SPILLED SALT

"Keep your voice down. John has a friend over."

Derek's jaw went slack as he stared back at her from across the kitchen table. "That girl?" Still disbelieving, he moved to peek around the corner, only to find the blond he knew only as 'The Mooch' planted on the couch beside an equally comfortable John. "You've got to be kidding me."

Sarah shook her head and traveled the length of the table to grab him by the elbow, tugging him back in time for Riley to only catch a fleeting glimpse of him. John kept his eyes trained firmly on the television, despite the rising tones of the hushed argument taking place a few feet away.

"I think your uncle is snooping," she commented. "Want to go bust his balls?"

He sighed in response, lolling his head to the side. "I should go see if it's something important."

One questioning eyebrow was raised as John heaved himself to his feet and stepped over her legs in the direction of the culprit. "Always something important going on in the Baum house, isn't there?" she said wistfully.

John mustered up a half-smile which disappeared when, as soon as he was within reach, Derek surprised him by snatching him by the collar and yanking him the rest of the way into the kitchen. He opened his mouth to protest but the look in his uncles' eye stopped him. He glowered back silently until he was unwittingly released. "Is there something I need to know?"

"No. There is something I'd like to know though. What are you thinking?" Derek asked incredulously.

"I'm thinking that I'm a teenager," he answered. Sarah pushed between them with a tired look and ducked her head out the door to throw Riley a cursive glance. Satisfied their overly-curious houseguest was not going to interrupt, she turned to face the men again.

"Both of you shut up," she snapped quietly.

"Mom, I'm sure Riley has caught on that we're dysfunctional."

"Has she caught on that your sister is a machine sent back in time to protect you?" Derek prompted, earning him another scalding look from both of the Connors. Un-phased, he rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms over his chest.

"John, he's right. It causes problems with her around here all the time. Have you thought about the fact that you're putting her life in danger?"

"That's not fair," John countered.

"Life isn't fair," Derek retorted.

"One more word," Sarah challenged. She narrowed her eyes at Derek in fiery annoyance until, defeated, he turned away and stalked halfway across the kitchen to lean against the cabinets opposite of them.

"Fine, if it's too much trouble for us to stay here than we'll go to someplace else."

Derek let out a groan from across the room and ran both his hands through his hair is frustration. The others ignored him.

"Us – John?" Sarah questioned mildly. "We'll?"

John nodded, meeting her gaze with undiluted determination.

"You know what," Derek spoke abruptly, "you go ahead and do that. You go ahead and run off with your little girlfriend. Don't worry about anything here; because we've got it covered oh-future-leader, you just go do your thing."

A quick sidestep on account of his mother and John was narrowing the distance between himself and his uncle with purposeful strides. His progress forward was abruptly stopped, however, when a delicate hand was planted squarely on his chest.

He didn't say anything to the doe-eyed Terminator who prevented him from reaching his uncle. He locked his jaw, clenched his fists, and glared over her shoulder.

Derek smiled.

Riley found the opportunity to edge in. "What's going on here?"

"We're leaving," John said. He shifted his eyes to meet Cameron's and then stepped back. When his mother reached out to put her hand on his shoulder, he brushed her away, and grabbing Riley's hand, disappeared out of the front door.

"There's that 'we' again," Derek chimed dryly. Sarah paused to study the flecks of color in the countertop for a moment, and then deftly launched the salt-shaker at him. He managed to duck, and then straightened himself up to dust the harmless substance off with an amused look in his eyes.

"Go with him," Sarah commanded softly.

Cameron did as she was told, and followed.

00101010

"Your mom seems like kind of a tight-ass," Riley said. She veered off to the left to hop on the curb and feign a balancing act, holding her arms out wide as she placed one foot in front of the other. When John didn't reply, she continued. "Has she always been like that?"

"Yeah," he answered gruffly.

"Ever since your dad died?"

"Yeah." He dragged himself out of his self-induced stupor to glance at her. She nearly lost her balance, and he trotted over to help steady her. "What about yours?"

She shrugged.

They turned when the street came to a dead end and started trudging through a bank of weeds. From time to time, Riley would skip ahead of him, only to double back and try to engage him in a chase. She pinched his sides, ruffled his hair, and stepped on the heel of his shoes, but her playfulness; while tolerated, wasn't returned.

"You're such a downer, John."

"Gee – thanks." They'd found a nice spot of grass underneath a tree. John sat back against it while Riley lounged nearby, shredding blades of grass apart one by one. "Not everyone can be all… apples… and…?"

"Carrots," she finished.

"Right. Carrots."

"How about your sister?" she asked. John rested his head back against the tree. "I said…" she started again with emphasis.

"What about her?" It was his turn to shrug. "You ask a lot of questions."

"You dodge a lot." He scoffed at her and she grinned wryly. She pushed herself to her feet and sidled up next to him, still absently twirling a blade of grass between her fingers. "I'll stop, I promise." He closed his eyes. "But not to sit here in quiet!"

John laughed and was caught slightly off-guard when she wiped her hands on her jeans and then wove her fingers through his. She bounced in place next to him, jostling their connected hands.

"So if family is off-limits, what is there to talk about?"

"School?" He offered.

"School is lame."

"Yeah." John's answer was echoed by Cameron's, who stood in front of them with an almost indiscernible smile on her face. John immediately drew his hand away from Riley and scrambled to his feet.

"Cameron," Riley greeted her. "Did you bail to?"

"Yeah," Cameron said automatically. "I bailed."

"Still fighting, huh?"

"Mom threw the salt-shaker at him. Then she made him clean it up."

John forced an awkward chuckle.

"Then she sent you to find John?"

John's head snapped up, but he didn't say anything. Cameron cocked her head on an angle, analyzing Riley, and then nodded. "Yes. She wanted me to bring him home."

"What are you? His watch dog?" Riley teased.

"I'm his sister," Cameron responded evenly.

"Well then," Riley climbed to her feet. "I guess I'll see you later, John."

"Yeah," he managed hoarsely. "Later."

They stood together underneath the tree and watched Riley leave, but they didn't head home. Instead, John collapsed back against the tree; and drawing his knees up, rested his arms and hung his head in silence.

"Is Mom really mad?" He asked after a while.

"No."

"Are you really mad?" He ventured. He ducked his head to hide the smile growing on his face. John Connor asking a Terminator is she "felt" something. When would he ever learn?

Cameron never answered. She stood vigil nearby until the sun started going down, then she alerted John to the time.