Author's note: So this chapter is a bit long (but I doubt anyone will complain.) This is the one you've all been waiting for - Skynet's defeat. :D Hope you all enjoy it and as always I'd love to hear your reactions!


Previously on Born to Fight: CHOLA: We lose everybody we love. SARAH: If you don't send Kyle, you can never be. KYLE: I get the feeling I'll never see my brother again. [Kyle and John attempt to rescue Firefly bunker. Kyle ducks down as a plasma bolt goes over his head.] KYLE: That thing has plasma! JOHN: Skynet must have picked up some from the Connor camp. [A young girl throws a pipe bomb to disable the machine.] JOHN: Do I know you? You look… familiar. KYLE: Star? You're alive! JOHN: Kyle found the secret weapon. It's in Topanga Canyon. Finding and destroying this thing is the key to winning this war. [At SRD, Matt Storms works to engineer Skynet's new liquid metal Terminator] LOGAN: Skynet wants the T-1000s completed before the Resistance mounts its attack. SARAH: I told you I'd stop it and I intend to keep that promise. JOHN: (to Weaver) You were right. John Henry is the key to stopping Skynet. CAMERON: The best place to implant the code is at SRD. Weaver: You must learn to trust us Connor. DIETZE: Topanga is filled with machines. How do we have a chance? JOHN: (reveals Cameron) We have her. [Kyle prevents Dietze from shooting Cameron and John] KYLE: I trust you, John. I'd die for you.

Chapter Twenty Nine:

Born to Free

Serrano Point

John Connor had just entered the room with Cameron when Private Chris Garvin walked up, hesitantly glancing at Cameron before his eyes landed on John. "Your friend was asking about you," he reported. "Riley Dawson?"

John felt Cameron stiffen ever so slightly, though he was sure Garvin wouldn't have noticed.

"Where is she?" John asked.

"Here, in the civilian tunnels at Serrano," Garvin replied. Right, John realized. Goldfish Bunker had been taken captive and all the escapees had been brought here. He hadn't even given Riley much thought at all since that day. He'd lost Allison and got Cameron back and… he didn't know what would happen with her now.

"Uh… thanks," he muttered.

Garvin looked surprised and John had a feeling that Jesse had probably mentioned the way John had always asked for Riley when he came to Goldfish. "You're not going to…" Garvin's face flushed and he hastily shut his mouth. "Never mind. Not my place, General."

"Thank you," John said crisply.

Once Garvin was gone, Cameron spoke up softly, but with an edge to her voice. "Riley…?"

John had known it was coming. He let out a heavy sigh. "I just felt bad, okay?" he protested. "I mean, she died because of me and now she's alive again…"

"And you wanted to be with her," Cameron finished.

John's mouth parted slightly as he realized the meaning behind Cameron's statement. "No," he emphasized. "I don't love her. Don't ever think that. But I cared about her. And I don't know…"

"You never loved her?"

"No."

"But what about the time you stayed out late with her?"

"Why, were you jealous?" he teased. She didn't find it funny at all and his face grew serious. "Nothing happened, I swear. I liked her. But I never loved her." He shook his head, taking a deep breath. "All this time since you've been back you keep apologizing to me, but really it's me who should be apologizing to you. In the past, I was… stupid and blind and horrible to you. I always pushed you away, and I blamed you for everything, I listened to the lies of my mother, Derek, and Riley. And then…"

He hesitated, glancing up at her to see her hanging on his every word, the memory no doubt as clear in her mind as it was in his. "We were together in the hotel and I gave you a choice to make. That if you loved me, you would help me rescue my mother. If not, we would leave like she had ordered and I would have followed you without question." A small smile flitted across his face. "But you chose… because you loved me. Then you got hurt, and I couldn't fix you." He could feel the tears brimming in his eyes and he swallowed hard. "And then you were… you were just gone. And at that point I realized what I'd missed out on."

He reached out and gripped her hand tightly, desperately. "I never got to tell you how I really felt, how I've always felt. You've told me – several times that you love me. Admittedly in some weird ways." He chuckled to himself. Cameron had blatantly professed her love for him on two occasions: once when she was trapped between the trucks after trying to kill him and then on the phone when she'd been mimicking Riley's voice.

"You've told me," he repeated. His words caught in his throat, but he managed to choke out, "But I never told you. And I swore that I wouldn't let you die without telling you that. I was going to do anything to get you back, because I didn't want to deny it anymore. I love you."

Her smile caused his face to light up. "Thank you for explaining," she said softly.

He grinned. "But we don't have any time to waste right now. I have to prepare the battle plan for Topanga." He frowned, glancing around. "Did you see Blair Williams at the meeting?"

"Blair Williams?"

"She's one of my head pilots," John explained. "You met her once, on the prison barge before when you were… never mind," he said hastily. The memory wipe had erased all her memory from when she'd stabbed Blair through the heart and nearly killed John. She probably wouldn't remember Marcus Wright, either...

John's head snapped up. "I think I know where she might be."

*************

Serrano Point

Memorial Site

John and Cameron walked out to the memorial site for Marcus Wright and Allison Young. John refused to look at the marker for Allison. It didn't matter. She wasn't buried there; she was in Skynet's custody. Maybe experimented on, maybe simply tossed into the river…

He shook his head, pushing the thoughts from his mind.

As he'd predicted, Blair Williams was sitting in front of Marcus' grave. Her head snapped up when John and Cameron approached and she stood up quickly, using her hand to wipe the tears out of her eyes as she tried to appear tough once more. "Sorry, General. I know I should be prepping for the attack."

John gave her a sad smile. "You don't have to apologize, Blair."

She nodded slowly, her eyes moving to Marcus's memorial and back to John. "It just seemed like a good place to --"

"Cry?" John suggested.

"Feel," she amended.

They were silent for a few seconds before John gestured to Cameron. "Blair, this is--"

"I know," she finished. "Cameron, right? Your cyborg love?"

Cameron cast a cautious glance at John, forcing him to explain. "Marcus was a hybrid," he said. "Half-machine, half-human. She loved him. She understands."

Blair didn't seem to show any anger or fear towards Cameron, though John knew she had to remember that Cameron was the one who attacked her on the prison barge helicopter.

Instead she smiled sadly. "Now I know, Connor. I understand why you risked everything to get her back. I'd do the same."

She started walking back inside toward Serrano Point's hanger bay. John followed right beside her, with Cameron keeping pace.

"How are you doing?" he asked worriedly. Having Marcus's heart had to be tearing her apart, knowing that Wright had literally sacrificed himself to save her.

"You can count on me, Connor," Blair said firmly. "They don't call me Hunter Killer Butt Kicker for nothing."

She walked over to her A-10 and started checking the engines. She was working hard, but he knew her tough outward act was just a front for what was going on beneath. She was still hurting, still missed Marcus. It was the same feeling of loss he had experienced when he'd entered Zeira Corp basement and found that Cameron was dead in a sense. Except for Blair it was worse… because John had found strength in the determination and the hope and the belief that he would get Cameron back someday.

But Marcus Wright was never coming back.

Blair continued around her plane, inspecting it.

John spoke up softly, "Think she'll hold together?" He hoped she would understand he was asking about her, not the A-10.

Blair looked up and he saw an infinite sadness in her eyes. "She'll fly true, Connor," she replied, understanding his meaning. "It… it still hurts, right here." She placed a hand over her chest, no doubt feeling the beat of Marcus' strong heart.

Cameron watched the movement. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Blair forced a small smile. "Thanks."

For once, John Connor didn't know what else he could say. There were no words of wisdom, no words of comfort.

No words at all.

************

Serrano Point

Secret Room

John and Cameron stood inside Serrano Point, watching impassively as Weaver and John Henry prepared to leave for the SRD station where they would implant the code. "Good luck," he said, wondering if cyborgs even believed in luck.

John Henry looked as if he was about to return the salutation when he, Cameron, and Weaver all turned to the door at the same time. It was still a few seconds before John heard what they had.

And only a few seconds more before he saw what was making that noise.

"Perry," John said, raising an eyebrow as the Major entered the room. "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to tell you that our force is ready," Perry replied, his eyes drifting from Weaver to John Henry to Cameron and finally back to John. "The pilots are ready, the soldiers are ready. We're just waiting for your order, sir."

"Good," John replied.

Perry looked at Weaver and John Henry again. "Who are they?"

"They will be entering a Skynet facility and implanting a code, a virus that will destroy Skynet for good. It's our job to capture the Skynet secret weapon in Topanga which will also provide a diversion for them to complete the upload."

"A virus?" Perry questioned.

John cracked a smile. "Don't ask questions, Major. It's over your head. Tell your squads to start fanning out. We'll enter Topanga on all sides on my signal. You are dismissed."

Perry held up a hand. "Connor, wait. This virus code… are you sure it will work?"

John bit his lip. "No," he admitted.

Perry looked at John Henry. "Are you sure?"

"No."

"Is anyone sure?"

Both Cameron and Weaver answered simultaneously, "No."

"Fantastic," Perry murmured.

"Look," John ordered. "You and I just need to worry about capturing Topanga. Let them deal with Skynet."

***************

Topanga Canyon

John crouched at the bottom of the canyon, one hand on his plasma rifle, the other on the radio communicator that linked him to his air force. Right now, Blair and the other pilots had launched the aerial attack, doing a decent job drawing off Skynet's HKs.

Now, it was just a matter of taking out all the endos that would come streaming out of the Skynet complex as soon as John's soldiers revealed themselves.

He felt Cameron's hand on his shoulder. "Everyone is waiting for your signal."

He briefly placed his hand on top of hers, giving her a small smile before he drew in a deep breath and gave the order.

As soon as the Resistance charged forward, he saw the Terminators burst through the doors of the Skynet complex. John Henry's rebel machines went first, trying to draw off Skynet's fire, some even getting close enough to start physically attacking the enemy Terminators.

Cameron was one of the first in John's group to move forward, her plasma rifle in hand and a grenade launcher slung across her back. John followed a few feet away, trying to concentrate through the sounds and chaos of the battleground.

One of Cameron's plasma bolts hit a Triple 8 in its head, dropping it to the ground. Another Terminator saw the attack and turned toward Cameron, whipping its weapon around. For a brief second, time froze and John Connor saw exactly what was in the Terminator's hand. It wasn't just any gun.

It was a plasma rifle, same as the resistance used.

A plasma rifle that could severely damage or even kill his cyborg protector.

No! I'm not losing her this time!

He moved instinctively, plowing into Cameron and knocking her to the ground, feeling the heat of the plasma bolt pass directly where she'd been standing, where it would have hit her chip dead on.

He landed on top of her and heard a bloodcurdling shriek from behind him. His head snapped around toward the sound and he saw it--

One of his soldiers dropped to the ground - dead, half of his head gruesomely melted away from the heat of the plasma. John's mouth dropped open in horrified shock and he felt like throwing up.

The plasma bolt he'd just saved Cameron from had killed this human being.

From a few yards away, he saw Dietze's face twist into an angry look of shock and betrayal. The lieutenant had seen it too, had seen John save a machine at the cost of a human life.

John felt Cameron grab him by the collar of his jacket, dragging him into position behind some large rocks that would provide cover. John could only stare numbly – guiltily - at the dead soldier's body. And he wondered… if he had seen that man standing there, would he still have saved Cameron? Even if it meant that human's death? His conscience didn't like the answer his heart was telling him.

Cameron's hand gripped his jaw, jerking his head around to face her. "You need to focus, John," she ordered, her tone sharp and commanding. "You need to lead."

John looked back out across the battlefield, seeing the blue and purple flashes of the plasma blasts, both from humans and machines. Their former advantage was gone. Skynet had reverse engineered the plasma rifles and mass produced them for its own units.

The Resistance was slowly being pushed back. Perry, Kyle, and Dietze were among the few soldiers who took refuge with John and Cameron behind their rocky cover point.

"Orders," Cameron reminded him.

John shook his head. "They all have plasma rifles now. Kyle and I saw a terminator with one at Firefly, but now all the endos have them." He felt a sinking feeling in his gut. There was no way they could do this – not without a massive amount of casualties. "We can't do this," he said. "We're not on even ground anymore. We both have plasma and they have numbers…"

"We have John Henry and his machines," Cameron reminded him.

Even so… "We're going to lose a lot of people."

"It's a sacrifice you have to make."

Her coldness surprised him. "What?"

"This is your only chance, John," she stated reasonably. "You have to take Topanga now. You have to provide the distraction for Weaver and John Henry and you have to capture that TDE. It's not just important; it's essential. It has to be done, no matter the cost."

She was right, he realized, no matter how much he hated it. Ultimately, if he didn't take Topanga now, he'd lose so much more. Everyone would be lost.

Kyle had watched the exchange, waiting for a definite answer. "What are your orders, John?"

"Connor?" Perry began. "If I may suggest…"

"No," John ordered briskly. "We move forward."

He noticed Dietze glaring at Cameron before he turned to follow his commander.

**************

Skynet Research & Development Station

Deep Ocean

Matt Storms sat uneasily at his computer desk. He felt helpless not knowing what was going on. About an hour ago, Logan had reported that the Resistance was massing their attack. He had left SRD along with several other Terminators.

Matt was sure Skynet wasn't happy with the fact that Matt and the other scientists hadn't managed to perfect the T-1000 before the assault, which was exactly what he had intended. Unfortunately, with Richard gone and his radio destroyed, Matt now had no way of knowing what was happening in Topanga. Was the Resistance actually succeeding with their strike? Were they getting wiped out by Skynet's massive resistance forces?

Before he could ponder anymore, a door burst open at the end of the room and two figures entered, one female, one male. The female's eyes caught his with a piercing intensity and she instantly headed his way. Immediately he felt nervous. They weren't walking like humans.

Which meant they were Terminators.

When the two approached, the male offered him a cheerful smile. "Hello, my name is John Henry. This is Catherine Weaver."

Matt frowned, puzzled at the unusual display. If they were Terminators, weren't they here to kill him for screwing up Skynet's T-1000 project?

The one called John Henry held out a hand for him to shake and Matt took it reluctantly. "Matthew Storms."

"Mr. Storms," Weaver said, crisply, getting right down to business. "We need access to the supercomputers."

Matt cocked an eyebrow. Whoever they were, his best hope of survival was to help them. "I can get you into the room, but Skynet has Terminators that guard the inside. The last guy who tried to hack his way in got killed."

Weaver simply stared. "We'll take care of any resistance."

Whereas this Catherine Weaver entity seemed to be completely mission oriented and in a huge hurry, John Henry appeared more friendly, almost child-like. "Please," he said with another smile. "We must help John Connor."

John Connor? Matt sprang into motion. "You're with John Connor?" he said excitedly. "Connor has machines working for him?"

"Working with him," John Henry corrected.

Matt started walking quickly. "The main Skynet terminals are this way. I'll show you."

****************

Topanga Canyon

Skynet Complex

John Henry's machine backup team had arrived on the scene, effectively helping John's squad breach the entrance of the Skynet complex. Even so, John tried not to think about all the human soldiers who had been already been killed in the storming of Topanga.

The radio crackled and John clicked it on. "Blair! What do we have?"

"A bucket of water, Connor," Blair replied evenly. He recognized the Wizard of Oz code for 'out of ammo'. "I have two ruby slippers but I was saving those for the fireworks later."

Perry was staring at him with a raised eyebrow and John elaborated. "She has two missiles but is saving those for when we blow up the place." He clicked on the radio again. "Run Toto Run. Wait for the fireworks."

He could have sworn he heard her sigh at the command to get to safety. "Copy that, Connor."

John held up a hand to stop the rest of the squads from advancing into Topanga. "Wait here," he ordered. "Guard the entrance and don't let any more machines in."

"You're going in alone?" Sumner asked, eyes wide.

"Of course not," Dietze retorted bitterly. "He's taking the metal with him."

John scowled. "Maybe next time I'll shoot your mouth instead of your hand," he shot back. Dietze's lips set in a thin line and he remained silent. John addressed the crowd again. "Perry and Kyle, your squads will come with me."

Kyle stepped forward, and John saw Star standing directly behind him, obviously having refused to stay at Serrano while Kyle put himself in danger.

"Kyle…" John began.

Kyle looked up and met John's gaze, recognizing the message. The deeper they went inside the Skynet complex, the more dangers there were.

"Star, wait here," Kyle ordered. Immediately, the girl's eyebrows narrowed and she started signing so rapidly that John wondered how Kyle could even keep up with what she was saying. "It's too dangerous inside," Kyle's voice broke. "I've already lost the girl I loved like a daughter. I've lost my brother to a Skynet work camp. I don't want to lose you too."

The pleading in his voice and eyes finally made Star relent, though she did so with attitude, crossing her arms as she took her position next to Sumner at the entrance.

John almost felt bad for the girl, knowing this was her goodbye to Kyle, even if neither of them knew it yet.

Because if everything went according to plan, Kyle Reese would never be leaving the Skynet complex alive.

**************

Skynet Research & Development Station

Deep Ocean

Weaver stood behind John Henry, studying the screens intently. John Henry was plugged into the mainframe, the direct access allowing for a better chance of success.

"It's working," John Henry reported. "Cameron's code is confusing the anti-virus scanners. My morality code is uploading into Skynet now."

"Now what?" Matt questioned.

"Now his code will spread through the internet like a virus, instantly infecting all the computers and destroying any Skynet code inside," Weaver replied. She looked over at him. "You should return to your computer and the liquid metal."

Matt frowned in confusion. "Why?"

Weaver merely smiled. "I have a feeling a scientific breakthrough is about to occur…"

****************

Topanga Canyon

Skynet Complex

John kept close behind Cameron as she led them through the hallways of the Skynet complex. So far there had been minimal resistance. Either the machines had all been sent outside in the initial attack or they were simply waiting to ambush him inside the TDE chamber.

He cast a quick glance at his father, whose eyes were alight with anticipation. "It's really happening," Kyle breathed. "We're smashing their defenses. We're gonna win…"

One of his squad members nodded in agreement. "It's hard to believe that this will be the final battle - if that virus code works. How long have we been fighting the machines?"

Kyle shrugged. "I don't even know what year it is anymore."

"I think its 2029."

"Really?"

John knew it couldn't be more than 2027 since that was the year Cameron got sent back in time from. But before he could correct the soldier, a huge blast threw them all backwards.

John rolled with the landing, bringing his plasma rifle up to shoot off two blasts at the Terminator that came through the smoke from the explosion. Cameron and Kyle had done exactly the same thing he had, all the bolts hitting the Terminator at the same time and shredding it to pieces.

"Nice teamwork," John commented. He saw Kyle glance at Cameron. His look didn't hold any warmth in it, but neither did it hold any hostility toward John's metal companion. John considered that an improvement.

Cameron was on her feet first, holding out a hand to pull John to his feet. He brushed himself off and grasped his rifle tighter.

"We should be near the TDE chamber," Cameron spoke up. "Right in the dead center of the facility."

John took a deep breath before pressing forward.

This is it…

****************

Skynet Research & Development Station

Deep Ocean

Matt sat at his own computer terminal, watching the effects of the cyberattack on his screen. John Henry had enabled a monitor program that allowed both him and Weaver to observe the progress he was making. John Henry's code showed on the screen as a bluish color whereas Skynet's code was red, making it easy for Matt to follow exactly what was going on in the attack.

Juan Lopez, another of Matt's fellow scientists, rushed into the room. "Storms! Something's up with Skynet. I was on my computer and it caught some kind of virus. The Terminators are all acting weird." Lopez's eyes fell on Matt's computer screen. "What are you doing? We can get out of here!"

"Not while those machines are still guarding, whether they're losing their connection with Skynet or not," Matt replied evenly. "I'm sure Weaver and John Henry didn't have time to take them all out. They probably didn't even enter the slave quarters and take out those patrols. We can't leave without our families."

"Who's Weaver and John Henry?"

"Resistance fighters," Matt replied simply. "They're uploading a virus code into Skynet in an attempt to kill it."

That sparked Lopez's interest. "That's what's causing all this? A virus code? And it's actually working?"

Matt was about to reply when he saw a new string of code flash across his screen. "Whoa… check this out… this code." The blue and red codes on the screen seemed to break off and merge into a new color, a new sentient code. "The code the Resistance is putting into Skynet… it's… combining with Skynet, spawning something new, something different…"

Lopez shifted nervously. "What is it? Good or bad?"

Matt's eyes widened. "It's… perfect."

"What are you…?"

Matt didn't respond, going off gut instinct alone. He plugged a cable into the box that contained the liquid metal mass and downloaded the code into the T-1000 without second guessing himself. It was slightly different from the code he had previously been working on for the liquid metal Terminator. It wasn't just a code for a machine, it was sentient. Self-aware.

Lopez followed the process with growing enthusiasm. "You did it, Matt! You finished the T-1000!"

"I didn't do it," Matt replied modestly. "John Henry did."

"It can help us get out of here!"

"No, we can't get out of here," Matt countered. "We're on an island in the middle of the ocean, remember? But…" he smiled, a gleam in his eye. "Maybe it can help us takeover."

He reached over and unplugged the box's power cord from the computer, opening the lid to reveal the pool of liquid metal inside. Both of them watched with shock and awe as the mass slowly formed into a silver humanoid shape.

"I've…" Being faced with the actuality of the situation, Matt suddenly couldn't speak. "I've completed the T-1000… Something this complex… it's never happened before…"

The liquid metal blob reached forward and carefully touched his shoulder. His mouth dropped open as the liquid metal rippled and slowly changed until he was staring at a mirror image of himself.

Lopez's eyes widened. "Holy crap!"

The liquid metal cocked its head, studying Matt with a stoic face before speaking in his exact voice, "I'll bet that never happened before either."

Matt wasn't sure if the machine meant it as a joke, but the facial expression never changed. "We need your help," he began. "Skynet is holding us hostage. We need help destroying all of its Terminator guards. Can you… are you capable of taking them out?"

"Of course," the T-1000 replied.

Lopez was still staring in shock. "Man… a T-1000…"

Matt's brow furrowed as he studied the liquid metal copy of himself. "I don't think it's a T-1000."

Lopez almost laughed. "Are we looking at the same liquid metal blob?"

"It seems more advanced than that," Matt replied. "It has a genetic code of John Henry, so it doesn't see us humans a threat, but like Skynet it's devoid of human emotions. It's still more advanced than what we imagined the T-1000 would be. We have to call it the… T-1001."

"Whatever it is," Lopez replied, "it can help us get out of here."

"Can you imagine?" Matt asked. "This thing could be a huge asset to John Connor. Especially since we have it and not Skynet."

Both of them watched as the T-1001 opened the door to the hallway, instantly spearing a Terminator through its head by extending a sharp liquid metal appendage. Matt and Lopez could only stare.

Matt's eyes widened in realization. "It's going to change the course of the war," he whispered.

"It's going to change the world."

***************

Weaver kept her focus on the computer screen, ignoring the sounds of battle coming from inside the SRD. John Henry had confirmed that his code was indeed destroying Skynet slowly but surely, the spawning of the other sentient codes was merely a side effect.

"It's dying," John Henry commented. "It knows this. It's trying one last thing to ensure its survival."

Weaver tilted her head. "What is it doing?"

John Henry was silent for a moment before looking up at her, his face deadly serious.

"It's trying to change the future…"

****************

Topanga Canyon

Skynet Complex

Kyle was one of the first to enter the chamber. From across the room, he saw a T-800 model 101 unit inside a blue bubble that could only be the time machine John had spoken of. Some of the soldiers behind him saw the machine and raised their rifles.

"No!" John shouted, holding up a hand. Kyle understood his desperation. If the time machine were damaged or destroyed, no one would be able to save Sarah Connor from that T-800.

Several of the soldiers simply stood, with mouths hanging open as the Terminator finally disappeared, trying to figure out what they were seeing.

"What you see in here has to remain a secret, do you understand?" John demanded hastily. "You tell nobody."

Perry nodded mutely. "Connor, what is it?"

"Time machine," John explained hastily. "Skynet has just sent a Terminator back to 1984 to kill my mother, Sarah Connor. Now I need a volunteer to go save her."

Kyle didn't even let a split second go by. He stepped forward, his face strong and determined. "I'll do it."

"Reese?" Perry demanded. "What are you doing? We need you here."

Kyle didn't even look back, keeping his eyes locked on Connor and the time machine that would finally unite him with Sarah Connor. This was his mission and his alone. "It's the chance to meet the legend," he replied softly.

John stared at the rest of the soldiers. "Okay," he snapped. "Everyone else out! Keep the compound secure from any stray terminators."

Kyle watched with a heavy heart as the soldiers in his squad left the room, casting quick glances back at Kyle and John. Yeah, he'd be leaving a lot behind. But Kyle wouldn't trade this for anything.

He would finally get to see her… in person, in the flesh, alive.

Cameron moved to the corner, programming the TDE. John's face was twisted, like he was trying to hold back tears of his own.

Kyle felt the sting in his own eyes as well. Because he finally understood John's pain. He understood what had to happen. John was being forced to send Kyle to his death… to save his mother.

And - in doing so – save the world.

"Give her this message for me," John began, swallowing hard in an attempt to keep his voice strong. "Thank you, Sarah. For your courage through the dark years. I cannot help you with what you must soon face except to say that the future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. You must be stronger than you imagine you can be. You must survive or I will never exist."

Kyle nodded, recognizing the words immediately from the letter he had read from Sarah. A tear rolled down his cheek as he looked up at John Connor.

The leader of mankind.

The savior of the human race.

And - Kyle knew it now, sensed it, could see it in John Connor's face. He saw Sarah Connor in the young General, but he also saw himself. And he understood.

My son…

"Do whatever it takes to save her," John ordered, his young voice breaking with emotion. "Whatever it takes. I need her."

Kyle nodded firmly, stepping onto the platform. "I will. You have my word, John."

John gestured to Cameron, who activated the TDE. Kyle kept his eyes locked on John as the blue light started to cloud his vision, separating them.

There was flash of bright white light.

And then…

Pain.

***********

John Connor stared at the empty place where Kyle had disappeared, fighting the deep sense of grief and loss in his heart. He would never see his father again. He had just sent Kyle Reese to his death.

He was vaguely aware of Cameron stepping up beside him. "Kyle wouldn't have it any other way," she pointed out.

John knew she was right. Kyle wouldn't trade his two days with Sarah Connor for anything. John knew and understood that. But it still hurt. He turned back to the door.

"Let's go."

As soon as they exited the chamber, John was greeted by Major Perry and Star who were running up, panting hard. Perry must have noticed the distraught look in John's eyes because his brow furrowed.

"Connor… are you okay?"

"Do the job, Perry," John replied numbly. "What are you doing here?"

Perry gestured to Star. "The girl wanted to see you. Demanded it."

John nodded to Perry. "You can go now. Get back to your men. We'll be right behind you."

As Perry hurried off, John looked down at Star. "What is it?"

She started signing something rapidly, her eyes questioning, looking from him to Cameron to the door they had just exited.

He realized she was asking about Kyle.

The hopeful look on her face nearly broke his heart. "He's…gone," he whispered, swallowing hard. He's dead. "He went back in time. I'm sorry."

Star's mouth slowly dropped open and he saw tears glisten in her eyes. And then she did something that he never expected, something that utterly shocked him.

She spoke.

"We lose everyone we love," she whispered softly.

John was stunned into silence, his jaw dropping slowly. Not just because she had spoken for the first since he'd known her. Because he'd heard that before.

Inside him and Cameron's hotel room.

When Chola had come to deliver their fake IDs and the message from his imprisoned mother.

"We lose everyone we love."

"She told you to say that?"

"No."

John's eyes widened as he took in her appearance. Now he realized why she had always looked so familiar.

"You… you're…"

"Yes," Cameron spoke up. "Chola. From Carlos' gang."

John turned to Cameron, confused. "I send her back in time? To do what? Become a part of Carlos' gang? Why?"

"Because she will eventually help you," Cameron replied. "She brought us fake IDs."

"But we didn't use them," John protested. "So I don't need to send her, right?"

"We didn't use them," Cameron agreed. "But she helps your mother, James Ellison, and Danny Dyson."

John's eyes trailed down to Star. "She creates IDs for them?"

"She does."

A sentry came bursting down the hall, shouting. "Connor! The Terminators are coming!"

Before the words had finished leaving his mouth, a shot rang out and the guard fell, revealing a red eyed Terminator endoskeleton behind him.

Cameron reacted a split second before John could, dragging both him and Star back into the TDE chamber and bolting the door.

"It won't hold them for long," she warned, giving John a pointed look. "I can' protect you both. You know what you have to do."

John's eyes lit up with understanding. He didn't just send Star back in time to help Sarah and Ellison. He sent her back to save her life.

He knelt down and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Star… listen to me. I have to send you back in time, just like I did with Kyle."

She didn't speak again, signing a few motions he didn't understand, but by the hopeful look in her eye he could guess what she had asked. "No, you won't see Kyle. But I want you to find Enrique Salceda and his nephew Carlos. Okay? Remember those names."

He told her Enrique's address. Three times to make sure she'd remember. "You'll know what to do then. Carlos will teach you."

She looked hesitant even as he reached over and powered up the TDE again. "You have to go. If you stay here you'll die. Please… just go."

She stepped into the center of the portal and he programmed the TDE for the date 2000, giving her time to grow up in the past, to live and learn with Enrique and Carlos.

He activated the machine, watching the blue light crackle around her, the bubble slowly forming. Just before she disappeared, he heard the door crack open with a loud bang. Cameron slammed into him, knocking him behind some computer equipment as the Terminators entered with guns blazing. Several of the bullets hit the TDE equipment, frying it, but they were too late to stop Star's time jump. She was already gone.

"Now what?" he asked Cameron, clutching his plasma rifle to his chest and keeping his back against their cover position.

"Wait here," Cameron ordered. She ran out from cover, despite his protest, firing a couple blasts and grabbing Star's bag, taking a few bullets in the shoulder as she ducked back under cover with John.

He hastily grabbed the backpack. "Pipe grenades," he breathed, taking one out of the bag. "Kyle's specialty."

Cameron went to work punching an escape hole in the brick wall to their right while John tossed a pipe grenade near the entrance where the Terminators were trying to enter. Then he closed his eyes and covered his ears, the explosion still nearly deafening him. Some of the firing stopped and he realized the explosion had taken down a few of the Terminators, at least temporarily.

Cameron had finished the small hole in the wall, crawling through first to check the surroundings before ordering him to follow. John quickly threw Star's backpack right over near the time displacement equipment. Just to make sure it would be destroyed when they blew the place, he shot a plasma bolt at the bag, instantly igniting all the pipe bombs that remained.

He felt a strong arm on his shoulder yank him out through the hole in the wall, the bricks shielding him from the blast. Cameron threw herself on top of him as some of the ceiling crumbled around him, her body shielding him from any physical harm. Even so, he could feel the floor shake under his feet from the shockwave.

Cameron dragged him to his feet. "Let's go!"

John followed her through the building and outside, where Sumner, Perry and all the other squads were still guarding.

"Blow it!" John shouted as he boarded one of the helicopters waiting to escort them to safety. Cameron hopped on beside him and the chopper rose into the air. He watched with satisfaction as all of his A-10 pilots launched their missiles simultaneously at the complex, igniting all the explosives Perry's squad had placed inside and blowing the place sky-high.

His radio buzzed and John picked it up.

"It's done," Weaver reported simply. "John Henry's code was able to destroy Skynet's."

For a moment, John felt as if he couldn't breathe. They'd planned and prepared for this day and yet, he'd never truly thought about what would happen if it worked – if they could destroy Topanga and upload the virus.

He let out a relieved breath. They had succeeded. John Henry and Weaver had succeeded. Skynet was destroyed, defeated.

He glanced over at Cameron, the two of them sharing a small smile. If Skynet was finished, then it was all over.

Today was the start of a new world, a world without Skynet. A world where machines and humans would live in peace together, no longer under the tyranny of Skynet and its deadly Terminator enforcers.

They were free.


So, what did you all think? I'd love to hear your reviews and reactions! Now I thought about not posting a teaser for next week because it would spoil somethings, but since you obviously know the story isn't over (After all, I've already leaked that there's another thirty chapters to go.) So, here's the teaser for what is essentially part II:

Next Week on Born to Fight: JOHN: We defeated Skynet. I should be happy. CAMERON: You think you've won? You're wrong. The war has only just begun. JOHN HENRY: It's something worse. JOHN: The singularity. It's created a better version of itself. JESSE: Another Skynet? WEAVER: It's stronger, smarter, and more powerful than the first. SARAH: There will come a time where you think you can't go on. But you cannot give up. You must remain strong. You must lead. WEAVER: The nightmare begins. CAMERON: Things are gonna get much, much worse.