All had been going well, and suddenly Alannah's expression fell. Dimitri hadn't noticed, he was looking at his parents in the moment. He noticed Jillian's expression fade, which was a very deep rarity. His head titled back to Alannah as her voice faded into what was almost a whisper. His own expression faded too, especially as she let her hair hang in front of her face. He hadn't ever seen her like this, after all it had only been a month. But he immediately knew that he hated it, her sorrow rubbed off on him immediately. He didn't even check to look at his dad's fallen expression, he was too busy moving in front of Alannah and wrapping his arms around her, the one that had her hand slightly less tightly so that her arm was comfortable. He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered gently. "It's okay, Alannah."<br/><br/>There was no way for him to be certain of what was eating away at her. Maybe she just felt like a monster or a misfit. Dimitri remembered having feelings of belonging nowhere back when they'd first met in the ocean. He'd forgotten during the better part of this month that him and Alannah were different from the rest of the world. Nothing else besides her had mattered, he didn't spend any time thinking no one else was like him. He wasn't even sure if this was what was eating away at her, that mermaids weren't normal. All he knew was that he wanted her to be happy again.<br/><br/>He continued to cling to her, Jillian herself was beginning to feel guilty. She stepped forward, her usual self was more than willing to invade personal space, but she wouldn't dare be so careless when it was about a problem she cause. Especially a problem to someone his son cared for very much. She placed her hand on Alannah's shoulder and spoke much more gently than usual.<span style="color: #008040">"Alannah, I'm so deeply sorry if I struck a nerve. I need you to know that my intentions weren't anything like that. I want you to think of us and our home as welcoming and warm. I want you to feel wanted and welcomed here."</span>