I do not own anything besides Mercy.

1823- Paris, France

The street was swelling with people as a bevy of school children ran through the square shrieking with excitement as they chased each other.

Mercy ran book in hand, from the boy chasing her; her russet curls flying behind her. She took a chance by looking behind her to see his blonde tresses bobbing after her as he ran.

She screamed breathlessly, trying to run faster than her slightly older pursuer but stopped dead as she faced forward again seeing the men in navy blue uniforms standing outside her house. The boy chasing her failed to stop himself and crashed into her causing her to stumble forward dropping her book.

Many of the other children tailing behind stopped beside them. "What is going on?" A few children whispered from behind her.

She looked from her peers back to her house with the soldiers standing guard. The blonde boy nudged her forward as she hesitated to move, "Go on."

Mercy picked up the discarded book from the cobble stone street and cautiously moved toward her front door looking nervously behind her to the awaiting children. The boy watched intently as she passed through the guards into her house.

The foyer was grand with marble floors and a lavish staircase that stretched up to the second floor above her. Mercy's footsteps echoed through the hollow house as she cautiously walked through the study where her father and mother were often found when she arrived home from school.

Anticipation for the sight of her parents ebbed away from her as a man in a sharp uniform stood by the bare fireplace. Mercy stood on the threshold as the man turned to her.

His face was aged and rugged. His beard had showed indication of white hairs from long years of work and stress.

The uniformed man looked at her with a reserved glance. He lowered his chapeau and bowed to her. Mercy stood vigilant, not taking her eyes off the man. "Mademoiselle," His voice was gruff as he returned to full height. "I am Inspector Javert. Your mother and father have been in an accident. Your mother, had something happened to her and your father, entrusted you to my care."

Mercy looked at Javert blankly not taking in anything passed the word of 'accident.' As he spoke he walked closer till he was standing before her. She seemed to shrink in his towering presence.

"As her brother, I am here to fulfill my duty," His voice lowered and his eyes softened as he fidgeted with the brim of his hat. Javert kneeled before her, his hands on her shoulders, "You will come and live with me and I shall watch over you." He looked at her as if looking into a familiar face; reliving a moment in his past. He cleared his throat, bringing himself back to the present. He stood again. "Go and gather your things. We are leaving soon."

Mercy walked out towards the magnificent stairs, slowly taking in the news. Her parents were dead yet she felt numb; nothing. The joy of the school day had been drained completely from her as if it had never happened.

Her travel trunk hit each step distinctly as she pulled it behind her half-heartedly. She still had her school book clutched to her chest.

Javert stood by the front door watching her descend the stairs dragging the trunk noisily. He opened the door for her to pass through following her out. Taking the trunk from her he placed it atop a carriage pulled by four horses. The house servants brought the rest of her possessions to the coach.

Mercy climbed the stairs to the carriage sitting in the far corner. Javert came to the opened door, "You will be sent to my address. I have some other business to attend to but I will meet you there in due time." He tried to smile for her but couldn't bring himself to do it. It was as if it was not in his cruel nature to be kind, even to a child. Taking another look at the now desolate and miserable child he felt his heart soften. She was still young and innocent, only ten years old; yet old enough to know and understand what had happened. Her whole world would be changed. He looked away dismissing it, closing the stagecoach door firmly.

Mercy's body lurched forward as the coach jostled through the stone street. She looked out of the window at the citizens of Paris as they watched the coach drive passed. Mercy turned back to the book she held in her hands.

Her thoughts wondered to if she would ever return to the life she once had but knew every thing was going to be different now.