"Don't tell anybody. My name is Jean Valjean and I was imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread," he said while looking away.

Éponine sat on the floor in front of him and took his hand.

"I also have a past…a past in which my brother and I had to steal to survive. I won't judge you," her voice was thick and harsh because of the painful memories.

"If I hadn't done what I did, my sister and her children would've died," he whispered as an afterthought.

"Yet you did, you sacrificed yourself. If someone had accused us to the police, I imagine I wouldn't be here or Gavroche wouldn't be at home with mother." Éponine felt a lump in her throat.

Jean smiled at her with evident preoccupation before asking her not to tell Cosette.

"She's your friend…in fact you're her only friend and I don't want her knowing this until it's time,"

"Don't worry sir, my lips are sealed."

Suddenly, the door opened to reveal Enjolras, whose expression transformed to a worried glare when he saw Éponine seating on the floor. He ran up to her and, before she could protest, took her in his arms bridal style.

"Excuse me, Monsieur Wolstenholme, but Éponine shouldn't be sitting on the floor. See, she's injured," he said while cradling her in his arms.

"Enjolras I'm not a baby! And I'm fine. I might not be fully recovered…but I'm fine! Let me walk!" Enjolras raised an eyebrow in response and walked with her still in his arms to the door. Valjean looked at them from his sit and chuckled at the boy's protective behavior. Oh the amusement of watching a young boy in love!

Once outside the library, Enjolras walked with her to the doorway while looking into her big eyes. He was still cradling her and Éponine had stopped resisting so he pulled her close and pecked her lips softly. She closed her eyes and soon her arms were around his neck. The soft peck became a passionate kiss in which both of them wanted to capture each other's lips forever.

Enjolras smiled widely at her and finally letting her go of his arms, handed her a pair of boots. He smiled when she looked at him puzzled.

"It'll fit your attire much better than stilettos. Besides, you seem to be used to trousers and boots," he chuckled as Éponine inspected her clothing: brown trousers and a white shirt that belong to her father.

"Don't worry, Monsieur Lafévre told me that as soon as you're sufficiently recovered you're going to buy some proper clothing. Now put your boots on, I want to walk with you my dear."

"Really? Do you think they're going to let me walk alone after what happened?" Éponine's voice was very confused but at the same time couldn't avoid showing hints of relieve; she didn't want to stay at home because she knew it would turn out to be a claustrophobic and hypochondriac environment of overprotection.

"I've got both Monsieur Lafévre and Joly's 'blessings' for you to come with me. Joly insists fresh air's good and your father knows I'm going to be by your side, so you won't be alone…and I can be worse than Joly," he smirked while taking her hand.

A few minutes later, they were walking through a little trail in the forest near the house. Éponine, who knew the place and its surroundings, was guiding him to a cottage in the middle of the forest that she would always explore with Gavroche. Enjolras wanted to tell her something he had been thinking since he talked to her mother in Paris.

"It…is a nice place don't you think?" Enjolras asked in a quivering voice.

"Yes, it is. When I'm old, I want to live in a place like this one with my husband," she said as her lips curved in a small, mischievous smile, which gave Enjolras an idea.

"So…I'm going to be forced to live outside Paris during my last years?" Enjolras smirked as her head snapped up; she clearly didn't expect such a confession.

"That's your way of asking for my hand in marriage?" Éponine asked with her eyebrows almost disappearing behind the strands of hair falling in her forehead.

"That's my way of telling you, my dear, that we're going to get married."

Éponine looked at him in awe and crossed her arms playfully while pretending to think hardly.

"What if I don't want to?" Enjolras' jaw dropped in response.

"I dare you to look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want to marry me Éponine Lafévre." Éponine stuck her tongue out at Enjolras in response.

"I would do so, but I really want to."

Enjolras brought her to his chest and kissed her forehead.

"I guess your father will resent the fact that I didn't ask properly to court you," Enjolras said as a whisper.

"So what? He'll be happy that I've found a man that doesn't mind my temperament. He would always tell me I was growing up to be the most beautiful and less prissy spinster in all France," she shrugged and Enjolras openly laughed at her.

"I missed you so much, Éponine,"

"I missed you too, Enjolras."

Éponine dragged him through the trail until they found the cottage, which apparently served for romantic purposes on its days of glory. It was a small, graceful place, untouched by the nature around it. Its walls were painted of a faded blue and it seemed like the run-down doors and windows wouldn't last the night but Éponine entered confidently and Enjolras followed her, taking her hand.

Éponine sat on a dusty couch and patted her side as an invitation for him to sit. Enjolras, after acknowledging his lover's face of excitement, tried to understand what made it so especial to her. After a few silent minutes he found that the cottage was very cozy. He tried to imagine what it looked like when people lived in it and realized it could be the most peaceful place ever.

"I see why you like it," Enjolras said and Éponine didn't even move a muscle in response.

She contemplated the possibility of telling Enjolras about her past. He was, after all, planning to marry her and he deserved to know about her real origins. Éponine wondered for a while the possibility of Enjolras shunning her afterwards. She sighed and Enjolras sensed there was something she was trying to say, so he casted a few questioning glances in her direction.

"What's happening 'Ponine? Does your wound hurt?" Enjolras' words were marked by concern.

"It's fine, really. I just had something to tell you…regarding my life. It's important for me that you know this and I'll understand if you don't want to be with me afterwards."

Enjolras furrowed his brow in response but Éponine continued before he could say anything else.

"Do you remember…that woman, the gamine, we saw that day at the garden?"

"Yes, you left running that day, crying and frightened and then you told me she was part of your…past," Enjolras didn't say anything else as she lowered her gaze.

"Her name's Catherine Thénardier…and she's my real mother."

Their gazes met, Enjolras' expression was unreadable while Éponine's was ashamed. She continued talking.

"I was born in the village of Montfermeil. My parents, the Thénardiers, ran the local inn and, with my brother Gavroche and my sister Azelma, we were very happy. My parents were drunk almost always but I didn't mind at all, I had everything I wanted. Gavroche was too little, but Azelma and I were taught to be arrogant and selfish and every day we would just go around showing off with our fancy clothing and hats and dolls in a town in which most of the kids our age starved and didn't have a place to sleep."

A tear rolled down her cheek and Enjolras wiped it softly with his thumb.

"When I was about nine years old, my parents started losing every coin that they touched. They both loved alcohol and gambling and soon they didn't have anyone to help them with the inn. My siblings and I were forced to pickpocket every newcomer and to clean in exchange of not being beaten every day. Our fancy clothing and other luxuries were swapped for broomsticks and buckets and our meals became so little that we would often faint just because of hunger. We wouldn't go out anymore because people laughed at us. It was very hard, especially when Thénardier reached a point in which he was uncontrollable and unpredictable. Along with Madame Thénardier, they would send us to the woods to fetch water in the middle of the night, beat us because we fainted or because they considered we worked to slow…"

Enjolras couldn't believe what she was saying until Éponine's sobs brought him back to reality. He hugged her with pressing anxiety and need, urging her to hush and forget about the bad memories. She seemed so helpless that Enjolras could hardly recognize her as his Éponine but she continued nonetheless, which made him wonder for how long had she been saving all those memories inside.

"They would treat us like stray dogs. Whenever they remembered we needed food, they would throw us some hard bread but most of the times I would have to search for something to eat because Gavroche would cry of hunger and Azelma would always be sick. When I turned eleven, I got tired of the situation and proposed an escape plan to my siblings. Azelma refused and stayed, promising she would tell our parents if we escaped. Gavroche and I fled anyways and I can still remember that night in which they went out for us and they called me "stupid girl" and they called Gavroche a "brat". They didn't care about our wellbeing Enjolras, they simply wanted us to work for them."

Éponine tried to compose herself as she continued with her story.

"Before our arrival to Paris, we had to survive by pickpocketing and other ways of stealing and when we finally arrived, we were so fatigued we passed out on the garden of the Lafévres. The next morning, Madame Cecile Lafévre discovered us and took us inside to give us food and a good bed. They decided to adopt us and give us a better life."

"When we saw Madame Thénardier that day, it was the first time I saw her in years and that's why I was so bewildered and I ran away. That same day I learned they had lost the inn and that Thénardier was the alcoholic he always promised to be. God knows where Azelma is. Madame Thénardier helped me a few days ago; we changed our clothing so the National Guard wouldn't recognize me as the rioter of the square. I won't see her again though, she left to Montfermeil to restart her life."

Éponine sniffed as a signal that she was done with her speech and waited for Enjolras response, which was totally unexpected. He rested both of his hands on Éponine's cheeks and showered her with soft kisses along her jawline and lips. She put her hands on top of his and smiled warmly.

"Éponine…do you think I fell in love with you because of your last name? Do you think I love you because of where you come from? 'Ponine, you're special and that's why I'm here with you!" Enjolras kissed her again, this time in her neck and Éponine instantly got goosebumps and giggled but she couldn't avoid blurting out a question that bubbled in her head.

"Enjolras, you've fallen in love with me?"

Enjolras looked away as he felt his cheeks burning with a deep blush.

"I…love you Éponine. You're the bravest person I've ever met…and as I've already told you, the woman I want to share the rest of my life with. Maybe I can't offer you the certainty of a perfect life since I'm always going to fight for Patria but if I'm going to make this country better, I want you to be by my side."

He expected her to answer immediately, but she simply looked at him with a wide smile on her face.

"These are the moments in which I would love to take my piano everywhere," she said while standing up, "I've written a song for you…since the first day we met."

Then, her voice filled the small living room; she was singing.

I, I can't get these memories out of my mind

And some kind of madness

Is starting to evolve.

Enjolras was too surprised to move from his place, he was startled because nobody had ever written a song to him. He didn't know what he was supposed to do so he simply listened to her beautiful voice.

And I, I tried so hard to let you go

But some kind of madness

Is swallowing me whole.

I have finally seen the light

And I have finally realized

What you mean.

He stood up and hugged Éponine from behind and kissed her neck, which make her laugh. She continued anyways, Éponine was pouring her soul into the song.

Now, I need to know is this real love

Or is it just madness

Keeping us afloat,

When I look back, at all the crazy fights we had

It's like some kind of madness

Was taking control.

I have finally seen the light

And I have finally realized

I need your love

Come to me

Just in a dream

Come on and rescue me

He recalled almost everything that had happened to them with the song, wondering whether if she would think about the lyrics while they were together. He smiled and kissed her again and again; she could be called his official addiction.

Yes I know

I can't be wrong

And baby you're too headstrong

Our love is madness.

The last word was drowned with a kiss Enjolras gave her on her soft lips and she smiled.

"Does that answer your question, Monsieur?" Éponine said mockingly.

"Very much," he answered as they sat once again at the coach.

Éponine put a hand on his chest, just where the heart is located. They kissed once again, their longing being more and more evident this time. Soon, both Éponine and Enjolras found themselves doing something they didn't expect to do and they didn't realize it until it was too late…when his shirt was already touching the floor.

Some might call me a cheesy girl, others a very cruel person. The truth is that I'm considering myself a romantic fool right now. Can you guess what's going to happen next?

Love,

Cami!