Private Hell

--One Day After Jean's and Pierre's Ink Incident

Today had to be the worst day of Pierre's young life. He knew what would be expecting him the moment he entered the classroom, he knew that Jean was not one to forgive, and he knew he had been warned more times than he could count that Jean was going to get him. Yet, no one, not even Gus was expecting the extravagant mess Jean had prepared for the young Giry. There were only a few minutes left before Madame BreisBoix would announce that the children could return home, and Pierre was beyond looking forward to sanctuary. Unfortunately, he'd be walking home in his underwear. Apparently, artist's glue was much sticker than regular worker's glue. Jean had smeared said glue all over Pierre's chair, and when Pierre had tried to stand up to give an answer, he naturally was stuck. The whole class laughed at him and Jean didn't even get blamed for it! Even though Pierre had told Madame several times that the glued chair was Jean's doing, he had no evidence, thus Jean was off the hook. To make matters worse Jean had always sat behind Pierre thus, Jean had spent the entire Arithmetic lesson tediously snipping away Pierre's hair and doing it so sneakily that Pierre didn't even realize the entire back of his head had been clipped bald until Jean began spitting spit balls at the spot. For this of course Jean was blamed, and every kid in the classroom could hear the Madame BreisBoix as she yelled at Jean out in the hallway. Naturally, when they came back Jean was placed in the corner and made not to move. But his torture wasn't over, when Pierre pulled out his ink to begin his Writing lesson; Jean had loosened the cap so that it spilled out onto the page. As Pierre was mulling in his own depression, a sudden crumpled note landed in front of him, and nervously he opened it.

'I'm sorry for what my brother did.'

Quickly, Pierre scribbled his answer back and tossed it to Gus who sat next to him.

'It's alright, you said your dad told him last night not to do anything right?'

Gus returned the note quickly, his eyes trained to the form of Madame BreisBoix.

'Yeah, let's just say that when Jean gets home tonight I have a pretty good feeling dad will give him a lobotomy.'

'What's that?'

'Brain surgery.'

'Sounds bad.'

'It is, I just read about it in a Scientific Journal.'

'You really need a life Gus.'

'I know…'

Finally, school was over and as Gus and Jean immediately got up and left. Poor, poor Pierre though, miserably removed his pants and made his saddened way outside where both Destler boys stood waiting for him.

"I hate you Jean."

"Aww that's a shame, cuz' I love you cousin!"

"You can wear my coat around your waist if you want Pierre."

"Shut up Gus! You don't get to wear anything Pierre because this is payback."

"You do realize that Dad's going to kill you when we get home right Jean?"

"Look, as long as nobody opens their big fat mouths I won't get into any trouble."

"What am I gonna tell my mom huh Jean? 'Oh gee sorry Mom, looks like I lost my pants on the way home.' Who in their right mind would believe that!"

"Your mom's gonna have a baby right?"

"Right."

"Well, when our mom was gonna have Odette she didn't really pay attention to details so I got away with a lot more stuff."

"Not that much stuff."

"Shut up Gus!"

"Why didn't she notice?"

"Well our mom was busy keeping Da under control."

"Huh?"

"Da was all concerned over Ma and wouldn't leave her alone for like even two minutes. I don't think I've ever seen Ma that close to smacking someone as she was when Da was hovering around her like some sorta annoying bug."

"Yeah, poor Dad."

"Poor Da?"

"Yeah, he was just worried about Mum."

"That's stupid, poor Ma cuz Da wouldn't leave her alone."

"Nah, poor Dad."

"Ma!"

"Dad!"

"MA!"

"DAD!"

"MAA!"

"DAAD!"

"Jean! Gus! Shut up!"

"Well anyway, just sneak upstairs and put some pants on."

"Ya know, I don't think I will, I kinda wanna hear about your dad's reaction after this."

"Aw come on Pierre!"

"Nope, you're gonna suffer."

"Arrg…you stupid jerk!"

All Gus could do was stop and shake his head sadly as Pierre and Jean began to fight. Both tumbled about on the ground and eventually lost their breath and stopped.

"You idiots done yet? It's almost dark and all three of us will get in big trouble if we're late!"

"Yeah, yeah we're coming hold your horses Gus."

Both Pierre and Jean slowly rose and dusted off the dirt that had accumulated on their now tattered clothes. By the time the three of them made it around the corner of the busier street and were walking down the emptier, quieter street, the sun had nearly set and they were running really late.

"Way to go guys this is all your fault!"

"Shut up Gus!"

"Oh man, now Mom's gonna kill me for not having my pants and being late."

The wind began to pick up and blew coldly against the boy's skin. All three began to shiver as they walked faster. Suddenly, Jean stopped dead in his tracks.

"What is it?"

"Um…where are we?"

"What!"

"I was following you!"

"And I was following you!"

"You mean…"

"We're LOST?" "We're LOST?" "We're LOST?"

"Great! This day cannot get any worse!"

"Shut up Pierre!" "Shut up Pierre!"

"At least you two have pants!"

"Shut up Pierre!" "Shut up Pierre!"

"That's it, we're just gonna die out here, our Mom's will find our corpses and-."

"SHUT UP PIERRE!" "SHUT UP PIERRE!"

"Why why why why why…?"

"If SOMEONE would just SHUTUP maybe I could think and we could leave!"

"Stop acting like such a know-it-all Gus!"

"What'd I do!"

"You have no better idea where we are than I do!"

"And who's fault is that!"

"Yours!"

"MINE? I told you I was following YOU!"

While Pierre sat on the curb crying, Jean and Gus began to scuffle and fight as the sun sank lower and time passed farther.

-- Destler Château

Christine was nervously rocking Odette carefully in her arms. She stood impatiently in the foyer and continuously looked out the window. Erik came up and gently wrapped his arms around her.

"Mon ange they're fine, they're probably at the Giry's."

"I can't shake the feeling that they're in trouble Erik!"

"You're just being paranoid, if they don't come home soon I'll go over to the Giry's and-."

Theo who suddenly appeared on the horizon riding his horse interrupted Erik's sentence and Christine promptly threw open the door and ran out to him.

"Theo! Have you seen-?"

"Pierre?"

Erik, Theo and Christine all froze as both finished their sentences at the same time. Slowly, Christine spoke quietly.

"Y-you mean…Jean and Gus…a-aren't with you?"

"N-no…Pierre?"

Both shook their heads and in less than a minute both Erik and Theo had taken off intent on finding the three lost boys.

--Unknown Street

"We're gonna die…"

"No we're not Pierre."

"Yes we are…"

"No we aren't Pierre."

"Yes we are…"

"Maybe your right Pierre, maybe we should just lie down and except the inevitability, I mean what's the point in trying to find our way home if we're just gonna die anyway."

"Jean you're not helping."

"Look Gus, let's just leave him. We've been on the streets before, he's just a spoiled little inconvenience."

"NO! Please don't leave me!"

Pierre quickly dove and grabbed hold of both boys' legs.

"Alright alright, you can stay with us if you just let go of my leg!"

"Okay Jean."

Rolling his eyes, Jean continued to lead the way as darkness fell completely around the threesome.

--Many Hours Later, Near Dawn

Erik returned early the next morning, Christine had waited all night and collapsed into his arms crying as he held her tight. Though he, Theo and Nadir had all gone out and searched, all three could not find the missing boys. As Erik gently held his beloved, his thoughts twisted and turned with the fearful agony of knowing that his sons were lost somewhere.

'Or perhaps worse…'

--Unknown Alleyway

Jean groaned loudly as the glaring rays of the early-morning sun glowed brightly into his face and brought him from the weary slumber he had fallen into later that evening. After wandering for hours, Jean, Gus and Pierre finally agreed that it would be best to find a place to bed down for the night and give finding home a try in the daylight. Daybreak had now come and wearily, Jean shook his twin and cousin awake.

"Come on guys wake up."

"I'm up I'm up!"

"AH! No more gravy!"

The twins looked incredulously at Pierre who nervously scratched the back of his head and answered.

"Nightmare."

"Right… well, let's get up and try and get home alright?"

Gus and Pierre nodded slowly and together the three stood and made their way out of the alley and towards the street.

--Destler Château

"We can't call for the gendarmes!"

"Why not Christine?"
"Because they'll take me away the second they see me."

It was now seven in the morning and the Giry's had long since gathered at Erik's home. The six exhausted adults sat fearfully in the living room bouncing ideas off each other and trying to think of any situation in which the boys could have gotten into. Meg was the worst for wear and was sitting miserably her hands in her head and her impregnated form bent over as she wept over worry. Theo was gently rubbing her back as he continued to try and think of ideas. Christine, who was curled in her husband's arms, suddenly gasped and spoke.

"Oh god what if they've been kidnapped?"

"Christine-."

"Or killed…or-."

"Christine!"

"What?"

Antoinette's weary voice interrupted Christine's worried tirade, and she looked nervously at her former ballet teacher.

"Your boys and my grandson are far more crafty and resourceful than that, I'm sure all three are fine."

"I hope to God you're right Madame, I hope to God…"

--Unknown Street 8 a.m.

Three exhausted looking boys trudged down a Paris street. Their heads were hung low, and one of them had a jacket tied tightly around his waste. When they looked up, one could notice the deep black bags that hung beneath their eyes and the desperation that clung to their half-lidded lashes. Finally, the smallest one spoke.

"Guys?"

"Uh?" "Uh?"

"Um…a-are we almost there?"

The last of Jean's well-tempered patience finally exploded and he rounded on Pierre with a vicious look poisoning his amber eyes.

"Almost where Pierre? Hmm? Almost where? I told you last night and this morning and two minutes ago that we are still LOST! Now shut up before I deck you!"

Panting heavily, Jean collapsed and began crying weakly in Pierre's arms.

"I don't know where we are! I don't even know where to go!"

Pierre looked at Gus with wide and fearful eyes and all Gus could do was shrug as he sat on the curb and drew a hand through his messy hair. A sudden deep voice interrupted Jean's tears and Pierre's awkward position.

"What happens to be the problem boys?"

Jean lifted his head from Pierre's shoulder. He knew this voice, it was one that haunted his nightmares and followed him whenever someone made fun of him for having a wooden leg. His blazing golden eyes turned and became the size of saucers as he saw the form of the hit man who'd cost him his leg in the first place.

"YOU!"

"Ah, little Jean! Glad you member' me!"

Before anyone could react, the large burly drunkard smacked Jean across the face and watched as the seven year old it the pavement out cold. Pierre ran to Jean's side as Gus leapt to his feet and attempted to attack his brother's tormentor.

"You bastard! You rotten piece of-."

"Ah, what do we got ere'? The little shit I din't get ta see fore' when we ad' little Jean over ere'."

The hit mans' large fist collided with Gus and sent him off to join his brother in unconscious land as Pierre stood shaking by Jean's form.

"And last but not east' we got an extre over ere'. Well boy, ya wanna end up like em' or do ya wanna come quietly?"

Pierre could do nothing as several more men appeared on the near-empty street and tied a blindfold over his eyes. He felt a sturdy rope tying his hands back and was starting to cry out when a cloth was roughly stuffed in his mouth. Unknowingly, tears ran down his cheeks as the large man's crusty voice whispered in his ear,

"Look's like the boy's n' I r' gonna get paid nicely fer bringin' you three in. The Viscount's little brat ratted yer little friends out and now you getta join the two o' them in the Viscount's private Hell."

End Chapter 28

A/N: Woo, okay, another chapter down! Probably the longest one I've ever written. Anyway, at the end there in case you're confused, Jean, Gus and Pierre are attacked and kidnapped by the same burly jerk that stuck the knife in Jean's ankle all those chapters ago. If you don't understand the last sentence, basically what he's saying is that Raoul's daughter, whose the same age as Pierre, goes to their school and told her father of the 'incident' between Jean and Pierre. Raoul finds out, Raoul sends hit man, hit man finds boys, and boys end up kidnapped by Le Fop. Hope that clears it up.