He took a step closer to her as she hesitantly slid her finger underneath the flap of the envelope. She pulled out a piece of folded paper and opened. Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the handwriting. John looked at her anxiously wondering what the letter said, but not wanting to push her about it either. She looked up at him and quickly left the room. He continued to stare at the empty doorway and then glanced at the mess of papers on the floor. He figured he would give her some time and started to clean up the room.

Kate took at seat next to the table in the makeshift kitchen and started to read the letter over again. Tears filled her eyes as she heard her father's voice reciting the words on the paper in her head. She wiped at the tears spilling down her cheeks trying to make sense of what he had written her.

My Dearest Katie,

Words can never express just how much I love you. I know over the years we haven't been able to spend as much time together as I would have liked. I want you to know that I'm so very proud of you and I would never want you to change a single thing about you. You remind me so much of your mother when she was your age. I know you miss her as much as I do.

Unfortunately though, if you are reading this letter, then one thing that I have feared for years must have come true. Several years ago the government started working on a classified software program called Skynet. I'm afraid that I don't have the time to go into many details about the program, but over the years I've had many nightmares over its existence. To be honest, I believe that they were actually visions. I know that may sound funny to you, because I was never a man to believe in those types of things. The visions nonetheless are something that I prayed would never happen. If so, millions of people will die. I believe this program has the capability to become "self aware" meaning that it can run on its own and learn on it's own without the help of people. I've tried stalling the progress of this program, and even prevented several test runs, but it's only a matter of time before it goes live.

If you are reading this letter, than it means that my worst fears and horrible visions have come true. The only way to stop this program is to out smart it, but without the help of technology, it's hopeless. This base is a secure location for as long as needed. I have done my best to leave you with as much provisions as possible. Anyone else who knew about this location is probably dead, meaning that you should be safe until you can make a stand against it. Against the machines. Why did the visions come to me? I can't really answer that, all I know is that you are a key factor to the survival of the rest of the world. Take care of yourself and the man you're traveling with. It was fate that the two of you met again. Together you can make it though this. Always remember that I love you and I'm so proud.

Love, Daddy

Kate laid her head on the table and began sobbing aloud. If there was anytime that she needed her father, it was now. Somehow he new what her future would entail. He knew about John and Skynet and the machines. Why is it everyone knew her fate except for her? She felt like she was suffocating in a world that was no longer hers, destined to be the wife of the world's future leader and second in command to him. Even though she grew up on an army base for most of her child hood, she still didn't know anything about preparing for war and training others to be soldiers.

A moment later she felt a strong pair of arms encircle around her waist. Without evening look at John she buried her face in his chest. He placed a soft kiss on her hair and gently caressed her shoulder with his hand. As he calmed her crying down to mere hiccups she finally had the courage to look him in the eye. She felt like she had never cried so much in her life as she had today. At the same time though she also felt like she was being a winy little brat knowing that so many other people today had lost even more than her.

J-Are you ok?

K-Yeah. I'm sorry that I'm such a wreck right now. I'm not usually this much of a basket case.

A smile came to his lips as he wiped a tear away with the pad of his thumb.

J-Don't ever be sorry for what you feel. Without emotions, we're no different than the machines.

K-I guess you're right.

J-So, can I read the letter or is it too personal?

K-Go ahead, it's actually pretty scary. J-How so?

K-My father knew all of this was going to happen. He said he had visions, which originally he thought were just nightmares. He did set this place up for the two of us.

John picked up the paper and quickly read through the letter. He was shocked to know that her father knew so much of what was going to happen. Especially since he didn't have a history of having cyborgs sent to try to kill him every few years. He folded the letter back up and handed it to Kate. She looked at it a moment longer and that placed it back inside the manila envelope.

K-I'm a little hungry, are you?

J-Yeah, I'm starved, food sounds good.

K-I think I'll go tinker around the kitchen and see what I can make.

J-Ok, I'll be in the other room taking inventory of all the weapons. Call me if you need me.

She nodded her head and went to the kitchen sorting through different kinds of can food. After settling on a couple cans of soup and crackers she slowly made her way back to the room that held all the weaponry. She watched as John sat on the floor with a notepad and pen in his hand. She watched as he opened several boxes of bullets and wrote down the contents of each. Even though the thought of this many guns and explosives in one room made her shiver, it was obvious how at ease and natural it all felt to him. As he picked up several clips for the machine guns, she realized what a lonely life he must have had. Her heart ached for him at that moment realizing just how truly different they were. He had no friends or close relationships with any one else but his mother. He couldn't afford to otherwise they would end up dead. Feeling that it was wrong just to sit and stare at the strong amazing person before her, she broke the silence and called his name.

K-John, the foods ready.

J-Great, I'll be right there.

A moment later he joined her at the table. He didn't realize just how hungry he was until the smell of the soup hit his nose.

J-This looks great, I can't remember the last time I had something hot to eat.

He quickly dived into the soup with his spoon and yelled aloud as he burned the inside of his mouth from the hot liquid. Kate couldn't help but laugh at the funny look on his face as he took a big swig from the glass of apple juice he had.

J-Ha ha very funny.

K-It is, you should have seen your face. After all, you're the one that said you wanted something hot.

J-Keep it up Bruster.

He wiggled his eyebrows at her signaling that if she didn't stop he would have to take ultimate revenge against her teasing. She quickly stopped laughing as she remembered that mischievous look on his face from when they were kids.

K-John, will you tell me about your mother?

J-What do you want to know?

K-Everything I guess. Was she always prepared for what the future might hold?

John let out a small chuckle as he remembered the way his mother would joke about herself in the past. She almost made it seem like the first two and a half decades of her life was another person from another life.

J-My mom wasn't always like that. She always used to tell me that before I was born she was a just a ditsy waitress who couldn't balance her checkbook. Then one night a terminator was sent back through time to kill my mother. If he succeeded in killing her, than I would have never been born.

K-How did she survive?

J-That's where my dad gets involved. He was also from the future. He volunteered to come back in time to protect her.

K-All of this time traveling stuff is so confusing. It's enough to make a sane person crazy.

J-Try dealing with it for twenty-four years and see how sane you are, let alone a couple of days.

K-So where is your father now?

J-My parents only spent one day together. He was killed the next night while trying to destroy the terminator. My mom never really liked to talk about him much though. I don't think she ever really got over him. She would always say that in their one night together, they loved a lifetimes worth.

K-So that's when you're mother learned to prepare for the war.

J-Yeah, for several years we stayed in Mexico with a group of people who had met my mother while she was still pregnant. I can truly say that my mother was not a person that you wanted to piss off.

Kate glanced back down at her half eaten bowl of soup. She had remembered earlier in the day when he had said that she reminded him of his mother. A smile came to her face as realized how big of a compliment that was.

K-I think I'll clean up here and wash the dishes.

As she started to stand and reach for him empty bowl, his large hand covered hers.

J-Don't, I'll take care of it. It's the least I can do, after all you burned the inside of my mouth.

K-Who's being sarcastic now?

J-Go, on, I'll take care of it.

K-I think I'm going to try to take a nap. Wake me if you need anything.