Disclaimer: *sniff* But I've already done this! Loads of times! Read the other chapters!
Author's Notes: Again I apologise for the delay! But I had the entire run of Les Mis (from the tenth to the twenty fourth of December) and then Christmas, and then seeing The Two Towers about twenty times to deal with. Anyway I hope all my lovely reviewers had as good a Christmas as I did! On top of tickets to see Phantom in London in two weeks (my first time! If anyone's seen the current London cast leave your thoughts in a review please!), I had the news that I'm my director's first choice to play Lily in The Secret Garden in our college production in February! So I'm very hyper…I apologise : ). Happy Hobo: Yay! Another of my regulars has an account! I'm really loving You Know The Story..it has an edge over all the other modern Miz stories out there. And I will never let this fic die! You have my word : ). Valentine is actually based on the girl who was understudying Cosette…hope she isn't reading this! Enjy was my best friend Christopher, and he really has a powerful voice, so all went well. WeaselSlayer, Ponine 1989, Winter_Lady and Estella Havisham: Thank you all so much! Hanniballover1181: Errr thanks, but I don't really understand the rest of your review. Sorry! Meg: Thanks for the lovely e-mail. Marzoog: Yes, the run is now finished. Thanks for saying I write JVJ well, I was very nervous about writing him for the first time : ). Shandethe_Sanders: Thanks! And Valjean so rules! *hugs JVJ*. Rosie: Thankies! Eponinenkind: Glad you like Mika…er, I mean yourself : ).
I'm going to try and update about three times this week, to make up for the lack of updates over the past month.
Give that letter to me
What happened on that day I'll never know for sure, but from what I have found out I will assume the following – Valentine followed me from work to my letter writer, where I asked him to send a letter to "the usual address" enquiring on Cosette's condition. When I'd left Valentine brought him wine and ale, after a few minutes he told her all. About Cosette, the Thenardiers and my past. Gleefully she skipped to work the next day and told everyone what she had learnt. They were all shocked – being an unmarried mother was enough to get me sacked. Only Mika stood true, her influence in the workshop so great that she discouraged them from telling our foreman straight away.
A woman called Madame Victurnien (at fifty-six, the oldest and ugliest in our workshop) paid thirty-five francs to go to Montfermeil and see Cosette. More than I could do – and I was her mother! She announced this fact to the full workroom, making up lies about how Cosette was being ill-treated, causing Mika to loose her temper.
"Why not give Fantine the money and let her see her daughter?!?" she screamed, the first time I had ever seen her raise her voice. "What kind of a woman are you?"
This hate campaign against me went on for years. I was now twenty four years old, and a shadow of my former self. Going to see Cosette became a tradition – if you had a few francs spare go to see Fantine's daughter! Women would come back, clicking their tongues at me, saying "well I'd never allow my daughter to live in that state". It angered Mika, and she told me to make a formal complaint to the mayor.
"I don't want any trouble" I replied.
Mika alone would have given me the thirty-five francs needed to just catch a glimpse of my daughter, but she had a whole army of brothers and sisters to support and couldn't spare it. I understood. I tried to tell myself that the women were being cruel, saying Cosette was in "a state", but something inside of me disagreed. What if she was in poverty?
"The villagers call her The Lark" one of the women said, back from a visit. "Because she's always up so early, and to bed so late. But she's a lark that doesn't sing."
The other women laughed, not having a maternal bone in their bodies.
I visited my new letter writer (one who respected client confidentiality) and he read aloud a letter I had received that morning:
Fantine
Cosette is becoming a great burden, and I am tempted to turn her out on the streets. I am raising the monthly fee to fifteen francs.
M.Thenardier
I choked. "Is he mad? I earn less than that a month!"
It was hopeless. I couldn't leave to rescue my Cosette because I owed money for my rent. I could beg my foreman for money, but it would almost certainly mean a dismissal. I didn't care – "I am tempted to turn her out on the streets". A line that echoed through my head. When work finished I approached the foreman.
"La Blonde" he grinned.
I tried to smile, but couldn't quite manage it. "I need some money"
He frowned. "But I would have to – "
"I NEED some money"
"How much?"
I sighed. "Twenty-five?"
"Twenty"
"Twenty-three?"
He pressed up against me. "I'll give you thirty if you –"
I jumped away from him. "I'll take twenty!"
"Ah yes" he laughed, waving his arm in my direction. "The "virtuous" Fantine. I'll give you nineteen"
"But you said…"
He handed me fifteen. "Right my girl.." he slammed his hand on the desk, causing all the girls on their way out to turn around. Seeing he had their attention he bellowed "ON YOUR WAY!"
Valentine laughed.
Mortified, I ran to the door. Mika stopped me half way and slipped ten francs into my pocket. Knowing how much that money meant to her, I pressed her hand gratefully knowing I wouldn't see her again, then left.
But Mika followed. "You should plead your cause to the mayor."
"I'm too ashamed" I told her.
"This is no time to be proud Fantine" Mika said, quietly. "Soon you'll have no other choice. You're unemployed now, you must forget your shame – go to the mayor and ask for some more money."
I was determined to make some money on my own, but after a week I gave in and went to the mayor's house. I was shown into his office, where he sat behind a desk – looking the same as he'd done on that first day.
"Fantine" he said brightly. "What a pleasant – "
"I need some money" I said, no time for politeness.
He looked slightly taken back, but recovered. "How much?"
"I don't know. Twenty maybe?"
He gave me fifty.
"Monsieur la maire!" I cried, having never held so much money in my hands.
He smiled at me, much like a father smiles at a daughter. "Is there any more I can do?"
"Could I have my job back?" I asked hopefully, with this money and my pay I'd have enough to send for Cosette!
He gave a deep sigh and I knew what was coming. "Fantine, I'm sorry but.."
"I can't have my job back."
"No"
I accepted the verdict.
