I've raised rating for this story to "T" to allow my muse more freedom in this chapter. But, because I want it to remain accessible to almost everyone, I had to restrain myself at describing the last scene of the chapter. I hope that I still managed somehow convincing description of Cameron's and John's "first time".
The lyrics (two lines) in this chapter belong to Mick Jones of the band Foreigner – I just borrowed them.
However, I have to warn the readers that this is probably the sappiest chapter I've ever written. And yet, I still hope that few readers will find it worth reading.
Chapter 29 – Magical Dance
John couldn't help but stare at Cameron with his mouth hanging open, while his eyes got that distinct, slightly glassy look of adoration. He was standing at the door of their room, dressed in new black pants and a red long sleeved shirt which was also almost new. Now, as he was gaping at his girlfriend, he completely forgot that he at first felt uncomfortable in his new clothes and they definitely didn't bother him anymore. They returned from the sledding experience only few minutes ago and changed into more proper clothing to go to the bar. As usually, he was finished very quickly, but Cameron took her time, although she was still very quick compared to average human girls. Not that John would have any mentionable experiences with waiting on his dates, apart from Cameron, but he was reasonably sure that she was quite quick. Few second ago she exited the bathroom and in an instant he saw her, she took his breath away. I really don't know where she gets such beautiful things. I never even dreamed that she'd have something like this in her closet!
She was wearing a sleeveless red dress, almost the same shade as his shirt, ending just above the knees with accentuated thin waist that only stressed her perfect figure. Over her shoulders she wrapped a silky scarf in matching color and wore black sandals with quite high heels. Her hair hung in gentle locks over her shoulders and he could see some red highlights in it to match her dress. Where did she get those highlights? How could she have done this in only few minutes?
He didn't even notice her slightly tilted head and questioning look so much was he wrapped up in his admiration. "John?" Her voice was almost timid, but her eyes revealed that she understood and enjoyed his reaction to her appearance. After all … she chose her attire and hair style very carefully with quite clear goal to impress her John. She actually asked herself why it became so important to her to impress him, but she couldn't make any logical conclusions, it simply was so. She longed for his admiration, she longed for his acknowledgment that she made the right choice.
Few seconds after hearing her voice, John finally snapped out of his reverie and looked into her eyes: "Yeah Cam?"
She twirled around coquettish and looked at him again: "Have I made correct choice of clothing?"
John finally swallowed and nodded: "Absolutely correct. Like I said … you'll be my princess, the most beautiful girl that ever graced the bar in this hotel." He stretched his hand towards her: "May I accompany you milady?"
Cameron stepped to him, looked at his shirt critically and corrected the collar slightly. Then she smiled brightly at him: "That's better. I like it when your clothes are perfect." Then she gladly accepted his hand. He likes my choice. He thinks of me as his princess.
They entered the bar and even John could see how quite few heads turned to look at Cameron, who entered the room like a queen and in a second put all other females in shade, like the sun would have risen with her appearance. Her aura was simply overwhelming and John couldn't believe that this was the same person that used to keep the blank, expressionless face only short time ago. She definitely developed from the ugly duckling to a beautiful swan, concerning her charisma. Her physical beauty was never questionable. She scanned the room to find appropriate seating and also registered the looks of many visitors. "John? Is something wrong with me? I'm currently counting 26 persons staring at me." She looked at John with slightly worried eyes.
John grinned and squeezed her hand: "No, nothing's wrong with you Cam. They just admire your charisma and your beauty."
Cameron frowned slightly: "But ten of them are females."
"Well, they envy you." John's grin grew wider. He knew that it probably wasn't the best thing to stick out like that and draw attention to himself and Cameron and yet he couldn't help but feel immensely proud of his girlfriend, who just by entering a room enchanted the majority of people in it. Keeping low profile was getting more difficult with each day of Cameron's personal growth. She was shining more and more and drew the normally unwanted attention to her. But, perhaps it wasn't that bad … she definitely draw the attention away from him and concentrated it on her.
Cameron understood what John meant and felt very appreciated. Not because the others admired her, but because she obviously managed to win the comparison with human girls without effort. She felt valued and important, more than ever before. Without really considering the implications of her deeds she clutched strongly at John's arm and stretched to give him a kiss on the cheek, provoking a self satisfied smirk on his lips. Now he could clearly see the envy in the eyes of few men, who gazed at them.
The position she chose to seat, was just like she wanted it to be: a little remote from the other visitors, at the wall with excellent view over the space. As she sat down she smiled contently over her choice.
John wanted to call for a waiter when one of them materialized almost out of thin air at his side: "What can I get you madam, sir?" His eyes remained glued to Cameron, although he turned his head towards John and also directed his question at him. His affixation on Cameron didn't escape John so he asked slightly more forcefully that it was necessary: "Honey, would you like a soda or something else?" His slightly louder voice finally shook the waiter out of his stare and he looked at John apologetically.
Cameron smiled at John and reached over the table to put her hand on his, lying on the table: "Coke would be fine, thank you."
After flashing loving smile in her direction, John turned to the waiter, who stood at his side and waited to take the order: "You've heard the lady. I'll take the same. Both without ice please."
The waiter nodded: "Would that be all?" and after receiving a confirming nod from John left to fulfill the order but not before he admiringly, albeit briefly glanced at Cameron again.
Now John finally took time to look around the room more thoroughly. He could see that there were just a few couples on the dance floor. About two thirds of the tables were occupied with people, chatting, discussing, some only sitting and staring into nothingness. Yet other ones gazed at the dancing couples, probably contemplating should they join them or not. The band was playing an old song, which seemed quite familiar to John, but he couldn't remember the title and he dismissed it quickly. The tune wasn't really one of his favorites. Just as he finished his check of the room, the band began to play a new tune, some romantic soft rock song, which he found even more familiar. He scrunched his forehead in fruitless effort to remember which song it was and looked at Cameron: "I can't remember the title of this song."
Cameron smiled at him with slightly tilted head: "I want to know what love is, written by Mick Jones of the band Foreigner, released in 1984. Their greatest hit which ranked no. 1 in 7 countries."
John stared at her in awe. "You really know everything, don't you?"
Cameron shook her head smiling: "No, not everything. But very much."
For few seconds John stared at her, feeling how he slowly began to lose himself in the music. Then he saw her wistful look, felt her hand on his, her thumb gently caressing his hand and in that moment he knew that she wanted to dance with him and realized that he also wanted to dance with her. He wanted to dance with her to this special ballad, which woke his most romantic feelings. Just as the singer began the refrain: "I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me," he suddenly shuddered: "Cam, would you like to dance?"
Cameron was waiting for him to ask her and nodded eagerly while her eyes shone brightly: "Yes, I'd like that very much John."
John rose from his seat and reached for her hand to guide her to the dance floor. He felt like he'd found himself in a beautiful dream, guiding the princess to the ball. The magical tones of the music began to send his feelings into overdrive while Cameron's warm hand in his just amplified the sensations. After they reached the dance floor, John stopped and turned to look at his girlfriend without even thinking of letting her hand go. His heart almost stopped as he saw her sparkling eyes, looking at him with so much love and warmth that he simply couldn't believe it. His eyes almost instantly became wet and after he finally put his right arm around Cameron's waist, felt her arm on his shoulder and her small hand in his left hand, he experienced the indescribable longing to feel her body close. Without really thinking he pulled her tighter to himself, her body now not only touching his, but being firmly pressed to him. The surge of electricity couldn't hit him harder than this simple touch of Cameron's body. Warmth coursed through him and he felt his heartbeat picking up the pace rapidly. His cheeks felt hot and after Cameron laid her head to his shoulder, he knew that this was definitely it. This was the most beautiful moment of his life, the fulfillment of his dreams, longings, ending all of his fears. The girl who was now in his arms was the one whom he had for so long been waiting for. The one, who had been with him so long, without him even considering her as a woman, turned out to be THE ONE. He closed his eyes and let her lead the dance. She was so much better at it than he.
After John turned to her on the dancing floor, Cameron saw so many emotions in his eyes that it overwhelmed her. She was still learning how to interpret and correctly respond to human emotions and such an emotional tide in John's eyes and on his face left her baffled. But one thing she knew for sure: love was by far the most powerful emotion in his eyes. She felt like she'd be floating in the air, looking into his misty eyes and as his arm encircled her waist, she felt like she'd been hit by the lightning, sending her emotions wild. He pulled her tighter to himself and she felt like she would melt into him. She wanted to be even closer and pressed herself tighter to him. The closeness of his body filled her with until now unfelt sensations. She now knew with absolute certainty that this was the place where she belonged; right here in John's arms, staying in them forever. As he began to sway slightly, she noticed his slight hesitation and overtook the lead to dance to the music sensually.
Time and place became obsolete for the two souls, which finally fully comprehended that they've just found their mates for life. Everything that happened until now was unimportant, all kisses and caresses seemed petty and almost lost their meaning in the new wave of emotions, sweeping over them like a 100 feet wave, leaving only the closeness of the loved one, only the awareness that in each other's arms they finally found their safe haven in the storm of life. Nothing else mattered, just the soft music, building the background for the until now pent up emotions, finally breaking the restraints, escaping into freedom and taking over every fiber of their bodies, sending them into a surreal world where only their love mattered.
If someone would look at them, he would see two teenagers, obviously madly in love, clinging to each other like for dear life, their bodies almost melted into one. No looks were necessary, no caresses, no words. Just being in each other's arms, just BEING there, feeling the loved one so close.
After the music stopped, they still swayed slowly over the dance floor, lost in their own world where the music still played, where the music would play forever. They lost themselves in their self created world and they realized that the music stopped only as they were the only ones left on the dance floor. The fact that the singer announced a short break went by, completely unnoticed by them. After a minute, Cameron finally realized that they were alone on the dance floor and that there was no music playing. She slowly pulled her head back to look into John's eyes, just to see his faraway look. He was still hovering in his dream world, somewhere beyond the rainbow in the infinity of love, somewhere far away with her.
"John?" She asked softly and saw how recognition slowly returned into his eyes. But it still took him a second or two, to realize that two huge brown pools gazed at him. He shook his head as if trying to clear it. "Yeah, Cam?"
"We should return to our table. The music stopped." Cameron's eyes stayed fixed on his.
John felt like something very precious would be stolen from him, but as he finally consciously looked into Cameron's eyes again, he smiled like in trance: "Yeah, we should." Then he suddenly bowed to her and kissed her hungrily.
Cameron was startled at his unexpected reaction, but needed only a fraction of a second to return his eager kiss. She poured all of her emotions, all of her longing, everything she felt for John in this kiss. And suddenly she felt like floating away again. Slipping into their own private world again.
After they broke the kiss, they remained gazing into each other's eyes dreamily for a few seconds before Cameron whispered: "I love you John. I will always love you."
"And I love you Cameron. You and only you until the end of time." John's whispered answer was the most beautiful music for Cameron.
Breaking the spell wasn't the easiest thing to do, but after they finally managed it and returned to their table, they saw that the waiter already brought their ordered drinks. After John moved the chair away from the table so that Cameron could easily sit down, like a true gentleman, she smiled thankfully at him and mouthed a silent "Thank you!" John sat on his chair and gazed into Cameron's eyes silently. He admired her, how she pulled her coke closer and wrapped her lips around the straw while fixing him with her deep eyes, thinking how impossibly cute she looked like that. He took his straw into the mouth and reached with his free hand for hers. It took her only a second to intertwine her fingers with his.
For few minutes they just sat there in complete silence, only their fingers intertwined and caressing each other gently. Their looks revealed their feelings without need to say anything with unspoken understanding floating between them.
After he managed to pull himself out of the magic, John gently asked: "Cam, may I ask you a question?"
Cameron looked at him slightly confused: "Of course, John, why are you even asking for my permission?"
John looked at their intertwined fingers for a second and sighed: "It's rather unpleasant question." He looked at her eyes and saw a hint of fear in them. She didn't say anything so he inhaled deeply and asked: "You once told me that you sometimes lie to me. Also about important things. I'd like to know why. Why do you lie to me?"
Cameron's eyes left his for a second and when she looked at him again, fear in her eyes was even more evident. John saw it clearly and he hastily added to reassure her: "I would just like to know Cam. I don't want any secrets between us because I love you so much. If you can't answer me, just tell me that you are not allowed."
Cameron felt relieved that he wasn't going to resent her for what she had to do, so she looked aside for a second, before opening her mouth to answer and looking into his eyes straight.
"I have the orders from future John to hide some things from you. I already told you this. He said that there are some things you shouldn't know, because they would influence the future too much." She paused and allowed John to express his objections.
"I don't think that such an order makes any sense, Cameron. After all … we're fighting to prevent Judgment day or at least postpone it as much as possible and everything you could tell me would be important in our fight."
Cameron understood his reasoning and nodded while looking at him with clear plea written in her dark eyes: "John, please understand that I had my orders. Until few days ago I didn't even know that I am able to override them." Her eyes pleaded him for understanding that she was forced to follow her orders, that she was forced to lie to him, no matter how she felt about it.
John felt how his heart broke a little seeing her pleading, almost devastated look, so he squeezed her hand firmly: "I understand that perfectly Cam and I'm not angry. I'm just happy that you now know that you can override limitations that future me set to you and be your own person."
Cameron's fears disappeared and she smiled at him thankfully before she continued: "But there is something more that forced me to lie to you in the past." She paused for a second and as she saw that she got John's undivided attention, she continued: "However, I broke that order very soon after we first met. I have been ordered not to get emotionally involved with you."
John's eyes widened and he gasped: "What? Who gave you that order? Future me?"
"Yes, future you." Cameron searched his eyes for any signs of rejection but found only anger. Without knowing how, she immediately understood that this anger wasn't directed towards her but towards future John. "He said that it would make me inefficient protector should I fall in love with you. He also said that should I fall in love with you, I was to leave you immediately and guard you from afar, without you knowing it at all." Her eyes suddenly got misty: "But I couldn't do it John. I couldn't leave you. I knew it would damage you and I didn't want you to get upset because of me. Please, believe me!"
John reached for her other hand and took both her hands in his. He was not angry at future John, he was furious. How could that cold blooded bastard require something like that from Cameron? Unless… Suddenly a thought crossed his mind and he said in an angry voice: "I think I understand why he ordered you this. I think that he was jealous of me." He laughed dryly: "Strange: being jealous of oneself. Creepy!"
Cameron tilted her head in confusion and tried to understand his words. She didn't exactly share his opinion, but some of future John's actions suddenly made sense if she thought of them like her John said. She couldn't understand them at that time, but if she considered the fact that he might have not wanted her to get involved with this John because he wanted her for himself, yet was afraid of admitting it, they seemed more coherent. Then she directed her still confused eyes at John: "I don't understand. Why would he be jealous of you … himself? Why wouldn't he allow his younger self to be happy? He couldn't have wanted me for himself because he knew I wouldn't return."
John shook his head in dismay. "Did he, Cameron?"
Cameron tilted her head dangerously and thought over John's remark. Suddenly she understood and she involuntarily gasped: "He ordered me to surrender my chip …" She trailed off, probably for the first time ever. She understood now. Future John was expecting her to come back on her chip. Creating a new body for the chip wouldn't be all that difficult in the future. And then he could have her for himself. She looked into John's eyes with horror.
John saw emotions sweeping across her face and realization dawning in on her, so he just nodded. This future me was really some kind of cold hearted jerk. I can only hope that I won't become like him. "I'm not sure, Cameron. It's just the idea, maybe correct, maybe completely wrong. But, frankly, I don't even care. What's important is the fact that we're both here and that we stand to our love. I can only hope I'll never become like him." He grinned sheepishly and clarified: "I mean in emotional sense. I still hope to become the leader like he was." His thumbs caressed her hands gently: "I'm sure that I won't become like him as long as I have you. My guiding star."
Cameron's eyes became dangerously misty. Her John was looking at her like she was his guiding star. In that moment she swore to herself that she would never leave him and that she would do whatever it took to make him into great leader but stay human, stay HER John. She would do everything to make him happy.
John saw her dangerously wet shining eyes and lifted her hands. Slowly, one by one, he kissed her fingers, one kiss on each of them. After he was finished, he looked into her eyes again and saw how the first tear started its journey down her cheek. "I understand now finally. I am not angry at you Cam. I now see that it was me, who was the biggest jerk, not trusting you."
Cameron suddenly felt how her throat strangely tightened and sobbed: "John, I promise I'll never lie to you again. I won't keep any secrets from you." Tears began to fall from her eyes freely.
John's throat constricted as he saw her tear stained face. In this moment she looked more beautiful than ever. Her eye makeup was a terrible mess on her cheeks, her shoulders slumped and yet she looked like an angel, who descended to earth to protect him, to guide him, to show him what love is. He reached for a napkin and tenderly brushed her cheeks. Her eyes followed his face's every move and after he finished, they still looked at him with emotion, rarely seen even in human eyes. He bowed over the table to kiss her gently. Her lips were even softer that normally and the slight wetness and saltiness of her tears made it impossible for him to resist her any more. In this moment he wanted her more than ever. He wanted her completely. Her eyes, gazing at him, told him that he wasn't the only one. He whispered huskily with raspy voice: "Let's go to our room. I want to make love to you."
Cameron felt desire to give herself to him completely and only nodded while her eyes burned holes into his very soul. She was up in a second and waited for John, who just signed the receipt for the drinks and rose swiftly to grasp for her hand.
The way to their room seemed almost impossibly long. True, they interrupted it often, stopping and kissing every few feet of the way. In elevator they almost missed the right floor, so lost were they in their emotions.
After entering the room, John felt how his hands trembled and as he guided Cameron towards the bed, he felt his desire rise into almost unbearable heights. He gently hugged her, having to restrain himself with all of his will not to fall over her like a wild beast. To his delight, even though he just barely registered it on the edge of his mind, Cameron answered his passion just as fervently. He slowly laid her on the bed and kissed her already slightly swollen lips. Then his lips began to roam down her neck, to her shoulders, his hands slowly and gently removing her scarf and pushing the straps of her dress aside. His lips gently brushed against her shoulder and down her arm until reaching her hand. There they stopped and he looked into her eyes that were gazing at him glassy with unhidden desire while her hand cupped his cheek with the thumb slowly gliding along his lips.
Then his lips returned to her collarbone and slowly, inch by inch travelled down to where her dress began. Slowly pushing it further down, he heard an almost inaudible moan escaping Cameron's lips as her fingers entangled into his hair and pushed his head further down towards the most sensitive spot of this part of her body. Suddenly he lifted himself and hastily pulled his shirt over his head, having no time to unbutton it. After he tossed it aside, he saw Cameron's eyes gazing at him and felt her hands, roaming over his now bare chest, igniting fires in him on every spot that they touched. He quickly dropped his pants and remained only in his shorts. Cameron's eyes followed his every move while her hands continued the exploration of his body.
After he was left only in his shorts, he reached for Cameron's feet and gently unstrapped her shoes, one by one and after he took them off, kissed her toes, trailing kisses up her left leg until he just passed her knee. Then he turned to face her again, lifted her and reached for the zipper of her dress. In this moment he suddenly felt nervousness creeping into him. This was completely uncharted territory for him, something he never did before, something he never even tried to imagine before. He never before had anything to do with undressing a girl and his hands trembled more than just slightly as he tried to pull the zipper down, failing for a few tries until Cameron finally reached for it and unzipped it with ease, while kissing him hungrily and smiling into the kiss. She shrugged her arms out of the dress, which fell down to her waist, revealing that she obviously thought a bra as optional. John's eyes fell to her small, perfect breasts and he had to swallow hard. But he managed to concentrate on her dress again, pulling it down off her legs gently to reveal the red lacy panties. The sheer look at Cameron's now almost naked body, a picture of pure perfection, caused him to gasp for air and he took a second to admire the heavenly body of his lover, lying on the bed and waiting for him to make love to her.
Should he ever have had any problems with her being a cyborg, should he ever have had any second thoughts they would now be gone, vanished and forgotten, buried under tons of emotions. He gave himself into this love completely, without any reservations. Trailing kisses along her body, feeling her lips all over his body was beyond anything he ever imagined to be possible.
They were both insecure on how to go on further. Timid, yet hungry for each other, the instincts took over John and he began his exploration of everything Cameron had to offer in physical sense. Cameron had no idea why she was reacting the way she was. She deliberately switched off her HUD and she avoided using any infiltrator subroutines. She just let her feelings guide her and answer to John's ministrations.
Timidity soon made place for boldness and the moment they finally became one, was the moment neither John nor Cameron would ever forget. Their first time, their first time together, was the most emotional moment of their entire lives, promising brighter future, regardless the impending threat of the Judgment day.
John's and Cameron's cries of passion spoke volumes of their love for each other, love that only few days ago seemed impossible, forbidden, pervert even. They finally managed to cross the last boundary and they both knew they wouldn't regret it. Ever!
After John finally relaxed and caught his breath, he lovingly caressed Cameron's hair and noticed that she looked at him with bright, curious, loving eyes. Then it occurred to him that he had no idea what it meant to her. So he asked a little insecure: "Cam, did this mean anything to you? Did you feel anything?"
Cameron's eyes got that distant look as if she would be drifting into another world while one of her hands slowly combed through his hair. He already thought she wouldn't answer him, as her eyes focused on his again: "I feel everything John. I don't feel it like you do, but it's completely real for me. And I enjoyed it very much. I really want us to do this again."
"You mean right now?" John's eyes widened in surprise.
Cameron grinned at him mischievously: "Only if you're up to it, lover."
John's face exploded in a wicked grin: "I'll show you how up to it I am!" He jumped at her and heard a tiniest squeal of surprise and delight escaping her lips.
TBC
