A/N: I should warn you guys...I won't be as regular with updating this fic as I usually am. College life is turning out to be a difficult to tame beast.

Contempt and Dignity

For a long time after, whispers would persist that Fantine had put on such airs that she did not shed a tear when at last the tragedy had been completed.

The truth was that Fantine did not dare to cry, at least where she could be seen. Only when Cosette and Gilles were both asleep did she dare to weep for her deceased friends.

Some weeks later, Fantine woke up to find her purse empty. "God, I can't do this alone!" she realized as she searched for any sous she might have missed. The expenses for the funeral, combined with the daily problems of feeding and sheltering two children, were more than a match for her.

Trembling, she crept over to the room down the hall, which had been standing empty. Gilles did not dare to sleep there. Fantine felt her heart pounding in her throat as she tiptoed to the small chest that Bernadette and Jerome had kept in a corner. She gingerly searched through the clothing in the receptacle, hoping to find something. However, the chest could not yield anything.

As Fantine exited the room, she heard a step on the stairs. "What are you doing?" she heard Gilles' sleepy voice ask.

"I'm looking for something," Fantine replied cautiously. In the half-light of the almost burned out candle, she could barely distinguish the boy's face. Still, his shadow showed that he had grown a little thinner.

Gilles made a little noise. "We're having problems, aren't we?"

"No, Gilles. Just for today, I should hope. I'm sure we will manage," Fantine said, trying to sound confident.

Gilles shook his head. "Madame Fantine, I can do something to help."

"I won't hear of it, Gilles. Your parents wouldn't want this."

"But what else can we do?"

Fantine felt her heart sink with the truth of the child's words. She thought of Cosette, who had till now been more or less carefree. She went downstairs to where Gilles stood, pallid and wan. She took him by the shoulders. "I'll find something."

Gilles smiled bitterly. "I know this town. It's not enough," he said, getting his coat which hung on a chair. He shrugged it on and headed for the door. "I'll see you later."

"Gilles!" Fantine protested, but she was reduced to having to chase him down the street. In her hurry, she did not notice the simple black and white painting that the boy had made on a sheet of cloth, depicting a man and a woman walking arm in arm.
For some reason, Gilles had learned to disappear faster than Fantine could run. As the young woman searched up and down the street, she almost did not notice the man standing at the corner.

"Watch your step, Madame," he said, stepping out of the frantic woman's path.

Fantine looked up. "My apologies, Monsieur," she said quickly.

The man tipped his hat to her. "Inspector Javert, at your service. Are you looking for someone?"

Fantine paused, unsure what to do. "M'sieur, have you seen a boy walk down this way? He's not very tall, he has black hair, a pale face, and an old coat?"

"Not in recent memory. I only arrived here just now," Javert said gravely.

"Oh God!" Fantine cried in despair.

Javert looked at her keenly. "You are that boarder down where the Feuillys used to live?"

"Yes, Monsieur."

"And it is their son you are looking for?"

"Well, yes, M'sieur Inspecteur. His name is Gilles."

Javert nodded understandingly. "He may not have gone far. What shall I tell him if I see him?"

"Tell him that Madame Fantine wishes to speak with him as soon as she arrives home. Oh, and he mustn't go about--he might get into trouble," Fantine said. "Will you tell him?"

"I will do my best," Javert said, managing something close to a half-smile on his face.

"Oh thank you, M'sieur Inspecteur Javert!" Fantine said. She heard a door open and shut someplace down the street. Quickly, she ran back to the house to find Cosette on the front stoop.

"What was that about, Maman?" Cosette asked drowsily.

"Nothing, my darling," Fantine said, smoothing out her daughter's hair.

"Where's Gilles?" Cosette asked.

"He's doing something," Fantine replied. She looked Cosette over. "You should get dressed. You're coming with me today since I can't leave you alone here."

Cosette's face was a mixture of glee and surprise. "But what about Gilles?"

"It will take him some time to get back," Fantine said thoughtfully, knowing that to some degree, she'd spoken the truth.