Return to the Mountains

Prophecy of Unicron

Summary: The continuation of Dragoon Galaxy's Blooming Mountain Love. Coby and Lori's parents don't take the news of their new relationship too well. To escape the tension, the couple leave for the mountains again, only to find out that Coby being absorbed into the Matrix carries a price.

Chapter 3: That Sinking Feeling

Coby rolled over in his bed and sighed. They were allowed to go, but he and Lori had to wait for tomorrow before they could leave on their next camping trip. Much of what they had taken before had been stepped on by the Decepticons, so he and Lori had to return to their homes to get new equipment. They even went shopping for a new tent, something that was surprisingly enjoyable for him.

Though he did wonder why Lori had to buy those earrings. At least she used her own credit card. How she had one in the first place was anyone's guess.

Closing his eyes, Coby shifted into a comfortable position. Instinctively, he reached out for the one person who wasn't there. Feeling only his own bed sheets, he reminded himself that Lori was sleeping at her own house, that she wasn't there. Suddenly, he wasn't so comfortable anymore.

Damn, he thought. After cuddling her in her underwear one night, and then having sex with her two nights, I can't sleep without Lori next to me. I hope I'm not becoming physically obsessed with her. I love her, and I don't want to think about her like that. Sure, she has an amazing body, but that's just icing on the cake. I love her for who she is.

Frustrated, Coby climbed out of his bed and put his robe on. Quietly, he went downstairs into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Grabbing one of his favorite sodas, he sat down at the table and began drinking it.

The light turned on, and Coby turned to see his father in his own robe in the doorway. "Can't sleep?" his dad asked.

Coby shook his head, "Nope. Every time I start to doze off, I instinctively start to try to hold Lori, but she isn't there."

"Ironic that she's just up the mountain from us," his dad remarked. "So close, yet so far away."

"Yea, dad," Coby chuckled. "I'd use the goggles you gave me to check on her, but they don't work in the dark."

"Rest easy, knowing that she's safe at home," his father said. "While I am disappointed that you didn't wait until you were older to make her yours, your determination to protect her shows your commitment. I can't change what happened, but I hope I can help you obtain a good future. Be good to her, and you'll always be with her. And you had better be good to her, or else." His dad grinned teasingly.

Coby grinned and saluted, "Yes, sir!"

His father chuckled, "Finish that drink and go back to bed. You'll see her tomorrow, and more of her throughout the trip I bet."

"DAD!" Coby exclaimed, turning bright red.

"One thing about having a girlfriend, son, you don't get to avoid teasing from anyone, not even your parents."

Lori woke up screaming. She instantly hugged the sheets closer to herself, suddenly wishing that Coby was beside her to comfort her. The nightmare had scared her so badly, she suddenly felt like she was little again.

The door to her bedroom opened and her mom looked in, asking, "What happened?"

"Sorry, Mom. I just had a nightmare," Lori said.

"Do you want to talk about it?" her mom asked, sitting down on the bed next to her daughter.

Lori nodded, snuggling into her mother's embrace. "Coby didn't save me. In my dream, I watched him try so hard, but Megatron killed him. And then…" Lori began to cry, shaking with fear. "He reconstructed Coby's body and entered it, and then he… hurt me, over and over and over again."

Her mom rubbed her shoulder, "It's all right, Lori. It was just a bad dream. Coby saved you. You are all right."

"I wish Coby was here," Lori said.

"I know, but you'll see him tomorrow," her mom said. "Everything will be all right. He'll be good to you."

"I know he will, because he is," Lori said, chuckling. She absentmindedly began to finger the ring on her hand. "You're not mad that I'm engaged to him, are you?"

Her mother shook her head, "No. It's not like I can do anything about it anyway. I am worried, however, that you said yes because…" She trailed off.

Lori instantly knew what her mother was talking about and grabbed a bottle of pills off of her nightstand. "Don't worry, I've been taking these for months now."

"That's good," her mom sighed in relief. "Make sure you take them with you."

"I will," Lori promised.

"Do you have any ideas as to what is going to happen, sir?" Red Alert asked.

Optimus Prime shook his head, "None. He may end up with Megatron's powers, like you hypothesized, but I don't know about anything else."

Red Alert nodded, "What about Primus?"

"I'll return to Cybertron and talk to him, he might know," Optimus promised.