Chapter One: Trick of the Trade:

Eponine awoke the next morning with a smile upon her face. She remembered how she meet her Angel the previous night. She could feel his presence all around her. However, she thought it was nothing but a mere dream. However, where she saw the red rose on her pillow. She knew he was just as real as she was. Eponine took the rose in her hands, and let the sweet scent fill her room.

"GET UP! GET UP YOU LAZY CREATURE!"

Eponine could hear Madame Thenadier, her mother call out to her. When she did not return the yell, the Madame grew angry. She grabbed a broom stick and knocked the ceiling, hoping that will get her daughter's attention.

"IF YOU DON'T GET DOWN HERE THIS STICK WILL BE ON YOUR BACKSIDE!"

Eponine quickly got up from her bed. She through on her bags of clothing, and glanced in the mirror. She ran her hands to straighten out her dark mess of hair. It was not much, but she soon flatened her hair. Eponine wanted to look her for Marius' arrival. The Madame hit the ceiling one more time. Eponine wasted no more time. She grabbed the rose, placed it gently in one of her pockets and decended downstairs to the Inn.

The Thenadiers ran and lived in a small Inn in Paris. Eponine was the one who basically ran the place. Her parents were too busy conning the customers out of their money. Once she was downstairs, her father bowed down at her and remarked sarcasitically: "Well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence. Your majesty."

"What took you so bloody long?" asked the Madame.

"I had to get ready."

Madame Thenadier just laughed at her. "Why do you have to get ready for?" she asked. "Who would bother with a skinny prat like you?" The Madame walked over and thrusted the brook at her. "Get to work."

Eponine was use to her parents harsh words. When most children, like her dear friend Marius, grew up with a nice family. The Thenadiers were very harsh with their daughter. They taunted her, teased her, cursed at her, and at times, beat her with their own hands. She grew use to them. It came to the point where the pain didn't bother her anymore. She managed to hide the bruises and cuts that were spread across her body but she could not hide anything from Marius. He knew what a cold world she lived. He was the only warmth and comfort she knew. She hoped he would come soon.

A few hours passed and she was alloud to eat lunch. She did not recieve much: a few pieces of stale bread, and water the only things that filled her stomach. She ate lunch slowly, hoping Marius would come, and the two friends could exchange a nice conversation.

Eponine took a break from eating, to check over her shoulder. She wanted to see what her parents were up to. Eponine saw them as they distracted a costumer to get to his money back. Once she was in the clear, she withdrew the rose from out of her pocket but keep it hidden under the table, just in case. She let her slim fingers dance across the smooth petals. The Angel of Music entered her mind. She wondered when she would see him again.

"'PONINE!"

Eponine looked up from the rose to find Marius dashing towards her. Enjolras, his best mate was not far behind. Eponine was taken aback as Marius through his arms around her. "Thank Heaven you are all right."

In return, Eponine through her arms around him. She felt so safe in his arms. As they pulled apart, Eponine replied: "'Course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You have not heard then?" asked Enjolras, taking a seat beside her.

"No. What?"

"The streets are no longer safe at night." Marius informed, also joining them at the table. "Do you know of La Opera Populair?"

"Who doesn't know?" asked Eponine.

La Opera Populair was one of the most popular House in all of Paris. She oftened dreamed that one day she would would run away there and become a famous Opera singer. "What happened?" she asked Marius.

"It caught fire last night." Marius answered. "They say a Phantom is to blame."

"A Phantom?" questioned Eponine. "You mean a spook?"

Enjolras shook his head. "No. The papers say he is a mad man. He has killed and will continue to do so."

"He managed to escape the blaze." replied Marius. "That is why you must keep off the streets until he found!"

Eponine looked down at her rose. It was no Angel that she had bumped into the previous night. It had been the Phantom. Still, she didn't understand. How could he be a murder? She asked herself. He could have taken her against her will but he did not. Instead, he had given her this rose as a gift. Eponine would not mention this to her friends. She would not reveal the Phantom until she knew his full story.

Marius noticed that Eponine was not listening to him. Her head was in the clouds. She had a bad habbit of this. He wondered what she was thinking. He let his eyes gaze to her lap and noticed a rose. "Where did you get that?" he demanded.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently. "You mean, this?" Eponine pulled out the rose and waved it infront of his face, tickling his nose. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Where did you get it 'Ponine?" he asked again.

"I'm never gonna tell." she sang out to him.

Enjolras smiled and watched from the sidelines. He couldn't help but laugh as Marius went to fetch the rose Eponine's hand but 'Ponine had been too quick for him. This was a game that he knew all too well. He could tell that 'Ponine loved Marius. He could see it in her eyes. Of course, Marius was obvilous to this fact. If he would raving about Cosette for one moment, he would see what a kind a beautiful girl Eponine was.

Marius finally managed to grab the rose from Eponine. He now stood, and held it over her head. She jumped at it, as a kitten would to it's play string. He was enjoying himself.

"GIVE IT!" cried Eponine. "GIVE IT BACK OR I'LL-"

"Or you'll what?"

Eponine could no long take his taunting. She drew one of her hands into a fists, and hit Marius in the stomach. This caused him to drop the rose. The flower landed gently in her hand. Eponine smirked at her victory. "That'll 'earn ya!"

Marius gave Enjolras a pleading look. "A little help please."

"I do not think so my friend." Enjolras replied, holding up his hands as if he was about to surrender. "It was you who taught her that and I do not wish to be her next target."

The riot that Eponine and Marius had caused, caused the Madame to storm over and bring a stop to it. "What the bloody hell is goin' on?"

Enjolras stood up right away, since Marius was in pain at the moment. "Forgive me Madame, it was my fault."

Eponine quickly placed the flower back into her pocket just as her mother glared at her. "I don't care who's fault it was. Now, get back to work!"

Eponine dashed back to the broom, and once again began to sweep. She turned back to Enjolras just as her mother went away. She smiled at him. Enjolras smiled back at her and gave her a swift bow of his head before sitting back down. Eponine went back to sweeping up the nasty floor.

After the pain subsided, Marius sat back down and looked over at his friend. "Care to tell me what that was about it?" he asked. "You had nothing to do with our little game. Why did you come to her defense so quickly?"

"You know the answer to that. She is my friend as well."

Marius did not argue about that. Eponine knew Enjolras for as just long. At times, Marius would catch Enjolras gazing at their dear 'Ponine. He wondered if he cared more for her. Marius leaned closer to him, so the two could share a private conversation. "Did you give her that rose?"

Enjolras sat back and crossed his arms. "What would you say if I did?"

"Nothing. I would wish nothing but the best with her."

Enjolras laughed. "Marius, you are a fool." he said. "But no, I did not give her that flower. I could never be so bold to do so."

Marius sat back. If Enjolras did not, then who did? Marius made a plan to find out who was Eponine mysterious suiter. He wanted to make sure that she would be all right. He would not know what to do with himself if any harm came upon his dear 'Ponine.

As Eponine continued to sweep, she could not help but smile. It seemed the rose had caused Marius to stir within his seat. Perhaps, he grew jealous of her new companion. Eponine liked the thought of that. Then it hit her! A wicked thought crossed her mind. All though, the Stranger she had run into last night was not her Angel, she would still use him in her plan to get Marius. If he did not accept. She would simply rat him out. Blackmail, it was the best trick of the trade.

TBC...

Author's Notes: Yes, I called the Phantom "The Stranger". I couldn't help myself. Gerry Butler plays a character called "The Stranger" in a movie called "Dear Frankie" that I'm dying to see, and I couldn't resist. I had to do it! Anyway, I'm not too found with how this chapter ended, but I couldn't come up with anything else. Sorry. Eh. Oh. Well. Chapter two is on it's way!