Chapter 06: Genetics are a bitch

Tuesday night as Cameron sat at her desk in her room she waited for the results of her search of various law enforcement databases and news sources. She checked every night for any threats to John. Cameron drifted back into her memories of the future she had come from.

(Serrano Point 2027)

About a week after the death of Colonel Prichard Cameron was on patrol when a young man stopped her. "Hey, you're the terminator the general calls Cameron right?"

"Yes." Cameron replied in her flat machine tone.

"I'm supposed to deliver new orders for you."

"What are they Private?"

He held out a small piece of paper to her. "You are being reassigned. You are now to serve as the general's personal body guard." He turned and left quickly

Cameron looked at the slip of paper, it indicated the same but included John's signature.

Cameron was pleased with her new assignment. John was one of only a few people that didn't treat her as an enemy. When it was quiet they would talk. John told her many things about his past especially his childhood. He told her about growing up in the central American jungle and about his mother. He had even told her about his mothers death from cancer.

Cameron's memory continued to a night a few weeks into her guard duties.

"John may I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you pick me to be your body guard?"

"Two reasons really. First of all you are the first to show an interest in more than my physical wellbeing, and…" He paused for a second "and I wanted a friend to have my back…and I thought ma-" Someone pounded on the door.

"General, you need to come to the infirmary, now." It was Bill's voice.

"On my way." John rushed to open the door and sliced his hand on the frame on the way out.

Cameron walked next to John as he followed the triple 8 down the corridor. "What happened Bill?" John asked slightly out of breath as they hung a left.

"Sky Net hit outpost 32. Major Gunderson is severely damaged but insisted that he see you."

Cameron waited outside the medical bay since no machines were allowed in due to the extreme distress it caused most of the injured soldiers. She stood just outside waiting for John to come back out. She quickly analyse the risk that John was under without her but it was minimal.

About half an hour later John reemerged looking tired. "John are you alright?"

"I'm fine. But Gunderson…" He sighed "probably won't make it. And we lost a lot of people today." John opened a door to a side passage leading toward his room leaving a smear of blood on it.

Cameron saw the blood "John, your hand."

"What about it. It's just a scratch. Don't worry."

"It has been bleeding for 37 minutes." She stated "That is unusual for such a minor injury."

John glanced at his hand. He blinked a few times looking surprised. "Oh, well that sucks." He gave her a sort of grin but it was clearly forced.

"If you're damaged I should know." Cameron lowered her voice to a near whisper as a soldier walked through the intersection behind them.

"Alright but not here. " He nodded in the direction of his quarters.

(1999)

BEEP

Cameron snapped back to the present. The computer searches she had launched had finished. She soon had finished reading the results. 'That could be a problem.' She thought when she got to the traffic records of the FBI records database. Someone had tricked the server into sending a copy of the Connor case file to an unknown computer. Cameron typed quickly following the hacker's path back through several systems. It originated in Southern California but it just vanished before she could pin it down. A quick analysis of the skill required showed a 98% chance of it being another terminator.

THREAT ANALYSIS:

NO IMMEDIATE DANGER: monitor closely

The message flashed across her vision automatically. Cameron shut down the computer while trying to decide if she should tell John.'No, not yet anyway not until there is a threat.'

Sarah moved closer to her son's bed. He was mumbling and had kicked his blankets off. As she bent over to pick up the blanket she made out a few words "Cameron I… sorry…I" 'I wonder what that's about.' She pulled the covers back over him.

John jerked awake. His mom was leaning over him "MOM! Stop doing that!" He gasped. The n he looked at the clock 4:32 AM. "What are you doing up?" He slumped back on his pillow.

"I heard you tossing and muttering. It sounded like you were having a rough night." She pushed the hair back off his forehead feeling that he was all clammy. "You alright?"

"Yeah mom I'm fine. What did I say anyway?"

"I couldn't make out most of it but you said something about Cameron and being sorry. You seemed pretty upset about whatever it was."

He blushed "I'm going to try to get some more sleep, okay."

Smiling slightly at his embarrassment Sarah yawned "yeah well keep it down will you." She left the room closing the door behind her.

John let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes. He had only been asleep for half an hour. He had been up all night trying to figure out how he felt about everything that happened the last three days. He couldn't get the image of Cameron crying out of his mind.

On Wednesday John sat in his customary seat beside Cameron in chemistry. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. 'She looks so miserable.' She looked at him and he dropped gaze guiltily and turned more toward the front of the room. 'How am I ever going to start talking to her again? I just freaked out when she looked at me.' He became lost in his thoughts trying to think of some way to start a conversation so he could try to patch things up.

A scantron dropped to his desk, he looked up startled from his thoughts to see the girl in front of him turning back to the front of the classroom. Groaning he muttered none too quietly, "Just my luck, a pop quiz today."

"Perhaps a pop quiz for you Mr. Reese, I announced the quiz to the rest of the class yesterday."

Frustrated and a little annoyed with himself, he reached for his backpack and his pencils… It wasn't there. He was so distracted this morning, he must have forgotten it. god, I'm an idiot. His eyes instinctively drifting toward Cameron and she was looking at him. Too late to turn away he blurted the first thing that came to mind… "Can I borrow a pencil?" She looked at him quizzically before reaching into her bag.

Standing up at the end of the period, he tripped. Looking down to see the offender, he realized it was his backpack. It had been there all along, on the other side of his desk. I guess that explains the look. At least were talking again…sort of. But, I do still have her pencil.

He looked around more than usual as he made his way through the cafeteria line. Seeing no sign of her, he headed toward the door. Outside, he finally spotted her, sitting alone on the last picnic bench. Making his way toward her awkwardly he mentally practiced what he was going to say.

"I stole your pencil" he held it out to her.

Puzzled, she tilted her head. "I gave it to you."

"No, I mean I forgot to give it back" he held it out further.

"Oh, thank you for explaining… Why didn't you use yours?" he lowered the pencil. 'My plan stopped at "I stole your pencil".'

"So, how do you think you did on the pop quiz?...God that was a stupid question. Uh, I mean…the weather's really nice today. Good weather for sitting outside, ya know"

"yes, averages have been in the high 70's" The barest hint of a smile crossed her face as the subject turned to the weather. He smiled back in embarrassment. There was an uncomfortable silence then Cameron said. "The bell is going to ring in approximately 53 seconds."

Seeing his opportunity to extricate himself from the pit of awkwardness he had created, John got to his feet slinging his bag over one shoulder. "Alright, well… um, I'll see you later."

Cameron watched as John walked into the main building her head tilted slightly to the side. 'What was he doing? He said "don't pretend to be my friend. Don't pretend like you actually care." She heard his words again in her mind. The bell rang interrupting her thoughts. Cameron rose and followed after John.

By the end of school Cameron still did not know what John had been trying to do earlier. During her afternoon classes she had decided to try speaking to John again.

"John," Cameron called to him as he disappeared out the door to the parking lot. He stopped and waited for her. "Would you like a ride home?"

"Huh… um, sure I…" He trailed off as he turned toward the truck.

About halfway home John was feeling very awkward. He didn't know what to talk about and the silence was getting to him. So he broke it "Cameron, could we maybe get together to do homework or something?" She turned to look at him for a few seconds. "Not that I want you to do it for me or anything. I just-" John babbled.

"Yes." Cameron cut him off with a slight upturn to the corners of her mouth. "Tomorrow," she suggested, pulling up in front of the house.

"Alright." He pulled in a breath "well, see you tomorrow then." John said hurriedly as he stepped out and shoved the door closed. 'Why is this so awkward?' He turned back and tried a smile. He received a hesitant one in return. John walked up the front seps and stepped inside. He hoped tomorrow would be a little easier. Or at least less akward.