Agent Ellison was still in the dark basement of the Connor house alone, still tied to the chair. He wondered what would happen to him. So far, the Connors haven't killed him. They haven't tortured him either, instead they seem to believe his words. They even fed him. Previously he wanted to find evidence of Connor's whereabouts and arrest them. But not anymore. The Connor's were framed and the FBI is involved in this mess. Ellison knew neither Sarah Connor nor John Connor would kill him, but the machine…. Who liked a teenage girl? She scares the shit out of him. No one would suspect that girl is a machine. His colleagues would laugh at his face and will think he has finally gone insane. No one in their right mind would believe what he knew.

Suddenly he heard footsteps coming. He immediately stiffened and his heart began to race when he saw who it was. It was the machine.

She came marching to him and Ellison really thought that she was going to kill him. But she didn't. Instead she freed him from his bond, surprising him completely.

"John wants to talk." Cameron said without any emotion.

Ellison nodded. "Do not try anything or I will break your neck." Cameron added threateningly.

Ellison gulped slightly. He was not afraid of death but this girl who calls herself 'Cameron' just scares the hell out of him. He knew what she meant and he also knew that she wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"You can trust me. I am not your enemy. Not anymore." Ellison said.

"I do not trust you." Cameron deadpanned. Then she grabbed Ellison by his neck and pulled him along with her upstairs.

"Hey!" Ellison tried to protest but he was helpless against her strength.

Ellison struggled against her hold but it was no use. She finally let him go when they were both upstairs which looked like a dining room. He saw there were two other people there. One woman whom he instantly recognized as Sarah Connor and a man who he didn't know. Both were sitting on a sofa with their guns resting on their side.

"Sit!" Cameron pushed him down on a chair forcefully. Then she left, leaving him with Sarah Connor and the unknown man.

Everyone remained silent. Ellison just looked around which both Sarah Connor and the unknown man saw.

"Don't try anything, Agent. Or else she will kill you." Sarah Connor warned.

Ellison knew who she meant. "I am not going to try anything. I've already told you people that I was trying to find you for help."

"In that case, we also need your help, Agent." A voice interrupted.

It was John Connor, flanked closely by Cameron. He had his right arm wrapped in bandages and in a sling. It was clear from the wound that he was shot. He quietly sat down on the opposite side of Ellison watching him intently. He indicated the girl to sit down beside him which she refused and kept her gaze on Ellison with distrust which made Ellison extremely uncomfortable.

"What do you want from me?" Ellison asked, looking at John.

"I want to know who is the head of your department? He is the one responsible for the abduction of Enrique's family." John asked calmly.

Ellison looked at the others. Everyone was watching him intently.

"Margos Sarkissian." Ellison said.

John was relaxing on the chair the whole time but now hearing the name he sat up straight. "Sarkissian? You gotta be kidding me!"

Ellison looked at John and the others. They seem to know his boss' name. "Wait, you people know him? How?"

John didn't answer him. He seemed to be talking with the others, "It all makes sense now how Sarkissian had so much knowledge and access to everything."

"Yes, John." Sarah agreed. "He used his position and power in the FBI to manipulate everyone."

"It is likely that he is holding Enrique's family hostage at his house or some other secret place." Derek added.

"Yes." John agreed and then looked at Ellison. "I need details about Margos Sarkissian. Where he lives, the property he owns, his affiliations, everything."

Ellison sighed. "I don't know. Every detail about him is top secret. I do not have the permission to access them."

John sighed in defeat. "Do you know at least where we can find information about him or someone else who can give us that information?"

"I don't know who has this kind of information but I can tell you where to find it, probably." Ellison replied.

John leaned forward towards Ellison. "That's good enough for us."

"It wouldn't hurt for you to look in the restricted files in the FBI headquarters. They are bound to have something on him." Ellison suggested. "Provided you can get inside. The security is tight."

John looked at Cameron for a moment and she nodded, indicating that Ellison was indeed telling the truth. "We will take care of the security." John said and got up from the chair.

Ellison's eyes widened. His gaze shifted from John to Cameron. "Are you going to kill them?" When Cameron didn't answer, Ellison turned to John. "Please, there are some good men and women there. They have friends, families."

"We will see." That's the only thing John said before turning around to leave.

"One more thing." Ellison stopped them. "I have some recordings about you." Ellison said, looking at Sarah. "I don't want them to fall into the FBI's hands. You can recover them from my home."

John nodded and headed upstairs before his gaze met Cameron for once and she nodded. She immediately came to Ellison and again grabbed him by his neck.

"What are you doing?" Ellison asked, frightened, but she didn't answer. She simply guided him outside out towards the garage.

LATER

John was walking towards the Pizza store, just on the opposite side of the mall where he first met Cameron. The pizza store where a boy named Morris, about John's own age worked as a part timer. He wondered whether Morris was present in the store. As John came in front of the store, sure he spotted Morris serving other customers of the shop. John waited until the other customers left, before he approached Morris.

"Hey Morris!" John greeted, cheerfully.

Morris spotted John and grinned. "Hey man, long time no see."

John shrugged. "You know the usual stuff. Just busy with school, studies and life."

Morris seemed to remember something at that moment. "Speaking of school, are you going to attend the school ball, John?" He asked.

John's green eyes began to shine with joy at the mention of the ball. He has prepared something special for the ball for Cameron. He was going to ask her out in front of everyone and he just couldn't wait to see her reaction. But first he has to ask Cameron to come with him to the ball as his dance partner. He knew his mom would agree with his choice of date. She also liked Cameron.

John grinned at Morris. "Sure. What about you?"

Morris looked at John with a lopsided grin on his face. "Of course, man. You wouldn't believe whom I asked and I still can't believe she said yes."

"Anyone I know?" John questioned with interest.

"Yep. You know her." Morris replied instantly. "And you know what? She also agreed to be my girl." He added with excitement in his voice.

John rolled his eyes. "Come on man, you ought to tell me her name."

Morris grinned and shook his head. "Can't do that man. It would be a surprise. Oh…." Morris looked past John. "I guess the secret is out." He seemed a little disappointed but the smile on his face remained intact. "Here she comes."

John turned his head around to look at Morris' surprise date and it would be more than an understatement if someone would say that he was just surprised at that moment. The girl walked right inside the shop, past John and to Morris. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply on his lips. John just stood in stunned silence as he watched the whole scene.

Morris' surprise date was no one else, it was Cameron.

"Hey baby." Cameron greeted Morris lovingly after pulling back from the kiss.

"Hey!" Morris greeted her with a husky voice. He leaned forward and captured her lips once again, an action which she happily reciprocated. Cameron's hands slowly went down from Morris' chest to his waist and then underneath his shirt as they continued to make out hungrily. Morris' hands also went under Cameron's shirt and then to her breasts.

John just couldn't see the scene in front of him anymore. The veins stuck out of his forehead in anger. He stepped forward towards the couple angrily and forcefully pulled Cameron away from Morris.

"Hey man! What are you doing?" Morris complained angrily.

John ignored him. His gaze was on Cameron who was looking at him with hate in her eyes. Her stare rattled John to his core. He never wanted her to look at him like that. Ever. For now he tried to control his shaking heart because he needed answers.

"What the hell are you doing, Cameron?" John asked her angrily.

"It was obvious what I was doing, John. I was enjoying an intimate moment with my boyfriend which you just ruined completely." She replied angrily after folding her hands over her chest.

"Boyfriend?!" John asked, outraged. "He can't be your boyfriend!" John almost yelled out in desperation. This can't be true. Cameron could never love Morris. She could never love anyone else but him. She is his Cameron. He could feel his heart was shattering with immeasurable anguish, possessiveness and jealousy.

"Who gave you the right to decide that, John?" Cameron yelled back in his face. John had to admit that he has never seen her this angry before. "What I will decide regarding my life is completely my decision, not yours. Why are you interfering in my life, John? Can't you see me happy? Or you just want me to be your pet so you can just order me around?"

John just stared at her with wide eyes. "I….."

Cameron took his silence as his answer. "Is that it, John? I knew it. You want me around to be your slave. But it won't happen. I have protected you, stopped Skynet. My job is done. Now it is my turn to enjoy my life. I won't allow anyone to get between me and my happiness. Not even you, John."

A single tear fell from John's eyes at her harsh words. If Cameron doesn't want him anymore in her life then he would have to let her go. But he must know why.

"Why him? I thought you…..loved me?" John asked weakly.

"Why not him?" Cameron questioned him back. "He is a good guy. He cares about me."

"I care about you too, Cameron." John protested instantly. "More than he ever could." John felt like a child in his own words. It was like two small children fighting over a single toy. But the truth is he indeed felt like a child when is at the verge of losing Cameron forever. Without her…..he just couldn't think about it.

Cameron snorted. "You care about me?" She asked mockingly. She didn't believe his words. "You only cared because only I could help you stop Skynet and give you the life you always wanted. But him." Cameron took one of Morris' hands in hers. "Is not like you, John. He loves me for who I am. He doesn't want me to change. He doesn't want anything from me except love. So, I chose him."

"But Cameron, you don't understand. I do love you. I always have." John said pleadingly, trying to make her understand and change her mind.

But she didn't. She just turned away from him. "Please do not lie, John. Whatever little respect I have for you, don't ruin it too." She paused for a moment and turned around to look back at him. She sighed and calmed herself down. "Please, John. Go back home. I don't want to do anything which I would regret later."

But John wasn't listening. His heart and mind was beyond any listening. All his mind could register at that moment was that he had lost Cameron. He had to make her listen and understand. Whatever ideas she had about him were completely wrong. He wanted her around not as his protector, but as his friend and something much more. He never ordered her around and if he did it was not his intention. He had made several requests to her which she complied. He had never seen her as a tool but as a person.

Because he loved her despite having full knowledge of who she is but he didn't care. He never did.

And he was so sure that she loved him too. So he waited for the right time to spill out his heart to her. But he was wrong, so very wrong. She never loved him. He was only her mission.

Those were her words.

And he didn't believe her. She had lied to him before just like she is doing it now. She must be.

He couldn't live without her.

"Cameron, listen….." John tried to say but the rest of his words remained unspoken as a loud shot rang out and the side of Cameron's skull exploded, sending shards of metal and blood everywhere around her. She stared at him with wide eyes before collapsing down on the ground.

John just stood there pensievely. He watched as his uncle Derek came into his view with a smoking shotgun in his hand. He examined Cameron for a moment who lay still on the ground before dropping his shotgun on the ground.

"What the hell did you do, Derek?" John had finally found his voice. His heart beating inside his chest in a rapid succession.

"What I should've done long ago." Derek replied evenly. There was not an ounce of emotion on his face.

"This is for your own good, John." John saw his mother fade into view, her eyes locked onto his. Like Derek, his mother's face was also impassive.

"The metal had its use, John. We have stopped Judgment Day. We have stopped Skynet. There's no need for it anymore." Derek said.

"John, we can't let anyone know about her. Or else we will have to face the threat of a new Skynet." Sarah agreed with Derek.

John knew his mother was right. But he really didn't care. Cameron is not just a tool that they would use and discard. She is a person, with feelings, emotions and everything else.

John rushed forward and pushed Derek away from Cameron.

"Stay away from her!" John yelled in their faces. He was facing both his mother and uncle with his back to Cameron's still body.

But they didn't listen. Not even his mother. With surprising speed, which would even put Cameron to shame, his mother grabbed him in her arms. John struggled but he couldn't move his arms an inch. He was amazed at his mother's physical strength. It felt like he was in the hold of a terminator.

Derek had already recovered from his attack and he was already on his feet. He lifted up Cameron's still body on his shoulder and began to carry her towards the garage where John could see a bed of thermite awaited for Cameron. John struggled desperately against his mother's hold on him but it was useless.

John saw helplessly as Derek put Cameron's inert body on the thermite bed and lit it up. John yelled at the top of his lungs but he couldn't save Cameron.

Then to his surprise his mother's grip on him loosened. He was free. He immediately ran towards the burning bed of thermite ignoring the insane amount of heat that was emanating from it.

"Cameron! Cameron!" He called desperately.

He saw her head turned slightly to look at him while she was on fire. "Be strong, John." She said softly and then in front of his eyes he saw her turned into ashes.

John fell on his knees crying. His world has just shattered completely. Then he looked at his mother and Derek with anger and loss in his eyes. "Kill me too. What are you waiting for?" He spat at them.

Both his mother and Derek smiled and their eyes glowed red. John staggered back and fell on his back on the ground in shock. He was wrong. His mother, Derek and even Cameron were wrong. They didn't stop the machines. They are back again in the form of his mother and uncle. And they had killed Cameron, the only hope the world had. "Certainly." His mother said, placing the barrel of her gun on his forehead.

Then a shot rang off.

But mercifully he felt nothing.

And then he woke up on his bed.

John found himself on his bed, his whole body drenched in sweat. He could feel the rapid beating of his heart inside his chest which was almost threatening to come out from his chest. John sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. The scene of Cameron in her deathbed had taken a toll on him. His nightmare was a proof of his hidden feelings for Cameron, the importance of her in his life. He knew Cameron is here to help them stop Judgment Day and protect him but she is risking herself continously by doing so, more than him, his mother, Derek or others. He accepted that. But he wouldn't be able to accept her death and he was helpless to stop her. In fact he couldn't even if he wanted to. John felt a weight on his leg, and looked down to see Max, Cameron' puppy, was looking at him curiously.

"Hey buddy!" John whispered to Max.

Max came crawling near John and lied down snuggling close to him. John petted him playfully with a smile on his face. John looked at the clock which showed 03.05 P.M. He realized he must have dozed off while he was lying on his bed and thinking about the consequences of Cameron's decision about killing herself with Derek's help.

At that very moment the door of his room opened and Cameron stepped inside. John hesitated to look towards her face, for his fear was that he'd see the same level of hatred for him in Cameron's face as he saw in his dream. But then he looked and it took all of his courage to take that simple action. To his utter relief there was no sign of hatred in her eyes, instead there was the look of kindness and concern in them.

"John what happened?" She asked immediately looking at his disheveled state.

John shrugged it off. "Nothing. Just a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Cameron asked while sitting down on the bed beside him.

John shook his head. "Not really." He then noticed Cameron was holding something in her hands. "Hey, what are those?"

Cameron held the things in front of John for him to see. "I found these video tapes in Ellison's home. These are about your mother."

John nodded. "Where is Ellison?"

"I left him in his house as you said." She said in such a way as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Cameron…do you think that I am right to trust Ellison?" John asked for her opinion.

Cameron didn't even take a second to reply because she was so sure of what she believed. "You are never wrong, John."

John smiled slightly at her faith in him. "I am only human, Cameron. And humans make mistakes."

Cameron shook her head. "Not you. You are different. You are unique. That's why you are John Connor."

John looked at her still smiling. "You believe that much in me?"

"Yes, although faith isn't part of my programming, I've learnt it. I understand what faith is." She replied.

"Well you are pretty amazing yourself, Cameron. I have faith in you too." John replied, leaning back on the headrest of the bed.

A small smile formed on her lips at John's reply. "Thank you."

John suddenly got emotional watching her smiling. He was still too disturbed by his dream about Cameron. He needed a distraction from his thoughts about his dream.

"Cameron, I've never asked you why Skynet built you aside from killing me? What model are you? Are you new? You seem different." John trailed off looking at her beautiful face.

"My model is TOK-715, the only one of my kind. I had no mission when I was activated, I do not know why. But unlike other terminators I was not set to read only mode. I was free to make my own missions. I understood what Skynet wanted to achieve was wrong and future John was the only person who could stop Skynet with my help." Cameron explained.

"Why with only your help?" John asked.

"Because only I had the knowledge of the hidden location of Skynet's central core, aside from Allison Young."

"Hang on!" John interrupted her. "Who is Allison Young?"

"Allison Young was a resistance fighter, close to future John, based on whom I was created. She was captured right before Skynet created me. We escaped together from Skynet prison camp and she helped me meet future John." Cameron said.

John nodded. But he also heard that this resistance fighter was close to his future self. But how close? In what way? He needed to know. "How close exactly?"

Cameron stared at John. She seemed a bit confused herself. "She was romantically involved with future John according to the people. She even admitted to me that she cared about future John. That's why she became Skynet's target. But future John never mentioned her and I had never seen him getting close to her. Still I have seen her picture in future John's room, which indicates that future John also harbored some kind of feelings for her." Cameron's hands clenched while she explained the relationship between Allison and future John. John noticed that. She seemed almost irritated. "But I also heard there was another woman in your life before Allison Young."

Okay. John didn't expect the last part that Cameron mentioned. Another woman? What was his future self thinking?

"Who was she?" John asked.

"I don't know." She replied.

John noticed that Cameron seems almost reluctant to answer anything related to future John's relationship with women. She wanted to avoid that topic. "Let me guess, future me didn't tell you."

Cameron shook her head again. "No. He didn't."

John realized the future version of him wasn't transparent to Cameron about his personal life as much as he thought. Instead it seems he held a secret which he didn't even let Cameron know. He looked at the expression on her face, and immediately realized that talking about future John's personal life was making her upset.

"Hey, let's watch those tapes and see what Ellison had on mom." John offered.

"Yes." She agreed immediately and stood up. She inserted the first video tape inside the video player in John's room and pressed play.

The video was a short one but to John it was the most important. The video was recorded when his mother was first captured as a psycho. He saw with tears in his eyes that his mother willingly signed on a piece of paper where her parental right on John was transferred permanently. She didn't want her son around anymore. She wanted to get rid of him.

As the video ended John didn't even move nor did he make a sound. Only streams of tears were running down his eyes.

"Why?" John croaked in a hoarse voice.

Cameron was standing on the floor right beside his bed. He found the only comfort he found. He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her towards him and his face into her belly. "Why?" He repeated the same thing over and over again. He just couldn't believe that his mother had wanted nothing about him. Cameron looked at him sadly. She had seen the tapes in Ellison's house and purposefully wanted John to see the tapes because she had seen that recently the relationship between mother and son was slightly strained. She had often heard the future version of John regretting his distance with his mother. She didn't want the same thing to happen to John also. This John is a lot different from future John. He can still feel while future John had lost all his emotions when she had first met him. He was just the cold hearted tough leader of the resistance with only one objective in mind - destroy Skynet. He didn't care about anything else. The humanity in him was long gone. But there were sparks of emotions a few times when he talked about his mother or when he watched Cameron secretly without knowing that she knew he was watching. She couldn't let this John become as cold as future John too. So he must understand what his mother, Sarah Connor, had sacrificed for him. Cameron knew that John knows that very well, he just needs to be reminded.

John let go of Cameron when his emotions were slightly in control. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"John, do you trust me?" She asked him.

"Of course." John replied immediately. There was no doubt in his voice.

"Then watch the rest of the tapes. You will get your answer." Cameron said.

John nodded. Cameron inserted the next tape for John to see. He saw the rest of the tapes silently but now instead of sadness his eyes were burning with anger. Though there were hints of guilt and sadness present too in his eyes. John understands now why Cameron insisted him to watch all the tapes. He had misunderstood. His mother didn't want him away from her life, she just wanted him to have a normal life like other kids of his age. That's why she agreed to transfer her parental rights over him to Todd and Janell. So he could live because with her he would be in constant danger. Running, fighting, training, etc. all would have been thrusted into his life. For his happiness she sacrificed her own heart. He had seen in the rest of the tapes how she was mistreated and beaten in the mental asylum. Dr. Silberman, who was handling his mother's case, never believed about future wars, machines who look like men and Skynet. She had endured everything for him. If she wanted nothing to do about him then why would she repeatedly request Dr. Silberman to let her see John? She could've easily lied that all the things she said about machines were her imaginations and disappeared. She tried that so she could meet John, to warn him. John also felt immensely guilty at the moment that he didn't even believe her. He could only imagine what she had gone through mentally after that. The particular person for whom she had sacrificed and endured all kinds of pains was not ready to believe her.

John had unshed tears in his eyes. He has now acknowledged his mistake thanks to Cameron. He wondered how many ways would Cameron protect him? She understands him like no one else.

"Why did you show me the tapes? You knew what was in there." John asked, looking at her face. He saw no signs of regret there.

"Because I do not want you to become as emotionless as future John. He often regretted the way he handled some things in his past." She simply answered.

John nodded in understanding. He was grateful to her. "Thanks, Cameron. I needed it." He said with a smile.

She smiled back. "You are welcome."

John got down from his bed, careful not to disturb Max who was still sleeping peacefully. He needed to see his mother. He got down the stairs not knowing that there was a surprise waiting for him. He saw his mother and Derek were waiting for him in the dining room with a large chocolate cake lying in front of them. He could see a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN' written on the cake with icing. John really forgot that it was his birthday today.

John went running to his mother and hugged her fiercely and she hugged him back with a smile on her face.

"Happy birthday, John." Sarah whispered to John.

"Thank you, mom." John said with tearful eyes. "For everything." He added and pulled back from the hug to look into his mother's eyes.

"Happy birthday, John." Derek shook hands with John which he appreciated.

"Thanks, Derek." John said with a smile.

"Your gift is due though." Derek said, smiling.

John chuckled. "Forget it." He paused. "This." He gestured to all of them. "Is all I need."

Derek shrugged. "I don't know about you, John but my stomach is aching and that cake looks delicious."

Both Sarah and John smiled at Derek.

"What are you waiting for? Cut the cake." Derek urged.

"Wait." Sarah stopped John. "John, there's someone else you need to thank for this." She gestured towards the cake.

John looked at her questioningly, while Derek just groaned. Sarah shot him a death glare before turning back to look at her son. "Although celebrating your birthday was our idea, the cake was brought by Tin Miss."

Several emotions ran over John's face at that moment - Joy, gratitude, admiration, pride, awe, hope and of course…. Love. For her.

John stepped past his mother and Derek and went towards Cameron slowly where she stood with a benign smile on her face. His eyes shining with unshed tears. For a moment his green eyes locked onto her brown ones and as if time had stopped he leaned forward and captured Cameron's lips in a heated kiss. For a moment she was surprised but once she realized what was happening she kissed him back, just like he had dreamt about. He heard a sound of protest (from his mom) and an audible sound of horror which was Derek's voice of course. But he didn't care, not anymore. He loved her and she loved him. He wouldn't allow anyone to come between them.

"John?" He heard a voice and came back to reality. Everyone was looking at him weirdly including Cameron.

He stepped past his mother and Derek and went towards Cameron where she stood with a look of concern on her face. He smiled and took her hands in his gently. He heard a weird noise from behind which he knew was made by Derek but chose to ignore it.

"Cameron…" He began. He needed to say this. "I don't know how to thank you or how many times I have to thank you." He chuckled to himself. "I have already lost the count and I am pretty sure I won't be able to keep count in the future either. I wouldn't insult you by saying just a 'thank you' to you because no amount of gratitude I express to you will be enough. Instead…." He trailed off and engulfed Cameron in a tight hug, completely surprising her and left both Derek and his mother shell-shocked.

I love you, Cameron. He told her silently while looking into her warm brown eyes. He knew that she cared for him too and this was another proof that she was different because no terminator would go around and propose to buy a cake for him. It would never occur to their mind.

Now all she needs is time to realize it.

A/N: Hey guys sorry for the wait. I have run into a few problems in my life. Right now I have no PC or laptop to write down chapters efficiently, so I had to make this chapter cut down in size, otherwise it would've taken much longer to update the story. I had promised that the resistance fighters will be featured in this chapter but I couldn't do it because of unfortunate reasons (It is really really hard to type in mobile). Forgive me if there are any spelling errors in this chapter. I have checked but there may be errors. For that I am sorry too. But I hope that you will enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

C/N: To avoid confusion - The picture of Allison Young, present Cameron saw in future John's room was actually of future Cameron's, not Allison. Present Cameron misunderstood it, and future John never bothered to correct her as he never intended for anyone to know.