"Apollo...Aphrodite...I...it's that...I just wish..." Demetrius stuttered.

   "Come, Demetrius. Just tell us," Aphrodite urged.

   "You've been spending much time with Vincent and Alice. That's alright, it's just...I wish you were around more. That's all. You play with the Gastons an awful lot and, well...I was hoping that...maybe sometime you would include me," Demetrius explained and then quickly added, "and Mia too."

   "I suppose we could arrange that," Apollo pondered. "You do have a mask, don't you?"

   "Somewhere, yes."

   "Good. Don't wear it. They won't like it one bit."

   "Noted."

   The twins arranged that the next day, Demetrius and Mia would be introduced to the Gaston siblings. Vincent and Alice were very excited, for they had never fully gotten to meet Demetrius. The Gastons only saw him every now and then when they joined the Destlers for dinner. Even then, he wore his mask, so they never got to see the right side of his face. Vincent and Alice were told of how Demetrius's face was distorted just like Erik's, but they weren't at all afraid, for they had seen Erik's face behind the mask. The siblings didn't think it was at all abhorrent, and they were certain that if Demetrius's distortion was not as bad as Erik's that he would look just fine.
   The next day came and Demetrius and Mia were escorted into Vincent and Alice's room.
   Demetrius introduced himself and his friend.

   "Hello. My name is Vincent and this is my sister Alice. It's very nice to properly meet you, Demetrius."

   "Yes, and it's very nice to meet you, Mia," Alice added.

   The small group spent a few hours together before the Destlers and Mia departed.

   "They're nice," Mia remarked as they made their way through the catacombs.

   "Yes," Demetrius agreed. Turning toward the twins he added with hesitation, "But that wasn't really what I was going to say when I went to talk to you guys yesterday. What I wanted was-"

    Mia felt that these words were not meant for her ears and she decided to take her leave. "It's getting late. I should go back to my room. See you later, Demetrius," Mia said, embracing her friend.

   Demetrius made no replied. He continued, "What I wanted to tell you was that I miss you both. You are always out gallivanting with Vincent and Alice and I'm always left alone. I hardly get to see Mia, for she has been continuously rehearsing for an opera."

   "Chorus girl?" Apollo inquired.

   "Yes. You see, I'm rather lonely without the two of you," Demetrius finished.

   "I thought you hated us always bugging you. That's why we went out to make new friends," Aphrodite replied.

   "I didn't always like it, but I liked having you around. You're constant disturbances made me remember that I wasn't alone and that you were always there for me whether I wanted you to be or not."

   "We still are. Nothing's changed," Apollo reminded.

   "But now you have other friends. Before you met the Gastons, you would come to me if you wanted to play. Now, it's 'Let's go see what Vincent and Alice are doing,' and you forget me completely," Demetrius argued.

   Aphrodite kissed her nephew on the cheek. "We are always here. Whenever you want to talk or spend time with us or play, you can just let us know."

   "We'll drop everything," Apollo added.

   "Thank you. That means a lot," Demetrius replied.

   "Come, let's go for a swim," Aphrodite urged.