AN: Oh wow. It has been so long since I have updated and I am so sorry! I've been really busy with exams and stuff, but I have been a bit lazy and I'm so sorry! Thank you for sticking with me and I hope this chapter will do for now! I'm writing the next chapter as we speak so it should be up later today or tomorrow. I know this is short but I think that this was a good place to end this chapter. It's not my best work because I started ages ago and finished it today, so it might not be as good. I hope it's ok though.

Once again I am really very sorry! Please forgive me!

Eponine practically growled when she saw the familiar faces of the Patron Minette amongst the crowd. She knew that they would've found her eventually but she didn't know just how they knew where she was at that precise moment, and the gang didn't ever just happen upon people.

She glanced over at the Les Amis, though she was mainly watching Enjolras. If he saw them then he probably wouldn't hesitate to throw a few punches, and Bahorel would practically leap at the chance to join in. Saying that, she suspected that the whole group would like to take their turn at beating the men who had hurt her. She was still undecided of how she felt about their protectiveness over her, she was much too used to having to fend for herself and she didn't want to be anyone's charity case. But she had to admit that it felt nice, knowing that the boys all cared for her and wanted to help where they could. However, the Patron Minette were smart, and Eponine would've placed everything she owned on the idea that they were wanting to catch the men's attention. If they wanted to take her without a fuss, they would use other means, probably in the dark of the night where they became sinister shadows, lurking in the corners.

Seeing that Enjolras was distracted from her, busy being harassed by the others, she slowly tailed off her speech, making sure that there wasn't a sudden silence that would alert the Amis that she had stopped. She then weaved her way through the crowd, moving a whole manner of directions to throw any nosey onlookers off the path she planned to take.

She stalked down an alley, with a look of grim determination on her face as she tried to swallow the growing fear she felt inside her. She knew that the gang would have followed her despite her intricate path - after all, it was them who taught her the skill.

Once she was deep enough into the dank alley, she spun on her heel to face them, her face stony and her voice cold, "what do you want?"

The dirty men all looked at each other with a knowing grin, which made Eponine feel uneasy. It was Montparnasse who was the first one to address her, though. He smiled at her, showing his rotting yellow teeth as he took a step towards her. "That's no way to greet an old friend, is it, 'Ponine?"

Eponine scoffed, "You aren't a friend. None of you are my friends," she spat the words out as though the very idea left a sour taste in her mouth.

Montparnasse's features contorted and he nodded at Babet and Claquesous who advanced towards the girl and pushed her roughly against the wall.

"Are you too good enough for us now, huh?" Montparnasse whispered into her ear, his voice hard and cold with anger.

When Eponine simply glared at him, he growled and shoved her harder against the damp brickwork. "I asked you a question," he snarled.

Eponine blinked back the pain that shot up her spine as she hit the stones. She couldn't seem weak to him, not now. The student's had made her finally feel special, as though she was worth something. She didn't need to put up with the gang anymore, especially Montparnasse. She tried to shove him off, and stumbled forward ungracefully when he let her go with a sinister chuckle.

"What. Do. You. Want?" Eponine demanded, curling her fingers to form fists, ready to attack if the gang made a move at her.

Montparnasse gave her a rough shove, then tightly grabbed her wrist when she nearly fell down. "Watch yer tongue, hussy," he warned her, yanking her to her feet.

"Yer Dad wants ya back," Babet grunted with a sly smile. "He ain't too 'appy with ya."

Eponine scoffed and was thankful for the poor lighting in the alley way, as she was pretty sure that her eyes would give away her unease. "He's never happy with me unless I'm bringing him francs from dawn til dusk. So tell me something I don't know."

She yelped when she felt a hand grope her behind, and she turned and slapped the offender, indignant fire burning behind her eyes.

Montparnasse growled and grabbed Eponine's wrist, "There'll be none of that, mon amour," he planted a rough kiss to her mouth. A sick thrill buzzed through his veins as he felt her try, unsuccessfully, to squirm away from him. "That's no way to treat your lover, now, is it?" he whispered against her lips.

"I'm not your lover, 'Parnasse. I never was, and I never will be. Why Can't you just leave me alone?"

Something clicked inside Montparnasse at Eponine's stubborn defiance. He clenched his jaw and a low growl emitted from inside his throat. His hands shook as he pointed a finger at her accusingly. "I don't care what you feel, but you belong to me"

Eponine remembered her talks in the Musain with the boys, and how they had all told her with fierce insistence that she was an individual who belonged to no-one. It was their faces of friendship and warmth which drove her to her next actions.

"I said, and I will say it again: I am a free woman and I do not belong to you!" She looked around at the shadowy faces of the gang, "None of you. Not even my Father. Now let me alone, all of you. You may have stolen my innocence but that is not me! I am not an object, your possession. I am more than just a body and I deserve respect. Now, excuse me I have a new life to continue with!" She spat at Montparnasse and made to push past him.

Montparnasse let out an angered cry as he wiped the spit from his face, and the men all lunged after Thenardier's daughter, making to grab her as she made to leave the alley. Eponine heard them approach and swung her fist to meet the face of the closest man.

Pain shot through her hand as it collided with the face of Babet, who let out a grunt and stumbled back, clutching his cheek. Claquesous snarled and grabbed her fist, twisting her arm. Eponine yelped and kicked her legs at him to get away. It was Montparnasse who told him to let her go, but as she backed away, rubbing her sore arm confusion creasing her brow as she tried to calculate the madman's motives.

Montparnasse suddenly strode over and grabbed Eponine by her hair, jerking her head back, exposing her neck. Eponine felt the familiar coolness of his bade on her throat and she couldn't help her eyes going wide as she stared into his cold, stony face, marred by scars and dirt.

"You have a week to see sense, my dear. You have a week to see sense and come back to the gutter where you belong. Is that clear?" he whispered.

Eponine gulped and stared, unblinking into his face. Her mouth set in a tight line as she dared to defy him. She cried out involuntarily as he yanked on her hair and roared, "I said: Is. That. Clear?!" he pressed his knife to her skin and Eponine was sure that there would be a mark. Unwilling to push her luck further she nodded and she crumpled to the floor when Montparnasse released her. As she scrambled to her feet Montparnasse spoke,

"If you aren't back in time, 'Ponine... We'll come get you ourselves, that rat you call your brother too."

Eponine locked eye's with Montparnasse and she shook her head, "No, not Gavroche. Leave him alone. Hurt me, not him," she pleaded.

"You know what to do then don't you, mademoiselle?"

Eponine nodded and slowly backed out of the alley, feeling defeated. She was going to have to leave her life with the students and return to the streets and if her Father's wrath was anything to go by, she might die on the streets too. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, to compose herself and smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress and combing her shaking fingers through her hair (careful to cover up the mark on her neck) she began to make her way back to the market place, hoping that no-one had noticed her absence.

So, yeah. I hope this was ok for now. Once again, I'm really sorry for the delay!