Disclaimer: Victor Hugo owns the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Author's Note: Some quotes are borrowed from the novel itself to increase the authenticity of this fan fiction. This fan fiction is how I would have liked the novel to have ended, and picks up on page 506, if you want to read right before there for reference.

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

"I tell you that I belong to my Phoebus, that 'tis Phoebus I love, that Phoebus alone is handsome! You priest, are old! You are ugly! Begone!"

He uttered a violent cry, like the wretch to whom a red-hot iron is applied. "Foolish girl, do you not see that Phoebus, though he may be superficially handsome, lacks any real substance? His soul is not handsome in the slightest, nor is his view of you. He sees you as a mere object, not for the amazing, bewitching person you truly are. He does not even know your beautiful name that is the only sound I can now hear! He only calls you "Similar." That despicable captain cares only for the pleasures of the flesh, he is incapable of real love! Can you not be in love with someone who is actually capable of such an emotion? How can you not understand a love as wonderful as mine? See here, Girl, your lover, Gudule, bring Phoebus and his fiancé, Fleur!"

Sneering, Gudule escorted in the Captain and his fiancé, who had previously been obscured by a loop-hole in the wall. Fuming, Fleur asked Phoebus, "And why is this gypsy girl always causing us so much trouble, Phoebus? Please don't tell me you've lowered yourself enough to even consider someone like her attractive."

Phoebus gazed upon Fleur's bountiful bosom and thought with longing of caressing Fleur's breasts and untying that corset. The only way Phoebus could once again experience the ecstasy of lying with Fleur was to feign ignorance regarding the Gypsy who, though attractive, hardly was worth the trouble she had caused him, including his near murder.

"Why of course not, Fleur, angel of my life! My body, my soul, my blood, are yours. I am all yours,-all yours. I love you, and have never loved anyone but you," cried Phoebus, putting his arm around Fleur. Fleur smiled and then whispered something to Phoebus that caused him to grin sheepishly and quickly escort Fleur back to their home, never looking back at the Gypsy girl who so deeply cared for him.

With a gasp, Esmeralda recognized that the captain was using the very same words he had used on her the fateful day she had been alone with him, the fateful day when Claude Frollo had almost killed the captain. Sobbing, she crumbled to the floor. Frollo felt a stab in his heart and wished that he could somehow make Esmeralda happy, wished that she loved him so that they could leave the wretched lives they both lived and find new ones.

"Phoebus…It can't be…My Sun God….He never loved me…And to think I almost gave up finding my real mother, to think I almost gave up my vow of chastity to one who masquerades as a Sun God but who is in reality a monster with a soul as dark as Quasimodo's face, a soul darker perhaps than even Frollo's own darkness, who at least does not hide what he is," she gasped in between rolling tears. She then removed a little shoe she had in her sachette, hung on her neck by green beads, and softly felt the shoe's fabric, as she did so many times when she felt lost. "Oh Mother, how I wish I could find you so you could comfort me and tell me what I should do…"

With a cry, Gudule brought out a matching shoe and said, "My darling daughter! Little Agnes! I have found you at last! You are the baby I lost so long ago! Although you weep in sorrow, fear not, your mother is here!" Gudule ran to her long lost daughter and took her lovingly in her arms.

"Oh, Mother! I knew I would find you someday!"

"Have you still the same little mark on your neck? Let us see. She has it still. O, how beautiful you are! It was I who gave you those big eyes, miss. My God! My God! Who would have believed it? I have found my daughter!"

"Mother," said Esmeralda softly, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks. The happy pair sat in the corner, keeping close in hopes that it would keep them safe, though they knew luck was not on their side.

Frollo was moved by the scene to tears, at last he had brought Esmeralda some happiness, even though he had not known Esmeralda was Gudule's daughter. Frollo now realized that he always wanted to see Esmeralda happy like this, and vowed to win her over by making her as happy as possible, and with a heavy heart realized that she may never be his, but he would rather that she be happy without him and safe than die a miserable death. It was as though a darkness had been removed from his heart when he witnessed the scene and he now experienced true emotion, which he could never learn in his many years in his pursuit of knowledge.

"Gudule, Esmeralda: Esmeralda is still being searched for, we must escape quickly! My parents left me a house in the country that no one ever seeks. Please, come with me and I will keep both of you safe so that you, Gudule, may finally know your daughter and so you Esmeralda, will finally know your mother! I have sinned in the past, but I renounce my former ways in order to make you happy, Esmeralda, because you are my life, and I say that with sincerity, unlike the Phoebus who so wrongfully hurt you. I know, Esmeralda, that you do not trust me and still find me repulsive, but I promise that I will never touch you without your consent, though it drives my blood mad. It is difficult to control myself, which is why Quasimodo is coming with us, to keep me from touching you and to shop for our things, for he is a loyal servant. Quickly, quickly, we must make haste! Follow me, I will keep you safe! It is either this or death!"

Startled, Gudule and Esmeralda did not know what else to do but follow the archdeacon. Gudule trusted him with everything, since he had brought her daughter to her, which meant that any negative impression she had of him was erased. Grabbing Gudule and Esmeralda by the hands, Claude ran up to the bell tower and quickly signed to Quasimodo the new plans that had just been made.