24601 no more (Valjean and Gabriella)

Jean Valjean was a wanted man, a man who had served his time in hard labour and been released after many long years. But he had decided that he was going to escape it all, escape the stigma of being a convict and escape from everyone looking at him like they expected him to suddenly lash out and kill everyone around him or something equally as horrible.

No one even asked him what he had been convicted of either; they all just assumed he had murdered someone when all he had done was steal a loaf of bread to feed his sister's child. Did that mean he was an evil man?

The priest from the small church one town over hadn't thought so.

That man... that wonderful man had given him hope, hope that he could turn his life around and hope that god still believed in him. That God had a plan for him and would save his soul as long as he repeated his wicked ways and did his best to be a good, upstanding Christian man.

Of course, that being said, he was fleeing the country illegally. But to do that he first needed some forged papers good enough to pass for the real thing. To do this he had arrived at the port he was to leave from and had immediately found the nearest government-related office for passes, built into a man's house.

There was no clerk around but he could see blank versions of the passes he needed just resting on the front desk. He could easily steal one as he drew closer to the desk but, even as he stepped up to the counter and looked down at them, he instead rang the bell on the counter,

"Excuse me." he called out as the ringing from the bell died out quickly, "Excuse me... is there a clerk around for me to speak to?"

Gabriella had decided that she could quite easily man the shop while her brother went out to spend his time with his new fiancée, she was so happy that he had managed to find someone special to him, she was rather old for the time not to be married, but to be honest she didn't think she was the marrying type. Although, she mused as she chewed idley on a bit of baguette and cheese, she did want to be able to find that special feeling with someone, to share that ideal of love.

Unfortunately it hadn't happened yet.

Didn't mean she couldn't be happy for her brother though, maybe she would have a niece or nephew to fawn over in the next few years to come, that would be fun. Maybe that would be able to fill the small hole that she had developed from her lack of care for someone over the years.

Broken from her thoughts she heard the bell go in the office and she wandered out of the back room with her sweet business smile on her face, Gabriella wasn't really supposed to issue papers but she did on occasion because her brother had taught her all about how to do so properly without any mistakes to get the person in trouble when their new papers were inspected.

"Bonjour monsieur, how may I help you?" she asked with a sweet tinkling voice "You are in need of some new papers?"

Gabrielle's eyes fell on the man and she could immediately tell it was going to be one of those conversations...one of the ones that could get her in serious trouble.

"My name is Gabrielle Fontain, pleased to meet you." she smiled shyly as she extended her hand over the desk, and the display case of papers.

When the woman came up to the desk to greet him, Valjean had to mutter a quick prayer of thanks for her timely arrival. He had been contemplating taking the sheets from the desk and rushing out right then and there. Swallowing a little bit, he pulled his thoughts away from that course of action. He hadn't done that and he would not do that! He would not lower himself to stealing again, he was not about to break his promise to God so quickly after having his faith restored.

He smiled a little bit, no doubt looking almost as nervous as he actually felt on the inside. Swallowing a little bit, he nodded slowly,

"Oui madam, I believe that there is." he told her nervously before chuckling slightly, nodding once again with his nervousness showing, "Oui... my old papers... I lost them... the wind caught them and carried them off the edge of a cliff."

Not technically a lie but he neglected to mention that he had torn them up before throwing them towards the cliff to be rid of them. Taking her hand, he kissed the back of her hand in a warm greeting,

"I am Jean Valjean." he greeted her before he let her hand go again. He was about to continue the lie from before but couldn't do it. In the end, he closed his eyes lightly, "I am a former convict madam... I served my time for many years and was punished for trying to escape. But s'il vous plait madam! S'il vous plait listen to me... I stole but only one loaf of bread to feed my starving family... I beg for your understanding in creating me new, clean, papers Madam."

Gabriella smiled softly and she listened to the reason why he had lost his papers, it certainly was the oddest story she had heard for the loss of papers, normally people just spilled things on them or had them stolen from them while they had a particularly large drink the night before. But being blown off a cliff? How odd. It was almost endearing, it wasn't like he could lie easily.

"You lost your papers off the edge of a cliff?" she asked with a soft laugh "Whatever were you doing with them out on the edge of a cliff, how odd Monsieur. Never mind, it doesn't matter how you lost them, I shall create new ones for you."

Unable to stop herself from blushing softly when he kissed her hand, Gabriella couldn't help but note the coldness of his skin, the roughness, and she felt an immediate twinge of concern for the man in front of her. The marks of labour still showed on his skin, and in his features - in the way his eyes didn't gleam and the pain still somehow marred the way he stood.

Listening to his story, Gabrielle's heart went out to the man even more, such a crime didn't warrant what it looked like had been done to him, and she bit her lip softly, Jean Valjean, she vowed to make sure that he had all that he needed to leave that weight of pain behind.

"Please sir, come this way, we shall continue this meeting in the back of the house." she smiled softly "Never fear, you were always going to get clean papers from me." Gabrielle grinned, popping the countertop up so that Jean could walk into the back room with her "Such a crime is hardly something that I need to worry about."

When he said it out loud it did sound kind of odd, to lose his papers in such a unique manner was unheard of before to him and likely to her as well. Although he would guess she had heard some strange tales from some people in her time here. To be honest he was surprised to see a woman working here but he wasn't about to judge; women could work just as well as men. He nodded a little bit,

"Oui, they were lost in the sea winds I'm afraid." he told her with a small smile before chuckling a little bit nervously, "Well I had just had something of an epiphany and... and well it happened to take place when I had my papers with me visiting a church."

Valjean hoped beyond all hope that Gabrielle would understand and sympathise with his fears and his pain. He had been imprisoned for much longer than his initial crime would have suggested and damn if it didn't take it's told on him and his faith in humanity. But his faith in humanity was being restored thanks, in no small part, to how helpful she was being.

She had listened to him and was willing to help him regardless. When she ushered him inside the house itself he nodded hurriedly and bowed to her a little bit as he entered the home,

"Thank you Madam, you are most kind." he thanked her as he walked into her home, his head bowed, "It is enough for a crime to warrant spending many years in hard labour according to the law I am afraid madam... but my sister and her child... did not survive."

His stomach rumbled to show how hungry he was and his face reddened in embarrassment, "Ah sorry... I have not been eating well."

Gabriella smiled softly at Jean as she sat down in the cosy little back room of the shop, she wanted to make sure that they were in private while they were discussing this, it always made her more than a little nervous to do things like this but the reward was so great at the end. She wanted to see him getting along in life, and Jean couldn't do that with his branded name, as a convict, for doing something so compassionate.

Hearing that his sister and child didn't survive, she felt more than a little sick. There had been times where she and her brother had been close to the breadline but she had never had no food in the pantry and she had a roof over her head no matter how rickety the roof might be. To think of someone she loved, dying because of hunger, made her so sad.

"I am so sorry to hear that." she whispered softly "I am sure that they appreciated your great sacrifice for them while you were away, if...if it isn't too rude to ask Monsieur, how many years did you serve in prison? Surely stealing a loaf of bread wouldn't be such a long time?"

As she heard his stomach rumble she smiled softly, and looked to the rest of the food she was going to save for later, but now she would be more than happy to share it with Jean, he needed it more than she did after all. Gently she cut and buttered a slice of baguette and placed some cheese and meat on a plate. Handing it to him with a soft smile;

"Some food then, while we get your affairs sorted." Gabriella stated with a forceful but soft tone "I suppose the first thing we need to do, is, to sort a new name and identity for yourself Monsieur Valjean, have you thought on that?"

Valjean had to admit that she was treating him with about as much respect as the priest had done so not a few days ago and that was perhaps more respect than he actually deserved to be perfectly honest with himself. He was a criminal after all, he had tried to escape prison even if stealing the bread hadn't been a crime worthy of jail time. And unlike others who said they were imprisoned for such small things, he actually was imprisoned because of something so small.

He nodded a little bit, even now the news was still fresh in his mind. The whole reason as to why he was in prison in the first place... dead because he had been unsuccessful in his initial crime. He swallowed a little bit when she asked how many years he served,

"Five years for stealing the bread..." he whispered to her as he sat down in one of the chairs, relaxing his body even if his mind was still stewing a little bit, "Fourteen because I tried to run... to make it back to my sister and her child when they needed me."

He blushed a little bit when she gathered up some of the food and handed it to him. Instinctively he took the food before he hesitated a little bit. In the end his stomach grumbling made the decision for him and he began to eat as quickly as was politely possible,

"Thank you madam Gabriella... you are a kind and lovely woman." he told her honestly before pausing. Swallowing, he nodded, "How about Marc Madeleine?"

Gabriella could sense that this was a very sad point for Jean and she wanted to be able to make sure that he wasn't so sad while in her company, she wanted to make sure that he relaxed and was ready to face the world as a new man after his short rest at her and her brothers house. Although she was sure her brother might have some objections at first, Gabriella could always take Jean back to her own home, it was a modest apartment but, it would do.

"You tried to run away?" she asked, her mouth hung open in shock, oh no that was why he looked like he was in so much pain and suffering, then, her expression changed to one of admiration, he had managed to survive all that time? "It speaks to your credit, monsieur, you are truly a strong man to survive such a place for that long, I am glad to be able to aid you."

Sending him a reassuring smile as he took the food and began eating it Gabriella stood up and went to retrieve some of the papers that she would be needing, she wanted to make sure that she had some spares in case one didn't look very professional, she was going to try her best though. No mistakes. She had done it enough times.

Blushing softly Gabriella bit her lip and sat back down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear; "I...well...thank you." she whispered softly "Alright, Mr. Madeleine, I shall get started on your new papers for you right away, please enjoy your meal while I write."

Gently she dipped the quill in some ink, leaning over the paper her hair fell about her face, her brow furrowed in concentration as she wrote, filling in all the needed sections and making sure that she did so in the manner that was required.

Valjean nodded when she asked about him trying to run away, no doubt as surprised as he was that he had ever been that desperate to escape the prison. After all, escaping prisoners received the harshest of punishments when they were recaptured. He, for exactly, had been whipped down to the bone in some areas of his back just for attempting escape. It had been through sheer force of will that he had managed to survive in such a state,

"Oui, I felt I needed to be there to help my sister and her child." he told her with a small smile before smiling faintly when she complimented him on having the strength to survive being imprisoned for so long. He had lived it for many years so he knew it had been hard, it had killed many others to do what he could do, "I just kept pushing myself and hoping for my freedom. In the end I finally managed to get my freedom but only after so many years..."

As she went to go and fetch something, Valjean ate the remaining food she had given to him with great gusto. He was starving as he hadn't eaten since dinner at the small church a few miles down the road. He finished the food just as she arrived back and he couldn't help but grin a little bit,

"It's not a problem at all Madam Gabriella." he assured her with a small grin, "Thank you Gabriella. I shall wait patiently here... if you need any help just asked me for the help alright? I'll do what I can then to help you Madam Gabriella."

Gabriella had worked hard to make sure that she created a rather believable backstory for the new man that had stepped into the world, Marc Madeleine, and she was blowing on the ink now so that it would try in time for him to be able to take it away with him now if he wanted to. Sighing lightly as she admired her handy-work, Gabriella slid the paper towards Jean with a soft smile on her lips.

"Here you go Mr. Madeleine, your replacement papers, everything you need to know is on them, just make sure that you remember everything, and you'll be fine." she grinned with a little wink "It is all ready for you to take as soon as the ink is properly dried."

His gaze on her had been rather odd while she had been making the papers but she had liked it, it was rather a novelty for her to be able to be on her own with a man, especially one as interesting as Jean. Gabriella hoped that he wouldn't leave as soon as he had his papers, she looked forwards to a little more conversation seeing as she didn't know when her brother would return.

"You don't have to call me Madam." she grinned "It makes me feel far too old, but, please call me Gabi, it's less of a mouthful." Gabriella joked with a light smile playing on her lips.

Biting her lip softly she thought it might be a little insensitive to broach this subject but she knew her brother would want at least something, each paper cost a lot to get a hold of, as one of the official offices for the renewal of paperwork.

"Uhm, my brother would want me to ask...if you were able to pay for the papers?" she asked with a small blush on her cheeks "But please don't feel obligated or anything I just know he would be mad if I didn't at least ask."

Valjean simply watched as she worked tirelessly on the piece of paper, making sure that her penmanship was perfect and everything about it was amazing. He couldn't help but admire just how hard she was trying on his behalf, it was honestly humbling to know that she cared enough about him (a virtual stranger) to do this much work for him. Truly she was blessed by god above for being so kind,

"Thank you Gabriella... thank you so much! God may have given me a chance to redeem my soul but you have given me the chance to once again have a life." he told her quietly, so happy that she had been able to help him, "I can never thank you enough for all that you have done for me here today Gabriella. If ever there is something I can do for you or yours, please do not hesitate to contact me."

When she told him to call her Gabi he grinned ever so slightly, a movement he had been sure that his time in prison had robbed him of the ability to perform. He nodded a little bit,

"Alright then... Gabi." he agreed happily, "I would be happy to call you Gabi. Feel free to give me a nickname if you wish Gabi."

Seeing her biting her lip, he noted how worried she looked. When she explained what she was worried about he grinned, knowing exactly what he could give her. He held up a hand, one finger raised to tell her to wait a minute,

"I have just the thing... close your eyes please." he waited until she had closed her eyes before quickly taking a golden cross and necklace from his satchel and putting it on her easily. He smiled happily, "There... you can open your eyes now."

Gabriella looked at Jean and she smiled softly, he was so happy, that was the best reward she could have possibly gotten to her completing the papers for him. She had given him a new chance at life and she knew that this time he wasn't going to mess it up, he was going to play it straight knowing what he could go back to, was an ending of his life for good, breaking parole and reoffending? It made her shiver to think what would happen.

"Please, don't worry about it, I want to be able to help people restart their lives, especially people like you who deserve it. Do you uhm...have lodgings around these parts then Marc?" she asked with a soft blush on her cheeks "Only because if something does come up I'll need to know where to send my letters to, of course."

When Jean called her Gabi, she smiled shyly and was glad that he had agreed, honestly hearing her full name made her think that she was in trouble, so she much preferred everyone to call her by her shortened name like her brother and his Fiancee did whenever they were around.

"Thank you Marc, I shall take my time and think about your nickname." she grinned, happy even though she didn't really know why she was so happy.

Closing her eyes, but a little bit wary of what he was going to do, Gabriella bit her lip and waited for him to get whatever he was going to get for her. Gasping softly when she felt something heavy lay against her neck, the cool metal made her shiver against her warm skin, but, opening her eyes when she heard Jean tell her to she flushed and touched the beautiful gold cross.

"Oh my!" Gabrielle exclaimed "You can't give me such a large gift! You need this more than I do, and there is no way that the papers cost this much to procure...I can't possibly accept this Marc." Gabriella protested with a soft blush on her cheeks.

Valjean had a chance at another life, a life away from the sins of his old self and his conviction as a criminal. She had given him something that no one else had been willing to give him, or any other convict for that matter, and he appreciated it so very much from her. She was the kind of woman that Valjean wished he would be able to settle down with but he very much doubted that any woman like her would find it in her heart to love someone with as checked a past as his own,

"I do not have lodgings around here I'm afraid Gabi." he told her quietly, "I was going to sell some of my silver to pay for a room but I'm not sure how secure I will be inside one of these inns. They seemed to be rather expensive and bare to me when I looked... but I have nowhere else to go in this country."

He smiled when she said that she would wait a bit longer before giving him a nickname. After all, he really did want her to be friends with her. She was a wonderful woman, smart and with a sense of humour that was like a breath of fresh air to him.

Seeing that she liked his method of payment, but wasn't sure if she should accept it or not, he chuckled a little bit and kissed her gently on the forehead. He shook his head a little bit when she tried to give it back to him. Reaching out, he stroked her cheek a little bit,

"You deserve this reward for not only helping me with my papers like this but also for being so amazing to me. You've looked past it all to just get to know me and I appreciate that so very much." he told her before grinning slightly, "So you accept that Gabi because those were my reasons behind giving you that gift."

Gabriella blinked lightly when she heard that he didn't have any lodgings around here, she wanted to be able to make sure that he was safe, the inns around here were major cons and she knew that they would more than likely take advantage of a man like Jean. So, it was her duty to make sure that he was safe while he stayed here and rested, recouperated.

"The inns around here are very expensive for what you get, and there are all sorts of people staying there...so, what would you say about coming and sharing my apartment with me? Just until you find suitable lodgings of your own...I don't like the idea of you not having anywhere to stay." Gabriella admitted with a soft blush gracing her cheeks.

What completely shocked Gabriella was when he leant forwards and kissed her on the forehead, her cheeks exploded in a massive blush and she looked down at her shoes, no man had ever kissed her on her forehead except her family, and family didn't really count in this situation. Jean's hand against her cheek made Gabrielle look up again, her blush lessened.

"You don't need to reward me for that, Marc." she whispered softly "I'm just doing what everyone else should be doing, they're just too involved in their own problems to take on other peoples. Apparently I've always been trusting and open, perhaps in times other people wouldn't be."

Inside, she had accepted the gift, she wanted to be able to have something to remind her of the man she had met, who set her heart racing with his soft sad eyes and his rough callous touch.

"I will accept it, if you really want me to have it that badly." she stated with a shy smile "Thank you very much for such a wonderful gift."

Valjean didn't want to be a bother by asking more of her but he might just have to ask for a recommendation as to where The inns around her seemed to be filled with conmen and women from what he had seen and that wasn't good for the silver that he carried. He would not part with the gifted silver for something as trivial as a room for the night,

"Oui Gabi... I have noticed that the inns and their patrons seem to be of the less honourable sort." he agreed before blushing a little bit when she suggested that he could share her apartment with her. He wanted to refuse outright - it wouldn't be proper considering he hadn't been with a woman in so long... his self-control could be an issue. But he wasn't in a position where he could afford to refuse her, "I would be honoured if you gave me this but... are you sure you're comfortable with having me in your apartment with you? I wouldn't want to cause you discomfort..."

He could see that she seemed rather flustered by the way he had kissed her on the forehead and, perhaps a tad selfishly, Valjean was glad that she was blushing now. After all, he really hadn't wanted to be the only one who was blushing because of the other one,

"Then that just proves that you are a better woman than any other I have had the pleasure of meeting before in my life." he told her quietly before grinning a little bit, "You are a woman of grace, beauty, patience and kindness the likes of which I have never met before."

He could see that she liked the gift that he had given her but when she thanked him he just shook his head a little bit, "There is no need to thank me Gabi. For your gift to me outweighs it a thousand times... you have given me my life and true freedom."

Gabriella hadn't thought about the fact that she would be sharing her apartment with a man, she had just been thinking that it was the right thing to do, she was sure that Jean wasn't going to pose much of a problem though, he seemed to be a nice man and one of high morals, although they didn't often correlate with the law she thought he wouldn't do her any harm. So she didn't even really need to think about it that much before she gave her answer;

"Of course I am comfortable." she grinned "I wouldn't have asked you if you wanted to stay if I wouldn't be comfortable with you being in my apartment. So please I insist, at least until you can find your own lodgings and get on your own feet."

Biting her lip she couldn't help but blush again at all of the compliments that Jean was giving her, she wanted to be able to stop blushing because she was so aware of the fact that she might have turned her whole face red by this time. It was hardly the most attractive look. Getting her emotions under control she grinned softly and ran her hands through her hair;

"Well you mustn't have met many decent women then." she smiled softly "There are plenty of ladies just as nice and kind as me."

Looking at the light outside the shop she hummed lightly, she might as well head off home and get herself ready for tomorrow, help Jean settle in while he was staying with her. Gabrielle stood up and she smiled softly at Jean;

"Would you like to come with me back to my apartment now, it's almost time to close up the shop for today, we might as well go home a little early."

Valjean might be a moral and upstanding man but that didn't mean he didn't have a sex drive and it certainly didn't mean that he was blind. And he would have to be blind and sexless not to notice how attractive, how beautiful, Gabriella was. He would just have to keep himself in check and fight back the urges that he had been able to ignore in a male-only prison,

"Well if you're sure then I would be honoured and humbled to accept your offer of hospitality." he assured her happily, so glad that he had met someone as nice, as kind and as giving as Gabriella, "We have known each other less than a day and already you have shown me great kindness in this and your other actions, I thank you deeply Gabriella."

He could see her blushes were getting more and more frequent and he was perfectly fine with that if he was honest. He rather enjoyed seeing her blushing so much and hoped that she would continue to do so around him sometimes. She was just so cute as well as beautiful when she blushed like that and every time he got the unmistakable urge to run his fingers across her soft cheeks too,

"Or maybe you're just far and above all of the other decent women I have met." he suggested with a smile before shrugging a little bit, "I wouldn't know for sure, I've never met any but I will take your word for it Gabriella."

When she suggested that it was about time for them to close up the shop and head back to the apartment he stood up from his chair,

"Would you like any help closing up?" he asked her, trying to be as helpful as possible, "I'd like to help you out after all."

Gabriella smiled brightly and she was over the moon happy that Jean had decided to share her rooms with her, it was modest but it was cosy and sweet, or at least she thought it was because she had put all of her spare money into decorating it when she had moved in, bought all new and lovely furniture to put her stamp on the sweet little apartment buildings.

"It's nothing really Marc." she smiled shyly up at him "I know I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you go out of my sights without having somewhere safe and warm to sleep tonight, and the night after and the night after that, however long you needed."

Hearing that he wanted to be able to help her close up the shop Gabriella couldn't help but smile at his refreshing eagerness to help her and make sure that he repaid her for the kindness that she had bestowed upon him. Who was she to stop him from helping when he could do something that she couldn't really do on her own.

"If you would like to help you can close the shutters outside over the windows, I find it difficult to reach the top bolt so you'll be perfect for that job." she smiled softly, as she began to gather her things from the shop, ready to go home.

As Jean closed the shutters she stepped outside and she slipped the key to the shop into the lock of the door, locking the door and tugging on the handle to make sure; "All done, after a long day, it's time to head home, it's odd inviting someone else home with me but, rather thrilling too don't you think?" Gabriella grinned.