The visit to the hospital was uncomfortable. Javert and Éponine came along as Valjean took Cosette to see her mother the next morning.

Fantine was still a thin waif lay upon the mattress; her skin was pale and her eyes dark. She was not, as Valjean had noted in his frequent visits, improving.

"Cosette? Is that you?"

"Mama?" Cosette seemed unwilling to get close; she clung to Javert's hand.

"My child, my beautiful child." She was smiling, and Valjean was pleased they had bought her a dress to wear. He tried to nudge the girl forwards, but she frowned and held tighter to the sentinel's hand.

Her distress caused the younger sentinel to step forwards. She took Cosette's hand and looked at Fantine.

"Hello."

"Who... Who are-" She began coughing, red splattering across her fingers as she curled in on herself. Cosette let go of both hands and wrapped her arms around Javert's legs. Valjean felt Javert's protective nature flare, but the man stood still, merely resting a hand on her head.

"I am Éponine."

"Oh..." She said, weakly gasping from her coughing fit.

The little girl frowned now, looking unsure of what to do next. She turned and raised her eyes to Javert, who was not looking too happy at the attention of two children.

"This is the daughter of the innkeeper." Valjean responded realising Javert was not going to say anything. "They are very close and did not wish to be separated."

"They did look after my girl." Her breathing was getting erratic Maybe he should go find a sister. "She was happy?"

He nodded. Her smile, however, did nothing to ease the guilt he felt. While Javert had been away, he had come here. He had discovered this woman used to be one of his factory workers; that she was fired for having a daughter out of wedlock and the belief that she had been selling her body even then to afford the child; that the day she had been turned out, he had been there... he could not remember her, or any event of a worker getting fired. He felt guilt.

He watched her now, fingers stretched out to the girl who hid behind the inspector's legs. He could not tell her how the innkeeper had truly treated her. Finally, with one last look up at Javert, Cosette stepped forwards.

"Mama?"

"My girl... You are beautiful." There were tears in Fantine's eyes. Valjean felt almost bad for witnessing what should be a private moment.

"Thank you."

"Are you happy?"

Cosette smiled, and her whole face seemed to transform from a pale child who was not terribly attractive, to a beautiful shining girl.

"Yes, Mama. I am going to stay with the inspector now. I think he will be my father, I have always wanted one."

"The inspector?" Her eyes rose to Javert for the first time.

"Yes, Mama, with Éponine. I think we will be staying with Monsieur l'Maire, because father only has a very small home."

It seemed Cosette was getting braver, and her energy was filling Fantine with a light that Valjean had not yet seen.

"It sounds most delightful." She said, a broad smile stretched across her skeletal, blood flecked face. Cosette nodded, and stepped back, grabbing Javert's hand again. "Now, my girl, you must go and get some rest. Hopefully, I shall see you again tomorrow."

Fantine leaned back against the pillow, her chest heaving with exhaustion, but a smile still upon her face. Javert turned and looked at Valjean.

"Would you like to step outside and get some air with the girls? I shall just say farewell."

Javert nodded at this, and allowed Éponine to take his hand as well before leading them out.

"Are you well this evening, Fantine?" He could see her gasping still.

"Just tired, monsieur. Thank you for bringing my girl. Thank you."

"I did nothing, 'twas inspector Javert who went to Montfermeil."

"Then he is an angel on Earth, surely."

"He certainly is special."

"Yes..." Her breath settled, and she allowed sleep to claim her.


"Will Mama get better?"

"I do not know."

"What is wrong with her?"

"She has an illness."

"What sort of illness?"

"I do not know. I am not a doctor."

"No. You are an inspector."

Cosette had brightened up considerably. She was skipping along the path, smiling happily while she questioned Javert. Valjean followed behind, carrying Éponine, who seemed to be filling with a mixture of jealousy, confusion and happiness. Valjean understood the mixture quite well, though he was unsure of if she wanted more of Javert's attention, or Cosette's.

"Javert?"

"Yes, Mo-... Yes, Jean?" He turned to look at him, while keeping an eye on his charge.

"I think we should get the girls a welcome gift. Also, a blanket each. I have a spare mattress they can sleep on, but I am unsure how long the linens have been in the cupboard."

Javert nodded, a flutter of determination going through him, and they set off to the bustling market.


It was late in the evening, when the girls were in bed that Javert came to him, distress rippling through him.

"What is the matter?" Valjean stepped closer, and took his sentinel's hands.

"I got a letter..." They had stopped by Javert's home. It really was just one room, the bed taking up most of the space. There was a dresser crammed into the room as well. The place he stayed had a communal living room with a fire, where a metal bathing tub was set against a wall, and the woman who owned it cooked for her renters.

"What was in the letter?" He hoped it was nothing too distressing; his heart already heavy from viewing the place his inspector was living. He was glad they had gathered enough items for Javert to stay with him for a while.

"It was from the precinct in Arras." He stepped closer to Valjean, his eyes large and pained.

"Oh?"

"Jean, they... I got a letter. It said that I am to go to Arras to identify a criminal they have caught."

"A criminal? Why do they need you for that?"

"They need someone who was a guard at Toulon."

"Toulon?" This was getting odd, and his sentinel was getting more distressed.

"Jean... They say they have caught you. A man claiming to be called Champmathieu has been apprehended and a convict has claimed it is you. They need me to go to Arras and confirm this."

"Javert... What will you do?"

"I do not know." He scrubbed his hands into his face, and then kept them there, covering his eyes.

Valjean moved into his space, taking his hands and pulling them away. He took a deep breath, acknowledging the fear he wanted to dispel from his sentinel and leaned forwards, moving his arms to surround him.

Their lips touched softly. Javert gasped, jerking slightly, before relaxing into the embrace and pressing his lips back in a clumsy kiss.