"Marius?" Éponine breathed heavy, walking towards the bushes where he stood, "Are you here?"

"Oui, mon magnifique."

"Why are you hiding behind a bush?" She questioned, her eyebrows raised, "spying on me, perhaps?"

He answered too quickly, "What? No!"

"Whatever you say Marius." She kissed his cheek, "How are you?" She breathed as if with no air.

"Come with me," He whispered into her ear, forgetting her question. He pulled her down street after street, Éponine repeatedly asking, 'where are we going,' they ran up the stairs to his flat and the closed to door behind them.

Éponine walked in, and turned to him sly smile appearing on her face, "Why what on earth are we doing here, Monsieur?"

He walked towards her, lust in eyes.

She closed her eyes, leaning forward into him. He moved in as well, their lips meeting. Slowly, her lips moving against his. Éponine felt obligated to place her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as Marius wrapped his arms around her waist. He grinned into the kiss, raising one of his hands to play with her hair.

Éponine pulled away, questioningly. "Before we continue whatever this is," she said, motioning between the two of them "Where do you see this going because I don't think I can handle you not wanting me again." She finished, looking at her shoes determinedly.

"My love for you will never die Éponine and it has being growing at a rapid rate for 6 years now. There is no doubt in mind that I am completely, 100 percent, in love with you," He said determinedly.

"If you are sure." She answered back, hesitant.

"Will you have dinner with me tonight? The boys will be there and I'm sure Cosette will be too." Marius said this as if it was to comfort her, but the thought of Cosette still scared 'Ponine still. She thought of all those times Marius asked her to bring Cosette a letter or speak of the lark.

So yes, the thought of Cosette terrified Éponine.

She sighed, knowing Marius would not take no for an answer. The brunette turned and walked to the window and looked to the stores below, looking for answers to questions she didn't know. "I have to tell ma mére, first."

"Why? You are 22 years old."

"Because she will worry and I do not want maman to -" tried 'Ponine before Marius lips were on hers again.

"The time has come once again. We must rise and fight."

"What?" questioned Cosette from her place next to Joly.

"Another French Revolution must come!" yelled Enjolras as he slammed his fist on the table, hard enough to break the glass top, but surprisingly it did not.

"Are you completely mad?" Éponine yelled at Enjolras across the room "You're going to start another revolution!"

"Éponine, please listen to reason. The poor are still suffering -" tried Joly

Éponine stood up from her seat, glaring at all the men sitting at the couch. "How do you know what the poor are feeling? Are you poor Joly? How about you, Enjolras? In the years I've been gone, times have become better than ever in Paris. The poor rate has decreased drastically -"

"'Ponine, you simply don't understand what goes on in Paris, you haven't been here in years!" said Marius

"Do you not remember where I came from? And in the event I was not a gamin, I come to Paris multiple times each year, Marius. The people of France have come together and helped so many, it is impossible to count the people that have better lives now!"

"You're a woman! How can you understand what the men -"

"Okay," Éponine said calmly as she turned to leave.

"Éponine!" Marius yelled "Where are you going? Éponine!"

"Oui, Monsieur?" Éponine turned to him, as she had never seen him before, as if she was that young and vulnerable girl she was all the years ago.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I'm obviously walking away from you. I am a simple woman, I don't understand anything. But I do know one thing. It seems as though your intelligence has deteriorated all of these years, although it wasn't exactly intact 5 years ago either, oh shoot. I'm rambling again."

"Éponine, are you angry with me?" He ran to her side, pulling her into him.

"You would think you would be angry with me also because I just insulted you, but as always Marius is absolutely clueless! Oui, I am angry with you. Do you not see the problem?" She pushed him back as hard as she could, rattling everyone watching.

"You're all just going to get yourselves killed! You're just trying the same exact plan you tried last time, and now all of your friends are dead! Do you remember your friends, Marius? What happened to Bahorel, Feuilly, Grantaire, Jean Prouvaire and Bossuet? Where are they now? You're asking for a death wish and I'm not going to stick around to watch it happen again. But it doesn't matter because you and the marble statue will never, ever change."

"Éponine, please try and listen to our plan. It will work!" said Enjolras

"Enjolras, who do you plan on fighting with?"

"The people will rise!" he shouted, throwing his arms in the air, earning jeers from the others surrounding him.

She glared at all in the room, "tomorrow, my family and I are going back home. I do hope you all reconsider because this the only time I will try and convince you all to stop what you are doing, now."

"Don't go," Marius said softly, wrapping his hand around her arm.

"You're not supposed to let me, but yet here we are." She said calmly. 'Ponine pulled her arm from his hand, turned and walked out the door, with a frantic Cosette following her.

Cosette grabbed the girl by the wrist, "Éponine, wait!"

"Please don't go. You have to stay and help me convince them not to do this!"

Éponine watched Cosette crumbled before her, wiping tears from her eyes. "I can't. I have to go home. I miss home. My family needs me and these men are acting like boys, and for them I will not leave my family behind."

"Can I come with you?" asked Cosette quietly

"What?" gasped 'Ponine "You- you couldn't possibly leave Joly."

"I love Joly with all my heart not mention what I feel for those boys but they aren't going to listen to reason," said Cosette quietly "The only way for change to happen is to change it from the inside but they simply can't see it. Joly is obviously mad if he thinks he will escape this alive and though it pains me, I believe the only way for them to see reason is if we leave. Joly and Marius will follow their hearts this time, I know it."

"I can't help but think this is rash speaking, Cosette."

The blonde huffed, "maybe I need to start thinking rash."

"So you're coming with me, with my family?" 'Ponine said in a small voice

"Yes, I am coming. Can you help me go get some space things from my apartment? Is there a suitable place for me to purchase things in your hometown?"

"Are you sure Cosette? I believe this decision is to be one thought out. I hope you would not decide this because of my opinion."

"I have never been so sure of anything in my life, Éponine."

"And no, there are no stores to buy anything but I'm sure we have everything you will need." Éponine smiled sadly as Cosette brought her to the place she called home with Joly.