A/N: So sorry to have not written in ages! LOTS of coursework for school and had a few issues with my general life. Anyway, that doesn't matter...two chapters are coming tonight.

Chapter Eight: Reunited

Even after less than a week at their new home, Eponine and Cosette loved Rue Plumet. The past few days they'd spent time going out with their father to get furniture and other items to decorate the house and make it more comfortable. They'd also picked up their new dresses. Cosette had insisted that Eponine's were also ones she'd designed.

The thing about Rue Plumet that they loved the most was the garden. It was surrounded by huge crumbling but sturdy walls, and had an elegant back gate which went into an alleyway. It was full of plants, some of which they decided looked nice enough and decided to keep after trimming a little; some of which they were busily digging up on a warm Sunday afternoon.

As the sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, which was now tinted amber, the girls rested on the bench. They were dressed in the woollen dresses they'd worn on weekends at the convent. Mud splattered their tired faces and hands, but they were laughing.

Inside the house, after both girls had bathed and were now dressed in their thin white nightgowns, a warm glow radiated from the open fire. Above the fireplace stood both silver candlesticks, gentle flames flickering. Between the candlesticks was a pure white vase. On a rug beside the fireplace, Jean Valjean was laid, snoring slightly in his sleep.

Both girls giggled quietly as they tip-toed across the room to place a bouquet of lilac buddleias, careful not to wake the sleeping man.

"A rose would look nice in the vase." Eponine pondered. She could hear the footsteps of a young boy nearing the ginnel by their house. She felt the paper tied up her sleeve by ribbon. "I'll go and pick one. Stay here, Cosette; I'll be back in a moment." She smiled slightly as she turned away from her sister.

Surely a young boy wouldn't mind delivering a letter?

Marius was walking down the street lost in thought, when he heard a voice. "Pssst." It whispered. He looked around, but saw nobody. "Look down, get your head out of the clouds." The voice now sang teasingly. When Marius glanced down, a small, dirt-streaken face looked back up. A pair of bright eyes met his.

"'Vroche." He greeted. "I have a letter, Marius." He handed Marius a folded sheet of paper with a ribbon wrapped around it. The ribbon was red. He was sure he'd seen it before.

"Some rich girl handed me it last night." Gavroche put his hand in his pocket, a thoughtful expression passing over his face. "You'd never think she was rich, though. She was so kind. Gave me a couple of coins, and a slice of cake."

"Very kind." Marius mumbled. "She reminded me of that Eponine girl from a couple of Christmasses ago. She had the same green eyes." Gavroche stepped away slightly. "G'day, Monsieur. Vive la France!" Gavroche skipped away.

Marius untied the ribbon, suddenly craving to read the letter. Written in a simple but elegant script was:

Dear Monsieur Marius, I have moved into Paris. I'll now be able to see you again.

Meet me Monday, at six o'clock in the evening.

Same place as usual.

Yours Faithfully, Eponine.

Marius' smiled. He would see Eponine again. The idea flooded him with joy.

Eponine felt nervous as she brushed her hair. She was dressed in a deep aquamarine dress, which brought out flecks of blue in her green eyes. Her dark curls tumbled over one shoulder. At the hollow of her neck was the delicate silver rose necklace that Cosette had given her on her sixteenth birthday.

After she pulled her new navy blue velvet cloak over her shoulders, she was ready.

Marius leant against the wall. She should be here soon, he thought excitedly, when the skirts of an aquamarine dress falling from under a navy cloak caught his eye.

The hood of the cloak made it hard to see the girl wearing the dress, but when he met her eyes, he knew. He'd recognise those green eyes anywhere.

"'Ponine!" He cried joyfully, running towards her. His arms circled her waist, pulling her in for a hug that lasted a moment.

"Hello, Monsieur Marius. How are you? How is everyone at the cafe musain?" She smiled after they pulled away.

"Oh, dear 'Ponine, I'm fine. Especially now you're here-how good it is too see you again! As for Cafe Musain-" his face clouded a moment. "-you won't tell anyone, my dear? Of course you won't. Well...tomorrow we're giving a speech. Outside General Lamarque's. You see, there's suffering around these streets. It's awful. The rich bastards-I'm sorry, please excuse me, Mademoiselle- who run this country don't do anything for the poor. We want to change that." He spoke quietly, but with such passion. Eponine began to realise what he was saying.

"Rebellious, are we?" A coy smile flickered across her face.

Both reunited friends walked arm-in-arm together, talking about everything and nothing, walking under the street lights for a couple of hours down the city streets.