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.

I'm sorry, but I'll try to make another chapter before 2006 (even though it's highly doubtful). I hope you like this chapter! It took me a while to make, but hopefully you'll enjoy it! (please read and review!)

Chapter # 16

Diamanta lazily brushed away her tears and gave him a small half smile.

"Don't judge me on this," she said quietly. "I really am fine." He lifted his hand from her shoulder and suddenly gave her an expression as cold as ice.

"What exactly did you say to her?" he hissed.

"Excuse me?" she said, completely taken by surprise. Why was he acting like this? Diamanta had never seen him so livid.

"What did you say to Esmeralda? What did you tell her that's making her avoid me?" It took a moment for Diamanta to realize that he was talking about the incident at his home. She didn't blame him for wanting to know what they were saying, but she couldn't tell him. She couldn't worsen her relationship with her best friend's family. She smiled and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, I thought she would have gotten over it by now. It was nothing but a little quarrel. But don't fret. Just give her a little space and in time, she'll come around," Diamanta said coolly. "She's always been like that. She won't hold a grudge for long." Phoebus edged closer to her in an almost threatening manner. She backed up slowly, pulling herself up against the mirror with her hands.

"What did you say to my wife?" he said in a dangerous tone. Something inside Diamanta told her not to fear Phoebus in the least, even though she was nearly trembling and backed up into the corner of her own wagon. She stood up, only meeting his shoulder level. She looked up at him through her long eyelashes. Though she held an innocent pose, her tone was just as icy as his.

"Why don't you ask her yourself, sir?" She succeeded in making such a respectful term sound crude and insulting.

"I would if she would speak to me." Phoebus' voice revealed just a hint of sorrow. He looked away, turning his head so she couldn't see his face. "She hates me," he whispered in a choked voice. "She told me so. She doesn't want to see me again." It took a moment for Diamanta to realize what was happening.

"Phoebus," she said quietly, "are you crying?" He didn't answer and remained with his head turned.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking from tears, "for putting you in this situation. You've never been hurt so badly, and I don't want to force you into the adult world of pain." Before she could stop herself, the words came flowing out of her.

"I've been in the adult world of pain since I was a child." Phoebus turned his head slightly, surprised at her words. "My mother was a traitor to all gypsies and I watched her die at my father's hand." She heard him gasp softly. "When my father tried to do the same to me, I was forced to run away from the only home I had. I found refuge at the Court of Miracles where it took nearly a month for everyone to warm up to me simply because of my mother's faults. And so many years later, my father caused the incident with Gautier, simply because of his own greed for money. My father was the reason I came upon Oliver. And today I met my father again, only to realize he was the same cruel man. Now, I find myself in love with a man I know I can't have." She gasped in surprise at her own words.

"You've been through more than I thought was possible," Phoebus said, and without another word, he left her wagon. She sat down and leaned her head against the mirror Clopin had given her, and within seconds she had fallen asleep.

Clopin lay on his back in a field of flowers, staring up at the clouds which formed into several shapes that he portrayed as animals and people. Suddenly someone pulled off his hat. He sat upright and whirled his head around to see who the culprit was. Sure enough, Diamanta sat by his side wearing his hat, laughing.

"How do I look?" she asked, striking a model-like pose. Her long chestnut hair glowed radiantly in the sun and her yellow eyes appeared even more mysterious under the floppy hat.

Beautiful.

"It needs something," Clopin said with a wide smile. He took off his gloves and put them on her delicate hands. She laughed her usual airy, carefree laugh. "Lovely," he said with a smile. And he meant it.

"It looks as if it's about to rain," Diamanta said suddenly. Clopin looked up to see how dark the clouds had grown. Not much later, rain beat down on their heads. Diamanta pulled off the hat and held it over them as a sort of umbrella as Clopin edged closer to her. Now they were an inch's length apart. "Kiss me," Diamanta whispered. Clopin stared at her in disbelief. "You know you want to," she said in a seductive tone. Without hesitation, Clopin leaned forward and obeyed her.

Clopin woke up with a loud gasp. It was mid morning, but he was just awakening. He wiped his eyes and quickly dressed himself in his normal attire.

"What is wrong with me?" he said to himself. He pulled out his puppet, which he usually spoke to when in a tight situation instead of having a conversation inside his head.

"You're in love," the puppet squeaked.

"That's impossible. She's nine years younger than me."

"Eight," the puppet corrected. "She's seventeen now, remember?"

"But even so…"

"You love her."

"What makes you think that?" Clopin asked, his tone cross.

"Ever since she and Oliver have been together, you couldn't stop dreaming about her."

"But she could never want me."

"For Maria's sake, she asked you to kiss her!"

"Mind your tongue!" Clopin said as he hit the puppet on the head.

"She wanted you to kiss her. Now do what you did in your dream and obey her. You're going to have to confront her somehow." Clopin sighed.

"You're right. I have to talk to her one way or another. And I'm going to do it today."

Diamanta was brushing her hair when a knock came to her door.

"Come in," she called. She froze when the familiar scent of whisky and eucalyptus filled the wagon.

"'Morning, Dia," Clopin said in a voice as nervous as Diamanta felt. She spun around and faced Clopin.

"We need to talk," she said before Clopin could speak.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Clopin said with a small smile. She forced a smile back at him.

"Clopin, I need you know that what I said yesterday before we broke out of jail was—"

"A mistake," Clopin finished. Diamanta shook her head no.

"No, it wasn't a mistake in the least." She looked down, unable to look into his face. "It was what came into my mind that day. I needed a way to tell you that I…had strong feelings for you. I know you may not feel the same about me, but…" her voice trailed off.

"I have feelings for you as well, Diamanta." She was taken aback that he used her full name. Even though it was supposed to be a kind statement, the words fell upon her like ice. "Ever since you've been with Oliver…I've just felt…jealous. Then I started having the dreams."

"You've dreamt about me?"

"Many times," Clopin confessed. "But there's more I need to say," he said quietly. "Please don't hate me for this, but I think I may have killed Oliver for more than just the obvious reason."

"He stood in the way between us. Yes, I've been thinking that too." Silence fell between them. "There's too much going on for us to be together, Clopin," Diamanta said after a while. Clopin didn't speak, so she continued. "We're already wanted in most of Paris. I can't do this." She looked away. "I think we should just remain as friends."

"No," Clopin said suddenly.

"What?" Diamanta said, an expression of confusion spread across her face.

"No, I can't just be your friend."

"But…but why?" Again, there was a long silence. Clopin eventually spoke.

"Because," he said quietly, "I think I may be insanely and uncontrollably in love with you."