The Prisoner

Chapter 19

The first fit of coughs had first came when he was reading his book. Rose had been in the kitchen at the time, pouring water for herself. She couldn't help but worry as she heard him cough.

"Are you alright Inspector?" She asked before stepping inside the bedroom. He nodded before a sneeze shook his body. Rose fetched a handkerchief and handed it to him. He thanked her with a nod before coughing wetly into the handkerchief. Rose continued her way into the bedroom and laid down. She missed sleeping next him, it had been 3 weeks. Another sneeze was heard and she jumped with a start.

The next day he came back earlier than usual from work. Rose hadn't even woken up yet. He changed into his nightshirt and laid down on the couch. Rose woke up with a startled look on her face when she heard someone cough from outside. She got out and saw the man she loved curled up on the couch, beads of sweat were visible on his left brow.

"Are you alright, Inspector?" She asked not daring to approach him. It hurt every time she called him with a formal title.

"It's nothing" he assured before sneezing into his handkerchief.

"I suggest you sleep inside" she said with a shrug. To her surprise he got up without arguing and went past her inside the bedroom. Their arms brushed and she started at how warm his skin had been. She heard the creaking of the bed as he laid down. Rose had little knowledge of what to do at times like this but she had to at least try. She fetched a wet cloth before stepping back inside the bedroom. His eyes were closed but he didn't look like he was asleep. She put the soaked cloth on his forehead and he gasped at the coldness of the water, although it had been warm when Rose had put her hand under it.

"Take it off" he whimpered in between shivers.

"You have a fever, this should help" she said before moving the cloth from his forehead to his neck. He barely caught his sneeze into the handkerchief so it wouldn't land on Rose. His eyes fluttered closed and Rose was sure that this time he had fallen asleep. She got out and started making chicken soup for him.

By the time she was done, she heard him cough once more. She went through the door and found him sitting up with the handkerchief pressed to his nose. He looked up when she entered and then his eyes found the bowl in her hand. It took one sip before he went green.

"A bucket, anything" he shouted frantically while dry heaving. Rose managed to get a bucket under his mouth before he emptied his stomach. She rubbed his back soothingly until there was nothing left in his stomach and all he was doing was coughing in the bucket full of vomit. Rose took the bucket from his hands and threw it in the sink. She got him a glass of water and handed it to him before throwing away the soup too. She got another wet cloth and wiped his fevered face with it. His cheeks were flushed red in an unhealthy way and he was breathing through his mouth heavily. Shivers racked his body and he kept clenching and unclenching his hands as if he was looking for something to hold on to. She put her hand in his and he squeezed it tightly but not enough to be painful. His hand was uncomfortably hot in hers and that only made her worry increase. When he drifted off again with his hand still in hers she got up and called one of the boys playing in front of the building.

"I'll give you a 2 franc piece if you manage to tell Doctor Michel that he is needed here" she said to one of the boys.

"Anything for 2 francs" cried out the boy before running off. She went back inside the building to find him still sleeping soundly on back. It didn't take long before she heard a knock on the door.

"It's the inspector. I don't know what's wrong with him but he looks awfully sick" she said, worry etched on her face. The doctor simply nodded and entered the door to bedroom, he didn't wait for Rose to come before he slammed the door shut. Rose winced and sat down on a chair in the kitchen she couldn't help but be worried. It felt like a lifetime before Dr.Michel came out of the door.

"What is it doctor?" She asked and got up to walk the man to the door.

"Influenza. Not contagious. You were right to put the wet cloth on his face, he had a very high fever. I will check on him later this week to see how he's doing" he answered everything that she was going to ask at once before he left the apartment with long strides. Rose went back inside and found Javert soundly sleeping. She sat down on a chair next to the bed and waited. He was sick, that was the excuse she kept repeating in her head. She wasn't supposed to be sitting next to him and watching him sleep. Rose touched his forehead gently and found him still warm. She got another wet cloth and put it gently on his fevered face. His eye twitched before he opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"It's so cold" he whispered.

"I know. But it's going to get better" she murmured soothingly. She brushed some hair from his face and placed the cloth on his neck.

"You're so thin" he said so quietly that Rose thought she had imagined it. He grabbed her wrist and brought it close to his face, her bones were easily seen. She pulled her wrist from his grip and busied herself with wetting the cloth.

"It's alright" she muttered when he groaned as the cloth was put on his face.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked.

"I-It's nothing, you'll be fine" she stuttered. He sneezed in his handkerchief and blew his nose loudly.

"I..n..need..t..to" he started to say. "Please don't make me say it" he groaned in frustration.

"You need to use the bathroom?" She asked while cocking up an eyebrow. He nodded, a blush creeping up his face.

"Do you need help getting there?" She asked, finally removing the cloth from his still warm face.

"Yes, please" he muttered. Rose smiled at his bashfulness and extended her arm for him to take although she worried if she would be able to pull his weight. He got up and instantly he shut his eyes tightly and grabbed onto Rose.

"Are you alright?" She asked him, worry visible on her face.

"I don't think I can make it there" he said and sat back down on the bed.

"I'll get the chamber pot" she said ignoring the way his blush returned. She came back a minute later carrying the chamber pot to where Javert was sitting. At that moment, she didn't care how inappropriate it was, she didn't care about how uncomfortable Javert was, all she cared about was Javert's wellbeing. She emptied the chamber pot into the sink and returned to find Javert's face flushed with embarrassment.

"It's alright. I don't understand why you're so embarrassed" she said with a smile. He didn't answer but instead laid back down on the bed. Rose waited until he was asleep before she kissed his forehead and prayed to God that he would be okay.

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Please tell me what you think in the comments. Yes, I know that influenza is contagious but the story would be ruined if we Said that. I love you all, Byeeee.