Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunchback of Notre Dame or anything to do with it. However, I do own Diamanta Devereux, her father, Oliver, Cecile Devereux, Madame Doreen,and Judge Thomas Gautier.

Note: No, the story isn't finished. I, too, am a Clopin fan and refuse to finish the story with such a terrible ending as I have in this piece of it. I don't know how many chapters there will be, but there'll be enough for the story to make all Clopin fans fulfilled.

WHOHOO! Finished this chapter in not three, not two, but ONE day! (that must be why it's so crappy and short. Oh well I hope you like it anyway) :)

I am also sorry to say that I may not be updating for quite some time due to several towers of homework, but I will complete this story.

Chapter #13

"No!" Diamanta screamed as she kneeled to Clopin's side, cradling his head in her arms. She looked up at Oliver's hateful face.

"It had to be done," he said coldly. "He took you from me, and now I'm taking you back."

"I'm not you damn trophy!" Diamanta hissed.

"But you are my woman," he said plainly, as if stating something obvious.

"You don't own me. I don't even know why I let you believe that," Diamanta said as tears rolled down her face. To her surprise, Esmeralda knelt down beside her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Esmeralda whispered. "If I hadn't told him—"

"Was it you who murdered him? You have no reason to apologize," Diamanta said softly as she stroked Clopin's calm face.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Esmeralda said in a voice so soft that only Diamanta could hear. Several more tears streamed down her face.

"I think I might have," Diamanta sobbed.

"Now that you've finished your mourning," Oliver said in a boorish tone, "can we leave?" This time it was Esmeralda who responded.

"Go to hell."

"Before I go there, I'd like to leave this prison," Oliver said.

"And leave me for dead?" a weak voice said with a cough. Diamanta gasped.

"He's alive?" Oliver said in disbelief. Before he could grab the dagger, Phoebus pulled the dagger from his reach.

"This is for the jaw," Phoebus snarled as he knocked Oliver unconscious. Esmeralda took the thick pink ribbon from her hair and wrapped it around Clopin's bleeding wound. The two women hoisted him to his feet.

"Can you walk?" Diamanta asked, still holding on to him in case he needed something to lean on. Clopin nodded and she slowly let go of him.

"Don't leave him here," Clopin said once he noticed no one was tending to Oliver. "I want to deal with him myself when we get back to the Court of Miracles." Phoebus shrugged and flung Oliver over his shoulder, being careful to "accidentally" hit Oliver against the stone wall as they left the jail cell. Clopin crept down the dark hallway, the others following. They came to a door at the end of the hallway. To everyone's surprise, Clopin began to climb up the stone wall. He positioned himself in a way where he could pull his hands from the stone without falling. With both hands he pulled at a single stone. It easily slid out, revealing a small hallway where one could crawl through on their hands and knees. He jumped down and placed the stone on the ground.

Esmeralda was the first one to be hoisted into the dark hallway. Phoebus was second, dragging Oliver along the rough stone. Clopin and Diamanta stood alone in the hallway when the door flew open. Clopin cupped his hand over Diamanta's mouth before she could release a loud gasp and pulled her behind the open door. He held her tightly, fearing they might be caught. For a moment they stood in shock.

"Take to the gypsy Diamanta's cell. I would like to…speak with her for a moment in private," Gautier's voice said. Diamanta cringed at the thought of what he would be doing to her if Clopin came to her only a few moments later.

"Wait for them to leave," Clopin said softly.

"WHERE IN THE NAME OF MARIA HAS SHE GONE?" Gautier shouted. Diamanta found herself pulling herself closer to Clopin. She felt his warm body and their hearts beating in unison. She breathed deeply. He smelled of whisky and eucalyptus, a strange but stunning combination. She found herself realizing that this was the same incident she had with Oliver. Only we sort of fell into a kiss. Everything was based on simple urges that felt "right", Diamanta thought to herself. This is more than a feeling, this is…love. Gautier and his guard left the room.

"Kiss me," Diamanta thought aloud. She cupped her hand over her mouth. What the hell am I doing?

"What?" Clopin said in astonishment. Diamanta didn't know what to say. Never in her life did her face turn such a shade of scarlet. Clopin shook his head as if trying to shake the words out of his head. "We'll talk about this in my wagon. We haven't any time." He hoisted her up into the hole in the wall, and she pulled herself in. For the first time since she was ten years old, she was terrified of facing Clopin.