It was raining. It was always raining it seemed to Fantine. She coughed and squinted in the flickering candlelight, trying to scratch out a few last words for her Cosette before the candle burned out. She wouldn't have any candles until she got paid again when that happened and she wanted her Cosette to know how much she loved her even if she couldn't see her.
There was a knock of the door just as the candle went out. Fantine stood up slowly, her muscles aching as they had ever since she started working in the factory. When she opened the door at first she couldn't place the woman who stood there, dressed like a prostitute. She certainly wasn't a woman from the factory. None of them liked her and they would have died rather than dressed like that. Then she realized who it was.
"Favourite!"
"The one and only." Favourite smiled at her. "Can I come in?"
"I-I don't have any food. Or candles. Or-"
"It's alright. I heard you had a baby."
"Yes." Even now Fantine lit up at the mention of Cosette, but it could not last long. Her face fell and her body seemed to droop more than before. "Cosette. I gave her to an innkeeper's wife to take care of, though. I can't keep her here. I send money every month but it never seems to be enough. She's sick, they said."
"She's not."
"Wha-?"
"Look." Favourite stepped inside and behind her was a small, skinny girl, who stared up with huge grey eyes at the mother she didn't remember. Fantine dropped to her knees.
"Cosette," she sobbed, gathering into her lap the tiny, wide-eyed girl. "Cosette! I have missed you so much. Let me see you. You are so beautiful, my Cosette." She pushed strands of hair away from Cosette's eyes and cupped her face. Cosette, who was now staring into a crying stranger's eyes, began to cry too.
"Oh, my Cosette."
"Cosette, this is your mother," Favourite said, kneeling down next to them.
"She doesn't remember me?"
"'Fraid not. She asked if I was her mother when I took her away. If they told you she was sick they were lying to you, but they were starving her and working her half to death. Look at the bruises on her."
Fantine looked. "She can't stay there."
"No, and you can't stay here either. Come with me."
"Where?"
"Rome. I have a friend there. Works in the opera. You're pretty and you have a good enough voice from what I remember. You'll be famous if you're lucky."
"I can't-"
"Why not? What do you have here? A job in the factory where you're slowly killing yourself and not enough money for candles? If you don't want to move for yourself move for the child. She needs some food."
Fantine hugged Cosette tighter. "When do we leave?"