Wow, two chapters in one day! I feel productive =D

Jean said he would do anything to help Simone. It was the least he could do. The poor girl's story sounded much like that of Fantine. He hadn't done enough to help Fantine, and he wasn't about to fail his daughter's friend too.

But his daughter's advice was absurd.

"Cosette came up with a plan to help me. It's bit mad, really."

"What is it?"

"She says I should get married."

"To whom?"

Simone shrugged. "She suggested Marius, but I could never do that to either of them."

"Good. I'm sure Cosette means well, but I have to say, I doubt that plan would work."

"Why not?"

"Well, you'd first have to find someone willing to marry a woman who is with child by another man."

"I-I think it could work. I mean, if I were to marry, I could tell everyone else that the child is my husband's. Only the three of us would even have to know the truth. If I marry soon, I can act as though the baby was born early."

"And do you have a, ahem, suitor in mind?"

"Yes. I-I think it should be you."

Valjean blinked, waiting for Simone to start laughing. Waiting for her to say that it was all just a big joke. 'Perhaps she's not even pregnant!' he thought.

But her face remained the same, and Jean realized that she was serious.

"Absolutely not."

"Please? Just think about it at least! I wouldn't have to bring anyone else who doesn't already know into this mess. Besides, this could help you too. I mean, no one would suspect anything about you and your-," Simone struggled to figure out how to refer to Jean's lover, "the Inspector."

Valjean tensed. "Does anyone actually suspect-"

"I don't know. I didn't tell anyone."

"Cosette doesn't know?"

Simone shook her head.

"I appreciate it."

"I'm the last person who has the right to judge what you do behind closed doors."

Simone put a hand to her stomach.

"I'm too old to fool anyone with this. My daughter's only, what, four years younger than you?"

"The fact is, the things people will say about our marriage are nothing compared to what they'd say about the truth."

Jean sighed. 'She has a point,' he thought. 'Homosexuality and premarital sex are both taboo.'

"We can marry."

Simone threw her arms around him.

"Thank you so much, monsieur–Jean."

"We'll have to marry soon, though. When are you due?"

"June."

"You'll be showing soon. We can pull this off if we marry by the end of the month."

"So we have two weeks to do this."

Jean nodded.

"Even though we are not marrying because we love each other, I would still like to be wed in a church. Besides, a solely legal ceremony would look suspicious."

"In that case, you should make the arrangements with a priest as soon as possible."

"Then I shall go now. We can tell Cosette after dinner."

"I don't know how comfortable I am with this..." Cosette confessed. Jean had expected this. No girl would feel comfortable with gaining a step-mother who was, not only their best friend but also, so close in age.

"I'm not entirely okay with this arrangement either, but it is the best choice. Simone will be able to pass the baby off as my legitimate child."

"And what am I to do? Refer to the child as a sibling?"

"Not in private if you don't want to," Jean sighed.

"Cosette, I wish there was something else I could do, but this is for the best."

"And what are you getting from this, papa?"

Jean froze. Simone took his arm. He wanted to tell Cosette. She was his daughter. She would accept him, just as Simone had. But he couldn't make the words.

"It...settles a debt with your mother."

Cosette looked down. Jean felt guilty lying to his daughter, but could not bare to tell the truth.

Not yet.