Hello, welcome back! Nothing really to say yet, other than THANKS FOR READING THIS! :D

P.S. I dare you to try and find the American Pie quote ;) ;)

Javert did not think he would like Paris, and he didn't. Not really. However, he couldn't help but notice that there was a reason he kept coming back. A tiny brunette reason with gorgeous eyes. Her wit made her difficult, no, impossible to deal with at times, but Javert knew he enjoyed her company more than he would admit to anyone. Especially her.

One night, after all the other officers had gone off to "have fun" in ways Javert wished he did not know about, he stopped by the bakery where he had first met Louise. He walked in just as a man on the worse side of middle age was packing up for the night. "My apologies, monsieur, but there is no more bread for sale today. I will be opening again tomorrow at sunrise if you wish to..."

Javert cut him off with a slight bow and a polite hand gesture. "I was not looking for bread, monsieur. I came here to call on Louise, if she is still here."

The man immediately smiled and offered his hand to Javert. "You must be officer Javert! Pardon me sir. My name is Lambert, and Louise is my daughter Cosette's best friend. Why, she's almost like a second daughter to me! They talk about you all the time. Would you like me to call her?"

Javert nodded. "Merci, monsieur." He stiffly sat down in a chair by the window as monsieur Lambert started up a set of stairs behind the bakery's counter. He stared into his hat for what seemed like a long time, until he heard monsieur Lambert coming back down the stairs with his best friend trailing close behind him.

Javert stood up as she appeared. Her beauty had been steadily growing on him since they first met, but today was the first time she truly took his breath away. Her hair was still mousy, but it was neatly tied in the back and nearly reached her elbows. "Mademoiselle?" He extended his hand to her. As she took it, he contemplated kissing hers, but decided against it, simply shaking it as they had always done.

"Always a question, monsieur. Do you still believe that I am a man?"

"I thought I told you to control your tongue when we first met." He said with mock sternness.

"I thought I told you a year later that I didn't care."

"Fine," said Javert, turning his back on her. "If you really don't care what I say, then I suppose I won't take you for a walk today."

"Now of course, my friend, notice how I said didn't? Perhaps a year ago I did not care, but I am a different woman now. I do care what you say to me, and I would like to hear more, so will you please still let me walk with you?"

Javert turned around and faced her again. "Oh, I suppose I could allow it." He held the door open for her as the two set out for the Jardin du Luxemborg.

Javert led Louise over to a bench where there was not a lot of trees nearby. "Has anyone ever told you about the stories the stars tell?" She shook her head. "Look where those three line up in a row, now broaden your view a little bit. That is a man, and a great hunter as well. Those are his hunting dogs next to him."

Louise could not see exactly what he was talking about, but she didn't want to disappoint her best friend. "What are they hunting?"

Javert pointed to a section of the sky where a group of stars looked quite a bit like a large spoon. "Those bears."

Louise turned to him. "Monsieur, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Why would you think something is wrong?"

"Michael." It was the first time in ages she had used his first name. "You only start obsessing over the stars like this when something is really wrong with you. Now don't make me ask again."

He covered his face for a second and sighed deeply. "A few months ago I released a man from prison. I didn't trust him, but I was told to release him. I've just found out today that he's broken parole. I've failed, Louise. I've failed everything."

Louise's chest seized up, but she pushed on. She took one of his hands in both of hers. "Michael, there was nothing you could have done. You have only done your duty; it's someone else's sin at most."

He brought his other hand up to envelop hers. "Thank you, Louise. What would I do without you?" She just smiled and turned away. "It's getting late. I should probably take you back home." As he walked her back to the bakery where she apparently lived, she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. For the first time, he actually liked it.

"Until we meet again, my friend." She gave him a slight curtsy as she slipped back in the door, leaving Javert alone and feeling a little bit rejected.

"At least she'll never know," he said as he walked sadly back to his hotel.