UPDATE: I fixed the John Henry chip issue…Still working on other parts…

( olischulu: to address your first point, I wanted it to seem like Cameron thought she knew what had to happen. I wanted David to originally be a character like Martin in that he always runs the bomb to the tank. Cameron knows David from her future because David will do certain things crucial to the resistance. To address your second point, I messed up. I haven't watched the show in a while and can't believe I let something like that slip. I apologize I will fix it and try to avoid such a stupid mistake later. True Cameron wouldn't be a 100% sure if John would follow her but I am writing this as if most of it had already happened. "Even if it happened in a prior timeline she could not be sure that it would happen again."ßThis is what I'm trying to set up. Cameron thinks things will happen as they have before but that is basically what will be the largest conflict in this story. Things happen that stray from the set path. I think Cameron's role was not just as John's protector but his teacher as well. I think Sarah taught him everything she could and that is where Cameron comes in. She helps finalize his transformation into the future leader of mankind. I think she knows that the TDE leads John to the camp that Kyle, Derek, and Allison are located at and has him come through so he can experience living with the resistance. As for Weaver knowing, I want this to have to do with this future being different.

Cameronfan: I PROMISE YOU DAVID and Cameron will never, NEVER be together! Cameron likes John and John likes Cameron. This is JAMERON! Rest assured Cameron sees David as a friend and possibly her only other friend other than John. David however might have mixed feelings later on and I can tell you it won't play a big part. I have no plans of turning this into twilight:terminator. While I do consider David a partial self insert please hear me out: I am not trying to write a story where my self insert is romantically involved with Cam and steals her away from John. I try to self-insert things like reactions. Cameron allows David to access her chip because she tells him that he may have to do this later. Also Davids strong friendship with her is part of the reason because later in the future David always backs up Cameron. Asides from John David is one of the very few who genuinely believe that Cameron can feel and be human. She knows this.

TheWizardofOzbourne: Things will change later on. I am sorry if this chapter bothered you I clearly need to go watch the show again because I did make some stupid mistakes (John Henry having a chip). The four strangers are not Derek Reese or his pals. Older Derek is dead at this point from being shot in the head. These are…others… I am not sure if this works but in my story David is like Martin Bedell. Cameron and Weaver both know who he is because of what he does in the future just as Derek knew Martin and what he does. As for Weaver knowing where David would be, sure John may have not told her but David could have. I get what you're saying though. I need to carefully check whether or not some characters have knowledge of events. I will not repeat this chapter's flaw…hopefully. The reason Weaver gave him that tape is the same reason John had to go to the future. The few weeks that David is with Sarah will change him. He won't just be better trained. His outlook on life will change. Just as John's will in the future. It will be during this time period where Cameron and Weaver's expected result will change drastically. Like you said, "…Sure something's are repeated, but things always change." David is supposed to become Cameron's most loyal supporter second only to John (by supporter I mean recognize she has physical and emotional feelings). While John and David aren't best buddies John has respect for David because David follows both John and Cameron full heartedly no questions asked. When people who have a mindset like Dietze give Cameron or John crap David will always back them up.

[Hello everyone. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I am trying to set up a massive amount of conflict in future chapters from now. After reading this chapter I think you might be able to tell what might come down the road. Two things I would like to mention: 1. JAMERON! Don't worry I will supply you with Jameron in the next chapter. I am going to include some conflict between David and John when it comes to Cameron but don't worry…you wont see any TEAM DAVID or TEAM JOHN from me. There might be a little bit of that but I won't overkill it I PROMISE. 2. I apologize for the time it takes me to get these out. I am a college student and I have to put my grades first but I do try to write as much as possible. Anyhow enjoy and if you have any questions and/or recommendations please let me know!]

I'm Sorry…

"David…I have to leave but…I cant leave with you…"

Cameron walked past him and sat down in her bloody chair. Even with half her face gone David saw that she was not happy.

"David, I am broken. This body is failing and I only know of one place to get a new one. This place also happens to be where John Henry must go."

"Oh OK that all makes sense!" David was being sarcastic.

"WAIT NO IT DOESN'T! Why the hell was he trying to slice open your head?"

Cameron lifted her hand and began to tap on the side of her head.

"Do you see this small circle? This a protective cap for my chip. Most of us have one. The chip is our brain and without it we become useless. My chip is just as unique as I am."

David let out a small smile and walked over to her. He tapped her head gently with his knuckles.

"Doesn't feel like metal to me."

Cam smiled back at him.

"If only you knew."

For David it felt like they were both going through the metal detector at school again. He didn't even realize John Henry walked up next to him.

" ?"

"Huh…Yeah what do you want?"

" I am not going to harm Cameron. I am going to help all of us. She is currently experiencing multiple system failures. To repair her current endo-skeleton would require weeks of service, which would leave John Connor, unprotected. I need her chip in order to travel through time."

David's eyes were watering up. He couldn't help it. When he found his mother and sister there was nothing he could do…he had been to late. He was always too damn late. But here he was standing in the same room with his only true friend and he could not do anything to prevent losing her. He turned to face John Henry with a quivering chin.

"Why?"

"I am a fully functioning artificial intelligence. I am always growing and learning. My current hardware is no longer sufficient to support me."

The room was a cave of technology. It had things David had never seen before. How the hell is this not sufficient enough?

"What's so important about Cameron's chip?"

Cameron turned her chair to face him.

"My chip is one of a kind. In the future the resistance will fight many terminators. Most of them will be similar to John Henry in size and shape. The majority of them also have a similar chip. While these chips are more advanced than anything humanity has now, they pale in comparison to mine."

"How, is yours better Cam?"

"Like I said before… The best way to infiltrate is not to act the part. The best and most efficient way is to BE the part. I was made to be the part while they merely act…and do a bad job at it too. You think I can be weird sometimes but if you hanged out with a T-888 you would think I was a normal girl. No offense John Henry."

"None taken Ms. Phillips."

"Anyhow David the point is my chip is so advanced that I can fit all of John Henry on to it. He is going to put himself on my chip and then insert my chip into his endoskeleton. We will both travel forward through time in order to get me a new body and John Henry his own chip. After we accomplish that we can hopefully return."

"So where do I fit in?"

Cameron gave him the most apologetic face she could with half a face.

"You have to protect Sarah Connor. In a moment John, Sarah, and Catherine Weaver will arrive. John will be distraught at seeing my powered down body. He will see the message I leave him and will follow Ms. Weaver through time to find me. You MUST NOT STOP HIM. "

"Cam why don't we just wait till he gets down here and-"

"DAVID! Please listen to me. I know you want to but you CAN'T. He has to follow me. It is part of how he becomes…Commander Shepard. "

The both of them smiled.

"David you have to keep Sarah and yourself safe. You both are crucial to the resistance. You watch her back and she will watch…everything. Sarah is a hard woman to live with…believe me. But her judgment is usually right and she can help train you. Just don't piss her off."

"Cam I don't need training. I know how to shoot a gun and how to fight."

"David you need to learn how to fight me…us."

With that she nodded at John Henry who stepped closer to her. He gently pushed David to the side. With a knife John Henry removed the small metal cap on the side of Cameron's head. David was watch intensely. Part of him knew this had to happen, but the other part wanted to scream and attack John Henry. As John Henry placed his hand on Cameron's chip she stopped him.

"Wait. David…will you do it?"

David's chest sank. Was she really asking him to remove her brain? Trying to hold back tears and talk was very hard.

"C-Cam…What the fuck?"

"David you might have to do this to me another day. It is best to prepare."

"JESUS CHRIST! Cam I can't…I… I WON'T. Do you even realize what you're asking me to do?"

"David please…I want you to do it. I am not asking you to only prepare you…I am asking you because I trust you. The only other human hands that I have allowed to touch my chip are John's."

"Can't you…you know do it yourself?"

"Technically yes. While I cannot self terminate I can shut my self down in various ways: this being one of them. But David…sometimes it helps to have a hand."

David took a few shy steps towards her and looked down at her head. He rubbed his face with both hands and let out a sigh.

"A-Alright…ok… I'll do it."

David took hold of the end of Cameron's chip. She closed her one human eye.

"Twist and pull."

He slowly twisted the chip counter-clockwise. David's hands were trembling. He tried pulling. At least he thought he did.

"David…"

"Cam I don't think-"

"David we don't have time"

His thumb and index fingers pinched her chip. David pulled a little and felt the chip start to move. Cam opened her eye and looked right at him. She gave him the same smile she would always give him and then frowned.

"I'm sorry-"

David pulled the chip. He felt like someone had just pulled a knife out of his lung. The chip was slightly larger than a stick drive. Its shape and design actually reminded David of Obi-Wan Kenobi's light saber. John Henry held out his hand.

" the chip please."

David collected himself and faced the smiling John Henry. He glared right into the machines eyes.

"John Henry, I am going to give you this chip. You are going to keep Cameron safe at any cost. You ARE going to bring her back. Because… if she doesn't come back, or is hurt I swear to you that I will make Skynet the least of everyone's problems. Keep her safe…please."

" I promise to keep Cameron Phillips safe."

With that John Henry plugged Cameron's chip into what David only made out as a small black box. John Henry stood still for a moment. His eyes flashed red three times. David took a step towards him.

"Hey, are you there? Did it work? John Henry?"

The machine said nothing and pulled out a knife. It carved into the side of its head and removed the protective cap. David was getting a little uncomfortable from its awkward silence. The cyborg placed in Cameron's chip. Then removed the cord from the back of his head.

"JOHN HENRY! DID IT WORK!?"

"It…did. Mr. Thatcher if you will step away from the center of the room…please."

David took a few steps back as John Henry stood perfectly straight in the center of the room. John Henry's eyes flashed red once more and all the screens in the room flickered. They began to display a message on loop: I'm sorry John. For a moment David felt…anger. She was apologizing to John? He had been the one who looked for her. He had been the one to find her. He had to take out her chip. He had been the one who cared about her safety.

" before I go… Ms. Phillips wanted me to tell you something. After John follows us she asks that you take her body with you and Sarah. She says that Sarah will know what to do. Ms. Phillips would also like you to warn you."

"Warm me?"

"Yes. while Ms. Phillips and I will be returning, it will most likely be in a few weeks. During this time Skynet will continue to search for Sarah…and you. you must prepare to face one of us. Sarah will teach you everything necessary. But it will not be enough."

"Well that's great…so basically I'm screwed right?"

"No. You must do what you did when you were 16. , your past crimes will save you and Sarah."

"How do you- how did Cam-"

" I must go. Your questions will be answered in the coming weeks. Though you may not understand the answers…remember that Ms. Phillips is your friend…"

The room began to heat up rapidly. Sparks began to go off around John Henry. David stepped back and nearly has his back to the wall. Bolts of electricity were flowing all around the center of the room. A faint blue bubble of energy appeared around John Henry.

"John Henry! Bring her back!"

The bolts began to strike more violently and the room was considerably hotter. David covered his eyes as the bubble flashed a bright blue.

"I will Mr. Thatcher"

John Henry was gone. David stood for a moment with his back against the wall. He wiped the sweat off his brow and walked to Cameron's motionless body. She looked so…sad. She knew what she had to do in order to protect John and no matter how it effected her she would always do it. It was her duty. He wanted to pick her up and take her to his car but before he could even touch her he heard something. It sounded like something just blew up in the building. Alarms began to sound as well. The voices of people were coming from the open door. It was them.

Fuck.

Cameron had told him to not intervene and to allow John to follow her. He needed to hide. There was only one logical place. David darted to the area of the room where John Henry's strange black box was located. This part of the room was full of large towers of technology that David could easily hide behind. He pressed his back against one of the towers and sighed. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. They were in the room. John was completely distraught as Cameron said he would be. John started to ask where John Henry was in a threatening tone.

Poor John Henry, everybody hates you.

If one thing was apparent it was that John had feelings for Cameron. David wasn't sure how he felt about that. Someone told John that John Henry was in the future. The woman had a thick Scottish accent. She was no doubt Catherine Weaver. David had remembered the multiple TV interviews after her husband died. What the hell is Catherine Weaver doing with Sarah Connor?

David heard the same electrical crackling he had heard before and the room was getting hotter.

"He's got her chip...he's got her...mom?"

"...I'll stop it..."

The room flashed bright blue once again.

"...I love you too..."

David stood behind the tower for a moment longer. Part of him was hesitant to jump out and say hi to a terrorist woman that just lost her son to a female terminator. But he always did stupid things...

"Uh hi..."

Sarah instantly glared at him.

"Who are you?"

"My name is David Thatcher. I'm a friend of Cam's."

Sarah scoffed.

"A friend huh? Not the first time one of Johns friends took a liking towards tin miss."

"WHOA! Hey it's not like that I am really just her friend. Ms. Connor I know everything. J-day, terminators, sky net, John becomes Commander Shepard...I know it all."

"Commander Shepard?"

"Yeah you...know...ok you don't know. Anyhow Cameron told me that I have to get you out of here."

Sarah walked up to him and stood so close to him it that it reminded him of when Cameron did it.

"Give me one good reason why I should go with you. I don't know you. I don't trust you. Oh and you're covered in blood."

David took a deep breath before answering her.

"She said that you need to take her body because you will know what to do. Plus my car is running right outside the front door. Oh and Cameron said that I have to watch your back and you will watch everything. Plus apparently I'm somehow important to the resistance too... and you need to train me...so... yeah..."

Sarah's glare completely backed up what Cameron had said earlier. Sarah Connor was going to be a hard woman to live with.

"Fine. Lets go. Now…but you're carrying her."

David took hold of Cameron's motionless body and threw her over his shoulder.

DEAR GOD CAMERON LOSE SOME DAMN WEIGHT!

David was the same height as Cameron and just slightly heavier. After the initial shock of how much she weighed was gone she wasn't too heavy for David. He felt something cool against his back and chest. When he looked down he realized his shirt was soaked with even more of Cameron's blood.

Damn it.

Sarah led him to the elevator and push the button. It didn't light up.

"Shit I forgot the damn elevators are broken. We have to take the stairs."

David pretended that he didn't just hear the woman say that he would have to carry a metal cyborg up flights of stairs. As they headed towards the stairwell a man stopped them.

"Sarah-"

"Ellison don't think about trying to stop me know. I have to go pre-"

"I know Sarah. I want to help. You can't take her up there. Almost every person in the city saw that thing crash into the building. They think its another 9/11. Just follow me."

Sarah turned and glanced at David then nodded ahead.

Weaver's helicopter:

Sarah was looking down at the Zeira corp building. It was definitely damaged but nothing like the horrifying videos she had seen of 9/11.

"Ellison are you even allowed to fly this thing?"

The ex-FBI agent smiled.

"Being the head of security for Zeira corp has its perks. This is not one. But I found a file in my briefcase that wasn't there before. Ms. Weaver must have known that this would happen."

"Yeah terminator bitches tend to be prepared."

Ellison chuckled a bit.

"Apparently she and Savannah are on vacation and I am temporally in charge due to the recent terrorist attack. My first responsibility is to take her and Savannah to a secure location because we believe the terrorists are trying to harm them and not the company."

"How do you plan to explain Savannah being at gymnastics?"

"She isn't at gymnastics. Weaver left her at-"

David's thought drowned out their voices.

Sarah…will teach me everything…but it wont be enough…

What was Cameron trying to tell him? He looked out the window and saw all the law enforcement. Half of them were still at the prison while the other half was rushing towards the terrorist attack. No matter what he would do most of the people he was watching would die. The thought of that scale of death gave David an urge to jump out of the helicopter.

But then I wouldn't see her again.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. No matter how hard he tried not to, all he could see was her face…her half damaged face. Sarah seemed to hate her and terminators freaked out Ellison in general. Even with a half metal face David wasn't repulsed or scared. It would take a lot more than a terminator to freak out David. He had already seen the worst of mankind and to him nothing, not even a cyborg-killing machine, was worse. He eventually fell asleep.

Beach House…Mansion:

Sarah opened the back door of the helicopter. David's head was still leaned back and he was sound asleep. She would have left him in there but…

I'm sure as hell not carrying tin miss.

She punched his arm and he slid over in the seat. His face landed on Cameron's bloody jacket. He moaned and squinted his eyes. Whatever his face was on it was very cold and wet. David opened his eyes while rubbing his arm.

"JESUS CHRIST!"

He jerked away from Cameron's body and fell out of the helicopter.

Sarah was looking down at him with a mocking glare.

"When you're done sitting on your ass bring her in. Oh and welcome to our temporary home."

David was tired, angry, and a whole lot of other things but that didn't stop him from noticing the massive house in front of him. It was probably a third the size of his high school. The large white door was nearly 12 feet tall and had beautiful carvings all over it. David stood up and reached inside the helicopter to retrieve Cameron's body. While walking to the house he tried wiping blood off his face but it wouldn't come off.

Damn it…

Sarah left the door open for him. As David walked inside he felt dwarfed by the sheer amount of space the house had. He thought his old home could fit in the living room of this one.

Catherine Weaver sure knows how to spend money…

While David was awkwardly standing in the middle of the house still holding a bloody Cameron, Sarah was checking over every entrance and exit in the house. She began to draw out a rough sketch of the homes layout when Ellison walked in.

"Sarah there's no need to do that. Weaver left you a folder containing the layout to this home and its underground basement."

Sarah looked at him with an expression similar to Cameron's oh, fuck you face.

"….And you waited to tell me that? What else did she leave?"

"Well from briefly glancing through the folder it seems she left you five new sets of I.D.'s and multiple untraceable bank accounts. She also gave you maps to new safe houses and weapon caches around the state."

Sarah hated feeling useless.

Figures…terminator bitch….

Ellison turned around and head to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Someone's got to look after the company Sarah, and Weaver wanted me to do it. I didn't want to at first but…I believe God put me here for a reason. I don't like these machines any more than you do but there must be a reason Weaver and John Henry didn't kill me. There must be a reason why she didn't just kill you and John. If God wants me to work with a machine that could slice me in two who am I to argue? I will keep in contact though…we have had an…awkward past Sarah. While I know it won't fix anything I want you to know that I am truly sorry for not believing you."

Ellison opened the door.

"All that matters now is doing whatever we can to help John in the future."

Ellison shut the door behind him leaving the home very quiet.

Quiet made it easier to think…easier to remember. Sarah hated quiet.

Beach House Basement:

David gently placed Cameron's body on a metal table. He looked around him and saw many rooms. The basement turned out to be more of a bunker. On one wall he saw a shelf that had various tools and supplies. As he walked towards it he saw a stick drive…with his name on it. He picked it up and immediately noticed that the other side had been engraved with instructions:

When you find this please insert it into the computer underneath the living room sofa. Attempt to do so when Sarah Connor is sleeping. You must not ask her for help. This is not her path.

~Weaver

David shoved the stick drive in his pocket and went up the stairs. He walked over to the sofa in the living room only to find Sarah sitting on it.

"You come here."

Sarah definitely wasn't the type to say please.

David took a seat next to her. She had blueprints of the house laid out on the coffee table in front of them. She point to them and looked at David.

"I want you to memorize everything."

"What the house?"

"Yes all of it."

"What for?"

"What for? Well you met John Henry right? I'm sure he was nice and all but you have no idea what an angry John Henry is capable of. Let me ask you something. Do you remember the shooting a while back?"

"Uh what the one with all the FBI guys? Yeah it was all over the-"

"John Henry."

"You mean he took out all-"

"That's exactly what I mean. Before you were born there was a shooting in a police station. It was another one like John Henry."

"So these things have been-"

"I have been fighting them since before you and John were born. Before they wanted him they wanted me. My point is you have to know this house until all you think about is the best possible exits. If a t-800 bursts through the front door what is the fast route out of this house and into a car out side. If it destroys the car where is the safest location in the house? The first step to fighting these things is learning how to outrun them. Now go study…AND I WILL TEST YOU."

He didn't doubt for a second that she would test him. David wasn't going to get access to that laptop now. He looked down at the map and sighed. She was right but there was no way he was going to be able to concentrate until he saw what was on that stick drive. She was still sitting on the couch while he was stuck "studying" at the kitchen table. That laptop couldn't have been the only computer weaver left for him. He got up and headed back down to the basement. The shelf had nothing on it and neither did a workbench in a corner. David opened the doors to one of the various rooms. Brightly shining at him was a computer screen.

Hell yeah. Weaver you're the best…

David removed the tiny black drive from his pocket and plugged it in to the usb port. After about three seconds the screen flickered and a video began to play.

It was a video from home. David's home. There were birthday decorations on the walls. His Mother and Sister were lighting the candles on his 15th birthday cake. The doorbell rang and his sister hid behind the couch to set up the surprise. She was giggling as their mother shushed her with a smile.

"Emily shush! Remember, it's a surprise."

His mother opened the door.

"W-What are you doing here? I told you I got rid of it. There's nothing left!"

"Mommy who is it? Hey you're not David!"

The man walked in with three others behind him. He pushed David's mother to the floor. She screamed at the four people.

"I GOT RID OF IT DAMN YOU! THERE'S NOTHING LEFT!"

The man lifted his arm slowly and pointed at her. David saw a barcode on his forearm.

"Actually, there's you…"

David's mother started crying and crawled backwards.

"Emily…EMILY RUN! RUN EMILY RUN! GO!"

She was facing Emily and standing in between the strangers and her. Instead of running Emily hugged her mother tightly. All four strangers pulled out weapons and opened fire. All four strangers had barcodes on their arms.

David couldn't move. He couldn't do anything but watch his mother and sister bleed to death. Suddenly his bleeding mother looked directly at the camera. She coughed up blood before she could speak.

"The…Angel…David…the…angel…I love…I'm Sorry…"

The video began to play on a loop. David couldn't move. He just watched them die again and again for the rest of the evening. He could care less about John Connor, John Henry, Sarah Connor, Cameron Phillips or Judgment Day. He was going to find the four strangers…and he was going to kill them.