I hope you guys like this twist in the storyline- please let me know!


Marius anxiously counted the hours as the clock chimed, until finally a police officer walked over to the holding cell. With the scrape of the lock, he was led out into the office of the head police officer, Inspector Neveau. Marius couldn't take the degradation of the handcuffs digging into his wrists.

"Name?" a lesser officer asked, then proceeded to fill out a form with all of Marius' necessary information. Marius was grateful when they took his grandfathers address. He was also grateful that he had not been at the barricades the summer before- his record was spotless. Hopefully he could make a good impression.

"I understand you attacked a man on the street," the Inspector stated, his elbows on his desk and his chin resting on his fingers.

"If you please, Monsieur," Marius pleaded. "I beseech you- listen to my story."

The man answered him with a blank stare. Nervously, he continued.

"You see, monsieur, the man on the street..." he began with his voice shaking. He felt his father's will pressing down on him, and he could not bear to say Thenardier's name out loud.

"Yes?" the man prompted curtly, writing something on a sheet of paper. Motivated, Marius continued.

"You see, I have seen the man before. I know of many crimes the man has committed. Most recently, he attempted to rape my fiance and when I saw him, I acted rashly."

"You should not have taken the law into your own hands," the man said, setting his pen down. Standing, he handed the paper he had written on to the other police officer. "Have this sent to his grandfather while I continue to speak with Monsieur Pontmercy. His record is clean enough, and we shall negotiate something."

The man nodded, and Marius seemed to melt with relief. It was just before six o'clock- if he was out within the hour, he could make it to the Fauchelevents and explain what had happened.

"Now," the inspector said, turning towards Marius. "This attempted rape you speak of. Was it reported?"

Marius cringed. "No."

The Inspector raised his eyebrows. "You know the man?" Marius nodded. "Then, by God, what was his name?"

Marius bit his lip. "I..."

The Inspector continued. "What was the name of your fiance? Her father?"

Marius felt too many promises influencing him- his promise to Monsieur Fauchelevent not to bring the police into the picture, his oath to his father. But the inspector's eyes were gleaming at him, and the metal of the handcuffs chafed his skin. The clock struck six then, and the knowledge that his wedding was tomorrow pushed him forward. Marius knew that six months after the fact, an attempted rape was impossible to prove. But he also knew that he would not be leaving the station until he had told his story.

"Fauchelevent. Her name is Fauchelevent."


Jean Valjean did not like to be a spiteful person. However, that day in June when he'd opened the newspaper and seen the death of Inspector Javert- printed in black and white!- had been a wonderful one. Not joyous or celebratory, but Valjean felt as if twenty years of worry, shame, and terror had been lifted from his shoulders. For twenty years, a man had been following Valjean, gripping the back of his coat, whispering in his ear, drawing ever closer. Sometimes, Valjean would lose sight of the man- he had outrun him, per se- but the man was never gone. He was only lurking further behind, in the shadows. The man was his past.

That was why it had worried him so when Monsieur Pontmercy had started digging after details. Couldn't Marius be satisfied knowing that Cosette loved him more than she loved he, Valjean? Couldn't he be satisfied knowing that he had everything Valjean wanted? No- he wanted more. He wanted information, and that more than anything drove Valjean to dislike the man.

However, Valjean managed to look past this. For weeks, Monsieur Pontmercy did not speak of his desire to uncover the truth. He did not breath a word of what he knew to Cosette, and he was nothing less than polite, courteous, and exactly what Valjean could ask for for his daughter (on purpose, no doubt, but virtually flawless all the same). So that was why, on the eve of Cosette and Marius' wedding, Valjean was so surprised when Monsieur Pontmercy did not come to visit as he had promised he would.

Cosette was worried for his safety, harping on about illness or someone hurting him on the street. She wound her hands in her lap, a crease on her forehead. She checked the clock when she thought her father was not looking. Without being prompted, she made excuses for Marius' lateness, as though Valjean had insulted him. More than anything, she was frightened. Cosette- candid, darling Cosette- would never suspect Marius of breaking his word. Valjean reassured her, saying that something had probably just come up out of nowhere and taken him by surprise. After all, that was probable. There was a lot of business that may need to be taken care of for the wedding the next day. After so many weeks- months, even- of being prompt and present, Valjean did not suspect Marius had run off or anything of the sort. However, the rudeness of it, as well as the grief it had caused Cosette, didpeeve Valjean.

So when a knock on the door interrupted the silence at around seven-thirty, Valjean assumed it was Monsieur Pontmercy, here to reassure Cosette and apologize profusely. He was ready to give the young man a stern look when he opened the door. Three police officers stood before him.

The man had returned.