Disclaimer: I make no profit.
First time writing T:SCC fic.
It took a moment for the neurons to fire properly, for the verbal functioning within his voice box to produce the sounds which would become the first words spoken in the beginning of an entirely new relationship.
"What's your name?"
"Allison. Yours?"
"John."
"Nice to meet you John," the smile was soft, welcoming, human. It reminded John of a similar smile Cameron had given him when she first ate a chip in front of him, declaring to him that she was different from other machines.
John smiled tightly back at her, knowing there were conflicting emotions passing over his face, and he could tell from her furrowed brow that he was confusing her.
"This might sound really stupid, but, what year is it?" John asked, scratching the back of his head – a tell for when he was nervous.
Allison blinked and cocked her head slightly – so much like Cameron – pursing her lips for a moment at the question.
"2027, but –"
John cut off her question, "When was Judgment Day?"
A look of surprise appeared on Allison's face, and John knew the situation could turn ugly for him quickly if he didn't explain.
"Please, just…I don't know."
"How could you not know?" Allison asked, her voice conveying pain and anger, "It's not like you could just skip over that day and end up here."
John bit his lower lip, knowing his face betrayed him – and from the sudden look of shock flashing across Allison's face, John knew that she understood.
"When." John repeated again.
"September 23, 2018. 4.5 billion people died that day," Allison answered finally, her voice pained. A beat, then, "Who are you?"
"I told you. I'm John. John Connor." John answered.
Allison sighed, "Then how did you get here?"
"Jumped time," John replied bluntly. Allison blinked, and John could tell she was trying to comprehend that one sentence. "What, machines taking over the world, and trying to wipe out humans, that is easy to understand, but jumping through time isn't?"
Allison started, her face darkening, "It's not easy. It's what I grew up to."
"Yeah, well, let's just say that the machines – in another future – built a time machine to send back terminators to kill the future lead of the Resistance."
Allison quirked a skeptical eyebrow, but decided to go with what John said, "So this other future has a cohesive Resistance with a leader. Who's the leader?"
"Me."
"Ah," Allison nodded, and John could tell she did not fully believe him, "Then why don't we know who you are?"
"Because I jumped over the years in which I was to become the leader," John explained, trying to keep it simple, trying – desperately – not to lose her, "In this future, I'm no one."
"Not yet." The statement was so simple, so quiet, and yet John felt that Cameron was looking at him in that moment. Allison didn't know him, and yet she believed in the idea that he could become who he said he was supposed to be.
He had been fighting his whole life to not become the "future" John Connor that everyone died for. Now that he was thrust into the future to find Cameron's chip and John Henry, John knew that he might already be who everyone said he would become.