Written for tumblr's 31 Days of Enjonine.

This originally had a more tragic ending. You all can thank my procrastination, as I was rushing to finish the second half about 2 hours before it was due.

Per usual, I own nothing.

Snow fell lightly on Enjolras' broad shoulders as he stepped out of the Musain. The college café was the only thing still open as students climbed into their cars and drove home for Christmas break. Enjolras started the chilly walk back to his small apartment. He never went home for Christmas. There was too much work to get done here. Besides, with his father long past, Enjolras found no holiday joy at home. His mother tried to put on a brave face and smile through the pain, but Enjolras had once heard her tell his grandfather that he was turning more into his father with every passing day, and Enjolras had no wish to cause her pain like that. His father had been a successful lawyer. He always used to work cases for free, especially for the less fortunate. This had always made his mother playfully rub his blond head and say that they would just have to survive on ramen noodles and nothing else for a few years to make up for his morals. They never did reach that point. His father had made enough money on the rest of his cases to continue supporting them, and by the age of 5, Enjolras knew that he wanted to be a lawyer just like his father. When his father died on Enjolras' twelfth birthday, he only worked that much harder towards his goals.

Lost in thought, Enjolras almost missed the soft sounds coming from the darkened alley at his side. He took a hesitant step towards the sound. This could be a trap. There was an article in the school paper recently that covered ways to protect oneself on campus. The thieves in the area were trying anything these days. The sound of babies crying outside of windows, kittens and puppies whining at the door, kids yelling for help. Enjolras squared his shoulders and took a step forward. He didn't have any money or credit cards on him, and surely the possibility of theft was not any worse than the possibility of a person suffering. Enjolras side-stepped the bags of trash that littered the dark alley and came across the source of the sound. He reached out and gently tapped a slim shoulder. There was a flash of movement, and then a fist made solid contact with Enjolras' jaw.

"Ah! Shit!" Enjolras jumped back from the young lady now crouched in the corner. Her eyes shone and Enjolras was reminded of a caged tiger. Incredibly lethal and ready to spring at any moment. Enjolras raised his hands in front of him. "I didn't mean to alarm you, madam. I just wanted to be sure-"

"Wait. Don't I know you?" She cautiously moved out of the shadows and the little light that had penetrated the depressing darkness of the alley hit her face. Enjolras searched the face of the female in front of him. Her brown hair fell gently on her shoulders, and a warmth was starting to make its way into her brown eyes. Enjolras felt a tingle of recognition. She was the Shadow! Marius' Shadow!

"Oh. Good evening!" Enjolras could feel his neck and ears turning red. "Ahhh..., I heard some sounds whilst passing on my way home, so I thought I'd make sure everything was alright."

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard," Eponine stated blandly. "You could have been robbed or killed! What were you thinking?"

Enjolras was taken aback by her response. Usually people didn't disagree with him, at least not this verbally. "You could have been hurt! It was the right thing to do!"

"That's a bullshit answer. Stop playing the damn hero and learn some common sense."

Enjolras' blood began to heat up. "You must be joking. I came to HELP you because it was the right thing to do! It's what my father would have done!" He didn't know why that last part came out. Usually Enjolras kept his personal life under lock and key.

"Yeah, well, my father would have taken you for all you were worth! Get the hell out of here before you get yourself killed!"

With that, Enjolras took a deep breath, turned on his heel, and marched away.

She wasn't sure why she had attacked him like that. It was almost… sweet that he had wanted to help her, but Eponine was highly independent, and she hated pity and favors from others. She had been managing just fine on her own, thank you very much. She had been in an apartment for a few months before being kicked out last week. Something about complaints from the neighbors. Eponine spit at the ground. They could go screw themselves. It was probably that wretched woman across the hall. Within the first week, Eponine had "stolen her necklace." Whatever. It had probably just fallen behind a desk or off a nightstand. Next it was her wallet, then her diamond earrings. Life was just unfair. Eponine slammed her hand against the rough brick wall and nearly toppled over from the effort. When had she last eaten? Eponine carefully sat down and tried to think. Three days ago?

Enjolras barely felt the cold wind on his face. The nerve of some people. He stopped to take a steadying breath. It was the people that refused help that needed it the most. He hesitantly turned back towards the alley. What was wrong with him? Normally he was confident and now he just felt lost. He said a silent prayer to the heavens and just hoped that he was making the right choice as he took a step back towards the alley.

The harsh sunlight hit Eponine's face as she took in her surroundings. She hated this, and she hated herself for letting herself get in to this situation. If only… No. She would not bother her little brother for shelter. "You're better than this, Eponine," she muttered to herself as she carefully stood up. She was about to head to the library to curl up by the fire when something brown caught her eye. Her hesitant fingers reached out and carefully skimmed over the small package. She was about to begin unwrapping the package when a small note caught her attention.

"There is no shame in surviving."

Eponine's heart grew cold as she unwrapped the package. Bread. A loaf of bread. Eponine's fingers clenched around the small gift. This was not okay.

Enjolras sighed as Combeferre examined his bruised jaw. Their small group had too much work to be done. This was unnecessary. "It's not bad at all. Just some bruising. It'll heal soon."

Joly shifted his weight anxiously. "We don't know that. There could be a hairline fracture on his jawline. He could start internally bleeding!"

Enjolras' biting remark was cut off by the slamming of the café door. The students grew silent and gave way as a small figure stormed through them.

"Are. You. Kidding. Me." Eponine stood in the middle of the café, eyes blazing, and dared anyone to move. "You are, by far, the most infuriating man I've ever seen!" She hurled the loaf of bread at Enjolras. It landed on the table next to him with a resounding thud. She turned on her way to leave, and Enjolras slowly let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Unfortunately, Grantaire chose this moment to chime in.

"Pah! You throw like a girl!" Eponine threw a glare that could have killed a greater man and stormed out of the Musain.

"You should feel her punch," Enjolras muttered under his breath. Women were dangerous creatures.

It was well after midnight when Enjolras left the café. He had been busy writing his next speech about police brutality. He found himself at a halt outside of the same alley. "She's in love with Marius," he thought, "and she refuses help… for her situation and her taste in men." A corner of Enjolras' mouth quirked up. The passion her eyes had held today… His stomach had been doing cartwheels. He knew in his gut what he should do, but he didn't want to get in too deep. Enjolras looked up at the starry night sky and wished his father was here to impart some advice.

Eponine slowly readjusted her sleeping position. She reached up a hand and felt her forehead. Feverish. She softly groaned and cursed the heavens. She didn't have time for this. Her chocolate eyes tried to focus on the snowflakes that were drifting through the air. One of them was getting bigger. She groggily shook the fog out of her head. That wasn't a snowflake, it was a tall blond figure approaching her. Eponine tried to put on her scariest face, hoping to ward off danger. She softly snarled as a warm hand reached out to her.

"Shhh…"

Eponine felt a warmth envelop her as her world started to spin. A comforting presence was carrying her slim body. Eponine chanced a glance up, and was met with soothing blue eyes. A Christmas angel, like the one maman had put on their Christmas tree when she was a child. She buried her face in it's warm chest as the pair moved slowing through the cold night. So this is what dying felt like. A shadow of a smile played on her chapped lips. A little fall of snow could hardly bother her now.

Eponine slowly awoke out of her slumber. She lifted her head off the soft pillow and looked around. Was this… the Musain? She had imagined heaven looking a lot differently. Eponine slowly sat up and was surprised to find a red jacket covering her frame. Her fingers delicately ran over the soft fabric as she looked around. Enjolras was softly snoring on a nearby couch. The worry lines that played upon his forehead were slightly visible in the pale moonlight that shone through the windows of the café. The tiniest bit of drool was leaking from a corner of Enjolras' mouth. Eponine stifled a giggle as she laid back down on the couch. She curled the jacket around her and thanked her lucky stars for that stubborn fool that cared for her. She would try to let him help her, try to let him in. After all, there was no shame in surviving.