Here, we learn a bit about Belle's past, and she and Quasimodo seem to get a little bit closer...

Please review, guys. And enjoy the Quelle :)

The ceremony was going for a long time. The little girl looked behind her at the people gathered, and, satisfied that she wasn't being watched, tiptoed away past the statue of Mary and Jesus and peered curiously through the archway and up the steps of the place she had been forbidden to go.

By the time she reached the top, her little legs were trembling with tiredness. Stopping to catch her breath, she gazed around the great tower and caught site of a glimmer of gold, high in the ceiling. She headed for the nearest ladder and climbed it, passing a table of colourful figures and wood shavings which she glanced at for a moment before resuming her quest.

When she reached the bell, she had to crane her neck to see the top. Unable to resist, she touched the cool metal and examined the engravings around the rim, before ducking underneath and prodding the giant knob. It moved just the tiniest bit, and she contemplated knocking it against the side before deciding it would be too loud.

"Hello?" she called quietly, giggling at the echo that came back at her. "Hello!" she called louder, and covered her ears as the echo battered her ears. Brushing her hands over the metal, she frowned as she felt something different underneath her fingers. Peering closer, she saw a tiny Q etched into the golden surface. an idea striking her, she hurried out and snatched the knife from the table with the little wooden things and ran back. in the dwindling light, she painstakingly etched a curling B underneath the Q, then followed with the rest of the letters of her name. satisfied with the result, she was about to leave when she saw the feet on the other side.

"H-Hello?" a soft voice whispered, the feet shifting from one to the other. "Who are you? W-what are y-you d-doing here?"

Sighing with the relief that it wasn't an adult, she leaned forward. "Who are you?"

"You f-first."

She giggled. "No, you."

"N-no, y-you."

"You."

"You."

"Ok. I'm coming out now, anyway." There was a gasp, and when she came out, the only thing left was the sound of running feet. "Hey! Where did you go?"

Silence.

Shrugging, she went back the way she came, dropping the knife on the table and starting down the stairs. "Bye-bye, whoever you are," she called, before going back into the cathedral and taking her place with her father in the pews.

Belle opened her eyes and stared uncomprehendingly at the glowing embers of the fire. The dream had never been this vivid before- most of the time it was just stairs, gold and letters. But this was the first time she had had a clear dream.

Deciding to figure out what it meant, she got up and tiptoed to the staircase. Facing the tower, she closed her eyes and began to walk slowly, reliving what she could remember about the dream. bumping into the ladder, she climbed it and passed the table, not needed to see to know where it was.

For the next few minutes, she blindly felt her way around the tower, sometimes knocking into things, until finally coming into contact with the smooth, cool metal of a bell. She opened her eyes and let her hand rest on the bell for a moment, eyes roving over the engravings on the rim, before ducking underneath.

Under the bell was too dark to see anything, but as she felt over the metal, her fingers found something different. Tracing the letters, she felt out the word 'Quasimodo'. Lower down was another word: 'Belle'.

"B-Belle?"

Belle gasped and jumped back, knocking her elbow and making a dull donging sound. "Quasimodo! You scared me half to death!"

"Oh, I-I'm s-sorry."

"That's ok."

"W-What are you doing under there?"

"I was 8."

"W-What?"

Belle smiled and traced the letters with her fingers again, memories coming back to her. "Last time I was here, I was 8. We were downstairs, attending my little brother's christening. I got bored and snuck away, and found my way up here. I remember carving my name right here." She tapped the spot. "Someone had already carved a letter in, that's what gave me the idea. Then someone came a frightened me out of my wits. I thought it was someone from downstairs, and that I'd get in big trouble." She suddenly ducked back out and faced him. "I never saw who it was. They ran away before i could. I started to think i just imagined it. But it was you, wasn't it?"

He nodded, eyes shining in the soft light coming through the windows. "I remember. I c-came up and f-found someone under one o-of m-my bells, and i was af-fraid."

Belle leaned back on the bell. "You finished the carving. Last time, there was only a Q."

His face fell. "I got p-punished for that."

"For your carving or mine?"

"B-both, i think."

"I'm sorry."

There was a few moments of silence, then Belle asked, "Did i wake you?"

"No, i wasn't asleep. I was on the roof."

She wrinkled her nose. "What were you doing up there?"

He looked at the ground. "W-would you like to see?"

"OK."

He motioned fro her follow him, and they headed for the roof.

When they got up there, he silently pointed in the direction of the river, and she gasped as she let the cool night breeze wash over her. The starlight sparkled on the water, and the city lights glimmered around it. The entire world seem to be made of shimmering light.

"I can see why you don't sleep!" she breathed, a smile spreading over her face. "It's too beautiful to leave!"

Quasimodo hopped up on the balustrade. "It is beautiful," he agreed. But not as beautiful as you...

She braced herself on the ledge. "Aren't you afraid of falling?"

"No." He lowered himself down to the other side of the ledge, holding on with one hand. "It-it's easy."

"Please." Belle touched his hand, eyes wide. "Come back up. It looks too dangerous."

She cares about my wellbeing. He nodded and pulled himself back up onto the ledge, then held out his hand. "Try it."

Belle shrunk back. "I'm not hanging on the outside of a building! I could fall!"

"No, just stand on the ledge."

She looked into his eyes, and in that moment, realized he wouldn't let her fall. She could trust him with her life. So she reached forward, took his hand, and let herself be pulled onto the balustrade.

Standing there, high above everything, Belle closed her eyes and spread her arms wide. The breeze blew around her, and she breathed deeply and raised herself onto her toes, confident that Quasimodo was there and would catch her if she fell.

"It feels like flying."

Quasimodo watch her intently, ready to catch her should she fall. With the breeze ruffling her hair and the frills of her white nightgown, she looked like an angel.

"I haven't felt like this since... since i climbed the giant oak, when i was 8. Antoine had just been born, and mama was in the house, rocking him to sleep. Papa was in the basement, trying out a new invention..." Belle continued on, seemingly talking to herself. "I climbed right to the highest branch and sat there with my book. A storm was starting up, and the branch was swaying in the gale. So I pretended I was on a ship. Anyone else would've been scared, but I... I stood up and let go, and for a few glorious moments, I was flying."

The breeze began to die down, and Belle was left standing on the ledge, her wings gone. She sighed and let Quasimodo help into a sitting position. "Mama and Antoine died later that year."

"How did they die?" he asked softly.

Suddenly very tired, she put her head down on his shoulder (or where it was supposed to be, anyway). "The Cholera took them. Papa was devastated. He blamed the city water and immediately uprooted me to a sleepy little village just south of here. He's never come back to Paris."

Quasimodo was almost lost for words. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

The sat there for a while, and Belle idly realized that Quasimodo hadn't stammered while talking to her. Nor was he reacting badly to her leaning on him. It was a development she thought she liked. Quasimodo, in turn, had noticed that her was no longer nervous when speaking, and the physical contact that had frightened him before was now just... comfortable.

The breeze started up again, and Belle shivered.

"Are you cold?"

She nodded. "I think-" She yawned. "I think i'll go back to bed." She straightened up and slid of the ledge, and, giving a sleepy wave, disappeared back into the tower.

Quasimodo sat there a moment more and stared out over the river, and sighed happliy.

Enjoyed this one too. I love writing Quelle scenes :)

Please review.