Okay, sorry for not posting sooner. For some reason or another, this chapter in perticular was giving me trouble. I had to rewrite at least half of it TWICE before I was satisfied with it. Just so you know, Frollo isn't going to be very nice in this chapter. Wait, what am I saying? He's the villian, he isn't supposed to be nice! Okay, well in any case, there's mental and physical abuse involved. Now, onward readers! Tallyho!

I always wanted to say that!

Chapter Twenty

Interrogation

Third Person

Sophia's POV

By now, dark had fallen. The young redhead tried to get her emotions under control, everything from panic to fear warred wildly within her. Panic because Frollo was coming, more than likely he figured out that Esmeralda and her had needed help escaping the bell tower in the first place. Fear because Phoebus was wounded and in no shape to leave the bell tower without help. That and being out cold didn't help matters either. Sophia reached the top of the steps out of breath and very winded. Quasi was by her side not a moment later.

"Are you alright?" He asked gently, his eyes filled with concern and a slight hint of fear.

She inwardly cringed, knowing exactly what that fear meant. He was wary of her, unsure of her true intentions or what reasons she had for pretending to be engaged other than throwing off her mother. In all honesty, it was time. She just needed more time to work up the courage to tell him her true feelings and gosh darn it . . she was so close! But, on the up side, Djali did warn them about Frollo's approach. Speaking of which . . .

"I'm fine," Sophia shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Come on, we have to hurry. Frollo will be here any moment."

She hurried into the tent and went straight to Phoebus's side, who, by the way, was still out cold. She shook his uninjured shoulder lightly but he did not stir. Instead, he mumbled something in his sleep, rolled over, and threw up an arm catching Sophia around the shoulders and causing her to fall on top of him. She struggled wildly, but Phoebus' hold did not loosen. It also didn't help matters that Quasi walked in at that exact moment either. She heard him inhale sharply, then preceded to sputter franticly.

"Don't just stand there!" She hissed at him, still trying to remove Phoebus' arm. "Get him off me!"

Quasi's heavy footsteps approached her quickly and then the crushing force that was pinning her down was gone. Before she could straighten up completely, Quasi grabbed her carefully by her upper arm and spun her away from the still sleeping Captain. He turned her in his hands so she was now facing him, a mixture of emotions on his features.

"Are you hurt?!" He asked in earnest, his musical tones suddenly stern and ever so slightly, demanding. Concern and a hint of anger raged within his sky blue eyes as he looked her up and down for any sign of injury. "Did he harm you?!"

Sophia had never seen this side to him before. It was almost . . possessive! She didn't even know what to call the look in his eyes.

"N-no," She stumbled over the word, slightly shaken at his set expression and clipped tone. "I-I'm not hurt. I don't think he knew what he was doing." She turned her attention to Phoebus who was still sleeping, "He's still out cold."

Quasi wrenched his head to the side and glared darkly at the sleeping man. Sophia felt a chill run down her spine. Why was he was acting so out of character? It was almost like watching someone try to take a bone from a dog. Maybe it was a bad analogy, but it was the only one that came to mind. Whatever was the matter, she knew she had to calm him down. They were wasting precious time standing here doing nothing.

"You can yell at him later if it'll make you feel better," Sophia admonished hurriedly. "We don't have time!"

She gently pried Quasi's hands from her shoulders and raced to peal back the entrance flap of the tent. "Is there anywhere we can hide him that Frollo wouldn't notice?"

Suddenly his features calmed and his eyes lost their harden gaze. He shook his head, then stated quickly, "Under the worktable. The covering is long enough to hide a person from view, even if they are coming up the steps."

At his own words of revelation, Quasi stumbled towards the unconscious Captain and heaved him from the bed and onto the wooden floor. Sophia winced as Phoebus' head connected hard with the hard surface. He was going to have one heck of a headache when he woke up.

"Try not to hurt him too much, Quasi." She advised as he took the man by the armpits and began to drag him out of the tent. "We want him relatively alive."

The hunchback grunted in response but continued to drag the limp, incapacitated soldier across the floor and towards the worktable. She rushed ahead in order to pull back the burlap covering that protected the makeshift table. Once Phoebus was close enough, Quasi reached down and with all his strength, lifted the man just enough to shove him, and none too gently either, into the small space. The Captain let out a long moan of pain, but Quasi kicked him hard in the side of the face to silence him.

Sophia sent her friend a glare, "You didn't have to do that you know."

Quasi returned her glare with one of his own. "He will be fine. It is not as if I did him any permanent harm."

"That's not the point!" She countered.

He opened his mouth to retort but at that moment, the door to the tower suddenly flew open with a bang! Quasi rushed forward and took her by the hand, guiding her up one of the ladders and into the shadows of the largest bell in the tower. Big Marie. He motioned for her to stay hidden, then, once he was sure she would obey, bypassed the ladder all together and jumped down to the platform below. As Frollo's footsteps approached, Sophia held her breath and prayed the judge wouldn't have the urge to look up into the rafters or under the worktable. She remained where she was, nestled in the protective shadow of Big Marie.

"M-Master!" Quasi's voice trembled slightly as he made some sort of movement to accommodate the judge. "I-I had no idea you would be visiting this evening!"

"I always have time for you boy," Came Frollo's cool, deep baritone.

Sophia got down on her front and very quietly, crawled forward so she could peer over the side. Frollo took a seat at the far end of the worktable and placed a woven basket on top of the smooth surface. He folded his hands neatly beside the basket before observing the tower around him. As his eyes swept across the rafters, she thought he paused for a few seconds more in her direction; his steel gray eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, his sharp gaze pinning her very soul in place. Sophia felt a violent shiver run down her spine and fought the urge to pull away. She had to remain very still and quiet if she didn't want to be discovered. A moment later, Frollo lost interest in the rafters and returned his attention once more to his charge.

"I've brought you a little treat, Quasimodo." He reached down into the basket and withdrew a grape bunch, holding it lightly in his long fingers and extending it just the slightest bit in Quasi's direction. He did this as if offering a dog a bone, but keeping the treat just out of reach.

Quasi didn't react at first, seemingly too nervous about the current situation to fully process his master's words. However, the judge cleared his throat rather loudly in order to regain his attention and Quasi, now understanding what his master was implying, made a noise of revelation and moved quickly to retrieve their standard plates and goblets. Unfortunately, his movements were sharp and unsteady, thus causing several pieces of stoneware to slip from his hands and fall to the floor where they shattered.

Sophia slapped a hand over her face. Quasi was acting too nervous and jumpy! He had to get a hold of his emotions and try to remain clam, otherwise Frollo would become suspicious. That is, if he wasn't already and by the current expression on the judge's face, he wasn't looking too convinced.

"Come on Quasi," She gently encouraged under her breath. "You can do this."

As Quasi presented the tableware to their proper owner, Frollo again looked around in search of something. When once again he was met with nothing, he reached into the basket and placed a serving of grapes upon Quasi's wooden plate before serving himself. Her friend took a hesitant seat next to his miniature Notre Dame and began ringing his hands nervously under the table. He really wasn't handling this well.

"There's something different here," Frollo said slowly while carefully plucking a grape from its bunch and placing it in his mouth.

Quasi flinched sharply but was able to respond with some sureness in his voice, "N-no Master. N-nothing."

The judge's expression hardened at his denial and his head rose sharply to stare at his charge from across the table.

"No?" He raised an eyebrow. "Then what, pray tell Quasimodo, is this?"

Frollo reached over and plucked one of Quasi's wooden figures from the tabletop. He held it up at eye length, looked it over with extreme slowness, then offered it to the hunchback in demand for an explanation. If Quasi's face was pale before, than whatever color was left now drained away completely. He reached forward to take the carving from his master, but Frollo pulled it out of his reach and looked it over again.

"I must say," The judge turned the figure carefully in his hands, taking in every inch of detail. "It's quite good. You most certainly found a wonderful way to spend your free time."

Sophia watched in growing horror as Quasi's face distorted in both fear and desperation. From her position she couldn't see much of the carving, but it appeared to be wearing a green dress of some sort. The miniature figure must mean something dear to her friend because he currently resembled a little boy who's favorite toy was in the hands of the local bully. He looked like he would love nothing more than for Frollo to put down the carving and leave it alone.

"If I may," The cruel man asked slowly, turning the figure so its painted face was looking up at him. "It truly is a likeness to the one girl," He paused for emphasis. "The redhead."

"No!" Quasi's eyes widened in unadulterated horror and he stood so abruptly that he toppled over the stool.

Frollo too rose from his seat and skirted around the edge of the table, throwing the carving to the side where it skidded to a halt underneath the same ladder that lead up into Sophia's hiding place. The little figure forgotten, the judge towered over Quasi who shrunk in on himself in the vain attempt to hide from his master's angered gaze.

"I know you helped them escape!" Frollo grabbed two fist fulls of Quasi's green tunic and shook him violently. "I had guards posted at every door! Every entrance blocked! There was no way for them to leave, save for you!"

Sophia continued to watch in growing horror as Frollo shoved Quasi to the floor, his hunched back colliding hard with the wooden surface with a resounding crack! She covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes now wide with fear for Quasi's well-being and of Frollo's now violent aggression.

"Where are they?!" The judge bellowed at him, leaning over and striking him across the face. "Where is the gypsy?!"

"I-I do not not know!" Quasimodo pleaded, shaking his head rapidly back and forth. "Master please!"

Hearing the pleading in his voice nearly sent Sophia into hysterics. She had seen Frollo do some truly terrible things to Quasi, but this?! This was the worst she'd ever seen from the judge. He was in a rage! A pure, unadulterated, unstoppable rage!

"You are weak!" Frollo snarled at his charge, who now lay on the floor shivering in fear. "Did you truly believe if you aided them that they could possibly show you any kindness?! Have you forgotten what you are?! One of them is a gypsy! It wasn't kindness she was showing you, it was cunning!"

The judge leaned over and pulled Quasi up by the front of his tunic, glaring directly into the boy's disfigured face. "Did you think you could win the gypsy's heart?! Fool! They have no soul to speak of! And what of the redhead? The girl is of a proper society, how could she even begin to love a creature such as you?!"

Quasi, now completely trembling in fear, could only cry out in hurt as Frollo threw him back to the ground. The judge straightened to his full height and withdrew a dagger from his sleeve. Sophia felt her heart turn to solid ice and prepared herself to jump from the rafters in order to separate Quasi from the enraged minister. But there was no need. Frollo strode briskly to the ladder and leaned over to plunge the tip of the blade into the carving that was now reveled to be her lookalike.

"It makes no difference," Frollo spoke offhandedly as he went over to the table, reaching over and pulling a burning candle towards him. "I know where the gypsy is hiding and more than likely, the other girl is with her. I will attack at dawn with a thousand men."

Then he thrust the wooden figure into the heart of the flame. Immediately, the green dress caught aflame and the fire burned brighter with the new source of fuel. Within moments, the carving was fully ablaze and Frollo flicked the dagger just so that it slipped off the blade and fell to the floor. It rolled forward until it collided gently against the sole of Quasi's shoe. The judge gave a curt nod in satisfaction at his charge's forlorn and wounded expression then turned and disappeared into the shadows.

"They will torment you no longer."

Seconds passed. Then minutes. Finally, Sophia deemed it safe enough to climb down from her perch in the rafters. As she jumped the last few rungs of the ladder, she saw what she had always hoped she would never see. Quasimodo's expression had become unreadable. It was blank of all emotion. He kept his gaze focused on the burning remains of what Sophia now understood, was herself. It was strange, seeing her own image aflame. And disturbing. Very disturbing indeed.

"Quasi?" She approached cautiously, not sure what to expect from him now that Frollo had out righted attacked him. Both physically and mentally. "Quasi?"

She knelt down in front of him and the small flame. The figure was black as night now, the clothing and hair burned away into nothingness. All that remained was the general shape of the carving. Quasi's head was bowed, his hands resting limply across his knees as he continued to watch the flame as if she hadn't spoken at all. Tears pricked sharply at the corner of her eyes and she found she had to fight back a sob that threatened to escape her lips. She had to keep herself together, she had to be his pillar of strength, and then, above all, they had to get to the Court of Miracles.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one who thought so.

"We have to go."

Startled by the sound of Phoebus' voice, Sophia twisted around to see the Captain rising to his feet and using the edge of the table for support. Color had returned to his tanned skin and he appeared well enough to walk. But in her past experience, looks could be deceiving.

Still remaining where she was, she shook her head at the man in disagreement. "You're still wounded Phoebus. You're in no condition to be running around Paris looking for gypsies."

"Do you honestly believe I'm going to let some arrow," He spat the word as if it were poison in his mouth. "Get in my way?" His expression became one of set determination, "I'm going to find Esmeralda one way or another. Do you mean to stop me?"

Phoebus left the question hanging as a threat and he meant every word of it. There was no changing his mind once it was made up. He was truly and hopelessly in love with Esmeralda and he would go to any lengths necessary to find and warn her of Frollo's threat. The both of them loved the other with all their souls. Who was she to stand in the way of love?

"Very well," She relented with sigh of exasperation. "I suppose it wouldn't really matter if I said 'no' in the first place. You'd follow us anyway."

She returned her attention to Quasi, who had still not come out of his petrified state. Her lookalike had burned out, now nothing more than charred, black wood. She didn't even get to see it clearly enough. She never knew that Quasi had made a figure of her. He never showed it to her. Somehow, that hurt. Why did he never show it to her? Did he think that she wouldn't like it, that she would hate the way he saw her? She loved everything he made! Every little carving, every little piece of glass sculpture, every little detail he put into his work, she loved! So why didn't he trust her to see her own image. She would have rather have seen it before than have to gaze at its now blacken remains.

"Come on Quasi," She encouraged, placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "You can always do me over again. I'll even pose for you if you want."

That did it. Quasi's head jerked up so fast that she withdrew her hand as if burnt. His eyes were ablaze with some raw, untamed emotion she couldn't identify and his facial expression was one of seriousness and grim.

"Do you over again?" His voice came thick and rough, not a trace of his usual kind and soothing tone to be heard. He met her eyes with such a hard, unyielding gaze that a small flash of apprehension flickered through her. "If it was some fisherman or baker, yes! But you are different! I put more into you than any carving I have ever made!"

Sophia sat there stunned and bewildered. Quasi's expression fell and became one of complete and total loss, as if he lost the one thing that made his life turn round and round.

"You are special, Sophia!" He breathed, his voice returning to normal. He gently placed his large hands over her small shoulders and gave them a careful shake. "You cannot be remade all over again! I cannot remake you! Not once I already have!"

She gazed into his sky blue eyes, unable to break away from the sheer emotion within them. He thought she was special! She was special! Warmth seeped through every part of her, filling her with comfort and a sense of belonging. The young red head always wished to mean something to someone, someone who was not family. Selena was like an older sister to her and she in turn felt the same towards Sophia. But, that was sisterhood. It wasn't the same. She had never felt what it was like to have a brother, but at one point she began to view Quasi as such. Then, on its own accord, that feeling grew and began to transform into the emotion she now held for the deformed hunchback. Love.

"Ahem!"

The pair abruptly broke eye contact and spun about to see Phoebus leaning against a ladder, one foot positioned behind the other. He looked quite smug about something and sent Sophia a quick wink of encouragement and praise. She had the decency to blush and turned her head away.

"This is all nice and heartwarming but we have a gypsy people to warn of impending doom, remember?" He asked rather offhandedly as he examined his fingernails.

Sophia and Quasi shared a quick glace, then quickly rose to their feet in a fluster. She dusted the dirt and soot from her hose and tunic, straightening out the fabric and smoothing it down. She tried to keep the growing heat from rising to her face but it was a useless battle. It was a curse of hers, she blushed way too easily. Trying to look everywhere but at Quasi, she drew her attention to what remained of the little carving that rested on the floor. She stooped down and scooped up the now charred and blackened figure that, at one time, resembled herself.

Despite that many of its pleasant features were no longer there, she could tell just by the shape of it that it was carefully made. She smiled softly at it, even in this stage, she thought that it was beautiful in its own right. Maybe the figure couldn't be replaced, that was fine with her. The fact alone he carved a likeness of her in the first place was more than enough. That brought a warmth to her heart like she had never felt before. Here in her hands, was herself made into existence by Quasimodo's own two hands. It was certainly a wonderful feeling.

"If its alright," She began, gently stroking the carving with the pad of her thumb. "I'd like to keep her."

Quasi looked generally shocked by her request. "Keep her? But-"

Sophia shook her head, "I think she's beautiful Quasi. I wish I could have seen what she looked like before but," She paused. "Its alright really."

The bell ringer's expression became indecisive, as though he wasn't certain if he wanted to part with the figure or not.

"A splendid idea," Phoebus interrupted impatiently, not giving them the option to discuss the topic. "Now, if the two of you aren't too occupied, can we please get back to finding the gypsy hideout? I most certainly would like to warn the love of my life that her and her people are being ambushed."

The young redhead exchanged a glance with Quasi, then turned back to the Captain. "Right, let's be off."

However, it wasn't until they reached a small door on the north side of Notre Dame did Phoebus suddenly remember something viably important.

"By any chance, would one of you happen to know the actual location of the Court of Miracles?"

Personally, I really like Phoebus' last line in this chapter. It's so funny! What I like about writting this story is having a balance between the darkness and the light. It's a romance, but its very dark and can be very violent and scary at times. Plus, there's humor! At least, I hope my humor and dark elements don't clash in such a way that it takes away the impact. I hope not. If it is though, pleas tell me. I would rather know what's wrong and doesn't work so I can fix it and not have this jumble of lust, true love, and humor.

I want it to work together. Like Yin and Yang!

Anyway, I hope this chapter was a success and pleased you. If you would, kindly leave a comment down in the box below. Hearing from you has been the highlight of my days since I first began this tale of mine. Can you believe I have 52 reviews on this?! 52!

THANK YOU PEOPLE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY VERY BIG HEART! YOU ALL ARE AMAZING!