Four years later, Gustave and Bella were twenty-six, Catherine was twelve, and Apollo, Aphrodite, and Demetrius were four.

"Can you believe how fast our children are growing up?" Christine asked Erik one day.

"It seems like it was just yesterday that Gustave was just this little boy and now he's a father. I feel so old," Erik laughed.

"You old? Never. Me on the other hand-"

"Stop right there. You will always be young and beautiful in my eyes," Erik interrupted.

"Father! Father! Look what I can do!" Aphrodite exclaimed. She played a couple notes on the piano.

Erik listened to his daughter intently and complimented, "Impressive, my little Angel."

Apollo sat next to his sister and began to play a song.

"Apollo, where did you learn that?" Erik asked in astonishment.

"I learned from watching you play," Apollo replied.

"Show off," Aphrodite muttered as she ran off to go find her nephew.

"Wait for me! Wait for me!" Apollo exclaimed as he took off after his sister.

Erik and Christine laughed merrily.

"They are something else, aren't they?" Christine asked.

"Definitely," Gustave replied, not taking his eyes off the paper.

"How has Demetrius been doing? He hardly ever leaves his room and he's very quiet," Erik commented.

"I think you just answered your own question," Bella replied. "He knows he's different."

"Who's different?" Catherine asked as she walked into the room.

"Demetrius," Gustave replied.

"Oh, he's just darling. Why, yesterday he told me-" Catherine began.

"He spoke?" Gustave asked his sister, cutting her off.

"Yes, he did. Why wouldn't he?" Catherine asked.

"He almost never speaks to us," Bella answered. "I'm just happy he knows how. For a while we though that he couldn't."

"Demetrius!" Catherine called.

"Cath, help!" Demetrius called. He ran into the room with Apollo and Aphrodite chasing after him.

Catherine lifted the boy into her arms. "Now, twins, we don't chase people when they don't want to be chased," she chided.

"But it's a part of the game," Aphrodite explained.

"We're playing tag," Apollo explained further.

"Then, why am I holding you?" Catherine asked Demetrius.

"Because I don't want to play," Demetrius replied, burying his face in his aunt's brown curls.

"Why don't the three of you play something else?" Catherine suggested.

"Okay. We'll play cards," Aphrodite decided.

Demetrius moaned. "Help me," he mouthed to Catherine as the twins dragged him away.

"Sorry," she mouthed back.

"Poor Demetrius," Christine laughed.

"Having to deal with Apollo and Aphrodite all day is certainly not easy," Erik added.

"I'm glad they love him so much," Gustave replied. "Whether he wants it or not, he needs their friendship."

Erik had taken a section of the paper and began to read. He immediately noticed an article on the Viscount. Erik reported to his family that Raoul's wife had died.

"How sad!" Christine exclaimed once Erik told the news. "Should we send flowers?"

"Why?" Erik questioned.

"Erik, his wife died."

"But it's Raoul."

"Yes, it's Raoul, and I know you hate him, but imagine if I died. Wouldn't you want people to send you flowers?"

"I suppose."

"Then, it's settled. We're sending the Viscount flowers. I'll do it tomorrow."

The adults continued to talk, but Catherine went back to her room.
Catherine longed to take Demetrius outside of the catacombs. She wanted him to have more friends than the two annoying twins known as Apollo and Aphrodite. However, she knew the dangers of taking him out. She knew how people might react to his little distorted face.

"Cath, can I come in?" Came a little voice from the other side of her door.

"Come in, Aphrodite," Catherine called.

Aphrodite entered the room. "Can I go shopping with you and Christy today?"

"I'm sorry, but I promised her it would be just the two of us. She has some personal issues that she wants to talk about with me," Catherine explained. "I'll take you out some other time."

Aphrodite walked away pouting.

Later that day, Catherine took seven-year-old Christy out to lunch and then to the shops. At lunch Catherine asked, "What was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Uncle Lucas is going to marry Monique. He told me yesterday. I don't know why, but it made me realize that I've never met my parents. Uncle Lucas told me of how they died," Christy reported. "Did you know them?"

"I knew your mother, Celeste LeBlanc, since I was born. She was actually dating my brother Gustave for a time. She left Gustave to go marry your father, Henri LeClair, whom I had only met once. From what I understand, he was a nice man. Your mother though, she was wonderful. She was a very loving person. You are very much like her."

Christy teared up at the mention of her parents. "I didn't know all that. Thank you, Catherine."

The two girls enjoyed the rest of their outing and returned to the opera house in high spirits.
Demetrius greeted Catherine at the door of the opera house.

"Demetrius! What are you doing here? You shouldn't be up here," she exclaimed.

"I came to say hi," Demetrius explained. He paused and then exclaimed, "Hi!"

"You can't be up here," Catherine repeated. "What if somebody sees you?"

"I hadn't thought about that."

"Clearly."

"Who's your friend?" Demetrius asked, gesturing towards Christy.

"This is Christine LeClair. Christy for short. This is Lucas's niece," Catherine introduced.

"It's lovely to make your acquaintance, Mademoiselle," Demetrius said with a little bow of his head.

"You must be Gustave's boy. It's lovely to meet you too. And your name is?" Christy asked.

"Demetrius. Demetrius Destler."

"I'm begging your pardon, but how old are you?"

"Four, Mademoiselle," Demetrius replied. "And yourself?"

"Seven. Well, I best get back to my uncle. He'll be worried sick I just know it," Christy laughed. "Thank you so much, Catherine. It was nice meeting you, Demetrius."

"The pleasure was all mine," the young boy beamed.

"Come, Demetrius. We must get you home before others see you," Catherine urged.

"Then let them see. What is there to hide?"

"You don't understand," Catherine pulled him into the shadows. She put a hand on the distorted side of his face and sang, "This haunted face holds no horror for me at all." She spoke, "It's in your soul that the true definition of your character lies, but not all know that."

"I'm sorry to have caused trouble," he replied solemnly.

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault. You didn't know any better. Come, we must return home. Those two little twin fools will be missing you," she said, picking up the small child, who buried his face in her shoulder.