Disclaimer: I must admit, Les Miserables is not mine. Alas. *angst*
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1************************************************
"Courfeyrac, I don't think she's pregnant," Marius said once again confiding in his best friend.
"Well, what do you think's going on?"
"I'm not sure, but she's been crying a lot when I get home, and yesterday she called me "dahling.""
"Ah, yes, the "dahling" symptom."
"You mean you've heard of this before?"
Courfeyrac looked uneasy. "Well, only in extreme cases."
"And?"
"And if she's not pregnant, then it appears she's just gotten bored with you."
"You mean she's- no, she couldn't be! I hope."
"There's only one way to find out," Courfeyrac said knowingly as he gazed sadly at his friend.
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Gavroche fitted another stone into his slingshot. He found it greatly amusing to break street lamps with this novelty. Where did the sprite pick up such a weapon? Only Gavroche and the good Lord knew for sure. Gavroche pulled back on the slingshot and was about to let go, when a hand came down firmly on his shoulder. Gavroche instinctively whirled around, causing the stone to misfire and fly sharply into his captor's arm. He instantly recognized his victim. "Um. . . Pontmercy? What are you doing about the streets so late at night?"
Marius winced. "I came here to. . .watch the flowers grow."
Gavroche quirked an eyebrow.
"Okay, you caught me. I'm really spying on Cosette, she should be coming back from one of her classes right now. Listen, I'm too big to hide and watch her, so I was wondering if you'd do that for me."
"Well, it's dark out — not a usual time for running errands."
"Name your price, gamin."
"Five sous."
Marius patted his pocket. He only had five sous with him. "How about three sous." "Fine, but only 'cause you saved my life back at the barricade." And with that, Gavroche nimbly clambered up a tree just a few feet away from where Cosette would have to pass.
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As Cosette passed under the tree from which Gavroche spied upon her, a multitude of thoughts swirled through her mind. She had assumed that Marius would love the new her, but he just looked confused when she got home, as if she'd done something wrong. Cosette was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the young man she collided with until it was too late. "I'm sorry, Monsieur," she muttered.
"You're Marius' wife, aren't you? I'm Jean Prouvaire, one of the revolutionary students."
"Oh, really?" Cosette's voice quivered as she held back tears.
"Yeah, I. . .are you okay?"
"Marius doesn't love me," Cosette wailed as she began to sob.
Jean Prouvaire allowed Cosette to cry on his shoulder. "Shhh," he comforted. "Of course he loves you."
A few moments later, Gavroche climbed down from the tree and skittered over to Marius to make his report.
"Well, what happened?" Marius inquired impatiently.
"She was walking along the path muttering something to herself, when she bumped into Jehan. Then. . .," Gavroche's voice trailed off as he noticed how deeply interested Marius was. "And that's where my mind kind of trails off. You see, I haven't had a decent meal in ages."
Marius rolled his eyes and placed his last two sous in Gavroche's grubby hand. "Will that cover it, gamin?"
Gavroche nodded as the sous quickly disappeared in his pocket. "And then, Jehan started rubbing her shoulders and she was clinging on to him as if she'd never let go. After that, they hugged and walked away and some bourgeois scum came around, but don't you worry, that's what slingshots are for. The man must've thought that the sky was falling, 'cause he ran away so fast . . . Marius?" Gavroche looked around noticing that Marius was nowhere to be seen. Gavroche shrugged and broke forth into song as he walked away, unaware of the chaos he'd just caused.