Hello my lovelies! I have returned! First and foremost, I would like to apologise for the delay in updating any of my stories. I've had quite a few things to do this week. I was going to start writing this the other night, but then I found out from Rogers that one of the computers in my house had a virus. As it turns out, both my HP laptop and my netbook (which is what I use to write and update stories) had viruses. In fact, my netbook had two. However, that's been taken care of, so now I can update (yay!)

Also, I was going to update Les Méchants, but I have a bit of writer's block there, so y'all will have to wait just a bit longer.

Disclaimer: I don't own Les Misérables or any of the characters

A couple of weeks had passed since Cosette's departure. Marius was still a wreck most of the time, though he wasn't nearly as bad as the night Eponine had found him on the bridge. He had definitely strated to recover. He had started attending his classes again and, though he still missed one or two, he started attending the meetings of Les Amis de l'ABC again. While Marius was in class, Eponine would normally wait for him at the Cafe Musain, where she would normally chat with one of Les Amis. Some of them, like Enjolras, had finished with their studies, while others, like Lesgles or Grantaire, had either been kicked out or had simply lost interest.

So, one day, while Marius was in class, Eponine sat at a table in the small Cafe.

"I still haven't found my red flag." Enjolras said as he sat down across from Eponine.

"That's because Courfeyrac ate it." Eponine replied, giving the same answer she had given him several weeks before. Enjolras groaned. He had hoped that that wouldn't be her answer.

"Eponine, please just tell me where you hid it."

"Well where did you look?"

"Everywhere!"

"What about Courfeyrac's stomach, because that's where it is." Eponine told him, trying her best to keep a straight face. Enjolras sighed in frustration. "How much do you want that flag, Enjy?" she asked him, grinning.

"Very much so."

"Well how much?"

"On a scale of one to ten, eleven."

"Well that's not very high."

"I need that red flag, Eponine."

"Does your life depend on it?" she asked, though she knew full well that it didn't.

"Well, no–"

"Then technically, you don't need it." Eponine giggled, unable to hold back her laughter anymore. Seeing the look of frustration on his face, Eponine grinned and then got up and walked over to the corner of the Cafe, where she knelt down and pulled up a loose piece of the flooring. There, in the floor, was the red flag. Eponine took it out of its hiding spot and then placed the piece of flooring back in the floor. "And you said you looked everywhere." she said with a laugh as she walked back over to Enjolras and handed him his flag. Enjolras shook his head and gave a slight laugh.

"You really are the devil, Eponine." he said. Eponine laughed.

"And don't you forget it." she replied with a grin. Marius walked through the door of the Cafe. Eponine's grin widened, causing Enjolras to laugh quietly. He and the other Les Amis de l'ABC members had all noticed Eponine's feelings for Marius as they were quite obvious. Though, Marius himself had not noticed. Whenever Marius was not present, Les Amis de l'ABC often teased her about it. "Hello, Monsieur." Eponine greeted him.

"Hello 'Ponine." he replied, and then, nodding at Enjolras, he added, "Hello Enjolras." He looked at Eponine again. "Would you mind walking with me, for a little while, 'Ponine?" he asked her.

"Of course, Monsieur." she said as she stood up. Marius smiled slightly, though Eponine noticed that the smile was strained. She followed him out of the Cafe and they walked through the streets.

"I saw a girl that looked like her today..." he said quietly.

"Like Cosette?" Eponine asked. He nodded.

"For a moment, I thought it was her. I was about to go and talk to her, but she left and I didn't have the chance." Eponine wasn't quite sure of what to say, so she went with:

"I'm sorry, Monsieur."

"I miss her so much..."

"I know you do, Monsieur. But it will get easier, I promise you." she said. Marius smiled.

"Thanks, 'Ponine."

"Anytime, Monsieur." Marius smiled again. Then his smile turned into a mischevious grin.

"Race you to the bakery!" he said as he took off running in the direction of the bakery. Eponine laughed and chased after him, quickly catching up to him and then running ahead.

"I'm gonna win." she sang. She heard him laugh behind her. Marius sped up a bit so that he was running right next to her. Eponine could see that he was almost out of breath. "Getting tired, Monsieur?"

"No, not at all." Marius replied, slightly breathless.

"Good, neither am I." she said. She sped up even more, though she still wasn't running her fastest.

Surprising neither of them, Eponine won the race to the bakery. She waited for Marius to catch up and once he did, she waited for him to catch his breath.

"I think you may have won." Marius said after he'd caught his breath. Eponine grinned.

"Told ya I was gonna win." she said with a laugh. Marius laughed as well.

"Come on, then, I'll buy you a bun from the bakery." he said. Eponine, though she normally would have told him not to waste money on her, nodded and followed him into the bakery, a large smile still on her face. Marius bought three freshly baked buns and gave two to Eponine, leaving one for himself. Eponine was about to protest, but he cut her off, saying simply: "You need it more than I do." Eponine smiled and ate the first bun rather quickly and pocketed the second, deciding that it would be best to save it for later. Marius ate his bun as well and they continued to walk. As they walked, Marius took Eponine's hand and twirled her around, causing her to giggle and blush slightly. They continued to walk, Marius not letting go of her hand, which Eponine had no objections to. They talked about many things. Marius told Eponine about his classes, and Eponine told Marius about where she hid Enjolras' flag. After a moment of amiable silence, Marius said to Eponine, "Thank you, 'Ponine, for being there for me. I don't know how I would have gotten through, well, everything if you hadn't been there." Eponine smiled at him.

"I'll always be there for you, Monsieur."

"Thank you, 'Ponine."

"Anytime."

I know it was short, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless. The next chapter should be up soon, possibly tonight and will probably be longer and darker (but with some fluff). Please review!