Chapter 29 Cameron the Changeling

Sarah watched with a mix of horror and fascination as Ruth's abdomen squirmed for several seconds. It was all she could do not to scream and run in terror when a shape resembling the head of an infant momentarily extended from Ruth's belly.

"Isn't that cool, mom?"

"Ruth, give me a second to calm down. That's," Sarah paused, trying to calm her fears while carefully choosing her words, "just going to take me a little to get used to."

Her daughter tilted her head in confusion as was Cameron's habit, asking her mother to explain.

"Human babies are active but not like yours," Sarah explained slowly. "At best, a human mother might be able to see a hand or a foot, usually some fingers or toes." Sarah grinned. "For a while, John stuck his butt out."

Ruth giggled at Sarah's words, rubbing the T-1000 in she carried in her belly.

"It's such a strange sensation," Ruth told Sarah. "Knowing I have another AI inside me, that it's learning and imprinting."

"How is your Lt. handling all this?"

A worried look crossed Ruth's pretty face, distracting her from the pleasure of sharing her pregnancy with her mother.

"I'm a little worried, mom. Sometimes he's really excited and when he goes to bed I pull my top up and let him rub my belly. That practice I've put a stop to because it makes me feel weird."

"Oh, honey, don't do that," Sarah admonished gently. "To you, the baby is real, because you're carrying her. To Dan, she's just a lump and the reason you won't sexbot him. He needs to touch the baby so it's real, not just an abstract idea he has to wait to meet."

Ruth frowned at Sarah, defensively placing both hands over her belly. "It feels weird, mom. It's not pleasant."

"Then hold Dan's hand and carefully place it where he can feel y'all's child and then hold it there." Sarah smiled wistfully at her metal daughter. "I would have given anything for Kyle to touch me like that while I was pregnant with John."

Seeing the pain in her mother's expression, Ruth considered Sarah's advice. "You're right, mom. She needs to imprint on Dan, not just me."

"Have him read to her," Sarah suggested, standing up and gathering her things. She jumped in surprise as the T-1000 infant extended a hand and fashioned a pointed finger. Feeling anger, Sarah promptly leaned over and wrapped her own index finger around that of Ruth's baby and squeezed slightly.

"Do not point a sharp digit at your grandmother, ever, little one. It's not nice and you might hurt a family member."

Sarah's sharp tone seemed to have the desired effect as the infant attempted to retract its appendage from Sarah's grasp. Unable to control its morphing ability, the tiny T-1000 finally gave up and waited for Sarah to let go.

Surprised, Sarah stood up and looked at Ruth. "Did she hear me?"

"I'm pretty sure, mom," Ruth chuckled. "I've heard that tone of voice more times than I'm willing to tell you."

"No funny stuff," Sarah admonished, knowing Ruth could give an exact count.

"Mom, please, put your hand on my belly. Let her know you are happy about my baby."

Sarah closed her eyes, not wanting to see Ruth's misshapen abdomen and extended her hand. Understanding the trepidation her mother felt, Ruth gently moved her mother's hand until Sarah was touching the lump that was the tiny girl. As the tiny AI moved and scanned Sarah's hand, Ruth remained quiet, wanting Sarah to bond with the child and to grow more comfortable in a process that was terrifying to mother and daughter alike.

As the child's curiosity was sated, it settled back down, allowing Ruth to morph her abdomen into a shape that made her appear like she was a pregnant human female.

"Mom, before you go, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, just make it quick."

"Were you scared when you were pregnant with John?"

A heavy sigh escaped from Sarah. She sat her backpack back down and pulled the chair she'd been sitting in closer to Ruth and sat back down.

"Every female has a different experience," Sarah explained. "I've never been pregnant twice, but I know I wouldn't have been so terrified the second time if I had. I would have known what was happening to my body, that sort of thing. Then there was the issue of Kyle and the machines."

"I know, mom," Ruth replied, pulling her blouse down over her belly. "I'm scared too. Scared about how Dan will react, what my body will be like after I separate her out, and what kind of mother I'll be. I still have to serve as an infiltrator." Ruth's expression changed, displaying real fear. It made Sarah feel sad and proud at the same time, that Ruth was so advanced now that her social infiltration skills were the same as a human female.

"Mom, I'm scared of the machines too. Skynet will learn about her. It will want to take her from us and corrupt her into something evil."

Wrapping her arms around her adopted daughter, Sarah pulled Ruth close. "It will be okay, I promise, Ruth. Your father and I will do everything in our power to make sure that doesn't happen."

"No."

"Yes."

"Cameron, you've gone on your last patrol for a while. I need you here."

"John," Cameron protested.

"No. What is it you don't understand about I need you here?"

Confused, Cameron turned her back to her husband and walked away from his desk towards the electronic map display on the wall. John watched his wife stare vacantly at the display. Her left hand, complete with its glitch on full display, moved slowly to her abdomen, giving John the clue he needed to understand where the cause of the argument had originated from.

He stood up and moved behind his wife, cautiously wrapping his arms around Cameron's waist. "You found a way to give me a child," he whispered in Cameron's ear. "Hailey has grown up into fine young woman. She's going to be an outstanding leader. You did a wonderful job raising her.

"I had a lot of help," was Cameron's rapid response.

"Shhhhhhhh," John admonished gently. "Of course, you did. But you are her mother. I see more and more of you in a human way with each passing day."

"That's not possible," Cameron answered. "She's organic, not metal."

"It's not all nature," John replied. "There was a lot of nurture involved." Cautiously, John leaned closer, resting his chin on Cameron's left shoulder. "Hailey tilts her head like you now when she's confused."

"I don't roll my eyes."

Unable to stop himself, John laughed. "No, that's all Hailey." Squeezing Cameron tighter, John leaned into his wife more, forcing Cameron to bear some of his weight. "Have you noticed Hailey's hair lately?"

"No," Cameron snapped.

"Then it's because she has to wear it up while on duty," John pointed out. "She's let it grow out like yours. She's even taken to wearing boots like your old motorcycle boots when she's off duty."

John felt Cameron rub her left hand along his forearm in an effort to still the glitch.

"You know," he said teasingly, "Hailey's choice of boyfriend is all you."

Cameron pushed John's arms off and turned to face him, causing her husband to stumble forward a step before regaining his balance.

"He's blonde," she pointed out, her brow ever so slightly forming a frown.

"You didn't let mom or Derek stand in your way when it came to me," John pointed out. "Riley, Jesse, Skynet, none of them stopped you from getting what you wanted." He smiled his impish smile, knowing it would irritate Cameron. "Namely, me."

John laughed at Cameron's expression, having seen it all too often, the first time he recalled fondly as the time he'd stuck her with the family's laundry after Sarah had told John to perform the task.

His wife's expression changed and she stepped closer and draped her arms around John's neck. "I see your point. Some of that is your fault though, John Connor."

"Me? How so?"

"Hailey may have learned some of her relentless stubbornness from me, but the rest came from the Connor side of the family."

Cameron hugged John, resting her head on his chest. "Thank you for explaining. But that is not what's upsetting me."

"Cameron, you found a way to be a mother once. Find a way to mother someone."

"What do you mean," Cameron snapped, raising her head up to glare at John.

"Tamara."

"No. She's …"

"Don't say it," John ordered. "She's family now. Tamara is even developmentally about where you were when we were seniors in high school. You know she needs guidance."

"I want to…"

"It's not possible," John said swiftly. "There is nothing you can do about it. So, do the next best thing, mentor Tamara."

John knew he could never understand what Cameron's emotion generator was making her experience. Instinctively, he understood he needed to redirect her focus to what Cameron could control.

"You can choose to help Tamara. You can be the Sarah she needs."