milliways_bar | (no subject)

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[OOM, just before: Javert comes to summon Cosette -- and incidentally Marius -- to what may be Jean Valjean's deathbed. Contains grief and parental illness, although no actual death.]

The door is yanked open. On the other side, a Parisian room, bare and unadorned, with a bed made up in the corner and several people crowded within. There's a minute or so of bustle, and then Cosette bursts through.

She's been crying; she's still crying, a little, half-noticed, but her jaw is tight with urgent determination. Unlike often, she's bareheaded. On her heels -- and with a certain amount of awkward maneuvering to pass through the doorway -- come three men.

On the one side: Javert. On the other side: a young man in his early twenties, dark-haired, slim, scarred, and bewildered. (Welcome to Milliways, Marius Pontmercy! Have fun with all the surprises you're about to get!) In between them, leaning heavily on both of them and half-carried, is Jean Valjean. He looks exhausted, hollow-eyed and thin, very ill, and possibly delirious; his eyes are fixed on his daughter.

"Oh!" she cries, and whirls to face the room, dashing the tears from her eyes with an impatient hand. "Where is a doctor? Please, my father needs a doctor!"

[OOC: Marius and Cosette and Valjean can all be tagged separately or together, but Cosette is preoccupied and Marius is bewildered and Valjean is delirious, so uh FYI! We have an infirmary thread with Joly set up, but help is welcome to steer and/or carry Valjean there. Javert make himself scarce as soon as he's not needed, so he can be tagged separately.]

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Valjean would protest that he does not need a doctor. He has Cosette again, and that is all he requires. Indeed, his joy makes him feel he could run for miles, scale any mountain, swim any sea!

His body disagrees quite vehemently, but what care has he of that?

'It is Heaven,' he murmurs, so quietly it may not be heard even by those holding him up.

'She has come.'

If it weren't for Valjean's weight resting against him and forcing him to continue forwards, Marius would stop dead.

What? And while he's at it, how--? And also, "--where--?"

Cosette is preoccupied -- but she's also being terribly unfair to her husband right now, despite having excellent reason for it, and she knows it. People are looking around, starting to rise; she can turn, then, and come to Marius's side just for a moment. She speaks in a swift undertone:

"My darling, I'm sorry! Please, only trust me a little while, I promise I'll explain. We're at Milliways. It's a place like a dream, so very peculiar -- think of it as a dream if you like -- but it's very good. We'll find help here."

Just that, and then she turns back to the room, scanning it with urgent eyes.

'Yes, it is all very surprising, but now is not the time.'

Patience with Pontmercy: zero.

To Cosette, he says, 'the infirmary, madame. It is over to the left.'

She likely has had little reason to see it before.

Marius nods mutely. A dream, a dream, he can manage that. Just follow Cosette and Javert and try not to think about it.

Over to the left -- very well. Towards the infirmary they go, Cosette leading the way (with occasional and probably abrupt corrections from Javert.)

(OOC: Whatever combination works best for steering.)

William hears her cry from where he's reading and stares at how sick the once hale man he'd known looks, he hurries over to try and help, "The infirmary's that way. I can take some of his weight."

'Monsieur Evans.'

Javert cuts a glance between him, and Pontmercy - both of them look as though a gust of wind would knock them over, but in William's case at least he knows it is deceptive.

'Monsieur le Baron, do you need assistance?'

If there is more than a hint of sarcasm in the use of the title, well, it has not been a very good day.

"Um," says Monsieur le Baron.

Later, when he has had time to collect his thoughts, he will think that he should have refused, should have insisted that Valjean carried him from the barricade, surely he can carry Valjean now.

But in the moment, he's confused and his shoulder aches, and he says, "I-- yes, perhaps."

"Here, we'll trade off and get him safe. It ain't that far,"

He used to prop up his father when his leg wasn't doing well.

'No. Do not.'

Because Valjean carried the boy from the barricade, so let the dolt struggle now.

'Take his arm from me, monsieur. I must see if the doctor is downstairs. I will just be a moment - do not drop him.'

Valjean does not look as if he cares at all what is happening; he only has eyes for the girl. And Javert has organised Joly into being ready for this, so he would not want someone like Lecter arriving and offering to help.

Marius, ready to do whatever he's told, nods and shifts slightly to allow Javert and William to switch places.

William changes sides and gets under Valjean to support him, "Which doctor? I've been sittin' down here for a bit."

'Joly. The young revolutionary. Have you seen him?'

He does not like having asked that particular boy, but needs must. He also cares nothing for what the use of the name might mean to Marius, who it seems has not been told of the existence of this place. Which is his problem, not Javert's.

Javert needn't worry-- Marius isn't listening at all. He's staring at a passing rat.

Cosette has no idea who the young man is, except that his clothes aren't as strange as they could be, but he seems kind and he's being helpful, and that's more than enough for her.

"Thank you, Monsieur!" she cried, when he came to help. She halted while they handled the question of who William was replacing and how. As soon as they seem ready to go again, she'll lead the way towards the infirmary -- which, since she doesn't know where it is, means she'll start towards the that way that William indicated, looking around for any sign of a clinic, and will respond promptly to any further direction.

"I don't think so," All the Frenchmen are hard to miss though he doesn't know which name belongs to which one other than Bahorel and Feuilly.

Even Javert cannot berate the boy for staring at the rats. He did the same thing when he arrived.

...oh wait, yes he can. He rolls his eyes, and then takes a moment to examine Valjean's face.

Then he turns away, his face set hard, and says, 'I will return. My thanks, monsieur.'

(OOC: Should I tag or wait? I can delete if needed.)

"You're welcome," Then he checks with the man on the other side and young woman, "Not too far, just near the staff hallway."

[OOC: S'allgood! You're a ledge for tagging in. <3]

Valjean has had nothing to contribute to anything that is going on, barring his physical presence. But when a new voice filters in, he raises his head and looks around. Yes, the magic bar. Was he not just here? No, that was weeks ago...he is not sure. He catches sight of Cosette and tries to surge forward to her, but there is no strength in his legs and he stumbles, pitching forwards a little as he loses balance.

'Cosette,' he says, with wonder in his tone.

'There is no need. We may go home. All is well. Monsieur Evans, you offer your arm; it is quite unnecessary. She has come home, and brought her Marius with her, you see? All is well.'

"Hey, hey, she's not goin' far and you'll feel better when you sit down,"

Maybe she should walk closer if he's going to go chasing after her.

Cosette presses her lips together tightly at the sound of her name, and her hands clench together. Then she spins, and finds some teary vestige of cheer for him: "I'm right here, Papa. You see, they're kind men who will help you. Let them both help you, Father. It's naughty to turn away help! You're too good for that. Only come along to the doctor. I will be right here with you, every step."

She does come a little closer, but she doesn't want to get in their way. And she does want to get her father to the infirmary as fast as he's able.

He has never been the best at divining when he is forcing her to put on a brave face for him, and does not see it now.

'I will come,' he says, because she is asking it of him.

And after a moment's slow progress, which causes sweat to run on his face, he says to William,

'She is married now, you see.'

As if that explains all. To him, it does.

William makes agreeing noises and takes more of Valjean's weight to move quicker, "Ain't that far. That's good."

"Yes -- oh, I see it now, is it that door?"

She hopes so. All she wants to do is push a soft comfortable chair under her father, and instead she has to coax him along as he sweats with each step. It breaks her heart.

Javert arrives back at this point, his face dark.

'Allow me,' he says to William, who might be young and healthy, but is not built for pulling a man the size of Valjean along.

'I cannot find the man, but he will be here somewhere. We will put him into bed to start with. My thanks for your help, Monsieur Evans. I will see you repaid.'

He is slightly concerned that Valjean will start babbling nonsense that might cause trouble later on, even if there is no need to conceal much now. But there is a difference between the girl knowing the truth, the husband concealing it, and the world being privy to the knowledge.

"Don't owe me anythin', just helpin'. I hope he gets better,"

Once he sees that Javert has Valjean, he stands out of the way. He's not certain how much can be done with someone that sick.

"He will," Cosette says fiercely. "Milliways is full of marvels, you know, it's miraculous! God bless you, monsieur. Thank you for your kindness, thank you."

(OOC: That feels like an end. *hugs the all* Canon is awful.)

"Yeah, I know. God help you and your family, ma'am,"

Then he nods to her and heads to the counter, he'll keep an eye out for one of the Frenchmen to send the one named Joly to the infirmary.

[OOC: I agree! Thank you so much for sending William by, and Cosette will totally thank him in a less stressed-out way another day. Canon is awful but at least we can change the worst of it with Milliways...]

Gavroche turns sharply at that distressed cry, stops and stares for a moment at Valjean, then shakes himself and starts towards them.

"I'm not a doctor, but I can lend him a little strength."

Javert - being Javert - glares at him. It is mostly because he exists, but also because Valjean is heavy.

'I will not have-'

But then he stops, because it is not his decision to make. Left to him there would be no magic anywhere in the vicinity of Valjean, because who knows how much worse it might make things? And if the man were in his right mind, would he ever agree? Magic might be against God.

But Valjean's daughter is here, and her husband also, so he shuts his mouth.

The glare washes over him as if it was a friendly smile, because he doesn't feel like paying attention to it. He looks straight at Cosette - and a brief startled glance at Marius, but then back at Cosette.

"Madame?"

Cosette doesn't at all realize that he's talking about magic. She thinks he means the strength of his shoulder, to help them carry her father to the infirmary. Her greeting, accordingly, is a little distracted, without recognition of the underlying question.

"Monsieur, he needs a doctor -- yes, thank you, if they need help with him we'll gladly accept, or if you could fetch a doctor?"

Gavroche doesn't press the point, because she's clearly frantically worried and in need of help as much as her father is. He just nods and comes the rest of the way to join the group.

"Whichever is needed more."

Javert does not roll his eyes at Cosette, because he has no idea whether she knows about Gavroche and his abilities. Also, she is Valjean's daughter.

'See if you can see Joly in the bar room, if you please. He is expecting us. Just a glance; he will no doubt be with the rabble if he is here.'

Rabble? She's forever grateful to Javert for what he's done today, but -- seriously, he may be the rudest man she knows about his good deeds.

(She's too polite to show much reaction, but all the same, even now he gets a briefly taken aback glance from her.)

But M. Javert and Marius know much better than she does how much of a burden her father's weight is. If Javert thinks finding Joly is a better help, he's doubtless correct. "Thank you -- I appreciate your help very much."

Gavroche gives Javert the briefest flat look, then offers Cosette a reassuring smile.

"I'll be back with Joly as soon as I find him."

He gives that look the same treatment his own had had on the boy, and hefts Valjean a little higher on his shoulder.

'You are a dreadful burden, monsieur.'

Valjean gives no indication of having either heard or understood, which is just as well. The tone is without serious rancour, but he does mean it.

'Run along now,' he says to Gavroche. 'Be quick and come back.'

Sonya's still nursing a sprained ankle, much improved since her last time here, but it still makes walking without a crutch rather painful. As such, she's a little useless for helping support anyone else's weight, but that doesn't stop her from watching them go to the clinic.

Her attention turns back to the girl (maybe around her age?) dressed as one would be from a period novel, but looking like she might break down any moment. A part of her wants to go and ask if she wants company, or atleast a distraction, but the other half doesn't want to intrude: it's the former that wins over.

Carefully, she makes her way over. "Hey..um..you need someone to sit down with you?"

Still at term in the military academy, her clothing is the basic trousers and blouse of the other cadets. If Cosette were in the state of mind to look more carefully, she'd see a familiar face-albeit one that looked like she laughed a little more and didn't bear as many signs of stress.

If Cosette looked more closely, she'd think that perhaps this was Mme Lt Blade's daughter or niece. Some relation, close enough for such a clear resemblance, but she hasn't seen enough Milliways strangeness to think likely herself, only earlier in time.

But Sonya (or at least her narration) is correct: she isn't at all in the state of mind to be thinking about such things.

"Oh--" she says, "thank you, you're kind, but my husband is just in the other room. He'll be here in a moment."

She says this, but it's uncertain, and distracted. She says it, in other words, like someone who could use company or a distraction, but isn't used to asking for it from strangers.

Sonya had been to the VA just enough to know that waiting was always the worst, even if it was a short time. She may've not been that old, but she was able to read between the lines.

"Then I'll sit down a moment, too. Leg needs to rest awhile anyway." Shifting her weight to her good ankle, she pulls a chair closer so she could sit next to her. "I'm Sonya."

She had enough manners to introduce herself when sitting herself with someone.

[OOC: Argh, I'm so sorry about disappearing -- my internet imploded for a couple of hours.]

"Oh! I'm sorry -- please, do sit. Pleased to meet you. I'm Cosette. I'll join you until my husband comes."

The name Sonya gets a slightly belated look of bemused scrutiny, but, well -- it's not the first time someone's been named for a relative. Or perhaps it's coincidence. Or perhaps this really is Sonya Blade, younger, and -- and she doesn't really know what she ought to do in that case except keep quiet about it.

"I hope your leg's all right."

It could well be an old injury, or something that's been a little wrong since she was born -- Cosette is from an era when such things were relatively common, since there was nothing much done about them -- but either way, she hopes it's nothing too painful.

ooc: it's fine, I'm a slow tagger anyway

She set the crutch on the side of the sofa, making sure no one could trip over it. Once and awhile she would set it so some idiot would trip over it, but this wasn't one of those times.

"Nothing that won't heal within a few more weeks." Certainly wasn't as painful as it had been earlier.

The rest of what she said caught up with her. "Husband...?" She looked the girl over, more surprised than anything. They had to be close to the same age..how could she be married? "Um, you're from a different era, right?"

Smooth one, Sonya.

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