November 1831 Paris

7 years had passed since Valjean had landed in the city, 7 years of political turmoil and poverty for the majority of Paris. Eponine and Cosette had grown from the young girls they were, both about 19 they were a sight for the residents of Rue Plumet. But as peaceful as their life was, the sisters wanted to go out and see more. One night in their room, Eponine braided Cosette's golden hair.

"Ponine?" She asked quietly

"What?" Eponine replied as she finished the braid, Cosette turned around facing her sister. "Have you ever been in love?" Eponine snorted

"How could I? Papa never allows us out of the house." She gave a sad smile, "But I love you." She gently held Cosette's hand, but the girl stood up,

"I want to fall in love! Like in the stories, in the operas!" Cosette spun around her cream nightgown fluttering around her, "Don't you want to love too Ponine?" Cosette grabbed her hands and pulled her off the bed, Eponine sighed, what good would love be? Love would just hurt her in the end, or saddle her with a gaggle of children,

"I want to go out and do things, I want to see all of France, all of Europe!" She exclaimed remembering the paintings she saw in books.

"And you would go alone?" Cosette asked raising a brow, Eponine shook her head, "No you would come with." Smiling Cosette laid down on the bed with Eponine next to her, "I'm going to sneak out tomorrow." Eponine whispered, Cosette's eyes widened "I"ll be fine, I just need to leave without Papa's hand like a leash on me."

"What do you want me to say to him?" Cosette asked Eponine shook her head,

"He won't know, I'll go in the evening when he's out and just put bundles in my bed, he doesn't check on us anymore." Eponine finished and Cosette thought before nodding, her sisters face light up. Eponine blew out the candle and the room was shrouded in darkness. "If all goes well you can come with me." Eponine whispered "We may find your love." Cosette smiled at this, as images of handsome men came to mind.

The next evening after Valjean had left the home Eponine donned her most basic dress she wrapped a heavy shawl around herself and tied her boots. Cosette sat in the parlor silently. Eponine felt the guilt rise, she was leaving her sister alone, " I'll try to find you a prince Cosette." She told her sister. Cosette grinned and hugged her.

"Stay safe Eponine, promise me." She told her Eponine promised and left the home, climbing over the back garden wall to freedom.

The streets were still alive with the people, Eponine took in the atmosphere so many people, so many sights and sounds. She knew that the area wasn't the Paris everyone knew of or even the one she wanted to see, but its grittiness had the charm. She wandered the streets, when a group of young men passed by cutting her off, they rambled into the ABC Tavern. Her curiosity got the best of her and she followed the men to the tavern. Peeking into the windows she saw the men jostling each other, Eponine felt a longing for the relationship they shared, to have real friends. She moved closer to the door, remembering her father's words on the men who went to taverns, that they were violent and of ill repute. But the idea of seeing the men in their made her go in.

The tavern was busy, full of people with friends and family. She looked for the boys and saw them around a table in the corner. She sat at a table near them, and when a barmaid came up to her she ordered a whiskey. She stole glances at the men, seeing that they were a quite handsome bunch.

"Mademoiselle!" One man called Eponine turned to them, he held out a chair for her, and smiled. Eponine felt her heart race, she had never known any men who were her age before. Her impulses got the best of her and she sat down with them. " What is your name Mademoiselle?" A man asked her, he had red wisps' of hair that fell across his eyes. She blushed at the look he gave her.

"Eponine." She answered him he gestured to himself. " And I am Courfeyrac" He introduced her to the rest of the men, a man at leaning back in his chair with a thick volume was Combeferre, another who had already drunk more then his share was Grantaire. But the only one who didn't pay much attention to her was known as Enjolras "Don't be insulted by Enjolras his only love is Patria" Eponine locked eyes with the blue eyes man, who stared at her like she wasn't there. She felt her boldness rise.

"Monsieur I believe you would find the Patria will not offer you the same pleasure as a women." Courfeyrac guffawed and Enjolras looked down at the table before catching her eyes again, he gave a small smile, and in no words Eponine felt her heart palpitate in her chest, suddenly she began to understand what Cosette ranted on about. She listened to the men talk, about revolution, the poor and the government. She knew she appeared like a bourgeois but the memories of her past made her agree with the men. When the night grew late when the men left. Courfreyrac carried out Grantaire the latter of the men was singing a song and could barely hold himself up. She was beginning to leave when Enjolras stood next to her.

"Mademoiselle you seem out of place here. A little rich girl?" He chuckled at her

"I am not like that." She stated angrily. Enjolras gave her a questioning look, sighing Eponine looked him in the eyes. "Have you ever been starving? Really truly starving?" The older man shook his head. "It's the type of hunger that makes your head spin, you shake, and heave, that you wish for death because your stomach hurts so." Enjolras looked down, "

"You certainly don't look starving mademoiselle." Eponine shook her head

"There are pasts that you do not like looking back on." She replied. Enjolras stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I owe you an apology mademoiselle." He told her and she felt a blush grow on her face. The man's blue eyes were kind and his golden curls fell near the eyes. The man walked with her until she was near her home, with a smile she nodded and began to run off, " Mademoiselle!" He called and she turned "Will you ever be back to the tavern?" Eponine grinned and shook her brown locks

"If possible monsieur I will return." She turned on heel and with a jump scaled the wall to a garden and dropped from view.

AN: The next chapter will be focused more on Cosette, and thank you for all the reviews and Follows! Review, like, follow, build a shrine whatever floats your boat.