Eponine Thenardier, your best friend, has always had feelings for Marius Pontmercy, another friend of yours. They seem have recently grown closer, and it makes you smile to see them together. Marius introduced her to all his friends, and she seems to be trying to get him to fall in love with her, but you can't tell if it's working or not.

 When Eponine decides to join you and Marius at the barricade, you worry for her. You don't think it's a good idea for her to come, and you've told her that there's a good chance you'll all get killed, but she doesn't care. She tells you she'll go with you, anyway.

 The fighting at the barricade is much worse than you imagined it would be. You do what you can, but there's more soldiers than there are people on your side.

 But you freeze when you hear someone scream "Eponine!", and you see Eponine lying on the ground below you.

 "What happened?" you demand when Marius get down on his knees to lift her.

 "She was shot. One of them tried to shoot me, but she jumped in front of me, and..." Marius looks at her wound. "She wasn't shot in the head or the chest, so she could survive. We have to get away from here. Y/N, we have to get her to the hospital."

 You know how the others would feel about the two of you simply abandoning your posts like this, but this is an emergency, and it's for Eponine. She can't die, not like this.

 When you get her to the hospital, you and Marius wait for a long time before someone comes to tell you that there is hope for Eponine's recovery.

 "There. You hear that?" You gently squeeze Marius' hand. "She will recover."

 "Yes." He nods. "Will you stay here with her, Y/N? I have to...I have to go see Cosette."

 You stare at him in surprise as he walks out of the room. A girl who loves just got shot, and now he's going to visit with another girl who loves him. But he seems very melancholy, so you feel that it must be a serious visit.

 You go to sit Eponine, who wakes up and asks you, "Why am I in the hospital?"

 "Because you threw yourself in front of a gun and were shot," you answer. "Please do not ever do that again. It isn't certain yet that you'll recover, but it seems likely so far."

 She sighs. "It was Marius, Y/N. That soldier was going to kill him. I...how could I let him die? Better me than him."

 Marius walks in then, and gives Eponine a warm smile.

 "I am relieved to hear you are doing well," he says. He sit down and takes her hands in his. "You saved my life, and you nearly died. I...it made me realize that...well...I love you, Eponine. I thought I was in love with Cosette, but...something changed at the barricade. I love you."

 Her eyes widen, and she tries sit up, but falls back again after apparently feeling some pain. "Do you mean that, Marius?"

 "Yes. I would have died for the Revolution, but now I have realized what I could have lost. Do you love me, Eponine? If I wanted to have a family with you, would you?"

 She smiles and nods. "Yes. You know I will."

 You take one of Eponine's hands and wrap your arm around Marius' shoulders. "Well, congratulations to you both. I'm glad I lived to be here for this."