Chapter Text
With Lucien justice Javert, while he wasn't an honour student in the school he went to, compared to some of the other students, he was adequate at best.
He was lying on his bed while looking at the small piece of essay that showed the question for a essay for law class that was due a week from now, he looked at it for a look of contempt and confusion.
Lucien's twin brother Vivant was sitting on the bed next to his trying to write a poem, when he noticed something was troubling his brother.
"What's wrong Lucien?".
"It's this essay, the question is a difficult one."
"Why, what is the question Lucien?"
"A man was caught stealing a loaf of bread from the bakery, when caught he said his reason was that his sister who was a widow and her children were starving and near death. Do you arrest him or not?"
"You're right, that is difficult; what's the point of that essay anyway?"
"It's to see how one would do in a tough dilemma like this."
"Well dear brother, I don't know but I'm sure there's someone here who would know."
"Sure why not, I mean what have I got to lose?"
"That's the spirit, maybe we should ask pama first; he'd probably know."
Soon Lucien and Vivant walked to the living room where Javert was holding and watching Desiree while Cosette and Eponine were helping Valjean look for Astin.
"Hello pama, is it okay if you can help us out with a question that Lucien has to answer for a essay?"
"Sure, what's the question?"
Lucien soon handed Javert the essay with the question and all of the blood just left from his face and he was as white as a ghost.
"Uh pama, are you okay?"
"Of course, why would I not be okay?"
"You just look so pale and your hands are shaking."
"Don't worry I'm fine, I'll just place Desiree in her crib for her nap and I'll be right back."
Javert then walked to Desiree's room and gently placed her in her crib and then walked back to the living room.
"Now the question to your question is simple, arrest the person; sure they had good intentions, but the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions."
"Really? Well the question did mention that his sister's child was close to death, they were basically starving.
"Well then they will starve again, unless they learn the meaning of the law; it's like I'm the only one that cares about the law."
"So I guess you have actually dealt with this dilemma?"
"It was the winter of 1795, a man stole a loaf of bread, and ended up spending 19 years in prision for his crime."
"19 years for stealing bread, That seem a bit excessive doesn't it?"
"It was just suppose to be five years, the rest were because he tried to escape, I still remember the day he was released on parole; didn't want him to leave, WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME 24601!"
Javert then broke into tears while lying on the sofa
Lucien and Vivant were just sitting there in an awkward silence, both not knowing what to say.
"There there pama, it's okay now."
"Thanks Lucien, both you and your brother are still my precious little beams of light."
"Well we'll ask someone else, thanks anyway pama."
As they were heading upstairs, they were wondering who to ask next.
Lucien then noticed that Vivant had a pen and notebook with him.
"What's with the notebook, Vivant?"
"Just writing some notes, for a future reference."
"Okay, can I see them?"
"Sure."
Lucien then took the notebook and it just had 3 points.
1: Bread stealing = bad
2: People don't care about the law.
3: Pama has obvious emotional issues that will need to be worked out.
"Okay then, maybe we can ask papa; he might know."
"I guess we could try, now where he could be?"
"He said earlier that he was trying to find Astin since she wandered off again."
"Well lets go."
After walking for a while, they found him by the Musain Cafe.
"Hello papa, we were wondering if we could ask you something and help you find Astin?"
"Sure, I could use more help; now what was your question?"
"Well I have this essay, it's to answer this dilemma."
"That doesn't sound too difficult, what's the dilemma?"
Soon Lucien handed Valjean the piece of essay, and then Valjean had the same reaction that Javert had.
"Did I read this correctly, Lucien? "
Lucien then nodded yes.
"Well, maybe I can see how this would be a challenge to solve. Well, the answer would be, that the person shouldn't have been arrested; sure what he did was wrong, but WHAT WAS I SUPPOSE TO DO? LET MY SISTER AND HER CHILDREN STARVE"
"Wait what?"
"Boys, I should've told you this sooner; but I was in that exact dilemma at the opposite of the spectrum."
"Wait, so you stole a loaf of bread to help your sister; why haven't We heard of this?"
"You never asked, it was the winter of 1795, I stole a loaf of bread and I then got caught, arrested, and spent 19 years in prision for it."
"Doesn't 19 years seem like a bit too much?"
"Well it was suppose to be five year but I was young and foolish, and tried to escape; but if there was a silver lining, I met him." Valjean said as they were sitting in Le Cafe Musain.
"You mean pama right?"
"Yes, I don't know why; but I felt a connection with him that no man can explain."
"Pama mentioned that there was someone known as 24601 who left him behind, was 24601 you?"
"Yes and looking back now I wish I would've at least stayed with him, how was I supposed to know that he would've ended up with you two?"
"I suppose, that would explain why you weren't there for most of our lives."
"I really am sorry about that, I didn't mean to hurt you or your pama. I just now realized that in this sort of situation, Grantaire was the better man by staying with Enjorlas when he was pregnant with Patria."
"ALL RIGHT, I WIN; DRINKS ON ME!" .
"Way ahead of you father."
"Promise that you won't tell your pama that you're drinking wine again? He would throw a fit."
"I haven't before, and I'll just have 3 glasses."
"That's my girl."
"Well we'll just be on our way, bye."
"Well, this could've gone better; by the way, where is Cosette and Eponine? I haven't seen them much today."
"She's just looking for Astin in the sewers, because maybe she was either thrown into the sewers or is hiding there."
"Well maybe she has returned home."
As they were walking home, Lucien suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.
"I just realized the answer to this puzzle."
"What is it?"
"I'll let you know later, I need to write first."
He then walked to his room and began writing this essay.
Meanwhile Vivant and Valjean finally returned home, to find Astin sleeping in the living room while Cosette was holding her.
"Where was she? We looked everywhere for her."
"We found her in the catacombs under Notre Dame, talking and playing with the rats."
"Again?"
"Yes, ironically it's the few creatures she doesn't fear; don't worry, she already cleaned herself up"
"Well at least she's safe."
Soon at around 12 am, Lucien was still awake making sure the essay was perfect.
Despite his eyes getting heavy and starting to lose consciousness, he still stayed awake.
"I can do this, just one more sentence."
As he was writing, he could hear a faint song in his head; it was a song that he hadn't heard since he was a baby.
His eyes grew more heavy, and he started to become more sleepy.
"No I must stay awake."
But the lullaby was too powerful and Lucien soon fell off his chair to the floor.
"Ow."
Soon at around 4 AM, when Lucien realized that he fell asleep on the floor.
As he tried to get up, he hit his head on the side of the table.
"Ow."
He then noticed that Astin was still looking at the stars, he then decided that he should get to sleep, and will finish the last sentence before class.
At around 6 am Lucien walked to the library, he then sat down to finish the essay; when he heard some of the teachers talking.
"Creating that essay, was the best idea You ever had ever had Monsieur Benson."
"Thanks, not only does it have no clear answer; there's no way in a million years would Lucien be able to come up with an answer; even with his mommy's and daddy's help."
"Was that their plan all along, wasting most of the students time as a mean spirited trick towards me and me alone?"
"Well we'll see who has the last laugh."
Later when law class started, the 3 students that includes Lucien who started their essays early handed their's in.
Later that evening, at the school, Monsieur Benson was reading the essay's; when he came across Lucien's.
"With this dilemma, there's no easy answer. While what the person did was against the law, they probably felt that there was no choice and was thrusted to a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situtation. With each side bringing up a good argument, and that's what these dilemmas would often have, both arguements that are both sound and valid. One can't just see one side of it as truth, because the world isn't black and white, it's more complicated than that. a good example would be the story of the people of the dilemma that was mentioned. The young man felt he had to steal the bread to save the only family he knew, so he paid for his crime by serving 19 years in Toulon; and thus starting a story of hardship, forbidden love, and resulting in the birth of a young man who can see through the true intention of this essay. So in conclusion, there's no clear answer because in life there's often no clear answer , nice try but my family and I are a lot stronger than you think."
"He's more clever than I thought."
After finally finishing the essay, Lucien could finally not stay awake through the night, and finally get some sleep.