"The bet is off," said Éponine as she straggled listlessly into Montparnasse's lair. She had run back as fast as she could, not caring who saw her. She didn't know how she could ever face Marius again. But how could she not face him?

"So I take it you failed?" he asked, grabbing her arm roughly as she attempted to push past him. "You're trying to weasel your way out of this one, too? Oh, no, you rascal. I held up my end of the bargain and one way or another, I'm going to get paid."

"I'll do anything you ask," said Éponine. "I know you don't want me that way."

"You're right. I don't, but I'll find something for you to do. You will be my plaything, Éponine, my little experiment. I'm going to keep dolling you up until something comes of it."

"I can't believe it," she said, carelessly wiping the makeup off her face. "It didn't work."

"I can't believe it either," said Montparnasse furiously, putting his arms on his hips and beginning to pace about with purpose. "By God, he'll pay for this insult! If I have to challenge him to a duel- "

"Montparnasse, no!" Éponine admonished him, terrified of what kinds of revenge her friend might dole out in her name. "It's all right. Really."

"No, it's not all right," said Montparnasse stubbornly. "This just goes to prove what I said from the start. He doesn't deserve you. But you were right, too- love can sometimes, indeed, be selfless, even a Jondrette's love." Éponine gaped. She couldn't remember the last time Montparnasse ever admitted to being wrong. "Don't give up just yet, 'Ponine," he continued. "It's too early to call it quits. Give it time. He may still wake up. If you truly want him, then I say keep shooting for the stars."

"I think I can respect him more now," said Éponine, pulling away from him. "For not trying to take advantage of me. Other boys wouldn't have done that."

"You know, 'Ponine, I admire your ambition," said Montparnasse, smiling down at her. "Truly, I do. I know you think I am being insincere, but the truth is that I envy your optimism and determination. Maybe it's because of my attraction towards men, upon which I can never act, but I never saw any hope for myself as anything other than a thief and idler. I was too cynical to fall in love, especially with a rich boy. I think that if anyone can save your family from the hole your father dug you all into, it's you."

"Thank you, 'Parnasse," said Éponine. "You know, you're my best friend. My only friend, really. You'd kill for me, and I appreciate that."

"What about Azelma?" Montparnasse asked.

"She's my sister. She doesn't count."

"Tell me about Marius Pontmercy," said Montparnasse smoothly. "Is he very handsome?"

"Oh yes," said Éponine, leaning in and whispering into his ear. "He has rich, smooth, creamy hair the color of dark chocolate, just like yours... "

"I think I'm smitten already," Montparnasse said, teasing her. "Tell me more."

"Oh no you don't!" said Éponine defensively, half-jokingly. "He's mine! I mean, he's my idea, but he belongs to Cosette, he's attracted to girls, rich girls... "

"Calm down, 'Ponine," he said, laughing. "It's not as if I actually thought I'd have a shot with him."

"Are you making fun of me?" Éponine accused.

"No! I'm trying to help. That's what friends do."

Suddenly a look of sheer terror crossed Éponine's face. "Oh no," she said. "My father will be here any minute- he'll find out that I failed and he'll kill me! What will I do? I'll have to hide- hide me!"

"Not if I kill him first," said Montparnasse, pulling out his dagger with steely eyes.

"'Parnasse- "

"I meant what I said about your father being out of the gang," Montparnasse told her gravely, casting his eyes around in shifty glances. "And I told the truth when I told him Babet wanted him gone. Now you know what that entails."

"'Parnasse, as much as I may hate him sometimes, he's still my father. He may be a scoundrel and a fool, but he does do his best to provide for our family. Please, 'Parnasse, he's one of the few people I have left in this world."

"Fine," said Montparnasse. "I won't kill him. Or at least do my best not to- no guarantees, no regrets. I'll just seriously injure him. But then we make a break for it together. Run home and say goodbye to your mother and sister now, 'Ponine, 'cause you'll never see them again."

"'Parnasse, where would we go?" Éponine asked desperately, tugging at his collar. "We moved to Paris and changed our name exactly to avoid a situation like this. Everyone knows that Paris is the best place in France for people who want to disappear."

"Paris is a big city," said Montparnasse. "We could move to another neighborhood. 'Sides, no one will come after us. The cops won't bother; if anything, they'd reward us. And like I said, the gang would look the other way. We'd be safe- or at least, in no more danger than we already are."

A bald, bony face with a long, scraggly beard smelling of opium poked its shaggy self into the crevice and smiled. "'Ponine, how 'bout that money?"

"Thénardier," Montparnasse snarled, refusing any longer to call the crook by his alias.

"Cough up, girl," said Thénardier, looking at his daughter. "I know you made a good profit today; I can smell it on you. Hand it over."

"Here," said Montparnasse, reaching into his satchel and handing Thénardier a decent sum of money. "She gave it to me. Take it."

Thenardier paused for a moment, suspecting that Montparnasse was covering for Éponine's lack of productivity, but he shoved it aside. Even if he was, what did it matter to him? He snatched up the money and retreated back into the alley without another sound.

"'Parnasse, I can't believe it," said Éponine when he had left. "You didn't have to do that! And after what you said to me! You just gave him a week's profits! How will you eat?"

"I have my methods, 'Ponine," said Montparnasse smugly. "All that money was fake. Babet and Claquesous are excellent counterfeiters."

Éponine smiled for a moment, then her eyes widened in terror. "What if Papa finds out?" she asked desperately. "'Parnasse, he'll kill you!"

"Nah, he won't," said Montparnasse offhandedly. "That money will be long gone by the time anyone realizes it's fake. The chances of someone tracing it back to me are practically zero."

"So for all practical purposes, you just gave him a week's worth of living money," she said, glowing with admiration and relief.

Montparnasse nodded.

"What happened to rescuing me from my life of wretchedness?"

"As for that, 'Ponine, I don't think you need either me or Marius. I think the only person you need to rely on is yourself."

THE END