A/N: Second chapter is up! I am basing this fanfiction off of the movie mainly, like character descriptions and such. Also, I am not sticking strictly to the personality of the character we see in the movie, or the plot of the movie. I'm playing a lot with it, and I hope you like how I did. let me know!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to Victor Hugo

Chapter two: Young Love

"If you want my love, well you've got to get closer to me"- Jars of Clay

Eponine couldn't help but smile when Marius would come in to the café. After a couple of weeks of him walking her home, she felt comfortable enough to meet his friends. When Marius first introduced her, they all welcomed her warmly.

"Yes, I noticed you before," said Combeferre, a sandy-haired student. "I'm glad you joined us again."

"Me too!" Joly said enthusiastically. He had a smile on his face that reached his eyes. "What's your name?"

"Eponine," she said. She felt intimidated by Marius and everyone else, but she wouldn't let herself show it. She stood up straight and willed herself to look them each in the eye as they talked to her.

"Eponine what?" asked a dark-curly haired boy. "We need to know exactly who stole our Marius' heart."

Though she wanted grin, Eponine wouldn't allow herself to show just how happy this statement made her feel. Though she didn't really want to tell them her last name. With that name came a horrible reputation that she just wanted to get out of.

"You don't have to answer Courfeyrac, Eponine," said Marius, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He's just teasing." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"No... you're the daughter of those scam innkeepers, aren't you?" asked another student who reeked of alcohol.

"Grantaire! What the hell?" Marius burst out.

"No... no, it's true." Eponine looked down. "Even though I am living under their roof, I am doing everything to get out of there. I am not like them."

"We shouldn't judge anyone by who their parents are," the head of the group said, his blue eyes staring harshly at Grantaire. He looked down in shame.

"Thank you, Monsieur," Eponine said, grateful that someone understood.

"Please," he said with a kind of laugh, "I'm Enjolras. And you are welcome to join our group any time you want to."

Eponine sat down with the group and they began to talk about different political things that she didn't really have an interest in. What had the government ever done for her and her family? But she just made some friends and got to be with Marius, so it was worth it. When her break was over and she got up to leave, Grantaire came up to her.

"I'm really sorry," he slurred, looking ashamed. "I don't know what I was thinking when I said that."

"Grantaire, it's totally fine. I would have done the same. My parents' reputation lives on and I'm just trying to get out from under that." She put a hand on his arm and smiled, assuring him that there were no hard feelings.

"Thank you, Eponine." He gave her a crooked smile and sat back down.

Marius waited for Eponine to get off work again and walked her home. She found it so easy to talk to him about anything and everything. He made her feel welcome and most of all safe. He didn't care about her past, her parents or anything else. He saw her for who she really was.

When they arrived at her house, she turned to him. "So, was Courfeyrac totally off with his comment today?" she asked with a smirk.

Marius shifted his weight nervously. "Maybe... not totally off." Eponine looked at him hopefully. "Eponine, would you like to go out with me?"

"I thought you would never ask," Eponine said teasingly. "Of course I would." And that's how it all started.

Eponine started a habit of saving her breaks for when Marius and Les Amis would come in. She found that all the students welcomed her easily and she became comfortable with them easily. Soon, they were all good friends. She often spent her nights after work with them and would go home with Marius. She was hardly home, and that was a huge stress off of her shoulders.

After about three months of almost never being there, Eponine walked into her house. She was almost unrecognizable. The once miserable Eponine was now standing there with a light in her eye that had never been there before. She announced to her parents that she was moving out, and if he wanted to come, Gavroche was going with her.

"Oh yeah?" snarled her mother. "And how are you getting the money for that?"

"I'm moving in with my boyfriend," Eponine said. Her parents stared at her open-mouthed.

"Fine," her father said after a long pause. "But you can't take Gavroche. He's under 18 and still under our control."

Eponine knew her brother hadn't been in the house for longer than her. She wasn't sure where he was staying, but it was at least safer than here. So she shrugged, grabbed her few things, and left. She slammed the door, hoping to never have to step foot in there again.

When she walked into their apartment, he was there waiting for her. "So?" He asked with a hopeful look.

"I'm free." Eponine couldn't control her grin. "I am out of there. And I'm here, with you." She walked into his embrace and kissed him. He held her close and he looked at her with a smile. "We are free."