Really huge thanks to everyone who read and to those who reviewed!

zahnfan23: Hope this doesn't disappoint you! Thanks!

AJ-JC: Thanks! Well, I considered letting John and Cameron ask Zander abut it but then John blew it by pushing out an argument. I didn't put it out there but Cameron's reason for not asking was that she wanted Zander to know she trusts him; besides, he promised not to go to school, aka, not meeting that friend again. I felt that asking shows concern but also the lack of trust. In chapter 9, Cameron would not be able to stop Zander unless she knocks him out too but obviously, she can't do it to her son. John was knocked out because he would want to tag along too and we all know how similar they are. Well, I hope Zander's reaction don't disappoint you. Sarah would be having some time in the story here and there. Something like in this chapter but subsequently, her scenes would be bigger (of course relating to Ryan). Thanks so much and sorry this is long.

TK-MR: Lol! Glad the idea of two chapters appealed to you; I also think chapter 8 on its own would bore the readers so as a pair, they work great (apparently). I considered having Lauren a little older but if I follow the TSCC timeline too much, Lauren's parents are supposed to be dead :x So I tweaked the timeline a lot. I hope this isn't too confusing but Lauren is about Zander's age, maybe older a year or two. Thanks!

Kaotic2: Thanks so much! I really hope the explaining and the reaction don't disappoint.

Kea: Thanks so much for your reviews! They're really useful when I write subsequent scenes! And I didn't put it out there but the reason Cameron let Zander go with her was the simple reason that she couldn't stop him without hurting him. And Zander is freaked at the end, totally. Lols! I'm glad you enjoyed the Cameron-Zander interactions. I wanted to make Cameron a different Mom from Sarah and I guessed it worked? Thanks again for your reviews!

Mitchellsunf: Thanks so much! Hope this chapter does a little of what the last two did!

Dim Raven: Thanks so much! Glad to say from now on, practically every chapter would be pushing the story forward. If you read the review at the bottom [mild spoiler], you'll find out there is practically no time for the Connors to breath with all the enemies.

Dc: Lols! Thanks so much! Hope I don't disappoint! And Happy New Year to you too (sorry, I know it's a little late)

Olischulu: Lols! I guess my cliffhangers are back = there would be more :D Thanks so much!

000

Well, obviously more character interaction and talking, again…but I promise, action and suspense in next chapter! And, hope the Sarah stuff don't piss people off…

Chapter 10: Facts to facts

He sat quietly on the floor, cross-legged and watched as Mommy moved gracefully across the floor. The CD player sat beside him and the familiar soothing music was playing.

Daddy was sitting on the bed, smiling as he watched Mommy dance. Both of them loved it when Mommy decided to dance for them.

Mommy had danced plenty of times and never gets tired of it. Mommy was such a good dancer. Every move was precise and she never made any mistakes or missed a single step. And always, Mommy never fails to play Chopin. Even Daddy's gotten up a liking for the music.

Mommy danced her last few steps and came to a stop along with the music. Today, she came up with a whole new dance scripted out in her mind and it turned out prefect. He pressed stop on the CD player and Mommy turned around to face him with a smile. Daddy came over and hugged her, following quickly by a kiss on her cheek.

"You did good." He heard Daddy mumble into her ear. Not knowing why, he loved witness his parent's display of love for each other. It made his tummy warm up nicely. He watched as Mommy smiled, kissing Daddy on his lips short and quick. Then she went to him.

"It was awesome Mom," He smiled at her while she kept the CD.

"Thank you." She shot him a sweet smile of hers.

Everyone was quiet.

Conversation was always lacking in the Connor's household but noise surely wasn't.

He got up from the floor and followed Mommy as she deposited her CD into the bag.

"Zander, you should get a bathe before it gets too late at night." Mommy told him gently and passed him the towel, smiling.

"Alright. Thanks." He took it and gulped nervously before deciding to tell her, "You look really pretty, Mom. When you danced…it really is…"

She looked a little frozen for a while as it was the first time he'd told her that. She sure didn't look to be expecting it but in the end managed a smile through her surprise and pulled him into her embrace. He rested his head on her shoulder, content, "thank you honey." She kissed him on top of his head.

"You've always been." Perfect…

Zander 5 years and 6 months old.

It was tiring for him but he walked. Zander could feel her, she's real; though not human. She was warm, he could feel her breathing, her breath brushing his skin gently. It was comforting to know she's there by him, alive; functional. He cared.

He was forced to leave the body of the T-888 behind. He couldn't manage both the T-888 and Cameron. Zander had made it out of the forest and was closing in on the house with Cameron on his back all the time. He had strained all his muscles to get through that terrain with Cameron. She's been bleary the whole time possibly due to the wound in her chest and some other spots; or a mild malfunction. He wouldn't know, even if he did have some knowledge on tech but not this kind.

He had been trained to endure this kind of physical exertion. At 6, he carried huge rocks, when John told him to, up and down the small ascending hill they found. Cameron was much lighter compared to some of those rocks. Zander turned his head a little to glance at Cameron before dragging another leg in front of another.

He saw the cabin and wasn't surprised when John barged out of the front door, "Cameron! Zander!" Zander stood there, panting heavily as his father came over, "Cam?" John took Cameron off his back, pulling her into his firm embrace. His face was twisted in so much worry it almost looked painful to him. Zander watched as John cupped her cheeks, kissing her forehead before he froze, realizing the small speck of gleaming chrome coltan glaring out from her gash on her cheek. John caressed that particular portion gently with his thumb, turning to Zander.

Zander was panting hard but he looked blankly back at John. Zander watched as he turned away, disturbed and surprise. An awkward silence hung in the air. Zander calmed his breathing and managed to steady himself. He stepped forward and took Cameron on his back again, making the rest of the way back into the house while John stood there staring. It would be a while before his father recovered.

It wouldn't be the first time he surprised someone.

(0)

He walked past Lauren shooting her a small smile. Lauren looked worried but he didn't want to talk to her now, not with the emotional mess he was feeling. Zander carried Cameron straight to the room. He placed her down on the bed, moving away to inspect her injuries. She looked quite messed up with some torn fabric here and there. And her face…Zander didn't even want his eyes anywhere near there, not until he could look without freaking out.

Zander turned around just to get a first aid kit and placed it on the bed, opening the clasp. It was a while before John decided to show up. He was still staring. Zander pulled out a bag of cotton wool and wet it with disinfectant liquid. He dabbed at Cameron's face gash gently. When his fingers accidentally brushed the cool coltan, Zander flinched, resisting against his instinct to jump back.

He carefully did the cleaning up and proceeded to the wounds on her body. John helped and together, they begin patching Cameron up while she remained conscious but bleary all this while. Zander didn't miss the constant stare he was receiving from John.

Zander clipped the bandage together gently over Cameron's wound and pulled the blanket over her body. Now, he could look at her without flinching. Her gash was covered by a white gauze and she looked normal.

"Need me to help you with that?" John walked to his son, grabbing his hand and taking a look at his bloody knuckles, turning it here and there to catch the light, "The dumbest thing you can do, would be punching a terminator." He muttered before cleaning up the dried blood on it, dabbing at it gently.

"Cameron does it." Zander pointed out. He saw John cringed as he heard how Zander had addressed his mother. It sounded so distant, so formal. It's not like his son…

He would put that aside. This was a slippery edge he was on. John knew Zander was a reasonable boy but he was smart too, "and she's hurt now." John stated flatly, wrapping up Zander's knuckles firmly and letting go of this hand. He went and sat by Cameron. Zander watched as his father brought his hand up to her face, brushing aside stray hair. Then John proceeded to cup her cheek with his palm, his fingers caressing the side of her face.

"I know that already." Zander spoke, deciding to bring up the subject since John didn't have the courage to.

"You knew?" John looked up and met his eye, "All this while?" A slight furrow appeared in between his brows.

"Not all the time but you trained me to know them and I had a natural fear for them, why wouldn't I notice that my mother…she slips, y'know, lots of the time…" Zander's voice trailed off. John didn't miss when his son gulped. He knew exactly how the boy felt. It was one thing to know and another thing to say it, "Is she really my mother?"

John flinched, "Zander," John reached out, squeezing his shoulder, "Of course she's your mother. She was pregnant with you for 10 months, you kicked, hard. The contractions were so terrible she could hardly keep conscious. And she worries for you, that you'll die so she requested a c-section. She'll die for you."

Zander closed his eyes, feeling the guilt for doubting it for a moment. He took a deep breath and with his eyes still closed, he spoke, "How'd you overcome it?" His voice husky, "I can't. Forget. Not this..." Zander opened his eyes, witnessing John's eyes become a soft gaze. He always softened when it comes to talking about Cameron.

"I didn't at first. She pretended she wasn't one and befriended me." John explained, a small smile emerging on his face as he recalled the days, "Of course I was dazzled, who wouldn't be…then I found out and was severely disappointed. But I came to fall for her. She was different. Although she was…robotic back then, she was different and I could see her in ways that made her human. Her quirks became her habit, her odd comments and questions became her character to me."

Zander couldn't help but smile too as he hear the story.

"Later on, I pushed her away because she tried to kill me after she got hurt in an explosion. It forced me to believe your grandmother, what she have been telling me since I was born, that they can't be trusted. They are just machines…" John said, his smile slowly fading, "I was confused and stupid… I hurt her…your mother." Zander looked up as his father's voice went hoarse. He saw John reached under the blanket to hold Cameron's hand. His face was pained as the rest of the story unfolded in his mind.

"What happened?" Zander prompted gently.

"I made her think I didn't need her anymore. And she tried to kill herself. She thought that was the end of her use to me; that her mission was over. It's my fault." John looked up, his brows shooting up and his eyes filled with hurt.

Zander's shoulders tensed and he couldn't help but felt his heart ache for his mother. His mother was perfect but also not in that way; not in that human way. She's not perfect, she's a machine and he knew it.

"But how'd you do it? How'd you love her?" Zander asked, hands beginning to tremble.

"You don't choose who you love." John gave him a gentle shrug, turning to Cameron.

"Yeah, I know that." Zander muttered, "I know the truth a time back but I kept loving her. I can't stop it…but I can't forget…"

"I'm not asking you to forget. You have to learn to accept that. Now that you know, you'll see things differently." John smiled, assuring him. "She loves you. You do know that. She can and she does love you." John pursed his lips together, He was scared. This had been the moment that Cameron had been dreading for all these time, since Zander was born. His reply would either brighten up or bring their world down on them.

"I do know that. I feel it. It seems to right on the surface but on the interior…" Zander looked up, his face grim, "Why didn't you tell me?"

John blinked, looking away, "I wanted to." He nodded to no one in particular, "I could but it's her who can't. She worries, Zan. Every morning she'll be thinking about it. Dreading what you'd think of her after you knew. If you'd hate her or leave her." John turned to Zander, "She didn't choose to be like this. But she can choose to be good and she did. She knew what was right and wrong."

"She's learning." Zander looked at her, her eyes wandering aimlessly under her eyelids.

"Just like you are." John smiled.

Zander chuckled, looking down, "Yeah, I am learning. She'll always be my mother." He gulped, making his decision, "I'm not going anywhere."

John stopped breathing for a moment before leaning forward and pulling Zander into a strong embrace, "She's perfect and not all a machine. Don't ever forget that." John mumbled.

Zander pulled away, "I know." He turned to Cameron when he saw her stir. He moved to kneel down by the bed while John adjusted his posture on the bed by her side to face her. They looked at her eagerly as she opened her eyes. Zander felt awkward at first but as he observed, he was in awe, having a different outlook to how Cameron was after he knew. Her eyelids fluttered as she blinked rapidly.

It took a moment for her to register her surrounding before looking at them. She looked hesitant for a moment as she looked into Zander's eyes intently. She frowned, "what's going on?" She mumbled out softly, looking at John.

John looked at Zander for a moment, considering a reply. He opened his mouth to reply when Zander beat him to it, "Nothing," He shook his head with a smile.

Cameron turned to look at her son. She smiled weakly, lifting her arm a little to cup his face. John stopped breathing for a moment, wondering if he should tell Cameron to take it slow. He wouldn't be surprised if Zander jumped away. But he didn't, he tensed a little but stayed put, "are you okay?" Her fingers brushing his temple gently. The extra knowledge about his mother didn't exactly make her touch less enjoyable. Zander pushed into her hand, not wanting her to stop; just like when he was just a kid.

Zander looked at her, his eyes turning glassy instantly, "I'm okay." He choked out, removing her hand off his face and clasped it in between his hands firmly. He leaned over and laid his head on her abdomen, "I'm sorry." He mumbled and only John knew the true meaning to that.

Cameron frowned, running her fingers through his hair, "You don't have to be…there was nothing you could do. It's dangerous and…I shouldn't have let you gone out there with me."

"I let you get hurt…when I promised I wouldn't," Zander looked up at her, the tears flowing down his cheek. Once again, John caught the double meaning and looked down in guilt, his mind wandering to when Cameron stood on the snowy beach, looking so helpless and ready to face her 'expiration' by her own hand. He broke off from his thoughts quickly.

Cameron chuckled in amusement, shaking her head, "You're just like your father, y'know that?"

Zander smiled, "I know. I'm like him, more than you know." He glanced at John who grinned back, "We both…love you so much…"

John could feel his middle begin to warm as his son learned. This was one of the few moments where he was allowed to witness; a true talk between them. Normally, he'd talk to Zander in private or Cameron. They hardly spoke as a family. Zander felt it was too crowded. Just like he told them when he was young, John thought it was awfully amusing then but felt the same way if he were to talk to Sarah and Cameron at the same time. He didn't want to imagine that.

"Cameron…" John reached out, taking her free hand with his right and his left resting on her abdomen gently.

A flash of brief realization went across Cameron's face. She instantly attempted to sit up, "The baby-"

"is just fine!" John interrupted her, pressing her down by her shoulders, "This one's tougher than you think." He leaned in, looking straight into her eyes as Cameron examined his statement and tried to fit it with the look in his eyes. She must have concluded he wasn't lying as she relaxed.

"Of course he has to be tough! I intend to save the world with him…or her!" Zander grinned, earning a chuckle from Cameron and a wide smile from John.

John turned and looked at Cameron, the back of his finger brushing her bandage on her cheek gently, getting her attention. They looked into each other's eyes for the longest time with John hovering over her, muttering, "You shouldn't hit me so hard. I'm bruised…" John smirked playfully.

"I didn't hit you that hard…" Cameron protested but despite that, she was concerned. Her hand flew up to the back of his neck to feel for it. John was quicker, he took her hand in one of his and held it close to his heart.

"My heart." John smiled, amused.

"Your ego." Cameron corrected. John chuckled, shrugging. The smiles and laughter stopped abruptly as Cameron's hand wandered out of his grasp and over his chest. John leaned over, accommodating her. Her hand explored his chest, stopping at where his heart was supposed to be. She could feel the slow steady beats. It was reassuring.

Zander hid a smile, walking out as his parents got caught in their own world again. As much as he'd love to stay and watch, he knew Cameron would be too shy to let him watch. As he closed the door, through the small gap before the door closed, he saw John pressed his lips down on Cameron's.

*

It was a night ago since Ryan bought this boy back. The next day, he came home without that boy. Surprisingly, Sarah felt the sudden urge to see him again: Zander was his name, if she hadn't misheard what Ryan told her. Ryan looked disappointed when Sarah asked about his friend.

He told her that his friend didn't go for school and his cellphone wasn't switched on. With that, Sarah's 11 year old boy dragged his feet up the stairs. She knew how he felt. It was just like John when he had some friends after having so many enemies or bullies around him only to have that friend move away.

She's just checked on Ryan and he's sleeping, the small Labrador he grew up with was sleeping in its own pile of cushions on the floor. She stayed there for a while, stroking his hair while watching him sleep. Unlike John, he would pretend to sleep for her sake. Sarah ran her hand into his hair gently just like how she'd do with John's in the past. Ryan's pretense was so real that she didn't noticed. Until one time when she went to him while he 'slept' and she burst into tears. He questioned her the next morning about it.

She missed her son: John. He took off 10 years ago with Cameron. She expected John to return in about a few months or at most a year when he got desperate and didn't know where to go, despite the fact that he stole most of their diamonds. But she obviously underestimated her son. His survival instinct was so strong and not to mention having Cameron by his side.

Now she reduced to having start doing things which John wanted her to do. Sarah had already got to kicking the habit of calling Cameron a machine. She also cleared his room, which was now unoccupied, of toys. Now, he could see the flooring of his room and not a pile of lego if only he'll just come home.

Sarah lost all hope for his return when he didn't return in a year but deep down, she didn't change her number nor did she move.

Sarah picked up the glass on the counter and poured the bitter and burning liquid down her throat, her shotgun just behind the counter. Her vision was blurring as the large amount of alcohol kicked in but it didn't bother her; she was used to this. She heard keys jingle outside her door and picked up her shotgun, knowing exactly who it is.

Derek opened the door and stood at the doorway, letting Sarah Connor scan him visually. She seemed to be contemplating to just kill him right then and there. Derek waited patiently, he knew the routine. Only when she lowered her shotgun was he allowed to enter her house. She did, reluctantly. He closed the door behind him and dropped his keys on the counter.

"You drinking again?" He asked casually, taking the shotgun from her, looking at the empty bottles in front of her.

"What's it look like?" She glared at him, tipping the glass and finishing the content. She reached for the bottle but Derek caught her hand halfway.

"Alright, that's enough. You're never yourself when you get drunk." Derek gripped her hand tightly as she struggled. He kept the bottles away swiftly.

"Shut up!" She snapped fiercely but Derek held on to her arm this time and dragged her away from the counter and to her room, "No! Let me go!" She growled, speech beginning to become slurred.

"You want to wake Ryan?" Derek hissed as they ascended the stairs, instantly, Sarah was quiet. He could hear her mutter Ryan's name then John's under her breath. They arrived outside her room. Derek opened it and pushed her inside, bringing her to the bed and trying to get her to stay there.

"No! Reese!" She screamed our in hysteria, her nails digging into his arms. Derek had enough of letting her get wasted every time. He had enough of all the screaming, trashing in her sleep and firing of firearms in her drunken state. He swore it missed Ryan's head by an inch the other day and Derek know Ryan was as close as a son to Sarah as John ever will be. Sarah couldn't lose Ryan too.

Derek growled out in frustration, pulling her into a kiss. She resisted, trashing as he wrapped his arms around her torso, immobilizing her hands as much as he could. After a while, she relaxed in his embrace, giving in to the kiss.

They had been 'closer' these few years in John's absence but no matter how close they get, the next morning, they were hostile to each other again. Neither of them could bear to love the other.

Derek was not stupid and noticed that every night when he was with her, just the two of them, she called him 'Reese'. But in the day, when Ryan could hear her, she called him Derek again. It's like two different people in her eyes and Derek knew it. He knew who the other was… He began to push Jesse away a long time ago when he was drawn to Sarah. Somehow he was but like Sarah, he couldn't love her.

They pulled off their clothes and flung it onto the floor. Sarah clung onto his arm tightly, her legs trying their best to cling onto Derek as he pressed her down on the bed. He thrust hard into her and felt her nails digging into his back, drawing blood. He wasn't gentle and neither was she.

Sarah leaned up and bit his shoulder, hard. He didn't cry out and neither did she when thrust at her with all his strength which no woman other than Sarah Connor can take.

Pain had been the best medicine these past few years.

(0)

"You're just leaving just like that?" Lauren looked at him, a little disappointed. Zander arranged the backpack on his shoulder nervously glancing at his parents, who were talking to the Fields but he noticed the look he got from Cameron once in a while. She looked cautious and a little frightened, checking on him constantly. Zander concluded John must've informed her that he knew. She was hesitant to touch him, or to initiate a conversation with him but he noticed she tried to keep close.

"I have no choice." He forced a smile.

"People just can't have what they need." Lauren replied flatly. Their eyes locked for a moment before breaking off awkwardly.

"Or want." Zander pointed out with a smile. She looked like she was about to tear up when he stepped forward, giving her a brief hug, patting her back, "They'll need you." He muttered, pulling away with a smile.

"They always have," Lauren smiled, glancing at her parents then her eyes went to Cameron, "is your mother going to be alright?" She asked.

The fields had not seen Cameron's exposed chrome interior the other night, luckily. By the time they came in to have a look, she was patched up and well. John and Zander retrieved and burn the endo they left in the forest; its face much more horrible than Zander thought after all the punching, even John seemed surprised with the damage done but he didn't question Zander. A lot of things happen that night and it changed their lives. Just the Connors. Zander learnt how to love, from John and in exchange, John learnt many things from his son. Just existing, Zander taught John so much.

"Yeah, she's got to be. I need her. My Dad and I both need her so much." Zander looked towards Cameron with a smile before turning back to Lauren.

"You're close." Lauren was looking at her parents longingly.

"Some people are but they don't see it." Zander said, gesturing to her and her parents.

She scoffed, "Huh, don't even mention close…"

"Don't confuse close with happy." Zander reached out and patted her shoulder. Lauren nodded and watched as Zander took off towards his parents. She rejoined her family as the Connor jumped into their jeep, speeding off. Leaving the Fields with a new name, new life in a new place, just for the sake of their survival.

(0)

It hurts Sarah a lot. Her body hurts, particularly her lower portion of her body. It was ringing from the strength Derek had applied to her last night. It stung her everytime she thought about it but she's been through worst situation before, much worst.

She didn't sleep despite the effort put into it. Pain and exhaustion didn't seem to work anymore, it was normal for her to endure it. Sarah looked at Derek, who was sleeping by her side, his back had some dried blood and fingernail marks from where she sunk her nails into. Not to mention the deep teeth marks on his shoulder. They still look as though they were about to bleed again.

Out of pure concern for a moment, she reached out and touched his hurt shoulder and the marks. Instantly, his hand shot up, grabbing hers tightly. He'd done that when he thought she was Cameron, the machine. And that's exactly what Sarah thought he'd thought.

Instead, Derek surprised her with the reason of his outburst, "Don't touch that. It still stings a little." He grunted, letting go of her hand. Sarah's expression remained neutral as she rolled off the bed and onto her feet in one swift movement. She picked up her clothes and pulled them on before Derek can get up. And then she was gone.

She walked as fast as she could down the stairs and into the kitchen. Glancing at the clock in the kitchen, she knew the sun was about to rise and Ryan never sleep in late, unlike John. He got up on time everyday, but not just any time, it was a particular time. 5.46am his door would open. It was a habit, she concluded, since he'd been waking up at the same time when he was younger.

Sarah took out the pancake mix and started making pancakes. And on the dot, she heard Ryan's door open upstairs at exactly 5.46am and the toilet door opening and shutting. Just as she slipped the third pancake into the plate that already held two, Ryan walked down the steps. The clock strike 6am the moment his feet touches the ground floor. It's like clock work. Sarah trusted Ryan more than the clock; she'd often readjusted the time if the time Ryan came down wasn't 6.

She didn't know where Ryan gets it but he's never late. He's never a minute late or even a second unless he fell and hurt himself in the bathe, like he did when he was 5. Sarah had a hard time coaxing him into leaving the shower. He was crying so loudly that Sarah swore she heard her neighbour bark at them for the early awakening.

Maybe Ryan got the punctuality from Cameron, Sarah had suggested when she wondered about it.

Cameron was another subject Sarah refrained from mentioning. It was now an avoided subject as much as is John nowadays. She didn't know if Ryan even remembered Cameron at all. She didn't dare to ask him or even mention her in case more questions come. Somehow in the Connor's household, one thing in a conversation seem to always lead to the another unknowingly.

"Morning." Ryan smiled brightly, sitting down into the chair just as Sarah passed him his plate of pancakes, "Man, I'm going to love pancakes." He commented unenthusiastically.

"Why do you have to be so sarcastic huh?" Sarah walked to the table with a glass and a carton of orange juice, "You'll miss it when I'm gone." She poured him a glass.

Ryan looked up as if she has struck a bone. His eyes met hers and Sarah saw fear grew in his eyes before a stoic determination took over, "I'm sure I will."

"Then eat." She smiled, ruffling his hair to which he ducked out of the way. She turned around to put back the orange juice. That was one thing better about Ryan compared to John. He was much more sensible at his age. John would never tell her that at 10. In fact, Sarah was a little sure she had spanked John one time when he was 10 years old.

"I don't want to go to school today." Ryan said, prodding the pancakes with his fork as he spoke.

"What? Why?" Sarah spun around from the fridge.

"I don't know. I just don't feel like it." He moved the piece of pancake around in the plate.

"Absent-"

"Gets me on the radar, I know." Ryan interrupted, much like John.

Sarah's eyes soften. She made her way beside Ryan and touched the back of his head, fingering the tip of his hair gently, "If you really don't want to go to school, tell me why at the very least."

He sighed in defeat, "I don't want to go to school to meet those people alright? I don't like how they act."

Sarah frowned, "Well how do they act?" She asked gently.

"Like everything is normal!" He turned his head to face her so fast Sarah barely caught that, "Like everything is all going good! Like the end of the world isn't coming! Like we could anticipate when they'll drop the bombs on us!" Ryan gritted his teeth together in fury.

Of course they will…they don't know anything…Sarah though to herself, taken aback by his reply. It hit her hard. It sounded like something John would say, it made her feel it was her fault and it was no different this time, "Ryan…" Sarah placed her hand on the back of his neck gently, feeling the heat rising.

He breathed in and calmed a little before speaking again, "And it's dangerous. I wouldn't want to worry you again." He downed his pancakes in record time and gulped down his drink before heading for his room, never looking back.

He need friends just like everyone else did. Zander's disappearance hit him harder than Sarah thought it would. But somehow, the Connors never managed to make any friends since they knew the end of the world was approaching that one day was able to turn everything around. They have never had normal since Kyle Reese was sent back in time; since Sarah Connor fell in love with him.

To be continued…

Next chapter: [Glass shattering] John: "Cameron!" Cameron: "Zander, get upstairs! Go now! Run…" [Cameron opened her eyes, bleary] Cameron: "John?!" Weaver: "He's here and safe." [Cameron gulped]