The Barricade Girl (A Les Miserables FanFiction)

Chapter Eighty-Three

The wedding is a bittersweet affair. As the guests I can't help but think that Valjean should be here. I don't get a chance to speak to Marius properly before the ceremony. He's already up front with Courfeyrac as his best man, waiting for Cosette to walk down the aisle. Maggie grabs my hand upon me entering the church.

"Did you have the baby?" She whispers excitedly as we walk toward the seating area.

"Yes..." I nod, knowing that she will just explode when she hears my next word. "Twins..." I answer in a low voice.

"TWINS!" She squeals, and her hands go flying over her mouth as I shush her, and we both laugh. "No wonder you were so large!"

"I know. But they're both doing very well", I smile.

"What did you call them?" She beams.

"Jean and Arielle", I tell her.

"A boy and a girl?" She claps her hands together in glee. "Oh, Juliette", she hugs me to her. "You've done spectacularly well! I can't wait to meet them". In the corner of my eye, I see Grandfather, who beckons for me to sit beside him. "Uh oh, you're wanted", Maggie sings.

"Grandfather doesn't know yet...about the babies...or the pregnancy...I'm planning to tell him today..." I swallow. "Tell him today, when there's all this happiness and excitement around him. When he's on display like this, he can't possibly cause a scene", I try to convince myself. Maggie nods, knowing just as much as I do that I'm kidding myself. "I'll see you later", I squeeze her arm. Grandfather beckons again, a huge smile on his face, and I oblige him, taking Gavroche with me.

"Not a word about the babies", I murmur to Gavroche as we walk.

"Grandfather. It's good to see you", I hug him, taking in the smell of him.

"I'm so glad you're here", he squeezes my hand. "We shall have to have a good old catch-up later."

"Yes..." I smile, trying not to give myself away. "We shall. Lots and lots to catch up on". I gulp, worrying how I'm ever going to tell him that since the last time I saw him, not only have I given birth to twins, but I have borne the children of the late revolutionary leader. I'm almost positive this isn't the kind of news he's expecting today. Marius catches my eye as he stands nervously, his face slowly turning red from holding his breath as he waits for his bride, and I offer him a small wave, and gesture for him to breathe. He shakes his head, and continues to hold in breath, staring intently at the door. "Courf", I whisper, trying to get his attention. "Courf!" Courfeyrac looks at me as he stands at my brother's side, and I make the same gesture, pointing to Marius, and mouthing the word "breathe". Courfeyrac's eyes widen in alarm when he sees just how red Marius' face has gone – redder than we've ever seen it.

"Breathe, buddy", Courfeyrac places a hand on his back as he murmurs to him, trying to subtly speak, not moving his lips. "Breathe..." Marius doesn't listen, and Courfeyrac loses his cool. "Breathe, man, breathe!!!" He shakes Marius, who finally exhales. I snort a little having just witnessed this, but just as the snort leaves my body, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Juliette", my Aunt whispers, a tone of panic in her voice. "We need your help!" I leave Gavroche with Grandfather, secretly gesturing for Gavroche to keep his lips sealed. He nods, doing the gesture back to me, and Aunt leads me hurriedly down the aisle and out of the doors.

"What is it?" I whisper quickly, very confused as to what's going on. "What's going on?" Aunt leads me through another pair of double doors and into the vestry, where Cosette stands in her wedding dress, head to toe in white, flowers in her hair, dressed like a princess. "Oh Cosette..." I gasp as I walk toward her and take her hands in mine. "You look wonderful..."

"Will you give me away?" She grips my hands, looking me right in the eyes.

"What?" I look from Cosette to my Aunt, and then back to Cosette. It all makes sense – that's what Aunt was panicking about. I think about Valjean. I think of how he should be here, how he should be the one giving Cosette away. But then I think about all he has done for me these past months, and I remember my secret vow to do all I can for him, and in this moment, I know that it would be the right and proper thing for me to do. It would be a fitting way for me to start paying him back – for me to stand in his place on his daughter's wedding day, seeing through the task that he couldn't do himself.

"Of course, I will", I nod, trying not to cry at the thought of Valjean. "Of course I'll give you away".

"Thank you", she envelopes me in her arms, a relieved tone in her voice.

"Well, then", Aunt claps. "Let's get you married!" She flings the doors open, and disappears to tell the musicians that it's time. Cosette and I stand facing the closed doors, knowing that Cosette's future with my brother is waiting on the other side. I think of all the people who have sacrificed for this moment – Grantaire, the Amis, Valjean, Cosette's birth mother...Eponine. Dear, sweet Eponine. Cosette notices the pained look on my face.

"Are you nervous?" She smiles. I nod, swallowing back the tears, clearing my throat so I can answer.

"Just a little..." I smile weakly.

"Me too", she squeezes my hand. "We'll get through it together." The music begins at the other side of the doors, and the ushers open the doors. The guests rise from their chairs, and turn around to face the door, and all eyes are on us – Cosette and I together. I offer her my arm, and she takes it, and we take the first step toward my brother.