A sob broke in Cameron's throat as she realized how helpless she was against him--- how useless she felt to fight off even one human attacker. She felt pain as he bit at her breasts, but, then felt rough fingers sliding inside her most secret place--- a place where just the night before, John had been so gentle, taken such care... And, then, suddenly... nothing. The weight was off of her.
Yanking the covers back over herself, she ventured to open her eyes, and the ringing in her ears subsided enough that she could hear the sound of skin against skin, a steady tempo over and over again. She looked over the side of the bed and saw John on top of Julio, beating him over and over. She saw him raise a weak hand, but, one more hit and it was down again.
Cameron could see his face, already swollen and bloody, and John just kept hitting. Yelling. Cursing. But, she put a gentle hand on his back. At first, he raised a fist up, flinching, but then he looked up into her face and just crawled into the bed, taking her into his arms and raining kisses on top of her head, tears thick in his voice, though he refused to shed them.
"Cam... are you... did he... I'm so, so sorry..." he babbled.
But, Cameron just wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could. "I'm okay, John. I promise..."
John stroked her hair absently, one his chin resting on top of her head. "I shouldn't have left you... Never should have left you..." he said, kissing the top of her head once, and then returning her to under his chin again.
"You just killed one of your own men!" Jesse yelled.
John stood up, fists clenched. "He was raping her!"
"He was a good solider!"
Both Kyle and Derek grabbed John then to stop him from launching himself at Jesse.
"Get his filthy corpse out of here, or I'll kill you too, like I should have anyway when I first got here!"
Jesse faltered, a flicker of fear in her eyes, but then the tough soilder returned. She looked at Derek, and he grabbed the front of the body. "Get the feet, soilder." he said, his face unreadable.
Jesse frowned, but did as he asked, following him out. Kyle looked at the two of them.
"You're just kids... you deserve a place... away from metal..."
"So did you." John said, voice raspy. "But, it's not for any of us."
"Could be." Kyle argued. "The time machines..."
"I don't know when it happens from here, but sometime they're going to send metal to 1984 to my mother, to before she conceives me. The story I was told growing up was that I send you to rescue her. You do, but... you die in the process."
Kyle swallowed.
"And, I'm selfish if I send you anyway, knowing this, because... if you don't go, I won't be conceived."
Jesse and Derek threw Julio's body in the incinerator, where most all bodies go. Wouldn't do to have them stinking up the place...
"He was a good soilder." she spat gruffly.
"Did you tell him to rape Connor's woman?" Derek asked her suddenly.
"I... what?"
"Answer the question, Jess."
"I don't trust her! Or him, for that matter!"
"That's... you can't just... you can't..." Derek sputtered. "What is wrong with you?!"
"Me?! You're the one who let the kid take command where you should have!" she countered. "You should be in control, not some wet-behind-the-ears little twerp!"
"He's hardly wet!" Derek countered. "And, he knows as much tactical stuff as we do, even if he is under seventeen!"
"If you don't stop them... I will."
"No, Jess. You won't."
