Thank you for all the reviews and favorites and follows. :D

'Annie' is almost over. :( I'm happy because I'll actually be able to breath for awhile, but, man, I'm gonna miss them. :'(

Disclaimer: I own nothing from anything from anytime or anyplace that has anything to do with Les Mis. I only own my imagination. Merci.

The Letter

Marius Pontmercy rolled his neck to relieve his joints. Beside him, Cosette slept sounded, exhausted. Marius smiled with satisfaction. Stepping out of bed, he pulled on his undergarments and then trousers, leaving his shirt behind. The cook had seen him in much worse a state.

Padding down the stairs softly, Marius looked out the window, humming to himself. What time was it? It couldn't be that dark already? Had they really been upstairs that long?

"Madame Fickes! Madame-" Marius entered the kitchen, rummaging through the many cabinets.

A rather perturbed Madame Fickes stomped into the kitchen in nothing but her nightgown. "Marius? What is it that you could want at this time of night?"

"If it's not too much trouble, I would like-"

Madame Fickes waved her hand and pushed him aside, heading for the pantry. "Of course it's trouble, but this is what you pay me for! Sit down then. I'll make you some potatoes and fruit."

Marius grinned, thanking her. "Oh! Was there anything in the mail for me? Anything important, that it?"

Madame Fickes put her spoon down and handed him a letter, a rather thick one at that. "This here was the only thing you got today, monsieur."

Marius took the letter from her. "Thank you."

"Mhmm."

As he read the name scrawled across the envelope, he nearly choked on the water he was sipping. In fact, he did. With a red face and failing arms, Marius slouched forward in his seat; Madame Fickes rushed forward slapped his stomach and then his back. He coughed several times and focused on the letter in hand.

"Monsieur?" Madame Fickes whispered. "Is there something wrong?"

"Wake Cosette, Madame. Hurry."

Grantaire lifted both Jehan and Athena into his arms in one motion. He laughed loudly and spun them around the room, their own laughter peeling through the air. Annabella stepped into the front door, wrapping her arms around Ruby's neck; her stomach poked out just enough to reveal her surprise. Her own two children, Christophe (twelve) and Margot (six), rushed to Henry and Alfred's sides.

"You didn't tell me!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing to her friend's stomach.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Annabella said, touching her stomach.

"Well, surprise it is! Congratulations."

"Thank you." Annabella followed Ruby into the parlor, passing Enjolras and Grantaire on the way. They were already headed to situate themselves on the back patio so they could monitor the children as they ran back and forth. "Enjolras," Annabella whispered, touching his arm lightly.

"Good to see you," he replied.

Grantaire watched his wife pass into the parlor. He turned to his friend, leading him outside. "Can you believe it?"

"Believe what?" Enjolras took a sip of him lemonade as he sat down.

"Me? Married? With children?" Grantaire shook his head, laughing.

Enjolras laughed as well. "Hardly."

Grantaire nodded to himself. "She's good, though. I care for her a lot."

Enjolras leaned back and raised an eyebrow. "Care for her? Only that."

The other man shrugged. "Well, no. I suppose that I love her. I do, yes. But she's away so often; her mother's health, you know? I might as well be mother and father."

"Who would have guessed?" Enjolras smiled ruefully. "Henry George! Do not hold Athena that way, young man!"

Grantaire laughed. "And you! A father of four!"

"Dear God."

"Well, someone's got to do it."

There was a lull. Enjolras played with the rim of his glass. "Grantaire?"

"Hm?" Grantaire didn't take his eyes off the lawn.

"I sent a letter to Marius."

Grantaire's head slowly turned. "You what?" he asked slowly.

"I sent a letter to Marius," Enjoras repeated.

"Why on Earth would you do that?"

"I couldn't keep it in any longer. He needed to know-"

"Know what? That we're alive?" Grantaire raised his voice, but lowered it when Christophe and Alfred turned their heads. "That we weren't actually blown to pieces?"

"Grantaire, he has-"

"No reason to know we're alive, Enjolras."

"I think he does!"

"Well, it was wrong of you to send that letter! His whole life probably just turned upside down!"

Enjolras sighed. "Why are you so passionate about this? You usually don't care.."

Grantaire copied Enjolras and faced the lawn once more. "I do when it could possibly bring him back here."

Eponine shifted in the chair, uncomfortable. Beside her, Jehan closed his book and narrowed his eyes at her.

"You shouldn't watch, you know," he said.

Eponine shrugged. "What do you mean?"

"Watch him; his life."

Eponine sighed. "I can't help it."

"You can to! You just need to focus your attention somewhere else, or, ask Him to take it away."

Eponine shook her head. "I need to know how their life plays out, Jehan. I need to know when it's almost time."

Jehan patted her arm. "Eponine, you're only hurting yourself by doing this."

She shook her head once more and focused her attention back on the backyard. "I need to see him grow, Jehan. Both of them."

"Marius?" Cosette yawned, walking into the kitchen. "What is it?"

Marius was pacing across the floor of his kitchen. He had yet to open the letter; he was too scared. Holding it up, Marius pointed to the return address. "Do you see this?" he whispered; Cosette stared at him. "This.. this is from," he lowered his voice even more. "Enjolras!"

Cosette gasped, and rightfully so. Ever since the fall of the barricade, they had lived believing no one survived but Marius. They had grieved together, mourning every single one of them, but it had all been a falsehood. She sat down slowly at the table, holding her stomach. "Well," she gestured toward the letter. "Open it then!"

"Should I?" he asked, sitting in front of her.

"Of course. Yes. Don't you want to know what he has to say?"

"I... I don't really know."

"Of course you do." Cosette reached across the took the letter from him. Just as she opened it, she turned to Madame Fickes. "Madame-"

Madame took the hint and left the room.

"Now then.." Cosette's eyes ran across the paper before she cleared her throat. "Would you like me to read it?" Marius didn't answer. "Fine then."

The letter read:

Monsieur Marius,

I realize this comes as a shock and if you've managed to even open this letter, I commend you. I spent hours and hours pouring over this letter; I had no idea what to write down, what to tell you. This will be a short as possible; to make things easier. I didn't not die at the barricades, as you have figured out. It was Grantaire who saved me. He did not perish either. Eponine passed away the day she gave birth to my son, Alfred. I remarried then six years later to a woman named Ruby; she had blessed me with two children of our own- and boy and girl- and one adopted son. Grantaire is married, too. He has a son and a daughter, and his wife is expecting. She doesn't know that he knows yet, so keep it a secret.

I simply could not keep you in the dark any longer, mon ami. If you wish to visit, please, do not even ask. I hope all things are well.

Sincerely,

Enjolras

Marius smiled to himself. Likely of Enjolras to only put his surname. Even after all this time, he was still embarrassed to the core of his prenom: Maxime. He never, never used it. He looked up from the table and stared at his wife.

"Should we go?" she asked innocently.

Marius shook his head. "No. No." he sighed heavily. "This is too much. I need some air." and with that, he walked out of the house in nothing but his trousers.

lol. Naked Marius walkin' around Paris.

Lemme know what you think!

~Jessie