Chapter 37 – You Can Go Home

Disclaimer: Don't own TSCC

Calculus class could not have been more boring and John Connor couldn't have been any happier. The routine of school was a welcome relief after the family's wild Christmas vacation. Two gun battles, a blizzard and the turning of a mercenary into an ally. Nothing out of the ordinary for a Connor family trip.

Cameron had been happy to be reunited with her friends from her ballet class. John watched as she leaned slightly forward, watching with animated eyes as she listened in silence to all the gossip she had missed during their Christmas break. While Cameron seldom talked at lunch with her friends, she loved being included in a group of human girls and not being treated like a strange outcast. Her friends simply thought Cameron was different because she was "creative" and "suffered" for her art. They liked the fact Cameron stood up to the school bullies, often on their behalf, and had inspired quite a bit of fear among the numerous bullies.

Most importantly, her friends loved how Cameron had developed the ability to torment her chief rival, Cindy, with a single glance. Her friends had suffered at the cruel whims of Cindy for three years. Never having to fear another girl, Cindy often crossed lines with her cruel teasing and bullying. For Cameron to turn the tables on the female bully in her senior year was becoming the stuff of legend. Cindy's two evil sidekicks, Joanna and Dawn, had abandoned her in order to not become collateral damage in Cameron's war of wits and nerves with Cindy.

Like most seniors, John was anxious about the future following graduation. With many changes to the timeline and their efforts against Skynet, it was impossible to tell when Judgment Day would come. What did the immediate future hold in store for him? A college degree meant nothing after Judgment Day, but what if Judgment Day never came? How would John earn a living?

What would Cameron do? She was becoming an accomplished ballerina and had been cast as the prima ballerina for both of the Spring Semester performances. Having an unfair advantage of a Terminator's strength, agility, balance, flexibility and stamina, Cameron had flourished and quickly passed the other girls up in skill level as a ballerina. The two sisters who served as her teachers now focused on helping Cameron express emotion through her movements. Having realized Cameron could quickly learn any movement and master it quickly; the focus of the two sisters was to develop their star pupil's artistic expression.

For Cameron, expression of emotion was her greatest challenge. Having barely mastered her ability to control emotions, expressing them in an artistic manner was a challenge worthy of the petite Terminator. John encouraged Cameron to spend as much time as possible using her CPU to process data in regards to her emotions, what triggered them, how she could control them appropriately and finally how to express them as a dancer. The discipline involved had not prevented some of Cameron's emotional outbursts, particularly when Derek and blonde females were involved, but Cameron had shared with John she did not fear feeling emotions like she once had. Dance was providing her with a way to feel confident and comfortable with emotions, even dark ones that troubled her.

Graduation, a right of passage and a symbol of freedom for most American teenagers. What would it mean for John and Cameron? There was no doubt Derek and Sarah would continue waging war against companies determined to create an AI technology. Greys would have to be hunted down and dealt with. Terminators from the future would always be a threat unless they could prevent with certainty the creation of Skynet.

No, in many ways their lives would remain the same. Raids, clandestine meetings, constant surveillance and the need to be ever watchful against dangers nobody could imagine existed. More than ever, John craved a normal life.

He was doing well in school. His guidance counselor had met with him concerning plans for college. Disappointed upon hearing John did not intend to continue his education, the counselor had spent over half an hour encouraging John to at least spend a year at the local community college. Assuring John his grades and standardized test scores would earn him a full tuition scholarship, he sent John home with the paperwork to sign-up for college entrance exams.

The sisters as Cameron had liked to call her dance instructors, were determined to arrange an audition for Cameron with the Los Angeles Ballet Company and had become more demanding of Cameron as of late. Saturday mornings had been spent at school with Grace and Mary, Cameron's friends who hoped to earn dance scholarships to college. Under the watchful and demanding eye of the sisters, the three had benefited greatly from the extra practice and instruction, none more so than Cameron.

Often, the three girls texted at night. Discussing their hopes and dreams for the future. Grace hoped to attend UCLA and Mary dreamed of attending Cal. Cameron seldom contributed much in regards to the idea of pursuing a professional career, but loved to encourage her two friends, going so far as to occasionally ask Sarah's permission for Mary and Grace to eat dinner at the Connor home and allow Cameron to tutor her friends in Calculus.

Thinking of the insane final six days of their trip to Lake Tahoe, John began to feel angry. It was an injustice. Sarah and Derek had enjoyed their time together and John found his mother being in a relationship with Derek did not disturb him. He also understood now why Sarah disliked seeing him being affectionate with Cameron. It was gross if when he stopped to think about it. John wasn't fond of watching his mom and Derek kiss, why would she want to watch him and Cameron makeout?

For a few blessed days, John and Cameron had been able to be a normal boyfriend and girlfriend on vacation. Well, as normal as possible when your girlfriend is a Terminator and law enforcement, terrorists and cult members are hunting for you. He had enjoyed learning to ski and spending some time with Cameron on the slopes. Cameron loved to go to movies. Despite the fact she pestered John with questions during every movie they had ever seen together, he loved taking her to the movie theatre, something they had done nearly everyday before the ambush.

"Why shouldn't we have normal lives?"

Silence fell over the group of gossiping girls, all of their eyes focused on the normally silent John.

"John, are you OK? I mean, like, you never talk, ever. Cam, you man is acting strange, talking all random like that," Grace rattled off in her faster than normal teenage banter.

"John, are you feeling well?" Cameron asked with concern.

"Yes, yes I am. In fact, I feel fine. Ladies, I am so sorry I interrupted your conversation. I think Mary had something really nasty to report about Joanna."

John's reminder promptly refocused the girls attention on Mary who recalled she did in fact have a really nasty piece of juicy gossip to dish on Cindy's ex-minion Joanna.

Cameron looked at John with concern and slipped her hand over his.

"I'm fine. Really. You don't need to run a scan. In fact, I've made an important decision and after dance class tonight, I would like to go on your first patrol with you so we can have privacy to talk. It's all right Cameron. Really. Go enjoy the rest of lunch period with your friends. I want to get an early start on my homework."

Noting all of John's vital signs were within his normal range, Cameron could find no reason to object to John's instructions to return to her friends. She watched John with puzzled interest as he left to go to the library early for his study hall during the next period.

Distracted by John's sudden outburst, Cameron had to replay her recording of the first part of Mary's gossip to catch up on the background details. His desire to walk a patrol with her concerned her. She would have to be ultra cautious. In fact, Cameron decided if John wanted to go with her, she would arm herself more heavily than normal and require John to wear his bulletproof vest.

First patrol…

"I am not wearing that stupid vest."

"Yes you are. Your safety is the greatest priority. Put the vest on."

"No. I hate wearing that thing."

"If nothing else, our recent vacation should have taught you we can never relax our vigilance. We are constantly hunted by enemies."

"Fine, I'll wear the vest."

Happy to not have to resort to physically putting the vest on John and embarrassing him, Cameron stood on her toes and kissed John on his cheek.

"Thank you."

Slipping his t-shirt over the vest, John frowned at Cameron. "Happy? I look stupid with this thing on."

Cameron held up one of John's tattered plaid flannel shirts that he quickly slipped on to hid the bulk of the vest.

"Do you have both of your pistols John?"

"I'm sure you have enough guns for both of us Cameron."

"Be serious John. Do you have both of your pistols?"

"Yes. As a matter of curiosity, how many weapons are you carrying tonight Cameron?"

Watching Cameron slip on her purple leather jacket and pick up the purple leather purse Sarah had given her, John began estimating the total number of weapons she was carrying.

"I'm thinking you have a total of five weapons."

Smiling at John coyly, she shook her head as she opened the door to leave. John followed her and shut the door behind them, locking it and arming the security system.

Cameron held up her hand signaling John to wait while she walked to the end of the driveway and quickly scanned the street for threats. Finding none, she motioned for John to join her. Taking Cameron's hand in his, John repeated his estimate.

"Five weapons."

"Your guess is not close John."

"Well, how many then?"

"My two Glocks are in my shoulder holster under my jacket, but you saw those. Of course I have the .22 Sarah gave me in my purse. I have a throwing star in my bra and another in my purse. I have my three throwing knives in my right boot and .38 special in my left. In the right pocket of my jacket I have a fragmentary grenade and in my left pocket I have a thermite grenade in case we run into a Terminator."

"Eleven. I am impressed."

"I could conceal more with ease. I have a scabbard I can wear under my blouse on my back allowing me to carry my Bowie knife. I could easily conceal several more throwing knives and an additional pistol."

"I think you're good for a patrol this early in the evening."

"I have several heavy weapons stashed in concealed locations on my patrol routes. It always pays to be prepared. Sarah provided me with the weapons. She agreed with my plan to create the caches in case I needed additional firepower."

"Mom would naturally agree with you on that."

The two walked in silence, holding hands and enjoying the evening as the heat of the day began to break as the sun set.

"I love being with you like this Cameron. It is simple. It's normal, like we're just another couple going for a walk."

"But John, it is not that simple. There are dangers and I have to…"

"Cameron," John interrupted, "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. You are right to be cautious and I truly appreciate the fact you always monitor our safety. But don't you enjoy something as simple as taking a walk in our neighborhood?"

"Yes. I enjoy everything I do with you John."

"Well, that's my big decision. We're going to be normal."

Instantly Cameron tilted her head while she scanned down a side street.

"I am confused John. We are not normal. You must stay alive and develop into the human leader of the resistance and defeat Skynet. I am a cyborg with free will and emotions. Our family is constantly hunted. We live with the constant threat of danger."

"I know. I hate it. I want more walks with my girlfriend and less time getting shot at. Cameron, I realize we will always be hunted. Our relationship is, I'm going to call it unique. I might not be able to stop us from being shot at, but we're not going to stop living our lives."

"John, you are still confusing me. Please explain."

"Cameron, what I mean is, we graduate in early June. I have no intention of becoming a full time anti-technology terrorist like Mom and Derek."

"We cannot shirk our responsibility to wage war against Skynet and his minions."

"I realize that. But we have lives too. I've decided to go to the community college. I want you to audition for the ballet company. I want the two of us to have lives. Real lives like normal people."

"John, this is unwise."

"Yep. It is unwise. But I like to learn. Engineering. If Skynet never comes on line, I need to be able to support you financially. So I want to go to community college. Two years and I'll have my basics done. Then two years to finish at a four-year college. No long range plans because we can't make those kind of plans."

Cameron turned in a 360-degree circle, scanning for threats. Finished with her scan, she moved close to John and looked up at him.

"If you wish to go to community college I must go with you as well. I would not be able to protect you otherwise."

"Cameron, you do not need to go to college. You can just read the textbooks and you memorize everything already not stored in your files. No, you're auditioning for the ballet. I have decided."

"John, that is unwise. There is no logical explanation why you would demand this of me. You must allow me to attend community college to protect you."

John took Cameron in his arms and held her close as she looked up at him with her impossibly large brown doe eyes.

"Somebody has to pay the bills when I'm finishing at a four-year school. I doubt I'll be able to get a scholarship that will cover everything the last two years."

Cameron pouted as she tilted her head, clearly confused and annoyed with John for confusing her further.

"I do not see any reason why I would need to earn an income to pay bills while you attend your final two years of college. We have a home and Sarah pays for all of our bills."

"Think Cameron. Why would WE need to pay bills," John asked her in a teasing voice.

Tilting her head yet again as she pouted, John visualized her hard drive working as her CPU processed all the data necessary to arrive at the answer to his question.

Suddenly Cameron's head straightened and her mouth fell open. She clapped her hands several times and jumped up and down before throwing her arms around John's neck and hugging him.

Just as quickly she stepped back and did another 360-degree scan of the neighborhood for threats.

"Well, have you figured out the answer," John asked grinning from ear to ear?

"You will be mad if I am wrong. I do not want to say."

"It's OK. I asked. I won't be mad, I promise."

Her face bore her blank Terminator expression but her soft reply was filled with a dreamy hope, "we will be married and on our own."

"You're rrriiiigggghhhhhhttttttt! Give the contestant a prize!"

The two hugged each other and kissed in the light of the rising moon for a long minute before parting. Holding hands, Cameron led John on the next leg of her patrol.

The two walked in silence, covering the entire circuit Cameron walked for her first patrol every evening. Cameron's CPU generating a sensation she disliked enough she felt compelled to tell John.

"Cameron, what you're feeling is the unique emotional combination of happiness, excitement and hope for our future combined with the fear of telling Mom and the uncertainty of the future. It's a very human emotion."

Cameron looked up at John as they walked up the driveway, "Yes, telling Sarah will require considerable planning on our part. Do we have to tell her tonight?"

"No, I think dropping the bombshell about my desire to go to community college and you auditioning for the ballet company will be about all the stress she can deal with at one time."

"You are correct. I will begin increasing Sarah's daily intake of anti-oxidants and foods known to decrease stress and anxiety immediately."

"You know, we have a lot of planning to do. It will be fun. We'll be like normal people for real."

"Please explain John."

"Well, first, you have to get the job at the ballet company. Then we can start saving your pay. I'll get a part-time job to pay for any extras I need for community college. We'll need our own car and that means car insurance. Of course we have to pay for a small wedding and I am taking my little sexbot on a honeymoon!"

Cameron playfully hit John on his chest. "I am not your sexbot yet. Do not say that out loud. What if Sarah hears?"

John looked down at Cameron and the realization of what he had just told her sank in. He had been discussing getting married with her. To his surprise, he didn't feel the sudden urge to run away, to take everything he had told her back. John also realized Cameron had not asked him if he was serious or not. She had taken all of his statements to her at face value. The light touch of her finger on his lips pulled his attention back to the present and to Cameron's face.

"I love you John Connor. I love the man you are becoming. I want you to know I will do my best to be a good wife to you. I know we will be faced with many challenges, but we will be strong enough to make our marriage work. You are strong man and I will be there to help you."

John hugged Cameron close and held her until he felt a strong push against his chest.

"You have three tests this week. You must go to bed and get your rest. I will tutor you tomorrow night for your Calculus test after ballet. Grace and Mary are coming over anyhow so you may study with them. We are leaving for school half an hour early so I can meet with my ballet teacher for extra practice for graceful hand movements."

Leaning back, John looked at Cameron with his head turned sideways slightly. "I thought we had discussed the being bossy thing and agreed I would manage my own rest and schoolwork."

Opening the door, Cameron smiled at John. "That was before I knew when my estimated wedding date would be. We have much to accomplish to achieve our goals and live as normal people if we can. Remember John, this was your idea."

Walking to the cabinet where the family's day-to-day weapons were stored when not in use, Cameron quickly shed all of her weapons. Before heading to her room, she pulled John's head down for a kiss. She whispered, "Now John, to make this work you need a scholarship and I need to turn pro as a dancer. The sooner we make it happen, the sooner I'm your little sexbot. Don't complain if I get a little bossy now and then. A girl wants what she wants and I want you to put a ring on my finger."

Without another word Cameron strolled off towards the stairs, never looking back.

Thanks for reading my story and sticking with it this far. Reviews are always appreciated.