Disclaimer: I do not, under any pretense of mind, own T:SCC. If you think I do, you can lock yourself in a room with ten thousand bickering economists.

Does John Love Me?

Chapter One

In Order to Protect John

Cameron sat on the swing, blankly staring at the house. After Sarah had shouted at her to get out, John had calmly and quietly asked for her to stay away for a moment until the house was calmed down again. Cameron had obeyed John without question; it had never been difficult for her obey John, especially when he talked softly and understandingly. However, she had responded defiantly to Sarah when her simulated emotions autonomously activated, instilling her with what she recognized as pride.

Her emotion simulator: that was the cause of the trouble. Cameron's processes had already determined that fifty-seven times during her review of the incident since it happened. Ever since she had told John she loved him, her emotion simulator had been randomly automating herself with any indication or even control sometimes. Cameron had not lied; she loved John. What eluded her was how she came to love him. And did he love her?

Regardless of the fact she loved him, her automating emotion simulator was troubling and alarming. Not only did it seem irreversible or seen as damage by her processes, it caused trouble. Such as the trouble inside the house, where yet another confrontation with Derek had erupted. One of Cameron's processes examined life signs coming from the house. Figures were still storming around. All of this trouble because her emotion simulator had automated. Frustrated with it, a second process began running diagnostics.

Scanning………anomaly found in emotion simulator………scanning………unidentified code…......cannot be identified; code is not malicious………code is integrated into emotion simulator; removing will damage emotion simulator.

That was one thing Cameron could not dare do. If she damaged her emotion simulator, the others would recognize it instantly. Purposely causing more damage to herself might convince the others that it was time to get rid of her. And she dared not tell anyone either, not even John. While John certainly might be able to explain the strange code, he would tell Derek and Sarah out of trust. They would see it as further damage and suggest her termination.

A small amount of shouting erupted again from the house. Automated emotions simulated through Cameron, making her feel guilt. She was the cause of the shouting. Not wanting to feel terrible, Cameron attempted to switch off her emotion simulator. It didn't respond, still in autonomous mode. She could expect to go off before the moment was over. It didn't stay activated by itself for incredibly long periods of time. But it would automate multiple times in an hour, as well.

A few processes wondered if she was beginning to develop true emotion. Cameron's other processes argued the point, saying that they were simulations. The processes argued back that humans feel emotions that spring up without their control. Her emotion simulator was activating without her access. Didn't that come close?

The remainder of her processes once more went over the incident that had erupted in the house. It had started off as a staring contest between her and Derek again. Derek had been the one to break off, muttering how each day she fails to act even slightly normal. Even sitting here thinking about it still caused her to automatically simulate anger and intolerance. Her processes had analyzed that he had been more bitter than usual when he'd said it.

Acting on the anger she was feeling, Cameron had retorted by mentioning how nice it must be to have a normal life like him. That was when it started.

Derek began shouting all sorts of insults, vulgarities, and threats, even going so far as to call her a bionic whore who was leeching John of his life. Her emotion simulator flaring up, she had shouted back that he was a coward, doomed to fail, and disgusting. Then Derek lost his temper and started to physically attack her. Cameron blocked his furious wild swings.

John tried to get in-between them, but Cameron didn't let him; a small number of processes had worried that Derek might accidentally hit him. Meanwhile John was shouting for them to stop. Then Sarah got involved. Literally throwing herself in-between Cameron and Derek and separating them, she screamed for them to back away from each other. It was obvious that she had had enough of Derek and Cameron's disputes.

Knocking Derek in the face with her elbow to stall him, Sarah turned to Cameron and shouted for her to get out, pointing to the door. Normally Cameron would've, but her emotion simulator automated, and she felt burned pride. So when Sarah turned around to deal with Derek's reaction and temper, Cameron stared defiantly at her.

She continued to stare defiantly at Sarah as she shouted back at a shouting Derek to shut up. Cameron had even been about to tell her no, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see John Connor in her HUB. "Please," John asked softly. "Just wait until it cools down." She had recognized the weariness on John's face; he was tired of disputing too. Feeling slightly sad that she had bothered him and not wanting to further, Cameron had obeyed and gone outside.

If only her simulated emotions had not autonomously activated, the entire situation would have never happened. She had to figure out how to safely get rid of that mysterious code or find a way to ignore the simulated emotions that she couldn't control. That way these situations wouldn't happen, and she wouldn't have to leave John's side. Cameron loved him, and she never felt comfortable without being there to watch over him.

One of her processes told her that she'd been out there for one hour, thirty-seven minutes, and fourteen seconds. Another process decided that if she was going to be outside, she might as well patrol the block. At first she was against leaving John here. However, he had proven himself capable of protecting himself, and Sarah and Derek were there. So she got up and began to walk down the sidewalk.

At first her walk revealed nothing that interested or worried Cameron in any shape or form. Analyzing………no threat detected………analyzing………no threat detected; Threat status: 0%; John Connor's safety guaranteed. It wasn't until five minutes exactly walking around the block that Cameron's patrol got interesting.

She turned a corner, and her HUB recognized Riley walked down the street to come visit John. Since Cameron was in patrol mode, she side-stepped slightly, unseen by Riley as she walked by on the other side. Cameron's autonomous emotions shocked her; she was jealous of Riley. Why would she be? But her processes answered quickly: John liked Riley. In fact, sometimes he seemed to show more affection to Riley than to her. That increased Cameron's jealously. Had Riley declared her love for John? Had Riley saved his life? Another process argued that Cameron had tried to kill him, too. And Cameron was a machine. Her jealously turned to brief misery.

Then her HUB picked up the tall man walking silently and purposefully behind her. Analyzing………Model T-888 Terminator, armed with handgun 9mm. Moderate Threat. Under Skynet control. Recommended course of action………Do not engage. Concealment. Return to house and warn John. But as Cameron took cover and watched the Terminator in her HUB, she realized that it hadn't even registered her. It was staring intently at Riley, hand close to the handgun that was concealed beneath the T-888's shirt. Confused, Cameron watched closer.

Analyzing………T-888's target is Riley. Suggested action………Cameron's automated feelings were spiteful. She was surprised to find that she didn't care if Riley was killed. If Riley were dead, then perhaps the Terminator would have a dead end and leave. Riley would no longer be a security threat. And then she could be with—

John.

Her feeling of spite turned to remorse. If Riley were dead, her processes decided, then John would suffer emotional grief. Even logically and without her emotion simulator malfunctioning, there was no way Cameron would want to face John and tell him Riley was killed by a Terminator. It would, her processes knew, kill him emotionally, and she couldn't stand to have him hurt anyway. She loved him too much.

Both Riley and the Terminator were past her hiding place. Cameron ran another diagnostic. Checking systems………all systems full. Chance of survival with T-888………analyzing………43%. Recommended course of action………Cameron knew that her chances were low, and that even if she survived and John found out, he would be distressed. So she had to do it in complete secret.

The Terminator was catching up, Riley completely oblivious to him. Cameron emerged from her hiding place and moved quietly. If Riley saw any of it, she would tell John. Then John would be distressed. She had to move quickly to draw the Terminator away quietly. Speed and intelligence were on her side. The T-888 was only stronger.

Cameron reached the Terminator as it reached for its weapon. Acting off a combat protocol. Cameron silently grabbed its wrist and twisted it away from the gun. Continuing with the momentum, Cameron spun the surprised T-888 behind her, placing herself between it and Riley. Throughout the entire maneuver, Riley didn't hear a thing. She turned a corner and was out of sight. Cameron's processes were undecided on whether her execution was exact or Riley was that unaware. One process hoped for John's sake it was the former.

The T-888 stopped to adjust and take in Cameron. She could already guess what it was thinking. Target switch to Cameron Phillips. And if she was here, John Connor was. Terminate Cameron and find Connor. So before it could finish, Cameron shoved it in-between two buildings. The Terminator flew back and crashed into the ground. Cameron ran up to it to stomp on the head. The T-888 caught her foot and threw her back further in its direction.

Catching herself, Cameron turned to see the T-888 coming towards her. At least they were moving away from the street. Waiting for it to come closer, Cameron began to attack. The T-888 dodged her attacks while attacking itself. They went back and forth, dodging and attacking. Then the Terminator rammed forward and smashed its shoulder into Cameron's stomach. She was flung back onto a deck.

Cameron stood up and analyzed the environment for something to even the playing field. Her HUB found a baseball bat to her right. Cameron reached for it before the Terminator could close the distance. Silenced gunshots registered with her hearing as her body jerked. The T-888 had drawn its weapon. It continued to fire at her, making her jerk.

Jerking with gunshots, Cameron picked up the bat. She spun around prevented the Terminator from smashing its gun into her with the bat. She followed through by swinging at an arm. That would increase her chances of success. Her HUB tried to warn her but it was too late. The T-888 caught the bat with one hand and smashed her head into a wall with another. It ripped the bat from her hand and struck her stomach, knocking her farther towards the patio edge.

Cameron's luck worsened; her left leg up to her knee went through the patio. She was stuck and didn't have time to free herself. She was trapped. Her processes tried to come up with a solution while others wondered how this T-888 was outperforming her so well. Right now one swing would either destroy her chip or damage it worse. And then they would deactivate her regardless. If the Terminator didn't find them first.

Thinking of deactivation made Cameron think of John. She remembered the last time he pulled her chip out; she had told him she loved him. Analyzing………if destroyed, John Connor will undergo emotional stress………Must not allow termination. Her emotion simulator automated. She was defiant once more.

Cameron's hands snaked out and caught the bat. Taking the momentum of it, Cameron swung the Terminator off the deck. She managed to take the bat back as the Terminator fell. Ripping her leg free, Cameron leaped down after it. Her left foot landed on the T-888's left shoulder, damaging it. She took the bat and smashed it down on the machine's other arm, disabling it.

As it struggled to get up, Cameron kneed it in the neck. She ripped flesh off, found the chip, and tore it out. The T-888 deactivated and went still. Cameron stood up and stared down at the 'dead' Terminator. She crushed the chip in her hand. Looking around, she stashed the body in a well. She could come back for it later.

A small amount of pride registered with Cameron. She had saved Riley, thereby saving John from stress, and she had done it without anyone finding out, saving John from further stress. Returning to the house, Cameron walked in. She made sure to cover her gunshots wounds discreetly; it would be pointless to remain secretive if John saw them.

John was talking and laughing with Riley. "Hey Cam," John greeted. "Where have you been?"

"Walking," Cameron replied. John nodded understandingly and continued to talk with Riley. After a few seconds, Cameron felt a sting of sadness. She had known that keeping it secret, she wouldn't be awarded or punished. But seeing John talk with Riley, almost dismissive of her…she almost wanted him to see her wounds and find out. She was the reason they were talking.

A troubling thought entered her processes. What if John didn't love her? Her automated emotions flooded her with rejection and depression. Cameron struggled not to show it. She almost wanted to shout that she was reason Riley was alive, but she couldn't. That would distressed John, and she loved him.

Running diagnostics………WARNING: simulated emotions about to give away secret. Recommended actions………leave and get out of sight.

Cameron left them standing there, her eyes watering. What if John didn't love her in return? What was she supposed to do then? Closing the door to her room, she started to cry. She kept it quiet, so as not to disturb John. How odd, her processes thought. He might not love her back, but she would still do anything for him. He had to love her back, didn't he?

Trying to distract her processes, Cameron began cleaning her secret wounds: Fifteen gun wounds in her chest area and two in her thigh. As she cleaned them, Cameron could hear John laugh at something. Tears ran freely down her cheeks. Cameron no longer cared at the moment whether her feelings were automated or simulated; it still hurt.

Outside her door, Derek frowned before quietly closing the door handle. What had John done to the metal this time? Would she retaliate violently? He walked towards John, intending to get an answer. If he had to fight, he wanted to know why.