Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Les Miserables.

Here's a little story I wrote about Fantine and the birth of her beloved daughter. In case you didn't know, the name "Cosette" means "little thing", and it stemmed from the old French slang term that meant "little thing of no importance". Hm, maybe to the Thenardiers, but certainly not Fantine!

Sarah

Fantine inhaled and exhaled deeply as the searing pains shredded through her stomach. After nine months of pregnancy, she was finally going into labor.

Poor Fantine was terribly sad. Once she had learned she was pregnant, the father of her child, Felix Tholomyes, had left her. She was all alone without a soul in the world. Not for long, I suppose, she thought.

Fantine slowly lowered herself onto her bed and propped up her legs. Hiking her dress up to her knees, she clenched her eyes shut and pushed.

She cried out as more pain surfaced.

I have to do this. I have to.

After hours and hours of pain, sweat, blood, and yelling, a tiny cry lit up the air.

Fantine opened her eyes and peeked over her knees. A tiny baby girl laid there, wriggling and crying.

"Oh..." Fantine whispered as she placed her hands around the infant's slick body, being careful to support the little one's head. "Oh."

The baby wailed and balled her hands up into tiny fists.

Fantine couldn't help but smile. This baby hadn't exactly been planned, but Fantine was incredibly excited from the moment she found out she was expecting.

She cradled the baby close and planted a kiss on her forehead. Fantine guessed that the child was cold, so she nestled under the blanket and pressed her closer to her. The baby began to calm down.

"Hello, little one," Fantine cooed, stroking the girl's soft cheeks.

Fantine sighed happily and smiled even bigger when the baby opened her eyes, revealing huge blue orbs that observed the world around her. The blue eyes stopped when they found her mother.

Tears begun to well up in Fantine's eyes as her daughter looked at her. They were both tears of joy and tears of sorrow. How dare Felix abandon her when something wonderful was to happen, leaving her and her friends a letter that it was all a joke! Fantine pressed her eyes closed again and held back the tears. Nevermind him. I've got a beautiful baby girl to love now.

The baby made a squealing noise, and Fantine looked at her.

"I think I'll name you Euphrasie," Fantine said softly to her child. Noticing how very small Euphrasie was, a different name formed in her mind.

"Actually," she said, kissing her daughter's forehead, "I'll call you Cosette."