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Nope...don't own the song...John Legend does. Hugo owns the characters.

Summary: Claude and Esme have a little argument. Phoebus gets a step closer to figuring out that Agnes is Esme. Gudule offers Claude some advice. Phoebus just won't leave Esme alone.

Preview: Somebody has a stalker. Phoebus grills Jehan for some info about Agnes. Fleur finds out that Phoebus has been sendign another girl gifts and letters.

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Esmeralda had heard everything that was said between Claude and Phoebus.

"I need to talk to you."

It was a plain statement with no details and no hope of a happy ending.

"I want to live in Paris."

The frank statement left Claude wondering what had brought this about.

"Why did you rescue me? And do not tell me that you love me."

This was a one sided conversation filled with loaded questions.

"I…I…"

He wanted to tell her the truth, but there was too much danger in the truth.

"I wanted you to love me."

It seemed that they were now past the loving and sweet phase of their relationship.

"You could not simply tell me that you loved me?"

When he first saw her, he had not been ready to give up being Archdeacon of Josas.

"What would you have said if I had told you that?"

This was turning out to be a serious conversation, which was beginning to sag way into an argument.

"I would have told you that I was in love with another man."

"So, in your mind I should have just given up everything to be with you, when you did not want to be with me?"

She didn't know how to answer.

"I would live, with the hope that someday you would fall deeply in love with me and that would be all."

Claude was becoming angry. His face was beginning to redden, his brows were knit and his nostrils were flared.

"It is true then. You rescued me, so that I would feel I needed you. And well, if you and I happened to make love, then that was just a bonus!"

She too was angry. He had ruined her life. Right now, she could be outside, in the fresh Parisian air, dancing.

"And you agreed to marry me, because Phoebus was already taken."

It was a blatant and disdainful remark.

"You have been throwing his gifts away, not because you love me. No, you have been throwing away his gifts, because you are angry with him. On the night of our engagement party why did you make love to me?"

Esmeralda was searching for a polite wording for the truth.

"It was not because you were happy with the fact that I was soon to be your husband. Again, it was because you are angry at Phoebus. He was there that night, he was with his fiancée and you were jealous. You thought that giving me what I prevented him from having would punish him!"

She did not like hearing the truth.

"You only wanted to possess me, so that no other man could! You wanted my virtue. That is why you found my mother! How long do you expect to stay with me, now that you have had what you wanted?"

"You claim not to love the captain, but I see plainly that you do."

With that, Claude stormed back out of her bed chamber and into his own, slamming her door on his way out and his door, on his way in.

Unbeknownst to either of them, the captain had been standing in the parlor the entire time. He had heard some of their argument.

"I thought she looked familiar. But what was her name? Emilee? No…Esther? No…Eponine? No…It started with an "E," I remember that much."

A sly smile overtook his face.

"Captain, you are still here?"

Gudule had stepped out from the kitchen.

"Yes Madame. I think I may have said something to upset your daughter. Could you tell her that she has my most sincere apology."

"Yes."

"Thank you. I must be off now."

Phoebus' plan was beginning to take shape. He would first question Jehan about this girl. Past that, he had no real plan.

It had been a few hours and Gudule could hear her daughter sobbing.

"Agnes, dinner is ready."

Claude had heard Gudule's announcement.

"What happened?"

Gudule's voice was full of concern for her daughter.

"She and I had our first real argument."

Claude saw no sense in lying about what had happened.

"We will let her alone for now. But you and I need to talk."

Claude sighed, not wanting to argue anymore. She led him into the kitchen.

"Listen. I know that you are going to blame me for the argument and yes, you are right. But I never intended for things to be the way they are."

Claude immediately went on the defensive.

"And how did you intend for things to be?"

Claude had admitted what Gudule had been wanting to hear and now she was willing to listen.

"We were supposed to be far away from Paris…"

"Far away from the captain you mean."

Claude nodded. There was no sense in denying that now.

"Once we were away from him, she was supposed to be thankful and fall in love with me. We were supposed to get married and live happily."

Gudule shook her head.

"Let me tell you sir, there is no happily ever after. She is angry at him, not you. The more he appears in her life, the longer she will stay angry. She cares about you, she enjoys your company, she does love you. But, as I said, she is angry. As long as that captain is in her life, she will remain angry."

It felt strange, having a civil conversation with the girl's mother.

"How do I make her happy?"

It seemed like there was no easy answer.

"You stay by her side. You show her that you did not just rescue her so that you could have her. You keep telling me that you love her."

"I do."

"Then show her."

Claude had no idea what Gudule meant.

"You did everything wrong when it came to the captain."

Claude blushed, realizing that Gudule was right.

"How should I have handled that?"

"Claude, being a gentleman is something you are not used to."

Claude understood what this meant.

"I should have let him talk."

"Exactly."

Claude was unsure what this little chat meant.

"I do not like you sir. But, I prefer you over the captain."

Claude smiled with the understanding of why.

"I should go apologize to her now."

"A word of advice: Lock the door and even if it takes an entire night of yelling and arguing, it will be worth it. At the very least each of you will truly know how the other feels."

Claude stood, thanking Gudule for the advice.

"Esmeralda…"

He lightly wrapped on the door.

"I don't want to be around you!"

She threw a pillow at the door, just as he walked in.

"I see you are in a better mood."

He chuckled, catching the pillow and setting it down at the foot of her bed.

"I'm sorry. I handled everything wrong. I handle everything wrong, so there should be no surprise that I handled the situation with the captain wrong and your questions wrong."

He fumbled his way through an apology.

"I'm sorry. I know I hurt you and that I should have told you how I felt the moment I met you. I was wrong to have taken your virtue, wrong to have lied to you. To sum it up, I'm just wrong. But I want to make things right. I just don't know how."

He watched as she sat up, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"I'm angry."

This seemed like the understatement of the year.

"Things weren't supposed to be this way. Phoebus and I were supposed to be madly in love, but then you ruined that! But I'm not mad at you."

Claude felt slightly relieved.

"I'm angry at him. You rescued me, it's not your fault that he keeps showing up."

Claude was glad that she was not angry with him.

"Esmeralda, I have one question for you. I need a serious answer, no lies."

She nodded.

"Do you love me?"

She thought through her answer carefully. She loved him, she wanted him to be her husband. She just wanted the captain to go away, so that her love was not tainted with anger.

"I do. I don't know why I love you, but I just don't want to be angry anymore."

"I understand."

She embraced him, letting him know that his apology had been accepted.

"I have the same question for you. Do you love me? Right now, do you love me? Don't bring up anything from the past."

"Yes."

He held and kissed her lips.

"I don't want to marry you with the captain looking on. There's no need for you to try and make him jealous. That jealousy is what makes you angry and I would rather not have you angry on our wedding day."

She agreed.

"Then what do you want?"

"We can go to Paris and get married with my brother as our witness."

Esmeralda seemed to like this option.

"Now, do not deny me the privilege of your company for dinner."

She took his hand, grinning.

As Phoebus was walking back to an inn, he spotted a familiar looking goat.

"Excuse me sir, but where did you find that animal?"

Gringoire recognized the captain.

"Sir, she belonged to a friend of mine."

"Yes, little Emanada."

Gringoire gave the man a confused look.

"You mean, Esmeralda."

He didn't know the captain personally, but still he did not like him.

"Yes, that's the name!"

Phoebus stated, as if he were having an epiphany.

"Why do you ask?"

Gringoire had a strange feeling and did not trust Phoebus' intentions.

"Tell me, do you know what became of the girl?"

Gringoire nodded.

"Yes. She was jailed and sentenced to hanging for stabbing a man. It has been popular rumor that she truly was a witch and somehow used the forces of darkness to escape her prison. I do not easily buy into such rumors. My guess is that she died in the prison."

Gringoire shrugged the last words off, as if they were of no real consequence.

"Do you know if she had any blood relatives?"

"Blood relatives?"

Gringoire did not like where this conversation was going.

"Yes, you know a sister or perhaps a cousin. There is a young girl in that house who bears a striking resemblance to her."

It was time for Gringoire to act fast.

"I haven't noticed."

A nonchalant answer always did the trick.

"Do you know her captain?"

Phoebus smiled with mischief in his eyes.

"I hope to soon. I know that she is the daughter of the old recluse who used to live in the Tower Roland. She is engaged to some old man, but that will change soon enough."

With that Phoebus walked on, smiling and glad for the information he had acquired.

The next morning, Esmeralda woke to find the captain standing at the door.

"I was hoping that you would accompany for a walk today my dear."

She wanted to slam the door in his face, but something told her not to.

"No."

"Come now Agnes, will you not join me on a friendly outing?"

"No."

"May I ask why not?"

There was no reason for him to be requesting a walk with her. She was not his friend.

"Something tells me that you don't like me much. At the very least, tell me what it is I have done to offend you."

She did not see the need for an explanation.

"I am happily betrothed to Claude."

"And what does that have to do with taking a walk with me through the market place?"

It had everything to do with her not wanting to go for a walk with him.

"You have been the one sending me those gifts."

"Ah, yes, just simple letters of good will and some flowers. You can not tell me that a pretty girl, such as yourself does not like flowers."

She was growing annoyed with him.

"I do not like it when you send them."

He saw her hand begin to shut the door and reacted by placing his foot in the door frame.

"Let me make amends my dear Agnes. See this walk as a time of peace, a truce if you will. Do not send me away in anger."

"Please leave."

"I will, when you agree to walk with me. Or at the very least tell me what you would like me to send you."

"I do not want you to send me anything and I certainly do not want to walk with you."

She shut the door on his foot, but he slid around the door and into the house.

"I will show up at your doorstep everyday, until you agree to go for a walk with me."

Esmeralda had turned away from him and was going about her daily routine.

"Then you might want to pitch a tent."

She knocked on Claude's door.

"Claude, when you are ready for breakfast come to the kitchen."

Phoebus followed her into the kitchen.

"What if I were to spend the day here? I just won't leave until you take that walk with me."

She rolled her eyes.

"Why do you want me to go for a walk with you so badly?"

"It's a lovely day. It would be fun to have company on such a day like this."

Again she rolled her eyes, wishing he would leave.

"I have already made plans for the day. Claude and I will be going for a walk once we finish our breakfast."

"Then I will be waiting in the parlor when you come back."

Hearing a youthful male voice, Gudule stepped into the kitchen.

"Young man what is the intent of your visit today?"

Gudule was trying to be pleasant toward the captain.

"I was asking your lovely daughter to join me in a walk through the market place."

"Did she agree to it?"

Phoebus took a step back, a little frightened at the woman.

"No."

She led him out the door, just as Claude was entering the kitchen.

"And what was that all about?"

Esmeralda let Claude take a seat first.

"He came by, wanting me to join him for a walk. I would rather go for a walk with you."

She responded, sitting in his lap.

"We could find a tree to sit under and bring something to eat. It's too lovely a day to spend inside."

She pouted, hoping to persuade him.

"We have to eat breakfast first. And what about your lesson today?"

She saw the want in his eyes.

"Gringoire could come too. He could bring a book for me to read."

She was smiling, showing her white, almond shaped teeth.

"Perhaps."

He grinned, he enjoyed being playful with her. It so often ended in her leading him to her bed chamber.

"Esmeralda, we can't go anywhere unless you let me eat."

She took this answer as a "yes." She stood and seated herself across from him.