Alright, this is the final chapter before the epilogue; now this chapter was actually rewritten by me a long time ago and is not a part of the original run. This is a chapter rewritten to fit the now debunked story "1983" which was the prequel to this one. You don't have to read 1983 to get this chapter, but it does bring a storyline to full circle, involving the missing baby from the epilogue of 1983.

I hope you enjoy it!

In The Air Tonight

The air plane rumbled and rattled as the harsh frigid winds of the tall and unforgiving Himalayas tossed the grounded plane like it was in the circle of a game of "Bull in the Ring".

James Ellison sat numbly in the pilot's seat, removing headphones. It had had been touch and go for the last couple of hours. He had licenses to fly, but the test never had a situation about flying below radar in a Tibetan snow storm, with John Connor barking orders from the co-pilot's chair.

Now, all he wanted was a stiff drink. Turning, he spotted John getting ready to go, despite the fact that the engines hadn't even had time to cool, nor had a plan been given.

In the middle of the cabin, John Connor looked a thousand miles away, wrapping a thermal layer over his long sleeve T-shirt. Behind him on a couch, Cameron sat still as a statue, giving her husband a worried look and held his leather Jacket as a child would their security blanket in the dark.

Ever since leaving Mamma D's John had been brooding and short of temper. Cameron was hurt as John had made it a point to avoiding her for the last several days, which was no small effort in an airplane. He had taken to locking himself in a private area alone, without lights. With the only sound coming from under the door was that of a music box.

"Are sure you want to do this alone, John?" Cameron asked quietly.

"This is between me and the kidnapper. I don't want you to get in the middle." John said coldly.

"Sarah and …" Cameron paused like it was hard to say what was next. "Derek are my … family too." She protested.

"This isn't a debate, you stay!" John was short and firm, leaving no room for compromise.

The beauty's face twisted into a cold glare that put the weather outside to shame "I'm not your pet machine John. You don't give me orders anymore." Cameron snapped off with an edge to her voice.

The man scoffed rudely at her. "You want to go … then by all means go, but you're sure as hell not coming with me" John tied another thermal shirt around him like a robe.

"Stop telling me what to do." Cameron replied darkly.

John clenched his teeth at his wife, and leveled her with a glare fit for a petulant little girl. "Fine, when this farce is all said and done you can go where ever you want whenever you want. But right here and now you're going to listen to me. Cause like it or not, I'm going to protect you … even if that means pulling your chip to do it!" John growled and for a moment no one could deny he was Sarah Connor's child.

Cameron shot out of her seat, her face was vengeful and taken aback by the threat of her submission. "Do it … I dare you." Cameron challenged walking into his personal space.

The two stared one another down with their faces inches apart. It was colder inside suddenly then outside. It had never happened before but in their moment of dissent, it truly looked as if John and Cameron would come to blows over the issue.

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control Ellison entered the cabin and walked in between the two. "I think it time to separate you." He said gently grabbing Cameron by the arm not unfriendly. "Come on Sweetheart, just give him some space." Ellison said paternally, which came as easy as breathing for the foster father of a seven year old girl back in Southern California. The cyborg gave a glance at Ellison before turning back to her husband and throwing John's jacket in his face with force and walking away.

When John finished dressing, he looked ready for almost anything. He had his leather jacket buttoned up over several layers. A long scarf tied around his head and face like a turban.

With a sigh he walked back into the main cabin after retrieving a sum of munitions from the back of the plane for a plan he was putting together silently. Inside the main cabin of the private jet he found Cameron lounging on the soft, plush, leather couch they had been spooning on for the last two weeks. She was staring blankly out the window at the sheets of snow blanketing the area around them. John had been dreading this moment, half expecting her to be dressed to follow him up the mountain, but much to his relief she still had on her soft turtle neck and Jeans.

Suddenly John felt a twinge of regret for the way he had been handling himself for the last couple days. What he was about to do was dangerous and the last thing he wanted was for his wife to be angry at him before he died.

"I'm heading off." He called out to her, pulling down the thick scarf that was covering his mouth and nose.

Cameron seemed to ignore him continuing her vigil like a flesh and blood statue, not breathing, not flinching, and just sitting dangerously still.

The soldier clenched his jaw in some anger at the cold shoulder, but he let it pass after a moment. Ruefully, he approached her and leaned over, his face inches from the side of hers. She didn't react to him, not even with his warm breath tickling her flawless cheek. John sighed regretfully and nuzzled her smooth skin gently.

"I love you." he kissed her cheek meaningfully and took a deep inhale of her before he stood straight and walked away.

"You're heading out?" Ellison asked coming from the back of the plane, holding two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Yeah …" John replied giving Cameron a glance as he adjusted the messenger bag of supplies he was taking with him.

The older man scoffed at the sight of John with a shake of his head "Good luck." Ellison gave him a nudge on the shoulder.

"Thanks …" He gave the man a nod, and then lowered his voice. "Keep her company will you?" John motioned to Cameron who still didn't show any interest in anything going on around them. Ellison nodded and in a silent answer to the next question lifted one of the mugs in his hands to show John.

"Alright" John nodded in approval before giving one last look to Cameron. When he reached the door he cranked a lever three times with strained grunts. There was a large hiss and the hatch door slid open. Suddenly all in the plane were hit with a cold wind that cut like knifes through clothing and punched the two human's in the lungs.

Recovering John looked back "Keep warm old timer!" he shouted over the wind.

"You to Sarah!" Ellison countered with a glare.


Two ski clad men skidded through the white surrounding area as the storm finally died down leaving the remains of a cold wind and a silent almost dead surrounding of nothing but ice and blankets of powder that made them feel like they were on a large donut. They were on their way to find out what was out there and why there was a large explosion at one of the checkpoints.

When they skidded to a halt near the area, the two men noticed that there was a large bond fire where the checkpoint cabin used to be. The wreckage sent smoke billowing into the sky that could be seen for miles.

Both Assassins stole a glance at one another at the sheer devastation that rocked the area, not sure where it came from. Each glared at their surroundings. They thought maybe it had been an accident, or a freak result of the snow storm?

As the men sat idle, pondering what the circumstances were, a figure from under the snow burst out behind and leaped at the nearest Skier.

A sludge hammer blow to his temple sent the Assassin to the floor unconscious. The shadow crossed the other's wrists and grabbed the coat collar, exerting pressure to the last man's arteries with his fingers. The Assassin let out a noise and fell to the snow.

With heavy pants that became visible in the cold evening, John Connor began to remove their coats and cold weather gear placing them in his sack.

Looming around him and the scene, the large bond fire illuminated the snow covered ground as dusk began to settle over the rugged terrain. Despite that small fact and the prospect of having to climb a mountain in the dark, John smirked as he looked at the ski tracks left behind by the Assassins.

The plan worked.


John found the feeling like his lungs were on fire was not the most awesome thing in the world to feel as he quietly followed the narrow ski path. It seemed and felt as if the narrow path through the mountains were causing a wind tunnel that John had to fight through.

"Well this was a good Idea!" John breathed sarcastically as a large gust of wind cut through his layers sending a nerve freezing chill through him that made him call out and shake his head to get a better sense of where he was.

The climb through the narrow pathway took several minutes on foot, fighting through snow drifts and harsh winds that made loud almost deafening sounds in his ears. But in time, though he wasn't sure how much, he finally stopped a moment when reaching a long sloped stone carved stairway that lead to a large building.

The ancient monastery sat alone, embedded into the side of the large mountain, as if carved out of the very stone. The structure towered eight stories with its large tiled roof and black walls commanding a view of the entire mountain range. John took cover a moment catching the glint of metal on the top most level of the ancient fortress.

Seeing no other way to go, John took a deep sigh and steadied himself as he made his way up the long winding staircase toward the seemingly forgotten monastery commanding the mountain region.

It seemed like days of climbing, before John gasped as he dropped breathlessly on the iced staircase. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved or dread the situation when he looked up to see that he was more than halfway there. Not giving his mind time to ponder the implications, he pulled himself up the rest of the way on his hands and knees.

With heavy panting John willed his body to stand at full height when he finally reached the top of the mountain. What he found when he reached his goal was a large wooden double doorway painted red, while in front of the doors two golden lions perched threateningly, flanking the path.

Not giving his surroundings more than a glance, John desperately shuffled his way forward leaning on the one of the doors for support as he breathed fire. Trying to get his body under control he placed his head against the door and closed his eyes, listening to the wind break against the ancient structure.

It hadn't occurred to John till he fell face first onto the warm stone floor of the monastery that the doors had been left open. Letting out a miserable groan at his bad luck, his breath became labored when he began dragging himself forward till he was truly inside. Then with annoyance, John kicked the door shut with a loud slam.

The inside of the monastery was a darkened labyrinth of pillars holding up several levels of the building. Even in the shadows he could see that there were many large open spaces. Above, each level had a large square cut evenly in the center, almost like an expansive office building. There was a blue stream of light softly illuminating the open space.

Reaching a pillar off to the side, the man pulled himself to his feet, trying not to make any noise. Once on his feet, he swayed a little before getting himself back to balance. With steady paces, John quietly walked forward, hearing two familiar voices having a conversation ahead of him under the light of the blue moon in the center. John smiled slightly as a weight lifted off his heart.

"Her name was Tori Martin … I was fourteen, she was seventeen."

"Slut …"

"Wow … That came out of nowhere."

"What? She was Seventeen you were fourteen, you know what I was doing at seventeen?"

"Pregnancy?"

"Shut Up"

"You asked"

"Get on with the story, Derek."

"She was nervous that her boyfriend wouldn't love her if she didn't know how to "Do it" so I let her practice with me."

"So like a practice dummy?"

"Yeah … minus the dummy"

"No, I think it fits."

"Yeah? Who was your first time with and don't tell me it was Kyle …"

"…"

"You're shitting me …"

"What you think just because I was a cheerleader and home coming queen means that I slept with every guy at school?"

"No, I just never pegged you for the good girl in high school."

"Yeah well, I was in love with someone for most of it."

"Boyfriend?"

"Best friend …"

"What was his name?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on, I told you mine."

"And I told you mine."

"No, I guessed yours."

"Fine ..."

"What's his name, Sarah?"

"John"

"You named the kid after the unrequited love?"

"No … I named him … are your ears stopped up, I said drop it!"

Sticking to the shadows, John circled his parents, visibly making out where they were tied to chairs and facing back to back. Sarah's head lounged back against Derek's comfortably.

Despite his want to rush over and free them immediately, he took cautious steps toward them. Like a mouse inching toward cheese, wondering if it was on a trap. The clicking of his boots on the floor caused Sarah to turn, her green eyes watching him with a squint.

With a look around he stepped into the light so that his mother could see him better. "Are you alright?" John asked staying barely visible his voice muffled by the scarf around his mouth.

"What the hell do you care lackey!" Sarah spat defiantly.

Feeling underappreciated after what he had to do to get to this point, John scoffed. "If I didn't care then I wouldn't have bothered to chase your wide ass across the damn planet." John replied bitterly pulling off his head protection.

"… John?" Derek called with his back to him. Though turned, the veteran soldier was more than in tune with John Connor's voice at this age then Sarah.

The look the woman gave her son was one of shock and at the same time longing of some sort. But longing for what? John could guess about a dozen things. But chief amongst them was probably how she wished they weren't only eight years apart now.

The two shared a glance and for a moment in the blue moonlight he saw a porcine doll like teenage girl with an ethereal glow in the light that made her eyes shine. But it passed and she was his mother again, the woman who raised him, and taught him everything he knew.

"I'll have you out in a second." He whispered not able to shake the feeling like someone was watching them.

Then off to his right, John caught the glint of metal and from the corner of his eye he saw a shadow raising a hand. Quickly, John ducked as a knife was flung at him. When the ceremonial weapon stuck into a post he backed away from Derek and Sarah to keep them out of harm's way. From the shadows six ninja dressed killers flanked John, carrying martial art weapons.


She watched him, examined him as he stood in the dark. The once scrawny and lovably goofy teen Sarah Connor had raised was now in a span of two and a half years a well built and ruggedly handsome man. This fact alone made her hurt that she couldn't have seen him grow out of that awkward stage of life and into the soldier he had become. But what hurt her most is how he hadn't changed a day since she was a teenage girl. The old wounds where still there and something about him still made her weak, made her cling to him like the girl did.

The tense pause ended when a shadowed figure caught her eye when it made its move. Sarah was about to warn John but he was already out of the way when the knife came at him. She watched helplessly as more ninjas came into sight carrying staffs and swords.

At first she struggled against her bonds feeling the same way she had when Sarkissian and John fought. She was living the line between wanting to protect the boy she loved more than life itself, the baby who came into the world squealing and reaching for her. Yet she also wanted to help the young man that rescued her from bullies at a diner in 1983 and held her tight when things got bad at home, who let her live with him without so much as a thought and gave her his apartment when he left.

However as she watched the fight she became almost awe struck at the way John was handling himself. Then a shot of fear struck her as the fight halted a moment and John's face came into view. It was bristling with anger and hatred, his teeth where clenched as the remaining four Assassins circled him. She saw that there was something in him that came out in that moment when he rushed at them in a fury. For next several moments Sarah watched John fight his opponents with powerful and angry hacking blows. He struck them down with a deep hatred wielding a stolen staff with vengeance.


John spun, building momentum in his weapon before he finally struck the last Ninja with a powerful smack from the staff; the blow turned the last of the killers' head. He watched with clenched teeth as the last of the assassins fell to the floor.

He stood in the middle of the room after the fight was done watching for any of his opponents to get up, they didn't. Breathing heavily, he let the adrenalin drain a little, knowing that if he let it go fully he might faint. But despite being careful with his body control, he felt just a tad bit better.

With a hard blink he turned back to Sarah who was watching in shock. He was taken a little by surprise by it. This hadn't been the first time she had seen him demolish a room before. But maybe his hopes were answered and she had forgotten everything that happened when they were younger.

With a sigh John approached Sarah and Derek. "Been here long?" John sighed tossing the staff to the ground and pulling the Crysknife from its stuck position on a wooden pillar.

"It's been a couple of days." Sarah bit her lip when she answered. She couldn't wait for John to cut the bonds to her hands.

When the action was done, Sarah moved on complete instinct and pulled him into a fierce hug immediately. John let the familiar slender body mold to him and he buried his face into her hair. Through all of the trials he had been through this was what he had been wanting at the light at the end of the tunnel. John wanted to feel his safety net, his security blanket, and his home. He wanted to simply hug his mother again after all these years. Slowly they broke apart and looked into each other's faces.

"Jesus John what happened?" Sarah gasped taking his face in her hands examining the fresh scar across his eye

John flinched away from her touching and took a hold of her hands "It's a long story." He answered giving them a quick kiss, before breaking away from her and cutting Derek loose.

"Thanks." Derek grunted standing slowly, stretching his legs with a relieved grunt.

"Good lord, you smell." John winced.

A smile formed on the bearded Veteran's face "Miss me did you?" Derek chuckled, giving John a quick "man hug". The younger man smiled at the comment patting him on the shoulder.

Both turned to Sarah.

John suddenly felt tired "What are you wearing?" He groaned with a tired and disbelieving sigh.

While Derek had on a gray T-shirt and faded blue jeans, Sarah looked like she was about to go out on the town. Her now long golden hair was flowing in waves down her back and over her shoulders, while she had on a black silk gown and pumps.

"Hey, this wasn't my doing!" Sarah said defensively at the strange looks she was getting.

"No, but I know who it was." John said darkly wondering away, rubbing his stubble thoughtfully. However he wasn't so far gone he didn't stop to smack Derek back into reality as he stared at Sarah in deep amazement at her rarely seen feminine beauty.

Just as John and Derek traded glares there was a loud rush of sound and torch lights lit the dark room three columns at a time. From the shadows a skull headed man in a ritualistic clock appeared clapping as if he had watched the performance of the century.

Frustration and deep annoyance wrinkled John's brow and in a split second of rage, the soldier sprang from his spot. It caught the skulled headed man by surprise at how quick John reached him, with a swift and vicious movement John snatched the skull head piece off the man's head and judo flung him back into a pillar off in a dark spot in the room of flickering firelight.

John observed the head piece with a bitter shake of his head before tossing it away like a piece of garbage. "I see the cave-in at the prison wasn't fatale, huh Goodwin?!" He asked almost smugly.

The figure got to his feet slowly and after making a painful gasp, limped into the light. "I'm impressed General. How long did you know?" Robert Goodwin laughed proudly.

Sarah made a surprised and terrified noise and absently took several steps back at his reveal, quietly shrinking behind John in shame at the sight of the man.

John crossed his arms with a glare of deep loathing "Cameron and I've known from the beginning. How could you know that Mom and Derek where kidnapped the same night as Kate." He replied with an irritated smugness, as if talking to a small child.

"Unless I planned it." Goodwin finished.

"Also there was no way you could have known Derek was my uncle unless you interrogated him first." John sighed.

"I vouch" Derek rubbed his neck.

"Then there was Abbud's knife. It was just like the one in the kidnapper's picture." John continued. From the shadows Abbud appeared. "Then your lackey wrangler over here, always picky about you going first. That was until the Fortress where he let me and Cameron enter first, because he knew there was danger." John explained with an angry and tired voice.

"I'm deeply impressed. Though how did you find there hiding places?" Goodwin pointed to Derek.

"Your mercenary, you rat bastard" John tossed the combat knife the Red helmeted stranger had left behind in New Orleans at Goodwin's feet. "The T-800 and the clues in New Orleans?" John demanded.

"Of her real name I haven't the slightest, but she preferred to be called the Red Mask." Goodwin answered

John shook his head. "That's impossible … the only Red Mask was Savannah Weaver and she's been dead for years, I was there when it happened. No one knows how to use that helmet and her weapons ... but a very few." The man stopped and found himself thinking of a locket music box in his inner leather jacket pocket.

He ignored the little chuckle Goodwin gave observing John, as a wave of emotion and memories flooded his mind, drawing everyone's stare as his eye flicked from side to side as if he was watching a film reel of the past, slide across his face.

"No …" he shook his head under his breath. "No, she's dead …" He repeated though it was clear he was no longer talking about Savannah Weaver. "I was there, I saw her die." He whispered quietly.

Good win cleared his throat for attention. "If you know her name, by all means John, share with the class." There was a haughty arrogance oozing from his stiff accent.

The soldier sneered at the overdressed man, and fixed him with a chilled look of an unspoken deadly promise. There was a pause in the room, as everyone waited on what would happen next. But it all deflated when John sighed with an air of inconvenience.

"Well…" He sighed and turned. "You guys ready to go?" John asked.

Derek blinked with surprise and interest at his nephew and surrogate son, and then bluntly looked to Sarah who still was praying to go unnoticed. "I guess so." Derek shrugged. "But it was just getting good." He added with a growing disinterest.

John gave his uncle a commiserating nod, unhooking the clasp on the messenger bag's flap and began handing Derek and Sarah the coats taken off of the Ski Assassins.

Robert Goodwin's body guard suddenly walked out of the shadows. "You were not given permission to be dismissed!" Abbud announced in outrage, advancing on the family angrily.

With a snort, the soldier dug out another piece of clothing. "Funny, I don't remember asking for any." John declared dismissively, fitting a beanie on Sarah's head almost playfully to comfort her.

The deep piercing eyes of the Assassin grew as if John had insulted his very existence. "Your insolence will be punished!" Abbud halted and reached back, throwing a fist at John.

SNAP!

The tall and muscular man caught Abbud's fist. The body guard growled in pain as the sound of crackling bones popped their echoes into the quiet when John began crushing his fist. One look into haunted green eyes and the killer knew the minute he threw Cameron down those steps in Texas was the moment he had bought the wrath of her husband and now it was time to see what it was he purchased.

"And that's strike three!" John said with an angry growled voice that made it sound like he was about to explode all over him. Then in one smooth motion, John lifted him over his head and threw the killer as hard as he could. The man hit his head three times on the stone floor, before skidding to a halt in front of Goodwin's feet.

John leveled Goodwin with a look that could peel the skin off his face. It was no mistake he had tossed Abbud his way, it was meant as a warning. There was a true moment when John felt the explosion in his chest to storm over and ring the handsome older gentlemen's neck. He wasn't just remembering all the things he had put the Connor's through in the past and now, He remembered the future as well.

John never counted himself lucky that he had been largely ignored by the man in the future. Goodwin had always been Reese Connor's enemy more than John's. During the disaster at Palmdale, Reese had lead a make or break assault at Skynet lines Commanded by Goodwin, trying to rescue John, Alison, Derek, and Kyle who were cut off and surrounded. During the high water mark of the heavy fighting the youth was wounded multiple times, including the loss of his leg. Goodwin seeing his opportunity while holding the dying captain for ransom had Reese's severed leg tampered with. By the time Lauren Fields realized what had been done when she reattached his leg, it was too late. Reese Connor survived his wounds physically, but his leg forever tortured him, turning the hero to pain killers. Thus the once harolded war hero known as Sarah Connor's gallant knight was now a pained, angry, brooding, addict who was nothing but a shadow of who he once was. Reese grew to hate Sarah for her actions to get him back. For his life Sarah married Goodwin, turning on the resistance and her children. John had understood her choice, Sarah Connor would do anything to save her children. But a brooding and angry Reese driven to aggression called her a traitor and wanted her head. In the end her marriage was short lived when he was killed in the ruins of old Pescadero. But the incident haunted the family till Reese resigned commission only to be slayed fighting off the machines trying to defending Alison, something that was supposed to be John's job.

John had and never will forgive Robert Goodwin for what he had done in the future to his family and given the opportunity this younger version would do in a heartbeat.

He felt someone touch his arm gently. He followed it to his mother who hadn't said two words since Goodwin appeared. But now she looked into his eyes and disarmed the murderer's intent in his soul. Sarah Connor was a warrior woman, dangerous and hard as a battle chassis. But despite all those things, the death of anyone was one thing she could never quite bring herself to reconcile with. Sarah had killed only one person in her entire life and even then John wasn't sure if she had actually done it at that.

"Okay … alright." He reassured her quietly, taking a deep breath he held. Sarah gave her son the slightest of nods and stroked his leather clad arm gently. Blinking hard he turned to Derek who was fixing his coat. When he caught his nephews stare, John motioned his head.

Sarah trailed John closely as the three started walking toward the grand double doors.

With a flash of something in his eyes, Goodwin leapt over Abbud's body and at the beautiful woman. "Sarah, Please, wait!" he took Sarah's hand and pulled her away from John and Derek leading her to a secluded area, of the illusion that the two future enemy officers would give them privacy. Derek moved to engage, but John held him back with an arm, with a face that told him that Sarah didn't need him for this.

"Please I…I didn't mean any harm." Goodwin tried to explain to Sarah in a voice that John and Derek could automatically tell there was something behind it. But, if there was something off about the situation then Sarah didn't seem to notice, watching him meekly, politely trying to return to her family. But he would let her go.

"You sure had one hell of a way of showing it!" John said glaring at him. "Now let her go, and go find a hole to die in, you son of bitch!" He commanded.

"All I wanted to do is ensure that Kate will be looked after by a worthy man who passed my trials." He said removing the beanie off Sarah's head.

"So all this crap was a test to see if I was worthy to marry Kate … a girl I haven't seen in like fifteen years." John pointed out. "Yeah … Cause that makes sense." John scoffed sarcastically.

"The truth is … I Just want what you want." He ignored John as he began to rub a thumb on her cheek bone. Something in Sarah's eyes was hanging on every word the man was saying, which was starting to look and feel familiar to John in a bad way. "We won't be alive forever, my line of business, my life, it isn't safe for Kate." He explained. "When I go, who will protect her from the enemies I've made?" he asked Sarah charismatically. "John passed my trials, all of them, flawlessly. Your son, your blood, is what I trust to protect mine." He cupped the golden haired woman's cheek.

"Not gonna happen." John replied.

Goodwin turned toward John coldly. "You made a vow!" he chastised.

"I made nothing and I claim nothing … Kate makes up her own mind!" When the soldier felt his uncle on edge John began reaching for his holster "Now, I'm not gonna tell you again … let her go!" he warned darkly.

But Goodwin ignored them, his hands tracing and stroking Sarah's face. "You understand, don't you, Sarah?" It was that poisonous voice that John hated to hear. He could never understand what his mother's draw to the man was. He knew firsthand the history of the two, because he had been there for their first meeting in 1983. Even then he had always drawn her toward him. John had been there when his grandmother had tried to arrange a marriage between them, to which John blew to shambles by taking risk with the timeline. But both times this Sarah Connor had dealings with this man; she had been a girl, naïve, trusting to certain degrees. John knew his mother, Knew that the woman before him knew better than swim with the shark.

"I do …" Her voice became strangely absent when she spoke. "I understand, completely." She turned her face into his hands acceptingly.

"What the …" Derek stiffened at the sight of the eighteenth century romance novel playing in front of them.

John removed his arm that was blocking his uncle. "He's all yours." He said with a hard squint trying to piece what the hell was going on.

CRACK!

It didn't take Derek long to get to the couple, when Goodwin fell on the floor, the ex-officer spat on the man. Goodwin looked out of it, as he face planted on the floor.

Suddenly, completely out of nowhere Sarah reached back and slammed her fist into Derek's cheek in outrage. The blow knocked her husband on his ass and left him seeing stars.

John took a defensive stance when Sarah took off to the fallen terrorist. She kneeled and tenderly sat Goodwin up, cradling him in her arms like a lover. Goodwin gave her a concussed smile, reaching up to slowly rub his thumb over her upper lip.

However in a sobering look that played across Sarah's beautiful features, she let out a frightened yet tender gasp, quickly backing away from him. She left him slumped as if he had violated something sacred inside her.

Derek who had been bleeding on the floor, stood up with John's help and cautiously walked toward Sarah who began to shake, her face grew thin and worried as she began to search around desperately as if she had lost something as if she jumped completely out of the situation and into something completely new.

Derek cautiously approached her as she babbled mindlessly. "Sarah, are you alright?" he asked looking into confused and scared eyes.

"… Reese?" Sarah called around as if someone had wondered away and she was lost in the dark.

"I'm right here." Derek searched her eyes grasping her shoulders to steady her.

The woman shook her head at his answer and suddenly grasped his shirt. "No, no, no, Derek, Derek, she took the baby, Derek!" She shook him. Derek Reese looked as if someone had punched him in the gut and his face fell hard. Suddenly, the tired looking man knew what Sarah was talking about, and it was killing him.

"Sarah …" Derek could hardly speak.

The golden haired woman shook her husband. "She took him, Derek, Reese, it took Reese … the baby's gone!" her eyes where in helpless hysterical tears. "It took our boy!" She sobbed. "It took my baby!" She screamed.

"What …" John started.

Sarah broke in. "J … John was dying, Derek … John was dying and I … I had to save him." She sounded as if she was apologizing for something. Derek turned to John with a frown, having no clue what was going on.

Quickly, the hysterical woman turned her husband's face back so he could look at her. "Twenty six years Derek, she told me in twenty six years she wanted something … but I didn't care!" She sobbed and suddenly she turned to a pained John. "Because I thought I would have you." The look Sarah gave her child broke his heart. She turned back to Derek eyes covered in tears. "I was sixteen, stupid, I … I didn't think. I thought John would stay forever." Sarah babbled through sudden sobs.

"The hell?" Derek looked to John wondering just how the hell Sarah's emotions went from zero to sixty in three seconds flat.

Something clicked on in the scruffy younger man's brain and without hesitation he walked forward and gently took his mother by her waist and turned her to face him.

"Why'd you leave me … after all I gave up for you, back then?" She asked so brokenly it physically hurt him to hear her.

Pushing through the tightness in his chest, John took control. "Mom … Mom look at me!" he commanded over her babbling. When she tried to break free, John grabbed her head and held it in place catching her eyes. Sarah went quiet as if being transfixed by John.

"I loved you more than I had anyone in my entire life and you left me … left me so now she took my child, she took my child, John." Sarah looked broken.

"What the hell is she going on about?" His uncle was confused and distraught by all he was hearing. John quietly shushed his mother, ignoring his uncle while examining her face gently with a hardened frown and searching eyes.

When he was done, it looked like his anger could hardly be contained. "Derek …" John called shortly releasing Sarah and handed her into Derek's arms.

He held her tightly, as she clung to him. "John, what the hell is going on?" Derek growled, watching his nephew coldly walk away. Goodwin to his credit tried to look brave though still dazed when the shadow of John Connor loomed over him.

"Give me your hands … Give me your hands!" John began grappling with the concussed terrorist who struggled like a small child trying to get out of John's grip. "GIVE ME YOUR HANDS!" John roared, pulling on his wrists ruthlessly. The struggle was over when the larger man pinned the slender one to the floor with his boot, arms almost pulled out of his sockets.

From the first look at his palms, John saw that they were normal. But a closer look showed the lines in his palms had the slightest tint of blue powder caked in the crevasses and creases of his hands.

"You dirty bastard!" John breathed furiously seeing the evidence of what he suspected was the case.

"John, answer me Dammit!" Derek finally yelled. Frustration played across his normally calm and cool persona in such situations, but as he heard Sarah quietly sob uncontrollably Derek couldn't help but feel a strong sense of protectiveness and the need to make things right.

With disgust John tossed down Goodwin's arms and sent a kick into his ribs, walking further into the monastery "Azulnocturna" John called to Derek distractedly.

He kicking Abbud over on his back and knelt next to him, ripping his face coverings off. The Body guards face proved to be a timeless unwrinkled set of features on to a stony bone structure. He was shaved of all hair and was covered top skull to thick neck in blue powdered coding. One whiff made John's vision blur, he sniffed into his wrist and turned his head.

"It's a hallucinogen that warps your senses, leaving your mind open to suggestions. When you take too much it can make you relive some of your most painful memories. It was how Goodwin can control Mom like his own person doll." John explained, noticing olive oil complexioned finger streaks on Abbud's cheek.

Years on battlefields and ranging's had taught John Connor how to use everything a body possesses to find enemies and or to protect himself. Now two years after the fact John still used the awareness in his life. He might not be able to see her, but John could smell the sweet and expensive top of the line perfume she wore.

"Kate …" John growled in acknowledgement to a shadow standing near a pillar. She was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties with long, soft, flowing red hair. Her skin was as smooth and colorful as waxed ivory. The slender young woman was dressed elegantly in an embroidered silk blouse and satin business skirt. A necklace of rare pearls was set around her neck like a chocker.

"John." Kate replied with guilt ridden Blue eyes the color of water. "It's been a long time." Her voice wasn't accented like her father, but there was a polish and finesse to her speech that was as smooth as nylon.

The rugged young man glared at her. "Not long enough." He replied coldly. He didn't treat her as he had her father, but none the less did he lay her with blame for the situation.

She could plainly see it in his eyes. "I didn't know he would go this far." She defended herself. With clicking strides her long legs made it to Derek and Sarah in a short trip. Derek immediately pulled Sarah behind him defensively at her approach.

"Please" She pleaded gently with the eldest Reese. It surprised him at her tone, almost as if she was out of character to what he believed she would be like. "It's okay … I'm a doctor." The gentle woman said calmly showing Derek her palms, to prove she had no intensions of finishing Sarah off. Turning to John, his nephew nodded, clearing Kate.

Reluctantly Derek stepped away from his wife. With a gentle touch, Kate began examining Sarah, almost as if she was her own mother. Watching her work, John was sure that Kate probably heard a million times how his mother, would be hers one day. He was also pretty sure it wouldn't have been long before John was sent out to the streets if they had married like he was planning for.

"There's an antidote, right?" Derek asked as Kate tested Sarah.

"No, only detox." Kate answered quietly.

Not convinced of her intentions, the soldier motioned to Goodwin, bent over on the floor. "Why the hell would he do this?" Derek asked angrily as he watched Sarah cry haunted, silent tears.

"Cause he's a sick and twisted son of a bitch, that's why." John growled making his way back to them.

The red haired woman ignored them, sighing in relief. "She wasn't overdosed … you saved her life by separating them." Kate addressed Derek with a pat to his shoulder.

"Is she safe to travel?" John hardly made it sound like a question when he embraced Sarah protectively.

The young doctor was taken aback by her former betrothed's aggressiveness. "You want to leave … now?" Kate asked with surprise, looking out at the blue moonlight still glowing brightly.

"We're not spending another minute here." John replied sweeping Sarah off her feet and into his arms. She trembled weakly, burying the side of her face into his chest.

Kate bit her lip in protest, but finally relented. "Alright, I'll get the snow tracker ready." She turned motioning them to follow.

When the group began to move, John felt a hand reach for his holster and draw his pistol with a flick of leather. Whirling he found Derek with his pistol in hand advancing on Goodwin, who was dragging himself to a column.

"Derek!" John called commandingly, but he was ignored.

The bearded soldier took John's pistol and whipped Goodwin in the face, spurting an explosion of blood. Coughing, the older man tried to shield himself pathetically from the barrel of the gun trained on him, from dead indifferent eyes of a man with death on his mind.

"Derek … Derek!" He tried to get his uncles attention, but he stood like a statue over the man ready to pull the trigger.

"He tried to kill her, John. He wanted her, and when he couldn't have her he tried to make sure no one did!" Derek's voice was quiet and reserve, giving only a tight growl at the end.

"I know …"

The man shook his head in disgust. "You were there in the future, he's a Gray, John, doesn't matter if he isn't right now, you'd know who he would've sided with after Judgment Day."

"Derek, Mom wouldn't want you to murder someone … it's not you … not anymore." John said in a soft consoling voice.

His uncle paused, his breath trembled as his hand shook with adrenaline and hatred. "You don't remember what he did to Reese's leg during Palmdale? The way he drained the life out of him." The story made John's blood cold and for a moment he couldn't find a reason to stop Derek.

"Derek" Sarah's voice was weak and still trembling.

Gently, John lowered her to the floor when she motioned him too. She wasn't herself yet, but somewhere in there his mother was aware enough to know that Derek was in bad place. Her steps were shaky, but she managed to find Derek stepping in front of him.

"Leave him …" She whispered through a whisper.

Derek shook his head at his wife. "You don't know what he did, what he will do … we can't let him get away." He tried to refocus on his prey.

"Derek, leave the future in the past …" She lowered his gun hand, then took his face in her hands. "Take me home, Derek …" She pulled his head down and placed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "Let's go home." She whispered tiredly.

John watched them and it surprised him how short they've been married and yet how long it seemed they've know each other. The young man wasn't sure he had ever seen his mother be more connected to Derek than any other men she had on and off again when he was growing up. He knew something had happened to them while he and Cameron were away, something that brought them very close to each other. But he wasn't sure what.

Derek Reese breathed tiredly out of his nose and held his wife close. "Come on ... I'm taking you home." He promised quietly.


"I'm sorry John!"

Kate stood on a snow and wind swept Plato where the Zirea Corp. plane sat in idle. She was shivering through the harsh mountain weather that blew strands of her hair in her face.

The tall young man just glared at her "Yeah, I'm sure you are!" John never lightened up on her despite helping him get Sarah down the mountain.

Despite her admissions she didn't seem all that guilty about many things "I didn't know he would go this far!" Kate called over the wind .

"You know him better than anyone, how could you not know?!" John said angrily.

Kate paused and pushed her locks of snow blown hair out of her face "Because … maybe I didn't want to believe my father could be like this!" She said wistfully.

There was no response but a frustrated chuckle. "And that's the trick isn't it." John scoffed. "You see what you want to see, ignore everything else right?" he asked Kate. "What is it? "He cheats on my mom with a brained washed young woman who he rapes in front of her, but it's okay because he buys me expensive things?" is that what it is Kate?" John mocked angrily.

There was a guilty anger to her, not liking what she heard she turned it around. "You're a fine one to talk, John. I'm not the only one turning a blind eye to a monster I sleep with" she shot back.

Green eyes narrowed. "Say what now?" he leaned in closer.

Kate put on airs "Isn't it true that you're married … one of them?!" Kate asked with a hint of disgust at the information, like she heard John ate an earth worm.

"Who told you that?" John replied suspiciously.

"I have my sources." She answered with glare.

John snorted at her superior attitude and looked off to the side for a moment "Even if I did marry a cyborg, after what you and your psychopath father have put my parents and I through …" John paused and looked her straight in the eye. "How the can you look me in the eye and tell me that I made the wrong choice?" Kate looked down and at her boots.

John sniffed disdainfully at her and walked up the steps to the plane.

She watched him regretfully, before taking a deep breath. "Wait!" Kate called. John turned to look at her.

"My father wasn't lying about the Red Mask … she's out there, and she wants you dead!" Kate said worriedly.

"She can take a number!" He hid his worry behind a poker face.

"She reengineered that metal monster by hand …" Kate stated in a warning.

"I'll keep it in mind!" John replied back entering the plane.

When the plane took off from the runway and disappeared into the blanketed white sky, Kate crossed her arms and watched with a sad longing glare.

"How much does he know?"

"I'm not sure." Kate replied. She heard the sound of crunching snow as the red helmeted figure began to walk away.

"What did you Promise Daddy in exchange for setting up this little game?" Kate asked.

"I'd give him Sarah Connor." The figure answered in the same cold mechanical voice.

"Then you let them take her?" Kate pursued angrily.

"I gave your father Sarah tied with a bow. It was your father's fault he couldn't hold onto her."The figure turned to Kate pointing its finger at her in a scolding manner.

"Then what was the point!" She responded furiously snatching the Red Masks Leather Motorcycle Jacket and turned it.

As if in slow motion there was a barely a second that the young woman could react, Kate gasped in pain and shock. She looked down to find the vicious Combat Knife stuck deeply in her belly. With a whimper her eyes softened looking into tinted eye slits on the helmet.

"I needed the lay of the land, so I can start moving the pieces."


The cabin of the air plane was quiet, beyond the hum of the engines and the light breathing. Every so often the crackle of a page in a book turned, or the low conversation of flight patterns echoed from the cockpit.

John Connor sat on a couch and quietly read "The Wizard of Oz" the Spanish translation. Across from him on an opposite couch, Derek lay flat on his back with Sarah snuggled into his chest. Both slept peacefully undisturbed from anything. John had laid his well-worn leather jacket on Sarah like a blanket to keep her warm, just like he used to when she was a girl.

He had watched her for more than a little bit, seeing the sweet girl's face, that use to be so trusting and loved so easily. But other times she was his mother, a hard as nails lioness that he had known his entire life.

Rather than ponder how he saw her now he went back to the book, trying not to remember all that had happened in 1983. However, when Dorothy met the Tin Man, Cameron found her way from the cockpit into the room.

"How is Sarah?" Cameron asked quietly. John gave a quiet snort at Cameron's obvious ignoring of Derek's health.

"The Toxin has worn off." He answered watching Cameron walk over and gently place her hand on Sarah's forehead like she was taking her temperature. He smiled knowing that having the cyborg around was like having hospital equipment.

When she was done she turned back to her husband and watched him carefully, planning how she was going to go about her next move. "How did you resist the drug when Sarah couldn't?" Cameron asked sitting on the couch next to him carefully.

"In the future … Reese taught me how to resist it and build immunity to its properties." There was a lump in his throat as he broke the taboo on the name, it being thrown around so freely the other day.

He cleared his throat and found Cameron was keeping her distance from him, while usually she would sit on his lap or at least share his oxygen. He smiled inquisitively at her staring at the leather cushion between them.

"Something the matter?" He asked.

Cameron tilted her head and got one of her child like innocent looks she had when she was unsure about something. "I thought you were mad at me … I'm only giving you space." She replied.

There was something about the way she explained it to him that made him laugh. "Angel …" He continued to chuckle sympathetically when she looked even more lost than before. Shaking his head he scooted down to her and placed her in his lap. She sat stiffly when he buried his head in her soft neck and kissed her.

"We're married, married couples fight …" He explained into her skin.

The cyborg tightened her cheek in thought. "We never have." She replied looking down at his head.

"We have now, probably will again." He wrapped his arms around her stomach and placed his head on her shoulder thoughtfully.

"I don't like it." Her reply sort of hurt John and made him feel guilty.

"I don't either, but it's going to happen … we can't agree on everything." He shrugged.

The girl gave a human sigh. "Is it a bad sign for our relationship?" Cameron asked. John frowned at the uncertainty in his new bride's voice.

He smiled however. "Cam, look over at Mom and Derek." He requested. She did as she was told watching the two hold each other.

"Yes?"

"You wanna know what they're last conversation was?" He asked.

"No …" She said.

John opened his mouth, then laughed with a shake of his head and groaned. "Derek compared mom to a Jackass, because it has a big mouthed, stubborn animal with off angled teeth and a wide ass that when smacked, you get kicked." John laughed when Cameron widened her eyes at the statement. "So mom countered saying that he was talking piece of cow shit." He finished. "Now look at them. They're acting like it never happened." He stoked Cameron's ringlets.

She looked passive as if deep in thought. He let her live in her own mind for a moment. He wasn't aware that her mind was focused on the music box locket that was still in his inner coat pocket.

"John" She turned to look at him. Her voice had something in it that John couldn't quiet place.

"Yeah"

"Do you hate me?" Cameron asked seriously.

His breath caught in throat at the shock of her question. "Why would you even ask me that?!" He asked back almost angrily at her.

Cameron almost sounded timid as she spoke. "Because … you went through so much to save me, in the future and in 1983. Since then you're relationship with Sarah has never been the same and many people have been hurt or died because of me. So I was just wondering if you think I wasn't worth the sorrow you bought by coming after me." Cameron said calmly, but her eyes watered.

There was never hesitation in his eyes when he touched her face. "Angel, you are always worth it, Always." John's voice was aggressive and fierce, almost insulted that there was ever a question.

When the beauty saw the passion and heard the fire in her husband's voice, the little doubt she had been feeling was over for good. Feeling something she couldn't explain she leaned in and for the first time in their relationship Cameron was the one who made the first move. She kissed him with passion and love that Skynet could never program.

They made a little smack when they broke apart.

"Remember what I said to you at the Cathedral?" John smiled

"Till death do us part … and then some." Cameron smiled back lovingly.

"YOU'RE MARRIED!" Sarah shot up from the couch.

"Oh shit."

Cameron made another first in their marriage.


Author's Notes

There's an Epilogue to this but I'm holding off just because this was a long one. So I'm not sure when to post it … probably sometime soon.

So I wanted to have a connection to 1983 because this was intended when written two years ago to drop the reader into something that you would want to find out about.

Reese Connor is going to continue to be important in the sequels to come.

So this story was written two years ago … also as you have seen there is a lot of things used in my other stories that you might recognize in this one, themes and such. Well, reverse that. Because this was one of the first fan fictions I ever wrote, back when the series was still on. Many of my other stories take off this one.

Hope you enjoy this story, cause it was my first.

Epilogue coming!