When Marius closed the door to the bedroom, he let out an audible sigh of exhaustion.

"Am I ever relieved to be done with that," he said to his wife.

"I think it was a beautiful wedding," Cosette said, turning so Marius could begin to undo the buttons on her formal gown. "But yes, I am glad to be finished with all the planning."

"These last few days have been ridiculous," Marius mused, remembering the decorators roaming the house, the florist sticking flowers in any nook or cranny, and the cook taking over the kitchen for two days straight making the food.

Once Cosette was unbuttoned, she stepped out of her gown and hung it up, staying her petticoats and undergarments.

"Marie and Jacques looked so in love today," she said, smiling. "I know we made the right choice."

Marius had to admit that his wife was right. Marie had been radiant all day, her smile bright and infectious as she danced with her new husband. As for Jacques, he never took his eyes off his new bride, one of his hands always clasped in hers.

"They really did look happy, didn't they?" Marius murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed and removing his boots.

Cosette crawled up behind him and rested her cheek on her husband's back. "Seeing them together today made me so glad that Marie is with someone who loves her. I remember how happy I was at our wedding, but only because I was overjoyed to spend my life with you."

Marius smiled and turned to kiss Cosette. He remembered the day they married, and how Cosette's hand shook in his own at the altar. She'd beamed beneath her veil, but she had been nervous nonetheless. This afternoon, Marie had been trembling as he walked her down the aisle. He'd been tempted to take her out of the church and back home, but the look of joy on her face stopped him. It was normal to be frightened, a wedding was a huge event. But Cosette was right—Marie and Jacques loved each other.

"Do you think she's alright?" Marius asked nervously.

"How do you mean?" Cosette asked.

"I mean tonight," Marius said, not really wanting to think about it but worried for his daughter. "You spoke to her last night, correct? I'm sure she does not know much…."

"Oh don't worry love," Cosette said, patting her husband's shoulder. "She seemed nervous for the wedding and was naturally apprehensive about the notion of 'forever,' but I don't think she was at all concerned about tonight. Besides, her best friend is married. I'm sure Louise did not say much, but Marie knows it's alright."

"Still," Marius said.

"Dear, they love each other. I know I was nervous because I did not know what was going to happen, but I was raised in a convent without a mother. It's different for Marie. But I know that I was more than eager to spend all that time alone with you. You needn't worry about her, I'm sure she's not concerned at all at this moment."

Marius grimaced. Marie and Jacques had left the party two hours earlier. They were installed in a small, pretty apartment near the Tuileries. Neither the Pontmercy residence, filled still with five other children, nor the Fabre residence, which was small, was optimal for the young couple. This new home was close by and ideal for a young couple starting out.

"You are right, love," Marius said. "I don't know where I would be if I didn't have you to calm me down for all these years."

"We're a good match," she said simply and kissed his cheek. "This is a new stage isn't it? Our first child has left the nest."

Marius nodded quietly. For a moment they both sat in silence on their eldest daughter's wedding night. The house was quiet; the other children had retired to bed once the party was over, completely exhausted. Most of the cleanup was being saved for the next day, and the couple had nothing to do but think.

Both of them sat together comfortably and remembered their own story, back when there were no children and it was just the two of them. The nights before they were married, anxiously trying to fall asleep so morning could come and they would see each other again. Then their wedding, filled with laughter and nerves and happiness, their timid and loving wedding night. He remembered how reserved he and Cosette had been, afraid to test their new freedom as if someone was going to take it away.

He looked behind him and saw her beautiful blue eyes, unchanged through the years, though the skin surrounding them was looser. Pleasant lines were gradually being etched into her face, giving her the kind, motherly appearance of someone who is always about to smile. Those same eyes hid beneath their lashes in the garden of the rue Plumet, nervous but exhilarated. They'd glowed with happiness when he lifted her veil and kissed her for the first time as her husband, and stared up at him with trust and passion when she lay on the bed beneath him later that night.

Marius' feelings from twenty-one years before surged within him, as strong as the first time he'd kissed his wife. Only now they were backed with a deluge of memories of their life together, their children, their tears and their ecstasy.

"Cosette," Marius groaned, leaning toward his wife and meeting his mouth with hers hungrily. He moaned against her lips, opening them with his own until their tongues touched, making love.

Desperately, he began to undo the laces on the back of her corset, his progress faster than it once was but still too slow. Cosette took the combs from her hair and let her tresses fall around her waist for Marius to run his hands through, while he undid the restrictive boning and the ties on her petticoats and she lifted her chemise over her head.

Finally, she kicked herself free of her petticoats. Marius' fingers, quick and practiced, unhooked her garters and unrolled her stockings while she removed his cravat and began work on his buttons. His pants followed her stockings, then his shoes and socks, followed by their last undergarments.

At last they were naked together, trembling with desire and passion akin to their wedding night, as if they had not made love more than a thousand times before. Marius stroked her breasts, larger than they were back then after five pregnancies and six children, and kissed his way down her soft stomach and her full thighs, before his kisses roamed lower and he made her gasp and clutch his dark hair, now streaked with silver. This was something so intimate that Cosette was too bashful to let Marius do to her in the beginning of their marriage, despite his desire to please her above all else. However, after Marie was born it seemed all their differences fell away and that was when they truly became one. Once Cosette had carried and given birth to his child, she saw the miracles her body was capable of and no longer felt any shame for any part of herself. Now she felt desire as acute as need, mixed with immense trust and love as his fingers stroked inside of her, his mouth against her most intimate place.

She felt herself reach her peak, one hand in her husband's hair, another clutching the pillow above her head, her body awash with pleasure as Marius worked her body with care and expertise.

"I need you inside of me," she whispered the moment she was finished, and he rose up until he was on top of her, entering her without hesitation. Cosette thought back to his gentle, nervous movements on their wedding night, both aching with desire but neither letting the other know exactly how wild they were driven, for fear of seeming uncultured or wrong. His sweetness and virginity made her fall more deeply in love with him that night, when she was scared out of her wits and unprepared for the depth of desire she felt for him. His uncultured excitement from back then contrasted with the practiced, powerful man who made love to her now, thrusting into her with strength and self-discipline.

He whispered passionate words in her ear expressing exactly how much he wanted her, how he loved her, what her body did to him. These were words she would have been appalled to hear him say twenty years ago; they were too raw, too real. Now she felt her second peak approaching as Marius sped up, gasping how good it felt to be inside of her.

She cried out as the pleasure ripped through her and she dug her nails into his shoulders, her head thrown back against the pillows. She felt her husband entering her time after time, until his fingers gripped her hair and his jaw tightened, the slight pain in her scalp only adding to the passion and fury of the moment, everything red and sweat and fire. She felt herself fill with heat, then Marius collapsed beside her, out of breath, his skin flushed.

They lay together for several minutes, catching their breath, with their legs and arms entwined. Neither needed to speak about their lovemaking; years of practice meant they were completely comfortable without comment afterward.

Finally, Marius rolled onto his back and put his arms behind his head and Cosette pulled the blankets over herself, growing cold as the afterglow left her body.

"My love," Cosette crooned, and Marius turned to smile at her, his eyes sleepy and dazed with the pleasure they had both experienced.

"Think of it," she continued. "We've built a whole life on a few weeks in that garden. What a gamble."

He idly stroked her shoulder and arm, leaning forward to kiss her cheek, her neck, her ear.

She felt all of her joints weakly connected, as if her limbs had turned to butter. The look on her husband's face told her he was experiencing the same feeling.

"And our daughter just took the same gamble tonight," he remarked, one hand winding its way through Cosette's hair. "Pray to God they have the same blessing."

Cosette yawned, feeling the events of the day catch up with her and fatigue work its way through her body, making her eyes drift close. "Maybe in twenty years they will be praying the same thing."

Marius closed his eyes, smiling. "Maybe."

I thought this was more appropriate here since it was M/C and people have been requesting more "M" materials. Please let me know if you liked it, and if you have any more suggestions for ideas.

I am thinking of writing a story about Jean Pontmercy, years after Marie's story takes place. What do you think?

Reviews PLEASE!