Four years later

The Thénardiers managed to finally get a home. They lived in the old Gorbeau house. It was boring and bland, until a new neighbor moved in. His name was Marius Pontmercy. He seemed to come from rich beginnings, but lived humbly. Éponine was brave enough to talk to him. Pretty soon, they became friends.

Marius was a member of Les Amis de l'ABC. He had joined recently. Although he butted heads with some (Enjolras and Combeferre) he was friends with others (Courfeyrac and Bossuet).

Marius and Éponine were walking along the street one day. Marius had to buy some food, and Éponine needed to deliver some letters. While they walked, Marius talked about his group of friends, and Éponine listened to every word. Her heart skipped a beat when he said Courfeyrac, but she dismissed it. It could be another Courfeyrac Marius knew, not the one from her childhood. But, she was even more intrigued when Marius mentioned a certain little boy hanging around them.

"Excuse me? Did you say his name was Gavroche?" Éponine asked.

Marius nodded. "Yes, why?"

"I think I know him…he's around eleven, right?" Éponine said, and Marius nodded again. She didn't say anything else, and Gavroche wasn't brought up again.

XXX

When Éponine had to leave to go deliver letters, Marius went over to the Musain. There he found Grantaire and Gavroche. Grantaire had become a best friend to little Gavroche. Gavroche looked up to him, and spent a lot of time with him. Especially now that Courfeyrac was busy running Les Amis and working on schoolwork. Grantaire barely did anything except for drink and sleep, so he was a good chaperone for little Gavroche.

Courfeyrac had told Gavroche stories about his sisters. Gavroche was still really young when he left though, so all he had were names, not faces. Gavroche would talk to the Les Amis all day about his sisters and how amazing they were. Marius was interested in this, and questioned Gavroche further when they were alone.

"Gavroche," Marius walked over to him. "What was the name of your sister?"

"Éponine, I think," Gavroche said. "And there's another one named Azelma."

"Well, I have a neighbor named Éponine. And I was telling her about you, and…she reacted very strange…I think you should meet her. She lives next door to me."

"Can I meet her?!" Gavroche turned to Grantaire, excited.

"Of course, but don't get your hopes up. It could be a different Éponine," Grantaire pointed out. Gavroche nodded, but still looked excited.

XXX

Marius invited Éponine over, and told her that she was going to meet Gavroche. When she came, she carried a bundle in her arms.

Éponine was nervous. Gavroche probably didn't remember her. But still, to have another member of her family back after so long. Someone knocked on the door, and Marius answered it.

"Gavroche!" Éponine cried out. She ran over and hugged the little boy tightly.

"Éponine? Is that you?" Gavroche looked at his sister in amazement.

"Yes, it's me!" Éponine said. She looked up to see who brought Gavroche over. A part of her wanted it to be Courfeyrac, but she knew she was wrong as she looked at the man.

He had unruly black curls and blue eyes. Éponine could smell his breath, and could tell he was an alcoholic. Yet, he held himself well, as if he was used to it.

"Grantaire," he smiled and held out a hand. Éponine took it, and he shook her hand. Éponine nodded briefly before turning back to Gavroche.

"How are you?! I haven't seen you since you were a baby!" Éponine walked over and sat on Marius' bed. Gavroche sat down next to her.

"I'm pretty good. I've been raised up by Les Amis de l'ABC. Grantaire's been helping take care of me." In his excitement, Gavroche forgot to mention Courfeyrac. Éponine didn't want to bring it up, since she was too happy to have Gavroche back.

"Thank you," she said to Grantaire. Grantaire briefly smiled.

"Can you read?" Éponine asked Gavroche.

"No," Gavroche shook his head.

"Well, maybe your friends can teach you. I have the perfect book. I've been saving it for years." Éponine got up and went over to the table, where she put her bundle down. Unwrapping it, she gave it to Gavroche. "It's called Young Boys' Games. It's a very good book."

"Thanks Éponine!" Gavroche smiled. "Can you read?"

Éponine nodded. "I went to school when I was younger. So did our sister, Azelma. Azelma is a year younger than me. She is very nice, but just a bit shy."

"Where is she?" Gavroche asked.

"Out on errands," Éponine said, sitting back down next to him.

"What happened to the inn?" Gavroche questioned further. Marius and Grantaire had left the room to give the two siblings some space to talk.

"We had to sell it to get money," Éponine said.

"Oh, that's too bad," Gavroche stood up. "I have to go now. Bye Éponine!"

"Bye Gavroche!" Éponine smiled and hugged her brother goodbye.

"I'll come see you again!" Gavroche smiled and left with his present. Grantaire took him back to the café, while Marius went inside the room to Éponine.

"He's adorable," Marius smiled.

Éponine nodded. "He's grown a lot, too. Thank you, Marius. Without you, I don't think I would have ever seen him again."

Marius smiled, "it was my pleasure, 'Ponine."

XXX

Gavroche was so excited to have met his sister; he didn't register the idea to tell Courfeyrac about it.