Here's the next chapter! Enjoy the fluff because the next chapter will get alot more... angsty...
Disclaimer: I don't own Les Miserables or any of the characters.
Marius woke again rather early in the morning and found Eponine curled up against his side in his bed, her head resting on his chest. He smiled lightly, noticing how comfortable she looked, how... content she looked. He reveled in moments like these, those moments that Eponine was actually happy. He wished that she would always be happy. She doesn't deserve the life she has, Marius thought, no one deserves the life she has... Oh how he wished he could take her away from all of that. On several occasions he had asked her to come live with him, but she had always refused. 'My father would come after me,' she would say, or 'A bourgeois like you with a street rat like me? Don't be silly, Monsieur.' She did seem to be genuinely concerned that her father and his gang, the Patron-Minette, would harm Marius if they knew that he helped her. The first time that Eponine and Marius had gone for a walk together Eponine had insisted on walking ahead of him, 'You wouldn't want to be seen with the likes of me.' she'd said sadly. Marius had spent the next hour convincing her that he didn't care if he was seen with her, he didn't care what people would think. The Eponine that he saw by day was different then the sleeping one he saw now. Eponine always had her guard up, she always made herself seem strong (save for that night on the bridge), but now, as she lay with her head on his chest and her arm draped across his stomach, Eponine looked younger, more fragile. It was in that moment that Marius realised that Eponine had been forced to grow up too soon, she'd had a horrible life thrust upon her when she was so young, she'd been forced to fend for herself. Eponine was only 16, and that, thought Marius, was much too young to have to take care of yourself. So yes, Eponine was fragile, but she never let that show, not when she was awake. Only when she was sleeping did her guard go down. Marius could see how hard it must be for her to endure each day of living with her father, he could see what had brought her to the bridge. It was then, whilst watching her sleep, that Marius vowed that Eponine would not have a rough life forever. No, he would see to it that she have a better life.
Eponine twitched slightly in her sleep. She started to wake, mumbling something about needing to get her quota. She raised her head slightly.
"It's okay, Eponine. Go back to sleep." he said softly. She laid her head back down on his chest and closed her eyes, soon drifting off to sleep once more. Marius kissed her forehead lightly and just watched her sleep.
An hour later, Eponine awoke from a nightmare. She sat up, gasping, tears falling from her eyes. She'd had a nightmare of the night Montparnasse had raped her, she had relived it.
"Eponine?" said Marius, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She lied, keeping her head turned away from him so he couldn't see that she was crying.
"'Ponine," he said softly, using a nickname he'd thought of for her, "what's wrong?"
"Nothing." She lied again, but her voice broke. She turned her head and looked at him. He took in her tear-stained face and then wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest and cried softly. He realised, in that moment, just how broken Eponine was. Horrible things had happened to her and they'd broken her. He wondered if the pieces could ever be put back together again. He said nothing, just held her close as she cried. They stayed like that for awhile.
As Marius held her, Eponine came to a realisation: she loved him. Oh! She thought as she came to this realisation. When did that happen? When did I begin to love him? Oh! Yes, she loved him. She loved him so much that she felt like her heart might burst, so much that it ached. Should I tell him? she asked herself, No, no! Of course not! He would never feel the same way, he would never love me... The thought brought on fresh tears. Marius kissed her forehead lightly. Well clearly he is not so repulsed by me... after all, he is holding me right now... maybe he'd feel the same way... No, silly Eponine, he could never love you! Look at yourself! You're absolutely filthy, your hair is in knots, you wear rags! Ah, but look at him! He is clean, his hair is smooth, his clothing has no rips or tears... He could never love me, no one could... She looked up at him through her lashes and found that he was watching her. He smiled lightly at her. Her lips twitched upward in response. I wonder if his lips are soft... she thought faintly. She wiped away the last of her tears.
"Are you alright?" he asked her. She nodded.
"It was just a nightmare." she told him. Marius knew that she would say no more on the matter. She pulled out of his arms and got up. "I'd best be going... I need to fill my quota..."
"'Ponine? You know you could always move in with me, then you'd never have to go back to your father."
"You know I couldn't do that, Monsieur... My siblings have already left us, my father would not let me leave that easily." she replied.
"We could leave Paris and never come back. I'd do anything if it meant that you would be safe."
"I could never ask that of you, Monsieur. You have friends here, you have school, that is too much for you to give up. You shouldn't... not for me." She told him. And with that, she left his apartment, taking to the streets. Marius followed her.
"Please, let me help you." he said to her. She smiled, turning to face him.
"Ah, but you have! Don't you see, Marius? You've helped me more than anyone else ever has. You've given me hope, you've given me reason to live. If not for you, I'd be dead." She kissed his cheek lightly. "You saved me, Marius." And she ran off.
3 years later
Eponine was sitting in the Cafe Musain, waiting for Marius. She looked up when the door opened. Enjolras walked in. She grinned.
"Hey Enjy." she greeted him, knowing full well how much he hated being called Enjy. Enjolras sighed and then nodded in her direction.
"Eponine." he said. "Waiting for Marius, I presume?"
"Naturally." she replied. Enjolras looked around the Cafe for his red flag that he had left here the night before. Eponine watched him, clearly amused. After half an hour of searching and not finding it, Enjolras went over and sat down across from Eponine.
"Where did you hide it?"
"Whatever are you talking about, Monsieur?" Eponine asked innocently.
"Where did you hide my flag?"
"What flag?"
"The red one."
"The red what?"
"The red flag."
"What about it?"
"Where did you hide it?"
"Hide what?" Eponine asked, fighting back laughter.
"Where did you hide my red flag?"
"Courfeyrac ate it." She replied. Upon hearing his name, Courfeyrac looked over.
"What?" he asked.
"Well apparently you ate my red flag." Enjolras said, clearly not amused.
"I did not such thing!" Courfeyrac protested.
"Yes you did." Eponine argued.
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did."
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did."
"Alright, I did!" Courfeyrac sighed, giving up. He walked away. Eponine grinned and looked at Enjolras.
"Told ya." She said, barely containing her laughter now. Enjolras sighed. "Hey Enjy–"
"Please don't call me that."
"–who sculpted you?" she asked him. Enjolras looked at her, clearly confused.
"What?"
"Who sculpted you? I mean, you are a marble statue, so someone must have sculpted you."
"Eponine–"
"Was it Grantaire? I bet it was Grantaire." she said just as Marius walked into the Cafe Musain. Enjolras looked over when he heard the door open.
"Oh, Marius, thank God you're here!" he said exasperatedly. Marius raised an eyebrow. "She's the devil." Enjolras said with a glance at Eponine, who giggled. Marius laughed.
"Come on, 'Ponine, let's go for a walk. Enjolras looks like he's about to explode." Marius said, taking her hand and helping her up. Eponine grinned. They left the Cafe and walked down the streets of Paris.
Aaaand there ya have it! Please review!
