Chapter 12

Ines POV

My eyes searched Ward's steely gaze, my breaths escaping me in shallow gasps. I waited for the sting or the burn of pain. I'd never been stabbed in my center before, Maybe I'd mercifully die before having to feel it.

Ward's face broke into a smile. My breathing grew more panicked. He leaned into my ear, I didn't have it in me to shrink away.

"Next time, I'll use the pointy end."

My gaze dropped down to my stomach, The butt of Ward's knife was pressed to me, the slick blade itself pointing upwards. My horror reflected back to me on its shined surface. "Wh-What?" I whispered

Ward opened his mouth to speak, perhaps gloat, when a heavy metallic snap stopped him. Devastated howling and the sounds of metal groaning tolled behind us. Ward's face fell and for the first time since we were children, he was afraid.

I followed his gaze. Ward's men rushed around in a frenzied panic, they shouted and grappled and groped for any tools to aid them, anyways for them to one more regain the upper hand. In the center of it all was Quasimodo. He'd broken one of his chains. The one that constrained his uninjured arm. His gaze was on Ward, a dark murderous look on his tearstained face. His nostrils flared and he winced as he lifted his good arm and tugged at the other chain, with a snap, it too broke.

Men flitted about trying to contain him, trying to chain him once more. The remains of his bondage were now his weapons. Long lengths of fetters trailing behind him. As soon as someone made an attempt, he whipped his line out sending them sprawling back. His gaze never left Ward as he did so.

Ward stumbled off of me, his eyes darting around searching for his sword. I'd never seen him so terrified, and Quasimodo was closing in. Ward turned to face him with nothing but the knife he'd used to 'stab' me. Quasi glanced at the blade, his features contorting in rage. He raised his mighty fist, the chain tightly gripped in his palm.

"QUASIMODO." Phoebus's voice boomed from his chest, powerful enough to echo off the walls of the belltower. Ward's men halted, their gazes shifting to the loft entrance.

Quasi hesitated. The chain still raised high above his head. I had never seen him so fearsome, so menacing. He didn't glance at me, his hardened gaze still focused on Ward.

Ward used this opportunity to scramble away. Phoebus's men rushed in, chaos broke through the tower. Rogues and guardsmen playing cat and mouse, scrambling in a frenzy of dirty tartan and shiny armor.

Phoebus himself got hold of Ward, whose face had melted into one of defiance. Phoebus pinned his arms behind his back, shouting out commands to his men as he did so.

"INES!" Quasi's voice was panicked. He knelt by my side, his hands patting my stomach in a frenzy. " Please, not her, please god." He whispered.

"Quasi." My voice was small. I cleared my throat and placed a hand over his, stopping his pat down. "I'm alright."

His gaze met mine, disbelief etched in his features. "H-how?"

"He didn't use the pointy end."

I mirrored Quasi's confusion, I had truly thought that my ending had come, that Ward had decided to get rid of me once and for all.

My gaze shifted to Quasi's injuries. I deftly reached a hand up to touch his bruised eye. He jerked away from me.

"Don't, I'm fine." He murmured.

He wasn't. His right arm was stabbed at the shoulder. Blood drenched his torn and frayed tunic. His face was swollen and bruised, his lip broken and his nose bleeding. Cuts and bruises littered across his whole being, his legs, his torso, his back and arms. I reached out to touch him again but he shifted away from me.

I dropped my gaze. "Sorry."

The scuffling was calming down, the guardsmen picked off the vastly outmatched rogue's. The vagrants snarled and hissed as they were dragged off mimicking angry stray cats.

Esmeralda clambered into the loft, Peggy and a couple other nuns behind her. "Thank goodness." She breathed kneeling beside Quasi and I. Her hands went to Quasi's many injuries, her face showing her concern.

"Ines! Are you alright?" Peggy knelt beside me.

"Nothing serious, Quasi needs you more than I do." I answered.

"No." Quasi's tone was dark.

I glanced at him. He'd been relieved for a moment, acting like his regular self. But once I'd acknowledged his wounds he'd shifted into something more angry. His brow was set and his anger pulsated around him, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Make sure she's fine." Quasi all but ordered Peggy. I'd never seen this side of him before, not ever. Gone was the kind, quiet man I'd grown to care for.

"O-of course." Peggy stammered.

"Come over here, where the light's better." Esmeralda shot a glance my way. She looked as surprised as I felt.

Quasi rose to his feet and limped after Esmeralda. A crazed cackle stopped his walk, and sent my heart into my throat.

"What a choice! What a choice!" Ward crowed. It didn't matter that he was heavily chained, nor that he had two large guardsmen clutching his arms. His gaze still sent a shiver of fear down my spine.

"You have picked an EXCELLENT fourth eye Ines!" Ward howled his smile unnaturally wide. "I look forward to doing this again."

"That's enough outta you." One of his captors grumbled as he and his comrade hauled him away.

"Fourth eye?" I could vaguely hear Quasi over my own thundering pulse.

I met his hardened gaze. He didn't waver when he saw my expression. Just turned his head and continued his limp to the light.

"What does 'fourth eye' mean Ines?" Peggy asked.

I glanced at her fearful expression. "I don't know. He's gone mad." I lied, It was best I not scare her more.

I doubt she believed me but she turned her attention elsewhere anyways.

Peggy got to work, I had a few bruises, a couple cuts, a few decent sized but most small. I did my best but I doubt I did a very good job hiding the pain as she pressed alcohol saturated clothes into my open wounds. Sweet and good Peggy apologized through it all, as if any of this was her fault.

"You alright?"

I glanced up, Phoebus stood not far from me. His gaze was stony. "Should be."

"We'll meet you on the steps tomorrow at sunrise. A horse will be provided for you and your boys." He continued.

"Horses?" I hadn't expected that kind of generosity.

"Don't make it something it isn't." Phoebus grunted. "I want you as far away from my city as quickly as possible. And these 3 horses are old and set to retire within the year anyways."

I nodded. "Thank you." I murmured.

Phoebus relaxed his shoulders. I'm sure he expected something more from me, a snarky comment, maybe a fight. I didn't have any more in me. I glanced over at Quasimodo, he hadn't looked my way since he'd glared at me.

"You're welcome." Phoebus grumbled. He turned his gaze to Quasi and walked towards him.

Peggy continued her tending of me but I kept my eyes on the bellringer. His tunic was torn up, Esmeralda had ripped it further to gain better access to his wounds. She was fixing his stabbed arm into a sling while 2 other nuns examined and cleaned his many injuries.

My gaze went to his naked back, where old scars glinted in the light. I knew what had made these, though they'd been done long before I'd ever known him. Dozens of lashes clawed and hatched his back. He'd been flogged, and by the looks of it, it hadn't been just once.

His angered expression entered my mind's eye and I turned away from him. I hated that I'd made him so angry. So much more pain he's endured, all because of me.

"I believe that's it." Peggy sat back and folded her arms victoriously.

"Thank you Peggy." I glanced down, She'd done an excellent job patching me up. Gordon would be impressed.

"I think I should go help my sisters." She gestured over to Quasi.

"Of course, please do!" I shooed her off.

She gave me a quick hug. "I'm glad you're alright Ines." She whispered in my ear.

I hugged her back. "Y-yeah me too."

She dashed off, her bustles flaring behind her. My gaze turned again to Quasi. He was turned away from me so I couldn't see his face but I could tell he wasn't interacting much with anyone. Guilt clutched my chest, all he'd done for me…this is how I repaid him.

I would have to find some way to make it up to him before I left. I couldn't leave like this.

Esmeralda and the nuns worked on him for the better part of 2 hours. While they worked I attempted to clean up the loft but Quasi demanded I stop. He did so sharply, his anger still on his face. So I stopped.

Instead I sat on a bench and watched from a distance. Occasionally Esmeralda would throw empathetic looks my way. I appreciated that.

Eventually she left him and approached me.

"I know you're leaving tomorrow morning, but could you keep an eye on him tonight? I'm afraid he may be a bit concussed. I'm not sure though… he isn't speaking much."

"Of course. What do I need to look out for?" I asked.

"Headache, blackouts, poor balance, nausea, just general disorientation." She responded.

I nodded and glanced over at him. He'd moved from his spot and had started tidying the loft.

"Be sure he takes it easy too. If you can." Esmeralda added, she didn't look thrilled.

I chuckled. "I'll try."

She smirked.

"Did he…say anything? About me?" I asked,

"Sorry, no. I'm not totally sure what's got him so angry. I mean he's suffered much worse and never did anything like this." She marveled.

My heart sank. He'd been through worse? His scars entered my mind and I felt my heart break. "I'll talk to him."

"Please do." She smiled at me. "I'm glad you're alright, both of you." She embraced me.

Surprise made me hesitant but eventually I returned the hug. "I'm glad too." Was all I could think to say.

We separated and she turned to Quasi. "I'm heading out, I'll see you tomorrow ok? Don't overdo it!" She headed for the ladder down into the main floor. Quasi continued tidying. The nuns followed Esmeralda out and then it was just he and I.

For the first time, I felt nervous around him. Nervous that his anger was forever, that I couldn't gain his forgiveness. Nervous for how this night would go. I began cleaning up as well.

"Stop." He grunted. "You need to rest."

"YOU Need to rest." I mimicked him. "I'm fine, you were stabbed."

Quasi paused, his gaze focused in front of him. "Leave it Ines. I've got it."

"I won't. I'm helping you, it's the least I can do after everything." I argued.

Quasi sucked in a breath and then focused his gaze on me. "Can't you just do as I ask? Just once!" He snarled.

I took a step back, shocked at his tone. My eyes narrowed. "I will help you tidy up whether you like it or not Quasimodo." I picked up a trinket as I did so and placed it on the table.

"I'm not talking about tidying." He shot back.

"Then what are you talking about?" I crossed my arms.

Quasi slammed a goblet onto a shelf. "You were supposed to stay in the crawlspace! That was the plan!" He snarled.

"That was your plan! You didn't discuss any of it with me, you just threw me down there against my will!" I was mad now, I'd thought he was angry at the mess, angry at his injury but he was mad I didn't mindlessly obey him? Maybe I didn't know him as well as I'd thought.

"I had to, we had no other options." He fought back.

"We could have fought together, we could have hidden together! For god's sake we could have climbed down together, if you had just spoken to me-"

"With what time Ines? They were coming, I had minutes! We never would have lasted fighting them off, they would have found us if we'd hidden together, and they'd beat us to the steps if I tried to climb." His voice was growing louder.

"We could have tried something! Instead you threw me down there." I gestured to the floor.

He stepped closer to me, his anger still very much present. I stepped closer as well, my rage burning.

"There was nothing!" He shouted.

"You didn't even try to entertain anything else! You picked the plan that involved me watching your torture and death." Tears were forming in the corners of my eyes, I blinked them back furiously. "Did you expect me to just sit back and allow that?"

"YES!" He threw his arms out in exasperation. "I was fine with dying Ines, I had made my peace with it long ago!"

"Well I'm not!" I hissed.

Quasi ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. "You have your boys Ines, people rely on you, people need you. Nobody needs me, I have nothing." His voice still held much of his rage, but mostly his defeat. "My death wouldn't matter, but yours would."

"Stop." I murmured.

"It's true. If the last thing I do with this life is get you back to your boys, I do it gladly." He continued.

Anger bubbled in my chest. "Stop it."

"Ines…" He meant to continue, but I held up my hand and stopped him.

"You are important to me." My gaze burned into him. "You matter to me."

Quasi shook his head. "You don't have to feel bad for me Ines-"

I cut him off again. "This isn't pity." I shook my head, tears forming once again. I was so mad at him. So mad that he just decided to sacrifice himself for me, so angry that he did so easily and willingly. " I don't want to exist in a world that doesn't have you in it, and I don't mean to either. I could never just sit back and watch you die. Not ever." I paused, his expression was unreadable. "Don't you get it? I LOVE YOU!"

There was silence. I hadn't intended to confess to him when I'd started this conversation, certainly not as angrily as I had, but I couldn't hold it back any longer. Aside from his eyes widening he'd shown no other emotion. It didn't matter, I didn't regret my words.

"You're being cruel." he growled.

Of all the things for him to say, that wasn't what I was expecting. "W-What?"

He shook his head and turned from me. "Just forget it Ines."

I rushed around and faced him again. "You think I'm lying?"

"I know you're lying." He grunted. I opened my mouth to argue but this time, he stopped me. "Don't say it again, not ever." He snapped. "I know you feel like you owe me something, but you don't.

"That's not-" I shook my head in bewilderment, my anger gone. "Quasi I swear it, that's not what-"

It is not possible!" He all but shouted. His face held no more anger, just intense, burning pain. This pain wasn't from his outer injuries, it was a lingering agony he'd been holding for so long, maybe his whole life. "Nobody has ever, not once loved me. I know what I am, I am not fated for love. And for it to be you of all people…"

"Of all people?" I jerked back. "What does that mean?"

"Just let it go, forget it." he murmured. He went to push past me but I stepped in front of him. "Ines, let me pass."

"No." I grunted.

"Ines." he warned.

" I SAID NO!" I snapped.

He scoffed and turned around. Desperately, I reached out and grabbed his hand. This stopped him in his tracks, his back tense, his hand stiff in mine.

"Look at me." I begged.

He didn't.

"Quasimodo, you look at me!" I demanded.

It took him a moment, but very slowly he turned to face me, his gaze lifting to meet mine. His pain still etched into his features.

I glanced down at our hands, my small one clinging to his. My mind raced as I tried to figure out what to say next.

My eyes met his once more and I lifted his hand, he didn't resist. I placed his palm over my heart and pressed it against my skin.

"Do you feel that?" I whispered.

He didn't respond.

"Do you feel how quickly it's beating? It's erratic isn't it?" His eyes narrowed as he focused on its rhythm, only nodding in response.

"It only does that, when I'm with you." I confessed. "I'm so sorry that anyone made you believe you were unlovable, but my heart is proof that that is not true." I searched his eyes, begging him to believe me. " I'm yours, I will always be yours, Quasimodo." I could see his resistance fading as I spoke, his hand still pressed to my chest. "My love comes with no conditions, you don't have to return it, I will care for you regardless. But you can't just die on me." My voice broke. "I can't live in a world without you Quasi. I just can't."

Quasi gazed at his hand, his expression unreadable. I sighed and went to let go when he tightened his grip.

"Wait." His voice was soft. My green eyes met his blue and I could see the hesitant hope reflected in them. He gingerly pulled our hands from my chest and placed my palm over his heart.

The erratic thrumming pulsated through my palm, It was wild and erratic, occasionally missing beats. I felt my breath quicken as I met his gaze.

"Nobody has ever loved me…for it to be you of all people…Ines." He paused. "From the moment you burst into this tower, into my life..I have loved you." His confession stumbled out of his mouth, like he needed to say it quickly lest he be unable to say it at all.

The softest smile broke across my face, The tears that had been gathering at the corners of my eyes threatened to spill over any moment. His expression matched. His eyes burning with adoration. nobody had ever looked at me as he looked at me now.

My hand traveled from his chest, my palm cupping his cheek. Quasi melted under my touch. The final strains of doubt and disbelief leaving him. He leaned into me, his hand went to mine enveloping it in his gentle grasp. My thumb caressed his cheekbone, my free hand moving to brush the stray red hairs back behind his ear.

A tear escaped his eye and cascaded down his cheek. "Oh, my love." I whispered, brushing it away. Quasi broke very slighly, his head bowing and more tears spilling from his eyes. I pressed my forehead to his, my tears spilling along with him.

We stood like this for a bit. To be so close to him, to revel in the knowledge of his love was all I'd ever wanted. As if on cue, we both opened our eyes, just a bit. He was so close, so wonderfully close. It was like breathing, we inched closer, and then our lips met.

The world had never been so bright, never been so beautiful as it was now. All my problems, all my responsibilities, everything melted away and all I knew was the touch, the smell, and the taste of my greatest love. Willow's death had split the earth beneath me and sent me into a blinding grief that left me gutted and hollow.

Quasimodo's love stitched me up, his presence healing the world around me. No longer would I be hollow, Not so long as I had him. My hand went to his tunic and pulled him closer.