It's About Time

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

This is my attempt at a Les Miserables story. Gavroche can be difficult to write because he's a smart kid but he's still a kid. But I hope you enjoy.

It's not that he constantly butts into his sister's business.

In fact, as long she's not yelling at him for doing something wrong and there's some form of food in the fridge, Gavroche generally doesn't care what Eponine gets up to in her spare time. Mostly because, even at the age of ten, he realises that she doesn't have a lot of spare time. She works constantly and she takes classes at the university. Eponine does this to keep a roof over her siblings' heads because it's either work her fingers to bone at the cafe or have them sent back to their parents.

And it took her long enough to get them all away from the Thenardiers in the first place. Thankfully Gavroche barely remembers his old life but now and again he'll get flashes of bottles being thrown across a room, being tossed into a cold cellar or-and worst of all-hearing Eponine scream. Those days are gone ever since Eponine got custody of her three younger brothers and younger sister. She moved them all in her apartment and tiny as it is, they all seem to fit. Eponine and Azelma share a room while the smallest Thenardiers, Peter and Jacques, have bunk beds in the box room. Gavroche camps out on the fold up couch in the living room, even though Eponine hates it when he watches TV before bed. It's cramped and hard but somehow they make it home. As long as Eponine smiles and tucks them in at night-even though Gavroche keeps up the pretence of not wanting her to-then any place would be home.

So as far as he is concerned, Eponine can do whatever makes her happy because she does all she can to make them happy. But Gavroche is pretty sure it's time he did pull some strings in his sister's life. More specifically, her love life.

He had decided this after that disastrous problem with Marius. Everyone could see how much she liked him, except the idiot himself. He went off and dated Cosette of all people! Their old foster sister!

Not that he disliked Cosette; she always smiled when she saw him, she smelled good and she brought chocolate over whenever she visited. She was alright in his book. But Marius had broken his sister's heart and since the guy was twice his size, Gavroche had to settle for glares in his direction.

For months afterwards, whenever Gavroche opened the door of the apartment and saw Marius, he shut it in the student's face. Eponine would have to open it again and scold her brother who simply stared at Marius like he was plotting his demise. Part of Marius thought he actually was. Even after Eponine got over Marius and all three of them were on good terms, she still didn't date.

Gavroche had decided this was the time to take action. The first move was to eavesdrop obviously.

He hovered outside the door of Eponine and Azelma's room the night he had seen Eponine kindly refuse to give some guy her number. The sisters were discussing it and Gavroche was learning all he could.

"He was cute though! I think you should have agreed to at least one date."

"Are you crazy? He's one of those guys that hang around the cafe all day doing nothing."

"So, don't all your boys do the same thing?"

Gavroche nearly snorted in unison with Eponine. The Les Amies did more than nothing. Each and every one of them was either working or in college or working while in college. As a group they weren't just friends but colleagues as together they had set up charities across the city to help the less fortunate. In fact their free legal aid had helped Eponine get custody and when she had gone to thank them, she had met Marius. Friendships with the others had come later and now all of them were fixtures in the Thenardiers' lives. Courfeyrac for instance, babysat the boys after school in his apartment while Eponine worked and Azelma taught music lessons. Whenever they went to the cafe to see their sister, the Les Amies welcomed them with open arms and Grantaire got them snacks and drinks while they waited. They also managed to convince Eponine to have a drink at the local bar every now and again so she wasn't stuck inside. They were good friends to her and certainly better than the guy who had hit on her at the cafe.

"The boys aren't lazy and you know it. The point is that he wasn't the kind of person I want around here."

"What do you mean?"

"Zel, you know that whoever I date is going to have an influence on the boys. He has to be a good man and he has to be ok with you and the boys coming first. I mean, I want someone that understands me and everything I've gone through without treating me like a glass. Yet I need a guy who cares about the boys too. You are old enough to see him as a brother in law-and I know that's thinking ahead but..."

Gavroche leaned closer into the wood of the door but Eponine still didn't speak. For a moment, he thought she knew he was listening in but Azelma spoke.

"I'll see him as a brother in law but because the boys see you as a mother, they'll see him as a father."

Gavroche blinked, slightly taken aback. He had never thought of it that way. But then until now he had never really thought about his sister's love life.

Still...it made sense. Peter and Jacques were practically calling Eponine 'Maman' by now because they were so young and Gavroche pretty much knew that she was the closest he was ever going to get to a good mother. But he never thought that Eponine's boyfriend would be like a father.

Gavroche let out a slight sigh. Right so apparently this guy had to be perfect for Eponine but be a good father like figure too. This was going to be more work than he thought.

Gavroche stared around the table at the cafe, chewing a large bite of chocolate crepe at the same time. He was sat around the Les Amies, who were all chatting and drinking coffee.

Eponine was serving at the counter so Gavroche, Peter and Jacque were being kept an eye on by her friends. It was the perfect time to scout out possible boyfriends.

Looking around he was able to cross off some guys on sight.

Bossuet was too old for her, even if he was only in his late twenties; Eponine still wouldn't have much to say to him. Bahorel didn't have much in common with her and Feuilly had a girlfriend, even though she lived in a different city. Joly was also taken by Musichetta who was sitting with them and Jehan could crossed off the list because Eponine had mentioned before that although he was sweet, she couldn't take too much of his overly romantic nature. Marius of course was out of the question.

That left Combeferre, Courfeyrac and Grantaire. Gavroche looked over the three of them for a moment and Grantaire caught his eye.

"Hey mini Thenardier! Do you want another chocolate crepe?"

Gavroche was about to answer yes but a voice beside him cut in. "No; he's already had enough of them today."

Gavroche turned to frown at Enjolras, who hadn't even looked up from the book he was reading. Enjolras then met Gavroche's frown and added, "Your teeth will thank me one day."

Gavroche just shrugged and looked over at Peter, who was tucked into Enjolras' side and reading a large children's book. Jacques was beside his brother looking over his shoulder at the pictures. They would be no help; at the ages of five and six, neither of them understood the seriousness of the situation that Gavroche was in. Nope, it looked like he was on his own. Now, which one should he start with?

Eponine appeared at his side, coffee pot in on hand and the other propped up on her hip. "Do you remember that you have homework?" she said to him, "If you don't finish then you are not getting that travel book from the shops."

Gavroche groaned and leaned down to grab his school bag from where he tossed it under the table.

"You must be the first kid I know who wants travel books instead of toys," Courfeyrac laughed.

Gavroche pulled a face at him as he took his books out but it was Enjolras who answered him. "Aspiring to travel is a good thing! Gavroche here can see the world."

The young boy turned to the older one who put his book down and said, "You can look at the photos I had from my travels; Berlin, Prauge, London, America and lots of other places."

Eponine raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "They're not all of poverty and disease are they?"

Enjolras shook his head and smiled at her. "Don't worry Eponine, I did actually do some typical sightseeing."

Gavroche was grinning now; he had always wanted to explore and out of the Les Amies, Enjolras was the one who had seen most of the world.

"But," the blonde man said, "I think Eponine will ban you from going anywhere until your homework is done."

Gavroche threw open his book with a sigh, sticking his tongue out when his brothers giggled at his sulky face. The matchmaking would have to wait, Gavroche thought, as Enjolras tried to explain maths to him while pronouncing words for Peter and Jacques.

It was just so difficult to test his sister's possible boyfriends.

Now that he thinks of it, Grantaire isn't the right person.

Sure, he buys him treats and makes Eponine laugh but...but he drinks too much. It's a simple fact; his drinking just reminds Eponine too much of the inn. She tries to hide it from him but Gavroche sees it.

She flinches when Grantaire throws his arms out widely in a drunken haze and she grimes when she gets a smell of his breath. Luckily he's a happy drunk so it's not too bad. But Gavroche is still really happy that Enjolras only goes out when Eponine's out. Gavroche is sure he's never seen Enjolras drink and he's always the one that drives everyone home.

He's never told his sister this but one night when Azelma was there to keep an eye on the younger boys, he snuck out. He remembered the name of the bar they were all going too and since it was just a street over, Gavroche wanted to see what they got up to. He managed to peek in the window and catch sight of them at the bar. He's small and it's dark so no one takes any notice of him.

The Les Amies are laughing louder than anyone and Gavroche is glad to see Eponine smiling with them. But then Grantaire stood up too fast, toppling the stool he had been sitting on to the ground. The others didn't notice but Eponine jumped and put her arms in front of her.

Gavroche had wanted to run in there-no matter what punishment he received later- just to hug his sister and tell her that everything was alright. He wanted to tell her that Grantaire wasn't going to hurt; her that no one was ever going to hurt her again. The others were busy laughing; Grantaire was busy ordering another drink and Eponine was shaking.

Before Gavroche could move however, an arm pulled Eponine away from her drunken friend and the toppled seat. Enjolras gave her his seat, at least two people away from Grantaire. He leaned against the bar and started to talk to her, causing her to stop shaking and a small smile to appear on her face.

Gavroche let out a breath and decided to hurry home before someone saw him through the window. Yes, Grantaire was a good guy but not good for his sister. She needed someone who knew when to stop; she needed someone to know when it was time to step in, to protect her without smothering her.

But he had only two options left and after that, well, Paris was a big city; there was bound to be someone out there.

He's decided a few weeks later that Courfeyrac isn't the right guy for Eponine either.

Not that there's anything wrong with him; Courfeyrac is great. He offered to look after the boys before Eponine even had to ask, he always let them have an extra piece of cake and he had the best collection of DVDs that Gavroche has ever seen.

But the problem is that Courfeyrac is like an older brother to him; aka Eponine thinks he's slightly immature. Courfeyrac is great but Eponine looks after him like she looks after Gavroche and Peter and Jacques. Like how she makes sure he has actually food in his apartment, not just junk food and take out menus; and how she reminds him to pay his bills instead of shoving them in the fruit bowl.

Eponine's a survivor see, so she better at getting things done and living in the real world. She always looks out for her friends that way. And Gavroche thinks that it's time someone looked after Eponine. Not treat her like she's ten, but treats her right. He had already come to this conclusion before his teacher pulled him aside in the last class of the day.

"Your sister called," she said, "Apparently your usually babysitter isn't going to pick you today. Something about cutting his hand on broken glass?"

Gavroche tries not to roll his eyes; Courfeyrac had been warned to get rid of a cracked mirror weeks ago.

"Not to worry though, he's fine. One of Eponine's other friends is picking you and your brothers up today."

So after the final class let out and Gavroche rounded up Peter and Jacques from their classrooms, he is not as surprised to see Enjolras leaning against his red car outside the school gates. Gavroche's friends were gaping at the sight of such a sleek car and their mothers were gaping at such a handsome man that owned it.

Not the Enjolras had an idea of the effect he and his car were causing. He was just leaning against the passenger door, sunglasses shielding his eyes and a plaid shirt that matched his vehicle. Peter and Jacques ran straight to him, each hugging a leg as they barely came up to his waist.

Gavroche walked towards them, saying goodbye to his friends as they parted. "Roche!" Lucas-from-two-seats-over-in-class exclaimed "Your dad's car is so cool."

Gavroche didn't reply. He hadn't replied when his friends thought that Eponine was his mother either. It would just mean that he would have to explain his situation to a bunch of kids who parents had probably never even raised their voices to them, let alone slapped them around. So he hadn't said anything and wasn't going to say anything about Enjolras either.

They arrived back at their apartment and Enjolras cooked up a hot meal for them, making sure to keep some for Eponine and Azlema when they got home. Homework was done, dishes were washed and the two younger boys were put to bed.

Enjolras let Gavroche watch one show before bed but soon the TV was turned off. Enjolras sat at the kitchen island, doing work for one of his charities while Gavroche pretended to be asleep. It was nice, knowing that someone else was there. He could hear the occasional rustle of papers or soft breathing. It was late when the door opened and his sisters crept in; Gavroche kept his eyes closed.

"Were they alright?" Eponine asked softly and Enjolras must have nodded because she replied, "Good," a moment later.

Azlema gave a very quick goodnight and padded quickly to the bedroom door, shutting it behind her.

"I was going to ask her if she wanted any of the pasta left over from dinner," Enjolras said, keeping his voice low.

"I think she'll be alright; but I would love some."

This was followed the sounds of opening and closing the fridge, unwrapped a plate and heating it up in the microwave. Eponine tip toed over to him, obviously to check if any of it had woken him up but Gavroche stayed still. The two friends began to talk softly as they sat at the island.

"Thank you for doing this; I know that you're busy."

"I'm never too busy for you and your family Eponine. You know how much I admire you for how you saved your siblings."

Gavroche thought about risking a peek at them but then Eponine spoke again. "It's just...you know how much I love everyone in our group but sometimes I feel like I'm taking advantage of them by making them look after the kids."

"You never take advantage of any of us. In case you didn't notice, we always volunteer to look after your brothers. And Azelma is always helping Cosette with her essays for school."

Eponine laughed slightly and said, "I know! Give my sister a moment to talk about how girls are pressured or looked down on and she'll go on for days."

"And why shouldn't she when she has a role model like you? You rescued them all from your parents and you're keeping them happy in a safe place."

There was a long pause. Gavroche finally opened his eyes and looked over the arm of the couch. Eponine and Enjolras were sitting side by side, a plate of pasta half eaten in front of his sister. She was picking at the last pieces of it with her fork and Enjolras had pushed aside his papers.

"Sometimes," Eponine said quietly, "Sometimes, I worry that it's not safe. I-I walk up in the middle of the night at the slightest sound and every time, I swear...I swear for half a second I think it's them. It's my father come to drag me back to do his bidding or my mother ready to snatch the others away to beg on the streets for her. Sometimes I look over at the other bed and I think Azlema's not there; that they've already taken her. But she always there, sleeping soundly. But I have to get up and check on the others...just in case."

Gavroche barely breaths as he listens to her. Enjolras is there though and he takes one of her hands in his. He's looking at her like his heart is breaking and getting her to believe him is the only thing that can save them all.

"Eponine, listen to me. You. Are. Safe. You and your sister and your brothers are safe. I promise that I will never let anything happen to any of you."

Eponine is still, staring at him and Gavroche wonders if she can see his face clearly since they are so close to one another. It can't be good for her eyesight.

"You...You won't?"

Enjolras suddenly looks afraid-which Gavroche has never seen before-and he stammers out, "Well-well, we all will keep you safe. Me and the boys. Cosette and Musichetta are probably more violent than they look as well."

Even Gavroche can tell he's trying to cover something up. But Eponine lets it go and just smiles at him as she continues to eat.

Gavroche puts his head down and finally closes his eyes. Yes, Courfeyrac wouldn't be good for Eponine; he could barely reassure himself let alone reassure her. No, he knew now that his sister needed someone who would have her back, at short notice or even in the middle of the night.

Gavroche realized, just as he was falling asleep to the sounds of Eponine and Enjolras mumbling in the kitchen, that he only had one option left.

It was a few days before he found the opportunity to talk to Combeferre alone. It was only after everyone had left the cafe one evening and Enjolras was over with Eponine at the counter. He sat across from the older man, arms folded over the table and a serious look on his face.

"I need to talk to you."

Combeferre raised an eyebrow but mimicked his pose and replied, "Of course, young Gavroche. What is bothering you?"

Gavroche took a breath and checked that no one was around before declaring, "I need you to date my sister."

Combeferre's jaw dropped only slightly and he spluttered out, "What? Eponine?"

Gavroche gave him a scathing look and replied in a dry tone, "No, I mean fifteen year old Azlema. Yes, Eponine!"

Combeferre sent said girl a glance before looking back at her brother. "What brought all this on? Since when do you even care who dates Eponine? Aren't you a little young to be thinking of these things?"

Gavroche was losing patience with all his questions; couldn't the guy just date her already?

"I want Eponine to be happy. After Marius hurt her, I think she was afraid that she'd be alone. And she deserves someone who loves her because she's great. And I know that she wants someone around to be a role model to us or something like that so I decided to look at her friends and pick one of you lot. I've narrowed it down to you and well you're not perfect but you're better than the others."

"Thanks," Combeferre replied sarcastically but he was touched by how much the young buy wanted Eponine to be happy. But clearly he had missed out on one thing.

"Gavroche? When you say that you looked at all of Eponine's friends, did you mean that you looked at all of us?"

Gavroche sighed but said, "Yes! I mean it was a bit difficult lately because Eponine had mostly been hanging around with just Enjolras but I did manage to figure out that you're her best option."

Combeferre seemed to realise something and he smiled slightly. "Well Gavroche, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no. Eponine and I would just not work but I think if you wait a little longer, your sister will take case of her own love life."

Gavroche frowned and sat back in his chair. Well, there goes that plan.

It's a few weeks later and they've all stayed over at Courfeyrac's. Well, he and the boys have anyway. Azelma is sleeping over at a friend's and Eponine is busy so they can't stay in the apartment over night.

But Gavroche wakes up early the next morning and is craving the pancakes that he knows are in their fridge. So, he sneaks the spare key away from a sleeping Courfeyrac and heads home to have breakfast. In no time at all, he's in their kitchen and riffling through the fridge.

He hears a noise and turns around only to see Enjolras coming out of his sister's bedroom.

The older man stops at the sight of him and goes, "Gavroche! What are doing home?"

Gavroche shrugged and shuts the fridge, holding out a plate of cooled pancakes. "I was hungry. What are you doing here so early?"

Enjolras folds his arms and looks back through the open bedroom door for a moment before saying, "Uh, Eponine and I were working on something last night and I fell asleep here."

Gavroche nodded and asked, "Was the couch comfy enough? 'Cause I think it's got a loose spring or something."

Enjolras just nods and replied, "Yup, yup the couch was fine."

Gavroche frowns at him however and asks, "Where's your shirt?"

Enjolras looks down at his bare chest and jeans, only to say, "Oh I just had a shower..."

Gavroche nodded and munched down on a pancake. Enjolras tried to say something else but Eponine appeared in the doorway.

"I think there is some food in the-Gavroche!"

The boy smiles at his sister and then says to Enjolras, "Hey, found your shirt. You should give it back to him thought, Eponine, it doesn't really fit you."

The two adults just muttered agreements and Gavroche hopped up on the kitchen island. They joined him-in their own clothes- a few minutes later and the three of them had breakfast together until Courfeyrac dropped the other two boy back at the apartment.

Eponine nearly killed him for letting Gavroche sneak out but even she knew that her brother had a roaming streak. Gavroche watched Enjolras pour his younger brothers some cereal.

As Gavroche continued to watch him, he realised that Eponine's friend knew where everything was. The bowls, the spoons and the food, as well as knowing that Jacques couldn't have the sugary cereal while Peter like bananas on top of his. But Gavroche just continued to finish his own breakfast, getting lost in his own ideas and plans about finding Eponine a new boyfriend.

How much would a skywriter cost?

It's only a few weeks later that Eponine finally tells them that she's dating Enjolras.

Azelma did that weird thing girls do; she bounced up and down and clapped her hands together really fast. Peter and Jacques acted as if this wasn't big news and perhaps, Gavroche realised, it wasn't.

He had been so busy looking for a guy for Eponine who would have her back and protect her when needed as well be a father like figure to her siblings, that he missed the man who was already doing all of those things.

Gavroche just nodded his head and said, "Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy."

By the next year, Eponine and Enjolras have bought a house together, a big one near Cosette's father's home. It has a bedroom each for them except Peter and Jaques still have to share; not that they mind. They're allowed paint their rooms whatever colours they want and the housewarming party they throw fills the new home with laughter and friends. The morning after, Eponine is sleeping in as well as Azlema and the younger boys.

Gavroche however is up, sitting on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table that Marius and Cosette bought them as a gift. Enjolras walks in from the kitchen with a warm drink that he hands to Gavroche. He holds his own coffee and sits down beside the younger boy, putting his own feet up. The TV isn't on so there's a comforting silence in the living room.

"Gavroche," Enjolras says, "Combeferre told me a while ago that you once took a serious interest in your sister's love life. I don't suppose you are still keeping an eye on it."

Gavroche shrugs and replies, "That was a while ago and it turned out terribly. I missed you all together! I mean, obviously it turned out alright but I've decided that love lives are weird and I don't like them."

Enjolras nodded and took a sip of his drink. "I see. I only wondered because it turns out there's something I need to ask you about Eponine."