Chapter 28. August 2033

Marius and Cosette announced their engagement several days after the birth of little Maya. All of their friends had been so happy for them. The couple had decided to get married relatively fast. So they decided that August would be the perfect time to do it. The next months were filled with planning, Coufeyrac was going to be Marius's best man, while Cosette's friend Mandy would be the maid of honor. But as the one year anniversary of the barricades passed, everyone was able to stop and remember their fallen friends. That day, the only thing Marius could think about was who had saved him from the barricade. It was still a mystery, one that he was desperate to solve. Several days before the wedding, which would be happening at Marius's grandfather's estate, Marius got a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Marius, it's Mr. Fauchelevent, I was wondering if you would mind meeting; I have some things I would like to discuss with you."

"Sure. Where do you want to meet?"

"In front of the Lincoln Memorial."

"Alright. My lunch break is at twelve, I'll meet you then." After Marius had hung up, he leaned back in his chair, wondering what Mr. Fauchelevent wanted to talk to him about.

At Noon, Marius met Mr. Fauchelevent in font of the memorial.

"Hey Mr. Fauchelevent." Marius said as he approached Cosette's father. He chuckled,

"Marius in three days you will be marrying my daughter. I think you can call me by my first name now."

Marius frowned slightly.

"I don't think I actually know your first name."

"It's Jean." Valjean paused slowly he leaned down taking a seat on the steps. Recently he'd been starting to feel a lot more sore and just not right. "That is actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Marius took a seat next to him. "I want to tell you a story." Valjean paused taking a deep breath. Marius looked at him quizzically.

"There was a young man named Jean Valjean. His family was very, very poor. A lot of the time they didn't know when they would be able to eat again. On night Valjean was walking through the streets and he saw a bakery full of bread. All that separated him and his family from not starving was some glass, so he took a pipe and broke the window." Valjean paused. "He was caught and sentenced to five years. He ended up serving nineteen."

"Why?" Marius asked.

"He tried to escape. When he was finally released, he was a changed, he had lost hope. Valjean traveled around trying to find work. But no one wants to hire convicts." Valjean looked at his hands reminiscing about the trying times of his life. "Eventually he came to a small town, in this town lived a very wealthy man, a humanitarian he allowed Valjean to spend the night at his house. But during the night, Valjean snuck out of the house with all of the fine silver. The next day. the police caught Valjean and brought him back. But instead of letting the police take Valjean back to jail, the man he had robbed lied and said that the silver had been a gift and even gave Valjean a pair of priceless sliver candle sticks. Making Valjean promise to change his ways."

"Then what happened?" Asked Marius, he was completely confused now. He had no idea why Cosette's father was telling him this story.

"He changed. He broke his parole and stopped being Jean Valjean. He went and started working at a car factory and ended up buying it and eventually became mayor of the town it was in. Then he found out on of his workers had been fired unjustly and had to eventually turn to prostitution to pay for her daughter who lived with some people in an inn in another town." Valjean looked up at last, looking Marius in the eye. "That woman was Cosette's mother." Suddenly everything became clear to Marius, Mr. Fauchelevent was the guy from the story. Valjean continued his story. "When Fantine died I promised her that I would raise her daughter as if she was my own. But my past came back and I found myself wanted yet again. So I took Cosette and disappeared into the city, having to start over again." Valjean finished his story.

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because soon Cosette is not going to need me, she'll have you. My promise to her mother will be complete. Soon I will leave and start over yet again."

"But you can't leave. Cosette will be heart broken."

"It's for the best." Valjean said as he struggled to stand up. Marius stood up and helped the old man up.

"Marius, promise me that you will not tell Cosette about this talk we had." Marius didn't want to, but the look in Valjean's eyes made him nod reluctantly.

"I promise not to tell."

"Thank you Marius." With that Valjean turned and walked away from the young lawyer. Valjean returned home and slowly climbed the stairs to his room and sat down on his bed. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his chest by telling Marius his story.

Three days later it was Cosette and Marius's wedding. It was a beautiful affair, Cosette looked absolutely stunning and Marius's grandfather had spared no expense in the decorations for the house. The ceremony seemed to fly by, soon it was the reception. Marius sat and watched as Cosette mingled with their guests. Soon she made her way to her new husband.

"Have you seen my dad?" She asked.

"He said that he wasn't feeling to well and decided to go home." Coufeyrac said from next to Marius. Cosette sat down frowning.

"I wish he had told me." She said. Marius took Cosette's hand in his.

"He probably didn't want you to worry." Cosette smiled. "Come on", Marius said pulling Cosette to her feet. "Let's go dance." Cosette smiled weakly and followed Marius to the dance floor.

Azelma sat with Gina on the side of the dance floor watching Cosette and Marius dance.

"Don't they look perfect together?" She asked turning to Gina who had baby Maya in her lap.

"Oh most definitely." Gina said. "It's like they were made for each other." Azelma had stopped listening at that and was staring a couple that had just entered.

"Shit." She said standing quickly.

"What?"

"Party crashers." Azelma said. With that she quickly made her way over to Cosette and Marius.

"You have a problem."

"What?" Marius asked.

"My parents are here." Azelma said pointing over to the couple that was now helping themselves to the buffet.

"I'll handle this." Marius said motioning to Coufeyrac and Combeferre. Marius then made his way over to the elder Thenardiers.

"What the hell are you doing here." The pair quickly turned around, the silverware Mrs. Thenardier had been trying to put in her purse clattering to the floor.

"Ah, Marius, it's good to see you lad." Mr. Thenardier said with a sleazy smile. "We just wanted to stop bye and congratulate you on your nuptials."

"Thanks." Marius replied flatly. Mr. Thenardier slid closer to Marius, who took a step back.

"We also have some very interesting information for you concerning your new father-in-law."

"Very, very interesting information that you will be very interested in paying us for." Mrs. Thenardier put in. Marius rolled his eyes.

"If this is about his past, then I already know about it." The smiles that had been on the Thenardier's faces vanished. But Thenardier quickly recovered.

"I bet that you don't know that he killed a man." That caught Marius's attention.

"What!"

"He did, I saw him myself." Thenardier said proudly.

"When?" Marius asked severely.

"Ah, that is going to cost you." Mrs. Thenardier said holding out her hand. Marius pulled out his wallet and handed her a fifty.

"It was the night that the barricades fell." Thenardier stated. "I saw him walking through the sewer carrying the body out to the river to dump it." The crook smiled and held up his hand. "Even got a fancy new ring out of it. Stole it right off of the body." Marius grabbed Thenardiers hand. The ring that was on his finger was the one he had lost at the barricade.

"This is mine." He pulled the ring off of Thenardier's finger and inspected it. "This is my ring." Thenardier quickly pulled his hand back. Shocked that his con had backfired so terribly.

"He saved me." Marius said looking at ring lying in his palm. "He was the one who saved me." Marius turned to Coufeyrac and Combeferre.

"Get them out of here." He said pocketing the ring and heading towards Cosette.

"Where are you going?" Coufeyrac yelled after him. But Marius didn't answer. Coufeyrac and Combeferre looked at each other and shrugged. Then with the help of several others grabbed the Thenardiers and threw them back out onto the street from whence they came.

"Cosette we have to go."

"Why?" Cosette asked as Marius grabbed her hand and pulled her from the party.

"I know who saved me from the barricade."

"Who?"

"Your father." With that the pair ran to Marius's car and stated driving to Valjean's home.

Valjean was tired. So very tired, he trudged into his home and into the living room. There was no way he could make it up the stairs to his room. He stopped in front of the fireplace mantle, on top of it were the two silver candle sticks. He smiled and took a match from the pack next to them and lit them. The orange flames from the candles cast across the room like ghostly shadows. Slowly, Valjean lowered himself into one of the chairs, everything hurt. He just wanted to close his eyes and rest. And that is what he did.

"Jean." Valjean opened his eyes. Standing before him was someone he had not seen in so long.

"Fantine." Fantine smiled. "What are you doing here?" Valjean asked. Fantine's spirit kneeled down next to Valjean.

"Why do you think I'm here?"

"You're here to take me home." Fantine nodded.

"You promised me when I was dying that you would take Cosette and raise her as your own and that is what you have done. It's time to rest now." Valjean smiled.

"Good." Somewhere in the distance he heard a door open then close. Suddenly Cosette was in front of him, still in her wedding dress. Marius was right beside her.

"Cosette." Cosette took her father's hand in hers.

"Dad I'm here." She said. "Why did you leave, what's wrong?"

"Nothing my child. I'm just tired." He paused catching his breath. "I'm glad that I could see you one more time before I go. I'm sorry." Marius said taking Valjean's other hand.

"You shouldn't be the one apologizing. I should, you saved my life. With out you I wouldn't be here today."

"I'm so glad that I get to spend my last moments with you." Valjean said disregarding what Marius had said. Cosette who was now crying gripped Valjean's hand tighter.

"No, no. Dad you can't leave not yet." Valjean released Cosette's hand and picked up the letter he had written earlier and handed it to her.

"Here, this is for you… it's all about those who loved you." Cosette clutched the letter to her chest with one hand and took Valjean's hand with the other. Marius wrapped one arm around her shaking shoulders and placed his own hand on top of hers. Valjean smiled at the both of them. Fantine appeared again before him. Now in all of the shadows of the room he also saw the faces of those who had fallen on the barricade.

"Are you ready Jean?" Valjean closed his eyes.

"Yes… please take me now." Valjean gave once last shuddered breath. "Take me to your glory." Then his breathing stilled and his head fell forward. Cosette started crying even harder. Marius held her close, tears silently running down his own face. Jean Valjean was dead. His spirit stood beside his body and took Fantine's outstretched hand. Then they were gone.


Hello amazing readers, this is the last chapter. I hope you all enjoyed reading it. There will be a short Epilogue, which I will probably be posting tomorrow. Anyway I've started writing another story called Carry On My Wayward Children, it's a crossover with the show Supernatural and I would love it so much if you all would take time to read it. I've also decided to not continue with The Witch's Hammer. Thank you all.