[Please go easy on me...this is my first fan fiction piece. I would greatly appreciate some constructive criticism or anything that you think I could do to improve my writing. I don't know if all the chapters will be this long...they will probably vary but I will keep any readers out there posted so you don't think I fell off the face of the Earth.]

Cameron's Phillips has a best friend...

Lab class is the best part of David Thatcher's day.

David walked towards his table, threw his bag underneath it, and took a seat.

"Good morning David how are you?"

She had the warmest smile he had ever seen. Her hair always looked like something you would only see in TV commercials. The thing David like about her the most though were her eyes. They managed to turn even the shittiest of days into good ones. Like the day when he got into a fight with the janitor because the bastard stole his iPod. Of course everyone sided with the janitor because everyone hated David...well not everyone.

"I'm doing alright I suppose, got fired from my job for telling off a customer."

"Bummer..."

"Yea you said it. But hey I got you to cheer me up. Nothing like working on a miserable lab with a buddy right?"

"Don't you mean: Nothing like copying Cameron's answers for the lab?"

Apparently he wasn't the only one to hear that last remark because everyone was laughing. John leaned back in his chair and gave his sister an awkward look that nearly screamed shut the hell up. Through all the laughter only Cameron and David noticed Johns glare and Cameron instantly stopped laughing. David was worried. This wasn't the first time he had saw the siblings give each other glares of doom. Whenever one would draw to much attention the other was glaring them down.

"Cam? Are you okay?"

"I'm am fine David. Would you like my lab answers?"

She wasn't joking. Her voice was low and she wouldn't look him in the eye.

"No I don't want your answers I want you to tell me what's wrong. Don't bother telling me you're fine because that's what you told me last time... Cam I consider you to be my only friend at this hellhole because you are the only person who doesn't bullshit people. Is it...is it John? Is...he hurting you?"

Her eyes shot up at David. He could tell she was not exactly happy. He knew she was feeling something. It wasn't fear. David thought it was anger but the look she gave him was empty. There was no emotion.

"Look Cam, brother or not if John is hurting you I swear to god I will kill him. I will kick his-"

David could not finish speaking. Something was wrong. Cameron's glare was more menacing than anything he had ever seen. The beautiful eyes that use to make his shitty days less shitty were dead. All David could see was...nothing. Cameron's glare was chilling.

"Cam? Look I'm sorry. I know it's not my business but you don't- just stop giving me that look okay."

Cameron cocked her head slightly to the side. She leaned in so close to David their noses nearly touched. David was nervous from her glare but he wasn't the type to back away if some got close. Her eyes watched his carefully. She placed her hands on his shoulders and spoke in a low voice.

"David. I am fine."

"Cam you don't have t-"

Her grip became so tight David raised his shoulders and even winced a little.

"Everything is fine David. Don't you trust your friend?"

Like flipping a switch Cameron leaned back, smiled, and let go of David's shoulders. The bell rang and Cameron got up to leave but before she did David grabbed her hand. She turned and smiled down at him. David reached his hand into his right pocket and took out a small silver coin.

"Here take this. Just keep it in one of the pockets in your jacket or something."

Cameron studied the small coin and held it up to her face. On one side it had a smooth silver finish and on the other side there was a small angel. David stood up and headed for the door.

"David what is this?"

"It's a pocket angel"

Cameron cocked her head just enough to let David know that she still didn't understand.

"It was a gift from my mom. She gave it to me three years ago on my birthday. She told me as long as I keep that in my pocket a guardian angel would always protect me. It sounds like bullshit, I know but, I believed her. And I still do. If it wasn't for that damn thing I would probably be dead now. So I am giving it to you Cameron...to keep you safe...hopefully."

She dropped the little coin in her front jacket pocket the smiled.

"Thank you for explaining. See you later David."

That was the last time David ever saw John and Cameron Baum.

Some time later...

David hadn't seen John or Cameron at school for well over two weeks. Cameron didn't seem like the kind of girl to leave without saying goodbye to a friend. She would always wave to David whether it was in the middle of the day or the end of class. That would get her a ton of crap from other people because she was among the three people in school who would communicate with David. The other two were John and the school security guard named Jerome.

He watched the line of students pass through the metal detectors and remembered Cameron's ordeal. Every day she would set off the alarm because of her "metal head". After the two of them got through he would always tap her head with his knuckle and tell her, "doesn't feel like metal to me."

She would always smile and say, "if only you knew!"

He was about to cross the detector but stopped. Fuck this... He spun around and ran. As he pushed past other students he could hear the security could yell at him but he didn't care. Friends were rare for David and he wasn't about to let one go. Jerome would just have to deal.

The Baum residence:

He pulled up in front of were Cameron used to live. He was sure this was the place because he saw Cameron's address on one of the damn forms they had to turn in at the beginning of the year. Did he feel like a stalker? He didn't think so especially since this was the first time he ever tried to visit. He got out of his car and walked to the door and knocked three times. No answer. He knocked again. Still nothing.

"Hey there! Who are you looking for?"

David turned to see a blonde woman holding a baby.

"Uh hi. I'm David. I am a friend of Cameron's. Cameron Baum? I haven't seen her at school for a while and wanted to check up on her."

The lady turned around and started to walk towards the house next to Cameron's. She let out a sigh. David could clearly tell that the Baum family wasn't home and he suddenly got a feeling they weren't coming back.

"Hey kid come on inside. I'll get you something to drink."

Normally David wouldn't go in a stranger's home, even if it was the home of a pleasant looking mother and child, but this lady might be his only hope of finding Cameron. David went to his car and grabbed his phone and his 9mm glock. While it wasn't as strong as the guardian angel he gave to Cameron, it would have to do. He then entered the neighbor's home...

Lemonade:

The lemonade was good. It had the perfect sweet to sour ratio. After taking his last sip he gently placed the glass down on the table. About 10 feet away from the table was a crib with a sleeping baby in it. David thought it was beautiful. As annoying as a screaming baby was, there was something different about a sleeping one. They were so peaceful that it almost made him forget about his own life. Nothing was more pure than a newborn and nothing was stronger than a mothers love for her child. The blonde woman sighed and turned to David.

"So you were friends with Cameron?"

"Yeah... She was my only friend. I never knew anyone like her. She was always honest. Always. It didn't matter if you were a friend or not she would give it to you straight. People like her are rare. Friends like her are rare. I occasionally talked to John but…we were more like two people who happened to know Cameron."

"Hmmm. Yeah she was definitely different. Were you and her...you know...close?"

David didn't know. He didn't think she felt anything like that for him and as beautiful as she was he had never had those kinds of feelings for her. They had been true genuine friends. The more he thought of her like that the more it screwed with his head.

"We were just friends. She was my only friend... Please, I need to find her."

"I want to help you but...I don't know if I can. I don't think you would believe me if I told you."

"Are they-are they dead?"

"NO! GOD no... But they are on the run. And no, they aren't criminals. When I first met them..."

She proceeded to tell David everything from Sarah staying with her at the hospital to John sneaking Riley over. Neighbors see more than you think.

"I always found them to be a little off...they definitely were not the average family. Before they left...John and Cameron came over without informing Sarah... And they told me things...showed me... If I tell you, you are gonna think I'm crazy as hell but I SWEAR on my baby boy that what I saw was real."

David could tell the woman was serious. She was starting to tear up a bit and even shake.

"What did they show you?"

"Cameron and John aren't siblings. They aren't related. Their last name isn't Baum. It's Connor. Sarah and John Connor and Cameron is Cameron Phillips."

David recognized the name Sarah Connor. Hell everyone knows it. Before 9/11 Sarah Connor was the definition of terrorist: single lady goes crazy and blows the shit out of a building because robots are going to kill everyone. Everyone thought she was dead. But what in the hell does Cameron have to do with all this.

"Ok so your neighbors were the infamous Sarah Connor and her son but why was Cameron with them?"

She took a large gulp of her lemonade and set it down slowly. Her eyes fell to the table.

"Cameron... She is kinda like a bodyguard...I guess that's the term for her. She... Have you...did you ever notice anything REALLY WEIRD about her? And I mean REALLY REALLY WEIRD?"

David thought about it for a long time. Cameron was definitely different from other girls but he never thought she was being weird...unless you count the awkward death glare.

"Did she ever do anything...that you wouldn't think a typical high school girl could do?"

David remembered the suicide. He didn't know the girl who jumped and while it was a shame she jumped because of the trolling asswipes at school he only distinctly remembered one thing from that day.

"John was running towards the building...the girl was going to jump. He looked determined as hell to stop her. John isn't the biggest guy but anyone could tell he could handle himself...but before he could even get near the entrance to the building...Cameron just grabbed his arm and...He couldn't move. She on the other hand didn't even budge...not one bit. He kept trying to go to the building but she wouldn't allow it... And then he started to complain but..."

The blonde woman was now looking directing at David. He felt the woozy feeling you only get when you know that shit is gonna hit the fan.

"Listen David, what I am about to tell came straight from johns mouth... And I thought he was joking but... She showed me. David... Cameron is a machine."

David stood up and shook his head. He slid his hand through his hair and let out a sigh. The thought of his only friend being a machine...made him laugh. David laughed so loud that it woke the baby. He didn't mean to but he couldn't stop. The image of Cameron with big red eyes and metal hands went through his head. She looked ridiculous but strangely he could see it. Thinking about robo-cam made him laugh even harder. The woman stood up and hurried to grab her child from the crib. Ironically her newborn was giving her a quiet and confused look while the teenager was crying from his violent laughter.

"So you think I'm kidding? Wonderful! I invite Cameron's concerned friend over to tell him something I swore to John that I would never tell AND HE LAUGHS IN MY FACE! Fine don't believe me? I'll tell you where John went and if you ever see one of them ask them about Skynet. Lets see if you will laugh at that! Now help me out and grab me a new pacifier this one fell on the floor."

David gave the woman a hand with her newborn and went on his way. Before he left she grabbed his arm and told him to not only believe what John tells him, but to prepare too. Putting aside robo-cam David thought she was being serious. He assured her he would find them and rat her out for disclosing info about the classified robo-cam. She punched his arm and smiled...then she kicked him out. David walked over to his car, opened his door, sat down, and turned on the radio. He sat back in his seat and let out a sigh. What the hell are you doing cam? As he looked at his rear view mirror he heard something...a name. David reached for the radio volume dial like it was crucial to his very existence.

"This just in folks. The jail where the long sought after terrorist Sarah Connor was being held has had a massive riot. Multiple gunshots have been fired. It is not clear whether or not anyone has been injured. We advise all citizens to stay clear of the jail, as there are prisoners on the loose including the terrorist Sarah Connor who was responsible for the Cyberdyne bombing. We are trying to get in contact with-"

David put his car in gear. He had never been to prison before...

Jail:

They were everywhere. Thieves, murderers, and rapists were running around like frantic ants. Some where in that crowd of orange jumpsuits was a terrorist. David thought carefully about what he was going to do. He couldn't just walk in and ask for the infamous Sarah Connor as prisoners were rioting...it might seem weird. He was not going to shoot anyone either. He only had one choice: to watch the prisoners and hope he sees her.

Ill be damned

David would be damned. While the horde of prisoners were slamming into a crowd of police there was one prisoner running to the side. She was running next to some one else: a girl. Not just any girl but one David knew. It was Cameron. She got into a vehicle with Sarah and someone else. David wasn't going to lose her again.

He followed them until they were on the freeway. They were clearly taking advantage of the fact that most of the city's cops were trying to apprehend the prisoner horde. Both cars were going well over the speed limit.

Okay so my friend is working with a terrorist that's not so bad. It's not like Cams blew up any buildings or anything. This is all fucked up. Shit. Shit shit. SHIT!

They weren't in front of him anymore. They were to the right... Taking the exit.

David didn't have anytime to lose. He slammed his brakes, looked behind him, and reversed through traffic. Once he was close enough he put it in drive and hauled ass. They were heading toward the city. If you're trying to get away from the city you're doing a shitty job. He wasn't sure who he was directing his thought to Cameron, Sarah or the driver. After staying on their tail for a few more minutes they finally stopped. They were at the Zeira corp building. David watched as Sarah entered the building through the front door with another familiar face: John. Cameron drove the car to the underground parking garage. David rested his head on the steering wheel and put his hands on his head. He genuinely cared for Cameron but charging into a corporate building guns blazing wasn't exactly how he wanted to see her again. He pulled in front of the main entrance and parked. This is what he had done nearly he whole life. David had made stupid decisions one after the other. Hopefully this one wont get him killed. He reached into to his pocket to make sure he had his mother's pocket angel and then he remembered that he gave it to Cameron.

Keep her safe...please.

He tucked his glock in the back of his jeans and got out of his car. He left it running...

Zeira corp guest lobby TV:

"... It's bright and sunny folks! Today's high is 83 and we are going to stay in the lower 80's for the rest of this week but all good things must come to an end. People we are going to have rain and lots of it. Just look at that up north folks, and watch as this week finishes that system is gonna move south and bring TONS OF MOISTURE. And that means rain and lots of it. Everyday next week has over a 50% chance of severe weather. Best prepare folks...there's a storm coming..."

Zeira corp raid:

David approached the front desk calmly and observed the security guard. He was wearing a black suit and had on an id badge. Mr. Vargas today is not gonna be your day.

"Excuse me sir, can you tell me if I am going to the right place? I'm from out of town and I was heading towards-"

As the man leaned over the desk to take a look at the map David grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed him down. David grabbed the unconscious guard and pulled him into the bathroom. A slightly different Mr. Vargas exited the restroom and walked over to an elevator. Once the elevator door shut David pressed the basement level and a small scanner started glowing. David slid Mr. Vargas's id under the beam and was satisfied when he felt the elevator move down. The quiet whirring of the elevator bothered David. He didn't know why it bothered him. Maybe it was the consistent whirring or maybe it was just the calm before the storm.

The elevator doors sprung open revealing a series of longs concrete hallways. As David exited the elevator he heard two people speaking: a man and…Cameron. David darted through the hallway as fast as he could but as he turned a corner he met the confused looks of two security guards. Before they could even question why some teen was wearing Vargas's outfit and id David whipped out the Taser he got off of Vargas and shot one guard in the chest. The man immediately fell while the other reached for his gun but it was to late David went back around the corner he came from. The man followed but was surprised to meet face to face with the butt of David's glock as he turned the corner. David rushed past the knocked out security officers and continued down the hallway to find a locked door. On the other side he heard Cameron telling someone to…get it over with.

Get what over with? GET WHAT OVER W- oh…SHIT!

David slammed his fists as hard as he could on the door.

"CAMERON! LET ME IN! Don't do whatever… your gonna… do in there!"

He heard no response. David remembered the last time he heard no response. It was when you found his mother lying on the floor next to his sister. They were covered in blood and gunshot wounds.

Not again…

David held up his gun to the door and shot all around the lock with the remainder of his clip. He moved away from the door then ran into it as hard as possible. The door flew open revealing Cameron back sitting in a chair while some man was cutting her scalp open. She was covered in blood…and gunshot wounds.

"CAMERON! NO!"

David rushed into the man. It seemed like a good idea but when he collided with the stranger he felt like he ran into a wall. The strange man looked down at David and smiled. David had never seen a creepier smile in his life. The man offered his hand and kept smiling. David stared at the man's hand and saw the blood…Cameron's blood. He looked to his side to see Cameron and froze. Half of her face was gone revealing a metal skull with one bright red eye. She had gunshot wounds everywhere and she was soaked in her own blood. Vivid images of David's family came back to him.

His mother looked so frightened. She had wrapped her arms around his sister, most likely to somehow protect her. His baby sister had the look of absolute terror on her face. She probably watched their mother die trying to shelter her. David's 15th birthday was definitely a surprise.

"C-Cameron?"

Cameron smiled and stood up out of her chair. She limped over to stand directly above David. David was shaking and couldn't tell if it was because he was shocked, afraid, or freezing because the basement was very cold. Cameron offered her hand to David. He noticed some metal bone showing but didn't care. Cameron was his friend even if she was robo-cam. He took her hand and got up.

"So…Robo-Cam. It's true isn't it?"

"Yes it is true."

"Judgment day? John Connor is Commander Shepard?"

Cameron did her typical head tilt to the side and her one eye grew large.

"YES, John Connor is Commander Shepard."

David laughed at her. The way she said things was always a little weird, but in its own way funny. He grabbed her hand that had exposed metal. He held it with both his hands.

"Cam are you going to die?"

"I am not 100% David. This body is practically useless and the time and effort required to repair it would be too costly."

"So is your whole body? Are you completely?"

"I am a cybernetic organism. To put it in what John calls laymen's terms, I am Metal inside and living tissue outside. I am not Robo-Cam."

"No... and you're not Cameron Baum either. You're Cameron Phillips... So was everything you did as Cameron Baum a lie? Were you just pretending this whole time? When you told Nathan his brown coat was tight were you lying? Is Cameron Baum a lie?"

She pulled her hand away from his. Her eyes dropped to the floor and the came back up to meet David's questioning glare. Cameron raised her hand up to her face and stared at it. Through all of the ripped cloth and skin all there was, was metal. She moved her hand to where David could see it.

"David, I am a machine. I don't think any of Cameron Baum or Cameron Phillips is a lie, but I don't think they are true. Underneath this layer of skin is a metal endoskeleton that was built with a singular purpose of infiltrating the human resistance and terminating John Connor."

"TMI Cam..."

She gave him her best get the fuck over it face then continued.

"The best way to infiltrate is not to act the part. The best and most efficient way is to BE the part. I will change my name depending on where my mission takes me but I am always Cameron."

"So what you are saying is that besides the different last names Cameron Baum and Cameron Phillips are the same?"

"What I am saying David, is that I really did think Nathan's brown coat was tight..."

He grabbed her hand and placed his other hand on the metal half of her face.

"Cam I don't give a shit what you are. You're my friend. I was warned about what the real situation was and didn't believe it. Well I didn't want to believe it..."

"The Neighbor?"

"Yeah the neighbor. Now I didn't beat the hell out of three guards just for fun. I came here to find a friend."

"Only three guards? Way to make a girl feel special. I walked in the front door of a jail and shot up the place to save Sarah."

David looked her dead in the eye. Did she just make fun of him?

"Oh sure make fun of your buddy who saves you from getting your head ripped open. Speaking of which…"

David turned away from Cameron and back to the strange man. He was still smiling... exactly like he was 2 minutes ago. David was more repulsed by this guy than a blood covered, torn, shot up, bleeding, and metal Cameron.

"Hello Mr. Thatcher, My name is John Henry. How are you doing today?"

"Are you serious?"

"I am not sure…what do you mean by serious?"

"Well for starters you son of a bitch, YOU WERE CUTTING MY FRIENDS HEAD OPEN!"

At this point Cameron placed her hand on David's shoulder and held him almost as hard as she did in lab.

"David he is not the enemy. John Henry was trying to-"

"KILL YOU! I'll be damned if that will happen. Just try it a-hole! Take one more step closer to- AAHHHH SHIT!"

Cameron squeezed his arm so tight he felt like it was going to pop. She grabbed his other arm and lifted him. She was holding him in the air like Simba…David couldn't pry her hands off him.

"David you need to calm down. David. David you need to calm down."

"CAMERON PHILLIPS I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU ARE MADE OF I WILL KICK YOU! QUIT WAVING ME AROUND LIKE FUCKING SIMBA! THIS CREEPER TRIED TO KILL YOU!"

John Henry reacted in less than a nanosecond and began to sing the intro to the Circle of Life. David was angry to say the least. He broke multiple laws, beat up three guards, found Cameron, and stopped creepy smiley man from further cutting her head. Now he was being treated like a child.

"Cameron put me down...please."

"Are you going to attack John Henry?"

"No...but I want some answers."

"Very well."

Cameron walked over to the chair she was sitting in and placed David down. David immediately jumped out of the chair when he felt his clothes begin to soak in some of Cameron's blood.

"CHRIST! Cam! You don't just put your friend down in a pool of your own blood!"

"My blood is artificial David. The worst it will do is stain your clothing. Does it disgust you?"

"No Cam, it doesn't disgust me it reminds me...of...The point is friends do lots of things to each but they don't sit each other down in POOLS OF BLOOD!"

"So does this mean we aren't friends anymore?"

"No Cam it means I am soaking in your blood. We are still friends. But I swear if you ever treat me like Simba again I will…do something…"

"You can't do anything David."

"Oh shut up and I could so do something…I just haven't thought of it yet. What the hell are we doing anyways? We need to leave ASAP. Most the city cops are still trying to put down the riot. My car is out front ready to-"

Cameron grabbed David's hand and looked him straight in the eye.

"David…I have to leave but…I cant leave with you…"