I know this doesn't follow the typical story line, but I'm an extreme advocate for Eponine and Marius being together! Based off the 2012 movie revival. I don't own any of the rights (though I wish I did). Please Enjoy!

The room burst with energy as the young men roared with pride and anger. Enjolras raised his hand to silence his friends, feeling the excitement and anxiety to act beginning to fill him, almost exploding.

"My friends!" he shouted. They quiet down quickly, turning a sea of eyes to the handsome light hair young man standing at the front of the room, eyes dancing with thrill. Marius stood at the back of the room, grinning at his friend but constantly glancing to the back, waiting for Eponine to appear on the staircase.

Gavroche shouted, rushing in. "General Lamarque is dead!" The young boy's chest heaved from his sprinting and flashed a triumphant smile at Enjolras and the older Revolutionaries.

"Lamarque is dead. Lamarque! His death is the hour of fate. The people's man. His death is the sign we await!" Enjolras called. The crowds roared in return when Marius felt a soft hand on his arm. His head snapped, bright eyes boring down to Eponine's dirty face. She smiled faintly, gesturing for him to follow. He rushed to the stairs, briefly turning to meet Enjolras' eyes as he fled. Enjolras shot Marius an angry look but did nothing as Marius continued down the stairs and into the dying afternoon light, following tiny Eponine. She moved quickly through the streets, ducking through alleys and avoiding guard patrols until she stopped for a moment, glancing nervously back at Marius. His eyes shone with excitement and nervousness.

"Where is she?" he whispered breathlessly. She sighed sadly, gesturing to an iron gate embedded in tall gray stonewalls. He rushed to the gate, catching sight of the beautiful blond girl from the market place before. She gasped softly and then smiled, approaching through the willow boughs, golden hair twisted in a braid. Eponine flinched as their eyes met and ducked behind the wall, feeling her heart squeeze and ache. He never looked at her like that not once. And now, he never would. She whimpered softly but remained pressed against the wall, out of from Marius' view.

"Hello…I—how are…? Oh god, I'm doing everything all wrong. I don't even know your name," Marius laughed softly, unable to tear his eyes away. She giggled faintly, glancing at her slippers with embarrassment. Eponine felt her heart clench angrily at their exchange and nearly turned away. But Marius' face, his elation kept her rooted to the ground, just watching him grow happier and happier. She leaned against the wall heavily once again, taking deep breaths to keep from crying.

"My name is Marius Pontmercy."

"And mine's Cosette."

He grinned broadly. "Cosette, I don't even know what to say."

"Then don't make a sound." They remained for a few moments in silence, simply staring into each other's eyes.

"Cosette?!" The spell was broken by a rough voice in the distance. She gasped, darting away from Marius.

"My father. I have to go!" Marius made a noise to stop her, but Cosette rapidly disappeared into the tree boughs.

"Cosette, where are you?" the voice continued to call, a large figure moving loudly through the garden. She flashed Marius an apologetic smile and rushed away. Marius hid behind the wall as a large, older man comes to the gate, looking cautiously back and forth on the street before retreating, following Cosette. A wild smile remained plastered on Marius' face when he walked down the street again, casting glances full of longing back towards the iron gate. Eponine rose from her crouch, feeling the tears and anguish build up in her chest. She gasped and put an arm on the wall to support herself, her knees buckling with grief when she heard a familiar voice. She looked up sharply, spotting her father ambling down the street followed by his gang.

"Father? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Oh Eponine! Good, keep watch!" he chortled, shoving her away from the gate. She looked on with horror as she realized he meant to rob Cosette's house.

"No! There is nothing here of value! Please, just a meager old man and his daughter!" she said quickly, grabbing his arms. Thénardier threw her off, gesturing to the men to get ready.

"If you rob this house, I will scream and alert the whole neighborhood!" she threatened. Her words shocked her. She thought for a moment, why she would be willing to save Cosette and her father from robbery. She couldn't quite figure it out yet but continued giving her father a stubborn look. He approached her quickly.

"If you make a sound, I will make you regret the day you were born," he growled. She swallowed the terrified lump forming in her throat and opened her mouth, letting out a shrill scream when her father turned away. Troops of guards near by came rushing. Thénardier howled angrily, swinging out his hand, catching Eponine in the cheek. She grunted, reeling and fell to the floor with the force of the blow. The guards ran by, chasing Thénardier and his men away, leaving Eponine crying softly on the cobble stone street, the left side of her face throbbing from the force of the blow. She rose slowly, cupping her face in her hands. Moaning softly, Eponine spotted Cosette in the archway, tucking a small slip of paper into the iron door. Cosette glanced into the street and fled again. Eponine grabbed the note, ripping it open. Rain started dripping from the sky, blurring the freshly inked words, but Eponine could still read the message, intended for Marius.

With disgust, she placed the note in her pocket, heading home as a large red welt formed on her face. Eponine wandered aimlessly through the streets for hours until she suddenly found herself in front of Marius' apartment, dead tired and soaked to the bone. The blow stung bitterly in the cold. She climbed the stairs, feeling the note burn in her pocket. She paused outside his door for a few moments, fingering the note in her pocket and then knocked, leaving the paper hidden.

Marius threw open the door, his face full of love and happiness. His grin faltered for a moment when he saw Eponine. She flinched internally, pushing past him into the room.

"Eponine? What's wrong?" he asked, gently removing her slender fingers from her cheek. Water dripped softly on the ground off the hem of her tattered gown, leaving wet marks as she moved. When she turned to face him, Marius gasped softly at the sight of the bruise, rushing to the water jug on his table, splashing cool water on to a rag before pressing it to Eponine's face.

"I need to tell you something—"

"Who did this to you?" She could tell he was angry. He pressed the rag to her face, easing the stinging pain from her father's blow.

"Who did this to you?" he asked again, his voice dropping to a threatening growl. She sighed, pushing away his concerned hand and held the cloth herself, feeling her cheeks burn from his touch.

"It was an accident," she mumbled. He looked at her with disbelief but shrugged nonetheless, leading her to sit on his bed. He wrapped a thick blanket around her shoulder then chatted amicably for a few moments until Eponine rose slowly, heading to the open window, with the note feeling like a million kilos in her pocket. She clutched the blanket tightly around her shoulder, but it couldn't seem to block out a sudden chill she felt in her gut.

"Eponine?"

"I lied to you," she whispered softly.

"What?" His voice rose with alarm.

She sighed with regret but continued anyway. "I should've told you when I arrived. It's about Cosette." He leapt off the bed, coming to stand closely in front of her.

"How's my beloved?"

"She's not your bel—" Eponine stopped herself, taking a deep breath. She gazed at Marius strongly and chose her words carefully.

"I saw her father and her leaving a few moments ago by carriage. She's gone." Marius remained still for a moment before bolting to the door, leaving Eponine alone in his apartment, tears trickling down her cheek. She replaced the towel next to his washing bowl and walked out on to the dark street, heading to her own, dirty, tiny apartment. Eponine walked slowly through the streets, the tears running down her cheeks. She reached the apartment numbly, grabbing clothes she'd stolen from a local washwoman. She bound her chest tightly, feeling each turn of the binding strengthen her anger and bitterness. She knew Enjolras would start the revolution tomorrow at Lamarque's funeral and she was going to be there.

Marius charged through the streets, knocking into the occasional pedestrian as he reached Cosette's house.

"Cosette!" he shouted, frightened by the open front gate. He burst through the front gate, rushing to the house door.

"Please!" he cried, pounding on the door. An open window caught his eye and he ducked in, finding the house empty and abandoned. Eponine was right. They were long gone. He cried out angrily, walking aimlessly through the garden. In the distance, he could here the chants of the revolution and knew Enjolras was preparing for the first day of revolution tomorrow.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be here!" a cranky voice comes from the door. He looked feebly at the iron gate. An old, hunched over man stood there, brandishing keys in his clenched fist.

"I'm sorry—"

"If you're looking for the gentleman who lived her, you just missed him. They just left for…"

Eponine walked the streets as the sun rose above the houses. She tugged a hat on her head snuggly, hiding her long hair beneath the dirt brown cap. Enjolras stood in the inn, talking softly to Grantaire, Gavroche, and many others. She approached slowly when she spotted a short figure sticking out in the crowd. She deviated from her friends, frowning at the strange, clearly lost figure in the crowd.

"Excuse me," she tapped the person's shoulder and gasped. Cosette gasped in return, clamping her hand over her mouth, revealing her thin, pale arms as the huge coat sleeves rolled down. Eponine grabbed her arm, dragging her out of the inn.

"What are you doing here?" she growled. Cosette pulled away, frowning.

"I should be asking you the same thing," she snapped, fixing the blue cap on her blond hair. Eponine rolled her eyes with exasperation.

"I'm here to fight for the cause. This is not a playground, Cosette," she snarled. Cosette whimpered slight but jutted her chin out stubbornly.

"I'm here for Marius." Eponine clenched her teeth, pulling Cosette off the street as a few of the Revolutionaries came into the street, shouting and cheering. They ducked behind a building.

"You cannot be here! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Eponine insisted, dragged Cosette away from the barricade. Cosette struggled against Eponine's tight grip, grunting and shrieking.

"Why do you care? I saw the way you looked at Marius. You love him," Cosette whimpered. Eponine dropped her grip, sighing.

"You're right…"

"But I love him too and I am going to be here and stand by his side!" she argued, clutching her fists to her chest.

"I love him, and that's why you can't die," she whispered. "Because he deserves to be happy. Even if he's not with me." Cosette's eyes filled with tears and embraced Eponine. Eponine tensed for a few seconds before returning the girl's embrace.

Marius sprinted through the unfamiliar town, keeping his eyes trained on the monastery tower ahead. The bells started ringing to signal the changing hour as he burst into the church, filled with praying parishioners. A young nun glanced up from her folded hands, shooting an angry look at him. The door creaked loudly, shutting with a loud groan as Marius sprinted across the stone floor, making a beeline for the priest stand on the opposite of the church.

"Father," Marius called, gasping. The short, bald man smiled kindly at Marius, allowing the young man to catch his breath.

"What can I do for you?"

"I am looking for a man. And his daughter," he replied. The priest frowned slightly.

"I'm sorry…"

"A tall, burly man. Well-dressed. He probably came in a few hours ago by carriage. A young lady, blond, was traveling with him. I was told they came here to seek refuge in the monastery," he gasped.

"Hmmm…A man did arrive today. I will take you to him." The priest gestured for Marius to followed and walk briskly to a corridor a few steps away. They traveled rapidly through the cool halls, long torches embedded in the gray stone.

"Here," he said, pausing a plain wooden door. Marius thanked the priest and knocked. The priest disappeared behind Marius, his soft footsteps echoing off the ancient walls as Marius waited, hoping Cosette's face awaited him on the other side of the door. After a moment of silence and some groans from within, the man he knew as Cosette's father opened the door, his face tired and sad.

"Who are you?" he asked cautiously, closing the door slightly.

"You don't know me, but I am Marius Pontmercy. I know your daughter."

"Cosette?"

"Yes!" Marius could feel the excitement growing inside him. The older man's face fell and opened the door fully, revealing the empty room.

"You're too late. She is gone." Marius' eyes widened and he leapt into the room, head wiping around until he confirmed his worst fear. She was not there. He spun back to the man at the door.

"Monsieur, you must tell me where she went!" he cried. The man sighed and walked slowly to a table and pulled a folded piece of paper off it. He reluctantly handed it to Marius before falling on the bed, head drooped in his hands.

"She went back?"

"Yes. I think she was looking for you," he said softly through his hands. By the time Jean Valjean had the courage to look up again, the boy was gone, sprinting out the corridor, the note left fluttering in his wake.