My first "Les Miserables" fanfic. Don't be too harsh :)

The characters - Enjolras Bailey– 24 years old, a Brodway actor, lives in a Madison Avenue penthouse.

Eponine Matthews – 22 years old, rents a studio flat on Columbus Avenue and works as a waitress in a café nearby.

CHAPTER 1.

Enjolras stopped his BMW Z4 in front of a small café "Lullaby". He had an awfully exhausting rehearsal at the theater and in a few hours had to perform there, so he needed several cups of coffee to get through the evening. He was looking for a place not far away from the theater but still hidden from the public so that nobody would bother him with photos and autographs and all that stuff and besides he fell for the name of the café. He entered the café and was relieved to see that it was almost empty; only two tables were occupied by couples and nobody even looked at him. Enjolras sat at a table in the corner and looked through the menu, previously he was set on having a cup of coffee, but while looking through the list of the dishes he realized how hungry he was. Just at that moment a waitress approached him.

- Good afternoon, Sir! Are you ready to order?

Enjolras looked up and saw a brunette with big brown eyes who was smiling politely at him, revealing her dimples. Enjolras was waiting for a sign of recognition in her eyes, which usually appeared when a girl realized he was a rather famous actor, but the waitress seemed unaware of his popularity and this fact confused him. Not that he complained but still he was so used to everyone knowing him, especially girls, that he couldn't believe that a waitress in a café near Broadway didn't know who he was. Then his eyes wandered to the name tag: "Eponine". What a strange name, but it sounds familiar, Enjolras thought. He was distracted by these thoughts and only got back to reality when the girl repeated:

- Sir? Can I get you something? – She sounded a little irritated but she tried her best to keep calm, and his staring at her didn't help at all. She admitted, though, that the young man was handsome, oh, yes, he was, with his blonde curly hair a little disheveled and with his crystal blue eyes piercing into hers.

- Oh, sorry, I just was carried away by my thoughts. Erm…what would you recommend?

- Well, today's dish of the day is chicken breast with mushroom sauce, which goes together with Caesar salad…

- Great, I'll take the chicken and the salad, and a soda. And for desert a cup of white coffee and a piece of honey cake, please.

- It will take about twenty minutes.

- Thank you, miss.

The girl headed for the kitchen and Enjolras couldn't take his eyes off her. There was definitely something special about her, and it was not her tiny waist or her delicate figure or her hypnotizing hazel eyes.

Twenty minutes later Eponine brought the order and got back to the bar counter. She couldn't help casting occasional glances at the man. When she brought him the dessert, he finally decided to make to move:

- Excuse me, miss! – He said as she already turned and was about the leave.

- Yes?

- You must be tired of such questions, but I cannot help asking – where does your unusual name come from? It just sounds familiar and I cannot recall where I've seen it before…

- My mother was a great Les Miserables fan. Eponine is a girl who…

- Covered a gun with her hand thus saving the blind fool she was in love with. Right! Now I remember. Wow…what a coincidence…

- What do you mean? – Eponine was surprised the man has read or seen Les Miserables and was even more intrigued by him.

- No, nothing, just a trifle…

- What? Come on! You cannot say A without saying B!

- Intrigued, huh? All right, I will tell you, but on one condition..

- Which is…

- You have to sit here with me for a while.

- Oh, I see, this is what it's all about! You're hitting on me!

- So the answer is "no"? Fine. – Having said this, Enjolras drew his attention back to the cake.

Eponine snorted and headed to the bar. Enjolras sighed because now he had lost any chance of getting to know her better. "I was never good at picking up girls…" he thought sadly. True, he never even had to bother about girls, they were always throwing themselves at him since high school. Suddenly the chair in front of him was pulled back and Eponine sat there placing a cup of coffee on the table. Enjolras looked up and tried not to chuckle but failed. Eponine raised an eyebrow and narrowed her lids as if challenging him to chuckle once again. But he knew better than taking another chance of losing her.

- Hi. – Enjolras gave her his best smile.

- Long time no see.

- You came back!

- I sure did. So, as far as I remember, you promised to tell me something…

- Oh, yeah…I assume you are familiar with Les Miserables?

- Yes, I've read the book, have seen the screen versions and several times went to see the musical on Broadway, why?

- So you know all the characters?

- Yes, yes, I do.

- Do you want to know my name?

- Well, yes. What are you driving at?

- It's Enjolras.

- What?

- My name is Enjolras. This time Eponine gasped. Her eyes widened and she even forgot to take a breath.

- NO WAY!

- It's true. Wanna see my ID? – He handed her his ID and Eponine just stared at it for a while.

- Wow…that's incredible! How is it…how did you…

- My mother is French and obviously she was also a Les Mis fan. Unbelievable, right?

After that they sat talking for a few hours. Both had never felt they could be so open with someone. Enjolras told her that he was and actor and it turned out that she really had never heard about him and didn't even seem interested in this fact. In return he learned that she is from Madison, Wisconsin and that she had a tough childhood that is why she ran away and moved do New York, though she didn't get into details. At 7 pm Enjolras realized he had to go.

- It was nice to meet you, Eponine.

- Nice to meet you too, Enjolras.

- Will you be here tomorrow?

- Yes, I work here every day from 2 to 8 pm…

There was an awkward silence between them but then Enjolras leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and said: "See you tomorrow then" and left.

Eponine stood there utterly shocked. It was so easy to talk to this stranger, to open up to him and now he had kissed her. She never let the visitors cross the boundaries and let their communication get too personal, because there were way too many men trying to get into her pants that is why she "banned" all the café visitors from possible boyfriend's list. However, with Enjolras it was different. She miserably failed to turn on the usual "cold Eponine" with him and now she couldn't stop thinking of him. And he will definitely come tomorrow. Oh, what have you gotten yourself into, 'Ponine?

The next day Enjolras quickly left after rehearsal and drove to the café. Eponine was there but unfortunately the café was packed and she had to practically run between the tables and the kitchen. When Enjolras found an available table Eponine rushed to him.

- Hi! It's great you came! I'm so sorry I cannot stay with you…you see so many people…can I get you something?

- No no no, don't apologize, it's okay. Maybe in 3 hours there'll be fewer visitors. Oh, get me anything, it's up to you. I trust you choice.

Eponine smiled and left. In a couple of hours the café really was less crowded and Eponine got the chance to come to Enjolras. Once again they talked and laughed and enjoyed each other's company. And again at 7 pm Enjolras left, kissing her on the cheek. For a whole week Enjolras came to the café after rehearsals and stayed there with Eponine till he had to go to the stage. On Sunday he did not have to perform, so he made up his mind to ask Eponine out. But the rehearsal lasted much longer that he expected and he got to the café only at 8 pm and decided to wait until her shift was over.

In a few minutes she walked out of the café and went quickly towards her flat. Enjolras got out of the car and was about to run after her when he saw her freeze on the spot. Then he noticed a guy who was approaching her purposefully.

- Eponine, my love, aren't you happy to see me again? ("What! She has a boyfriend? She never mentioned him…but then why is she moving backwards?" – Enjolras thought.)

- I am not your love, Ryder, and never was.

Then happened something that left Enjolras dumbfounded – the man slapped Eponine hard across the face making let out a yelp. She turned around trying to get away from him but he managed to grab her wrist and shoved her against the wall, pinning her to the cold surface of the building.

- Going somewhere, aren't we? To your little apartment 55C down the Columbus Avenue? Surprised? Did you really think you could get away from me that easily?

- Fuck off! We are done! I am no longer your girl and never was! I hate you! – Eponine tried to struggle away from his grip which made him grasp her hands and move them above her head.

- We are done when I say so! You ran away but that doesn't mean you are free! You are mine! – he slid his hands up her neck and tightened his grip on her throat smashed her head against the wall all the while clasping her hands so that it wound hurt most.

Now Enjolras could no longer restrain himself, he rushed towards the two and yelled:

- Hey! Let go of her!

- Bugger off! It's none of your business, boy! – Ryder snapped at him.

Enjolras shoved him off Eponine as hard as he could but Ryder smashed as fist in Enjolras's face so he fell down and felt blood dripping from his nose. Meanwhile Eponine sank to the ground barely understanding what was going on in front of her. Enjolras promptly got up and hit Ryder square on the jaw. The latter stepped back and tried to attack his opponent once again but Enjolras was ready and hammered him in the jaw. Enjolras then started punching him with such rage he didn't even know existed in him. In a while Ryder fell unconscious on the ground. Enjolras kneeled down beside Eponine and helped her get up.

- Enjolras, what are you doing here? – She said in a weak voice.

- I came after your shift and you THAT… - he pointed to the guy.

- This is my ex…long story…oh my gosh! He knows where I live. I cannot go home. Do you know a hotel somewhere here?

- Hotel? No way! I'm not leaving you alone knowing that HE is nearby. Come on, you can stay at my place.

- I barely know you…

- Hey, I barely know you too. But I'm not leaving you when you need somebody to lean on.

- Okay. Thank you. – She smiles and realized that he was still standing close to her with his hands wrapped around her waist.

- Then lets go!

They ran to the car and in 20 minutes were in Enjolras' apartment. Eponine's eyes widened in amazement – it was not a flat, it was a penthouse!

- You didn't say you lived in a penthouse!

- You never asked. Make yourself at home. – Enjolras chuckled. ("Yeah, like that would be easy" – Eponine thought still feeling uncomfortable in such a big and luminous place)

He brought lots of ice cubes wrapped in cloths to apply them to the places where Ryder had hurt her. It pained Enjolras to see her like that – broken on the inside and with bruises appearing on her hands, neck and cheek.

- Does it hurt? – Enjolras brushed his thumb across her cheek.

- Not as much as when he… - Eponine checked herself understanding she had said too much.

- As when he what?

- Nothing.

- But…

- Enjolras, please, just drop it. – She pleaded looking up at him with tears welling in her eyes.

The man's heart broke at the sight of the girl and he wrapped his arms around her. She winced at his touch at first but then relaxed into his embrace and buried her head into his chest starting to shed tears into his T-shirt.

- Thank you. For everything. – She murmured.

You're welcome. It's okay now, I won't let anything like that happen to you again. – He didn't know what made him say this, he just felt he wanted to protect the girl and see her happy again.

Review please! :) Hope you liked it! I promise in the upcoming chapters things will be heating up ^^