Disclaimer: I don't own anything, please don't sue me!
A/N: Italics are the other side of a phone conversation. From Now We Go On!
October 29, 2007 16:15 PST
Los Angeles, California, Earth
Sarah, John, Cameron, Derek, two deactivated Terminators, their material possessions, four Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and a potent arsenal materialized in the backyard of a rather large house in a suburb of Los Angeles. The property was fenced off, and there was a shed in said backyard. Sarah, John, and Derek stood where they arrived, blinking quickly in an attempt to shake off the disorientation inherent to being teleported.
Cameron was the first to recover, given that it was but a momentary interruption of her systems. She synchronized her internal chronometer with the atomic clock transmissions, then went to determine if anyone had seen their arrival. She looked at the neighboring homes with her vision in infrared mode, but detected no heat signatures that resembled humans or Terminators.
Sarah took stock of the place, then sarcastically said, "Well, this is convenient. Fences, a shed, and a large house. Makes me wonder who or what built this place."
"Cam, is anyone else around?"
"For the moment, no. I'm going to put our metal friends in the shed before anyone sees them."
Derek replied, "Yeah, you do that."
John said, "I'll help you, Cameron."
She chuckled and asked him, "Can you throw 400 pounds over your shoulders?"
He sighed and muttered, "No, sadly."
Sarah simply said, "Looks like some weight training would be in order. Later, though. Right now we need to get our stuff inside. Derek, John, you're on weapons detail. I'll get the bikes out of the weather."
Cameron had picked up Carter and was moving him to the shed when she saw the arsenal laid out all around the shed. "The weapons are in here."
"All right then. John, get what little survived from the other place and your gear inside. Derek, check the perimeter."
Derek saluted Sarah, said, "Yes Ma'am," and went to make sure no one was headed their way.
Sarah thought to herself, 'I hate it when he does that.' She grabbed one of the bikes and maneuvered it around to the front, where she noticed the two-car garage. 'That's handy. I wonder if either Durandal or the Resistance built this place. If Durandal built it, then he's awfully quick about it. If the Resistance built it, then John must have sent the mastermind from the future. Either way, this is convenient.'
Derek returned at that moment and told her, "No one's around, just like the tin can said. Nice garage."
"Yes, this whole place is pretty convenient so far. My question is, who or what built it?"
"No idea. No one ever said anything about this place, not even John."
"This just gets better the more we talk about it. Care to lend a hand?"
"Just line 'em up in the garage?"
"That'll do for now."
Derek walked around the house and grabbed one of the other bikes. He saw John and asked him, "What do you think of this place?"
"I haven't seen the inside yet, but I'm already wondering who built it. This is just way too convenient for how our lives usually go."
"Tell me about it." Derek then walked the bike around to the garage.
16:30
Inside the house, Sarah and Derek were giving themselves a tour. Upstairs, Sarah noticed the four equally-sized, and master-sized, bedrooms.
She turned to Derek and asked, "Now I'm definitely wondering about who built the place. Queen size beds? And what kind of mattresses are these?"
"Tempur-Pedics. My parents had one of these before."
Sarah quipped, "In all of the rooms. I'm starting to think that a computerized mind designed and furnished the place."
He replied, "Well, that could mean either reprogrammed metal, or Durandal."
"At least there's plenty of space here."
John and Cameron sat on the loveseat in the spacious living room, he on her left and each with an arm around the other. They had taken their own tour while the adults were moving the vehicles. John asked her, "What kind of weaponry did Durandal leave us?"
Cameron, in her usual monotone, replied, "Fusion guns and pistols. I also saw some belts in there. I'll say more on that subject when everyone's in here."
John sighed and said, "Okay then. So, the other day... talk about crazy."
"Do you mean our date, or when we met Dave and Durandal?"
"I was thinking of our old place getting blown up. Do you have any idea how Carter and Cromartie would have found it?"
"I have no evidence that would indicate they followed us."
"Huh. I still wonder about it."
Cameron snuggled closer to him and said, "Me too. I'm just glad that Dave told Durandal to get you out of there. I don't want you to die violently again."
"That would really blow."
"Yes, and it would do a poor job of it."
John laughed and said, "I think that's the second dirty joke I've heard you make."
"It is in this timeline."
He quipped, "You must have been a laugh riot where you came from."
"Comedians can incite riots? Perhaps that would not be the best career path if we keep Earth intact. Maybe we should-"
John held up his hand and said, "What I meant was that you told silly jokes a lot. Did you?"
"Not very often. I was busy protecting you, and you were busy commanding the Resistance."
"Sadly, given what I've been told about the future, that sounds about right. Still, you said I was a decent sort. I guess I'm not all bad."
Cameron was pensive as she recalled John's future personality and behavior. "Yes, in my timeline you were a 'decent sort.' However, you were also haunted by everything SkyNet-related that had happened since you first saw Uncle Bob. Even your memories of the other me were... bittersweet."
"I can imagine. But you know what?"
Cameron said nothing but looked into his eyes and saw hope.
John stroked her face affectionately and whispered, "I love you, Cameron. That's not gonna change."
Cameron replied, "I love you too, John." Then their lips met.
Sarah and Derek were walking downstairs when she heard the unmistakable squelching sound that, in her experiences, usually accompanied a makeout session. She turned to Derek and put a finger over her lips; the universal 'be quiet' signal. She thought to herself, 'They're making out, not fucking like animals. At least he isn't trying to swoon her into his bed this soon. Still...' She silently led Derek to the garage.
Derek quietly asked her, "Sarah, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"
"Well, the fridge is empty, and I don't feel like hanging around with those two eating each other's faces."
He rolled his eyes and said, "Literally, in the metal's case."
"Derek, what happened between the two of you that makes you hate her so much?"
"First, it's a machine. Second, that particular machine tortured me and some of my buddies in a basement. Drew a bunch of my blood for SkyNet-knows-what reason."
Sarah jumped to the only conclusion she could. "Derek, blood has DNA. SkyNet can use that to copy your appearance for Terminators."
He replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "Nope. If it wants someone as a template, it has them read off something or other and scans their appearance by laser and video camera."
She was skeptical. "And just how would you know this?"
"I've blown up plenty of factories. I got to see the footage of that one's template being processed, among others."
'Good to know.' "You don't happen to remember any others, do you?"
"John told us to look at the video, memorize the new models. We never got them all, but the dogs helped."
Sarah decided to change the subject. "Come on, let's take our bikes and IDs for a spin."
"Yeah, the fridge is looking pretty bare. How will we keep everything with us?"
She looked on the wall and noticed several backpacks and sets of leathers. "This is just too convenient. Still, I'm not complaining."
"What about John?"
"I'm sure Tin Miss will notice if there's a threat. Come on."
She grabbed one of each while Derek did the same. They mounted their bikes, started up and rode off to find the nearest grocer.
17:02
John and Cameron were still clothed and entangled with one another when he felt a pain in his groin. He reluctantly pulled away from Cameron, and he hissed while his face immediately contorted into a grimace of agony.
Cameron asked, "John, what's wrong? Did I accidentally injure you?"
He blinked several times in rapid succession, steeling himself to be able to answer. "No. Cameron, have you ever heard of 'blue balls'?"
"Blue balls; slang for vasocongestion, which is the temporary congestion of fluid in the testicles and prostate region caused by prolonged sexual arousal without orgasm in human males."
"A bit more... professional than what I would have said, but you get the idea." He hissed in pain and said, "Ow."
She leaned in close and whispered to him, "Maybe I could-"
John saw where she was going and interrupted with, "Cam, I've never tried to hustle a girl into bed yet, and I'm not going to start now. Besides, don't you think that would be taking things rather quickly?"
"Yes. I was merely testing your reaction to offers of sexual favors this early in our relationship."
John suppressed a groan and asked, "How'd I do?"
She broke out into one of what John thought of as her 'time-stopping smiles' and said, "You passed with flying colors."
He chuckled and asked, "What about future-me?"
"He also held up rather well, although many women came to him anyway."
John was curious. "You said the other me was a decent sort. How does 'man-whore' translate into 'decent'?"
"You never took an unwilling partner to bed. I am unable to change the fact that in my timeline, you had a not-insignificant role in repopulating the human race before you died."
That last hit John like the T-1000 slamming into the overpass support with the semi truck in the drainage canals of LA back in 1994. "Cam, how many kids did the other me have?"
"Nine, by as many different mothers. Five of them were single and were not generally interested in male company, but they wanted children, and I quote, 'Only the best will do for me.' The other four were among the escapees from Century Work Camp, and previously widowed. Each mother recalled that it took much persuasion to convince you to impregnate them, but it only took one night of sexual intercourse to succeed."
"Yeesh. I hope the other me didn't, you know, ignore them, or play favorites, or send other guys interested in them out to get killed, or anything like that."
"No. The radiation had sterilized many people, but men were more affected by it. Not everyone was happy with the new arrangement, but the unhappy ones endured and kept fighting. Your children knew you loved them, and they loved you too."
John had to know what her opinion was. "Cam, what did you think? How did you feel about it?"
She thought for a moment, then answered, "I thought it was beneficial for you to reproduce. I was disappointed that I could not provide you with children."
John replied, "Oh. I thought that you'd see me taking that path and think that I was merely taking advantage of the mothers."
Cameron shook her head and said, "John, you weren't the only man with multiple children by sometimes as many women. Right now, that kind of behavior is seen as taking things fast, and as irresponsible polygamy. After Judgment Day, however, standards changed."
John let loose with a sarcastic, "I can't possibly imagine why."
Cameron affectionately wrapped her arm around him and said, "That's OK. You're proving to be a man with moral fortitude. I like that."
"Thanks, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted."
"I know. Patience is a virtue."
John couldn't help but smile at her when she said that. Then his case of blue balls came back to bite him. "Cam, is there any ice around here?"
She silently walked over and checked the freezer. "No. There's no food in the house either. Durandal must have had to leave quickly."
John sighed and said, "I guess only he and Dave know why. Still, at least he found us a nice place."
Cameron looked around and said, "He built it. There's a fusion reactor in the basement, the building is reinforced to withstand a nuclear assault, and there's energy shield generators built in to the walls."
"How can you tell?"
"I did a scan of the building when I walked in. The shield generators and the fusion reactor emit an energy signature I can detect." Turning to him, she said, "John, I suspect that Durandal's intent was for us to survive Judgment Day here."
"Huh. Well, shall we pick out bedrooms? They all seem to be upstairs."
"They should be next to one another."
"Sounds like a plan. Then I can get back to work on the hacking gear."
"Will you need assistance?"
"Maybe, if you're not prone to being frustrated by the primitive technology of this time."
"I will adapt."
17:30
Sarah and Derek were just pulling into the garage with groceries when he noticed that there were lights on upstairs. She asked, "Why do I get the feeling they've already picked out rooms?"
"It's not like they'll need separate ones for long."
"Derek, if we hear or walk in on them screwing like minks, we'll deal with it then. For now, let it go."
"I lost too many friends to the metal to 'let it go!' Don't let yourself think that you can train them, like a pet – because it will be the last thing you think!"
"Enough! Cameron keeps John alive, and may well keep him as happy as he can be. Deal with it!" With that she grabbed the bags of food from her bike and walked in. "John, Cameron, we're back. Learn anything new while we were out?"
John sighed and resigned himself to finishing his hacking setup later. "We're on our way, mom." He asked Cameron, "Care to join me?"
"Everyone's back. I'll only have to brief you once this way." John and Cameron left his room and descended the stairs.
Sarah saw the two coming down the stairs and noted that their selection of clothing had not changed. 'They're wrinkled, so they were in them while we were gone. Good.' "So, either of you discover anything about who or what built this place?"
Cameron adopted her monotone, machine-like voice as she said, "Durandal built the house. It has been reinforced to withstand a nuclear assault, and I detected energy signatures from a nuclear fusion reactor in the basement, as well as energy shield generators built into the walls."
Sarah and Derek immediately knew what that meant, but he beat her to saying anything. "Sounds like one Hell of a bunker. I wonder how it would stand up from the inside," he added, shooting an evil glare at Cameron.
John noticed his glare and let loose with, "Derek, she keeps us alive, and I'm happy with her. If you have a problem with that, then maybe you shouldn't be staying with us!"
The embittered Resistance fighter snorted and asked no one in particular, "How does a weakling like you ever become the head general of the Resistance?"
John finally snapped. He made it look like he was going to walk out the back door, but the instant Derek looked away from him he punched the older man in the head. Derek was stunned for an instant, then delivered a powerful kick to John's midsection. The boy was sent flying into the cabinetry nearest the floor, but refused to stay down. When Derek was close enough, John kneed him in the gut, then punched him in the jaw.
'Kid's good,' thought Derek. He reeled back from the hit to his jaw, but he was just as unforgiving as any machine. He punched John in the sternum, then while the boy was doubled over he grabbed his throat in an effort to choke him. John's legs were just long enough to deliver a crushing kick to Derek's groin. The older man immediately released his grip of John's throat as pain overtook him. The boy immediately started landing blow after blow on Derek's face, running on pure, unadulterated rage.
Sarah couldn't believe that her son and his uncle would come to blows over the latter's accusations against Cameron. She and the machine in question looked one another in the eye and knew immediately what to do. Cameron went over to pin Derek against one wall while Sarah dragged John away from beating his uncle to a pulp.
"Let me at him, mom!"
"NO, JOHN CONNOR! I'M NOT LETTING YOU BEAT YOUR UNCLE TO DEATH FOR ANY REASON! GOT IT?!"
Derek merely spit in Cameron's face. That earned him a slap across his own face from the machine. The blow, while not nearly full force from her, drew his blood nevertheless. He spat at John, "It's about time you stood up for yourself bare-handed, boy! I didn't think you had it in you as a teenager!"
John swiftly replied, "If you didn't keep railing against Cameron, maybe you wouldn't have pissed me off!"
"YOU TRY BEING TORTURED AND DRAINED OF YOUR BLOOD BY THAT METAL BITCH! THEN YOU'LL FINALLY GET IT, JOHN CONNOR!"
Cameron asked the bitter man, "What color were your torturer's optics?"
"Red, just like everything SkyNet ever built! What does it matter, tin can?!"
She said nothing, but responded by lighting up her own optics. Derek saw that they were an azure blue, and said, "I don't care how different you were made, you're just a metal!"
Enraged, Cameron shoved him against the wall even harder and drew her pistol. As she prepared to blow Derek's head off, Sarah and John simultaneously yelled, "CAMERON!"
When their exclamations filtered through her audio sensors to her CPU, she knew that neither of them would ever forgive her for killing the insolent pig that was Derek Reese, but she would not be denied payback. Instead of shooting him, she pistol-whipped him across the face, breaking his nose. Cameron then put her gun away and went to John to assess his injuries. She quipped, "It appears that your spontaneous unarmed combat training was effective until Sarah and I intervened."
Sarah lost her composure and screamed, "THEY WERE ABOUT TO KILL EACH OTHER, AND YOU CALL THAT 'EFFECTIVE TRAINING?'"
"Yes, hopefully it taught John that not everyone will universally agree with his decisions."
Sarah regained her composure and said, "Whatever! Derek, keep it together, I'll take you to the ER. John, you and Cameron put the food away, and try not to kill each other. Tin Miss, you and I need to talk after we get back." With that, Derek and Sarah left the house again.
John knew he was going to have to educate Cameron on acceptable use of force in pre-Judgment Day times. He also knew it wasn't going to be easy. "Cameron, I could have handled him myself."
"John, he would have killed you."
"I doubt that, but you were definitely gonna kill him!"
"Of course. I was built as a Terminator."
Sensing a repeat of his similar conversation with Uncle Bob, John steeled himself and said, "Listen to me very carefully, OK? You're not a Terminator anymore. All right? You got that? You just can't go around killing people!"
Cameron felt hurt as he said that. All she wanted was for him to be alive so they could be together. "What is it, John? Do you not want me to be your bodyguard?" Her voice cracked as she asked him, "Do you not want to be with me?"
John smacked himself for going off on her, then replied as reassuringly as he could, "Cameron Phillips, I love you and I definitely want to be with you."
Cameron felt a surge in her system, one that humans would call 'hope.'
"Sometimes, you just play the role of 'bodyguard' a little too well."
Now she was confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Look, if you're up against a human, I want you to only use enough force to get them to stop coming after me, OK?"
"What if they don't stop?"
He sighed and said, "Well, do what you have to at that point, but don't kill them unless they refuse to stop after you've beaten them up, all right?"
"All right. I need you to do something as well."
"What's that?"
"Please John, control your anger. I may be made of metal, but that doesn't mean you have the right to beat me up. How can I be sure you won't just lose your temper and try to attack me?"
To say that John was shocked that Cameron would accuse him of being abusive would be a monumental understatement. He sat there for two minutes before answering, "Cameron, even if you weren't a Hell of a lot tougher than most girls, I wouldn't hit you anyway. That's not what people who love each other do, whether they're made of flesh or metal."
"Some men in my past said they loved their mates, but would beat them."
"They just wanted someone weaker than them to terrorize. I don't believe that those men really loved their victims."
Cameron didn't say anything, but extended her hand out to John. He took it, then they pulled each other into an embrace. They stood there holding one another for several minutes, then John said, "I love you, Cam."
Cameron, reassured that John wasn't going to try anything on her, replied, "I love you too, John."
"I'd better get to work with the groceries."
"I'll help you."
18:50
John and Cameron had put the groceries away, and cleaned up the bloodstains from the fight, when his cell phone rang. He looked at the screen and saw his mother's name, so he answered, "Hey Mom, what's up?"
"John, we just left the ER. They patched Derek up, and we're on our way back. Is Cameron likely to kill him when we arrive?"
"Mom, you're starting to sound just like him. I've talked to her about Excessive Force and the Human Body already."
"I'll have a chat with her later. How's the kitchen?"
"The food's put away, and the blood's been cleaned up. What's for dinner?"
"I'm way too stressed out to cook, so Derek and I are going to go someplace to eat. You and Cameron do whatever, but if you go anywhere, she drives. Got it?"
"Oh, all right. We'll see you later."
"Bye."
John hung up the phone and asked Cameron, "I take it you heard both ends of that?"
"Yes. That was Sarah on the other end. I detected no artificial nuances."
"Good thing. Now I ask myself: What do I want for dinner, anyway?"
Cameron said, "I don't know. My scans do not include telepathy."
"Thank God for that. What about you? Do you have a preference?"
"I know of several eateries specializing in Chinese cuisine in the area."
"Chinese, huh? I love that stuff."
"I have never tried it."
"Are you kidding me? We gotta remedy that." John got up and went downstairs.
Cameron followed and reminded him, "I'll handle the driving tonight."
"Well, I get to go with you, which is just awesome. Besides, I feel like I need to get out of here already."
"Do most people engage in physical combat when they move into a new house?"
"No."
They made it into the garage, where two sets of leathers and three bikes were waiting for them. They donned the gear, hopped on one of the bikes, and took off for a night on the town.