Lonely Souls

A Les Mis Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Les Miserables, nor any of the characters or songs that you recognize!

Author's Note: Hi everyone! This is my first time writing for Les Miserables, and I could not be more excited! I've been writing fanfiction for years, but with the release of the Les Mis movie, I've been more than a little bit inspired to write for my all-time favorite show :) This story will be an Eponine/Enjolras pairing, so if that's not your thing...I apologize :P The premise here is that Eponine was the child adopted by Valjean in 1823, and Eponine falls in love with Enjolras, rather than Marius, in 1832 :) Enjoy the tale, and don't forget to review! Thank you for clicking on!

By the way - this is a one-shot, but it's separated into five parts so it's kind of like a mini story :) Thank you!

Part 1

The sun was at the exact center point of the sky when Eponine saw Enjolras for the first time.

It was her first week as a resident of Paris. Eponine was used to moving around frequently; her father was an overly cautious man, and his primary goal in life was to ensure Eponine's safety. When he had come for Eponine nine years earlier, she could not have imagined the existance she would lead. Eponine did not have any friends; it was not because she wasn't good or kind, it was because friendships always led to heartache. Eponine had learned over the years that she and her dear father never stayed in any one place too long.

"Vive la France! Vive la France!"

Eponine was not used to living in a large city, and all the noises and smells were things she would have to eventually get used to. She heard the shouting of citizens from several blocks away, and she raised an eyebrow at her father questioningly.

"What is it, Eponine?" he asked curiously, interested in anything his daughter had to say. With only each other for company, Eponine and her father were incredibly close, and loved each other very much.

"Don't you hear the people sing?" questioned Eponine. "A few blocks away?"

Eponine's father, whose name was Jean Valjean, cocked his head to the side slightly and strained to hear what his daughter obviously heard. After a moment of careful listening, Valjean turned back to Eponine.

"Revolutionaries." he confirmed, nodding his head. "The citizens of France aren't very happy with their king at the moment, my dear."

"But why?" asked Eponine, knitting her brows together in confusion. Eponine did not know much about politics, and was too sheltered to know much about what life was like for the average citizens of Paris. She couldn't imagine what a king was doing that was so horrible it would spark another revolution.

"We tried to change the world too quickly after the fall of our last king." explained Valjean gently. His eyes bored into Eponine's, and his tone suddenly became very serious. He and Eponine had been walking casually down the road, and he even stopped their trek to ensure that he had his daughter's full attention when he spoke. "I know how your curiosity can often get the better of you, 'Ponine." he stated. "But you must not go anywhere near what those boys are planning. They're going to be in very serious trouble with the law, and the last thing we need is to get arrested. We must fade into the background here, alright? Do you understand me?"

Eponine felt she was being treated like a petulant child, and she turned her face away in anger. She was never allowed to do anything independently! Her father was crushing her with his worrisome ways.

"Papa, I'm no longer a child." said Eponine sourly. She gave her father an angry look with her deep brown eyes. "If I wanted to join this revolution, I like to think that you would not be able to stop me."

Valjean's eyes instantly filled with panic, and he became more stern with Eponine. He wasn't cruel or strict with his daughter most of the time, but she was sometimes too adventurous for her own good. "Eponine, I say this for your own good. If I even get the smallest idea from anyone that you plan to wander towards this death sentence, we'll leave Paris as quickly as we came and I'll keep you under lock and key. I just want to keep you safe!"

"I'm not a slave, papa!" screeched Eponine a bit more loudly than she'd meant to. At the moment, however, she did not care who heard. Perhaps if someone intervened during their argument, they could talk some sense into her father. "You can't keep me prisoner in our own home! You don't know what it's like to always have someone breathing down your neck! You watch my every move. All I want is freedom!"

"You have no brand upon your skin." Valjean said blackly, his eyes and heart turning to stone. Eponine became frightened, but her resolve did not waver. She stood up to her father with the confidence he had instilled within her for nine years. "You are the one who does not know the meaning of scrutiny. You are youthful and free. Bask in it. Others have not been as fortunate as you, my child."

Eponine glared at her father for a moment before straightening her lilac gown and correcting her posture. She was done with the subject of revolution for the day, and perhaps even done speaking with her father for the day. Rather than argue, she simply took Valjean's arm once more as he lead the way to the boulangerie.

"Would you like anything?" asked Valjean. In truth, Eponine would have loved a pastry, but she shook her head. She was not in the mood to cheerfully eat baguettes with her father on the side of the street while Paris starved below them.

"Very well." said Valjean. "I have a few things that I need to get. You may walk down the street to the patesserie if you like, but no further. Have I made myself clear?"

Eponine said nothing, but stared at her father. She gave the slightest of nods, and was on her way. She walked forward several steps, and the moment she saw that her father had turned his back to her, she dashed the three blocks it took to get to the Revolutionaries.

"Where are the leaders of the land? Where is the king who runs this show?"

The first person who immediately caught Eponine's attention was a boy on a platform. He was shouting to a crowd of people below, and his voice commanded everyone's attention. There was another who stood on the platform and spoke as well, but he was not nearly as influencial.

"...won't last the week out, so they say!"

"With all the anger in the land, how long-"

"Vive la France!"

Eponine was caught in a whirlwind of adrenaline and excitement. The air sizzled with feeling as the Revolutionaries plotted to overthrow the state. Eponine felt a small smile slip onto her face, and she began to shout with the rest of the onlookers, "Vive la France!"

The boy who'd first caught her attention was still shouting, and he met Eponine's eyes for a fraction of a moment. His gaze sent shivers down her spine, and she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. The boy gave her a nod and nothing more, before turning back to his friends and shouting to the people once more.

"Eponine!"

Eponine cringed as she heard her father's voice calling from behind her. Before she turned to face him, she made eye contact with the boy one last time. Even if she never saw his handsome face again, she was sure that the look he gave her that day would be burned forever in her memory.

Part 2

It was well past midnight when Eponine decided to run away til morning.

Her father was fast asleep in his room, and she was sure she could sneak away quietly. She wanted to see that boy, the Revolutionary, again. He had sparked something inside of Eponine that she had never felt before, and she longed to fight for the freedom of France. Over the course of the day, she had seen what kind of conditions those poor people lived in, and she couldn't just sit back and let others free them. Eponine's heart was too kind for that.

She slipped unnoticed into her father's room, and stole a pair of his trousers and a cap. She tucked her white nightgown into the pants, and pulled her hair up into the cap until it could no longer be seen. Eponine then put on her father's largest jacket and boots, rubbed some soot on her cheeks, and stole out the doorway.

The streets were silent, and the still night air was cold against Eponine's face. She knew the chances of finding anyone this late were slim, but she was finally experiencing a taste of freedom, and she wouldn't let that opportunity slip away.

Finally, Eponine encountered a large building called the ABC Café. She saw lights in its windows and heard singing and shouting from its many floors. Ah, she thought. So that was where they were planning their Revolution.

Eponine ran from the street into the open door of the café. She saw no one on the first floor, so she ran up a flight of rickety old steps to the second floor. She swore she had never seen so many people crowded into such a small space. Dozens of boys were laughing and singing and shouting and plotting. Children younger than ten were talking of battles to be won, and Eponine couldn't help but wonder what their ambition was. They all seemed like students - boys barely eighteen years old. They looked well off enough, too. Why were they fighting in the name of the poor?

Probably for the same reason Eponine felt the need to fight, she decided. They had seen the cruel conditions the poor citizens of France dwelled in, and they knew they had to help. Eponine's heart went out to them.

No one took any notice of her as she slithered her way through the throngs of people. She looked just like any other boy, fighting for what she believed in. She thanked her lucky stars she had been smart enough to wear a disguise.

Eponine's heart skipped a beat when she suddenly spotted the boy again. She had to find out his name - she had to give that scrutinizing gaze someone to belong to. She didn't understand the feelings he gave her, but she knew she wanted to see more of him. She approached him slowly, trying to walk as masculinely as she could. Just before she was able to make a fool of herself by asking for his name, she heard someone shout for him.

"Enjolras!" cried another Revolutionary who was holding three large boxes. "What do I do with these?"

"Just put them on the table, Joly, thank you." replied Enjolras quickly. He had the voice of a leader, Eponine decided. He was decisive and quick-thinking. She liked him.

Eponine was close enough to Enjolras now that she could speak to him without having to shout. She deepened her voice as much as she could and asked, "How can I help?"

Enjolras looked up at Eponine, and stared at her for a moment. His hard gaze softened ever so slightly, and Eponine found herself lost in his blue eyes. "Well," he said quietly, adding tenderness to an already intimate moment. He stepped forward, until his chest was nearly touching Eponine's arm. She grew increasingly nervous at his closeness. He gave her a smirk and said, "You can start by being honest." One arm suddenly reached up and took Eponine's cap from her head. Her dark hair fell down in waves, and she felt shame at being caught. Thankfully, everyone else was too busy to pay much attention to her.

"What gave me away?" asked Eponine angrily, wiping the soot from her face with the back of her hand. Enjolras chuckled.

"Oh, there was nothing wrong with the disguise." Enjolras laughed. "I just recognized you from earlier. You were in the square listening, weren't you?"

Eponine blushed furiously. He remembered her! "Yes, I was." she replied hastily, smiling goofily. She stuck out her hand and offered it to Enjorlas. "I'm Eponine."

Enjolras kindly took Eponine's hand and shook it. "Enjolras." he said, introducing himself as well.

"You're the one planning this Revolution then, Enjolras?" asked Eponine innocently. She didn't want to stop talking to him - the way his eyes sparkled was hypnotizing, and she didn't want the bliss to end. Was this what it felt like to...love someone?

Enjolras chuckled again. Everyone in the café seemed to be in drunkenly high spirits. "You could say that." he responded vigorously. "Tomorrow shall be the day we win our freedom!"

"Tomorrow?" asked Eponine in shock. "So soon?"

"It's our only chance." he said a bit more seriously, nodding. Eponine's head was swimming; she was hyper-aware of everyone near her, and she wondered if they would live to see even their next birthday. They were fighting a man's war, and they were only boys.

"You're putting yourselves in tremendous danger." noted Eponine, her child-like gaze penetrating Enjolras's soul. He felt honestly touched by her concern.

"Our little lives don't count at all." said Enjolras. "If I die a martyr, then I die happy. France deserves freedom."

A smile slid its way back onto Eponine's face. "I like you a lot, Monsieur."

"I told you, it's Enjolras." came his immediate reply. He then seemed to decide on something. "I want you to do something for me, Eponine."

Eponine did not understand the sudden devotion she felt to this strange and wonderful man, but she felt it nonetheless. She told him, "Anything, Enjolras."

"Stay far away from this battle." he told her seriously. "It's no place for you. I don't understand it myself, but I feel as though I can't let you get hurt."

"I feel the same way about you." Eponine said. She locked her gaze with Enjolras's, and crept even closer to him. When their bodies made contact, both felt an electric tingle shoot throughout their bodies. It was magical. "Which is why I must be there, Monsieur. I want to see you come back safely."

"Eponine," said Enjolras exasperatedly. He sighed, and resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in irritation. "I can already tell you're a difficult girl."

Eponine gave Enjolras a small smile. "Likewise, Monsieur."

Enjolras began to laugh, and Eponine could smell the wine on his breath. It was at that moment she understood that Enjolras did not expect to win the Revolution. He and his friends were trying to make a statement that would someday lead France to freedom. Maybe the others hoped to win, but Enjolras knew that they had no chance. This was their celebration - their last night of freedom and carefree fun in the world before they grew up on the battlefield and left it forever changed. Enjolras wanted to enjoy himself.

To kiss him was a split second decision, and honestly, Eponine didn't even think about her actions before she leaned forward. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Enjolras's. He seemed stunned for a moment, but then decided not to question it. He pressed himself even closer to Eponine, and held her face in his hands. He deepened the kiss, and Eponine had never known such joy.

Without breaking the kiss or the embrace, Enjolras led Eponine away from the center of the second level. He took her to the staircase once more, and ran up the steps. He and Eponine were laughing and breathing heavily their whole ascension. When they reached the third level of the café they embraced each other once more, and Enjolras was the one to make the first move.

Their second kiss was even more passionate than their first, and Eponine felt that she never wanted to leave Enjolras's side for the rest of her life. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, and they backed up against the wall. Eponine briefly pondered if perhaps Enjolras was just drunk and unaware of what he was doing. But he seemed coherent enough, and the way he looked at her could have only been achieved by a sober man. The rest of the night, Eponine and Enjolras talked and kissed and laughed and expressed their deep affections for each other. Both wondered if it was truly possible to fall in love so fast.

Part 3

Eponine woke in her bed with a cloudy mind. Her thoughts immediately trailed to the night before, and Enjolras's twinkling eyes was all Eponine was aware of. Her heart filled with love, and she couldn't stop smiling. At last, the love of her life was so near. She did not know much of love, but she knew that she had found it, and she knew that she was determined to keep it safe from harm.

Eponine's singing heart immediately constricted. She remembered what the morning symbolized; the boys of the ABC Café were going to battle that very day. They were going to lose their lives to create a better world. Enjolras would put himself on the front line, and Eponine would never see him again. The thought made her stomach churn.

"I don't understand it, either." Eponine whispered to herself. "I barely know him. Yet I feel as though I cannot live without him. I must keep him safe. I must follow where he leads, and he leads to that Barricade."

Eponine could not wait a moment longer. She ran from her bedroom eagerly, and poked her head into the room of her father. He was still fast asleep - it must have been earlier than Eponine had assumed. She immediately donned the same disguise she had worn the night before, and rubbed the soot on her face again. She would go to the Barricade, and she would fight to protect Enjolras or die trying.

The only catch was that the leader of the Revolution could not be aware of her presence. If he knew she had deliberately disobeyed him, then he would be concerned about her the entire time. His guard would be down, he would be vulnerable, and someone would shoot him. The whole point of Eponine being there with him at all was to protect him. She would not ruin that.

She left her father a note. He would be absolutely furious with her when she returned from the Barricade, but she could not bring herself to care. Enjolras's life was worth any punishment her father was able to come up with. Once she had written a satisfying note for her father, Eponine took his pocket knife from his bedroom and hooked it onto her trousers. She did not think she would ever have the courage to use the weapon, but she wanted to feel that she had some form of protection.

Eponine left her house and did not look back. She ran through the streets of Paris with purpose, trying to figure out where she would be able to find the Revolutionaries. Would they be setting up the Barricade even then? Would they be waiting for some sort of sign? Eponine was completely in the dark.

And then she heard the singing.

"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men! It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!"

The song stirred the longing within Eponine to help the cause, and she followed the sound of the voices as quickly as she could. She met the sight of Enjolras and his friends rallying the people of Paris together to throw furniture from their windows and build the Barricade. Eponine immediately joined the chaos, and stacked chairs and tables and pianos and coffins and even just regular wooden planks on top of each other. She helped as much as she was able to, and tried to keep her eye on Enjolras while she was at it.

Her lover climbed to the top of the barricade and waved a large red flag, a flag which Eponine assumed symbolized freedom for his country. His booming voice resonated through the streets of the city.

"Red - the blood of angry men! Black - the dark of ages past! Red - a world about to dawn! Black - the night that ends at last!"

Everyone behind the Barricade whooped and cheered and congratulated each other on getting so far. Some strangers patted Eponine on the back and thanked her for her help. Eponine smiled, but kept her eyes focused on Enjolras - he was breathlessly climbing back down to join his comrades, and Eponine felt pride for him surging within her veins.

"Rest now!" he commanded in his best assertive tone. "There is nothing more to be done until our volunteer returns with news of the enemy force. I urge you to build your strength - no doubt you shall soon be needing it!"

Everyone began to clap and cheer and crowd around Enjolras. Eponine made sure to step back a few paces so that her dearest Enjolras couldn't see her. She reminded herself frequently that her only purpose at the Barricade was to protect Enjolras. That was it.

Uneventful hours passed before Enjolras's volunteer returned with news. Not that the news was of much help to the Revolution, because one of the younger boys revealed that the volunteer was none other than Inspector Javert, a spy for the other side. Enjolras commanded that the man be thrown in the tavern and chained, and several boys immediately took to the task. Eponine shut her eyes when they beat the man - she didn't like to watch violence. How ironic it was that she had thrust herself into the middle of the Revolution, then.

That's when it happened. Someone from the other side of the Barricade was calling out to them. This was when the battle would begin - this was when Eponine would have to guard Enjolras's life. She heard Enjolras call back, "French Revolution!" The word, "Fire!" reached Eponine's ears clear as day, and the next thing she knew, bullets were flying everywhere. The Revolutionaries stood their ground, but began to fall anyway. The first boy to die was one Eponine recognized - he had been the one to speak by Enjorlas on the platform just the day before. She was sure she'd heard someone call him 'Marius'. She silently sent a prayer for Marius's soul, but her focus had to be on Enjolras.

He seemed to be doing alright. He was able to take care of himself when it came to battle. But even his eyes could not be everywhere. One of the soldiers in uniform was approaching the Barricade with rising speed, and had his gun aimed right at Enjolras. He was next to the others who had climbed the mountains of furniture, and he had his hand on the trigger. Enjolras was not at all aware of his presence.

"Enjolras, no!" screamed Eponine. She had not even taken care to disguise her voice; she had panicked. Enjolras's head immediately turned to where he'd heard his name, but it was going to be too late for him if Eponine did not act quickly. Without thinking, she ran in front of the gun that was aimed at her lover, and pushed the barrel away. It went off directly next to her, and the force of it knocked her to the ground. The bullet had missed her by centimeters.

"Eponine, no!" cried Enjorlas in panic. He ran to her with all the speed of a breaking heart. No, no, no! He had seen her, he knew she was there! If he knew that, then he would be distracted the rest of the battle! She would be his very undoing! There was only one chance Eponine had to make sure that Enjolras did not have to worry about her.

She clutched her stomach in false pain, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. The darkness helped her lie, and the rain began pouring from the sky in sheets. Her poor Enjolras looked as though his very heart was broken when he saw her in her current state.

"Eponine, God, no! Please tell me you're alright, Eponine, please!" Enjolras was completely hysterical, and the tears poured from his eyes. Eponine almost wavered in her decision to lie to him, but she knew that he would be more likely to survive if he didn't have her to be concerned about.

"Don't you fret, Monsieur Enjorlas." she whispered in a cracking voice. Enjorlas immediately knelt beside her on the ground and took her into his embrace. His strong arms supported her small frame, and she swore she had never felt more at ease. His tears fell upon her face. "I don't feel any pain." she continued. Enjolras began to shrug out of his coat to put it upon Eponine; he wanted to shield her from the rain. Eponine shook her head. "A little fall of rain...can hardly hurt me now. You're here - that's all I need to know. And you will keep me safe...and you will keep me close...and rain...will make the flowers...grow..."

Eponine's attempts to comfort Enjolras weren't working at all. They only seemed to make him cry harder. He began to whisper to her fervently.

"Eponine, I love you." he croaked. The others at the Barricade stared at the pair in mute shock - no one was fighting anymore. Someone must have rid the Barricade of the national guard for the time being. The ABC boys stood with gaping mouths and wide eyes. Never had they seen their fearless leader so torn up. They took tentative steps forward in an attempt to hear what was going on, and were more than surprised to hear Enjolras use the word 'love'. "I haven't known you long," continued Enjolras, ignoring the sudden audience. All he could see was his Eponine. "So this may sound strange, but I feel bound to you. You mustn't leave me, Eponine, you mustn't! I - I..."

Eponine knew that if she let her act go on any longer she wouldn't be able to do the right thing. She moaned softly, went limp in Enjolras's arms, and feigned death completely. It was a clean break, and when everything was over, she could show Enjolras the truth. She felt him shake her shoulders, desparately pleading with God to take him instead. He sobbed heavily over her, and she could taste the salt in his tears fall upon her lips. He kissed her passionately several times, and it was more than difficult not to respond to those. But she knew she mustn't. She reminded herself that she was doing all of this to keep him safe and save his life. His life was more precious than any difficulties Eponine was going through.

"Enjolras," someone said from behind Eponine. "We should take her to the tavern."

"Don't touch her!" shouted Enjolras blackly, nearly growling. He took Eponine into his own embrace once more, and held her tightly against his chest. Eponine felt herself being lifted, and then felt Enjolras's steady pace as he walked her to a safer place. He laid her upon the ground in a lit room, kissed her forehead once, lingered for a moment, and then walked away crying. When she was sure he was gone, Eponine sat up. That was the single hardest thing she had ever had to do. She broke down sobbing before she could think of anything else.

Part 4

"Did you see them, going off to fight?"

"Children of the Barricade who didn't last the night."

"Did you see them lying where they died?"

"Someone used to cradle them and kiss them when they cried."

"Did you see them lying side by side?"

Eponine could not bring herself to go with the other women to clean the blood of the Revolutionaries from the streets. It had been two days since the battle, and she was tormented by nightmares when she tried to sleep. All she could do was think about the events that had transpired after her 'death', and how things might have gone differently if she hadn't interfered at all.

At present, there were no known survivors of the Revolution. The death of their fearless leader, Enjolras, was all anyone in Paris was talking about. It was rumoured that he had died on the second floor of the ABC Café, holding a red flag in his hand. Eponine kept thinking about how that was exactly how Enjolras would have wanted to go. She was so proud of what Enjolras stood for, yet she was selfish enough to wish that he could have just stayed with her.

Eponine was sitting in her room by herself. When she had come home from the Barricade, in a state of unimaginable grief, her father had been gone. He had left her no note or indication of when he would be back. He had done that before, however; disappeared without warning. So Eponine was not all that concerned about him. In fact, she was glad he was gone. When he returned, she would not be able to grieve in the same way. How could her father possibly understand if she tried to? He would only question her tears, and she would not know where to begin any kind of explanation.

Eponine stared blankly at the wall in front of her. What a coward she had been. In fear she had fled from the Barricade, for the national guard had been behind the mountain of furniture and they were attacking people both living and dead! Swords and cannons and guns were pointed in every direction, and no one was safe. The citizens of Paris would not open their doors to the terrified schoolboys, and Eponine could so clearly see the end of everything. Without thinking, she had run off.

"Do you hear the people sing?" she croaked in a thick voice. She was mocking herself - she deserved shame and disgrace for the cowardice she had shown. "Singing the song of angry men. It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again."

All Eponine could see in her mind's eye was the sight of Enjolras falling at the hands of the people he so very much hated. She saw a gun in his face, she could practically hear the shot ringing in her ears. She had found love so quickly, only to have it so cruelly ripped away from her. Had it really been only four days since she'd met her beloved Enjolras? And now he was gone forever.

"And now I'm all alone again...nowhere to turn...no one to go to..." Eponine felt helpless. How could someone feel so much pain, yet still have a beating heart? "What's the matter with you, 'Ponine? Have you been too much on your own? So many things unclear...so many things unknown." Eponine missed Enjolras. She missed the taste of his kisses. She missed the conviction and raw power in his voice. She just wanted him to come back to her.

There's a grief that can't be spoken...there's a pain goes on and on...

Suddenly, Eponine heard her front door open. Her father must have come home at last. On a normal day, Eponine would have risen from the bed cheerfully and greeted him at the door. However, Eponine's shrivelled heart felt as though it could never be cheerful again, and she found that she couldn't remember how to smile.

It was twenty minutes before Valjean made his way to his daughter's bedroom. He didn't say anything at her obvious melancholy, and he didn't question her on her dirty face and torn clothes. He instead sat beside her on the bed, and rubbed her shoulder in a comforting motion. Eponine felt herself beginning to cry once more as her father spoke.

"You went to the Barricade." he said knowingly. Eponine knew there was no point in lying.

"It wasn't just to prove a point." she said thickly, her voice cracking several times. "I didn't just do it to go against you."

"I know." said Valjean, reaching into his pocket for something. He pulled a piece of paper out, and offered it to Eponine. The paper had tear stains on it, and ink bled through in several places, but it was still readable.

"What is this?" Eponine asked cautiously. She took the parchment from her father's grasp while he answered.

"This arrived for you on the morning the Barricade fell. You were already gone." stated Valjean simply. Eponine was surprised that he normally over-controlling father was not even angry with her.

Eponine unfolded the paper, and held in front of her. She was sobbing heavily before she even finished the first line.

My dearest Eponine,

The night I shared with you was something I will always cherish. Can it be only a day since we met, and the world was reborn? It is the thought of your smile and your inquisitive gaze that shall keep my spirits high tonight when all hope seems to be gone. You are the reason for this Revolution, my Eponine. It is so that you, and those like you, have the right to live in a free country. Though you may have more than some of the unlucky citizens who roam these streets, there are still those who would take advantage of you and of your money. It is those monsters who I shall fight against. If I should die in the battle to come, let this be my goodbye. Before I saw your face in the square yesterday morning, I swore that my heart was made of unbreakable stone. I must thank you for letting me experience what true love is before my end. Pray for your Enjolras - he prays for you.

Yours, Enjolras

"You read this?" Eponine asked her father between torrents of tears. She felt the pad of her father's thumb wiping some of them away, but they were too constant to be gone so quickly.

"I did." said Valjean honestly, nodding his head in affirmation.

"I'm sorry I ran off." said Eponine in a voice filled with sorrow. She began to choke up as tears poured from her eyes more and more. "And I'm sorry that I lied to you. But I do not regret doing what I did. It - led - me - to - him." By the end of her explanation, she could barely speak.

"I know." confessed Valjean, embracing his daughter in a comforting hug. She clung to him like she was a child again. "I have something for you." he continued. Eponine faced her father full-front.

"What do you have for me?" she asked in a depressed tone of voice. Valjean gave Eponine a sad smile and offered her his arm.

"Why don't you go with your dear old father to the sitting room and see for yourself?" he asked mockingly. Eponine did not reply; she simply followed his lead.

Part 5

The sight that Eponine was met with when she entered her sitting room caused her to cease breathing for a moment. There, lying upon her couch, was a young Revolutionary with curly blonde hair. He was deathly pale, and his face was covered in sweat, but the distinct rise and fall of his chest proved that he was alive.

Eponine made a choking noise, and tried to stop a sob from tearing through her chest. She pressed a shaking hand to her lips, and felt the tears once more. She felt, rather than saw, her father's presence behind her.

"This is Enjolras, is it not?" he asked carefully. Eponine nodded her head vigorously, unable to respond. Her love, her Enjolras, was alive. He was alive. He was alive!

"He is not well," said Valjean seriously, in a grim tone. He wanted Eponine to proceed to her future with caution. He tried to explain the situation as delicately as he could. "He suffered severe injuries, my child. I found him a doctor not far from here who treated the gunshot wounds and removed the bullets, but he recognized the boy's face and refused to do more than that. No one wants anything to do with him simply because he sparked the Revolution. They fear for their own lives more than they fear for his."

Eponine embraced her father tightly, conveying to him all of her relief and gratitude. She could never thank him enough for giving her back her life. She dared not ask how he'd found Enjorlas or gotten him their home, but instead thanked God above for this miracle.

"I will take care of him." said Eponine quickly, in a tone that left no room for argument. Valjean nodded, and turned on his heels. He went back to his room and slept nearly the entire day away. Eponine barely noticed; she was too focused on Enjolras.

For two days more, Eponine did not leave her lover's side. She wrapped him in blankets to keep him warm, and used cool cloths to bring down the fever he was suffering from. He looked like he was knocking on death's door, but Eponine would not let her faith in him waver. If there was one thing she had learned about Enjolras since meeting him, it was that he was a fighter. He would not go down if he thought that there was anything worth living for. Eponine was confident that Enjolras would pull through - he had to.

The hardest parts for her were when he had nightmares, because Enjolras talked in his sleep. Eponine frequently heard him shout for random people to take cover from the bullets. She heard him call for Joly and Marius and Gavroche to run, for the Barricade had fallen. She heard her own name more frequently than anything else.

"Eponine," he would moan in a voice filled with pure agony. "Eponine...God, please take me instead...don't do it, Ep-Eponine, run from here! Take cover! Don't shoot her, she's an innocent girl! Eponine!"

There was no way for Eponine to comfort the ailing man, either. She could hug him and kiss him and speak soothing words all she wanted, but he was incoherent. There was nothing she could do until the Revolutionary awoke and saw her himself.

It seemed to take a lifetime, and Eponine was beginning to lose faith. And then one day, without warning, Enjorlas woke up.

His fever had just broken, and he was sweating from every pore on his body. His limbs were shaking, he gasped when his eyes opened, and he quickly attempted to get up.

"No!" called Eponine loudly, restraining Enjolras as best she could. It scared her how easily she stopped his movements with her small arms; he was so weak...

"I must get back to the Barricade!" shouted Enjolras madly, his eyes staring at seemingly nothing. He continued to struggle to get free. "They need me!"

"Enjolras!" shrieked Eponine in fear, forcing Enjolras to look her in the eye. "The battle is over! You were hurt, you must rest!"

"But, my friends!" screamed Enjolras. He continued to struggle, but he was losing terribly. Eponine kept a firm grip on him, and his breathing was hitched and quick. It took him a moment to speak after his outburst.

"I'm dead." Enjolras concluded. He finally seemed to recognize Eponine, because the tears poured from his eyes instantaneously. He looked at her like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. He stared at her face in awe and guilt. "You died s-saving me. Eponine, I deserve to burn in hell for what I've done! It's my fault that you died! I led you to your death, I did, I am so sor-"

"Enjolras, neither of us is dead!" Eponine spoke sternly, in a tone she tried to copy from Enjolras. While it did not hold nearly as much conviction as his, it still got her point across. "You were brought here from the Barricade, and I was never shot. I'm fine, I promise you. Now rest, please."

"Ep-Eponine? Y-You're alive?" asked Enjolras incredulously, his voice wavering through his tears. "But how can that be?" He stared at the love of his life in utter disbelief. His hand found hers, and he squeezed it with all the strength he could muster. She felt solid and real and warm and alive.

"It doesn't matter now." said Eponine through her own tears, smiling slightly. "You're alright as well. Thank God."

Enjolras looked as though a huge weight had been taken from his shoulders. His breathing slowed and deepened, and his eyelids became heavy. His arched back slumped back on the pillows; he seemed positively exhausted. But before he blacked out, he mumbled to his girl, "I knew you were a difficult girl...knew you wouldn't give up without a fight..."

Eponine then cried tears of joy, and embraced Enjolras with all her might. He was already asleep by then, but his face finally looked peaceful. There would be many obstacles facing them in the near future. Their lives would be difficult and uncertain. But Eponine had finally found the missing piece of her heart, and she was determined to keep him safe. After all, there had to be a reason his heart was still beating.

Author's Note: And that's it! I'm almost dissatisfied with the ending, however, so I'm considering writing a bonus chapter to wrap everything up :) I hope you all liked it as much as I liked writing it! I realize now how much I adore writing for this pair :D It's fabulous! So I would love to hear your comments regarding this fic, and any ideas you may have for a bonus chapter. Don't forget to review! Thanks everybody! :)