Author's note: As usual, please review often and I would do my best to let this story progress smoothly. And as for how long this story would go, I mean I don't know. And please, people forgive me if I used some of your ideas later on to build a 'bridge' for my story, but relax, I'm not going to copy directly but twist it a lot, just the idea that would be similar… Well, consider the future later, now's the time for Chapter 8! (Quite a long Chapter if you ask me)
Thanks for Reviewing:
Aaron Leach: Thanks, I'll try. But the examinations are around the corner. Gotta do well or Ill be grounded for a month again like last year!
Stitchfan 82: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really hope there will be more comments… I was wondering why my story is not on the main page of the Terminator Sarah Connor Chronicles page.
JoshK1o25: Thanks. (2nd part) You'll have to wait, and I can't promise you that. I'll see how the story progress. I'll keep you guessing on that….
zahnfan23: Thanks but relax, it'll all come in time, and I love how my story is getting such good response, you're such a die-hard reader for my story, thanks so much! Continue reviewing!
Chapter 8: Decisions and Plans
John slipped his shirt on, feeling nervous about how his mom and Derek would react when he told them his decision. It was a hard one but he took everyone into consideration and this was the decision he think would be most appropriate for everyone. John took a deep breath, feeling happy he got a good night sleep as a boost, thanks to Cameron- his protector, again.
John held the door knob and turned it, emerging from the bathroom and plucking up his courage to walk to the kitchen, facing everyone there. Everyone turned to him the moment he entered the kitchen. His mom, at the stove as usual, making pancakes. Derek was sitting at the table, waiting for breakfast. Carter was having his back on them, looking out of the window. Cameron happened to be right beside John when he emerged from the corridor. John secretly thought, thank god she was in between Derek and I.
Everyone, except Carter and Cameron, seemed eager to know their future leader's 'wise' decision. Immediately, John felt the pressure of being a leader and making important decisions crashed down on him, but he managed to tell them his decision in a croaky voice.
"I've decided, Carter stays," John said. Derek-who was pretending not to care, as if expecting John would make the 'wiser' decision, to burn both metals- looked up and laid a fierce glare at Cameron and Carter. Sarah looked disappointed but otherwise shocked as well, but Sarah continued making breakfast. When John noticed that no one was going to raise any objection, he proceeded to his breakfast which lay on the table, waiting for him.
John ate his breakfast in silence, struggling to digest the three pancakes coated in honey. But his stomach flipped, feeling nervous for himself in the future. What would he do? By making a decision now, he turned their usually filled with fights between Cameron and Derek, which he found amusing sometimes, to a cold war, between themselves and their emotions. What would happen if he made a decision in the future which upsets the whole army?
Carter broke the silence, almost causing John to choke on the pancake he was chewing on for so long, "I have observed the surrounding the whole night and this is a wise place to choose to stay. So far, no suspicious characters found after sundown yesterday," Carter reported.
John bent over his pancake, a small smirk spreading over his face. It reminded of Cameron when she first got here. But since Cameron is a more advance model that is smarter and thus better ability to adapt, she managed to keep the observations to herself, not wanting to annoy John, Sarah or Derek. John knew they would have to give Carter a longer time to adapt than the time they gave Cameron.
Derek ignored Carter. Sarah sighed, almost afraid this would happen.
"So," Sarah put three plates of pancake down on the table, settling down herself. "What are we going to do with Carter? He can't follow me around all day. I won't allow that."
John sighed, knowing it was only a matter of time before Sarah mentioned this. But he didn't expect it to be so soon.
"I would not follow you around. My mission does not include following you around... My mission is to protect-"
"I know what your mission is." Sarah interrupted. "Then what are you going to do when John's at school?"
"I will follow him to school. I have already registered and am a student now. I just received the timetables and the school books yesterday before I met John. That's why I'm at school," Carter explained.
"Where'd you get the money and the identity?" Derek smirked.
Carter opened his mouth to speak but Sarah cut him off again.
"Forget it. I don't want to know."
"You mean to delete that question? I don't forget," Carter asked blankly. Sarah sighed, for once feeling glad Cameron's not this dense. Carter doesn't even know the basic human ways of speech!
John spoke up for the first time since that announcement. "Since there's no school today, I guess Cameron and I could bring him out to learn more about humanity and to buy him appropriate clothes. He can't wear that army thing around. People think he's loony or something. He'll wear my clothes in the mean time."
Sarah nodded, "And by the way, do you eat? I made an extra pancake in case you do,"
Carter shook his head. "The TOK-715 is the only model which is able to consume food. It is the most advance model with high intelligence and-" Before he can continue, Sarah left the table.
"John, I assume you wouldn't need Derek and I to tag along since you have two…" Sarah glanced at Cameron and Carter, getting a promising nod from Cameron "bodyguards?" Sarah glanced at Derek but he wasn't paying attention. "I'll get you an attire to change." Sarah said to Carter, walking to John's room and returning with a black tee and jeans
"Here, the biggest one I can find in John's closet." Sarah handed him them. Carter nodded in appreciation.
To everyone's surprise, other than Cameron, Carter slipped off his shirt and pants on the spot. Revealing very well-built muscular lines on his torso. Carter slipped on the shirt and jeans. It seemed to fit him fairly well. John realized Carter is the smallest terminator he'd come across, second to Cameron of course.
John did his best to ignore Carter and concentrated on his pancake, although it only made it worst. Derek watched in disgust. Sarah turned away, seemingly uninterested and certainly don't want to watch. Cameron ate her pancake, not even taking any notice, like it was only normal for that to happen.
Later, John, Cameron and Carter were ready to go to the mall.
"Stay out of trouble and when it comes to you, you run okay?" Sarah held her son's face in his hands, shaking sense into his head.
John nodded reluctantly. Sarah smiled and kissed him on his forehead. Carter cocked his head to one side, examining this queer situation. Cameron ignored this scene having seen it tons of times, finding it queer herself at the start. She even asked John about it before, causing John to avoid conversation with her for 3 days. Instead, Cameron belted on two load pistol guns and wore a jacket to conceal it.
Carter watched, attempting to pick up the pistol on the table to bring it with him but John cut off his contact near the gun. Carter stared blankly at John.
"Sorry. I can't allow you to touch guns yet." John said defiantly, trembling under Carter's blank stare that caused his legs to turn to jelly.
Carter gave John a long hard stare that made Cameron uncomfortable having Carter staring fiercely at John. Sarah tensed up while Derek placed his hand on his pistol on his belt. After a while, Carter looked conceded. He blinked and nodded stiffly, backing away. The tensed atmosphere melted.
Then they set off for the mall in Carter's jeep. Cameron droved the jeep. Nobody spoke on the trip there. When Cameron parked the jeep into the parking lot perfectly straight, everyone got out. Carter who was sitting right behind her alighted, standing right behind her as well. Cameron looked around the area for any potential threat. John alighted on the other side of the jeep when he spotted Carter giving the back view of Cameron a murderous and unwavering glare that put John on the edge. Carter raised his hand, attempting to make contact with Cameron's shoulder without her noticing when John ran over, determined to stop this.
John slipped in between Cameron and Carter quickly. Carter dropped his hands. Cameron turned around, giving John a quizzing look. John smiled, trying to look assuring.
"You go on ahead. I need to talk to Carter. Be with you in a minute," John said. Cameron didn't like the idea of leaving John with Carter but could not object what seemed like an order. So she obliged, walking ahead, since it is only a minute, she thought…
The moment she walked away, John placed his arm on Carter's neck, using so much force in pushing that Carter moved back a few steps and leaned on the car parked beside their jeep, denting it. John was glaring ferociously at Carter, who had still had that blank expression on.
"You don't touch her!" John hissed angrily. "Terminate that mission or I'll terminate you." John let Carter go, giving him one last glare before leaving to catch up with Cameron.
John may not be a know-it-all now, but he knows he would never forgive himself if Cameron suffers for his wrong decision.
To be continued…
Next Chapter coming up. In the meantime, please review!
