Gabriel realized that he had missed Cora, craved her. He had missed that undeniable connection they had but time and too many other things had come between them. Now it seemed that they would be separated by Greek gods and confusing family history. He tried to ignore the pang of emotion that the kiss brought, instead of feeling he let Hephaestus take control.
Hephaestus stared at the mortal form of his mother, searching her eyes for the goddess within. He had loved his mother with the unconditional love that he seemed to have an abundance of. The love of a son for his parent and yet, he had always been rebuked. He had worked to gain their acceptance but had always been on the edge of their circle. Because of his deformity, because of Hera and her pride. Not even his beloved wife had accepted his love and devotion.
"As opposed to deformed as before." He flinched away from the touch. He had awoken within the body of a near perfect mortal, strong and handsome. He had a limp because of an injury that would heal but his new mortal vessel was everything he was not in his life. He planned to keep it. To take the body and find immortality within it. "And you are perfect as always." He looked around the room, at her desk. "And my father? Have you found your husband?"