A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I posted! I've just been so busy with school. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it. And or course please read and review. I will love you forever!

Disclaimer: I wish

The next few weeks flew by in seemingly no time. Combeferre and Enjolras were out everyday early in the morning and often came back fairly late, so I didn't see much of them. When Joly visited, he insisted I follow the doctor's directions and actually rest for once.

This is what turned my life into a living hell. The boys agreed with him and made sure I didn't leave the house too often whenever they were home, and guilt-tripped me into staying if I ever tried, especially Combeferre; he would nonchalantly remind me of how much the surgery had cost in the first place, or ask why I hated it so much here. I knew as well as he did that he understood my desire just to roam free-not to be cooped up, but that didn't stop him.

Enjolras handled the situation with more subtlety. He never said I wasn't allowed to go out, or reprimanded me for doing so. Instead, one day he casually announced that I had done so well with my job as an assistant he had decided to give me a raise to full-time secretary.

Needless to say, I was thrilled until I realized that being "secretary" pretty much meant that I now had to take all of Enjolras's business phone calls for him while he was at work.

Angry as I was that Enjolras had cunningly found a way to keep me in the house without technically 'barring me in', I had to congratulate him for his craftiness. Then again, he was a lawyer, and no matter how much he claimed never to use deceitful methods, he knew ways around things.

So for the entire time that Enjolras was out, I was in charge of taking his business calls, making the appointments, or telling the person on the other end that "Enjolras was fucking busy at the moment so shut your gabber and call back or just leave a Goddamn message." Except without the cussing, but barely.

Turns out I was actually a great secretary; I barely even made any mistakes on the first day. Except I may have accidentally told the dumbass who dropped out of college and left all the work to Enjolras that he should "go shove it" because he was being a pain in the ass and kept asking if Enjolras could handle the job or some shit like that. If he was so worried why didn't he at least find a fill-in. Jerk.

Anyways, other than that, everything went smoothly. Well, smoothly in that my "job" was going well, but as for me, with each passing day I was couped up inside answering stupid phone calls and sorting stupid papers, the incredible itch to go outside and-I don't know-just fucking roam, to be back out on the streets, was getting harder and harder not to scratch.

At this notion, I was reminded of Gavroche. I understood now, no wonder he didn't wait a minute more than he had to to get away.

What was that rascal up to now? I wondered suddenly. He had always been very independent, but I was his older sister, I worried about him. And who can blame me? The streets is no place for anyone, much less a little boy of eight. Or was he nine? None of us really knew, not even my stupid parents.

The more I thought about Gav, the more I began to worry. When I was living with the Thenardiers it was almost better for him to be living on the streets, but now it was hard not to feel guilty that I was living in a warm, cozy house with good meals everyday. I even showered daily! Although Gavroche would probably hate that.

Still, once the thought struck me, it wouldn't go away. What if somewhere out there, Gav was shivering in the cold and starving, while here I was, basking in the kindness of these strange boys, who I still hadn't figured out.

After a few moments of arguing with myself, I resolved to go out myself and find Gavroche. I wasn't sure what I would do then, but at least that was a start. I hadn't seen Gavroche since two months ago when he came home through the window after everyone else was asleep, crept into my room, and asked me for some food. He never came home unless he was really desperate, so of course I had hurried to the kitchen and retrieved as much food as I could find, knowing he would probably give most of it to his other little friends who he usually stayed around, and brought it back to him. He thanked me and left and I hadn't seen him since then. When my parents woke up and found the food gone, well...that's the story of the scar on my left arm. But it was worth it.

Anyways, I figured I knew his general whereabouts. He and his friends liked to hang around this big elephant statue on the outskirts of town. It was probably going to be beautiful and majestic at some point, and even now it was quite impressive, but whoever was building it just...stopped. And that was years ago. No one really knows why the project was canceled, but the elephant was left unfinished-the shell was fully done, but the inside was just a big cavity, a perfect hideout for kids like Gav. I'd only been there once before, but I figured I knew where it was. I could find it, I knew my way way around.

I didn't have very many clothes, and if I wanted to blend into the crowd, Cosette's conspicuous clothes would be just the thing I didn't need. No, I needed something darker, something like the rags I used to wear-but I had thrown those out weeks ago. Since I had no good options of my own, the obvious choice was to raid Enjolras or Combeferre's closet. I tried Combeferre's closet first because I figured Enjolras probably just had a bunch of suits or other formal shit like that, but I didn't find anything much. I did find a hat that caught my fancy, though. It was a tan hat that resembled one of those newsboys caps from 'back in the day', and it was only slightly too big. Combeferre had plenty of hats like this, but different colors(he seemed to like them), so I figured/hoped he wouldn't miss this one.

As for clothes, there wasn't anything I thought would be good, so I gingerly made my way to Enjolras's closet. I honestly didn't expect much, since I knew none of his suits were an option. But, I mean, he was a college guy, after all, he should at least have a few hoodies and T's.

Nope. It was a sickening sea of red, blue and black ties and button-ups, suits, khakis, and the occasional jeans. His closet was fairly big, so it took me a second to get to the back. Just in case, I pushed back some of his suits that were on hangers, and was surprised to find a trench coat. Enjolras definitely didn't seem like the type to buy a trench coat, and I certainly never saw him wear it, so I could only guess it was an unwanted present. Like the hat, it too was a dark, almost brown, tan. It was way too big for me, but that was just what I needed. I would go even more unnoticed if people thought I was a guy, which the hat and trench coat would certainly aid in.

I slipped on the big trench coat over the jeans and flowery yellow shirt I was wearing(property of Cosette), hid my hair under the cap, and headed to the door. I didn't bother with shoes-after all, the coat covered my feet.

Just as I was about to Exit-RING, RING, RING

I froze where I was standing, with one hand on the half-turned doorknob, my back facing the phone. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Fuck", I breathed. Someone hates me. Why now?! I was faced with a decision. It may not be anything important; no one would notice if I just left it. After all, the house was empty. Plus, it was getting darker out, and everyone knew the rats came out at night. But then, Enjolras had given me a place to stay, three meals a day, and a warm bed, and all he asked is that I do this one thing. I sighed, resigned, and dashed to the phone before it stopped ringing.

"This is Eponine Jondrette, Enjolras's new secretary, how may I help you?" I asked, putting on my 'business' voice. I had decided whenever I said my name on the phone to give it as "Jondrette" instead of Thenardier, just in case anyone had heard of them. I picked up the pen and paper to write a message for Enjolras if needed.

"What's happened to Enjolras? Where is he?" the voice, evidently female, rang.

"Enjolras is currently working, ma'am, may I ask who is calling?" I said impatiently.

"Working! More like plotting some silly protest with his juvenile friends, most likely. Oh, and this is his mother. Is Cedric really not here? Or did he tell you to say that he was out? He's just avoiding me, isn't he? That boy..."

I almost dropped the pen I was holding. I was talking to Enjolras's mother?! I felt the urge to quickly hang up a phone in a panic, but I kept my cool. Wait, Cedric was Enjolras's first name?!

"Oh, hello Mrs. Enjolras. As I said before, I can assure you that Enjolras is working. Didn't he tell you about his being an assistant lawyer on several cases in college?" I insisted, getting annoyed that she was holding me up, yet at the same time I was interested in what kind of person Enjolras's mother was. Maybe she could reveal a thing or two about Enjolras. On the other side of the phone, there was a long moment of silence.

"We don't communicate often. Enjolras has been disowned by my husband for doing so many shameful things."

I barely withheld a gasp. "...shameful?"

"Oh, you know," no, I don't, "he's always stirring up rebellions over our government. He says the poor are oppressed or some rubbish like that. Anyways, when will he get back?" she ended with a drawl.

I wanted to punch this bitch, and her husband. Who would disown their own kid nowadays for something so stupid as that? I mean, he was trying to do something good, and they disown him? I had a new respect for Enjolras.

I clenched my jaw, glad she couldn't see my face. "He does not finish work until very late, I'm afraid. Would you like me to take a message?"

She sighed, sounding drained. "Oh, fine. Tell him his sister is going to see him in a week." That's when I went frantic. What if his sister came to see him and saw me, a ragged gamine, living here? She'd probably think I was a prostitute or something. No, I'd definitely have to hide or something.

As I freaked out internally, Mrs. Enjolras kept jabbering, more to herself than to me. "We told her not to go. I was against it of course-what kind of an influence would Cedric have on her? My husband, though, he was absoutely dead set against her going, he forbade it. But she would have none of it. She told us if we didn't let her go she-" Mrs. Enjolras gasped in horror at this, and I wondered if it was an asthma attack, " she said she would go live on your own!" I rolled my eyes. I had been expecting "would kill herself" or something. "Anyways, tell him that she is going to see him, and that he should immediately send her back! The poor dear, she's going to travel all alone!"

I heard a whimper over the phone and felt the urge to throw up. No wonder Enjolras never talked about his parents. From what I could tell, they shunned him and poured all the love that would've been for him on their other child, who they probably thought was perfect.

"Of course, Mrs. Enjolras." I assured her with a frown. "I will tell him when he has finished work. Goodbye." I didn't wait for her to reply before slamming the phone into the receiver.

After I hung up, I quickly left a message on the phone that no phone calls would be taken today, and to "please call back tomorrow".

Finally, with a mind full of new, troubling information, I headed out the door to find Gavroche at last. I just hoped I got back before Enjolras or Combeferre came home.

A/N: So, any thoughts on new developments?