Hey guys. Sorry for the delay in uploading this. Long story short, I took a week off to recharge my batteries.

I don't own Transformers or the Riordanverse; they belong to their owners.

Chapter 23: Thalia's Secret.

Two days after the failed energon mining operation, Hot Rod checked on Thalia in the kid's quarters and found her watching The Lion King again with a depressed look on her face.

"Hey Thalia…" Hot Rod said.

Thalia was quiet.

"Do you feel comfortable talking about what happened out there?" Hot Rod asked.

"I don't know…" Thalia admitted.

"I know this might sound ironic from a guy who used to be a champion racer," Hot Rod said. "But take your time."

Thalia giggled a bit. "No. No, it's okay," she said.

"So what happened?" Hot Rod asked, sitting down next to her.

"I don't like heights…" Thalia admitted.

"You mean you don't like being up in the sky?"

Thalia nodded. "Yeah. I'm terrified of being up too high," she explained. "The ground far away, the fear that at any moment you could go splat on it…"

"But your dad's the god of the sky, isn't he?" asked Hot Rod.

"...Yeah," Thalia said with some hesitation.

"So why-"

"I don't know, okay!?" Thalia answered. "I just am…"

"...I'm afraid of tight spaces." Hot Rod admitted.

"Hmmm?"

"I think it's called claustrophobia. Just being…locked up in one spot in a tiny room, unable to move. I hate it." Hot Rod explained.

"Yeah, but that makes sense for you," Thalia pointed out. "You like to move."

"I'm just trying to say everyone is scared of something." Hot Rod answered.

Thalia was quiet again.

"Hey Hot Rod?" said Chromia from behind.

Hot Rod stood up at attention. "What's up?"

"Ratchet found another energon deposit," Chromia explained. "We're heading off to collect it. You coming?"

Hot Rod looked back at Thalia. "Is it okay if I stay here?" he asked. "I think Thalia needs someone with her right now."

"Yeah, that's fine," Chromia said. "We could use someone back here to man the fort here anyway. I'll tell the others."

"Thanks, Chromia." Hot Rod said.

Chromia left, and Hot Rod went back to sitting next to Thalia, who gave him another smile. "Thanks," she said.

"So," Hot Rod said. "How about that Lion movie?"

The next two hours were spent by Thalia and Hot Rod marathoning a couple of Disney movies. Prowl and Annabeth had gone off on another supply run, and Luke was with the other Autobots helping them with the energon harvesting, leaving Hot Rod and Thalia on their own in the Ark-27.

After finishing up Aladdin, Thalia finally spoke up.

"Hot Rod, you've been a good friend to me."

"Huh? Oh um… Thanks," Hot Rod said awkwardly.

Thalia nodded. "And that's why I wanna show you something."

"Okay, what?" Hot Rod asked.

"I need your ground bridge to take us somewhere in California," Thalia explained.

"Sure." Hot Rod said, but he still wasn't sure what this was about.

Hot Rod and Thalia stepped through the ground bridge portal that had opened at the place Thalia requested, Glen Ellen, California. The place they were dropped off at was a massive forested park with a ruined building in the center.

It wasn't very busy today, so Hot Rod felt comfortable staying in his robot mode. He looked at a plaque near the ruined building.

"The Wolf House." Hot Rod read.

"Yeah…" Thalia murmured.

"Okay. So why have you brought us here?" Hot Rod asked.

Thalia looked down. Her hands were in the jacket pockets of her leather coat and she squirmed uncomfortably. She looked close to tears again.

"Thalia?"

"Sorry, I just…"Thalia trailed off. "I need a minute."

"Why?"

Thalia took a deep breath. "Because this is the place my brother Jason was taken away from me…"

Hot Rod's optics widened, and he looked down at Thalia. "I…You have a brother?" he asked.

"Had…" Thalia said sadly.

Hot Rod was quiet. He sat down next to the pensive-looking Thalia. "So what happened?" he asked.

"I told you before about my mom, Beryle Grace?" Thalia asked. "And how my dad for a while came back to see her when I was a kid?"

Hot Rod nodded.

"Well… that's when Jason was born," Thalia explained. "He was… he was the cutest kid ever. He had blond hair and blue eyes like mine." She gave a small laugh. "I remember this one time when he was a baby he tried to eat a stapler."

"Heh." Hot Rod laughed.

Thalia took on a sad expression again. "But like I said before, mom knew dad was Zeus, and it drove her insane after he left again. Honestly, I would have run away a lot sooner than I did if it wasn't for Jason. I didn't trust mom to take care of him. When the monsters started attacking me, Mom blamed Hera for it. Saying it was retribution for having two demigod kids in the same family."

"Hera is Zeus's wife, right?" Hot Rod asked.

"Yeah."

"So was she sending monsters after you?"

"I don't know, and I don't care. In the end, it doesn't matter," Thalia admitted. "In any case, Mom started trying to do all this stuff to appease Hera and make sure she didn't hurt us anymore. It's even the reason Jason had that name—because Hera liked it."

"So did she find a way to stop the monsters from coming?" Hot Rod asked.

Thalia hesitated.

"Thalia?"

Thalia took another deep breath and continued. "When Jason was two, Mom took us here on vacation. I should have known something was up; she never took us anywhere. After we walked around for a bit, Mom told me to get the picnic basket from the car. I did, and... and... when I came back, Jason was gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Hot Rod exclaimed.

"I mean gone! I don't know!" Thalia shouted as tears welled up in her eyes. "Mom was just sitting there crying on some steps, saying Hera had taken Jason, and he was as good as dead. I spent the rest of the day looking around the park frantic for him everywhere until mom dragged me back, kicking and screaming."

"I don't remember everything that happened during the next few days. I remember being hysterical, calling the police, the police questioning Mom for a long time... and then Mom accusing me of betraying her; like she was the only one who mattered; like she hadn't given my brother away!" Thalia's voice dripped with anger and grief at the end of her last sentence.

"So that was the last straw. I left and never looked back…" Thalia was openly crying now, unable to hold back her emotions.

Hot Rod was silent for a bit. "I'm sorry, Thalia."

Thalia sniffed. "It's my fault. It's all my fault…"

"No, it's not." Hot Rod said. "Why would you say that?"

"Because I left Jason alone!" Thalia cried. "I knew I shouldn't have left him alone with Mom, but I did! 'It was only for a few minutes', I told myself, 'It'll be okay.' But it wasn't, and now he's gone!"

Thalia sat down and looked at the ground. "I didn't… I didn't tell anyone about him because it was too painful," she admitted. "Not even Annabeth and Luke..."

"Do you have any idea what happened to him?" Hot Rod asked.

"No…" Thalia sniffed again. "He could be alive, dead, or worse... and it's my fault..." she repeated. She let out another big sob. "I'm a bad sister," she muttered.

Hot Rod was quiet, unsure what to say. He let Thalia sit there and cry for a while.

Finally, he spoke up. "Maybe he's still out there somewhere.".

"What?" Thalia asked.

"I bet we can figure out what happened to him. It might take some time, but we could do it." Hot Rod said.

Thalia gave a small but hopeful smile in between the tears. "You really think so?" she asked.

"Hey, back then you didn't have a giant alien robot with advanced tech to help you out," Hot Rod laughed. "Now you do. It might take a while, but if we can find the Allspark, I'm sure we can figure out what happened to your brother."

"So... you'll help me find him?" Thalia asked, her smile getting bigger. "After we find the Allspark?"

"Yeah." Hot Rod nodded. "Promise."

Thalia wordlessly jumped up and gave Hot Rod a big hug on his chest. "Thanks, Hot Rod," she said. "Thanks for being here for me."

Hot Rod returned the hug being as gentle as possible. "Thalia Grace, I'm always going to be there for you," he promised.

Just then the sound of thunder crackled around them. Hot Rod and Thalia looked up and saw a massive thundercloud had formed in the sky. It was almost certain that rain was about to come pouring down.

"I think it's about time we got back to the ship." Hot Rod said as he put Thalia down on the ground. "Ready to head back, Thalia?"

But Thalia was quiet. She just kept gazing at the stormcloud.

"You okay?"

"Huh? Oh Sorry…" Thalia muttered. "I just remembered something my mom used to tell me and Jason."

"What's that?" asked Hot Rod.

Thalia closed her eyes and clenched her fist. "Don't fear a storm… it's your father's way of telling you that he loves you…"

About a day later, The Autobots finally had the energon they needed, and thanks to the hard work of Charles and his siblings, the Ark-27 was finally ready for flight again.

But before they could do that, it was time for the Autobots to see their new friends off; everyone had gathered by the entrance of the Ark-27 to say goodbye.

"Thank you for all your help, human Charles Beckendorf and siblings," Optimus said.

"Yeah. We really appreciate it." Ratchet added.

"And thank you for not coming along," Sunstreaker muttered. "I don't think I could take another slimy organic coming with us."

Charles laughed. "I think we should be the ones thanking you," he said. "Working with and examining alien tech is a privilege."

"Coolest thing I've ever done," said Holly.

"It totally is," said Annabeth.

"Sorry, we don't have any leftover energon for you, though," Ratchet added.

After all the goodbyes were said, the Autobots walked back inside the Ark-27. Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth were about to follow behind when Charles grabbed Luke's hand. "Hey, Luke. Wait," he said.

Luke sighed. "What?" he asked.

"You know that offer to come to Camp Half-Blood with us is still open," Charles said.

"Not interested," Luke stated firmly.

"You sure?" Charles asked. "It's got everything: training grounds, a huge forest to explore, a rock climbing wall with flamethrowers…"

"A what?" asked Annabeth.

"You'll have to see it for yourself." Charles laughed.

Luke's eyes narrowed, and he scowled. "Did Dad ask you to give the offer?"

Charles gave an awkward look.

"Yeah. I thought so…" Luke muttered. He began to walk back inside.

Thalia turned to Charles. "Sorry, Charlie," she said. "Luke's relationship with his dad is—"

"No. Don't worry. I get it." Charles said. "Believe me. He's not the only one."

"Look," said Thalia. "We'll consider the offer, but right now... the Autobots need us, okay?"

"I understand." Charles nodded. "I have one last question though."

"Sure," Thalia answered.

"Who's your godly parent?" Charles asked. "I never saw it mentioned with you…"

Thalia crossed her arms. "Classified," she answered.

Surprisingly, Charles seemed to understand that too and nodded. "See you guys another time," he said.

With that, he and the rest of his siblings turned and left.

Everyone sat at their stations onboard the Ark-27, ready for take off.

Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth were sitting down on some old car seats the Autobots had found lying around in a junkyard. They were buckled up and secured inside them, ready for the rough lift-off.

Hot Rod looked down at Thalia. "You okay, Thalia?" he asked.

Thalia gave out a nervous laugh. "I'm a little scared to be flying, not gonna lie," she admitted.

"You know me and you can travel the old-fashioned way on the roads if you're really uncomfortable with it." Hot Rod pointed out.

"No. I'll be good." Thalia assured. "As long as I got you guys looking out for me."

Hot Rod smiled.

"Ready?" asked Optimus from his command chair.

"All systems go," Ratchet reported.

"Ignition!" declared Optimus.

With that, the engines of the Ark-27 came to life, and the ship began to rise into the air vertically.

"So awesome!" Annabeth cheered.

As the ship rose up and then began flying forward, Thalia gripped her seat as tightly as she could. Like she had said though, she could handle it. In her heart, she knew that as long as she had her friends by her side, she would be fine.

And she would do anything for them.

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