This is a story that I started writing over Christmas and found it again a few days ago...Thus why I'm writing about Christmas in May and this is my first fanfic for ALONG time so please excuse me if my style is a bit rusty. Thanks so much for reading my story and any reviews would be greatly appreciated :D x

I don't own Les Mis or any of the characters – duh

I'm currently going through the story and editing it as I go as I'm not totally sure where it should go next but hopefully new chapters should be appearing soon. (edited 27/03/2013)

Courfeyrac had to admit the weather outside was something special, the whole night was something special. It was a beautiful winter evening, a gentle snow fall...

His female companion was absolutely stunning. Her figure was the definition of an hourglass, wrapped in a long green, satin gown that showed her impressive chest and tiny waist. Her long red hair curled gently down to just past her shoulders. Courfeyrac didn't usually go for red heads but he was willing to make an exception for her. He smiled life just seemed to be going his way. She had her arm wrapped around his and was hanging on his every word.

Quite suddenly there was a figure tugging on his coat. He whipped around to see a figure bolting away clutching at something. He fished in his pocket.

"Shit. They took my wallet..." he kissed his date quickly "wait here."

He tore through the streets, chasing the figure over bridges and through the twisting alleyways of Paris. His voice kept calling after the thief but the kid wouldn't slow down. It took a good ten minutes of running to catch up with the kid. Courfeyrac grab the tiny figure roughly, made the thief face him.

"Right!" he slammed the kid against the wall. "Hand it over and I won't tell the..." he trailed off. It was no he, it was a girl and worse he knew her. A flicker of recognition occurred between them.

She was a scrawny creature, she was by no means ugly – quite the opposite, she had a ghost of beauty hidden away. Maybe if she gained a little weight and put a little time into her appearance. Her dark hair was long but uncared for – knotted and greasy, and her skin was covered in filth bruises. He had the horrible feeling that more marks may be appearing on her skin after his rough treatment.

"Didn't realize it was you." the girl whispered, still reluctant to hand over the wallet despite the fact he had her cornered.

"I gathered Mam'zelle." he gently set her down and took a step back. He reached out his hand expectantly. "My wallet."

She hesitated, almost as if she was waiting for him to tell her to keep it. When only a raised eyebrow met her, she placed the wallet into his open palm. There was a moment their eyes met, her begging silently for him to hold his tongue around his roommate and his an expression of pity. After all it was Christmas Eve and she appeared to have nowhere else to go.

"Shouldn't you be getting home?"

"Should be getting back to your date?" she replied icily, her dark eyes resolutely refusing to look at him.

"I want to but I also don't want to watch a lady freeze."

"I am no Lady..." her mouth twitched slightly in amusement "but I am the devil if it pleases you."

"Do you have somewhere to go or not." he frowned, a pretty girl like his date wasn't going to hang around for much longer.

She shrugged her slender, skinny shoulders. "Yeah. Not far from here."

He smiled "Then we'll both be on our way." as he walked away he suddenly turned back realizing despite the fact she constantly hung around Marius like a lost puppy "What's your name anyway?"

"Eponine." she grinned, she didn't give a surname, nor did he request one.

"I'm-"

"Courfeyrac." She shot him a slightly mischievous smile "I know Monsieur."

He smirked slightly, watching her disappear into the shadows. He made his way quickly back through the Parisian streets thankful that Eponine was the only threat he'd met that night. However when he returned for his date he found nothing, nothing but the sound of the wind and the lonely streetlamps reflected in La Seine. He looked about for a moment and sighed sadly, she was gone in a whirl of green satin and soft perfume. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started to trek home.

His perfect evening had turned to nothing. His beautiful date was gone and the light snow had turned to a heavy blizzard. He somehow managed to get into his flat. He turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open. "Marius?" he shouted, throwing his coat over a chair "Marius?" that was when he spotted the note.

'Fey,

Know you'll be needing the flat tonight so I'm spending the night on Combeferres couch.

I'll be back in the morning.

Merry Christmas.

Marius

'Fey sighed "Alone on Christmas eve..." He poured himself a glass of champagne and upon hearing the clock chime midnight he raised his glass "Merry Christmas Courfeyrac!" he drank it in one gulp and collapsed into a comfy armchair by the fire. The one year the pair had actually taken the time to decorate the flat and nobody was there to enjoy it with him on Christmas Eve…nor was an attractive girl... The tree was up with ornaments, candy canes, the works…He smiled sadly to himself. 'It could be worse I guess…It could be worse…" he mumbled as he dropped off to sleep.

A couple of hours later he was woken by a sudden bang on the door and someone calling out for his roommate.

"Marius! Marius!"

"'E's not here!" he shouted groggily not happy at been woken up.

The voice on the other side of the door sounded strangled, strained. "Marius please come to the door! It's urgent!"

Courfeyrac got up quickly and almost sprinted to the door, recognizing the voice. "Hang on..." He threw open the door to find Eponine standing in the shadows, he could barely make out her figure in the darkness, but her dark eyes shone out, they looked tearful and god forbid scared. "Mademoiselle...what's wrong?"

"Where is he?" she snapped staying just far enough in the shadows so he couldn't see her properly. "I need his help."

"Marius is at Combeferres." he said softly, straining his eyes to see her, taking a step towards her, however she hastily moved further away.

" Not tonight I need him tonight." she whispered almost to herself, her eyes almost shining fear in the dark.

"Why...Mam'zelle...what's wrong...you can trust me." His voice was soft, inviting... concerned. Half of him was telling him he was crazy for trusting her, the other hand he was really concerned, she sounded strange, her voice quivering with cold.

"No...No I can't...Where's Combeferre live?" She was attempting to laugh off her worries as nothing. He could hear that now.

"You go out in that!" It was still a blizzard outside, he could hear the wind and snow pelting against the tenement..

She made to go but he gently grabbed her arm and gently pulled her into the light. "Oh..." he whispered eyes softening. He young girl before him stood half the creature she was but a few hours earlier. She been attacked, that much was clear. Her hands were shaking, her skin bruised and bleeding. Her left eye blackened and her right ankle swollen and her whole body leaning slightly to the left to try to take the weight off. How she'd managed to get half way across Paris in the snow with what appeared to be a broken ankle he'd never know. She was quivering from the cold, only dressed in thin rags.

"Come inside before you freeze." he whispered it was not an order but it was a firm request.

"I can't." she insisted her eyes unable to meet his "I'll be fine honestly...It's not as bad as it looks..." she was trying to smile, the poor creature was trying so, so hard to smile.

He knew she was lying, how could she be telling him the truth? She felt like ice under his fingers, her shivers were unmistakable, even with her conscious efforts to hide them and even when the slightest ratio of weight hit her ankle her eyes widened slightly and would tear up...she was clearly in pain but too proud to admit it.

"I'll find Marius...He said if I ever need help to find him."

"I don't care...Marius is a good half hour walk away in GOOD weather...and I refuse to let you back out there in your condition!"

"What about your lady friend..."

"Long gone."

"I don't know you..."

"You can ask as many questions as you like."

"Let me go." she pleaded sounding quiet, vulnerable for the first time since Courfeyrac had met her. He looked down, his hand completely circled her arm and he hadn't noticed but his nails were digging into her skin.

He released her arm and sighed "You want me to take you home?"

She shook her head her wet hair swinging like a curtain from side to side. Her eyes welled up so suddenly it was a shock for both of them, a flicker of fear in her eyes "I have no home!" she spat, trying to stop the inevitable tears from falling.

"Please...Come inside." he whispered.

"I won't sleep with you..." she stated bluntly. Courfeyrac was taken so off guard he laughed. "Never expected you to..." he grinned at her, laughing slightly. "In all seriousness...Come inside...sit by the fire...let me take a look at you, try and fix that ankle...I'm no Marius but..." he trailed off pathetically.

"I guess I have no choice." she said softly...

He gently put an arm around her waist supporting what little weight she had. He genuinely couldn't believe how thin she was, he could feel her ribs even through the rags. She felt like she was just about to slip through his fingers…like sand. He lead her through to the living room and set her in an arm chair, he started to look at her ankle, he didn't really know much about medicine, it was always Jolys department of thinking, but he did what he could, which wasn't much. He couldn't feel a broken bone but he couldn't be sure.

"So what happened?" Courfeyrac asked gently, not meeting her eyes, he reached for her small hands, she quickly pulled them away. He looked up and scanned her over. Her face showed strength and a battered soul but one fully intact.

lawyer inside of him was having a field day, making his mind was race and he was shocked by a sudden anger…not at her, at whoever or whatever did this to her "Eponine?" he looked right at her the sudden, intense eye contact clearly taking her off guard "Can you tell me what happened? Somebody did this to you…"

She looked fearful then furious by the sudden change in him "It's nothing!"

She trying to stand but Courfeyrac firmly forced her back into her seat, she was in no state to be walking around. He shifted his weight towered above her "How stupid do you think I am?! You can hardly walk..." he paused as realization hit him... "You got fear in your eyes when I ask of your home."

"It was nothing!"

"Who did it!" He asked his eyes narrowing, he gently grabbed her shoulders. "I won't tell but who hurt you? We can get justice for you…get them put away."

"No we can't!" she hissed defiantly "Please just back off!"

"Please just tell me who hurt you...we can fix it!" He was practically begging, he looked up into her eyes, gently touching her face trying desperately to get through to her. This hadn't been the first time someone had hurt her, he could just feel it.

"No no! It don't' need fixin'! Don' get involved!" she pleaded, her eyes almost fearful.

"Not until you tell me" He snapped back at her.

"Well then we're gunna be waiting here all night..." she snarled, looking almost feline.

He backed off "Fine!" He got to his feet and went to go find her some bedding but before he got to the door he heard a voice.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you." Something about her voice, the sincerity of her apology melted his heart. He turned around.

"It's quite alright Mam'zelle...It isn't the first time a young miss has been harsh with me and it won't be the last."

She smiled at him. It took him quite off guard, her eyes lifted and small dimples appeared near the corners of her mouth. Her genuine smile was like a ray of sunshine. He dared not think it but she was almost beautiful. "You should try smiling more often...You look much prettier."

"I don't..." she joked blushing slightly "but thank you."

He left to find her a blanket quite unsure of what had happened to him that night.