The Barricade Girl (A Les Miserables FanFiction)

Chapter Seventy-Two

Courfeyrac takes the reins, guiding Maximus who in turn guides our wagon in the way it needs to go. I sit between Courfeyrac and Gavroche, who sleepily lays his head on my lap.

"Where are we going exactly?" Courfeyrac asks.

"Petit-Picpus convent", I reply as I stroke Gavroche's hair as he dozes off to sleep.

"Why there?" He turns to look at me, slowing Maximus from a trot to a walk.

"Monsieur Valjean is there", I answer him.

"What?" He gasps. "I thought he disappeared..."

"He did. That's why I couldn't tell Marius and Cosette. I swore to him that I wouldn't. It was him who sent the note. He wants to help me..." I softly explain.

"Do you know how to get there?" He returns Maximus to the trot he was at before.

"Nope..."

By the time we finally find our way to the Petit-Picpus convent, night has fallen, and I have drifted to sleep on Courfeyrac's shoulder, with Gavroche sound asleep on my lap. Courfeyrac can barely keep his eyes open from the tiredness, and I'm awoken by him whispering.

"Jules", he stirs me from my sleep. "I think we're here". I open my tired and heavy eyes to see the silhouette of the convent in the distance.

"Wow..." I whisper as we travel up the driveway. Courfeyrac slows Maximus and our cart to a halt outside the front door, the distant and faint sound of the nuns singing like a heavenly choir filling our ears. Courfeyrac jumps down from the cart and offers me his hand to help me down. He then takes the sleeping Gavroche in his arms, being extra careful not to wake him. He balances Gavroche on one arm, carrying a suitcase with the other. I take the other suitcase and Gavroche's small bag in my hands, and we walk toward the door.

"I'll hitch up Max later", Courfeyrac thinks aloud. We climb the few stone steps in front of the large, wooden door, and I place on suitcase one the ground and knock, trying to knock loud enough for someone to hear, but still quiet enough to not wake Gavroche. As I pick up the suitcase again, I look at Gavroche. He's had such a confusing day. When he woke up this morning, this isn't what he thought was going to happen. None of us really did. But he's dealt with it so well, and hasn't complained once. Any other child might have kicked off about it. But not this one. He deserves so much better than my unskilled and unexperienced attempt at parenting. I place a hand on my growing bump – will my unborn child be any better off than Gavroche? Will I be able to look after them properly? Will I be able to offer them a good life? My mind recalls Enjolras' words from the day he left to fight, calming me, comforting me.

"You will do wonderful things, and you will have a wonderful future. You're going to be a wife, and a mother. You have already done enough to create a better world – a better Paris – for your children to grow up in. You've done enough! I will not deprive you of your life, and I will not deprive your future children of their Mother". I can hear his voice so clearly in my mind. It's almost as if he were here. How I wish he were here. I can't help but smile at the memory – if only he'd known when he said those words that he was speaking of a child that would also be his. The front door opens, silencing my thoughts. An elderly nun stands there, looking bemused. I can't blame her – we are a very strange picture, I must admit. A young man, a little boy, and a pregnant young woman – neither who are related in any way other than the adoptive kind.

"May I help you?" She greets us.

"Please pardon our intrusion", I offer her a small curtsey, not really sure how to act in a situation like this. "We're looking for a Monsieur Valjean". A knowing smile crosses her lips.

"He's been expecting you", she steps back, beckoning for us to enter. "Please, do come in".