Authors note: The names of the children in this story come from a fellow fanfiction writer on this site Miss Pontmercy. I hope she isn't offended or considers it plagiarism that I've used the names. I hope if she reads this story that she can take it in good faith and appreciates the idea that her stories have inspired one of my own. xxx
Marius Pontmercy was travelling back home to Paris after a long trip away, he had become a very successful lawyer and he had been away working on an important case for almost a month, everything had gone well and he had won but he was glad to be coming home, he was missing his family terribly.
Yes, he had a family with Cosette now; they had been married for ten years and they had six beautiful children together, he was glad when he heard that he would be able to get home sooner than he had thought and was looking forward to surprising his children with his early return.
He had been thinking hard on his journey home about his career, he liked being a lawyer, he liked being able to help people, but he hated leaving his family for so long. He was thinking about stepping back from big cases from now on and not taking jobs that would mean he would have to leave for long lengths of time, he could still stay a lawyer he thought, but maybe it was time to concentrate more on his family now.
He was looking forward to seeing them all again, especially Cosette. He was still as much in love with her as he was the day he married her and she was still as beautiful as ever. They had written to each other whilst he was away and she had let the children write letters too. He loved getting letters from his children, but it wasn't the same as seeing them all the time, he missed putting them to bed, he missed giving them kisses, he just missed seeing all their smiling faces and hearing the sounds of children around him.
He loved his children very much, he thought about them all during his journey home.
Marie was the eldest at 9 years old and was Marius's pride and joy. It was a wonderful day when she was born; the first time Marius held his baby girl he felt such overwhelming love for the tiny little thing in his arms. He had never seen anything more beautiful than his baby, except for Cosette of course. He had never felt more blessed than he felt the day she was born.
She definitely took after her papa more than Cosette, she had his hair and his eyes and was less feminine than her sisters, but she was still his little girl and could be gentle and sweet like a girl should be, she was a very thoughtful child but had a habit of daydreaming just like Marius had been when he was young. She had a talent for music which must have come from Cosette and she loved to practise the piano for her mama and papa, she was also adept at reading which made Marius very proud as he was a big reader too.
Jean was his eldest boy and was 8 years old, he was named after Cosettes father which had made her dote on him more than the other children, Jean was a very kind and gentle boy, he was perhaps a little soft Marius thought but he knew he would grow up to be a gentleman and that made him very happy. He was a very smart little boy and Marius hoped he would go far with his studies, maybe he would even become a lawyer and help people like Marius did. Cosette had said that she would just be happy if her son grew up to be as good a man as her father was.
The twins were next, Isabel and Courfeyrac, they were 6 years old. It was a surprise when they were born, they hadn't been expecting two babies but as soon as both Marius and Cosette saw the tiny pair they were instantly in love. Isabel was already a great beauty and was sweet and already more ladylike than her sister Marie. She loved to play with dolls and to wear pretty dresses; she was also naturally maternal already at 6 years old and enjoyed looking after her younger siblings. She would definitely grow up to break boys hearts, which made Marius joke that she should become a nun, but he knew that she would be far too beautiful for that.
Courfeyrac was a born joker; he was a little rascal already. He was always getting into mischief and getting dirty and laughing at things constantly. He could sometimes tease his other siblings and he liked to playfight with his brother Jean and was quite boisterous when he wanted to be, but he had a good heart underneath it all and he could always charm his way back into somebodys good books when he had misbehaved too much.
Léon was his youngest boy and was nearly three years old. He was a shy little thing already and was constantly hiding behind his mothers skirts. He was a lovely boy though, very quiet and sweet and was close to his sister Isabel who liked to mother him like Cosette did. Marius thought Léon was blessed with the best features of both himself and Cosette; he had gorgeous blue eyes like his mother and dark hair like his father. He was a very precious little boy and had a sweet little smile that could melt even the hardest of hearts.
Victoire was the baby of the family and was ten months old. Cosette had a difficult birth with her even though she was the sixth baby to arrive, she took a longer time to arrive than any of the other babies and it was heart-breaking for Marius to see his wife in pain for so long. When she was born she was so very still and quiet that they had feared the worst, but the midwife was a professional and she managed to get the baby responding and they were both relieved beyond belief to hear their baby cry for the first time.
They both agreed that she was the most beautiful baby in the world. Victoire was the spitting image of Cosette with gorgeous blue eyes and blonde hair. But there was something different about Victoire; she seemed to be developing slower than her siblings. Not physically, but definitely mentally. This worried both Marius and Cosette, all their other babies had been crawling by the time they were seven months, but Victoire was only just starting to learn it now. They both worried that perhaps Victoire was simple in the head but they tried not to think like that just yet and they kept trying to help her make progress.
She was still a very lovely baby, and remarkably less fussy than all of her siblings had been. She was such a cuddly little thing too; she loved to be cuddled and would smile at everyone and everything, and she could bring a smile to the face of anyone who held her.
Marius's mind had wandered and before he knew it the carriage had pulled up to the front of his house. It was still early in the morning and Marius hoped he had gotten home in time for breakfast as he was quite hungry from the journey. Marius had taken a rather large trunk with him on his trip as well as a satchel bag so the carriage driver helped Marius get his belongings to the door and then Marius let himself into the house quietly, he was taking off his coat when Marie walked into the hall.
When she saw her papa her eyes went wide and she ran back into the room she had just come out of, "Papa's home!" She shouted, and then repeated it louder half a second later. "Papa's home!" Then she came running back into the hallway and ran straight into her fathers open arms.
"Marie my darling girl!" Marius exclaimed as he lifted his little girl off the ground to give her a hug and a kiss, then he heard the sound of his other children come running into the hall to join her. Jean and Courfeyrac were first, and then Isabel followed holding León's hand in hers as he was still a toddler.
Marius knelt down and tried to put his arms around all his babies at once but unfortunately they just wouldn't stretch that far, so he had to greet them all individually.
"Jean my boy, you're looking well" he hugged and kissed him too and ruffled his hair, "Courfeyrac, how good to see you", he said kissing him too, "Isabel, you look even more beautiful everyday" he said to his other daughter whilst hugging and kissing her, then he turned his attention to his youngest boy. "Léon, my baby boy, look how much you've grown! He picked up his little boy and kissed his little face before returning him to Isabels care.
"Where's your mother?" Marius asked his children. But before any of them could answer Cosette appeared in the hallway
"I'm here Marius" Cosette said whilst smiling at him. She came into the hallway carrying baby Victoire on one arm. She was wearing a simple floral dress with a corset underneath and her hair was let down but she was still looking as beautiful as the day he fell in love with her. She had changed a lot since then, giving birth to six children had changed her physically in some places, her hips had become fuller and so had her bosom, but she had still been able to keep her figure remarkably well, and Marius still thought he was the luckiest man ever to have married her.
Marius stood up again and gazed at his wife for a few seconds, just taking in her beautiful face again after a long month. He walked over to her and he kissed her passionately which made the younger children giggle and then he embraced her tightly, he had forgotten about the baby in-between them until she squealed from being caught between her parents, the two of them broke apart at Victoires cries.
"I'm sorry baby girl" Marius said as he took Victoire from Cosette "Papa missed you very much little one" he kissed her tiny face and gave her a tickle which made her laugh, he had missed hearing his children laugh and so he held his baby girl close to him.
"How was your journey?" Cosette asked but didn't give Marius enough time to answer before she asked more questions, "Are you well?" she asked touching his face lovingly, "You haven't shaved" she said disapprovingly, then she reverted back to a concerned wife "Have you eaten? We just finished breakfast but I can have the cook fix you something"
"I'd like that, thank you". He said to Cosette and smiled at her for still being as adorable as ever when it came to looking after him
He looked towards his trunk and his other belongings that were by the front door and then looked towards Jean and Courfeyrac
"Boys, can you take my trunk into the living room please? And then you can all tell me everything I've missed while I was away".
The family headed back into the dining room and while Marius ate his breakfast the children told him about the events of the past month. Marie had been getting better at playing the piano and asked if she could play for him later on which Marius said he would love to hear, Courfeyrac complained how Jean had broken his wooden sword when they were playing pirates in the garden and that had led to a fight between the two boys which made Marius look sternly at his sons, Jean said it wasn't his fault that he was a better pirate than Courfeyrac and that he was just jealous of him, which made Cosette laugh as she sat next to her husband with the baby on her lap. Isabel told her papa about how she had been teaching Léon nursery rhymes and that Léon was a very good brother for letting her play with him when Courfeyrac didn't want too.
Marius drank in the sound of his children again after such a long time and smiled lovingly at his wife, when he had finished eating he turned his attention to his children again.
"Shall we go into the living room?" he asked his children playfully, "I brought presents for you all"
The children cheered loudly and ran straight into the living room followed by their parents; Cosette carried Victoire into the room with her as she was still too tiny to keep up with her siblings. It was like Christmas day for the children as Marius opened up his trunk and various colourful wooden toys, dolls and sweets were distributed amongst the crowd of excited little faces, they were all ecstatic with their new prizes. Marius brought presents home to his children after every long trip, but it wasn't just to make them happy, although that was a bonus, no, he had an ulterior motive for keeping them occupied for a while.
Whilst the children were now distracted with their new toys Marius went to Cosette and put his arms around her waist from behind, he nuzzled against her neck, breathing her in again after so long and then he kissed her hair gently.
"Shall we go upstairs?" He whispered in her ear
Cosette smiled flirtatiously, she knew what he meant by that, he was the same every time he came home from a long trip.
Cosette went to find Nicolette, who still worked for the family, to ask if she would watch the children for a while, Marius lead Cosette by the hand as the two of them headed upstairs quickly, smiling knowingly as they did so like they were newlyweds again.