A/N: Yeah, so I'm updating again. Please remember to R&R! ^_^

Chapter 4

Clopin

"I need you to keep us safe," she said before she fainted. I looked at her, shocked to see all the blood and bruises. It was her husband the one who "loved" her. Well, we'll have to see about that. I had to get her to safety. I leaned over and gathered her in my arms.

Arabella whimpered against my chest, and I shushed her, "Hush, mon amie. Clopin will keep you safe."

Leaving my caravan of puppets, I grabbed the one that looked like me, and gave it to her. I had to comfort her in some way. Arabella moaned and cradled the puppet to her chest. I quickly carried her away, we had to get to the Court of Miracles as soon as possible. Esmeralda and Madeline would know what to do.

I trudged, trying not to sound tired for Arabella's sake, but tired nonetheless. Finally, we made it down there. "Clopin!" Esmeralda called out. She ran to me, but frowned when she saw who I was carrying. "Is that-?"

I nodded, "He beat her."

Pheobus, Quasimodo, Madeline, and Zephyr ran up. "Uhm, Zephyr, I just remembered I left my...ring...in my caravan," Madeline said, when she saw Arabella's condition, "Could you please go get it for me?"

"Sure!" the little boy said, glad to be of some service. He scattered off.

The others helped my carry her to my caravan. Normally injured people go to Esmeralda, but she didn't want Zephyr to see Arabella in such a condition. We set her down on my bed, and Esmeralda and Madeline began interrogating me.

"What happened?" Esmeralda asked, setting a cloth in hot water, and cleaning up the cuts on her body.

"Her husband beat her." I answered back.

"Why?" asked Madeline, looking worried.

"He probably found out about the baby," I shrugged, "He was never very nice to her."

Both Esmeralda and Madeline froze. Esme gave me a frightened stare, "She-She's pregnant?"

"Yes."

"Oh, my God," Madeline placed her hands to her mouth in horror.

"What?" I was confused, "What is wrong?"

"Clopin, I think it's best if you leave for a while. There's something we need to check."

I was ushered out of the caravan quickly. In fact, I was shoved directly in front of the sympathetic eyes of Quasi and Pheobus. "What's wrong, Clopin?" the hunchback asked me tentatively.

I was fuming, "They won't let me in! Why won't they let me in?"

"Did you say something offensive?" Pheobus asked, aquiring a joking tone, "We've all been there."

"No!" I said, "I told them that she was pregnant, and they sent me out!"

"She's with child?" Quasimodo and Pheobus shared a look.

For once, Pheobus took on a tone other than a bantering one, "Clopin. Did it occur to you that the unborn child may be...lost?"

"No...," I whispered. Why hadn't I thought of it before?

"Was the child...yours?" Quasi asked, embarrassed. Everyone in the Court of Miracles knew of my various lovers, but not once had a child been produced from my many "evenings."

"No. I've never done more than embraced her. It's just...Arabella wanted that baby so badly."

Why had I been so blind? No, I hadn't been blind. Deep down, I knew what had happened. I just wasn't ready to accept it.