AN: "Hunchback" is my #1 favorite Disney film. I wanted to fill in the blanks of where his gypsy family might've come from. I chose the names for the characters at random, though the one I picked for his mother came from"Van Helsing". Obviously, the man who says "We'll be spotted" in the movie couldn't have been Quasimodo's father, because of both his physical appearance and the fact that he's never addressed as such. Anyway, this just popped into my head, during a bit of writer's block on another of my stories. Hope you like it.

"This isn't gong to end well", the black-haired man said.

"Balthazar, please", and the woman placed her hand on his shoulder, "I know what I'm doing."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, I'm sure."

"But he's not-"

"Like us", she interrupted.

Silence. They were the only remaining members of their family, which explained his protective streak. He'd been shocked to hear of her new relationship with a young nobleman named Henri. Yes, he wanted her to find someone special, but there were so many complications involved with the person she'd chosen. The greatest of which was the new bloodhound-like judge who'd moved into the Palace of Justice. Balthazar wasn't biased against people outside their culture. He was just scared for his sister.

He sighed and hugged her, whispering, "Be careful out there, Aleera."

Smiling, she replied, "I will."

Meanwhile, Henri paced back-and-forth in the garden maze behind his home. He'd been waiting for his girl for what seemed an eternity. He had big news he knew would upset her. Suddenly, he heard the sound of rustling bushes. He smiled, when her beautiful blue eyes appeared in the leaves. He was beside her in four jogging steps, throwing back her jeweled hood as he cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers. She giggled as they kissed, sliding her fingers into his copper hair. When they stopped to breathe, he pulled her into a hug. He breathed in deep the rosewater scent of her silky black curls, sighing in contentment.

Snuggling into his chest, she told him, "I missed you."

Henri replied, "I missed you, too, angel. I've just been...a bit preoccupied."

"What do you mean", Aleera asked as she moved slightly out of his embrace.

Taking a couple of steps back, he began pacing back-and-forth in front of her. He was trying to figure out how to phrase his thoughts.

She, of course, assumed the worst: "Your parents found a wife for you, haven't they?"

She knew arranged marriages were common among the nobility. Seeing the fear in her eyes, Henri placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her forehead a comforting kiss.

He told her, "Nothing like that, actually. They've signed me up for studies in Italy. I'll be staying at my uncle's villa, while I'm there."

"And...I can't go with you."

His face fell. He wanted to take her with him so badly, but he knew that was impossible. She saw the heartbreak in his eyes, and a soft smile of understanding bloomed across her face.

Placing her hand against his cheek, she said, "It's alright. A mind like yours is a terrible thing to waste."

He gave a gentle peck to the tip of her nose and said, "Have faith, my love. We'll be together again in a few months."

"I know we will. But for now, we have tonight."

"Yes, we do", he said, capturing her lips again.

Hands began to roam, and time itself ceased to exist. The couple had no way of knowing it, but their romantic dreams would never come to pass. Shortly after Henri's departure for Italy, Aleera learned she was with child. Balthazar was upset, but he still vowed to stand by her and the baby. The pregnancy proved to be a difficult one, and the child arrived prematurely. As she looked down at her newborn son, Aleera couldn't help but cry for him. She knew his deformities would make life difficult for him, both physically and otherwise. She also knew Henri's family would be unlikely to allow the couple to marry, because of their obsession with public image. Balthazar placed a comforting arm around her shoulders.

He said, "I'm sorry, sister. I never wanted this for you."

"You don't want him", she asked in a whispery voice as she gestured at the baby.

"Of course, I do. I meant the circumstances."

Sighing, she told him, "I know."

She leaned town, kissing her tiny son's crinkled forehead, before continuing, "I wish there was a doctor in this village, who could help him."

"There's likely one in Paris."

Aleera froze, her eyes widening slightly as her gaze snapped in her brother's direction.

"Have you lost your mind? You know the stories about Claude Frollo-"

"Yes", he interrupted, "-but I don't think we have a choice. Paris is a melting pot. It should be easy for us to hide. I've heard rumor of an underground gypsy community there. I really think it's our best option for the baby."

Aleera's eyes drifted back to her son. He had Henri's fair skin and hair color, but her eyes. A feeling of resoluteness flooded through her. She'd teach her boy to look beyond his deformities. And together, they'd teach the rest of the world to do the same. When he started fussing, she let him suckle the tip of her pinky.

Gently rocking him, she began to sing: "Someday, when we are wiser, when the world's older, when we have learned..."

AN: So, did this fit your idea of an origin story for our beloved bell-ringer? I've always been a sucker for forbidden romance stories, like the one I've created here. Let me know what you think, okay? No drama allowed in the reviews box. The world's got enough of that already.