A/N: Thanks much for the reviews!

Chapter 26: To See to One's Own

There are days when Cosette deems it necessary to let Marius sleep in, especially after a long night of seeing to one neurological emergency after another. This time, it is nearly two in the afternoon by the time she hears his step in the upstairs hallway while she is working in the lanai downstairs. She sets aside the ledger she's been working on and then goes to the stairwell. "Marius, do you want anything?" she calls.

"Do we still have food?" he asks. He makes his appearance a few moments later, hair still damp and face still flushed from his quick shower. "I mean, I could cook it myself-"

"We have some penne. I'll heat it up for you," Cosette offers. She sighs on seeing that he does not have a white coat with him, signifying that whatever his errand is, it's not to the hospital. She knows that he is not going to pick up their daughter from her classes; she is set to spend the day with a friend. "Where are you going?" she asks as he trails her to the kitchen.

"The library. I need to look up microfilm," Marius says. "Do you want to come along?"

"I have some work to do," Cosette replies, indicating the ledger she left in the next room. She carefully retrieves the pasta from the fridge and puts it in the microwave. "What Magnussen did in your hometown was years ago. Is it still possible to file a case?"

Marius shakes his head. "At least it's good for Enjolras and Bossuet to know more of Magnussen's past dealings. It might help them find more recent information."

"But why are you doing this? It can't change the past."

"It's what my parents would have done."

Cosette nods as she takes both of Marius' hands. Had it been any other man who uttered these words, she would probably chalk it up to passing sentimentalism. Yet this is Marius, the son of a hero, and she is not about to deny him that. "As long as you come back safe to me. To us."

Marius kisses her forehead and then both her cheeks. "You're braver than I am, Cosette."

'Am I?' she wonders as she goes to retrieve the food from the microwave. She's always prided herself on being prudent and cautious, on being the one who keeps the hearth so to speak. 'I am home for Marius, Elodie, Maman and Papa,' she reminds herself as she and Marius share their late lunch. It is something that these four loves of her life need, far more than they let on.

Yet when Marius finally head out, Cosette can no longer pick up her ballpen to work on her ledger. "This isn't enough," she whispers as she looks at the pages full of numbers. She cringes at this seemingly selfish sentiment; why should she long for adventure and intrigue the way her friends do? Yet now, with her father doing his own surveillance and with Marius unearthing the past, she cannot deny that urge crawling through her skin. 'What if protecting Elodie and Maman won't be enough?' she wonders.

The ringing of her phone cuts through her reverie, and she could almost laugh on seeing the name on the screen. "Hello Ponine! What are you doing?" she asks her friend.

"Nothing yet," Eponine replies. "I have a very, very big favor to ask."

"Anything."

"Could you please go with me shopping later today? I don't think that both me and Ian can fit in my usual clothes anymore."

Cosette has to cover her mouth before she can burst out laughing at the mental image of her friend trying to squeeze into a pair of jeans. "Sure. Will Azelma be joining us?"

"Do I want to start World War 3? Azelma is of the opinion that floral prints are mandatory on everything," Eponine replies, not hiding her disdain.

"I'll ask my mom if she wants to come along," Cosette laughs. "So what time do you want me to come by for you?"

"Will three-thirty be okay?" Eponine asks. "I have some case notes to type up and get out of the way."

"That's perfect. See you then," Cosette says before hanging up. 'In another life we'd be suburban soccer moms griping in grocery aisles and during school benefits,' she muses as she goes off to freshen up and send a message to Fantine to ask if she is free to join them. Somehow she's always known, almost from the very first day she and Eponine became friends, that their lives would head anywhere but that direction. Yet now is no longer the time for 'should have been' or 'what could have been'.

As she's rummaging for her house keys, she hears a familiar step at the front door. "You're home early, Papa," she greets when she sees who's just entered the house.

"I'm just picking up a box that Touissant forgot to bring to the office," Mr. Fauchelevent replies affably. "Are you going somewhere? I can give you a lift."

"Eponine and I are going shopping. We need my car," Cosette replies. She checks her phone, only to find a message from Fantine saying that she is still stuck at another errand. "Do you and Maman need anything from the mall?"

"I do not think so," he replies amiably.

"I may as well text Maman, just to be sure." She swallows hard on seeing the flashdrive that her father carries on a lanyard around his neck; she has never seen the files there for herself but she has heard enough about them. "Papa, can I ask you something?" she finally says.

Mr. Fauchelevent smiles. "What is it about?"

Cosette chews on the inside of her cheek. "Why did you volunteer to help out with the investigation about Magnussen? It's helpful, but it was surprising." She pauses, seeing her father's expression grow unreadable. "Please don't be offended. I just really want to understand since I think you're protecting Maman, and I guess me, Marius, and Elodie. But you-"

Mr. Fauchelevent sighs as he takes a seat. "Do you think I'm putting myself in danger, Cosette?"

"Yes. Magnussen has been in high places for years now, and I know he's doing something wrong..." Cosette trails off, almost balking at the sheer absurdity of what she is about to say. 'Papa always has answers to everything, and there is nothing he can't do about Magnussen,' she thinks. She looks at her father again. "Must it be you?"

The old man's expression turns serious but there is no rancour in his eyes. "You might remember that last year, I created a new CCTV camera to help Mabeuf and his fellow senior doctors after that attack inside Saint-Michel Hospital. Since then, that system has been put in place all around the city. I'm one of the few people who have access to the archives and codes."

"So will Gavroche, Enjolras, and the others, soon."

"If they try to get in on their own, they will be faced with all sorts of accusations. With my help though, that trouble can be averted."

It dawns on Cosette now what her father is trying to do. "You're protecting them too."

Mr. Fauchelevent smiles wryly. "It is the least I could do, aside from mentoring Gavroche. He is a brilliant young man but with much to learn."

"Aren't we all?" Cosette remarks. She takes a deep breath again. "Are you afraid?"

"Of what?"

"What if Magnussen comes after you?"

Mr. Fauchelevent presses his daughter's hand. "I would like to believe we will not go without succour."

The sight of the crucifix of her father's rosary, always kept dangling from his coat pocket, is already an answer enough for Cosette. "Thank you Papa," she says as she pockets her car keys. She mulls over this as she drives to Saint-Michel; it isn't the first time she's wondered about, or envied her father's faith. 'He calls it his lifeline, but it is different for me,' she decides.

She finds Eponine waiting at the convenience store near the hospital parking lot, talking animatedly on her phone once again. "If you keep that up, I will steal your shirts between now and January," she quips. She waves to Cosette, only to burst out laughing thanks to whatever she hears on the other end of the line. "Oh wouldn't you want to know? Now get back to work! Yeah, seven-thirty later. You're the best, Auguste. Bye!"

Cosette chuckles as her friend ends her call. "What is Enjolras up to now?"

"A lot," Eponine replies happily as she rolls up the sleeves of her oversized shirt. "We will finally make some good headway," she adds more softly, but her tone is still brimming over with enthusiasm.

Cosette merely nods; this is no place to ask her friend about her casework. "Do you have any particular stores in mind to go through? It's not just a case of getting whatever is loose enough to fit."

"I looked up some maternity boutiques but to be honest, they are a little too pricey for my budget," Eponine admits as she brings out her phone and scrolls over to a list. "I guess we're stuck with the department stores."

"They aren't bad places to start," Cosette reassures her. As they walk to her car she begins surreptitiously searching online for various stores that have sales and promos. 'Thank heavens for knowing grandmothers,' she can't help thinking as she also looks up the small shops and community stores run by the elderly ladies in touch with her parents' foundation. "Have you ever thought of going to Avenue 54?" she asks as they get into the vehicle.

"Yeah, but more for things like a crib for the baby," Eponine says. She bites her lip pensively. "I used to think it would be as easy as pushing this kid out and making sure he's got a place to sleep, that he's fed and healthy and all, but now my mind is going through every possible detail!"

"Maybe you and Enjolras should make a checklist?" Cosette offers. "Or do you two already have several versions of one?"

"Five. We have five revisions already," Eponine replies more mirthfully. "Then there's moving to our new house-we're going to do it first week of October."

"You won't lack for help there."

"Can you imagine the party that the guys will make out of it?"

Cosette laughs, unable to imagine a moving day proceeding any other way. In half an hour she and Eponine are at one of the larger department stores downtown, going through racks of billowing dresses and stretchy jeans. Not surprisingly, Eponine seems reluctant to even pick out anything from among the selections. "Not your style, I get it?" Cosette asks kindly as Eponine holds up a blouson top, only to put it back on the shelf after a few moments.

"These tops will look frumpy on me," Eponine gripes. She sighs as she picks up a pair of black leggings as well as a pair of blue jeans. "If they are all like this, I may as well go shopping in the men's section. I've heard that sometimes it's a good idea."

"It could work, but you'll still need at least one good dress," Cosette reminds her. She rolls her eyes at her friend's petulant look. "Maman always said that there would always be times when she wanted to look pretty."

Eponine crosses her arms and scowls as she surveys the displayed dresses. "I'll look like I'm wearing a sack. A colourful sack."

"There are other dresses in other stores," Cosette points out. Even after all these years her friend is still not patient with shopping. "You don't want to wait till Christmas to get a good dress."

"Fine, just one then," Eponine concedes as she starts heading for the fitting rooms. "I'll get something in green then."

"We'll have to look in the next store then," Cosette says, noting the sickly colored dresses on the racks. As she waits for her friend's turn to fit the clothes, she checks her phone for any new messages from her family. 'All is well for now,' she decides when she finds the screen empty.

"Cosette, could you take a look at this?" Eponine calls from one of the fitting rooms. She is standing in front of the mirror, pulling up her shirt so she can survey the fit of the jeans she is trying on. "These don't look so bad."

"They're pretty cute," Cosette notes approvingly. "Versatile too."

Eponine nods as she lets down the shirt and turns to get another look at her reflection. "I'm never going to be the same again, am I?"

"No, but most women say you won't regret it. From my experience, I don't," Cosette replies. "Adoption isn't the same as giving birth, so maybe I can't really compare."

Eponine shrugs. "But someday..."

"Maybe next year," Cosette agrees. 'Maybe next year once this entire mess with Magnussen is done,' she can't help thinking. She ducks out to allow Eponine to change back into her usual clothes. Suddenly that time seems more far off than ever, and she feels that desperate urge to turn the days just to get to the end of it. She takes a deep breath even as she sees Eponine exit the dressing room. "Ponine?"

Eponine stops in her tracks. "Are you alright, Cosette?"

"Never been better," Cosette replies. "Remember that ramen night, what I said about Marius and me not wanting to get too close to things since we've got a daughter?"

"Yeah. Why, what about it?"

"I take that back. She's not safe if we just do nothing. You could say we're now willing to help too."