Soooo….. I know, I know I've got a lot of explaining to do. BUT I'M BACK AND I'M NOT DEAD! :D Ok so for this story this is a Les Mis fic. And yes I'm a big Les Mis fan! This takes place in an AU, where nobody's dead and pools have been invented! So disclaimer I don't on Les Mis! (Sadly) And of course the summery: Valjean takes little Cosette to the new pool, but what happens when a certain inspector is there? (Oneshot)
"Papa! Papa, are we going?" Little Cosette asked excitedly. Valjean chuckled, and grabbed the bag, with all their pool supplies. "In a minute, little one" he replied, smiling at his daughter's excitement. At last Valjean got the last of their supplies packed. Two towels, sunscreen, a quick snack if either of them got hungry, two bottles of water, or of course some newly bought pool toys for Cosette. The pool was only a short walk away from where they lived, Cosette was excited, but she knew she had to learn how to swim. No problem, nothing her beloved Papa couldn't teach her. When they arrived, both noticed there was nobody was there, most likely because, it just opened. Valjean and Cosette set their stuff down, and showered off. Cosette let out a startled yelp, the water was so cold! Valjean was used to it, after he was a former convict, a little cold water couldn't possibly bother him. Cosette shivered. If the shower was this cold, she was afraid of how the water would feel. Valjean got right in, and swam around a bit, then went to the shallow end, to help Cosette learn how to swim. "Are you coming in, Cosette?" Valjean asked. Cosette shook her head, and replied, "It's very cold Papa!" Valjean gave a small laugh. "It's alright. You'll get used to it" Valjean's attention was directed to front of the pool gate, someone was coming in. He hoped it would be someone with another child. It would do well, for Cosette to make a friend. Instead he turned ghostly white. It was not someone with a child, it was Javert. Valjean knew seeing Javert here, it meant no good. Javert had stopped pursuing Valjean long ago, but Javert never ceased to strike sudden fear in him. But what would Javert be doing here? Valjean never knew Javert for wanting to do fun things, Javert hated it. But if Javert hated fun stuff so much, why was he here? Most likely to look for any criminals here at the pool. Javert scowled at Valjean. What was he doing here? Then he noticed Cosette. Ah yes, his little lark. Javert thought, bitterly. Javert figured Valjean took her to enjoy herself that day. Cosette stuck a foot in the water and immediately jerked it out. The water felt like ice. Cosette would just have to get used to the water on her own. But not before Javert had a little….fun. Javert noticed Valjean had dived under the water. Good timing. Javert went around the opposite side of the pool, without Cosette noticing, he snuck up behind her. He knew he had to make this quick before Valjean came to surface. "JUST WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Javert boomed. Cosette shrieked, and jumped into the water. Javert swore the child turned white. Cosette jumped out of the water, and yelled. The water was so cold! "Ooh! So cold!" she cried, climbing out and sitting on the edge of the shallow. By then Javert had gone back to where he was, and was laughing as noiselessly as he could. Valjean had come to surface, and saw that Cosette was wet, and shaking like a leaf. "What happened?" Valjean asked. Cosette pointed to the still laughing Javert. "He scared you?" Cosette nodded. Valjean glared at Javert, and glanced at Cosette. Cosette at last, got in, and waded her way to Valjean. "Alright, my child, are you ready to learn how to swim?" Valjean asked. Cosette smiled and nodded eagerly. Cosette was a quick learner, and pretty soon she was swimming all by herself.
Valjean watched as she swam a little ways. "Look Papa! Look! I'm truly swimming!" Cosette cried to him, laughingly. Valjean smiled. He then went to the Cosette. Cosette and Valjean then played a game of volleyball. It didn't last long however, due to Valjean hitting the ball so hard, it went very far, and ended up hitting Javert on the head. Valjean held back a laugh, and Cosette giggled. Javert brought the ball back to back to them. He was not happy. "I believe this is yours" He said irritated. Cosette giggled again. "Sorry Inspector!" she said. Javert said nothing as he walked back to his spot. For now they put the ball up. Valjean did not want to get on Javert bad side. (But then again wasn't he always on Javert's bad side?) As Cosette swam around, Valjean swam to her side. "Do want to go to a deeper end?" Valjean asked. "I'll drown! Papa, I can't swim that deep" Cosette said. "You won't have to" Valjean replied. "Get on my back" Valjean instructed. Cosette obeyed. As Valjean swam deeper, Cosette got slightly nervous. "Hold your breath" Valjean said. Valjean dove under and came up seconds later. "Oh wow!" Cosette exclaimed awed, that she was in the deepest end of the pool. Javert gave a slightly audible scoff. There was nothing that exciting about this pool. So far nobody had come to the pool but them. Javert decided it was getting hot, and would cool off a little. He certainly wouldn't get near them. Dear God, no! Javert wondered though, what if the water was as cold as The Lark said. He shook his head, the child was merely overreacting! He stood at the edge, debating if he should just jump in or not. Valjean and Cosette had moved further away. Cosette climbed out, she wanted to apologize for laughing at him earlier. She went up behind him. Javert was not even expecting her. Valjean was confused. Was Cosette getting back at him for earlier? "Um… Inspector?" Cosette asked, perhaps a bit too loudly. She didn't mean to. But Javert looked like he was lost in thought. Javert was startled quite badly. He gave a loud (almost comical) shout and toppled face first into the pool, fully clothed. As he nearly sank to the bottom, Javert was sure he heard near hysterical laughter. And not from any child either! Was Valjean laughing? At him? Javert swam to the surface. Surely enough, Valjean was indeed laughing. Cosette was also laughing alongside her father. One had to admit, it was amusing. Valjean had not laughed this hard in years. He was laughing so much, his stomach was hurting. Javert called out to him angrily: "Are you laughing at me?" Valjean tried to stop instantly, but the way Javert screamed was still echoing in his ears. "No, of course not Javert!" Valjean cried. "You need to learn to laugh at yourself." "I would never!" Javert cried.
"Not after something degrading such as that!" Javert said irritated. Cosette looked at Javert and smiled. "I wanted to apologize for hitting you with the ball earlier. But now I want to say I'm sorry for scaring you." Cosette said. "Hm. Fine" Javert replied moodily. "I was not scared!" Javert said. "I was startled." Valjean just smiled; at least he wasn't being mean to her. Valjean went through their bag and pulled out a snack for Cosette. Cosette nibbled on it, but really wasn't that hungry. "Are you thirsty?" Cosette asked, Javert. Javert sighed, and complied. Come to think of it, Javert was thirsty. Javert took Cosette's water bottle and drank his fill. Cosette gave Javert her water bottle and let him keep it. Despite what Javert thought of not conversing with them, he now was. What else was there to do? "Can you swim?" Cosette asked. "Of course I can!" Javert exclaimed. "Will you have a swim race with me, then?" Cosette asked. "I'd like to see if I'm rather good." Javert had no idea of what to say. Javert sucked in a breath. "Alright fine" he replied, quietly. "Right. Where to then?" Javert asked. "To the rope and back" Cosette explained. "Be careful, Cosette" Valjean warned her. "I'll be careful Papa!" Cosette replied, with a smile. It was the smile that seemed to say: "I'll be alright. Don't worry." They both started at the shallow end, and began. Cosette just started swimming today, and so naturally she would be a little slow, but she was trying her best. By the time she got to the rope, she was already tired. Cosette forfeited the race, and slowly swam back to Valjean. "You're quite good" Valjean said to Javert. Javert said nothing. For another hour and a half Cosette and Valjean stayed either playing pool games or merely swimming. Javert watched, occasionally thinking of nothing in particular. At one point he thought bitterly and almost sadly to himself: How lucky 24601 is. He has a child, a lark; he can take care of, nurture, and love. I have nothing or no-one such as that. Valjean needs to cherish her while he can. How fast the minutes fly away. Soon Cosette will not be a young girl anymore. Before Valjean and Cosette left, Valjean waved goodbye, and Cosette gave Javert the rest of her snack, in case he got hungry. "Goodbye Inspector!" Cosette said. "Maybe we'll see each other again one day." "Perhaps" Javert replied. Javert felt a new feeling grow within him, as he watched Cosette ride on Valjean's shoulders as they walked away: Guilt. Did he really cause Fantine to die of shock? He shook the thought out. Maybe Cosette and Javert would meet again. But only this time, maybe it would be friendlier.
So that's it! I hope you guys liked it! I had fun writing it! Poor Javert though… it sucks. Well guys please review it would make me happy!