Thought about this when I was at work. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Les Miserables or any of the characters.

So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation which, in

the midst of civilization, artificially creates a hell on earth, and complicates with human

fatality a destiny that is divine; so long as the three problems of the century - the

degradation of man by the exploitation of his labour, the ruin of women by starvation and

the atrophy of childhood by physical and spiritual night are not solved; so long as, in certain

regions, social asphyxia shall be possible; in other words and from a still broader point of view, so

long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, there should be a need for books such as this.

Misery. It's something that everyone feels–or thinks that they feel–at some point in their life. Misery is defined as a state or feeling of great distress or discomfort of mind or body. But can misery really be defined? Can one really describe what they feel when misery is upon them? The desperation? The hopelessness? The depression? Misery is not something that you can define, not something that you can explain to someone. It would be useless for me to try, but I will try anyway. Dear Reader, misery gives you the feeling that the sun will never rise. Misery is only a feeling acheived when you have been drained of all happiness. Misery is the person who lives life alone, without a friend, without a shred of happiness. Misery is a loved one dying. Misery is what drives you to jump of that bridge, or to tie that noose. Misery is emptiness, the feeling that there is no reason for life to go on, no reason to try. Misery is a wretched thing, Reader. Nothing good comes from being miserable. To spend your whole life in misery would be worse than death. Misery, in the very essence of the word, is anguish.

Though, Dear Reader, we must keep in mind that to be miserable and to feel miserable are two entirely different things. Allow me to explain: if you feel miserable, it is likely that something bad or upsetting as just happened to you, if you are miserable, it is likely that something bad or upsetting keeps happening to you. Marius Pontmercy felt miserable. Eponine Thenardier was miserable.

[FLASHBACK]

Paris, France 1832. The year of the student revolution. The year the students formed barricades in the streets and fought to reverse the establishment of the Monarchy of July of King Louis-Phillippe. At the last barricade students are still fighting the soldiers. So far, this barricade hadn't seen any casualties to their side. A young, handsome student by the name of Marius, a law student who lived in poverty even though his grandfather was rich (he refused to accept money from his grandfather), had sent his best friend, Eponine, who lived on the street after being kicked out by her abusive father and who had dressed as a boy in order to be at the barricade, to deliver a letter of farewell to his beloved Cosette. Éponine did so even though she loved Marius dearly. But her feelings were unrequited; Marius was in love with Cosette, a girl whom he'd fallen in love with after seeing her once. They'd only ever had one conversation. Eponine hadn't wanted to bring the letter, but she had done so for Marius. She'd do anything for him. She loved him like the sun loves the moon; like a flower loves the rain; like a young boy loves his puppy. She would do anything for him, she would even die for him.

Marius looked over when he heard the cry of 'There's a boy climbing the barricade!'. The cry had come from Joly, a medical student. He immediately recognized the "boy" to be Eponine. He ran over to her. Why was she here!? He had hoped that by sending her to deliver the letter to Cosette that she would be protected. Why had she come back? Why hadn't she gone to safety as he had meant for her to? Marius ran over to her.

"Good God! What are you doing? 'Ponine have you no fear?!" He asked her. She looked at him, her big brown eyes pouring into his deep blue eyes. She felt like melting whenever she looked into his eyes.

"Took the letter, like you said. Met her father at the door. He said he would give it." she told him.

"Why did you come back!?"

"My place is with you, it always has been." she replied. All around them, gunshots were fired. Marius grabbed a powder keg and a torch and climbed up the barricade. Eponine noticed a soldier's musket pointed right at Marius. Eponine ran over and placed her hand on the musket. The bullet went through her hand and into her chest. Marius hadn't noticed. He hadn't even noticed the musket pointed at him, he was too busy threatening to blow up the barricade. His plan worked though and the soldiers backed off. When he looked around, he saw Eponine with her jacket wrapped tightly around her. He ran over to her, noticing the expression of pure agony on her face. He cupped her face gently and he felt wetness in her hair. He looked at his hands. They were slick with crimson blood. Eponine's blood. He looked at her, completely panicked. She tried to look back at him calmly, she tried to hide her pain.

"'Ponine, you're hurt! You need some help!" He caught a glimpse of her blood seeping through her jacket. He pulled the jacket open, revealing that she'd been shot in the chest. "Oh God! It's everywhere!" Taking her in his arms, he sank to the ground and cradled her. "How did this happen!?"

"The soldier had his musket aimed at you... couldn't let you die, now could I?" she whispered. Marius noticed the hole in her hand from where the bullet had gone right through it. He gasped. Eponine shushed him. "Don't you fret, Monsieur Marius. I don't feel any pain." she whispered, pain colouring her voice. He knew she was lying. He held her there. Eponine was his best friend. She couldn't die! No, she had to live! Marius needed her. Eponine convulsed in pain. Her breaths were coming in gasps.

"You'll be okay, 'Ponine." he whispered, knowing that he was probably wrong. "You will live." he felt tears fill his eyes. He blinked them back. He needed to be strong. He needed to be strong for Eponine. 'What will I do if she dies?' Marius wondered. 'It's my fault that she was shot. She wanted to save me... This is all my fault!' "I'm sorry, Eponine..."

"Just hold me now, and let it be." Eponine said softly. Her voice was filled with pain and tears. She raised a trembling hand to caress Marius' face. Marius placed a hand over top of hers. With her other hand, she ran her fingers through Marius' slightly messy light brown hair.

"I won't desert you now." he told her. In that moment, he realised how much he cared for Eponine. Perhaps he even loved her. He wished he had realised that earlier, now Eponine was dying and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He had realised too late. There was nothing he could do for the poor girl that was dying in his arms.

"You will keep me safe... and you will keep me close..." her voice was growing weaker as her life began to fade away. Marius knew that there wasn't much time left. Soon Eponine would be gone and he would be alone. Cosette was probably already a world away because her father–for reasons unknown to Marius–had decided that they needed to move to England. He would have no one.

"I'm here." he whispered shakily. His voice cracked.

"That's all... I need... to know." she rasped, her voice broke. Tears fell from her eyes. 'At least I'm dying in his arms,' she thought 'in the arms of the man I've always loved, but who has never loved me... and who never will...' "And you will keep me safe... and you will keep me close.. and rain..."

"And rain..." Marius echoed, holding her close.

"Will make the flowers..." She whispered, her voice shaking with tears. The tears cascaded down her cheeks. She didn't want to die, she really didn't. But there was nothing that she could do, that either of them could do.

"Will make the flowers..." Marius whispered as well, his voice also shaking with tears. Eponine leaned up and kissed him with the passion of one who knows that it will be their last act on earth. Marius kissed her back with burning desire, realising how much he had longed for that kiss. Eponine fell back. Her hand fell away from his face. She was dead, but at least she'd died with a smile on her face. She'd finally gotten the kiss that she'd been longing for. The poor girl who had lived a life of misery and despair had died happy in Marius' arms. "grow..." he finished. He held her lifeless body close to him, sobbing. "Oh God, 'Ponine!" he whispered into her hair. He rocked her body back and forth gently. "No," he softly murmured. "No!" he said, loudly this time. The other student revolutionnaries gathered around them.

"She is the first to fall, the first of us to fall upon this barricade." Enjolras, the leader of the revolution, whispered softly. Marius looked up and realised that all of the other students were looking at him and the lifeless Eponine. He looked back down at Eponine, who, even in her death, still had that smile on her face. That smile... Eponine's smiles had only ever been for him. He was the only one that could make her really smile.

"Her name was Eponine. Her life was cold and dark yet she was unafraid." Marius said, his voice barely above a whisper, his voice was the very essence of sadness. He knew now. He knew now that Eponine had loved him. How careless had he been! He had spent endless hours going on and on about his love for Cosette! How had he not noticed? How could he have been so cruel to ask Eponine to find her, to deliver her a letter. Yet she had. Even though she loved him, she had still done it. For him. Marius kissed her forehead lightly.

"We fight here in her name." Combeferre, a philosophical student, said softly.

"She will not die in vain." Prouvaire, a very well spoken student, joined in.

"She will not be betrayed." Lesgle, the oldest student, murmured.

"Marius," Enjolras murmured, "she died for the cause; here at the barricade of freedom."

"But she won't be here when tomorrow comes..." Marius replied, his voice filled with sorrow.

The other students came over to Marius and took Eponine from him. They carried her body away. He'd been about to protest, but as he heard the loud CRACK of a gunshot being fired, he knew he couldn't just stay there with her body. The battle was far from over. Marius sobbed. Eponine was gone. She was really gone... or so Marius thought, but what no one saw was the slight rise and fall of the young gamine's chest as she took each shallow breath, nor did any of them press an ear to her chest to hear her slow heartbeat...

[PRESENT DAY: 1834]

Marius Pontmercy felt miserable. Ever since he'd married Cosette, he'd regretted it. Cosette hated to be apart from Marius even if only for a couple of minutes. Cosette followed Marius around everywhere. But there was one place that Marius would not let Cosette follow him to; Eponine's grave. Little did Marius know, Eponine's body wasn't actually buried there. There was just an empty casket. Eponine had awoken in her coffin and managed to get out without being seen and before the coffin was nailed shut. Eponine had decided not to tell Marius that she was alive, she wanted him to be happy with Cosette even if it meant her never seing him again. Eponine had not gone home to her parents, no, she'd decided to live on the streets.

Marius visited Eponine's grave every day with a bouquet of white lillies, Eponine's favourite. He would place the bouquet on her grave and then sit down next to it. Then he'd just talk to her, pretending that she was there, that she was alive. In those moments, it felt to Marius as if Eponine was actually there with him, just like old times. Every time that Marius left the grave, he would leave in tears. Dear Reader, who ever you may be, I hope that you never feel the grief that comes with losing someone that is very dear to you, for it is not something that you merely 'get over.' You never really get over the death of a loved one, it is something that follows you everywhere you go. But you learn to adapt, for that is the only way to keep going; you must adapt to a new normal. It had been two years since Eponine's 'death' and Marius missed her dearly. He had not forgotten her, not even for a second.

Marius set the bouquet down on Eponine's grave. He sat down next to the grave.

"Hey there 'Ponine..." Marius whispered. "Things are getting worse with Cosette, she nearly followed me here today and when I told her 'no', she started crying and she actually had the nerve to make up some story about how you two were children together and how you were horrible to her. But even if that was true, I wouldn't care because you'd changed. The you that I know would never do anything horrible to anyone, well except for maybe steal from some rich people, but even so... I don't think that I want to be with Cosette anymore. I used to think that I loved her, but I don't know if I do anymore. I think that I might want to get a separation. Especially after the way she talked about you today, but don't worry 'Ponine, I defended you. I always will..." A couple of tears fell from Marius' eyes. "I miss you so much, 'Ponine! I wish you were here right now to tell me what to do... I really wish you were here... But you're always in my heart. That is one place where you can never truly die. Oh 'Ponine, so often do I pretend that you're with me when I'm on my own. But you're not... oh how I wish you were!"

When Marius returned home after visiting Eponine's grave, Cosette apologized for everything that she had said about Eponine. Marius only half forgave her. Part of him knew that, despite her apology, she'd meant all of the harsh things she'd said about Eponine. Cosette could tell that he was still upset and she could see that his face was tearstained. Cosette rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I really am sorry." she said sincerely.

"I guess I forgive you... it just hurts that she's not here... because of me..."

"Oh Marius, her death is not your fault!" she tried to convince him.

"But it is! She died to save me, she took the bullet that was meant for me!" he told her, tears falling from his eyes. "If I hadn't threatened to blow up the barricade then the soldier wouldn't have aimed his musket at me and Eponine wouldn't have taken that bullet for me! Her death is entirely my fault, I will never forget that... it's something that I have to live with... I killed my best friend..."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did... if it weren't for my foolishness, Eponine would still be alive." he whispered. Cosette was about to argue, but she knew that it would be pointless. There was nothing she could do to convince him that he had not killed Eponine. Cosette just wanted Marius to be happy and to forget about Eponine, but she knew that wouldn't happen. He's just going to keep harping on the past... she thought. Why can't he just be happy with the life he has; his life with me... I don't understand what was so special about her. She was just a street rat... "I think I'm going to go for a walk..." Marius said as he headed towards the door. Cosette looked at him, she wanted to go with him on his walk.

"I'll go with you." she said with a smile. Marius shook his head.

"I need to be alone, I need to think..." he told her. Cosette frowned. Tears formed in her eyes. Why doesn't he want me to come!? She wondered When we first married we were together every minute of every day... Every day...

"You never want to be with me anymore..." she mumbled.

"That's not true, Cosette. It's just that you want to be with me every minute of every day."

"That's not true." Cosette replied. "It's not like I follow you to work."

"Except for when you do."

"But it's because I love you! You're all I have! A heart full of love, a night full of you–"

"Cosette, I'm just going on a walk. I will come back." he said as he opened the door and walked outside. Marius walked down the streets of Paris thinking about Eponine. Oh how he missed her! He imagined that she was walking with him, he liked to pretend that she was there. When no one else was around it was easy to pretend such. "On my own, pretending she's beside me..." he whispered. It was dark outside, there were no stars and the only light was the dim light of the pale, full moon. "Without her, I feel her arms around me." he imagined that he was hugging Eponine. "And when I lose my way I close my eyes and she has found me." he closed his eyes and he could see Eponine. "All I see is her and me forever and forever..."

...

Eponine Thenardier was miserable. Since she had supposedly 'died', she had been on her own every day. She had not a single friend. She would not allow herself to seek out Marius. He needs to be happy, she'd thought, he can't be happy with me always waiting in the shadows. Eponine lived on the streets. She had for the past two years. She normally didn't get much food. Sometimes she was able to steal a roll of bread from the bakery, and sometimes people would toss her a few sous and she would buy herself something to eat, but she still did not get very much. She did not get much to drink either, that made her voice raspy. Not only was she malnourished, but she was also quite ill. It was bound to happen at some point, Eponine reasoned with herself, since I live outside in the cold and I have no where to go when it rains or snows... Of course I'm sick! She shivered even though it wasn't actually that cold out at the moment.

Eponine knew that she had a high fever, she was just about radiating heat. Also, she often hallucintated. She would hallucinate that Marius was there with her, that he was taking care of her, that he loved her. She laughed at herself.

"Silly Eponine, Marius could never love you! He loves that blonde thing..." And so, the depression set in. She had no one. There was no one in the world that cared about her. "He's probably forgotten me already." she sighed, figuring that this was probably true. I love him, but every day I'm learning all my life I've only been pretending! Without me, his world will go on turning! A world that's full of happiness that I have never known! Tears fell from Eponine's eyes. I love him... but only on my own... More tears fell. "I can never see him again..." she whispered. "Never again... I don't even know what the point of life is without Marius. I love him so much, but I will never get to be happy with him... he can't find out that I'm alive, I need him to be happy..."

Eponine collasped onto the ground, too weak to go on. She tried to get up, but found herself unable to do so. So tired... she thought, almost as if she was admitting defeat. Then she heard the most beautiful voice singing.

...

"And I know... it's only in my mind. That I'm talking to myself and not to her... And although, I know that she is gone, still I say, she will live on..." Marius sang, his voice shaking. He heard someone cough. "Hello?" he called out. Silence greeted him. "Is anyone there?" Again silence. Marius didn't say another word, he just listened. The silence was broken by another cough. Marius looked around trying to see who was there. On the ground, he saw a girl laying face-down. He walked over to her. She was skinny. Way too skinny. Skinnier than Eponine ever was, which is really saying something. Marius thought. "Are you alright?" he asked the girl. She didn't answer. He knelt down and nudged her gently. She shifted slightly, but did not move otherwise and did not look at him. "Are you alright?" he asked again. To his surprise, the girl laughed. It was a cold and bitter laugh, but a laugh nonetheless.

"Do I look alright to you?" she replied in a raspy voice. It sounded as if she was dying of thirst. That voice... Marius thought it sounds so familiar. "I... I can't even get up..." the girl admitted. Where have I heard that voice before?

"Let me help you," Marius said as he helped the girl into a sitting position. As soon as he let go, she slumped over again. Marius helped her up again and, this time, he didn't let go of her. Her tangled dark brown hair hid her face. She made an attempt to brush it out of her face, but she could barely raise her hand to do so. So Marius did it for her. As soon as he saw her face, he gasped. It was the face that he saw in his dreams, the face that occupied his every thought, the face that he never thought he'd ever see again. "E-Eponine?" he whispered. Eponine looked up at him and immediately recognized him. She too gasped.

"Marius?" she asked, not completely sure if it was actually him. She often dreamed that Marius was with her. He nodded. Eponine smiled. Her lips were dry and cracked. "But surely I must be dreaming..." she whispered. Marius shook his head. She smiled again. She leaned against him. She was so weak. And tired, but she knew she couldn't sleep. If she fell asleep now, she knew that she'd never wake up again. She hadn't slept for days. Marius held her close. He could hardly believe that she was alive. Maybe I've finally gone insane. he thought. Maybe I've finally lost it and I'm just imaging that she's here... but I can feel her! I can actually feel her in my arms! She's alive, she's alive! But how?

"But how are you alive?" he asked her.

"I never died." she replied in that same raspy voice.

"But how? You were shot..."

"True, but I didn't die. I awoke in my coffin."

"Why didn't you tell me that you were alive?"

"I wanted you to be happy with Cosette." she replied. She coughed again. Blood came up.

"Oh God, 'Ponine!" he exclaimed when he saw the blood. She shushed him and then rested her head against his chest. She listened to his strong and stead heartbeat. She smiled again. Her cracked lips started to bleed. She closed her eyes.

"I'm so tired..." she whispered.

"You musn't sleep, 'Ponine." he said to her. "I... I'll take you home and I'll take care of you."

"Cosette won't be happy."

"I don't care."

Well I hope you liked it! Please review!