As Paris burned that night, the gargoyles all stood around in the tower, talking quietly.
Laverne looked around worriedly as she watched the flames rip down homes. "Oh, it doesn't look good."
Victor nodded. "It's hopeless. Absolutely hopeless."
Hugo was oblivious to their worry, playing cards with a pigeon. "You're telling me! I'm losing to a bird!"
Victor ignored him. "Oh, that poor gypsy girl. I'm beginning to fear the worst."
"I know, but, now, don't you say anything to upset Quasimodo. He's worried enough already," Lavern warned, knowing he was taking it hard and worried sick about Esmeralda.
Hugo laughed slightly. "Yeah, you're right. We'd better lighten up."
Victor turned slightly and saw Quasi coming and tried to settle them down. "Shh, shh, shh! Here he comes!"
Laverne nodded. "Now just stay calm."
"Not a word."
"Easy does it."
"Stone faced."
Quasimodo came over then and looked over the balcony worriedly, his eyes scanning the burning grounds for any sign of his beloved Esmeralda.

"Any sign of her?" he asked.
Victor quickly broke up.
"Oh, it's a lost cause! She could be anywhere! In the stocks, in the dungeon, on the rack!" He began to cry.
Laverne gave him a sarcastic look. "Nice work, Victor."
Quasimodo felt his heart drop into his shoes. "No, he's right. What are we going to do?"
Hugo rolled his eyes. "What are you guys talking about? If I know Esmeralda, she's three steps ahead of Frollo, and well out of harm's way!"
On "Esmeralda", Hugo showed a Queen from his deck of cards. On "three",
he showed a 3, and on "Frollo", he showed a joker.
Quasimodo felt a little bit better. He should have had more faith in his dancer. She was a crafty one, too smart for Frollo. She should easily be able to elude him.

"Do you really think so?" he asked.
Hugo nodded. "Hey, when things cool off, she'll be back. You'll see."
"What makes you so sure?"
Laverne came over and rubbed his head playfully. "Because she likes you. We always said you were the cute one."
Hugo looked up, confused. "I thought I was the cute one!"

"No, you're the fat, stupid one with the bigmouth!" Laverne hissed.
"What are you saying, exactly?"
She ignored him and turned back to her friend. "Take it from us, Quasi. You've got nothing to worry about."
"Yeah, you're irresistible," Hugo said.
Victor laughed. "Knights in shining armour certainly aren't her type."
"And those guys are a dime a dozen. But you? You're one of a kind. Look…Somewhere out there in the night, her heart is burning. And I know they guy she just might be pining for."

"Who?" Quasi said, jealousy pricking at him as he thought of her with someone else.
"A guy that a girl does not meet everyday. A guy that has a unique look and special personality."

Quasi glared, feeling hopeless. Why would she pick him? They were right…

"A guy like you!" Laverne said, coming over.

He blinked, surprised.

Him?

He looked down at her and she nodded, smiling encouragingly.

"You Quasi, unlike the others, are always a surprise. You may not be the best looking man out there, but you have the truest, most wonderful heart anyone could ask for. There's no way she doesn't see that," Hugo said, confident.

Laverne continued, leading him away from the balcony. "Call me a hopeless romantic, But Quasi I feel it. Any moment she will come through that door. And she will be coming for you. There's no doubt in my kind, she has to love a guy like you."

Suddenly, the door of the tower swung open slightly with aloud creek, making everyone freeze in their tracks. Quasi stood silently for a moment, his breath caught in his throat as he waited, almost afraid to hope his love had returned to him only to be let down by someone else.
After a long moment, he heard her soft sweet voice call out for him. The sound was like music to his ears.

She was alive!

"Quasi? Quasimodo!?" she called.
He turned and saw Esmeralda enter.
"Esmeralda?! Esmeralda! You're all right! I knew you'd come back," he said, folding her fragile body in his arms lovingly.
Esmeralda smiled as they parted and held him close, looking into his eyes. "You've done so much for me already, my friend, but I must ask your help one more time."
"Yes, anything," he said, following her as she turned and vanished behind the door.
Before he could follow her out, she brought in the unconscious body of Phoebus, a sight that froze Quasi in his tracks. What was he doing with her?!

The sight of her arms around his limp body, holding him with such gentleness...it fanned the flames of Quasi's jealousy and sent sharp thorns of hurt piercing through him.
"This is Phoebus," she explained, her emerald eyes wide with worry for the man. "He's wounded, and a fugitive like me. He can't go on much longer. I knew he'd be safe here. Please, can you hide him?"
Quasimodo hesitated, not wanting to help the man, but knowing he had to for her. "This way."
They lay Phoebus down on Quasi's bed. The wounded soldier moaned gently and came to.
"Esmeralda?" he said, murmuring her name like a prayer.

The sound of his voice made her heart quicken and she worked fast, desperate to save this man's life. They may have gotten off to a rough start, but she felt close to him. He had saved her and after watching his kindness as he risked his life to save her people, she knew she had been wrong before. He was not like the others. Phoebus was far different from any man he had ever met, and she felt blessed to have met him.
"Shh, shh, shh. You'll hide here until you're strong enough to move," she said gently, brushing back his soft hair with her slender hands.

He followed the movement before meeting her steady gaze. She pulled out a flask of alcohol.
Phoebus smiled slightly. "Great. I could use a drink."

Especially one shared with you...
She poured it on his wound, and he cried out in pain.
"Ah, yes! Hmmm! Feels like a 1470 burgundy. Not a good year," he said, breathing through the pain.
Esmeralda smiled slightly at the comment. "That family owes you their lives. You're either the single bravest soldier I've ever seen, or the craziest."
"Ex-soldier, remember? Why is it, whenever we meet, I end up bleeding?" he asked, giving her a quizzical look.
She ignored that. "You're lucky. That arrow almost pierced your heart."
He stopped her hands from moving as she finished sewing up his wound. He took her soft, delicate hands and placed him over his heart.

All joking aside, he fixed her with a serious expression and gazed into her eyes passionately. "I'm not so sure it didn't."

As she stared into his eyes that were as fathomless as a sea, she realized something. She loved him.
They moved closer and closer, then kissed, softly and sweetly.

Quasimodo, in the background, turned away sad, a tear sliding down his cheek as the woman he loved slipped away through his fingers.

I knew i'd never know the warmth from her light...
Djali, who had been looking out the window, suddenly began to bleat excitedly. Quasi, forgetting his misery for a moment, rushed to the window. What he saw down below sent icy chills down his spine.
Turning to Esmeralda, he raced back and led her to a door. "Frollo's coming. You must leave. Quick, follow me! Go down the south tower steps."
Esmeralda stopped before leaving. "Be careful, my friend. Promise you won't let anything happen to him."

As he looked at her, he could see how much she did love him - the man who had stolen her from him. What Quasi had mistaken for love was only simple but strong friendship. Nothing more.
Quasimodo tried to hide his pain from his angel and nodded. "I promise."
"Thank you," she said and then she was gone.
The 'goyles came back to life.
"Quick, we gotta stash the stiff!" Laverne said hurriedly. They were running out of time.
They hurriedly dragged Phoebus' body off the bed and underneath the table with Quasi's models on it. He then tried to set his models straight quickly as Frollo entered. He feigned surprise at the sight of his mater's approach. Since they had last seen each other, his view of Frollo had changed entirely. He still loved and respected him, but he knew better now. He knew that Frollo was not always entirely right.
"Oh, master, I didn't think you'd be coming-" he said.
"I'm never too busy to share a meal with you, dear boy. I brought a little treat," he said with false kindness.
After a moment, he cleared his throat slightly, and Quasi realised he hadn't set the table like he always did. He rushed off to grab the dishes, and was obviously flustered, dropping and breaking things.
Frollo narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Is there something troubling you, Quasimodo?"
"No. No!"
"Oh, but there is. I know there is…"
Frollo had pulled out a bunch of grapes and promptly popped one into his mouth. One fell to the floor, near Phoebus. Quasi cautiously picked it up.
"I think...you're hiding something," Frollo said, his eyes following every movement like a hawk.
"Oh, no, master. There's nothing-"
"You're not eating, boy."
He quickly gobbled a handful of grapes.
"Mumbling through the food, he nodded his head. "It's very good. Thank you."

Phoebus suddenly moaned and Quasi moaned similarly, indicating he enjoys the food.

Phoebus sighed louder, waking up. Thinking quickly, Quasi kicked him, knocking him out, then pretended to cough to cover up the noise.
Quasimodo smiled sheepishly. "Seeds."
Frollo paused a moment then looked at the models. "What's different in here?"
"Nothing, sir."
"Isn't this one new?" He picked up the Esmeralda figure he had spent days working over.

"It's awfully good. Looks very much like the gypsy girl. I know…" A nasty look crept across his face as his voice rose. "You helped her escape!"
Quasimodo was terrified. "But I-"
"And now, all Paris is burning because of you!"
"She was kind to me, master," he said weakly, cringing back.
Frollo smashed the table and its setting. "You idiot! That wasn't kindness, it was cunning! She's a gypsy! Gypsies are not capable of real love! Think, boy! Think of your mother!"

That hurt him. The sound of his mother nearly brought tears to his eyes but he held them back. Frollo was wrong. Esmeralda had not deceived him. She cared for him - perhaps not the way he wanted, but there was a form of love there.
Frollo took a moment to recompose himself.
"But what chance could a poor, misshapen child like you have against her heathen treachery? Well, never you mind, Quasimodo. She will be out of our lives soon enough. I will free you from her evil spell. She will torment you no longer…"

As he spoke, Frollo stuck a knife through the Esmeralda figure and held her over the candle until the wood went up in flames.
Quasimodo froze, his body going cold with dread. "What do you mean?"
"I know where her hideout is, and tomorrow, at dawn, I attack with a thousand men."

NO!
He left at that, with Quasi staring after him in shock and horror. As soon as the coast was clear, Phoebus emerged from his hiding place, his eyes angry and determined.
"We have to find the Court of Miracles, before daybreak. If Frollo gets there first...are you coming with me?"
Quasimodo looked at him, looking lost and confused. "I can't."
"I thought you were Esmeralda's friend."
"Frollo's my master. I can't disobey him again," he argued, despite his fear for the girl.
Phoebus was irked at this. "She stood up for you. You've got a funny way of showing gratitude."
He paused, while Quasi turned away, guilty.
Phoebus snorted and took that as a no. "Well, I'm not going to sit by and watch Frollo massacre innocent people. You do what you think is right."
He turned and left.
Quasimodo, after a moment, turned to the 'goyles who were looking at him with blank expression.

His guilt boiling over, he broke. "Look. What am I supposed to do? Go out there and rescue the girl from the jaws of death, and the whole town will cheer like I'm some sort of hero? She already has her knight in shining armour, and it's not me. Frollo was right. Frollo was right about everything. I'm tired of trying to be something I'm not."
Laverne was quiet for a moment before she came over and handed him a coat.
Quasimodo looked at her and she smiled slightly. He huffed but snatched it from her hand anyways.

"I must be out of my mind!"
At ground level, Phoebus was just exiting the cathedral. No sooner had he stepped outside, than Quasi hopped in front of him.
"Phoebus!"

Phoebus shouted out in surprise, his eyes wide with alarm.

"I'm coming with you!"
Catching his breath, the soldier nodded. "I'm glad you changed your mind."
"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for her," he snapped, making his ffelings about the situation clear.
Phoebus ignored his tone. "You know where she is?"
"No, but she said this would help us find her." Quasi pulled out the talisman and handed it to Phoebus.
"Good, good, good! Ahhh. Great!" He examined it for a moment, confused. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure."
"Hmm. Must be some sort of code. Maybe it's Arabic. No, no, it's not Arabic. Maybe it's ancient Greek…"
Quasimodo whispered to himself as he recalled Esmeralda's words from that first night. "When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand."
"What?"
"It's the city!"
"What are you talking about?"
"It's a map!" Quasi pointed to the centre. "See, here's the cathedral, and the river, and this little…"
"I've never seen a map that looks like this and…"
They both talked at once, ending at the same time.
"...and this is it!"
"...and this is not it!"
They both breathed deeply, controlling their anger, then Phoebus give in.
"All right, okay. You say it's a map, fine, it's a map. If we're going to find Esmeralda, we have to work together. Truce?" He slapped Quasi on the back.
"Well...okay." Quasi returned the gesture and slapped Phoebus back, a little harder than necessary.

Phoebus winced from the pain as they started off.
"Sorry."
"...No you're not."