all she remembered the children, the little brunette girl who lead around her younger sister and brother like her soldiers. That girl made her days a living hell, always tormenting her and 'accidentally' messing up the work Cosette worked so hard to finish. She had taken similarities to her cruel mother, and now Cosette could see it was the same. How could she have not realized it before? The girl looking at her now bared the same face as the one from the in, the pointed nose, the raven hair, everything. Eponine Thenardier, how could she have forgotten such an uncommon name.

"Cosette?" Eponine asked with worry in her voice

"Now I remember..." Cosette gasped in shallow breaths as realization came to her

"Cosette?!" Eponine repeated

"How can it be?" Cosette stated as she brought her eyes to meet Eponine, betrayal showing in them. "We were children together."

Eponine pursed her lips to keep them from trembling before nodding, she knew what went through Cosette's head. "Looks what's become of me." She responded sadly

Cosette looked at her in disbelief. She couldn't fathom what was going on. Eponine had become one of her closest friends but she was the same girl who tortured her as a child. After she left she remembered wishing that the cruel people at the inn got what was coming to them, and from the looks of it they did. She didn't want to believe it but she knew it was true. What hurt more was that Eponine knew the whole time and she never told her, how could she have kept such a big secret from her.

"How long have you known?" Cosette asked with betrayal in her voice

Eponine hung her head in shame, "Since day one. I knew it from the moment you introduced yourself."

"How could you never tell me!?"

Eponine looked at her with guilty eyes, "I never knew how Cosette... You can't exactly go up to a person and say 'hey remember me? I was the girl who teased you when we were kids! But lets forget all that and be friends now!'"

"Teased is an understatement!" Shouted Cosette. At the sound of her shriek Eponine flinched in fear and shock. Cosette was a gentle person by nature, very forgiving and calm, this change in temper made Eponine realize just how upset Cosette was. "You tormented me! You made fun of me, made me work twice as hard as I should have and you made the other kids at school hate me too! How could you have been so cruel?"

"Cosette I didn't-"

Cosette cut her off, "And you never even had the thought to tell me the truth! Where has all your courage and attention loving energy gone Eponine!?"

"Cosette I'm-"

"No!I don't want to hear it anymore!" she snapped as tears formed in her eyes and her voice cracked. "I'm out of here!"

With that Cosette jolted out of her seat and pivoted on her heel, leaving behind a confused Marius and a guilt filled Eponine. Marius brought his eyes to meet his close friend to try to see if he could get an explanation. Instead he was met with a broken looking girl who knew she had just been caught. He didn't want to believe what just happened but the look on Eponine's faced proved it all. He spared one look at his best friend before shaking his head and getting up to follow his girlfriend.

"Marius..." Eponine squeaked, pain prevalent in her voice.

"I can't believe this Ep. I thought I knew you." He said in a whisper

He pursed his lips and shook his head again, not even meeting her eyes, before turning and disappearing out the door. That hurt Eponine more than anything. Marius had been her first friend, he had been the only one who had even remotely cared for her when she first moved in. But now that didn't matter. It didn't matter that they had been friends for years or the history they had together. It didn't matter that she had gotten Cosette and him together or that she had done everything in her power to make them happy. All that matter was who she was. They casted her aside and Marius didn't even bother to hear her side of things. They left Eponine all alone again.

Let me just say it now, I'M SORRY!

I swear this is becoming like a job, i was at the zoo the other day and the whole time i was waiting for my beta to send me a chapter update and when she did i tried to update over my phone while simultaneously watching a Tiger... Its like job but i love it! Honestly if writing could be my job i'd do it in a heartbeat

Thanks to nanowrimoneverends for being an awesome beta!

Anyway to clarify somethings. I love it when people ask to join the barricade and i will accept most anyone but i don't make up characters or write lines for them, i PM actual people and they send me lines for me to add in. Sorry if that wasn't clear. If you don't have an account on fan fiction or can't PM i am also available via twitter and tumblr with the same name as my pen name. Feel free to tweet or message me there as well :D

Thanks to everyone who reads this story! Please review!