Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect or variation of Les Miserables. That genius belongs to Victor Hugo and all of those who followed.
Title: Reprieve
Summary: Sometimes life gives us a second chance, but are we too weak to take advantage of this gift? Javert had thought he would die; he had hoped he would die. However, it seemed that life had not finished with him just yet. How can he hope to make a new start with all that had transpired? Life has an answer to that, as well.
Author's Note: So this chapter is going to see a slight change in Marius. Hopefully you lovely people do not think it is too far gone from the actual character. Again, though, just keep in mind his love for Cosette, which is held above all else. Also just try to remember how he had lost all of his friends and the impact that would have on his life and his character.
Chapter 6
- Pursue the Truth
It was a hot bowl of leek and dumpling soup that met Javert at the table down the stairs, with a side of some bread and butter and cheese and a goblet of wine. He remained aware of Cosette and Marius watching him from across the table with each bite he took. So, he made sure to mind his manners and take small, polite bites of the food laid out for him. It was not too difficult, as he was not at all hungry, but chose to partake of the meal due to proper hospitality and etiquette. He glanced up from his dish every now and then to check with his host and hostess. But, each time he did, he saw that they were indeed staring directly at him.
"Do you have anywhere to stay, Monsieur Cortelle?" Cosette inquired after going through the formalities of asking how his meal suited him, which it did just fine.
"As of the moment, Madame Pontmercy," he began, but found himself cut off in the middle.
"Please, it is simply Cosette," she corrected with a smile.
"Cosette," he restated then continued on. "As of the moment, I do not have any specific residence."
"And how long have you found yourself in this way?" Marius chose to chime in.
"Not long now." Javert had been truthful in his meaning of hours, though he was sure that the couple had taken it as days or perhaps even in the time span of months.
"Is there no family for you in the area?"
"None to speak of." He took a long sip of the soup, knowing that by remaining vague in that manner would allow them to come to their own conclusions.
"Then whatever brings you around?" Marius was quite brutal in his questioning, but rightfully so. With a stranger in their home, he was allowed to be protective and curious and aggressive.
Javert set his spoon down carefully, using that moment to ponder how it was he wanted to answer that. He had not really taken the time to invent a back story for his new character and did not want to corner himself on some made up detail. He also did not want to raise any additional questions that he would not have answers for or that could even stray too close to the truth.
"I suppose you could say," he began carefully, "that it was God's will that I should find myself here."
"Well played," Marius murmured, smirking.
"Since you find yourself without lodgings, Monsieur Cortelle," Cosette started softly after a brief pause. She found herself cut off, though, in much the same way as she had done to Javert.
"Please, Madame, if I am to refer to you by your Christian name then you must also refer to me by mine. Jori will be sufficient."
"Well, Jori." She hesitated, casting a long glance at her husband. "Would you like to stay here for some time until you find yourself a more permanent residence?"
Javert nearly choked on his soup, but recovered quite gracefully and naturally. He had come to realize that they were kind people, but nobody opened their home to some random stranger. He knew he was pessimistic and bleak, but on this matter he knew he was right. It was so seemingly good-natured and selfless that he grew suspicious of their motives. Perhaps they had figured out who he really was and just playing a game with him. Perhaps they were seeing how far he would go with his assumed identity until they could trap him and take their revenge. He disliked both ideas and scowled at the thought.
It was evident on his face and, since it was impossible to know what was occurring in his mind, the couple took the frown as a reply to their offer. Cosette sank back in her chair a little, appearing somewhat defeated and dismayed.
"Please do not feel that you have to accept," she attempted to appease. "It was merely a thought."
"No," he stated rather bluntly, even causing more alarm than the apparent physical reaction. He shook his head, as if to take back the outburst. "What I mean to say is," he paused, "that would be lovely and very unnecessary."
Cosette grinned. "Then it is settled."
Marius, smiling politely, turned to their guest. "Would you like to accompany me into town, Monsieur Cortelle?" he invited.
Javert stared at him, rather unsettled. He was more suspicious of the young man's offer than of the chance to stay with the couple. Not only had the invitation been posed with strain and suspicion, but the look that Marius held made him very wary to accompany the man. However, at the same time, it seemed as though he was unable to not accept. It was as if something dared him to try.
Javert could be described as many things, but stupid certainly was not one of them. He decided he would accompany Marius as requested, but he would do it on his own terms. He knew that there was something suspicious in this invitation and he would make sure that he remained very aware during the entire outing. He was always the catcher, not the one to be caught. This would not be the start of the reverse.
Marius had adorned a fabulous velvet waistcoat for the outing, which put Javert's simple shirt and vest combination to shame. He couldn't help suspecting that perhaps the young man had adorned such finery in order to present some embarrassment to the older man. They talked of the weather and other such pleasantries as they made their way. All the while, though, Javert remained aware of his own styling amongst the more fashionable Parisians.
He remained alert for whatever Marius had in store for him, but it seemed as though the moment would never come. He thought that it could present itself when they had 'accidentally' turned down a deserted alleyway and found themselves face-to-face with a high brick wall. But Marius had simply turned around and strutted out of the dead-end muttering light-heartedly about a common mistake. He was quite sure Marius was toying with him and testing him when he had led Javert to the edge of the Seine and talked of it mesmerizing waters for roughly five minutes. But they shortly departed from its edge to head in another direction.
Finally they came to a building—a popular and well off law firm by the looks of it. Javert couldn't imagine what they could possibly be doing there. Yes, Marius turned toward him as they reached the stately entrance, speaking quietly and quite normally.
"Would you mind waiting a moment just outside here, while I go in and inform them of my absence today?" he asked, searching Javert's eyes.
It was in that minute that Javert finally put both pieces together and realized that Marius had become a full-fledged lawyer and was employed in the services at this particular firm. He glanced from the young man to the extravagant building and back again, pondering just how this had been accomplished. He remembered when Marius had been merely another student living in poverty and rags. However, it appeared he had managed to overcome that and make quite a name for himself.
"Certainly," Javert replied with hardly a lull in the conversation.
He watched Marius disappear into the building then turned to find amusement elsewhere. He watched the passersby and some street urchins kicking around a can. He watched, more discretely, a couple of police officers lead their horses by and wearing skeptical and watchful eyes. He heard a commotion toward one side by a couple of alleyways and paced over toward it to see what it was about. It turned out that the police officers were merely breaking up the couple of boys who had been assaulting the can. Obviously, by the look of the boys, they were of a poorer class and that was always the rung on the social ladder that received the most attention from the officers.
Javert recalled his own prejudices. The one that stuck out the most in his mind was the arresting of a certain prostitute and the former convict who had come to her aid. He had witnessed the entire scene, sad to say, but had done nothing when the well-dressed gentleman had forced snow and ice down the woman's dress. It was only when she had attacked him that he had decided to step in. But, he had stepped in for all of the wrong reasons.
It was easy to see his folly now. It was easy to say that he had indeed been wrong. (Actually, this was quite a feat, as he was not accustomed to ever admitting such a thing.) However, at the time, even if there had been a twinge of doubt in his mind, it was the law that acted in favor of the gentle people. It had been their duty to see that they were protected from the filth of the streets. He had reminded himself again and again that it had been her fault. She was the one to blame because she was the prostitute. She was the wretched, disgusting slime living on the streets and praying on the weakness of innocent men. He had condemned her before ever knowing her.
Now, he mused, being the man he was now, would he go back and do it all over again? Would he do it right this time?
Javert started to pivot to head back to where he had agreed to wait when a sudden force propelled him backward into one of the isolated alleys and hard against the dirty brick wall, knocking the wind from his lungs. He coughed to regain some air, meanwhile recognizing a strong arm pinning him to the exterior wall without any space to maneuver in.
In the sudden impact, his eyes had closed much against their will, but now he was able to open them and take in what had just occurred. Fairly shocked and appalled, he found himself staring straight at Marius, who did not appear apologetic or appeasing in any way.
"What do you think you are doing?" was all Javert could breathe at the moment. He figured he wouldn't have to ask much to learn the cause behind the assault.
"That is precisely what I should be asking you," Marius shot through gritted teeth.
Javert attempted to wiggle free, but there was no budging, this man was much younger, as well as much stronger than he. The best he could hope to accomplish was to talk his way free.
"Unhand me! What is this all about?"
"You cannot play dumb. Not regarding this."
He slowly stopped struggling, believing it a better way to get through to the young man. "Regarding what exactly? I am sorry, monsieur, but I am at a loss as to why you have attacked me so."
"Attacked you?" This appeared to make him angrier. "Attacked you? This is nothing compared to the attack you made on my friends and me."
Javert's heart suddenly started racing and he knew he was losing control. "W-What do you mean?"
"You know precisely what I mean, Inspector Javert.
Still, feigning ignorance, he laughed. "This is absurd. Who is this you speak of?"
"You can no longer hide, Inspector. I thought I recognized you when we first brought you into the house, but the dirt and mud did well in disguising your features." Marius scoffed. "Imagine my surprise when I saw you cleaned up. I had been informed that you had committed suicide. But no, it could not have been a corpse sitting at our table. Our table! The man who had killed all of my friends invited to break bread and lodge beneath my own roof!" He gave a short, impossible laugh then lowered his gaze back onto Javert again. "Now that is absurd."
"Please," Javert stated fairly monotone. He wasn't good at pleading, but this could have been considered close enough. "I am not Inspector Javert."
His eyes searched Marius' and he believed he saw the glint of tears welling up inside of them. He saw the passion and the hurt and the anguish. He saw the love for friends that he would never be able to see again. Perhaps this touched Javert even in the slightest way. He had never had real friends, so he did not personally know the emotion. He had never lost a family because he believed he had never possessed one in the first place. He had never had to say goodbye to a loved one since he had never experienced such a feeling. Yet, what was it that pulled at him?
Marius did not appreciate him denying his true identity again. The truth was out. All Javert could do was own up to it now. There was no more reason to deny the fact. He sighed. "Not anymore, anyway," he finished.
"What are you doing here?" Marius interrogated. "Have you come to finish your work? I swear, though, if you lay one hand on Cosette-"
"I would never dream of touching her!" Javert interrupted, appalled and peevish. He was disturbed that the young man would even think he would ever do such a thing.
"Then why are you here?" Marius shouted.
"I don't know!"
It blurted out sudden and loud, before Javert even knew what he was saying. It was the truth, though. It had to be. He did not know what he was doing anymore. He did not know where life was taking him or why. He had been trying to stop guessing and assuming. But look where it had gotten him. He was in an even bigger bind now, it would seem.
"I don't know why I am here," he tried to explain. It came out rather pathetically. "I don't know why I am still alive."
Marius shoved him back against the bricks, frustrated. "Well, I don't know either."
He released Javert and paced a few steps up the alley and a few steps down. It showed how at war with himself he was. Part of him wanted to do the right thing and the other part didn't know how to allow it.
"I should kill you for what you did," Marius finally spat. "But the consequences would most certainly affect Cosette, as well, and I will be damned if I ever do anything to harm her."
There was a pause that seemed to last forever. It grew uncomfortable and awkward. Javert stood idly by while Marius clenched his hands into fists at his sides and stared hard at the former inspector. It was impossible to predict what Marius' decision would be concerning Javert. Whatever it was, Javert was not afraid. He knew he had done wrong in his past and that he must atone for it presently. He only felt a tinge of regret at possibly having to depart so soon from the young woman who had caught his gaze.
"So what now?" Javert finally asked lowly.
"Now?" Marius took a deep breath, his mind working wonders. Upon releasing the air, he straightened himself up and adjusted his suit accordingly. He turned on his heel toward his former enemy and stared him straight in the eye, stoic and cold. "Now we head back home."