AN; here goes nothing, it starts off slow but I needed to set things up, so I hope you come back for the next chapters it picks up, I'll be updating pretty regularly enjoy and review!

Chapter 1: The old man

In the random draw that was life Eponine Thenardier had picked a bad lot, family, friend's, jobs, and love it was all one messy, tiring and depressing bundle of stress. So when her boss of 5 years informed her that their marketing company had gone bankrupt, and that they were all jobless effective immediately, she wasn't even surprised. Everything good that happened, seemed like a joke to her, barely making it into college with a scholarship, barely graduating, accidentally landing the marketing job within a year of graduating, it was clear god was playing a cruel trick on her. So she played the waiting game, patiently waiting till things blew up in her face, and telling herself I feel nothing.

Sitting on a park bench, the contents of five years messily stuffed into a small box perched by her, Eponine ran her hands over her grey work skirt before tiredly skimming the park. Observing people happily enjoying the last few days of summer, she brushed her long dark locks out of her face and sighed. She was so engrossed in her thoughts she didn't notice the scruffy old man who perched himself next to her.

"It's a beautiful day", came a low and assertive voice, Eponine was startled out of her thoughts turning slowly she scrutinized the old man with grey hair sitting beside her. She glanced over his brown slacks and crumpled shirt and dirty shoes, normally she would've ignored him and left but she was in a live and let live kind of mood.

"For most people it is…even the raining days", replied Eponine solemnly staring out into the distance, the old man observed her carefully.

"You're too young to have that look in your eyes", he replied, Eponine turned to look at him.

"What look is that", she asked curiously.

"Defeat" he replied.

"Life doesn't care about age ...it'll ruin you the same whether your 20 or 80", replied Eponine, the old man chuckled, he's definitely unhinged she thought.

"Be gentle with yourself my dear….the world might seem like a terrible place...but it isn't", reasoned the old man as he stood up, Eponine looked at him a little bemused.

"It isn't?" she asked unconvinced.

"It is...so try to be happy", he replied before turning and walking away, as he disappeared into the distance, Eponine picked up her box, and made her way back the apartment, if she'd didn't pay her bills she'd be homeless within a month, it's hard to be happy when you're homeless and hungry.

It had been almost a week since Eponine had lost her job as she wondered through the city, she felt lost. Finding her way back to the park she walked along the path quietly when she felt an arm on her shoulder, she turned slowly and came face to face with the old man, he was dressed a little smarter but still scruffy.

"It's you again", said Eponine, the old man smiled and indicated the bench, Eponine hesitated but sat down, what more could she lose.

"You still look troubled child", said the old man, Eponine looked into his tired eyes.

"I don't seem to be the only ", replied Eponine raising her eyebrows, the old man chuckled.

"You're a perceptive child", he said looking away rubbing his knees.

"What troubles you old man", asked Eponine playfully, without warning the old man burst into tears, sad quite tears that hurt the heart, Eponine patted his back.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean please don't cry…erm nothings over till your dead", she said the old man sat back and wiped back his tears.

"You have an interesting way with words", he said half-laughing.

"Sorry…I've always been rough around the edges", said Eponine.

"François at your service", said the old man offering his hand.

"Eponine", she replied taking his hand and that was that, they became friends when Eponine wasn't busy job hunting or doing odd jobs to keep her apartment, she was having coffee, eating dinner, taking a walk, with François Hugo, a strange old man with sad blue eyes.

It had been almost 6 weeks since their friendship started, after finishing a shift at the café, Eponine went on her way to meet François. He was waiting outside the coffee shop they always met. He began to wave as soon he saw her, as she approached his arm faltered and he staggered back, his face pale and sweating as he clutched his stomach before doubling over, Eponine ran to him as if her life depended on it.

"F-François... what's the matter", she asked anxiously gently clutching his arm as she crouched down.

"It's okay... I just need a minute", he said his hands shaking,trying but failing to keep the pain from showing on his face. Eponine called the ambulance never letting go of his hand as he came in and out of consciousness. Once at the hospital Eponine noticed the familiarity between the doctor and François, it made her nervous, slowly she edged to the examination room, standing out of frame she listened.

"I've told you before François, you have to take it easy, take your pills, I know they make you drowsy, but these painful attacks won't stop otherwise", said the young doctor.

"What's the point doc, these pills aren't going to keep alive, are they", replied François.

"They'll ease the pain" insisted the doctor,a little tiredly, they'd had this conversation before.

"Pain is good. Sometimes I forget I'm dying the pain is a good reminder, like an alarm reminding you there's things that need doing", replied François. Eponine felt her body stumble into the room, the two men looked up in surprise.

"Sorry miss, you can't be...", began the doctor,

"It's aright doc I know her, give us a second will you", said François, nodding the doctor edged past Eponine and out the door, for a little while they simply stared at each other. Slowly Eponine dragged her feet towards François, seeing him up close, lying in the hospital bed, he suddenly looked very fragile.

"Well say something then…what's this nonsense about you dying", said Eponine half-jokingly, François reached out and took her hand.

"Eponine….sweet child", began François, gazing down into his sullen blue eyes, she understood.

"You're really dying", stated Eponine flatly.

"Yes" Eponine's stomach muscles tightened, she felt a little sick as she pulled her hand out of his grasp.

"Well that's just great", breathed Eponine half-laughing, as her tears clung to edges of her lashes.

"Believe me, when I say that this old man doesn't deserve your tears", said François staring ahead.

"yeah... your probably right", replied Eponine turning away and walking purposefully out of the room. She made it to the exit of the hospital but didn't leave, instead she spent an hour pacing up and down the corridor feeling restless and a little numb. She found herself kicking a vending machine, because it got her order wrong, and then eating way more than she needed at the hospital cafeteria, and the laughing way too hard at a nature documentary about ducks in the waiting room. Afterwards she went to the toilet washing her face she stared back at tired brown eyes framed by a mountain of messy long dark charcoal locks, and she broke down and sobbed. It wasn't all entirely for the sad dying old man, whom she'd come to see as a friend and a surrogate father during their time together, but for the general state of her pathetic life I feel nothing..yeah right.

The next morning Eponine came to François' room all smiles, she walked over and patted his hand.

"How are you feeling today", she asked, he looked at her a little sadly, but with a smile.

"Better …one more day and I'll be discharged", replied François.

"That's great…is there anything I could do for you", asked Eponine. There was long pause which made Eponine uncomfortable.

"I should say no…it would be less selfish but there is one very big thing you could do", said François setting up, Eponine sat down in the chair by his bed.

"How big of thing", asked Eponine carefully.

"Unreasonably big…you can say no", he said, Eponine sighed and thought for a moment.

"What is it", she asked.

"I need you to do something for me" he twiddled his thumbs, looking up at her a little nervously.

"What" insisted Eponine squeezing his hand.

"I need you to save my grandson", said François very seriously, Eponine blinked with confusion.

"Save him... Is he in trouble.. I don't understand?" Eponine waited.

"Not quite…I've ruined him and now he's in the processing of ruining himself and since I won't be here much longer I won't be able to save him, so I just need you to help him, assist him, save him if you will...be a friend", replied François very quickly, Eponine blinked as she tried to absorb all the words.

"And how would I do that" she asked slowly.

"By being on his side,... I just need someone like you to be always and forever on his side, he needs at least one" Eponine frowned, he was still being very vague.

"I'm not really sure what you're asking, how exactly would I begin...", Eponine trailed off.

"By working for him, there's an opening for a sort of PA/secretary... I just need you to keep an eye on him, keep him out of harm's way", said François, Eponine's eyes widened.

"Who is this oh so delicate grandchild", said Eponine slightly bewildered.

"His name is Enjolras and he's the only family I have left, he's a lonely child, that's one thing you have in common", offered François, Eponine raised an eyebrow at the old man's sheepish smile.

"A PA or secretary is kind of a permanent job, its job that doesn't normally pay much and…if…if I agree then I'd have to stop looking for better positions, I won't be able to afford my apartment at..." Eponine trailed off seeing the confident smile, and slight spark in the old man's eyes.

"You will, it is a big company", said François proudly.

"How big" his smiled widened, he was grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Have you heard of La Monta", he asked casually.

"Of course it's only one of the biggest companies in the city", replied Eponine.

"It was founded by my great great grandfather, and I hope to leave it in the care of my grandson, ...and I hope to leave him in your care", said François, Eponine simply gaped back at him.

"No way… no way...you're.. the chairman... of la Monta…no way", Eponine kept repeating, the old man chuckled . It took a little while to convince Eponine of his origin. Eponine went home and researched to confirm one last time, after confirming she tried to sleep but her mind was jumbled and confused, trying to make sense of everything.

The following day, François was discharged while Eponine was at work, later that evening they met at their usual café.

"So what do say Eponine Thénardier are you up for the challenge", asked François seriously as soon as she sat down.

"I've considered it", she said slowly, taking a deep breath and looking into those pleading blue eyes.

"And", he asked nervously.

"I accept the challenge", she said, his face relaxed and he began to laugh as he took her hands in his.

"That's great…you wonderful sweet girl", he said, Eponine smiled, but her heart felt tight and uncomfortable what the hell had she agreed to.