Author's Note: This is my first attempt at both a fic for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and a fic in present tense. I am not new to fanfiction in general, however, and you can check my profile for a link to my old account and an explanation for why I have a new one.

Every moment they're in danger, the seconds pass with agonizing slowness.

Once, Sarah thought it was because she was afraid for herself, afraid of dying. Now she knows better.

The plan was simple – get in, get the hard drive, get out. At the time John conceived it, Sarah thought it was a good plan. It made sense and it didn't sound terribly dangerous. But then, when they were planning, they didn't know there would be anyone in the way.

Cameron is dealing with that now, but Sarah's eyes are on her son, who is typing furiously at the computer.

"Can't you just take the hard drive and go?" she says to him, tension in her voice and expression.

John doesn't even look at her. "I'm just making sure there aren't any security measures I need to get past. It'll only take a second."

There is a crash behind her. Sarah whirls around and sees Cameron, covered in blood and holding a gun in her right hand.

"We need to get out," Cameron says. "The police are coming. He made sure of that." She inclines her head in the direction of the hallway, and Sarah notices for the first time the cyborg lying there with a hole in his head where his chip used to be.

Then John is standing behind her and pushing at her back. "I've got it, Mom. Come on, Cameron's right, we can't stay –"

Sarah starts running. She's tempted to take John's arm as she goes, but he will resent that and she resists. Instead, she focuses her attention on Cameron, who knows the way out and is running ahead of them.

It only takes a second for Cameron's figure to disappear from in front of them, and another second for Sarah to stumble to a halt as she notices the gaping hole in the floor. They're on the sixth floor of the building, and she doesn't know how deep it might be. She spins around and grabs John, pulling him out of the way before his momentum can carry him into the gap. Cameron she isn't worried about; the machine will survive the fall.

"Where did that come from?" John gasps from beneath her, and she rolls off of him to let him breathe.

"I don't know, but it can't be good." Sarah crawls to the edge of the hole and looks down. She can see at least three floors. "We'll have to find another way out."

John seizes her arm to haul himself into a sitting position. "We can't just leave Cameron."

"She can take care of herself. We need to get out of here," Sarah insists, getting to her feet and pulling John up as well. "Come on."

They start running in the other direction, and this time she does hold onto his arm, but he doesn't complain, and she almost smiles when she feels his hand suddenly in hers, holding on to her tightly.

The doors flash by on both sides. Sarah pauses at each one only for a second, glancing at them to see if any of them might lead to a stairwell, but it is John who finds it and pulls her toward it.

There are sounds from outside as they half tumble down the stairs together. John is still gripping her hand as though holding on for dear life, and it occurs to her that that expression is apt to describe the situation right now.

Then, incredibly, a door leading outside, and there is no one there. If the police have arrived, they have yet to secure the building. John hesitates, probably thinking about Cameron, but Sarah pulls him away, towards the safety of the streets.

They are both intact when they reach the relative safety of the house. As soon as they're inside with the door closed, Sarah turns to John and hugs him tightly, her breath coming in heavy gasps. His breath is shallow, and his fingers dig into her shoulders as he hugs her back.

It lasts only for a few seconds, but they seem like the longest seconds of her life. She wishes briefly that every moment were like this – full of relief and caring for each other.