Chapter One
"Marius, please." Cosette stepped forward with wide eyes. "I don't know where else to go. I-I'm . . . desperate."
She wasn't going to say desperate originally. He could tell.
"Here," Marius said, slowly. He bent down to pick up her jacket from the wet grass. Cosette took it back, hanging it over her torso without putting it on although her arms were covered in goosebumps. It was fall, already chilly but Marius was fine in his sweatshirt. Just put the dang thing on, he thought to himself but calmed down. Something was going on. "I can call Mr. Madeleine-"
"No!" Red fingers darted out, making a stop sign in front of her. Even in this dark, Marius could tell her hands weren't that color because of the cold. They were bruised. "No, you can't"-she sucked in a breath-"you can't tell Mr. Madeleine."
If she didn't want Mr. Madeleine to know this must be bad.
"Why not?"
There were only a few people who knew Cosette's home life wasn't the best. And who would guess it wasn't? Cosette was beautiful and confident and fun. Between being the editor on the yearbook and planning school dances, there wasn't time for that. Perfect student, perfect grades. The two closest people to Cosette knew. Mr. Madeleine and Marius. Mr. Madeleine was her father figure. The only real parental figure she had. He was doing everything in his power to get Cosette out of the situation. CPS was no help. Hadn't been for years. Mr. Madeleine wanted to adopt her. The law wouldn't let him. It was an ongoing fight. Marius knew since he was her closest friend. He watched her go from one foster home to another, stepping in when he could. But there wasn't much a kid his age could do. Cosette told Mr. Madeleine everything. If she wasn't telling Mr. Madeleine-
"I just . . . I can't."
"Cosette . . ."
"Could you let me stay in the shed? Just for one night. That's all I need. Please."
Marius exhaled slowly. His grandfather was already in bed. Even if his aunt caught him sneaking a girl in the shed, she wouldn't care. He glanced over his shoulder. The shed was tucked away in the corner of the massive yard. It was mostly forgotten. It would be okay for her.
"All right, here-"
Cosette flung her arms around him before could say anything else. Marius hugged her back. Cosette was always a hugger, but in the last few months, she hadn't given them away as frequently in the past few months. It was good to have that back.
She picked up a suitcase from behind her. The one she used when she transferred foster homes Marius noticed. Mr. Madeleine gave it to her last year. Even if he couldn't legally adopt her, he could help her out with the transfers. Make them a little less stressful. Marius's sight darted back to Cosette.
"Are they transferring you?" he asked.
Cosette hesitated. "No." A pause. "I just need somewhere to stay for the night."
"O-okay."
Marius offered to carry the suitcase for her. With some hesitation, she let him. Cosette pulled on her jacket. The thin layer of fabric wouldn't be enough for tonight. It wasn't uncomfortable in the shed, but the walls were as thin as the frames in Marius's room.
He swung the door open. It wasn't used much anymore since his aunt gave up gardening. A few rakes were lined on the walls. When he stepped, dust sprang up from the ground. A small light bulb was the area's only source of light. It flickered overhead. Marius muttered an apology she didn't hear.
With some hesitation, Cosette placed her bags on the ground and pulled out a small blanket. It wasn't long enough to cover her nor would it keep her warm enough.
"Let me get you . . ." he trailed off. Muttering, "I'll be right back," he ran back to the house.
Marius held his breath inside as if he was in some cheesy horror movie his friends would make him watch. The TV in his aunt's room was playing some home renovation show from what he could tell. Probably the same one as last night. Down the hall, Marius grabbed a few of the extra blankets from the linen closet and managed to find an extra pillow. When he returned to the shed, Cosette was shivering in the blanket.
"Marius?" She noticed the things. "You didn't have to-"
"I wanted to," Marius interrupted. You shouldn't interrupt people, he scolded himself, knowing his ears were glowing pink. "Um, here." As he handed her a blanket, the pillow tucked underneath his arm crumpled to the ground. Cosette bent down to pick them up at the same time he did. "I just found them and you should probably have a bed and . . ." Marius smacked himself. "The cot! I should've gotten the cot for you! I'm so sorry-I'll be right back-"
"Marius," Cosette said gently, "It's fine. I'm only staying for tonight."
"Right."
He wanted to protest. To tell her she could stay as long as she needed. But he'd run out of energy. He helped her make a makeshift bed. Once Cosette assured him, (for the third time), she was all right, he went to bed. From his window, he could see the white shed. He waved to Cosette even though he knew she wouldn't see.
In the morning, the first alarm woke him up. Five am. When his grandfather woke up. Marius rolled over. Usually, he could fall back asleep. His first alarm was set as a warning, to let his body wake up a little more.
Cosette!
Marius broke a record getting ready. He threw on a change of clothes and ran a comb through his hair. On the way out of his room, he hit his head on the door. Never mind about that now. He blinked away the aching. Marius dashed down the hallway, tripping over the sock that was halfway up his foot. His grandfather looked down at him.
"Up so early?" his grandfather wondered, as Marius stood. He adjusted Marius's t-shirt while muttering something about how he should put some more care into what he looked like. "What's the occasion?"
The only time Marius got up at his first alarm as if he was in desperate need of something. As a kid, he quickly learned it was a way to get on his grandfather's good side. He abused that privilege until his grandfather caught onto him.
"Nothing, Grandfather," Marius said a little too quickly.
"Last I checked there wasn't any trouble with your grades." His grandfather narrowed his eyes. "It's that group of boys again. Isn't it? Marius, I told you to stop-"
He had to bring up his friends. Great. Now they were going to be there all day. And Cosette would just starve to death in the shed. Wondering where he was. And Marius would never learn why she needed to stay in the shed.
"I want a car," Marius blurted out.
His grandfather was taken aback. Marius had his license, but he dreaded every day of Driver's Ed. He got out of driving any chance he got, opting instead to walk. He could use the exercise, he told people. Really Marius wasn't a big fan of being in control of a tin box where he was responsible for all of the lives on board.
"A car," his grandfather repeated. He looked Marius over. "I'll take that into consideration."
"Thanks, Grandfather."
And Marius scurried away before he could say anything else about it.
He grabbed a pop tart (there wasn't time to toast it) and a few paper towels. He ran to the shed. Should he knock? Or would Cosette not hear him? Would it look suspicious if he knocked?
He knocked.
"What?" came the slow, groggy voice from the inside.
Cosette was still asleep.
At least she was until Marius woke her up.
He woke up at five o'clock that morning. It was pitch black outside. Of course, she was still asleep! He shouldn't have expected her to also get up at the crack of dawn. Marius turned around and-
"Marius?"
He hesitated. Maybe he should go back to the house and not disturb Cosette. Then never speak of it again. So she could get a few more minutes of sleep.
"Yeah?" Marius responded.
"I'll be right there."
She still sounded tired but Marius couldn't go back to the house now. He would have to face humiliation. He stood there, desperately hoping Cosette wouldn't be in her pajamas when she came out. Wait, didn't girls not wear bras when they slept? Marius was pretty sure. His face reddened at the thought of seeing Cosette not only in her pajamas but also braless.
She opened the shed door. Fully dressed and not braless, he noticed. Tension swept out of his body. But he couldn't let Cosette notice him noticing that. Marius snapped to attention.
"Here." He handed her the pop tart. "I brought you some breakfast."
Cosette smiled at him. It was strange to see her makeup-less. Since they were in middle school, Cosette loved her makeup. She tried out new things until she found the style she liked. Occasionally, she tried out different things, but she was always wearing makeup.
"Thank you," she said. She took the pop tart, closing her eyes as she bit in. "Oreo, huh? I didn't realize you were so fancy," she teased.
Marius chuckled. "I do my best."
As she finished her pop tart, she invited Marius in. According to her, she slept all right, but she looked tired.
"Do you mind if I keep some of my stuff here?" Cosette asked, wiping her fingers with a paper towel, "I just don't want to drag everything with me at school."
"Of course!" Wait, she said, Do you mind? The phrase that always caught him off guard and stunned him stupid. "I mean, I don't mind. Nobody looks in here anyway."
She looked at him from under her eyelashes. "Thank you, Marius. For everything. You've done too much."
Her words touched his heart in a way he couldn't reply to them. And with Cosette looking at him like that with her big blue eyes and her loose waves tucked behind her ear, he couldn't even breathe. Her smile melted him.
"It's-it's no problem," Marius stuttered out, "Um, I just walk to school. If you, uh, wanna come with me. I usually leave at seven twenty-two."
Cosette laughed. Marius blinked, trying to understand what he said was funny.
"Specific are we?" she said, beaming, "I'll meet you in front of your house at twenty-three seconds after seven twenty-one."
Marius laughed.
At exactly seven twenty-two, he stepped out of the house, swinging his backpack over his shoulder. Cosette was on the front steps wearing an oversized sweater and leggings. She smiled at him.
"Well, you see," Marius said, as they walked to school, "If I leave one minute later, I'll be late. But if I leave a minute earlier I'll be too early and it'll be awkward. So seven twenty-one is the best time to go to school."
"I getcha."
They didn't have first period together, but Marius had Grantaire. He didn't know him as well and he was definitely the kind of person his grandfather would not approve of him hanging out with, but Grantaire was accepted as part of their friend group. If he ever needed a partner for an assignment, Marius went to Grantaire. Although he always got the notion Grantaire was more interested in partnering up with one of the pretty girls that hung near the back.
Second period, health, he had a good majority of his friends, including Cosette. The group congregated towards the back so they could talk instead of working on whatever project they were assigned (and they were assigned a good deal of projects, one every day). Today's subject of conversation was whether potato chips with gravy was an insult to nature or if it was like mashed potatoes and gravy.
"Po-tah-to, puh-tay-to!" Comeferre said, "It sounds delicious."
Marius glanced over at Cosette to share a "This-conversation-is-ridiculous" look with her. However, she looked pale. He tapped her hand to get her attention.
"Are you feeling all right?" he asked.
Cosette nodded. She gestured to everyone else. "It just sounds . . . disgusting."
Marius nodded, dropping the conversation. There was something wrong. He could tell. But they had English next. Hopefully, Mr. Madeleine would figure it out then.
"Hey, did you hear what happened yesterday?" Marius asked, over the conversation. When everyone looked at him, he paused. He didn't actually know what happened the previous day. He just wanted to steer the conversation away from mashed potatoes and gravy for Cosette's sake. "Well. I didn't." He turned to Courfeyrac. "What did you do yesterday?"
Courfeyrac rolled his eyes. "I went over to Jehan's house to get some help with my"-he cleared his throat and made his voice sound 'extremely sophisticated' (according to him)-"poetry assignment." Dropping the voice, he continued, "And I ended up being there for three hours listening to him ramble about poetry." He patted his chest. "It does something to a man, you know?"
"Personally, I'm glad he has his poetry. It keeps him off the streets," Bahorel joked.
Their teacher walked over, but before he could scold them, the bell rang. Marius frantically shoved his things in his backpack. He and Cosette walked to English together, squeezing around the groups that congregated in the halls. Cosette was determined to be the first one in the classroom every day they had English. She would abandon Marius at their seats and talk to Mr. Madeleine. Recently, they were talking about the upcoming school trip to Paris. Marius sat in his chair, running through the things in his backpack to look distracted trying not to eavesdrop.
But today, Cosette didn't run up to Mr. Madeleine. He had to come up to her. She hardly said anything. It was just polite smiles and nods. Mr. Madeleine noticed this before he said anything about it, the bell rang. Casting a worried glance at Cosette, he turned to the class.
"All right," Mr. Madeleine clapped his hands together and strode to the front of the room. "I think you all know what we're doing today. Get out your books."
Everyone shared a collective groan. Mr. Madeleine gave a wide grin. Everyone liked him as a teacher. The curriculum, however, required them to read Deathwatch, the most boring book someone ever wrote. Mr. Madeleine tried to make it fun with a project correlating to the book's plot. They were still in the research parts of the project, but once they finished the book, Mr. Madeleine was going to release them into the grounds of the school and they had to "survive". Now, they were researching survival stories. The research days were subsequently more enjoyable than the reading days.
Mr. Madeleine turned on the audiobook for the class to read along with. Marius looked over at Cosette. Usually, she was following along very carefully, trying to stay awake as they read. Today, she spaced out with glassy eyes, deep in thought.
Three minutes before the bell rang, Mr. Madeleine allowed them to pack up. Cosette tapped the back of her fingertips to her lips. She brushed her other hand on her stomach.
"I thought lunch would never come!" someone shouted.
Cosette squeezed her eyes shut.
As they found where they ate for lunch, Marius asked once more, "You okay?"
"Fine," she mumbled.
Their group ate outside, behind a corner, near the front doors. They were usually the last ones there. Mr. Madeleine's classroom was further away than everyone else's. They were all chattering away as they arrived.
"Why is lunch so late?" Eponine was ranting (again). "They make us wake up at six AM and don't feed us until one?"
"You should do something about it," Enjolras suggested, "Do a petition or something."
Marius and Cosette squeezed in at one of the picnic tables. At the table opposite of them, Bahorel and Feuilly were encouraging Grantaire to "chug" his soda. Mesmerized, Marius watched. Grantaire finished off the bottle and they cheered.
"I'm serious, 'Ponine!" Enjolras was saying when Marius snapped back, "If you want a change, go for it. Cosette, your thoughts?"
Cosette was quiet for herself. She wasn't loud or anything, but she wasn't nun-quiet either.
"I don't . . . Please excuse me."
Cosette jumped up from the table, clutching her mouth. Marius stood up after her, watching her runoff.
"Is she sick?" Eponine asked after a pause.
It made sense. Why she was so quiet and flushed this morning. And potentially why she needed to stay with Marius. If she didn't want to bother her foster parents, she might take off for a little while. It didn't seem like her too much. When Cosette got sick, she would tough through it and rest at home. She wouldn't run away. Maybe her foster parents didn't want to have to take care of a sick kid so she took off?
When Cosette returned, the bell had rung. She grabbed her stuff, told everyone she was fine, and went off to her next class.
Marius didn't have any friends in math. He sat by himself. The class wasn't bad, but his mind wouldn't focus on the quiz on his desk.
As they made their way home, Marius noticed Cosette dragging her feet.
"So where are you going?" he asked.
She looked distracted. "Huh? Oh - I'll . . . I'll find somewhere."
Somewhere?
They paused at a crosswalk. Marius waved to an approaching car, allowing them to go first. The driver waved back with a smile.
"Cosette. If you don't know, stay the night again. I'll get you the cot tonight." And a sleeping bag. The weather forecast for the night expected wind. Marius was already hugging his sweatshirt to him, grasping for extra warmth. Maybe a few more blankets, too.
"Really?" Cosette's voice was weak. "Okay. Please."
Marius smiled. "Of course."
Cosette collapsed into the shed. Marius threw his backpack inside the house (which he knew would upset his grandfather) and found the cot crammed in a shelf in the garage. Marius didn't know why they had the cot. He couldn't think of a Pontmercy or a Gillenord that camped. Perhaps it belonged to his mother. He only knew a few things about her. It was the best thing he could come up with.
After a bit of trouble getting it out of its place, he grabbed a sleeping bag and brought them to Cosette. She was curled beneath layers of blankets but opened an eye at Marius entering.
"I brought you"-the cot tumbled down from under his arm-"these."
"Thank you, Marius."
She helped him set the cot up but was laggy as a computer. Marius didn't mind. When she asked for a bowel, he didn't ask any questions. He knew.
They were greeted with a school-less Saturday. Cosette opted to stay in the shed. She'd thrown off all her blankets and was in a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt. To ease her suffering, Marius found a battery-run fan that belonged to his dad. He set it up in the shed. After messing with it, he found the heater setting that came with it in case she got cold.
The weekend passed. By Sunday, she seemed better but said she shouldn't go to school on Monday.
"Just in case," Cosette said, "I don't wanna throw up in the girl's bathroom again."
So Marius walked to school without her. It was an A day. Thank goodness they didn't have English. He didn't want to see Mr. Madeleine's face fall when he came into the classroom without Cosette.
"Where's Cosette?" Jehan asked at lunch.
"Sick," Marius answered. No one else asked any questions. He'd already told them at lunch. Technically, he wasn't lying. She was sick.
When he came back to the shed, Cosette was sitting on the cot, reading a book. She smiled at him.
"Feeling better?"
She made a "so-so" action with her hand. "All right enough. A little nauseous in the early afternoon, but I'm good."
Marius nodded. "Are you hungry?"
"A little."
"Let me get you something, I'll be right back."
Marius went around the gate to the front door. There was a cop car down the street. That was Bahorel's house.
They were looking for her.
With a rock-hard stomach, Marius ran back to the shed. He pounded on the door, looking behind him. When Cosette opened it, he nearly fell in, gripping the sides of the door.
"There's a police car down the street!" Marius exclaimed. He lowered his voice and glanced back. "I think they're looking for you."
Cosette glanced over his shoulder, sneaking a peek at the police officer. She clutched the roots of her hair. They would be here soon. To question him. Or search the house for her. Cosette needed him. He had to think. Find a way to keep her safe.
"There's a Wendy's," Marius said, "I'll drive you there. It's usually crowded after school, so you'll be good."
Cosette nodded. Unable to speak. Marius yelled inside to his grandfather that he was borrowing his car. After scolding him for yelling inside, his grandfather accepted his excuse. Marius threw her bags in the back of her car. Cosette bent over in the backseat.
He dropped her off at Wendy's, She took her backpack. If they searched the car and found her other bag, he could lie and tell them it was Eponine's. Marius came in, tossing the car keys onto the counter when he noticed his grandfather talking to two police.
"And here he is," his grandfather said, nearing Marius. He wrapped an arm around his shoulder. It was awkward since Marius was taller than his grandfather. "Marius, this is Officer Ryan and Officer Austin."
Marius smiled. "How are you?"
His grandfather steered him towards the couch where they were sitting. Marius sat in the big chair that swallowed him.
"Hi, Marius," Officer Austin began, smiling, "We just have a few questions about your friend, Cosette Tholomyès."
His eyes darted to the shed outside. "Yeah?"
"Did you know that Miss Tholomyès was reported missing?"
Play dumb, he told himself.
"She was?"
"Yes. Now tell me, was she at school today?"
"No." That was true.
"Was she at school on Friday of last week?"
"Uh." It wouldn't hurt her to say. Besides, they probably knew already if they were at Bahorel's. "Yes. She was."
"Okay. Thank you, Mr. Pontmercy. Now, what was Miss Tholomyès wearing last time you saw her?"
"A-" He caught himself. "I, um. I don't remember." Did that sound suspicious? It sounded suspicious, didn't it? "But she was wearing her hair down."
The officers took turns asking him questions. Marius was able to answer the majority without having to lie. He described how Cosette acted at school. He told them the places she frequented.
"Now," Officer Ryan said, meeting his eye, "Do you have any idea why Miss Tholomyès would run away from home?"
"I have no idea." He paused. Truthfully. The question was keeping him up at night. "Cosette wouldn't . . . She wouldn't run away."
"Okay. That's all we needed. Thank you, Mr. Pontmercy."
His grandfather walked them to the door. Marius watched the cop car disappear before picking up Cosette. He didn't want them trailing him or anything. She was in the corner booth of Wendy's, hunched over as she read a book. Marius carried her bag to the shed for her. Cosette thanked him at least seventeen times. Every time Marius smiled and said "anytime."
The next day at school, Mr. Madeleine looked tired. He kept glancing at the desk next to Marius's. Cosette's desk. Marius wished he could tell him that Cosette was safe, but he had to keep it that way. He couldn't tell.
Everyone was silent when he got to lunch. They didn't have a chance to talk during health. Marius was glad. He didn't know what to say. Instead of listening to their teacher's lecture, he thought of what he could share. Once he sat down, everyone started talking at the same time.
"Cosette's gone!"
"They interviewed me."
"Do you know anything about this? Marius?"
"Was it her foster home?"
"I don't know," Marius said. He kept his gaze low and spoke softly. "But they interviewed me, too."
"They said they interviewed everyone in her contacts. Or mostly everyone," Jehan supplied.
Feuilly narrowed his brow. "But how'd they know who was in her contacts?"
"She didn't take her phone."
"So she's phone-less." Combeferre scratched his chin.
Eponine gasped. "Oh my gosh, she was kidnapped!"
"Or she didn't want to be found," Marius whispered.
"Huh," Enjolras said, "I guess they can track phones . . ."
"They'll find her," Joly interjected, "I'm sure they will."
They were quiet. Their group was never quiet. There were a few remarks made, but hardly anything else. The bell rang. Marius caught eyes with Mr. Madeleine from a window. He was looking down at the picnic tables. Wishing, hoping, Cosette would be there.
A week went by and they settled into a schedule of some sort. No one was home during the day. His grandfather still had a year before retirement and his aunt didn't like to be home during the day. Cosette was free to sneak inside to use the restroom or grab a snack. When Marius came home, he did his homework with her. They preferred to be together. He was there every moment he could be. She did her laundry on weekdays or when his grandfather went to the club.
"Do people talk about me?" Cosette asked when he got home from school one day.
"Yeah." Marius paused. There was hardly a conversation at school that wasn't about her. It was the biggest thing their town had experienced since . . . well, ever. "People talk. You know."
"I know. I was just wondering."
There was a pause. Cosette looked away, hugging her knees to her chest. Her body shook. Marius watched her. Unsure if he should say anything. Or if she wanted to be left alone right now. She buried her face in her jacket.
"Here, I can go-"
"No!" She looked up. Tears streamed down her face and his heart broke. "Please. Stay."
He nodded. Marius wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Cosette wrapped herself around him, crying into his shoulder. With one hand, he patted her back. Letting her cry.
"Wanna watch a movie?" he whispered.
Cosette nodded. With a shaky hand, he pulled out his phone and turned on her Pride and Prejudice. Her favorite. She snuggled into his embrace as he propped the phone up for them to see. Marius didn't let her go. Even when they transitioned onto the cot. He wouldn't and couldn't.
It was nice. It was nice to pretend everything was normal - the way they were. And Cosette wasn't just sobbing and Marius wasn't clueless. Just two best friends, hanging out and watching a movie.
And pretending.
I read the book, Grace (by Richard Paul Evens) a few years ago. I didn't really like it then, but I remembered it a few weeks ago when I wanted to write a Les Mis fic. Then this idea was born. This fic is inspired by Grace because I couldn't find another copy of the book and I wanted to change a few things. I'm really excited about this story!
Thanks for reading!