A/N: OK, there might be a little Charah, but not right now. I want to see what happens between Chuck and the machine and the interaction between her and his family and handlers. And since I semi-rehabbed the RatBastard in my last fic I might use him for the Greater Good once again, but not sure. Bear with me. The effects of last evening's discussions with the 3 J's has clouded my posting skills ergo this 2nd 'new' story. Sorry for the fubar.

Chuck vs the Terminatrix

Burbank, CA
Resistance Bunker
2020

"The process is energizing, Bryce. There's still time to back out, send another. You don't have to do this. He's already told you it will create a paradox that may have disastrous consequences. The fact that we're here, now, tells us that this will fail, has failed. He was your best friend and my husband but he would not have condoned throwing your life away to try and save him from his fate."

"But if I hadn't sent him the damned intersect in the first place none of this would have happened. 6 billion people would still be alive. He would still be alive."

We can't go back that far, Bryce. Tachyon physics has limitations. We're dangerously close to that limit right now. The second Holocaust is an historical fact, Bryce, we can't change it. Chuck's gone and with him went our one best hope of defeating SkyNet."

"I have to try."

He was gone in a flash of light, never to return.

Burbank, CA
2007

Chuck had just completed folding up all the shipping cartons that his subordinates had shoved into every nook and cranny of the warehouse unit in the back of the BuyMore and had palletized them for pickup by the recycling service. Tomorrow he'd have words with his subordinates. Strong words. Not that it would do any good. Some things never change.

As he was walking back to the loading dock a strong hot wind sprang up and blew through the alley. Electrical discharges struck the metal barriers and dumpsters. A bright sphere of light appeared and Chuck was mesmerized. He couldn't move. It was a combination of fascination with a very unnatural phenomena and near-crapping-in-his-pants fear. The sphere grew brighter and hotter and expanded to twice it's original diameter and then exploded without sound or energy. He stared at the spot where the sphere had been and was startled to see a young woman kneeling in its place. She had long brown hair and was totally bare-assed naked.

He took off his jacket and knelt down beside the woman and draped the jacket across her shoulders.

"Hey, are you alright?" No response. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his iPhone to call 911 and then alert his teammates. A warm hand covered his and an angelic voice said "No, no calls. I need to find Professor Charles Bartowski. Take me to him. Now," and she closed her hand over his and squeezed.

"I'm Chuck Bartowski. I need to call 911 and get you some help."

"No, we have to get out of here. Another may be coming through in pursuit. You are Professor Charles Bartowski, attended Stanford University and will be awarded the first doctorate in Theoretical Image Matrices; your AI programs form the basis of a system of defense called SkyNet; your Mark 3 Intersect Mutating AI will enable SkyNet to achieve awareness and in…"

"Who the hell are you? Are you Fulcrum? State your mission and agency." He'd heard Casey say that once to an infiltrator. Didn't get any response but it sounded cool as hell and he'd always wanted to say it."

"I am T-1015, Terminator, Intelligence Acquisition and Infiltration Unit, Female, Full Function. My mission is to locate Professor Bartowski and protect him from premature termination until 2015."

"Why? And why are you naked. Oh, shit, let's get you some clothes. You'll catch your death out here."

"This unit is hermetically sealed and is resistant to infestation by biological entities. My synthskin is fully functional from –40C to 85C. "

"Well, I think you need clothes. You should not make yourself conspicuous. Bad for your cover. What's your name?"

"I am T-1015 Terminator, Intelligence Acquisition and Infiltra…"

"I got that. What's your name? Um, personal designation? What do I call you?"

"Anything you like. I am programmed to only follow your orders unless those orders contradict the orders given by my Executor."

"Do you have a preference? Any human name you heard that you liked?"

"No."

"God, you're a big help. Ok, T- 10, shit, you're Tina. Simple, short, not easily forgotten. Acceptable to you?"

"Of course, I shall respond to Tina. We should get away from this place. Pursuit is logical and I have no weapons with which to protect you, Professor Charles Bartowski."

"Um, just Chuck. Friends call me Chuck. Since you're here because of me, call me Chuck."

"Acceptable. My Executor told me as much. She said you did not put much stock in formality."

"Executor, what or who is that?"

"The human who reprogrammed me. She is the Executor of this unit. I was disabled while infiltrating a compound of the human resistance. She repaired me and reprogrammed my purpose."

Another gust of hot air hit the alley and loading dock. The electrical discharges started to build.

"We must leave. Another Terminator unit is in pursuit and I have no weapons."

"I can handle that. Follow me." He grabbed her hand and ran into the BuyMore and locked the dock doors.

He led her into the employee locker room and opened up his locker and pulled on the coat hook in the interior wall. The bay of lockers swung away revealing a small, narrow room with a ladder going down to the subbasement and the tunnel that led from the BuyMore to the Castle.

"You said you were infiltrating a resistance compound? What was your original mission?"

"To capture or kill the Human Intersect before he could infect SkyNet with a destructive virus that would corrupt its programs and render it inactive."

The irony was not lost on Chuck. His laugh was bitter. "It seems all the women in my life want to either control me or kill me." He wished he'd brought a flashlight. The 50 yard long tunnel was dark but a straight shot to the Castle. Hard to get lost.

"So, Term…, shit, sorry Tina, just how do we explain your presence in my life?"

"I am a fully-functional female. I can ingest human food, eliminate waste, and perform all bodily functions of the normal human female. If required, I can simulate menstruation. My blood type is A+ and my skin cells will appear completely human under all but examination via electron microscope. My hair will grow approximately ¼ inch per month provided I have ingested sufficient materials to produce the proteins and other compounds necessary for human hair growth and development. I can even have 'bad hair days' and split ends."

He stumbled in the dark corridor. He didn't see that one coming. It was black as the bottom of a well at midnight. Tina grabbed his upper arm and kept him from falling after tripping on his own feet.

"I am fully functional, Chuck. I have pleasure/pain receptors and can 'enjoy' interactive physical contact through biofeedback although my experience is lacking in that area and I will require significant quantities of quality interaction to perfect my responses.

"I shall be your real girlfriend, Chuck."

EndPrologueterminatrix2