The Midnight Train Crossing

The next morning, Eponine opened her eyes, wincing at the sunlight streaming in through her window... without even looking, she knew the spots were everywhere. They itched and burned.

Sasha, having apparently decided it was time for everyone to be awake, (And, for her to be fed) barked loudly.
Rusty awoke reluctantly.
'What does that dog want?' Pearl thought, half-scornfully.
'meeh..' Rusty thought sleepily
'I'm starved....'
Sasha whined again, but lay down, waiting patiently for her master
'I think she's hungry...'
'ah... she isn't the only one then...' Pearl sighed, 'I don't even know how I'd eat like this...'
'Yeah...' Rusty got up and looked around for the Phantom, walking into the empty kitchen.
'Where is he?' Pearl thought.
'I dunno...'
'can we get our own food?'
'I'm open to suggestions...'
'I haven't been here as long as you... I've no way of knowing.'
'yeah..... sorry,' Rusty said, 'D'you smell that?' He closed his eyes so as to smell better.
'What is that?' she asked, licking her lips. 'It smells good.'

Rusty came to a stop at a plate with food on the floor.
Pearl smiled as well as she could as a dog, 'Mmm... you think it's for us?'
'Probably. It's on the floor.'
'do... you think *he* left it? Or worse, that woman?'
Rusty rather thought that the Phantom had left it, 'I'm glad he thought of us.'
'But what if he touched it?'
Rusty quite obviously didn't understand what she meant
'With his hands... Rusty... he smells like he's been dead forever...'
'Oh.' Rusty said softly, a bit hurt, 'Pearl... you don't know him... he has helped us so much...' He thought of all of the times that the Phantom had tried to help them against the Mastermind. 'I wish you'd just give him a chance...'
'I... I'm sorry...' Pearl thought, feeling very childish.
He rested his head against her back, attempting to give her a hug.
'I... don't think I'll ever get used to having all these passengers around.. .bigger than I am... and are they all sick or dead?'
'No.'
'Just the Mastermind's favorites?'
'Yeah. guess so.'
'Foes she torture everyone? Like you... and that girl..'
'I... don't know. Haven't seen everybody else.'
'but... she's leaving us alone now? Right?'

Pearl of course, at this point, had yet to learn that usually when the Mastermind was mentioned, she appeared. and that she did, standing in front of the two dogs
Rusty shifted slightly in front of Pearl
"No. I'm not leaving you alone." the Mastermind said aloud, "where's the Phantom?"
'I don't know... he was gone when we woke up,' Rusty answered.
"Ah. And Eponine?"
'In... In bed I think...'
"Ah." the Mastermind grinned.
'What are you gonna do?' Rusty asked suspiciously.
"Keep her company," the Mastermind said cheerfully.
That did not strike Rusty as a particularly good idea.

"Or, I could always just hang out with you two."
Rusty also did not think that was a good idea
"Work on you're coach's training.... and yours," she said with a smile, "Rusty. Sit."
He whined softly, wishing the Phantom would come back, but he sat down.
"Pearl. sit."
Pearl gave Rusty a look that seemed to say 'yeah. right'
'Just do it,' he pleaded.
'why?' Pearl didn't need him to answer. She was quickly forced into a sitting position in a way that wasn't exactly painful, but was certainly uncomfortable.
'Don't hurt her!' Rusty thought, feeling Pearl's feelings.
"I'm not," the Mastermind said, even as Pearl was starting to feel a more than uncomfortable pressure on her. The former-coach whined.
'Yes you are!'
"No. Really I'm not. You *know* what she'd feel like if I were hurting her."
Rusty swallowed nervously.
"Think I should try? Maybe you have suggestions for a new game?"
'No. No, I'm sorry," he said quickly, "Don't hurt her.'
"hmmm... I could try *this* on her" The Mastermind gestured to Rusty, taking one of his floppy ears, and beginning to twist it tighter and tighter.
'ahh...' Rusty gasped painfully.
She kept twisting, tighter and tighter. "You think I should give her a turn?"
He had trouble forming a coherent thought, but the answer was a positive no.
Now she started twisting both ears, and pulling at the same time, as if trying to detach them from his head. Pearl barked at The Mastermind, but coming from a tiny poodle this wasn't particularly menacing.
"Give Pearl a turn?" the Mastermind suggested.
'N-no.'
She pulled on his tail as well as his ears, and then pressed down hard on his back, forcing him to lie down.
'Please... no... stop... don't hurt him,' Pearl was thinking.

The Mastermind stopped for a bit, allowing Rusty to rest, and Pearl licked his ear comfortingly.
"Give her a turn?" The Mastermind asked. "You know, I'll leave you alone, if I'm working on her.'
Pearl tried very hard not to feel scared... or anything else. She couldn't keep doing this to Rusty!
Rusty closed his eyes silently.
"answer me."
'd-don't hurt her...'
"But wouldn't you like the break?" The Mastermind replied. She tugged at one of his ears, "wouldn't you?"
'Not... not if... you'll hurt her...'
She pulled his ear harder. "c'mon Rusty... it'll be easy. I'll tell you what. I won't make you watch..."
'No. don't hurt her.'
"Why not?" she gave his ear a sharp yank and he yelped. "Tell me." she yanked his ear again
'don't want you to...' he winced, 'hurt her.'
"I asked *why*" she pulled his tail
'don't want her..... to be hurt.'
"Why not?" She hit him across the nose
'I love her.'
"Oh." she went back to twisting his ears, faster and harder this time

Suddenly a hand on her shoulder pulled her back away from the trains.
The Mastermind left Rusty be, and turned to face the Phantom... but not before very pointedly backing up several feet
"That's enough," he said.
The Mastermind nodded and disappeared.

Pearl carefully went over to Rusty, licking his sore ears, up until the point where she began to wonder what could possibly be possessing her to *lick*... oh never mind that. She nuzzled his neck and he relaxed.
'Oh Rusty...' she sighed and licked her nose lightly, 'Are you alright?'
'I've been better...'

A few seconds later, there was a loud, very frantic barking from Eponine's room... apparently the Mastermind had found somebody else to play with.
The Phantom darted into the room. The Mastermind was no where in sight, but from the way Eponine was rolling about on the bed, and trying to cover her face, somebody was definitely there. He went over to the bed, but Eponine didn't notice him, she was trying to hide from the Mastermind under the covers, but she kept moving them. He guessed where he thought that the Mastermind would be and grabbed for her. She appeared in his arms, and gave him a big kiss on the hole where his nose should have been.
He was startled for only a moment and then shoved her away from the bed. She giggled and smiled at him sweetly.
Eponine was curled up in a ball on the bed, she looked worse then the night before, the sores were just about everywhere now.
"Don't glare at me like that," the Mastermind said, "I'm probably the most attractive woman whose ever kissed you... especially if I'm right in assuming the only other one is that little thing on the bed." With that, she vanished.
Eponine made another pained movement. She made a small sound, as evidently the Mastermind had done something to her again. "Stop.." Eponine begged, twitching.
"What has she done to you now?" he asked, half to himself.
She didn't answer, but seemed to relax as the Mastermind appeared on the other side of the room... "Little brat bit me.." She frowned and vanished.
The Phantom held back a smile and returned his attention to Eponine, who was curled up tightly with her eyes shut, expecting another attack. "She's gone for now," he said, "Nice job."
She relaxed, but only slightly and looked up at him, but didn't say anything. she felt so... strange.
"How are you feeling?" he asked
"Itchy..." was the first thing that came to mind
He nodded, "that makes sense."
She leaned up against the wall... she had never felt this awfully sick
"Try not to scratch."
"okay..." she said weakly. her eyes had a far off look to them
He reached down to see who hot she was. She didn't pull away from him, but she was burning hot. He frowned, "I will be back."
She swallowed hard, but nodded, watching as he left the room.

Pearl watched as the Phantom entered the kitchen, not pausing from licking Rusty's ears. Both trains watched as the Phantom opened a cabinet and pulled out a vial.
'ah... now what's he doing' Pearl thought, though it wasn't directly directed at her engine
'I dunno...' Rusty answered anyway watching as the Phantom returned back to Eponine's room

Eponine's eyes had been shut, but she glanced up at The Phantom as he entered and sat down on her bed.
"I brought you more medicine," he said.
She nodded, taking it and swallowing obediently.
"Good girl," he praised
Eponine nodded, but then started to cough. The Phantom sighed and rubbed her back gently. She leaned into him unthinkingly, he felt good, cool against her hot skin.
"There now," he said gently, "Just relax."
She sighed, not wanting to move away, though something told her she should. She obediently relaxed... she didn't feel like thinking right now, just doing what he told her to.
He started to sing to her and she smiled. No matter how she felt, it was easy to get lost in his song, to forget... and she was so tired. It wasn't long until she was fast asleep.

Meanwhile, out in the kitchen, Pearl couldn't help the growing anger within her, she hated that woman! 'Are you feeling any better?' she asked her engine.
'Yeah.'
"If I were myself right now...'
He smiled, 'I know.'
'For one thing... I could actually *kiss* it better... instead of this whole licking thing'
'It's alright,' he said, 'I know what you mean.'
'Well... I promise to kiss your ears when I'm back to being a train...' She seemed to find something humorous, 'might have to skip your tail though... your face is much nicer.'
He grinned, 'I'd rather you kissed my face any day."
'Soon... I promise..' she nuzzled his nose carefully
'I love you.'
'I love you too.' She lay down as close to him as she could possibly get.

Two days had passed, and the Mastermind had, surprisingly, left them alone. The spells on Rusty and Pearl had worn off, more or less. While Rusty would have rather been a steamer, he felt that at least a passenger was better then a dog, and he had had practice walking without wheels.
Pearl was sitting next to him on the couch, clothed in what used to be the curtains on the Phantom's windows. Though she had been a passenger for almost a day now, she still hadn't gotten over the urge to stare at those weird, ugly, little feet things that had replaced her wheels. "I don't like them..." she said out loud.
"I know."
"It's no wonder passengers need us before they can get anywhere."
He had to smile at that

She sighed lightly "How's the other girl doing? you talk to him more than I do."
He sighed, "Not so well I guess."
Pearl shook her head, and from what she had heard it was very catching. She silently wrapped her arms around Rusty's neck. "You know, if you weren't here I'd be halfway nuts by now..."
"Imagine what I was like when you weren't here...."
She kissed him. "I'm sure you got by somehow."
"Yeah....."
"Even being home... without you..." She kissed him again
"Shh," he said softly.
"It doesn't matter... at least we're together now, whatever else is going wrong. That's all I need."
Rusty closed his eyes and cuddled close to Pearl.

The Phantom was checking on Eponine. From the fact that her eyes were open, she was probably awake, but she didn't make any move to acknowledge his presence. He took her temperature, it hadn't changed, which meant it was far too high.
Suddenly, Sasha started to bark and growled at the corner.
Eponine, realizing what this meant, made an attempt to sit up.
"Stop sneaking around invisibly," the Phantom said crossly.
Strangely enough, the Mastermind had made no move to torture anybody... it seemed she was still in the corner, from the direction of Sasha's barking. The dog, still barking, followed the invisible Mastermind to the side of Eponine's bed.
The Mastermind materialized near Eponine's bed, fuming angry... but something was very clearly wrong with her. She was deathly pale, and a few red soars had already appeared around the edges of her face. "You..." the Mastermind growled, "This is *your* fault!"
"My fault?" the Phantom repeated, surprised to see her like this.
"Hers."
"She can hardly be to blame for getting sick."
"No... but for getting me sick.." the Mastermind raised her hand, as if to strike Eponine... but, doubled over coughing first
"I don't think that she did it on purpose."
The Mastermind, rather than attacking as she had planned, found herself kneeling by Eponine's bed.
"You really are sick," the Phantom said surprised
"Yeah? so.." The Mastermind forced herself into a standing position
"I did not think you would be able to be."
"Well... I'm not supposed to.." The Mastermind said firmly... though, she seemed shaky on her feet at best
"So what does that mean?"
"it means..." The Mastermind's voice was harsh, but from the way she trailed off it was clear that she didn't know. "It's her fault!" she said again. With a gesture, Eponine was floating slightly above the bed, but it was as though she were having trouble just holding her up.
"Leave her alone!" he pushed the Mastermind slightly, which was enough to make Eponine fall back down on the bed. He leaned over her. Eponine didn't look well at all, but lately, that was pretty much normal. Ignoring the Mastermind, the Phantom tried to make Eponine comfortable.

The Mastermind had crumbled down on the floor near Eponine's bed.
There was a shimmer at the other edge of the room, and a lovely woman with glowing, slightly purple tinged skin appeared in the corner, watching in silence.
A man appeared behind her.
She looked back at him, a look of mixed concern and anger on her face, as she looked at The Phantom, Eponine, and her daughter who had taken human form.
'What madness is this?' She thought to him
'I do not know,' he answered, expressionless.
'She is ill.... but what has she been doing to that poor man?' She was very clearly looking at The Phantom
'I do not know,' he said again, 'But I think that this game of hers has gone too far.'
'Agreed' She opened her mouth, omitting a strange series of sounds.

The Mastermind looked up at the mention of her name.
He crossed his arms and looked at his daughter sternly.
The Mastermind gave her parents a despairing look, that sent her mother rushing to her.
"My dear... what is it you've done now?" she said out loud... taking the Mastermind into her arms. She seemed to become younger much younger, and her skin, though still spotted with soars, took on a glowing purple color
The Phantom just watched in confused amazement.
"Oh come here now..." the Woman said to her husband, "Look at what our poor little girl has gotten herself into."
"Indeed," he said, looking at Eponine and the Phantom, "I am."
She lifted her daughter up, somehow managing to bow gracefully to the Phantom, even with her hands full as they were. "good evening sir."
"Good evening," he repeated automatically.
She looked at his face. "I see she has been up to her games with you. If you allow me to look into your mind, I can recreate your original features."
"My... original features?" he repeated
"Your face. I can fix whatever she's done," she said, "My husband may be best suited for the job. He is... much better with art than I am." She gave her husband a sweet smile, and a flutter of lashes.
The Phantom looked at her husband, who was still expressionless. "There are others..." the Phantom started, "That need to be restored to their original form."
"Oh? how many has she taken this time?" she looked down at her daughter. "You naughty child." Her voice was both reprimanding, and full of a mother's affection
"There are two in the other room. Then more in the theatre," her husband spoke for the first time, as he gently picked things from the Phantom's mind. He frowned, "The theatre?"
"A theatre? What is this now?" the Woman asked.
"I don't feel well.." the Mastermind muttered, hoping that would be enough to get her dad to just leave things alone
"What is this about a theatre?" the Man asked.
The Mastermind sighed. "Just borrowed some mortals."
He sighed, "How many times must I tell you that you should not do that."
"Didn't hurt them..." she muttered.
As if to directly refute this, Eponine began to cough on the bed
He raised an eyebrow
Her Mother glanced over at the very sick little girl in the bed. "For shame..." she said, "You can't go stealing little children from their mothers. Do you know how I'd feel if anybody stole you from me?" She tsked, "And sick ones too... you must be more careful. It's no wonder you're ill." She looked back to her Husband, who's eyes were closed. "We have much to fix."
"Indeed."
"But first..." she waved a hand over her daughter, smiling though nothing seemed to happen. "She will get well."
"Yes. She will get well." he said, a bit sterner sounding then the mother, "But she will not cause you more trouble."
The Mastermind vanished. "Her nanny will take care of her for now," the Woman said.

"Now, where are the other two that you spoke of?" he asked the Phantom, who silently pointed out into the other room.
"But dear... what of his face?" The Em's mother was asking
"Take care of them first," the Phantom said.

The Woman walked into the living room where Rusty and Pearl were sitting, and knelt down besides Pearl and Rusty. "You'll have to tell me what exactly is wrong with you my dears. I see it not."
"Who-who are you?" Rusty asked.
The mother said her name, "and this is......" She gestured to her husband
"My name is Elanthrealiorn," he said.
"Uh..." Rusty started.
"It matters not what our names are," he said.
"We are hear to fix what is wrong..." she glanced back at her husband. "I do not see what is wrong with them."
"We're passengers." Rusty said, "We're supposed to be trains..."
She looked hopelessly confused. Her husband closed his eyes and eased into Rusty's mind. The former steamer shifted uncomfortably as he felt someone shifting through his mind.
Pearl, frightened by the new arrivals, hugged Rusty's arms.

"Ah, I understand now," the Man said, opening his eyes.
"Understand what?" The Woman asked
"Understand what is wrong with them."
"and what is wrong with them?" she asked patiently, knowing that her husband wasn't one to do a great deal of speaking.
"They are not supposed to be in human form."
"What sort of creatures are they?"
"Trains."
"Machines?" The Mother made a face. "How odd... I'm afraid you'll have to fix them."
He nodded, closing his eyes.
Pearl wrapped her arms around Rusty nervously, waiting to see what would happen next. However, unlike the Mastermind's spells, this transformation spell was gentle.
"Rusty!" Pearl exclaimed. She kissed him and then bushed, realizing that she was still a passenger.
Rusty looked down at himself, "Hey... cool!"
"Now your turn," the man said to Pearl
"Oh!" she sounded excited. She took Rusty's hand, lest this transformation be like the last one, but as with Rusty, the transformation was gentle. She smiled, looking over her familiar pretty pink frame, and through her arms around Rusty once again.

The Woman turned to the Phantom, "What else needs to be done?"
"There are others in the theatre, all of them need to be sent home."
"And the girl in the bed?" She turned to her husband, "I know we're not to interfere... but she is to die soon... very soon. I can feel it. surely.."
"She was already dead," the Phantom said, expressionless as always.
"She didn't seem it."
"She isn't now, but she had died before she was brought here."
"Oh... then we shouldn't do anything?" she looked for her husband to say otherwise... she did not like the idea of letting something happen to a child. He didn't answer, returning to the bedroom. The Woman closed her eyes, clearly upset. she could actually feel the Child's life slipping farther and farther away

He took Eponine's hand, "Child? Open your eyes."
She did, staring wide eyed at the Man over her, not knowing who he was, or why the Phantom wasn't here... or why Sasha didn't bark when he saw him
"Tell me about yourself."
Eponine looked confused. "I--- my name is Eponine Thenerdiar..." she said in a soft voice, that sounded pained and faint
"And where are you from?" he asked.
"Paris."
"Tell me something about your life."
"I loved a man named Marius," she said, "but... I don't know what happened to him... He may or may not have lived." She shut her eyes, pained
He closed his eyes. "I think that he may have."
"do you know?"
"I cannot see him being dead," he said after a moment.
"Then he lived?"
"I believe that is the only other option."
She smiled, but then the terrible cough started in.
"Not now," he said sternly. Much to her surprise, it stopped at his command. She looked up at him.
"Tell me more of your life."
"He loved a woman named Cossette... I helped him find her."
He nodded, "But tell me more of your life."
"Sometimes, he called me 'Ponine. I liked that," she smiled, "Nobody else ever did."
"Who else would have?" the Man asked.
"Nobody..."
"But surely you knew others."
"My mother and father... but they grew poor, and had no more need for me. The... the other thieves, and Gavoroche... but... no. They weren't friends."
"I see."

Silence fell and then Eponine spoke up, "Who are you?"
"I am here to help you," he said
"Oh..." she said in a tired tone
"Do you wish to return to where you came from?" he asked.
"No!" she said quickly
"Hmm," he said, "You are ill, but I supposed you know that."
She was watching him with a mixture of tiredness, apprehension and curiosity. "Yes," she said, "I know... the Mastermind was angry at me."
"The Mastermind?" he repeated, with a faint hint of a smile this time
"She brought us hear."
"Ah I see."
"W-where is The Phantom?" Eponine asked in a soft tone, "am I still too sick for him to see me?"
"No," he said, "I think that it will alright for you to see him."
She nodded, then paused before speaking. "Do you know if I will get better?" she asked. She had been feeling better since the strange man had come, uncomfortable and weak yes, but actually able to get her thoughts in order... more awake. She had been so sure she wouldn't make it past the day, and now she wasn't...
"I think that you just might," he answered.
She smiled slightly, "and... will I be my normal age again?" was her next question
"Your normal age?" he repeated.
"16." she said
"Oh I see." He blinked and Eponine slowly started to age until she was her proper age again, "Is that better?"
"yes."
"good."
"I've been feeling more myself since you arrived," she said softly.
He nodded, as if that did not surprise him.
She sighed, and relaxed back into the bed, with out another word
"Go to sleep now," he said, "You will feel better when you wake." It was a bit of a command.
"Can I see The Phantom first?" she asked, "Just in case..."
The Mother looked at her husband, "Shall I fetch him?"
He nodded

The Mother appeared beside the Phantom. "so.. the little girl is not a little girl at all."
"No," he said.
"She should recover now."
"Good," he looked relieved.
"She doesn't seem as certain as my husband is."
"From what she has seen... when people get sick... they don't get better."
The Mother nodded. "She doesn't believe that if she goes to sleep she will awake. She is asking for you."

He stood up and went into Eponine's room, going over to the bed.
She smiled at him. Though she looked tired, and the soars were still present, some color had returned to her face, "Hi." She sat up a bit.
"How are you feeling?"
"A little better." She sounded surprised at this
"Good."
"And... I think he did something so that you can't get sick from me anymore... and," she yawned, "I'm glad of that."
"As am I."
She took his hand, "I owe a lot to you."
"Do not worry about it."
"If I wake up..." she continued
"Yes?"
She laughed, "I'm not sure. But... whatever you ask of me.."
"Do not worry about it." he said again
She looked him straight in the eye. "I'm hardly worried about it. and, I do mean it."
He nodded, "Go to sleep now." He pulled the blanket over her, "Good night."
She smiled contentedly and shut her eyes. "night..." she murmured.
The Woman smiled. "That's sweet." she said softly, "She's in love with you, isn't that darling?" she addressed The Phantom
"I am not sure of that," he answered
"Oh?" The woman giggled, "Trust me. I *know* these things." She touched her chest lightly, and momentarily glowed with a bright purple light. She blinked, "Of course, we will have to send all of you back where you came from," she explained, "Or, at the very least, we can't keep you here."
The Phantom nodded.
"Are you... very close to the people in this room?" she asked.
"Sasha was my dog," he said, "the others I met here?"
"Was your dog?"
"Yes. When I was a child," he said, "Then she passed away."
"So my daughter brought her back from the dead?" The Woman shook her head. "She really ought to stop doing that... any other resurrections I should know about?"
"Eponine."
"Eponine?"
He pointed to the bed
"Oh. Yes. the little girl," she nodded, "I was aware of that. And were the trains fully 'alive' before she brought them here?"
"I believe so."

"What I meant to ask before is... how much time do you need here, before we send all of you home? Are you at all attached to these people? do you need to bid them farewell?"
"Yes..." he said after a moment, "I think I do."
She nodded, "Then, you will be given whatever time you need to do this and..." she gave her husband a questioning glance, and a sly smile, as though she were about to do something she really shouldn't
'What is it?' her husband asked her silently.
She grinned, knowing full well that he would refuse this if she asked him. "Sir, for all of your troubles, we will grant each of you a wish, to make your return home more pleasant."
"Oh?" the Phantom asked.
"Yes. you can each have whatever it is you want, with in reason."
"I see."
She looked back at her husband, the same naughty grin on her face
Her husband did not look so pleased, 'And who will be granting these wishes?'
'We will of course,' she kissed him lightly on the cheek.
'Indeed,' he sighed good-naturedly.
"You can tell us your wishes whenever your ready. In reason, of course," she continued aloud, "We can take care of your face, if that's what you desire."
"Let me think about it," the Phantom said.
"What's to think about?"
"Just allow me to think about it."
"Yes, of course." She said graciously

When Eponine awakened, several hours later, she was feeling much improved... even better than she did normally, when she was not ill. She sat up, immediately noticing something else... there were no soars on her skin. It was as smooth as it always was.
The Phantom had fallen asleep.
Eponine smiled at the sight of him... Getting out of the bed herself, she tenderly draped a blanket over his form and kissed his forehead, as lightly as she could, not wanting to wake him before darting off into the other room, in search of Rusty.

Rusty was pulling Pearl around the kitchen, pretty much just because he could.
"Hello." She entered, smiling despite the feeling she was intruding on something
"Hi Eponine!" he greeted her cheerfully. Pearl did a double take at the sight of the girl, this certainly didn't look like the same Eponine.
"Rusty, you're yourself again!"
"So are you!"
She looked down at herself. "Yes, never though I'd be so happy with that." she laughed
Rusty grinned
"Have you any idea who those two people, the man and the woman were?"
Rusty shook his head.
"It's very odd, it is!" she said, "All I remember is one sitting over me, and asking all manner of questions. Than the Phantom came, and I slept... but all seems well now."
He nodded, "The man turned Pearl and I back into trains."
"Then he must be good... if we're very lucky, this is the end to magic for awhile."
"Yeah," he agreed.
"The Phantom seems exhausted."
"He hasn't slept much..." Rusty said.
"No... I think I had a hand in that." she sat down at the table, "He was... very good to me."
"He was," Rusty agreed, "He was nice to the both of us."
Eponine had a sort of dreamy half-smile, thinking about him. "He's far too good for this place."
"Um... yeah," Rusty agreed, slightly puzzled by the expression on Eponine's face.

"Do you know anything about what's going on now?"
"The... Woman... she offered us all a wish before she sent us home."
"A wish?" she repeated, "Of what sort?"
"All she said was that it had to be within reason..."
Eponine laughed. "Well, I'd wish not to go home, not stay here, and not to be dead...." she shook her head, "and to... never mind that. But that's four."
"Maybe you can come up with a wish that includes all of those?"
"I could... wish to be somewhere in particular... but I haven't the faintest where... and just being somewhere might not make me still alive."
"You could wish to be alive somewhere..."
"With someone..." she clarified.
"Sure."
"But... not just any someone..." she sighed
Rusty nodded, "I just want to go home."
"and never have to go back here again." Pearl added
"It was... almost worth it." Eponine said, which earned her a pair of odd looks from the trains. She laughed at them both. "Well then, I don't suppose you made any friends here."
"Oh... you mean that," Rusty said sheepishly.
Eponine shrugged, "I'm glad I met you.... that was somewhat worth it. The Phantom was... very worth it."
Rusty blinked, "yeah..." He gave Pearl's hand a squeeze, "I dunno what I'd wish for... we're going home so... there's nothing else I need."
Pearl nodded, "A promise that we'll never, ever be brought here again would be good."
"Or any of the other trains..."
"Or anybody at all who doesn't want it," Pearl finished.

At this point, Eponine took her leave, returning to the room where the Phantom was sleeping. She smiled and sat calmly down by his feet, waiting for him to wake.
When he did awake, he blinked, sitting up. "You're up."
"Yes," she said, "So are you."
"It's hardly unexpected for me..."
"I feel very well now."
"good."
She turned to face them. "You see?" she said touching her skin, "They're all gone."
"Good," he said again

"We get a wish..." she said softly, "What will you wish for?"
"I don't know."
"Are you going to go home... after this is done? Or.. ask them to take you somewhere new?"
"I don't know," he said again, "I have been many places already."
"Wherever you go..." she paused, shyly
He had a distant look in his eyes, "I do not think I would wish to return to any of the places I have been."
She nodded, "But... wherever you *do* go.."
"Yes?"

"Can I come?" she blurted out suddenly..
He blinked, "What?"
"I... I want to stay with you..." she looked down, "I... you would never have to take care of me, like you did here. I could do that myself... and I'd use my wish however you please. I... I could be whatever you'd want me to... a girl... or... or, you like animals, don't you? If you asked it, I'd have them make me a dog or a rat..."
"Eponine." he started
She was silent, not looking at him.
"Eponine, I'm old enough to be your father..."
"That... doesn't bother me." she bit her lip, "I... I think I love you."
He blinked, she had floored him with that one.
She sighed and stood up.
"Eponine," he started, "You don't know..."
"don't know what?"
"You're only a child... you don't know what it's like..."
"I’m not a child..." she insisted.
"You still don't know what it's like..."
"I know a lot of things."
"Eponine, *look* at me!"
She looked at him. "I know but.... that's not *you*..."
"How many people do you think take the time to realize that?"
"I do!"
"you're one of the few."
"I was... put in a situation where I had to... but now... I" she hesitated, "I... just... love you," she finished uneloquently. She fell silent, actually trembling a bit.

"Eponine," he started.
She waited for him to say something - anything, but he didn't say a word.
"Eponine-" he started again.
This time she didn't look up.
"I don't know what to say."
She got up. "Sorry." she said stiffly
"Don't be."
She shook her head, uncertain of how to tell him all the things she wanted to
"Eponine, there is so much that you do not know..."
"I... could learn. I'm a fast learner ya know.."
"I'm sure you are."
"I just... I want to be what you want me to be... and to go with you."
For a moment he had an odd look, but it vanished quickly.
She sat down on the bed quietly
"I don't know what to say," he said, "No one has ever said that to me."
She nodded, actually finding the courage to look back up at him
"If I were younger..."
"You don't have to be..." she insisted, "I... don't mind that you're a little older than I am."
"A little?" he repeated.
"A little more than a little... but still..."
"I do not know how it would work," he said, "it is not that I do not like you."
She nodded silently, blushing slightly. "Is... there anything about myself... I could wish for that would please you?"
He shook his head, "Only that you would wish for something to please yourself."
"I... can't think of... any one thing that I would want." Her voice was full of forced steadiness, and she even managed a small smile
"Difficult to choose one thing?"
"Difficult to think of... anything."
"I know what you mean. I cannot think of one either."

"I'd almost rather stay here." she said quietly
"Here?" he repeated.
"If she isn't..."
He nodded, "Well... it seems that we have met her parents..."
Eponine nodded again
"So I think that we will not be in any danger from her."
"Even if I stayed, I'd be the only one."
"Is there no where else you would rather go?"
"I've never been anywhere else... only home and here. I don't know what any other place would be like."
"I see."
She laughed, "now, wouldn't everybody be surprised if I just went back home?"
"Since you died, I'd say so, yes."
She laughed again. "I could give old Javert a good scare that way."
He smiled at that
Her smile faded, "But... I don't think anyone would be very pleased to have me back."
He set a hand on hers
She looked down at his hand, rather than at his face
"It will be alright."
She nodded slightly, swallowing back a lump in her throat
"Trust me."

The Woman appeared before the trains. "Are you two ready?"
Rusty started to nod, but then hesitated. "You're... going to send us all home... like we're supposed to be right? And then we get a wish besides?"
"Yes," she agreed.
"Okay," Rusty said, "I... I think I know... what to wish for."
She nodded. "You may have another fifteen minutes to decide that, and to say goodbye to anybody you need to say goodbye to. Then you'll have to go. Please let the others know." she vanished
He nodded and turned to Pearl.
"15 more minutes." She sounded excited
"Then we can go home," he said happily, "I'm gonna go tell Eponine and the Phantom."

Rusty knocked on the bedroom door.
Eponine had been left alone for several minutes. She wiped her eyes forcefully and let Rusty in, "Hi."
"Hey," he greeted her with a smile, "I've got good news."
"Oh?" she forced herself to smile.
"They'll send us home in fifteen minutes."
"That soon?" Her dismay was evident in her tone.
He blinked, not expecting that reaction, "well...yeah."
"Oh." she smiled, but she didn't sound to happy.
"So I came to tell you," Rusty said uncertainly
"Oh..." she smiled, "Well... goodbye then. I... hope... everything works out well for you, from now on"
He smiled, "You too." The steamer pulled the girl into a tight hug, "I'm glad to have met you."
She nodded, "I'm glad I met you to... thanks... for everything." The hug seemed to make her feel better and her smile seemed real now.
Rusty smiled shyly, "I don't think that I could've made it through all of this without your help."
"Same here..." she paused, "I'll miss you."
"Yeah..." he said, "So will I."

"We... should tell him."
"Yeah. Where is he?"
"I don't know... Maybe you should tell him though..."
"Alright," Rusty said, "I thought he was in here."
"He was..."
"Yes. I was."
Rusty and Eponine both jumped and turned to see the Phantom who had appeared behind Rusty.
"Starlight, don't *do* that," Rusty muttered
"I'm sorry," the Phantom said
"15 minutes... but you must have already heard." Eponine said
"Yes. I have."
She nodded. "Goodbye then." she said awkwardly keeping as much control over her own emotions as she could
"Have you decided what you are going to wish for?" he asked
"No."
"Well, you still have time to think about it."
"I know."
"I need to think about it as well."
"Well, we have a whole fifteen minutes." The girl sat down, looking away from him again.
"Eponine," he started, "I am sorry."
"No," she said, "Don't be. I'd... I'd just rather you be happy."
"That's very nice of you," he said expressionlessly.
"And... if my being with you would make things worse... it's better that I'm not." She smiled slightly.
"I would like you to be happy as well," he said slowly, as if he weren't used to thinking like this, "So, if I will be happy if you are, and you will be happy if I am... then what are we to do?"
She smiled slightly at this. "I... I'm not sure."
"I don't know how well you would like living under the Opera house," he said, "Or, for that matter, how well that would work..."
"I... wouldn't mind it.." she said, brightening suddenly
"I don't know even if..." he stopped.
"If?"
"If you would be able to come back..."
"What do you mean?" she questioned
"If you'll be alive."
"Ah..." she thought for a moment, "If I wasn't... then... well, I suppose that would solve things neatly."

Fifteen minutes passed and all gathered in the living room. The Woman appeared before Rusty, "Would you like to be the first to wish?"
"Before I wish..." he started.
"Yes?"
"I just want to make sure of something..." he started again
She nodded, waiting
"You'll send us all home - like we're supposed to be - and there won't be any other problems right?"
"Yes."
"Then... I wish..." he started, looking at the rest of the group, "I wish that I'd get a chance to see Eponine and the Phantom again... at some point."
The Woman nodded. she took a small stone out of her pocket. It glowed blue. "You can use this one. It will bring the three of you together, for a period of one day. It will bring them to you, or you to them. Then you will all be returned home."
"Thank you..." Rusty said softly, putting it in his pocket. He took hold of Pearl's hands.

The Woman next turned to the Phantom.
"What will happen to Eponine?" the Phantom asked.
"She may wish for her life. If she does she will be sent home."
"And if she doesn't?"
The woman thought for something else, "She... might wish for something else, but I doubt that would work."
"I see... will you be granting all of the wishes?"
"yes."
Eponine had paled slightly. Somehow she had thought that her death wouldn't figure into things.
The Woman's Husband appeared, "So you have started then."
"Yes," she said with a smile.
"And how have things gone?"
She shrugged, "It does not appear easy for them to decide."
"I see," he turned to the others, "what is the concern?"
"Considering that Eponine's presence here was a result of certain... powers, more so then the rest of us," the Phantom started.
"You mean her resurrection.." the Man answered.
"Would it be safe to send her back?" the woman wondered allowed, for the first time thinking of the possible ramifications of all this wish granting
"I have not been idle while I was gone," the man said.
"oh?"
"I have conducted an investigation into her life."
The woman raised an eyebrow, interested
'I am not sure sending her back would be much in her favor,' he said silently, 'She was certainly not very well off, in any meaning of the phrase.'
'what do you suggest we do?"
'Well we cannot just keep her here... that would not be fair to her.'
'we can't kill her!'
'I was never going to suggest that.' he said calmly.
"Alright then. What were you going to suggest.'
'Neither of them seem to have much to go back to.'

Meanwhile, Eponine stood there quietly, looking at the ground, uncomfortably aware that she was being talked about, or at the very least, scrutinized.
Elanthrealiorn (For that's his name) turned to Eponine and the Phantom. "What would you wish for?" he asked Eponine.
"If... if it wouldn't hurt anyone... or go against their own wishes..." she looked at the Phantom for a moment
"Do not worry about that, I'm not asking you what you will wish for, but if you could wish for anything at all. what would it be?"
"I'd want to be with him." Eponine mumbled, knowing that was not what he wanted
"Any way at all?"
"Yes."
"I see." He turned to the Phantom, "And you?"
"I have nothing to go back to," the Phantom said, suddenly seized with the desire to be very honest, "However, I have become fond of these people, and I would like to see them taken care of."
Elanthrealiorn nodded as well. "I see."
"We... may be able to manage that," the Woman said.
"We may indeed."
Eponine looked both hopeful and curios
"I shall have to come back to you two," the Man said.

This meant that Pearl was next. She turned to Rusty, "What should I wish for?"
"I don't know," Rusty said, "Do you want anything?"
"Just to go home..." she thought for a moment, "Rusty? what else would you wish for?"
"I don't need anything else..." Rusty said softly, taking Pearl's hands.
"Can... you just send us home?" she asked
"I can," Elanthrealiorn said.
She nodded, "That's all I want."
"Very well then," he said, "Are the two of you ready?"
She looked at Rusty, who nodded and then she nodded as well, "Yes."
Rusty turned to Eponine and the Phantom, "Well... since I will see you again sometime..."
Eponine nodded
"Then, I'll see you around... sometime."
She smiled at him
He smiled back, letting go of Pearl to give Eponine one last hug goodbye. She hugged him tightly for a moment, and then let go.
"bye," he said softly.
"Bye. Take care of yourself."
"You too."

Rusty took Pearl's hand again and turned to the Man, "We're ready now."
The woman nodded, and waited for her husband to send them on their way
He nodded, "Farewell." and the two trains were simply not there.
Eponine watched them go. she would miss them

"Now," Elanthrealiorn turned to Eponine and the Phantom.
Eponine waited, to find out her fate
"I have conducted research into both of your past lives..." he started, "And I have gotten the impression that neither of you are particularly eager to return."
She nodded
"It does not matter," the Phantom said, sounding a bit tired.
Eponine gave him a look "It does... you have a chance to return somewhere different." She got up to stand by him
"I do not meddle with things in the moral world lightly," Elanthrealiorn warned.
Eponine nodded, still unsure of what any of what was going on meant, and suspecting in a few minutes she'd be back to being dead
"So I will give you a choice to make. I will not undo whatever I am about to do."
she nodded, waiting
"I can give you a second chance - the both of you," the Man said, "I can return you to France, with new lives."
"what sort?" Eponine asked.
"That is up to you what you do with the start that I give you."
"What... would the start be?" she asked, "Different then our first one?"
"Yes."
"How different?" the Phantom questioned
"Quite different." Elanthrealiorn answered, "You, for one, would find that you would have quite a few more opportunities."
"Your face..." The Woman explained gently, "Would be... a bit different. And, if you chose it, we would keep you two together."
"I think..." the Phantom started, "I think that that would do."
Eponine gave him the happiest smile she ever had
"I have some things to organize," Elanthrealiorn said, he turned to the Phantom, "You should come with me for a few minutes." the Phantom nodded. Elanthrealiorn and the Phantom vanished

After about fifteen minutes, the two returned. The Phantom had returned to his usual appearance (mask)
Eponine wanted to ask what was happening, but thought it better to keep her mouth shut
"It is all settled," the man said to his wife.
The wife nodded.
"What is.. to happen then?" Eponine asked shyly. she went over besides him.
"We're going to a town in France - not Paris - " the Phantom said, "Closer to my time then yours."
Eponine nodded
"We won't be rich..."
"Never have been anyways.."
"But we should do fine," he turned to Elanthrealiorn, "Alright then."
Eponine took his hand cautiously
"Farewell," Elanthrealiorn said.
Eponine squeezed his hand a little tighter, as if afraid they would be separated in their travels
As usual, Elanthrealiorn's spell was gentle. Eponine blinked, finding herself, somewhere entirely different. She looked up at the Phantom - Erik - but his face had changed. she whispered his name, questioningly, not letting go of his hand... his warm hand she noticed. They were in a comfortably furnished living room, a bit worn, but hardly shabby. Eponine smiled, "Then this is where we are to live." she hugged him
He hugged her gently and then let go, having noticed a piano against the wall.
"are you going to play?" she asked
"Not right now."
She nodded, only slightly disappointed
"I still write music..." he said, more to himself.
"Good..." Eponine said
He blinked, then turned around to look around the rest of the house. Eponine ran off herself, to explore the house - their house.
Erik, for he was no longer the Phantom, ran his hands over the keys lightly. "Yes," he said to himself, "We shall do fine."