Pandora stared in complete shock at her reflection. It was mostly the same. Her fair skin, which was slightly paler than her normal complexion at the moment. Her blue eyes, which were wider in shock at the moment. But the one difference was what had her staring.

Her normally golden blonde hair was a light, sky blue.

All she could do was gape at her reflection, unable to react.

"I mean, that doesn't necessarily mean anything." Carlos pointed out weakly. "Hades can't be the only God or Goddess with blue hair. Right?" he asked Herkie, who nodded slowly, his wide eyes still fixed on Pandora's hair.

"Right. Um, I mean, there's Hermes." he stuttered.

Pandora blinked and looked over at him with wide eyes. "Seriously? Hermes?" she repeated dully.

"Okay, yeah, that one's almost as unlikely as Hades." Herkie relented. Hermes was kind of like that weird uncle that tries to be "hip" and fit in with the kids.

"Okay, here's an unlikely idea that I'm just going to throw out there." Carlos announced. "Don't punch me. I'm just spitballing. Are there any Goddesses with blue hair? Like, you know…maybe your mom…isn't your mom?" he suggested hesitantly.

Pandora blinked a few times.

"Yeah, that's unlikely." Herkie answered, pulling out his phone and showing them a photo he had taken a while back of Pandora and Persephone.

"Okay, safe to say she's your mom." Evie agreed. "You two could be sisters."

Pandora nodded slightly. She did resemble her mom a lot.

"Plus your powers are really similar to your mom's." Jay pointed out.

"Maybe you should call your mom?" Evie suggested gently. "I think you need to talk to her about this. She's probably the only person who can give you the answers you're looking for."

Pandora pursed her lips for a moment. There was no way her mother would willingly give her those answers.

And there was at least one other person who had to know the truth.

Pandora snatched her purse off the floor, digging around until she found her cell phone. She stood and walked a few feet away, scrolling through her contacts until she found who she was looking for. When the phone started ringing the first time, she glanced at the others, who were watching her curiously. Acknowledging they deserved to know what was being said, she put the phone on speaker so they could all hear.

He picked up on the fourth ring. "Pandora?" he asked eagerly.

Herkie's brows shot up into his hairline.

She took a deep breath before answering, "Hi, Zeus."

"Where have you been?" he demanded. "We've been worried sick about you. I was about ready to send a search party for you."

"That won't be necessary. I'm perfectly safe. I'm with friends." she answered softly. "Is my mother there?"

"No, she just stepped out. I can-"

"No. I don't want to talk to her at the moment. I need to talk to you." Pandora cut him off.

"Okay?" he answered warily. "What about?"

Pandora took a deep breath, glancing over and meeting Mal's eyes.

"Is Hades my father?"

There were several moments of silence that grew tenser by the moment. Part of Pandora wondered if his silence alone answered her question.

"What gave you that idea?" Zeus finally asked quietly.

"Oh, a few things have kind of hinted at it." Pandora answered sarcastically. "The big one being, oh I don't know, that I have blue hair."

She could almost feel him wince. "Ah. Noticed that, did you?"

Her nostrils flared as her anger grew.

"What makes you think I would know the answers to your questions?" Zeus asked. "Surely your mother-"

"My mom wouldn't give me a straight, honest answer if her life depended on it." Pandora argued. "And don't act like you know nothing about this. You're Zeus, the ruler of Olympus. Nothing happens on that mountain or to it's inhabitants without you knowing about it. Is Hades my father?" she demanded.

Zeus sighed, and was silent for several moments before answering.

"Yes."

All the fight drained out of her. Her shoulders sagged and her knees got weak. She carefully sat back down on her chair, turning and resting her elbows on the table as she stared blankly ahead. It was confirmed. Zeus wouldn't lie, at least if he were to lie, he'd be giving her the opposite answer. He wouldn't tell her Hades was her father if it wasn't true. That just wouldn't make sense.

"How?" she croaked before clearing her throat. "How is that even possible? He was locked up on the Isle before I was born."

"Dora, I get that you want answers." Zeus told her gently. "But it's not my place to explain all that to you. Please, just come home and talk to your mom. Honestly, this is something you've both needed to talk about a long time ago, but she just wanted to protect you."

"Protect me?" she laughed sarcastically. "From what? Knowledge? Knowing where I come from? Knowing who my father is? Do you know how much that could have helped me growing up?"

"It could have done more harm than good." Zeus pointed out. "If people knew Hades was your father they would have judged you for his crimes. They could have isolated you, and your mom for associating with him. Obviously I would have protected you, but I can't force our people to change how they feel."

Pandora swallowed the lump in her throat, not wanting to admit that he had a point. "Who else knows?" she asked instead. "Meg? Hercules?" If her Aunt Meg knew that would almost hurt more than anyone else.

"No, we kept it as quiet as we could. Besides me and your mother, Demeter and Hermes know. Under the circumstances, they needed to be informed."

Pandora swallowed thickly. Her grandmother knew. She should have known, after all, wouldn't most women in this situation want to talk to their mothers? But that didn't explain Hermes.

"Why Hermes?" she asked.

"I can't explain that without getting into how everything happened. And that really is something you should discuss with your mom." Zeus told her.

Pandora groaned, her forehead falling into her palm.

"Dora, just come home and we can all discuss this. I'll make sure Persephone answers your questions." Zeus swore.

Pandora sucked in a deep breath. "I-I don't think…I need some time to think. Just give me a few days. I'm safe, you don't need to send anyone looking for me."

Zeus sighed. "Okay. I understand. But don't wait too long, your mother's very worried about you. If I don't hear from you in a few days I am sending someone to find you." he swore.

Pandora sighed quietly. "Yeah, okay. Bye Uncle Zeus."

"Bye kiddo. Love you."

Pandora hung up the phone, her hand falling to the tabletop.

It was silent for a while, which grew tense and awkward, though Pandora didn't even notice. She was too lost in her own thoughts to notice anyone else.

Finally, Herkie broke the silence by clearing his throat. "So,…now what?" he asked quietly, glancing over at his cousin. Or was it second cousin, or-? Whatever.

Pandora took in a deep breath, trying to focus on the moment instead of the thoughts racing through her mind. "I don't know." she admitted quietly. "I think…I think I'm just going to go to bed."

"Are you sure?" Evie asked worriedly. "I was just going to order some pizza, the kids are really excited about trying it."

Pandora forced a small smile. "I'm not that hungry. But it's fine. You guys should eat. I'm just going to my-your-you know which room it is." she rambled slightly, standing and leaving the room. She crossed the small cottage and headed up the narrow staircase. Instead of turning right toward the room she'd been staying in the past few days, she turned left toward the master bedroom.

Evie's large queen sized bed took up almost a third of the room, along with the vanity and closet, as well as the small cot against the wall that had Pandora's bag on it. She changed quickly into her pajamas, ones Evie had insisted on making her, and climbed onto the cot. Though sleep was the farthest thing from her mind.

AN: Happy Memorial Day!

I hope everyone liked the big reveal. Pandora finally knows for sure who her father is, though I'm sure most of you guessed who it was already. The big question is: how did it happen? Any theories?

The next few chapters are going to be a bit on the slow side, mostly Pandora bonding with several people, including the new VKs. But there will be a few somewhat important details in those chapters to hopefully make up for it.

Review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! Any theories on how Hades managed to father Pandora from the Isle?