"This strains my back and my heart," grunted Thenardier, "when I think of the children missing the festival. By your announcement we'll be over the border. Do you appreciate the sacrifice I'm making?"

"You have no choice," the Captain replied.

"That's why I'm making it."

They were pushing the carriage down the street, the horse walking slowly before them. Cosette, Enjolras, Courfeyrac, and Eponine were helping their father and uncle push the carriage. The others walked behind them.

"Why don't we just get in the carriage?" Courfeyrac asked.

Cosette pressed a finger to her lips and shushed him. "Papa doesn't want anyone to hear us."

"What will Joly and Feuilly say?" asked Jehan.

"They will be able to honestly say they had no idea," answered Fantine quietly.

"Will we be coming back here?" Enjolras asked, throwing a wistful glance toward the Javert house, R's bike (that the author still isn't even sure they had then) leaned against the door.

"I hope someday."

"Something wrong, Captain?"

Everyone froze and turned around to face Javert, tagged by a group of National Guard officers.

"Yes, the horse is incredibly sensitive to the cobbled street and I don't know how to clean its hooves," the Captain answered.

Javert sent a guard over to the horse, and he pulled up the horse's hooves for cleaning. The Inspector grinned smugly. "I have not asked you where your family are going. Nor have you asked me why I'm here."

"Apparently we both suffer from a deplorable lack of curiosity," replied the Captain, just as smug.

"You never answered our letter. You are supposed to be among our ranks tonight."

"I was under the impressions that those types of things were kept private."

The Inspector began to step forward, hoping to intimidate Valjean. Instead, the Captain stepped forward as well. "At last, Valjean, we see each other plain," Javert sighed. "I have orders to take you with me to fight."

"That would be quite impossible," said Valjean. "We, all of us, are singing in the festival tonight. As a matter of fact, we're going now."

"We couldn't possibly let them down," interjected Thenardier. "I hope we're not too late."

"Yes."

"You really expect me to believe that you, Captain Jean Valjean, are singing in a concert."

"Believe that it will be a performance beyond anything even I've dreamt of. Like you, Inspector, I am a man of hidden talents."

Gavroche jumped down from Fantine's arms and everybody held their breath. He toddled over, and it can be said that Valjean's gaze became slightly less cold, and the inspector bent down on his knees so he was level with the small child (almost the same size as his boy Bahorel). Gavroche held out the program, and lungs were emptied in relief.

"The program, see?" Valjean said.

"It only says the names of the children," Javert pointed out.

"It says the Valjean Family singers," The Captain retorted. "And I am the head of the Valjean family, am I not?"

"And the travel clothes that you are wearing?"

"Our costumes, naturally," answered Fantine. "The night air is no good for the children's voices."

Javert looked once again at Gavroche. The little boy was smiling up at him, chin barely poking out over his shawl. The inspector removed his badge and placed it on the boy's chest, chuckling as he did so. "You keep an eye on things, boy," he mumbled to him. Javert stood back up and folded the program. "A slight delay in my orders will not be serious. Therefore, you will all sing. Only because I want that. Afterwards, of course, Valjean will be taken with us to the barricades where he will defend the law. Now, get into the carriage and we will escort you."

"No escort necessary."

"Necessary? A pleasure, Captain. After all, we would not want you to get lost in the crowds. Would we?"

"Sew, a needle pulling thread

La, a note to follow sew

Tea, a drink with jam and bread

A drink with jam and bread

Tea with jam Jam and bread"

"With jam"

"A, B, C"

"With jam"

"Do-re-mi"

"Tea with jam and bread

With jam and bread!"

The crowd erupted into a standing ovation. Valjean, pink cheeked and out of breathed, smiled at his family. From the audience Thenardier made a thumbs up toward him. The Captain stood before everybody and spoke loudly, his military voice making its way into everyone's ears.

"My fellow people," he spoke, "tonight is a somewhat dark night in the history or France. Today, General Lamarque has fallen, and the barricades arise. I would like to sing for you… somewhat of a love song. I know you share this love, and pray you never let it die…"

He turned to Enjolras, who'd taken the guitar in his arms and began plucking at strings.

"Do you hear the people sing
Lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people
Who are climbing to the light.

For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies.
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise.

They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord.
They will walk behind the plough-share,
They will put away the sword.
The chain will be broken
And all men will have their reward."

The audience joined in, their voices adding to the strong ones of the Valjean family. Uncle Thenardier, missing the occasional lyric, turned smugly over at Javert. The inspector growled and shushed the guards around him from singing along.

"Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes..."

When they'd finished and the crowd had once again riled up, Thenardier ran up to the stage. Valjean grabbed his sleeve and pulled him in, whispering something in his ear. "I think it will work," said Valjean.

"I will miss all of you," Thenardier replied. "I shall miss the money I could have made with you."

Thenardier took head of stage and spoke to everybody. "Thank you!" he yelled. "I have been given permission to allow you an encore while the judges decide upon a winner. This could be the last time the Valjean family will sing together for a long time. Officials are waiting to take Captain Jean Valjean to the barricades to fight… in favor of the 'law.' So, ladies and gentlemen, they would like to bid you farewell."

Fantine and the Captain stepped back, allowing the children to take front stage. Fantine smiled sadly as they sung the lyrics of that delightful song she'd taught them that night of the party. That party that she still has very mixed feelings about. She turned toward her husband, who took her hand and pressed a reassuring kiss to it.

"There's a sad sort of clanging
From the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple, too
And up in the nursery
An absurd little bird
Is popping out to say cuckoo…"

"Cuckoo, cuckoo…"

"Cuckoo!"

"Regretfully they tell us

"Cuckoo!"

"But firmly they compel us
to say good bye…"

"Cuckoo!"

"To you!"

"So long, farewell
Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight…"

Courfeyrac and Eponine stepped forward, arms intertwined.

"I hate to go and leave this pretty sight!"

They bowed and ran offstage.

"So long, farewell
Auf Wiedersehen, adieu…"

Cosette, her hand held in Enjolras's, went upstage.

"Adieu, adieu
To you and you and you!"

They, too, ran offstage.

"So long, farewell
Auf Weidersehen, goodbye…"

Jehan ran up with Combeferre.

"We flit, we float
We fleetly flee, we fly!"

"So long, farewell
Auf Weidersehen, goodbye…"

Gavroche hobbled up to the offstage stairs, sitting down and yawning.

"The sun has gone
To bed and so must I…"

Eponine ran back in and picked up Gavroche, whisking him away. Valjean and Fantine watched them scurry off.

"Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye…"

The couple squeezed hands and ran away, Thenardier taking their spot on stage. "The decision has been made!" he announced. "We will start with third place, who the judges have awarded to… the first soloist of the choir of St. Agatha's Church. Second prize to the Mabeuf Quintet. And, oh, this is no surprise, first prize goes to… the Valjean Family Singers!"

The audience looked toward the offstage doors, waiting. No one came. Thenardier cleared his throat.

"The family Valjean!"

Still, no one. A frazzled Nation Guardsman ran out through the doors and yelled, "They're gone! Valjean is gone!"

"What?!" bellowed Javert angrily, erupting from his seat.