Sorry for the ridiculously long wait. This chapter took longer then I thought because 1. The computer I'm using now that my laptop is gone is my family computer and my parents recently discovered Facebook. 2. I actually thought this comp was going to die yesterday too and I almost cried…it's almost as bad, if not worse then my laptop was, with the added bonus that it isn't virus ridden. And 3. This chapter turned out WAY longer then I thought it was going to be. The next chapter will not be as long as this one, but it also won't be as late. OO

Hopefully I can get my new laptop soon. Until then I'll try to update as often as possible with this piece of crap and from now on I'm going to back up my damn chapters.

Chapter Seven:

But the pattern of flight is chaotic and blind but it's right
'Cause chaos is yours and chaos is mine.
Chaos is mine, mine, mine…
Chaos is love and they say love is blind
But they're subject to hating us

"Winged/Wicked Things" Sunset Rubdown

It was the day before the Masquerade and Isabelle's face still hadn't cleared up. After spending much of the morning listening to her aunt shout at people and her cousin complain, Andie went out to the stalls to care for her aunt's horses.

On her way out she waved to one of the servants who appeared to be grooming and feeding a particularly fine horse, which was wearing so much ornamentation it was almost better dressed then some of the nobleman. He raised a hand with a brush in it in return.

She opened the stable doors and her aunt's horses looked down at her. Andie frowned as she stared up into the large nostrils, before leading them one by one out of the stables and tying them up nearby.

She grabbed a pitchfork, leaning against one of the walls and began to remove the old hay with the aid of a wheelbarrow.

The doors out into the stall area opened and a nobleman and servant headed towards the stable with the fine horse in it. After a while Andie heard raised voices, or rather, one raised voice and another subservient voice responding to the first in a frightful manner.

"You stupid wretch, you call this fine hay?" The first young man shouted.

"Pardon, milord…" The servant said in return.

"This dreck is not fit for swine. Go fetch something better immediately."

"Um, it's the best we have, lord." The young servant answered, his voice squeaking in an adolescent way. There was a long heated pause.

"Well then why don't you eat it you putrid knave." The man finally responded. "Gautier." He added, as he addressed a third party.

"Yes Lord."

"Collect this hay and see that Henri receives it in place of his usual evening meal. Then, when you're finished with your snack, perhaps you'll go out and find some hay fit for my horse!" He delivered the last in a full shout and there was the sound of something organic being kicked, the servant stumbled into a bucket of water, causing it to slosh on the ground as he scrambled towards the door.

Andie stood and walked over to the doorway in time to see the young servant disappear back into the building. The other young man, the nobleman had his back to her.

He was wearing very fine clothing and was tall and had broad shoulders. His dark hair fell in perfectly fashioned curls and he held an air about him that suggested that he was perfectly aware of all of this.

Andie felt a strong urge to tell him off. She refrained from doing so. Her aunt would have been furious if she mouthed off to a nobleman at the Hotel de Saint Pol and even though her and her cousin did not get along, Andie didn't want to purposefully sabotage Isabelle's chances with Prince Bastion.

She had no way of knowing that it was Prince Bastion who she was looking at now. In fact, if she had mouthed off to him, things over the next couple weeks would have been quite different. In any case, completely oblivious to this, she bit back her comments and returned to her work. Settling with muttering below her breath.

"Pompous ass." She whispered as she loaded up some of the so-called substandard hay and began to lay down the bedding for her aunt's horses.

After fussing about his horse for a bit, Prince Bastion returned to the building, his servant trailing after him.

Outside the fence into the stable area a group of peasant children ran by shouting. Aimee was among them. While passing the gate she caught sight of Andie wheeling some hay over to the stall and halted. She approached the gate and leaned against it. After a moment when Andie didn't notice her she spoke.

"What are you doing?" Andie blinked and looked up at the slightly curious face under the tussled blond hair.

"Oh…hello. I'm taking care of my aunt's horses."

"My mom said this is a place for royalty. I'm not supposed to go near here." She said as she pressed her forehead against the gate.

"So she wouldn't be too happy with you right now." The girl shrugged.

"She usually isn't. Wanna play?"

"Well, I have to work right now…" Aimee sighed heavily.

"Why do grownups ALWAYS have to work?" Andie smiled a little. Before she could say something else she heard footsteps behind her. She turned as Captain Gage approached. He caught sight of Aimee and frowned.

"What do you think your doing here kid? No touching the gate." He said, raising his voice a little.

"She's my friend, we were talking." Andie said pointedly. Gage gave her a weary look. When he turned away from Aimee she stuck her tongue out at him.

"His lordship doesn't like peasant's hanging around his property, Miss. I'm sure you can understand his position."

"Ah yes, I can see how standing outside a gate could cause great problems." Andie said sarcastically. Gage blinked, obviously unaccustomed to receiving cynicism from guests at the hotel de Saint Pol…especially those who were mostly servile. "A hanging offense, I'm sure." Gage's frown grew deeper for a moment, before he cleared his throat and knelt in a little so that his face was inches from hers.

"Madam, if his lordship wishes it, he could find reason to hang whomever he wishes," he said in a voice dripping with warning. "I would watch your mouth, otherwise it may one day get you into trouble," he added quietly. Andie held his gaze for a moment. Her eyes narrowed before she looked back towards Aimee.

"I'll remember that, sir. I'll be done in an hour or so, Aimee. Perhaps I can play with you then?" Aimee smiled, seemingly unfazed by Gage's remarks.

"Kay. Meet me at the Notre Dame at Noon then." She said happily before detaching from the gate and running off after her friends.

Andie cast the Captain a look before returning to her work.

"How is your cousin this morning." He asked from behind her, apparently unwilling to leave well enough alone.

"She's doing well." Andie lied. "The swelling's going down."

"Really, I'm pleased to hear it." He replied, obviously not believing her. "I do hope she can make his majesty's party tomorrow. It would be a shame to go home so quickly I'm sure."

"Yes…" Andie said, with some annoyance. She grabbed the wheelbarrow and headed away from him. This time, Gage took the hint and returned to the building.

XXX

Quasimodo held his newest carving in his large fingers. He was applying the last coat of paint with a small brush. Anyone who saw the hunchback's brutish frame and startling fascia or gazed upon his massive hands and large fingers would have been surprised at how delicately he applied the paint, or how carefully and patiently he rendered detail, his good eye fixed on a specific point with near tenderness.

He finished the last stroke with his brush and after eyeing it critically for a moment, set the piece down to dry.

"Finally finished, eh Quasi?" Laverne said as she hopped over to the table. Quasimodo looked up and nodded.

"I guess so." He said as his eyes swept across the still incomplete houses.

"You've been working on it for the last couple of days." She said while waving a pigeon away dismissively.

"Uh huh, well…I had some extra wood," he said quickly, his eyes flickering back and forth between the gargoyle and the tiny carving.

"Well, it looks nice." She said while patting him on the arm. "You going to show it to her?"

"What? No!" He said firmly. "…I already said, I'm probably not even going to see…" Quasimodo cut off in mid sentence when he heard heavy footsteps on the stairway up to the bell tower. For a moment he felt panic rise, and had to remind himself that Frollo was no longer around. In any case Frollo had always had a dangerously quiet tread so that he was often able to catch Quasi doing something that would displease him, whereas, this person clearly had no concept of subtlety.

Quasi turned on his bench in time to see Pheobus pulling himself up onto the platform. He straightened and looked around for a moment with the slightest bit of confusion.

"Who were you talking to?" He finally asked after a moment. The only thing that had really changed about the man in the last year was his dress and perhaps the neatness of his hair and facial hair. His skin tone had darkened a little, but because of Pheobus' almost fair facade, he had a habit of burning quicker then he tanned and therefore avoided full sun as much as it was possible to do so while living as a vagrant.

"N-no one…" Quasi said quickly, the slightest tremor of guilt in his voice.

"I thought I heard voices…" Pheobus said while casting a brief look at the bell tower. His gaze rested suspiciously on a pigeon for a moment before he shook his head and approached Quasi.

"No, I was…just talking to myself." Quasi said while turning back to his table.

"Ah…you know…maybe you ought to consider getting out more Quasi." Pheobus said as his eyes swept across the small model of Paris. Quasi didn't reply.

"I actually came by to talk to you about something." He continued after a moment.

"Um, sure." Quasi replied as he went about cleaning his brushes.

"Great…" Pheobus' gaze shifted toward the gargoyle, standing near the table in stone voicelessness, a pigeon nesting between its chiseled horns.

"Why don't we get some fresh air or something, I've spent most of my day in the Court Of Miracles and I'm starting to get a little…cabin fever." Quasi shrugged and stood up.

"All right, let me get my cloak." He said while brushing a few wood shavings off of the table and grabbing a rag to cover his unused paint.

While he did this, Pheobus' gaze fell on Quasi's new figure.

"Oh, hey, what's this one?" He asked as he started to grab for it.

"No!" Quasi said. Pheobus' looked up, startled as Quasimodo's large hand wrapped around his wrist. "It's…still wet." He finished, with some embarrassment. Pheobus nodded, a little uneasily.

"Okay, sorry. Who is it?" He asked as Quasimodo stood and headed towards the curtain that separated his bed area from the rest of the bell tower.

"No one." He said as he grabbed his cloak and swung it across his awkwardly proportioned shoulders before heading towards the ladder.

"Ah..." Pheobus said with some cynicism as he massaged his wrist and followed after the hunchback. "Right…no one."

XXX

After Andie finished in the stables she stopped by the kitchen. It was heavy with steam and very warm, which was nice when coming in out of the late winter chill. At one end, Fay was working at a pot. Ever since her cousin had had the allergic reaction to the other chef's food, her aunt refused to let anyone but Fay cook for them.

"What are you making?" Andie asked as she hung up her cloak and washed her hands in the basin where the other cooks did. Andie wasn't sure that adding horse manure to the basin was sanitary, but considering some of the things that a cook stuck their hands into, it probably didn't make a whole lot of difference.

"Duck." Fay said. "Do you want to help?"

"I was actually going to go into town." Andie replied. "If you like, I can help you with dinner."

"You're going into town by yourself again?" Andie shrugged.

"I didn't get mugged the last two times so I figured I'd give it another try."

"Where are you going to go?" Fay asked as she added some vegetables to the pot.

"The church." Fay gave her a look that said that she didn't fully believe the girl.

"Oh yeah, girls your age generally spend all there time in a church. Just don't get yourself into trouble." She said as she dipped a spoon into the pot and brought it to her lips.

"Doing what?" Andie asked, amused. "I'm going to a church."

"Well, you're an impressionable young woman." She looked up at Andie for a moment and smiled as the girl set her head to one side. "All right, not so much impressionable as young, but you know what I mean. Be careful. This isn't the countryside."

"I'll be certain to stay away from dangerous brigands." Andie said cynically.

"Oh, you know what I mean, but I suppose there are a lot of guards about Paris."

"Don't worry." Andie said as she approached Fay. "I'll stay away from them too."

"Ha! Do you want to do me a favor before you run off and traipse about town?"

"Traipse? Sure, I guess." She said as Fay spooned some food onto a plate and slid it onto a tray.

"Take this up to your cousin. I did it this morning and if I have to deal with her sobbing and insults again before dinner I'll slip her some of that fish and hope her tongue swells up." Andie smiled and took the tray.

"I'll send her your kind regards." She said as she headed towards her cousin's room.

When she got there she found her aunt sitting beside her cousin's bed doing crochet. It looked as if she were working on the same piece she had been earlier that week. Isabelle was doing the same, occasionally sniffing or sighing dramatically. Adeline looked up when Andie entered.

"Oh, it's you. I thought you were the tailor with Isabelle's mask. Set it down over there." Andie set the tray down where her aunt had pointed. "Have the horses been seen to?"

"Yes, Adeline." She said.

"Yuck, you were messing about in the horse trough." Isabelle said as she gave the tray a disgusted look.

Andie gave Isabelle a look before carefully ignoring her.

"Incidentally," Adeline said, all the while, not taking her eyes off of her crochet. "Francois was in the drawing room earlier reenacting a war with one of the decorative swords. Please keep better track of him." Before Andie could say anything Isabelle cut in.

"He's so embarrassing!" She said. "I don't see why we can't just let him go. It isn't as if he does anything, anyways."

"Well, once you marry Prince Bastion you'll have plenty of servants and you can do whatever you want with the ones we have now." Andie looked up at her aunt with some surprise.

"You can't just let them go." She said. The woman gave her a sharp look.

"Pardon me? I don't recall asking your opinion."

"But they've been with the family for years." Andie said insistently. "Francois worked for Uncle Armande when he was little."

"Which is the problem." Isabelle said. "He's old."

"Andie, while it is true that Francois has worked for my family for many years you must know that it is my privilege and Isabelle's privilege to decide when it is time to let the help go." Adeline said calmly. "I don't mean to offend my dear, but your father was a tailor when he wasn't too drunk to see straight. We may have taken you in, but it's hardly your place to tell us what to do with our servants." She said as she returned to her work. Andie opened her mouth to say something, her face flushed with anger. After a moment she forced herself to refrain from doing so. Nearby Isabelle was watching her with amusement.

"I suppose so." Andie said, her eyes flashing. She left the room without another word.

"She has such a wretched temper." Isabelle said from her bed. "It really doesn't become her." Adeline shook her head.

"She learned it from my brother."

A few minutes after Andie left the room there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" Adeline said from her place at Isabelle's side. A woman entered holding a woven mask.

"I have your mask, madam." She said and held it up. It was lovely. The dress, which was hanging on the wall nearby, was a very pretty powder blue with tiny flowers in the threading and a low cut waist. The mask matched it and was a nice frilly thing with feathers and pearls. Together, they both looked very expensive. Isabelle set her crochet down with a squeal.

"Oh let me try it please!" She said excitedly as she reached out towards the woman. The woman handed it over to her, smiling woodenly as the girl pulled it over her puffy face. "May I try my dress on too?" She asked.

"Not now, dear." Adeline said. "Someone still needs to take it out a bit in the chest. Is there any way to make the mask bigger?" She asked while turning back to the woman. The woman's smile faded a little.

"Bigger?"

"Well, perhaps it could cover her whole face?" The woman eyed Isabelle and resisted the urge to mention that, even if her whole face were covered it would still leave her neck, chest and arms.

"This took some time to fashion, madam. I'm afraid we couldn't have a bigger one done by tomorrow and in any case it would be rather shabby I should think. No one else there will have a mask that covers their lips I assure you." The woman said as politely as she could manage. Adeline frowned and eyed Isabelle.

"Well all right, thank you." The woman nodded and left the room. Isabelle looked as if she were going to burst into tears again.

"Take it off. We'll have to see what we can do with makeup."

XXX

Quasimodo limped after Pheobus as he descended the staircase at the portal of the Notre Dame.

"Great, fresh air. I hate being cooped up in the Court of Miracles for more then a couple hours. I guess it's all the traveling I did in the war. I can't stay in one place for very long." Quasimodo didn't comment.

A couple weeks prior Pheobus had brought it up that he felt a little out of place among the gypsies because apparently Clopin didn't particularly feel that he belonged there and only allowed it because Esmerelda spoke on his behalf. Quasimodo hadn't said anything then either. He had been stuck in the bell tower for twenty years before he saw much of anything else and no one had ever made him feel as if he belonged anywhere.

"Anyways…" He said, suddenly looking a little hesitant, which was a rare thing for the former captain. "Uh, the reason I came down here was to tell you that…well it's been nearly a year and…I think I'm going to ask Esmerelda to marry me."

This information didn't particularly come as a shock, but Quasimodo still felt an unavoidable sinking feeling. He did his best to set it aside and smiled at the man.

"Oh…g-good." Quasi said. "When are you planning on…asking her?"

"Oh, I don't know…soon. I thought I'd tell you first since you're her…well our friend." He said. Quasimodo noticed that the man was looking slightly relieved. There was a pause and an admittedly uncomfortable silence.

It looked as if Pheobus were about to say something else but was interrupted when Aimee ran up to them.

"Bonjour." She said happily as she grabbed onto a part of Quasi's cloak. She flashed Pheobus a brief smile. From a short distance, the rest of her friends watched her and the hunchback hesitantly. They didn't seem particularly eager to draw nearer. "I asked your friend to play with me. She'll be here soon." Aimee added.

"Huh?" Quasimodo turned to the girl, Pheobus momentarily forgotten.

"From the other day." She said and she prodded him in the shoulder.

"Andie?" He asked, suddenly looking a little nervous. She nodded.

"Who's Andie?" Pheobus asked, from his other side as he leaned against the railing.

"No one."

"Ah." He said with a sigh.

"Do you want to play with us?" She asked as she nodded towards the others.

"Uh..." He cast a brief look at the other children who were watching him with awe and a hint of fear. "I…don't know." Aimee made pouting face.

"Please." She said while grabbing at Quasimodo's arm. Pheobus smiled a little. Before he could answer Aimee's eyes fell on an approaching figure. She detached from him and waved a hand in that direction.

XXX

Andie was in a foul mood by the time she walked to the church and almost considered not making the venture at all. Before leaving the Hotel de Saint Pol she'd checked Francois' room to make sure he was still there and wasn't doing anything to get him into any more trouble. He had been standing at the window talking to someone in the garden. It had turned out to be a rather frightened maid whom he'd spent the last couple of minutes addressing by a name that was most certainly not hers.

After that, Andie searched the premises to locate Alain after Fay informed her that Charlotte was looking for her brother. She eventually found him in the disused dumbwaiter near the kitchen area. He had shut himself inside and was covered in dust when Andie finally talked him out.

Finally, she grabbed her cloak and cane and headed out the door. At that point she wasn't feeling much pain in her leg. However, a dull ache had begun behind her left eye. She imagined that it would soon turn into a full blown headache.

At least the weather was looking better. It was still cold, but the air was crisp and the sun was bright.

When she finally did reach the Notre Dame Aimee advanced on her. Andie gave her a wane smile as the girl practically bounced up and grabbed her hand, pulling her in the direction of the church. Nearby a group of children were playing idly (playing was a strong word. Mostly they threw pebbles and the boys hit each other) and occasionally looked at the blonde girl with some impatience.

Quasimodo, who was sitting on the bottom stair, met her eyes briefly. He looked about as miserable as she felt. There was another man there too. He was tall and blonde and looked a little out of place. He was wearing peasant clothing but had the build of an officer. Andie searched her memory briefly, trying to remember where she had seen him before. When she got closer she remembered. He had been with the gypsies she'd seen on her first day in Paris.

She cast Quasimodo a brief smile. He returned it shyly.

Andie turned towards the stranger, who was watching her. She felt a bit uncomfortable as his eyes flashed briefly to her cane. For a moment it looked as if he were thinking about something.

"Ah," He said brightly, while flashing a winning smile. "This looks like the girl you were carving." Andie was in a position to see Quasimodo's face. There was a twitch of surprise in his deformed features and then it went crimson.

Perhaps the man noticed this too because he quickly cut in once again.

"You must be Andie. I'm Pheobus…his friend." He added while nodding to the hunchback, who flashed him a dark look. Andie took the man's hand when he offered it. To her surprise he kissed it quickly. Neither of them noticed, but Quasimodo quickly averted his eyes.

"You look real familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?" He asked after he straightened again.

"Yes." Andie replied, looking slightly bewildered. "I tossed a coin to you." The man looked confused for a second before that dissolved into embarrassment.

"Ah, yes, well it's harder then it looks." He said, once again flashing that slightly flirtatious smile.

"I imagine so." Andie said, recalling that this man had been sitting behind the hat, while the gypsy woman had been dancing and another gypsy had been playing an instrument.

"Especially with all of the soldiers around lately." He added with a sigh. "Eh Quasi?" He said while nudging the other man. Quasimodo gave him an exasperated look. This at least, Pheobus did pick up on. For a moment he hesitated.

"Uh…" He said as Quasimodo looked away again. "I think I should get going." He said, while casting him an apologetic look. "It was nice meeting you." He said while nodding politely at Andie.

"We'll talk later, okay?" he said as he clapped Quasi on the shoulder. The hunchback nodded wearily.

XXX

"Come on, let's play!" Aimee said impatiently as she grabbed Andie's hand and began dragging her towards the other children. She cast a questioning look at Quasimodo.

"Are you coming?" He shook his head.

"I-I'll watch." He said. Aimee frowned and then shrugged.

When she got to the group of kids, Aimee introduced Andie to each of them one at a time, as they watched her with wide-eyed interest and in some cases childlike listlessness.

"Why do you have a stick?" A chubby boy, Aimee had introduced him as Ansel asked when the young girl stopped talking.

"It helps me walk." Andie answered.

"Why do need help walking?" He said, while picking his nose.

"Well…my leg doesn't work right." She said.

"My grandpa has one of those…but he's old." He said, emphasizing the last bit.

"Oh…well…that's nice." Andie said with a sigh.

"What are we going to play?" Aimee interrupted. There were a few shrugs.

"We could play tag." A thin boy named Harvey said as he adjusted his hat.

"Nuh uh. She needs a stick to walk, stupid." Ansel replied.

"Uh that's okay I can…" Andie started, before getting interrupted.

"Well then she can come up with something." Harvey said while crossing his arms.

Aimee looked at Andie.

"Do you know any games?" She asked, while putting her head to one side. Andie frowned for a moment.

"Well…have you ever played blind man's bluff?" Andie asked. A couple of the children shrugged. One of the boys was picking at his teeth. "It's probably not as popular in the city…" Andie said in the face of the silence. "Generally it's played in a field or meadow. It can be a little dangerous in a cramped area." They brightened a little. Nothing attracts children like the promise of danger.

"How do you play?" Ansel asked.

"Well…" Andie started. "First you get a blindfold…your scarf should work, Aimee, if you don't mind." The girl smiled and pulled it off, handing it over to the older woman.

"Basically, it's like tag, but you don't move as fast…so I can play too." Andie said as she took the scarf and started to fold it up. "The person who's it wears a blindfold. The idea is to make noise so that that person can find you. If they do catch you, you're it, but at the hospice where I grew up, we always played the version where you had to also guess who it was you caught…just to make things a little more difficult."

"That sounds like fun." Aimee said brightly. The other children mumbled their agreement.

"All right, then, who wants to go first?" Andie asked. The children eyed one another. No one looked particularly eager to volunteer. Aimee cast a brief look at Quasimodo who was sitting on the steps and watching Andie tentatively. She smiled a little.

"Why don't you go first since it's your game?" Aimee said brightly. Andie shrugged.

"All right, but before we start I think there ought to be some rules." She said in serious tones as she pulled the blindfold over her eyes and began to tie it behind her head.

"Aw." Harvey groaned. "Rules are dumb."

"First of all, your not allowed to throw things," Andie continued, ignoring him. "Secondly, don't lead me or each other into fountains or ditches or anything. Anyone who tries that automatically has to be it. And lastly, everyone has to make sure that whoever is it doesn't walk into other people on the streets; we don't want to get into trouble. Got it?" The boys in the group looked a little less enthusiastic about this but murmured their agreement.

Andie made sure to set her walking stick aside before they started the game.

Once she was wrapped in the darkness she began moving, she heard laughter and a few shrieks as the children in her path scrambled to get out of the way. She smiled a little as she thought of a time over ten years prior when she'd played this with the other children at the Hospice. She didn't always play because of her leg, but she enjoyed being it when she did. There was something exciting about the darkness, and the feeling like the world had somehow dropped away from you. She'd often wondered if it was how Sarge had felt all of the time.

From nearby, Aimee eyed the hunchback again. He was watching the woman with a hint of a smile on his face. Aimee grinned. If Quasimodo wasn't going to join in on his own, she was going to force him to.

She carefully moved around Andie until she was in a position with her back to the hunchback and tugged on the woman's skirt. Andie turned towards her and Aimee moved a little closer to the Notre Dame. The woman took a few steps forward, a little carefully.

One of the boys started making noise, but before she could turn in another direction, Aimee prodded her lightly on the leg. She turned once again towards the young girl and once again Aimee moved a little closer to the Notre Dame. Things continued in this way for the next few minutes. Whenever Andie got sidetracked with someone else Aimee would direct her attention back on her until finally she reached the staircase.

Quasimodo eyed the girl inquiringly as she mounted the stairs and took cover behind him.

"Hey!" Aimee said from behind him. "Over here!"

He opened his mouth to say something, but didn't get a chance to. Andie took the last step towards the staircase, which was, unfortunately on an incline. She gasped as she tripped and fell into the hunchback's lap. He grunted in surprise before his face contorted into a look of absolute horror.

"Quasimodo?" She muttered after a moment, slightly disorientated. Andie tried to struggle back to her feet. She felt a brief shock of pain in her bad leg and hissed between her teeth before nearly falling back down again. This time he was able to grab her before she could. She felt the grasp of his strong hands as he hoisted her back onto her feet.

"I-I'm so sorry." He said desperately. Andie pulled off the blindfold and met his agonized expression.

"It's all right." She said as she rubbed her leg briefly. She eyed Aimee, who was smiling a little. "I said we weren't supposed to run into people."

"Sorry." Aimee said, not looking as if she was at all. Andie's gaze fell back onto Quasimodo. After a moment she gave him a soft smile.

"Well, I guess you're it." She said.

"What?" He responded, his eyes widening as if she'd suggested something far worse.

"I caught you. That makes you it."

"B-but I…" He started as Aimee hopped down the stairs and grabbed his hand.

"Come on, Quasi." She said insistently.

"I-I don't…I-I cant…" He stammered as she pulled him towards the other children who were observing the situation with uncertainty. Andie eyed them briefly and for a moment felt a little concerned. She approached the hunchback who gave her a slightly miserable look.

"Don't worry." She said gently as she pulled the blindfold over his eyes. "Just try not to move too quickly." He reached up and touched the blindfold as she tied it behind his head. He felt her move away and he was left in darkness. He sighed.

For a moment he didn't move, then he slowly proceeded in his erratic gait, his large hands in front of him. Andie eyed the children, who were watching him with wide eyes, some slightly frightful, some amused. She cast Aimee a brief look of uncertainty. The girl shrugged.

Andie grabbed her cane and continued to watch him. After a while she began to relax. He moved as if he were used to walking around in darkness, and seemed to pause whenever he was too near a wall or something. She wondered briefly how dark the bell tower was. It had seemed fairly cramped, on moonless nights it was probably somewhat precarious.

Things went fairly well until Harvey, who had been hanging back and watching the hunchback with a contemptuous air, decided to pick up a nearby rock and hoist it at the man. It hit him in the ear. The stone was small enough so that it probably didn't hurt him much; nonetheless Quasimodo stopped as if stricken. One of the other children chuckled and picked up another stone.

It might have gone further if Andie hadn't stepped in.

"I said no throwing things!" She said angrily. The child who had been about to throw a second stone, dropped it and watched her with contrived innocence. She pulled the blindfold off of Quasi revealing his wounded blue eyes. Andie turned a scornful look towards Harvey.

"You threw the stone." She said in solid tones as she extended the blindfold towards him. "That makes you it." The boy scoffed.

"I don't want it."

"She did say in the rules, Harvey." Ansel said quietly.

"It's either that, or you're out of the game," Andie added.

"I didn't want to play anymore anyway," he mumbled. "Come on, guys, this games stupid, let's play somewhere else." A couple of the children hesitated, but after a moment they followed him. Ansel shrugged at Aimee before running after them.

Andie shook her head and looked sideways at the hunchback, who was staring at the ground miserably.

"I'm sorry." She said. He met her eyes briefly, before looking away again. She looked at the blindfold before handing it over to Aimee.

"Those guys aren't any fun anyways." Aimee said after a moment as she grabbed at Quasimodo's hand. "We can still play."

"I-I think…I think I'm just going to…go back to the bell tower." Quasimodo said, while gently detaching his hand from hers.

"You don't want to play anymore?" Aimee asked.

"I have a lot of work to do." He added while casting a slightly humiliated look at Andie before turning back towards the Cathedral.

"Oh…okay." Aimee said a little morosely. She turned her eyes towards Andie. "I guess I'm going home then." She said, while throwing her hands up. Andie raised her hand as the girl walked away gloomily. She stood where she was for a moment, eyeing the Quasimodo's retreating figure.

XXX

Quasimodo was surprised when he felt her hand on his shoulder. He turned, with his eyebrows raised.

"Hey, hold on." He frowned, but gave her his attention.

"I…uh…" Andie started, with some embarrassment. "I was just thinking that…I um…haven't seen much of the city, well apart from the church and some of the market and, well you said you've lived here for a while…I was just wondering if you could show it to me some time." Quasimodo eyed her in disbelief for a moment.

"Y- you want me to?" He asked after a moment.

"Sure." Andie said a little nervously.

"Uh…I...okay…" She smiled a little.

"Good, thanks, I'll um…see you soon then." He nodded, a little mystified. She turned and began walking back toward the Hotel De Saint Pol. He watched her until she was out of sight then turned back towards the portal.

XXX

When Andie returned to the Hotel de saint Pol, she helped Fay finish dinner and then took the tray to her cousin, who was laying in bed, stewing in her own self pity. Andie set her tray down, and for a moment felt some rare sympathy for the girl.

Adeline looked over. She was sipping at a glass of wine and crocheting by candlelight.

"Where have you been?"

"No where.' Andie said casually. "Just...getting things done."

"Well, Isabelle's dress needs pressed before tomorrow. See to it please."

"Oh what's the point? I'm hideous!" The girl said before Andie could respond, bursting into tears. Andie took the dress and, for some reason felt a curious urge to say something nice.

"I…think your face has cleared up quite a bit." She started as she draped the dress over her arm. Isabelle turned a scornful eye towards her.

"Oh shut up." She said.

Well so much for being nice. Andie thought while sighing inwardly.

"You don't know what it's like…you can hide those ugly scars of yours." She added. Andie frowned, feeling a moment of irritation before heading out the door wordlessly. Adeline watched her go.

Her sharp eyes fell on the mask still sitting on the end table near her daughter. She pursed her lips before picking it up.

"Wipe your nose Isabelle, act like a lady for goodness sake." She said as he handed the girl a handkerchief and quietly followed Andie out the door.

She caught up with her at her own room.

"Hold on a moment, Andie." Andie stopped and gave her aunt a questioning look. The woman held the mask up in front of her face, much to Andie's bewilderment.

"You know…with a bit of stuffing and a lot of makeup…it could work."

XXX