Hello

This chapter brings in more detail about Eponine's home life as well as Gavroche's life before Courfeyrac came to his rescue (His flashback is in italics)

I hope you all got the references to romance in the story in the last chapter

Eponine awoke slowly; more comfortable then she had been for years. The sheets were warm and soft and for a moment she felt as if she must still be dreaming. This couldn't be her old bed in her cold bedroom. It wasn't the shouting that she was heard to that she heard as she woke; it was instead soft laughter and kind words, a much sweeter sound. She couldn't be at home. Hearing the sound of footsteps down the hallway, she remembered the night before. Courfeyrac's soft voice as he told her the story of the princess and her castle, his smile making her feel safe and relaxed, the light in his brown eyes. She could remember allowing her head to fall forwards to rest on his shoulder as her eyes began to droop. She must have fallen asleep. This must have been Courfeyrac's bed.

"Good morning sleepy head"

She looked up to see Courfeyrac standing in the doorway, Gavroche in his arms. The little boy looked as if he had just woken up, sleepily resting his head on Courfeyrac's shoulder and smiling at his sister.

"I was just about to make some breakfast for the little man, do you want some?" Courfeyrac said with a kind smile. "And I hope you slept well"

Eponine nodded, pushing herself out of bed and walking to him, seeing that she was still dressed in the same clothes as the night before. "Courfeyrac, you should have woken me, you should have made me go home last night". She knew that she would have to face her father when she returned home. He would be furious.

"You were sleeping, I couldn't bring myself to wake you" Courfeyrac smiled walking with her to the kitchen. "If your father gives you trouble Eponine…"

"Don't worry Courfeyrac" Eponine said quickly stopping him from continuing with that sentence. She did not want to talk about that in front of Gavroche. "But I must leave now, forget breakfast"

"Stay 'Ponine" Gavroche said in a little voice, muffled by his thumb in his mouth. "It good when you 'ere"

She sighed, reaching across Courfeyrac to stroke Gavroche's hair and kiss his forehead, careful of the pox spots that still covered his sweet face. "I'm sorry baby, but I have to go" She said softly. "I'll come and see you soon". Looking across the room and trying not to make eye contact with either Courfeyrac or Gavroche, she picked up her jacket and slid it over her too thin frame. "Thank you, for last night…"

"Eponine" Courfeyrac sighed setting Gavroche on the couch and leading Eponine through to the kitchen. "Will you be in trouble with your parents for staying here last night? Be honest with me"

"Probably, but don't worry about me, I can handle it. Gavroche is still sick, worry about him for me" Eponine said with a carefree smile. "I'll be alright, and Courfeyrac, thank you for the story"

Courfeyrac nodded. "You're welcome for the story, but Eponine I need to worry about you too" He said walking across the room and picking up his wallet. "Here"

"What are you doing? I don't need money?" Eponine said placing a hand on his forearm as if trying to stop him.

"Look Eponine, if you take some money your father will think that were working last night" He said removing a handful of notes from his wallet "Take this"

"I can't Courfeyrac, that's your hard earned money" Eponine insisted. "Use it to take 'Roche some sweets, or buy him more books. He loves them"

"I have money to do that for Gavroche, I am giving this money to you" Courfeyrac said with a smile, taking her hand and folding the notes into her palm. "I insist, and I am not taking no for an answer"

Eponine sighed, defeated, looking at the handful of notes in her hand. "Father will be happy with this" She commented looking back up at him. There was concern in his eyes, concerns for her safety. "You are a sweetheart Courfeyrac, thank you"

"You are welcome" Courfeyrac smiled. "Text me, yes? Let me know when you can come again, and if you can make it to the café, I'll bring Gavroche to come and see you"

"Yes" Eponine smiled walking with him to the door after saying goodbye to little Gavroche, who seemed pretty content to be watching cartoons from his comfortable spot on the couch, buried under his warm blanket. "Thank you again Courfeyrac" She said rolling up onto your toes to press a kiss to his cheek.

Courfeyrac blushed. "Stop thanking me and go, you don't wait to keep your father waiting" He smiled. She nodded and quickly left, leaving to rush home. Closing the door, he made his way back to the kitchen and quickly made some toast for him and Gavroche.

"Tank you Courf" Gavroche smiled taking the toast Courfeyrac offered him and eating it quickly.

"Slow down, little man, the food isn't going to go anywhere" Courfeyrac chuckled. He watched Gavroche quickly eating the toast, the jam sticking to his fingers as he looked up at his guardian. "Why are you eating so fast?"

"In case" Gavroche began, finishing his piece of toast before continuing. "In case anyone takes it away"

"Takes it away, why would anyone take your food away" Courfeyrac said, concerned now as he gently brought Gavroche to sit on his lap, his own toast forgotten. "Tell me Kiddo"

"They got the food away at the bad place, if we took too long" The little boy said leaning against Courfeyrac's chest.

"Eat now children, then to bed with you all" said the owner of the orphanage, standing at the head of the table as he stared at the 17 little children that sat around the table. "Faster!"

The children, all under the age of ten with Gavroche being the youngest having just turned 4, looked down at their plates and nodded without a word, quickly spooning the vegetable soup into their mouths.

"Come on eat faster, or he'll take it away and send you to bed hungry" Said one child, a little boy aged nine, leaning forward so that the owner would not hear him.

"But we only just started" Said Rosie, a little girl new to the orphanage.

"I know, but he just wants us in bed so we have to be fast" The boy replied

Gavroche, who struggled to use the large spoon with the soup, was eating as quickly as he could, more of it falling back into the bowl rather than reaching his mouth. "But I'm hungry" He complained in a voice loud enough for the owner to hear him. It wasn't uncommon for Gavroche or the other younger children to go to bed hungry. They couldn't eat fast enough, and when they did it made them sick.

"You'll be hungry again boy" The owner said, his long beard tangled and his eyes mean. "You need to learn Gavroche, you've been here long enough"

"Please Monsieur Paul, I'm hungry, I won't take much longer, I pwomise" Gavroche said resorting to pick at the vegetables with his hands to eat faster. "Pwease"

"Learn to eat faster and learn to talk properly boy" He boomed, taking the bowl away and giving it to his wife as she collected the bowls from the other children who had not finished their dinner. "Now, Michael" He said looking to the older boy. "Take these younger ones to bed, then to bed with yourself, understand!"

"Yes" Michael said taking the hands of a teary Rosie and Gavroche, leading them away. He could cope with having to eat fast or going to bed hungry, but he didn't want that for the little children. They needed mama's and papa's to love them. All of the children wore dirty, old clothing that did not fit them well and they slept between two bedrooms, all the girls in one then all the boys in another. As they walked to the bedrooms, Michael gave Rosie to an older girl by the name of Louisa before walking to the boy's room with Gavroche

"I'm 'ungry" Gavroche complained "I can't eat that fast, not the soup, it's too runny"

"I know Gavroche" Michael sighed lying on his bed. "Go to sleep, you'll be out of here soon. You're little and cute, people will like you"

"I been little since I got here and no one like me yet" Gavroche said sadly looking at the older boy

"Just go to sleep Gavroche" Michael replied

Gavroche nodded curling up on his side and closing his eyes.

"They took food away if you didn't finish fast enough?" Courfeyrac gaped, bringing his hand around to stroke Gavroche's hair. The child nodded. "Aww Gavroche, you don't have to be worried about that here, I won't take your food away, I promise. And if you are hungry you can have more food"

"Tank you Courf" Gavroche smiled, absentmindedly scratching his stomach.

Gently, Courfeyrac moved his hand away from his stomach and wrapped him up in his blanket. "No itching, little man, I know you want too but you can't" He said softly holding him close and feeling his forehead. He thankfully did not feel as hot as the day before but still had the fever. "Do you feel yucky?"

"A little bit" Gavroche said wrapping his arms around Courfeyrac "Can we read a story?"

"Sure" Courfeyrac smiled. "Let's just give you some medicine and put some cream on, then we can read a story". Smiling as Gavroche nodded, the young man carried the little boy through to the kitchen sitting him on the counter as he gave him the medicine and dotted his skin in the soothing pink lotion. "You want to sit on the couch, or lie in bed and have your story?" He asked holding him on his hip again

"Bed" Gavroche said leaning his head on Courfeyrac's shoulder. "It cosy"

"Indeed it is" Courfeyrac chuckled carrying him to his room and settling him into his bed, wrapping him up warmly and sitting beside him, making sure that Gavroche had his favourite monkey toy. "There we go" He smiled picking up a book and sitting next to the child, allowing Gavroche to curl against his side and rest his head on his lap.

As he told the story of the brave little car in the biggest race on earth and the story of Ben and the magical train, he ran his hand across Gavroche's curls knowing that the gesture had always comforted him when he was younger and he knew that Gavroche liked it too. "You like stories don't you little man?" He asked

"Yes, Courf, when can I read?" Gavroche asked. "Instead of just listening?"

"Well, you can go to school when you are 5, but I can teach you some if you would like?" Courfeyrac smiled, happy that the child appeared to have a desire to learn. "Would you like that?"

"Yes I would" Gavroche smiled, snuggling closer to him, yawning.

"Then I'll teach you when you are feeling all better" Courfeyrac said softly

"Courf? Where 'Ponine go?" Gavroche asked sleepily.

"She had to go home little man, but don't worry she will come back soon to see us. I promise" Courfeyrac replied moving Gavroche so that he could lie beside him. "She didn't want to go, she wanted to stay here I think"

"That would be good Courf" Gavroche smiled starting to fall asleep.

"I know it would 'Roche" Courfeyrac smiled, kissing his temple. "Maybe one day, you never know"

"'Ponine says home a bad place, this is the good place" the little boy said rubbing his tired eyes. "I think she likes it here"

"I hope she does, I'm glad you like it here" Courfeyrac said softly, adjusting the blankets around Gavroche. "I don't know what her home is like but I am sure she is alright". He hoped she was. He, along with the other amis, had known for a while now what life was like for the Thenardiar girl and always wanted to protect her. They didn't know if they knew the full story or not, but they hoped that if things got really bad, they would be who she came too. Now, Courfeyrac hoped she would come to him. He wanted to protect her, and as he sat watching Gavroche sleep, he couldn't stop himself from worrying for her safety, hoping that the money he had given to her was enough to give her father satisfied.

And there you have it

I hope that you liked it, please review and let me know what you thought