Early next morning, Javert woke up to the sight of an empty room, and an empty bed.
It wasn't too much of a surprise. The first thing that came to mind was that Jean had wondered off to start breakfast. Or perhaps went to take a morning bath.
However, after the man had gotten dressed and looked around the place; Jean was nowhere to be found.
That's when his concern started to grow. Where on earth was his mayor?
Javert went out, retrieving his horse and going into town to look around only to find no sign of Jean.
It was as if history were repeating itself; except this time Javert had all the more difficulty with his hunt.
The people he asked hadn't seen the man at all.
That let him know that when the other left, it had to be early. Early enough that which the sun wasn't even up yet. Jean must've snuck out.
Clever and careful as always, staying a step ahead of Javert.
The man sighed, his horse now stopped in the middle of town. "Where the hell are you Jean?" He asked to himself, taking a look around. "I hoped we could end this game of cat and mouse..." He mumbled.
He hated to admit it - and he wouldn't dare to anyone other than Jean - but, the feeling of being lost was starting to sink in.
After all, he only put his full faith and trust into this man. And now Jean was gone, leaving him behind without a word... Leaving him to feel empty.
The cold winter's wind was cooling but it brung him no relief to the sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach. A feeling of nerves going hay-wire in worry of never seeing his beloved again.
However, not once did his emotionless expression give such a thing away. The public wasn't allowed to see that. To see this side of him. They didn't deserve it.
"There he is! Officers, arrest the traitor!" Suddenly came the order from one of the lawmen Javert once knew.
Again, the hunter became the hunted.
Within the split second of hearing those words, he fled. A simple human instinct, even though he knew if he were to be caught it would only make the sentence harsher.
He didn't plan on being caught though; there was no time for that.
But when has anything ever went as planned?
Javert soon realized nothing was working in his favor today when he became trapped in an alley way; between a wall and his former officers.
A short chase. But they had the upper hand by catching him off guard. He never expected them to come in search for him, at least not this soon.
"Damnit! I'm not as good at this like Jean was..." The man growled, steering his horse around to face the police.
He reached for a gun, only to find he didn't have his on him. Nor his sword.
"What is the meaning of this? Of you wasting pointless time chasing after me. I have done nothing wrong." Javert tried to deceive.
"Do not lie! You have failed to report in these past few days." The current leader over them retorted.
"How do you not know I wasn't on the look for someone?" Javert asked.
"You haven't done a day's work yet this whole start of the week from what my men tell me. You've only let the ways of a fugitive turn you from the path of what is right." The other answered.
"You have it wrong! I was merely just gaining his trust, to bring him in! You do not know my methods; you cannot say whether that is right or wrong." Javert retorted.
"Wrong! I saw him many of times in the past. He had the perfect chance, the man was in his grasps and he stepped aside; let him go." Another officer put in.
"To not do so would've been an act of sin. Innocent people needed his help. He was only doing what the Lord put him here to do." Javert replied.
"I saw the two of you together just yesterday. If I recall right, Inspector, you were getting overly friendly with the convict you were sent to capture." The third lawman put in.
Javert clenched his teeth. "What you saw was simply a misunderstanding. I was only discussing something with him. Nothing more."
(Third officer :) "No sir, it was more than a discussion."
"I never thought I would see the day. A man of your standards reduced to this? To such filth? Do you have any idea of how degrading this could be to your reputation, and what punishment you receive for it?" The head officer questioned.
"Do with me what you will. There is a higher judgment, yours is of no matter." Javert stated, pushing whatever fear he had aside.
"It doesn't have to be like this Javert. Tell us where he is and you will go free with the pride you've worked hard to gain." The head officer offered.
"I do not know where he is. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell the likes of you. He was my case, not yours. I wouldn't let you have the glory for turning him in." Javert answered.
The man in front laughed. "You don't care about that, not even in the slightest... Men, take him."
Javert didn't have a fighting chance; although he tried.
"Take his horse to the auctions. Maybe someone will want the beast." The head officer ordered.
One man was left behind to take care of the animal, while the other two escorted Javert onward.
Evening had fallen. The once bright blue sky had turned a depressing grey, just as the sun was near finished setting.
Javert was already in his cell, feet and hands chained to the wall. He was left with enough slack to lay down given he wanted to, but not enough to where he was comfortable.
Then again, this was a jail and it wasn't meant to be comfortable for anyone.
"My, my, how the mighty have fallen." The words echoed through the cold and lonesome room as the door was shut upon a guard walking in.
Javert barely gave him a glance as the man opened the cell to place the bowl of food inside and slung across the floor to him.
This point in time, he had no respect for the law. He had no trial. He was sentenced guilty and thrown in here without any word of his being herd.
Javert turned his gaze to the bowl, giving an expression of discuss at the brownish colored food.
"Best get used to it. You are to be treated like any other here, that includes what you eat." The guard stated.
Javert growled, kicking the bowl back to the door of his cell. "I refuse to let a drop of that touch even one of my taste buds." He retorted.
"Then starve you queer. It makes no difference to me. You will die in this cell sooner or later regardless of your choices." The guard shot back, slamming the cell door shut. He then locked it and made his leave.
Javert gave a sigh, leaning further back against the stone wall. He could have made a witty remark of his own. Stood up for who he was. But he knew it would do him no good. In fact, it would bring him more harm.
He crossed his arms over his chest, in hopes of bringing himself more warmth and to shield out some of the chilling wind that blew through the one window in the room.
The tore up, dirty set of clothes weren't a comparison whatsoever to his once cozy and warm officers outfit that had been stripped from him the moment he came here.
"Redemption..." He whispered under his breath.
"May God have mercy, and help me to survive this... So that I may see him once more..." He spoke to himself, shutting his eyelids.
Jean got through a good portion of what was soon to come to Javert... But Jean was tough and had the will to overcome what was dished to him... Javert was unsure if he had even half of that strength and that way of thinking.
He was unsure if he'd ever see the freedom of another day again.
Darkness. That's what now covered the sky, bringing with it a blanket of stars and a passing of a day.
Jean was just now making his way back down the streets he knew so well. He had his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his coat as he kept his head held down, watching each step he took back to his house.
"I hope Javert isn't too furious with me for up and leaving like I done..." The mayor started, to himself.
No one was around to listen. The street was deserted. It was too late of an hour for any other to be out.
"I'm sure he'll understand... I had to see her again... I could never feel at ease if I had not gone to find her..." Jean continued to speak to himself with a frown.
Something was up, no matter what reassurance he gave to himself. He could feel it. Instinct told him what awaited for him was not what he expected.
However, he pushed that aside with simply reminding himself in his head that his actions would only result in a silly argument; that would turn into the two ending up in bed together to fight a different battle.
Jean smiled half way at that for only a moment.
Then the worst came to mind, and not even that mattered. What if Javert had decided he was done? That he didn't long to put up with helping fix a broken man... A man who had such trouble letting go.
"Surely not..." Jean sighed. "I had to... I feel much more at peace with myself now." He was wrong for leaving, this he knew. But he had no regret even with this feeling of dread.
He journeyed off, into another town not far from this place he's called home. A town in which a stage coach driver directed him yesterday morning.
Cosette was there. He found her with Marius; and although he felt like strangle the boy with his bare hands for just up and stealing his most valued person from him, the three talked everything out like the adults they were.
Jean told the half-hearted lie that he was simply worried for her, and not that he had already started to miss her. He wouldn't burden his daughter with that emotion. To bring her guilt was not an option.
She asked of Javert not being with him. Jean replied with he was still asleep, and that he didn't wish to wake the man. Which wasn't necessarily a lie either. Javert was asleep and Jean didn't want to trouble him... But Jean also had to do this alone.
The conversation ended with Marius's promise of how he would make sure she was taken care of greatly; that all her needs and wants would be met. He assured the mayor - with his charming sweet little smile - that Cosette couldn't be in better hands.
Jean didn't argue, nor doubt. Marius was a fine young man who had so much going for him, who could bring every dream a woman had to life. Cosette was lucky to grab such a man who would put her first. Those men were becoming rarer as the days went on.
After the boy's promise and exchanged kisses on the cheek between him and his daughter, Jean took his leave.
Thus, here he was; now entering the door of his home sweet home.
"Javert, my darling, I'm sorry for leaving," He started, as he made his way into the bed room as he began to unwrap the scarf around his neck.
"But I had to go and see Cose-" He dropped his sentence upon taking a look around the room. Nothing. The bed was a sloppy mess and Javert's clothes were nowhere to be seen.
"Ja-Javert?" Jean called out again, almost more in disbelief than to see if he would get a response back.
He expected an angry lover to be awaiting him... Not complete silence.
His dreadful feeling only grew, as he darted out of the bedroom to work his way through the house in hopes of finding Javert.
The world stopped, and all senses of Jean were cut off, with the heart shattering realization Javert was not there.
Jean didn't know why he was not there. The only assumption that came to his mind was that Javert had left out of frustration... Had ended what they were working on... Had went back to his old ways... Forgetting any meaning or feeling of what it was like to be happy for once.
That's when Jean's regret hit. That's when he wished he could turn back time and not go. To not slowly sneak out of the grip of Javert's arms but rather just snuggle closer into the embrace when he had woken up yesterday morning.
At least then he would have the only other person he put his heart into with him another night.
He wouldn't be here in this moment, down on his knees cursing the God he had looked up to for guidance all these years; as the tears flowed out freely without control of any from him.
Cosette left. Javert left. Jean had nothing. He was alone. That's all he could tell himself. He saw no light at the end of this tunnel. No hope. All hope, all faith was destroyed; gone. Why bother? Every time he believed in such a thing it only deceived. He was finished.
The emotion of heartbreak turned to that of anger. Anger to his savior. No more tears. Only resentment towards what made him. What continued to play with his life for amusement.
No more believing in fairy tales.
Jean picked himself up off of the bathroom floor, wiping away his sorrow onto the sleeve of his jacket.
A new start. A completely different start.
"Continue to bring torture to me will you? I'll show you! I refuse to be grateful to a God that has given only to take away! It ends tonight! My gratitude has vanished. I 'am no longer a servant of yours. No longer a saint to do your bidding. A new path will be laid out for me. A path I was destined to take from the beginning! From that day of my arrest!" Jean roared to the thin air around him, keeping his gaze locked on the ceiling for minutes.
3 or 5? He wasn't sure. But he eventually looked away.
He pushed his remorse aside and found himself back in his room. A suddenly cold and dark room of an uneasy quietness.
It was now comfort to this new man though.
It was exactly what he now felt he needed.
Told ya Jean wasn't going to just sit back, lol. Now look Jean, you've lost your man! Gah!
Haha.. This came natural to me. I did not intend on Javert being arrested but I went with the flow and liked the idea of his fellow officers turning on him.. Oh, boy Javert.. Has karma really bit you in the butt!
Will he meet his death? What will become of Jean? He's starting to lose it on the last...
You'll have to wait! For now I sleep.
I hope you're enjoying yourselves so far though. =D
Oh yeah, I' am thinking about ending this story, and starting the next chapters off on a new one.. With how the next will start, it fits better. However, I'm not sure. But, be on the look out just in case.