Opening Authoressial Note: Hail, and greetings! After promising… for a LONG time… that I would write this… HERE IT IS. The sequel to RISTI! You had all better be as excited about this as I am.

Disclaimer: Everything is mine! Muahahaha! …Except Les Miz. (POUT)

~x^^x~

The house was not new, but then again, it wasn't old. It was in excellent condition, painted a pleasant shade of yellow with white trim and surrounded by a somehow not ominous-looking black metal fence. The grass was neatly trimmed, and there were rose bushes all along the front of the house. Looking at them through the window of the still-moving carriage, ex-inspector Luc Javert approved; thorns were generally a good deterrent of home invaders. It was set back a little from the road it was on – the Rue de Luce – and a pleasant, well-maintained pathway led from the sidewalk up to the front door.

"Oh, it's adorable!" Cosette gushed from where she sat on the other side of the carriage, next to her adoptive father. "I'm quite in love with it already. I can't wait to see what the inside looks like!"

"Well, you may certainly go right ahead and see," Valjean said, smiling to see her so excited. As soon as the carriage stopped, Valjean emerged and helped the young woman out. She kissed him swiftly on the cheek and tripped up the path to the house through the open gate, stopping to wave back at him just before she entered the building.

Javert slid out of the carriage and came to stand beside the older man. "You are both such romantic saps."

Valjean beamed. "Isn't she wonderful?"

Javert shot him the sideways glare of a cynic who can't remember being loved a day in his life. "Valjean, you are -"

Before he could get any further, a cat attacked his face.

"YAGH!"

"My word! Javert!" Valjean caught the other man as he nearly fell over attempting to remove the orange tabby from his head. The cat, however, refused to let up, digging its claws in and swiping one paw across his face.

"OW! #, cat, THAT WAS MY EYE!" Forcefully, Javert clamped both of his hands around the creature, dragged it off his face, and threw it into the street, where it landed on all fours and yowled at him before bolting away.

"Javert, are you alright?" Valjean asked, his tone panicked. "JAVERT! Speak to me!"

"You know," the ex-inspector growled from behind his hands, "just because I have a history of near-fatal accidents does NOT mean you have to get hysterical every time something bad happens to me. I'll live. My face hurts, though!" he added in irritation.

"Heh heh heh. So it's chosen."

Javert and Valjean both turned to look at the older woman who had spoken, Javert with one hand still pressed over his injury.

"Rrgh. Let me handle this," he growled, starting forward, but Valjean held him back effortlessly with one hand.

"What do you mean, madam?" he inquired politely. She grinned.

"Oh, many a family's come to stay in this house," she said ominously. "But it always picks one family member – just one – and that one'll start actin' strange, and disappear, and come back – until finally they don't, and that always scares the rest of the family away.

"House comes with a lot of cats, too," she added. "Odd place. You'll all be gone before ya know it! And one of you," here her gaze fixed on Javert, "will be gone for GOOD."

And with a maniacal cackle, she was gone.

There was a long pause as the two men stared after her. Then Javert spoke.

"Batty old loon. I told you to let me deal with her."

Valjean smiled. "She was harmless. Simply welcoming us to the neighborhood!" He turned to face his companion. "What a friendly – JAVERT! YOU'RE GUSHING BLOOD!"

Javert cast a cursory glance at the puddle of blood forming on the sidewalk beneath him. "Oh. Well, head wounds tend to bleed a lot. It's likely not that –"

"Don't move your hand! Oh my – oh my – we have to get you inside, lying down, I have to call a doctor!"

As amusing as it was to watch Valjean do his best impression of a headless chicken, Javert was feeling a bit lightheaded. "Yeah… that cat did put his claws where claws aren't supposed to be. I'll just go inside now."

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITHOUT ME! You might – you might pass out in the front room or something! TEA! That's what you need, is a nice, strong cup of tea."

"Are you sure you're not the one in need of tea? You seem rather frantic."

"I am not frantic. I am always in control in these situations."

"Except when there's blood involved."

"Be quiet. You're not permitted to speak until you're sitting down with a cup of hot tea."

Javert smirked, but let Valjean practically drag him into the house. Just before they entered, a tingling sensation shot up his back, and he whirled to stare into the street behind him with the eye that wasn't currently covered.

He saw nothing. But even as he turned and went into the house, he was certain that someone had seen him – and kept on watching.

~x^^x~

A3: Oh noes! What a truly dramatic start to the sequel! Will Javert be alright?

(Dramatic pause)

NO. Hahaha, just kidding… OR AM I?

…Your murderous glares just killed my flowers. APOLOGIZE.

I would also like to point out that Javert, Cosette, and Valjean's new house in Lille is on the Rue de Luce, "Luce" being an anagram for "clue." AREN'T I CLEVER HO HO HO HO. (Cough) And on a final note, I'd like to add that I know absolutely nothing about Lille, France, so it's ALL MADE UP. You've been informed. (Deep breath) And last, but simply not least, guess who's coming back to the EANs by popular demand!

(Crickets)

A3: …Just as soon as we can find his cowardly revolutionary bum. I have people out looking for him now.

Erik: (Pokes head in) Hey, we found him, but he's putting up a bit of a fight and we can't figure out how to turn off the safety on the tranquilizer gun. OW DON'T BITE MY LEG (Punjab)

A3: Hey hey hey hey now, nonlethal force! DID I NOT EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF USING NONLETHAL FORCE! The readers like him!

(Crash, bang, minor explosion)

Enjolras: GOOD GRACIOUS! I'D RATHER DIE THAN RETURN TO YOUR SADISTIC CLUTCHES!

A3: You know, you're up against the Phantom of the Opera and an Elf with a lightsaber. You don't have a chance.

(SMASH DESTROY EXPLODIFY)

A3: He'll be here in the next chapter guys. Don't worry. (Ducks) HEY, I gave you guys a tranquilizer gun for a REASON!

Erik: IT DOESN'T (crash bang) HE BROKE (choke) GIVE ME BACK MY PUNJAB YOU DASTARDLY (boom)

A3: …I may have to step in and break this up. Anyway, guys, review a sequel! (Waves)