That deep soothing sound of his voice had won her over years ago and it was working on doing so again, she almost believed him; truly wanted to believe him. He was here for some other reason beside Hera's terrible misjudgment, the one that had cost her a future she had wanted so desperately, had wanted him.

She went to put down the blank file, eyes watching it as she did until his words rang in her ears 'about that night'. Her chin jutted out and she tried to remain as impassive as possible. "I think you said enough that night. I got the- jist of it." With tense shoulders and an even tenser jaw, Cora stood ready to let him out. She wouldn't let him hurt her again. Even though it was her job to help others get past unpleasentries from their memory, she had never been able to leave him behind. She had cared about him too much and the words had cut too deep, she wasn't anxious to feel it again.

Only, Cora managed to take one step before her voice got sort of far away. "Hephaestus? He was, a victim of two stubborn and selfish parents." Cora suddenly wanted him out. Out out out. If he had any access to where Hephaestus was she didn't want to know. Hera made no fewer then a constant string of desperate requests to find him; they ranked only under Zeus and Ares, and with Zeus found....

"Gabriel. Leave. Please, please leave. I can't," her voice dropped to almost an insurmountable whisper, "let her do this. Not again."