When Tomorrow Comes

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

A FEW DAYS BEFORE

"'Ponine!" Marius shouted.

He was almost running through town, stopping to check in every corner to see if Eponine was there.

"'Ponine!" he cried again.

He had heard the news. Rumors spread around fast and he wanted to know if this one was true.

Someone had mentioned that Monsieur Thénardier's last scam hadn't worked. Everytime this happened, he blamed Eponine even if it wasn't her fault. And then she was left shattered, broken and bruised. But Eponine prefered that happening to her than to her younger brothers and sisters. Marius just hoped that it was all a lie.

"Have you seen Eponine?" he anxiously asked a man.

"Thénardier's daughter? Yeah, I've seen her around."

"Can you tell me where?"

The man seemed to hesitate.

"I could... But what would that give me? Times are tough, rich boy."

Marius sighed. He digged in his pocket and took out a couple francs. The man smiled in delight.

"Last I saw, she was hanging around rue Plumet... Poor girl."

Marius' heart skipped a beat.

"Thank you, Monsieur!"

He rushed away towards rue Plumet, desperate to find his friend. Barely a minute later, Marius turned on the street and started to look around. And that's when he spotted the lonely figure sitting with it's back to the wall.

"Eponine..." he whispered as his voice broke.

He slowly walked towards her and put his hand on her shoulder. She shivered at his touch.

"'Ponine, are you alright?"

She looked up at him and he gasped. She was covered in dirt and bruises. Her left eye was swollen. He couldn't help but look away.

"'Ponine, I..."

"No, don't say anything," she said in a whisper. "I'm fine."

Marius looked at her again and saw the pain in her eyes.

"You are definitely not okay," he told her.

"It's just a couple scratches, I'm used to it," she replied.

"Let me help you, I..."

"What can you do?" she sadly said. "It has already been done."

"Marius!" a voice called from the alley.

He spun around and spotted Enjolras waving to him. Eponine blushed at his sight and smiled shyly. Her heart started to beat faster.

"Come on!" Enjolras insisted.

Marius glanced at Eponine at his feet.

"Can it wait a little bit?" he shouted back.

"Everyone's waiting for us! We can't be late!"

"Go," Eponine answered.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, I tell you."

He looked around then decided to extend his hand.

"Come with us," Marius told her.

Eponine shook her head.

"Oh no, I couldn't."

"I'm not leaving you here alone," he insisted.

"Why not?"

He saw the fire in her eyes. Eponine was tough, or at least that's what she was showcasing. But Marius knew that under that steel skin there was a fragile heart.

"I'm fine alone, I've always been," she insisted.

Marius caught her looking at Enjolras and smiled.

"You know you want to come," he teased.

She shot him a stare but quickly came to the conclusion that he was right. She wanted to go to their secret hideout.

"Okay, fine," she let out.

Eponine got up painfully and crossed her arms against her chest. When Enjolras saw her getting up, he glared at Marius, who answered by a hunch of the shoulders.

"It'll be fine," Marius articulated.

They walked past Enjolras, still in shock that Marius had invited a girl to Café Musain.

"Are you coming, Monsieur?" Eponine asked him.

Enjolras' jaw dropped. Something about the tone she used made his palms suddenly start to sweat.

"Yes, Mademoiselle," he answered. "Let us not be late, right Marius?"

Marius looked at the two walking awkwardly next to one other and smiled.

"Of course not," he answered. "Feuilly was never the patient type."