Anatomy of an Uncle Relationship

Derek sat at the kitchen table like he did every morning. He would read the paper or watched the news. Then once John got into the shower he would pour cereal and have breakfast with his nephew before school. It was quiet and usually filled with tired grunts or small talk about the weather or baseball, but it was relationship that he liked and it made him feel like apart of his nephew's life.

Once John left he would have coffee with Sarah. It was also a quiet experience that didn't really involve words, but the difference was that no matter where he was in the house that morning she would seek him out and sit or stand next to him and have her coffee or breakfast. Derek at first was a bit puzzled by it, but eventually he couldn't help but feel a small sense of happiness at someone wanting sometimes needing to spend time with him and just like John … it made him feel apart of something. It also sparked something deep in his stomach and his heart when she would sit close to him or occasionally lean into his shoulder while they watched Television at night when there was nothing left to do but relax.

Derek watched Cameron reset the dinning room for the seventh time in a very unmachine like nervousness, smoothing her curled hair that she must have spent all night working on and brush something off her pretty lacy skirt before once again checking to see if the cereal was angled just right.

While he waited for John he entertained himself by sitting in the spots where Cameron set the bowl and cereal box. He would wait till she reset everything just the way she wanted it, then go and sit in the chair in front of the setup. Derek tried not to crack up as she took things he could only imagine where for John and start the process over again.

They spent a good fifteen minutes in there methodical chase around the dinning room before Cameron decided to leave. Derek gave her a Shit-eating grin when she returned as he poured himself the cereal meant for John, in the bowl meant for John. Cameron set down the classy looking pitcher of milk on the table and gave the Soldier a flash of anger before stalking away.

"You might want to put a coat over that pretty get-up its cold out, homemaker Barbie." He chuckled to himself, though he wasn't sure if he imagined the machine giving him the finger.

Derek was thinking about asking Sarah if she would like to help pick out a Christmas tree, but he was sure that conversation was going to have to wait as he heard John's voice echo through the house.

"You have so crossed a line!!"

***

Derek walked causally up the stairs to see his nephew running hundred miles an hour, but funny enough he was hardly making it out of his room. He tried not laugh and keep a straight face at the almost comedic scene in front of him.

"John … gah … John, slow down!" Sarah's voice was grunted and coming from the inside his room.

Suddenly humor turned to disbelief as he spied a metallic band wrapped around John's right wrist. The short metal chain was straining as Sarah came into view, being dragged out of the room with the other metal band secured tightly around her left wrist.

"Oh my God!" Derek groaned and scrubbed his face as John stopped and caught his breath.

"I know, she's finally lost it!" John's breath was ragged, pointing at Sarah who was still in her night clothing.

"I'm sorry John, but you left me no choice … I can't lose you to a Succubus." Sarah said determinedly.

"You're completely off your nut!" John yelled. Sarah said nothing, brushing off a piece of lent on her tank top. "Derek, you got to help me." John begged his uncle. Derek looked at John sympathetically, and then to Sarah who looked as if all of this was natural.

"Sarah, come on … handcuffs?" He said after a moment motioning the metal clamps.

"He was spooning the machine, Reese!" Sarah was outraged that Derek was taking sides.

"He was what?!" Derek looked at John in shock.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't you turn this around on me. You handcuffed me to you like some twisted Disney comedy!" John said shaking his hand.

"This is for your own good, John." Sarah was steeled in her resolve.

"You realize I have semester finals today … all day!" John shouted at her.

"That has been taken care of." Sarah sighed. As if on cue Cameron came into the room.

"Sarah, they said that it was okay and that they're … proud of … John." Cameron was distracted by the site of John and Sarah.

"What did you do?" John asked Sarah with a hint of fear.

"Sarah asked me to convince the school that you where going to be participating in a completion for charity today, but you will attend the finals." Cameron was still distracted by the Connors.

"You roped Cameron into this?!" John Jaw was open. Sarah had a smug look on her face.

"I'm sorry John; I didn't know this was her end game." Cameron said still not sure what was going on.

"So let's review … You have, one, Handcuffed yourself to me. Two, tricked Cam into helping you, and now you want to come along with us to our final semester exams?" John was more then a little ticked.

Sarah said nothing as if John had little choice but to follow. Derek observed the quiet moment with a sympathetic sigh.

"Excuse me, John, but the concept of some human rituals escapes me. What is this one called?" Cameron asked puzzled. The quiet moment continued in which anyone with a good eye could see the Teen was again silently surrendering to another one of Sarah Connor's somewhat crazy plans.

"It's called forwarding paychecks to shrinks and losing your dignity, Cam." John sighed.

Derek was beginning to wonder if he would have volunteered for the mission in 2007 if he knew that every morning was going to be like this.

"John, class starts in an hour …" Cameron was docile in tone knowing that John was in extreme embarrassment already and that she had realized that he had do something that would test his wits and fortitude.

John sighed and angrily tugged Sarah with him into his room.

Derek and Cameron shared knowing looks as John was throwing together clothing.

"Umm … John?" Derek said as Sarah sat on his bed and watched.

"Yeah Derek?" John sighed.

"You did take a shower last night?" Derek asked

"No, Why would I …" John stopped and shared a disturbed look with Sarah. "You are going to take these off right now!" John all but yelled at Sarah.

"Good Idea …" Sarah stood up, but then stopped. She looked at Cameron noticing that the cyborg was dressed like she was going out on a date. "You look very nice today, Cameron. What's the occasion?" Sarah asked sweetly. John looked frantic as he tried to motion Cameron to lie.

"Thank you, after the exams John is going to take me to a Christmas themed restraint." Cameron's loving smile was cut short as John covered his eyes in disappointment. Sarah turned to John with an unreadable expression which was a lot scary then the Sarah Connor death glare in his opinion.

"We're going to be late, John …" Sarah dragged him to her room.

"Why!?" John asked betrayed as he passed by an apologetic Cameron who handed him his clothing.

***

Thirty minutes later John and Sarah came down the steps.

Both had a fresh smell of scented soap and shampoo. John had a look that was disturbed but passive as if he was in the middle of blocking something out in his head. they walked into the kitchen where Derek ate cereal and Cameron looked a bit guilty.

John had his normal attire of a hooded Jacket, T-shirt and Jeans. But Sarah had on a very pretty sun dress and horn rimmed glasses on. Her hair was in an elegant bun and she looked like she might kill someone. Derek blushed as he couldn't tear is eyes off the naughty librarian version of Sarah Connor.

"Everybody, this is Ms. Luce Connor she is the Director of the charity that I'm competing for, and she's going to be living with us till mom decides that it is time to come back from her vacation to RuinJohnConnor'smentalhealthville." John addressed them through gritted teeth.

"John, this is stupid …" Sarah snapped.

"SO! Until then, this is our roomy!" John tugged Sarah.

"John, are you okay?" Derek asked to humor him, seeing the spark of insanity in his eyes and voice.

"I'm awesome, Derek … so freakin awesome!" John said with frustration. "Let's go to school, I'm psyched!" John tugged Sarah toward the door with Cameron in pursuit.

Derek watched them leave. Then after a moment decided that he might hang around the school for the rest of the day just in case he was needed.

Which he sure would be soon.