Javert
Part Second
Javert awoke slowly, his eyes burning and every muscle aching. He lay in a bedroom, obviously a women's with it's lace curtains, through which bright morning sunlight filtered. Javert sat up in bed painfully, gritting his teeth as a jolt of pain shot through his forehead and the room spun.
Lily moved quietly about their small kitchen, placing dishes on two serving trays- one for Frances and one for Javert. For Frances, Lily prepared her usual breakfast and some tea. For the Inspector she poured a teacup's worth of tea and placed a pill on the small serving dish.
Lily first visited Frances, resolving not to tell her about Javert. Having supplied her with fresh pillows, reading material and the kitten, Amelia, Lily exited Frances' room to wake the Inspector. She peered inside to see Javert sitting up in bed.
"Ah, Msr is awake." She said softly and entered the room. She frowned at his pale face. "Lord, you look a sight….I'll summon the doctor in a few minutes." Lily set the tray down on the bedside table.
"That will not be necessary. I shall be returning to my duty as soon as you'll retrieve my clothing for me."
Javert's greatcoat hung on the antique coat rack in the entry hall where Lily had hung it the previous night.
"Really, Msr…" Lily scolded. "You're very sick." Her voice softened somewhat. "You almost died last night…you'll die still without medical attention."
Javert eyed her evenly. "Then I shall die doing my duty."
Lily looked aghast. "You most certainly will not!" she picked up the pill and placed it in Javert's hand. "Take this. It's for the pain. It had better be gone when I come back!" Lily warned and exited the small bedroom.
As soon as she had gone, Javert set the pill stubbornly on the bedside table and tried to locate his clothing. His officer's boots stood in the hallway outside the bedroom door, but the location of the rest of his clothing was a mystery to him.
Lily reentered the room and frowned at him.
"It was not a request, Msr. The pill." She said firmly.
Javert scowled at her and Lily laughed lightly.
"For God's sakes, man! It's not poison!" she put the pill once more into Javert's hand and handed him the tea, eyeing him sternly. Javert took the pill, however reluctantly, and pushed down a wave of nausea. He lay back down on the pillows and was asleep half a minute later.
*~*~*
There was a cool cloth on his forehead when he awoke once more. The blankets had been pulled up to his forehead. Javert opened his eyes to see Lily sitting in a chair beside the bed, moistening the cloth in a bowl of cool water. He sat up carefully to look at the girl seated beside him. She smiled warmly.
"Feeling better?"
"Slightly." Javert muttered. He looked at the girl scrutinizingly. "Why didn't you leave me in the street to die?"
Lily looked at him quizzically. "How could I?"
"I would not have done the same for you." Javert said sternly.
Lily held his gaze evenly. "I know. But I didn't do it for me, or because I wanted repayment. I couldn't let you die…Mercy, I suppose."
This had been the first incident in which someone had shown him mercy, and Javert could not understand why anyone would. Never before in his life had he experienced it, and at first it angered . Damned if he'd been in the debt of a woman!
~*~*~*
He began a long and hard journey to accept, to forgive…to love. At first, he rebelled, shoving all thoughts of Lily out of his mind obstinately, like rubbish dumped outside one's door. He refused to think of her and for days ignored her when he saw her on the street. How dare she torment him so!
The change was slow and unrecognizable at first. However, after extended periods without seeing her taking her walks with her friend, Javert began to…to miss her. As soon as he recognized the longing, it ashamed him and he reverted once again to his rejection of all hints of her, all reminders that she existed.
It drove him to the very edge of madness. After a particularly violent episode with an unwilling prisoner at the jail, the chief of Police ordered Javert to take a two-week leave of absense.
"Msr Javert, you need rest and time away. You take your duties too seriously and it is affecting your work and your health. I shall see you back here in two weeks."
"Oui, Msr."
*~*~*
Lily sat in her parlor darning a pair of her servant Rene's socks when Frances entered the parlor holding the day's mail, her hands shaking and her face pale.
"Lily…"
"Frances?" Lily rose concernedly. "What's wrong?"
"You have received a letter from Msr L'Inspecteur.."
Lily gasped and rushed to France's side, opening the letter feverishly. It was sealed with Javert's black wax seal. She read the note aloud.
"Mlle Duvall, I am not well currently. Something has been affecting my health and my work, and I must speak to you as soon as is possible. Inspector Javert."
Lily took a breath.
"Oh, dear….oh, dear…"
She would have gone on repeating the phrase had Frances not interrupted.
"What does it mean??"
"I…I don't know!" Lily said softly. Making up her mind, she dashed into the entry hall and grabbed her overcoat from the coat rack. "Frances, please telephone the Inspector and tell him to meet me at Le Café Noire!" With that, Lily pulled on her coat and left the house at a run.
*~*~*
End of Part Second! What did you think? Please review! Or email me at TigerStripes@catsfans.com