Chapter 9

Heart Of Gold

Sarah felt that Vanna was confused, unsure, upset and angry when she left the eating area. None of those was a good combination. She knew what she needed to do to - fix this. She previously purchased a surprise for Cameron but she'd been waiting until Cameron was mobile to give it to her. Based on current events it now seemed like the right time.

Sarah got up and quickly headed to her room. She needed to hurry to pull this off. There was a faint smile on her face. It helped hide the hole in her heart. The future was uncertain and looked bleak for sure to her. There should be some happiness for someone.

Vanna went into the restroom and cried for awhile. When she was able to get her composure back she returned to the lunch area. Sarah was gone. That made her wonder if she'd upset or angered Sarah. She knew what she felt interfered with what Sarah wanted for her son, if he ever returned.

Vanna felt so unsure of herself and very alone right now. She was about the leave the commissary when she remembered what Cameron asked her to bring back for her. It cheered her up some as she picked out a couple of things. Even doing something so simple seemed very special to do it for Cameron. Vanna knew that Cameron was rapidly filling the jagged hole left in her heart by her past - the future. She seemed to have no control over her emotions or how she felt. Trying to fight the feelings only seemed to make them more prevalent.

Vanna composed herself as best as she could as she neared the lab. She did not want to make Cameron worry about her or be upset at her. She stopped and waited. It was almost as if she needed to build some courage up to move forward. She thought she was able to get some composure in place. It was a toss up if that composure would hold.

Vanna entered the lab. Cameron was not there. At least she was not visible. That was odd.

"Cameron?" Vanna asked as she looked around. "Are you here?"

"I'm always here." Cameron said.

Cameron stepped out from behind a storage cabinet. Vanna sucked in her breath. She was a little shocked at Cameron's appearance. Cameron was even more beautiful than normal. That was a pretty tall ticket to top. Cameron was immaculate. It was what Cameron would refer to as - 'Tight'. How could she do that so seemingly effortlessly and fast?

Just being in Cameron presence seemed to make Vanna weak.

"Did you bring my ice cream?" Cameron asked with a smile on her face.

Vanna tried to hold her trepidations and the new excitement over Cameron's appearance in check.

"Yes, I brought you both chocolate and strawberry." Vanna said. "I wasn't sure which one you liked better."

Cameron looked directly at Vanna.

"I may like - both. I am willing to try - both." Cameron said. "Thank you."

Did that statement have some type of double meaning? Vanna wondered.

"Cameron, you look magnificent." Vanna said. "You look absolutely stunning."

Cameron did not think it was a big deal.

"I found a couple of minutes of free time so I tried on one of my new outfits that Sarah picked up for me. In fact, she brought them here just a few minutes ago. She suggested I try it on - right now. That was really nice of her." Cameron said. "She said she was saving it for a 'special occasion' and that now seemed to be that time. I was unsure what she meant."

Vanna tried to process what Cameron just revealed. The implications were far reaching and bold. She needed to get this straight.

"Do you mean just now that she brought it to you?" Vanna asked a little perplexed.

Vanna did not know what to say or do. Did Sarah indirectly just give her, her - blessing? Was Sarah trying to help her?

"Yes." Cameron said. "You seem surprised."

There was a long moment of silence.

Vanna was speechless. The implications of Sarah's actions opened the door further for her to reach out to Cameron.

Cameron was now worried by Vanna's silence. She remembered Vanna cried and was sick when she left earlier. It seemed emotion based and not a physical reaction to anything. She needed to find out. She was also aware she was not the best in social situations with others.

"You're not saying anything. Is something wrong?" Cameron asked. "Did I do something wrong or to hurt you, Vanna? I seem to have a way of hurting others without trying. If I did, I apologize."

Vanna could see she'd caused Cameron some grief right now. That was never her intent. It was her actions that were 'throwing a wrench' into everything, not Cameron's.

"No, I just…, I mean…, I need to sit down for a minute." Vanna said.

Cameron became worried now. Maybe it was something physical.

"Are you ill?" Cameron asked.

Cameron moved over to Vanna and started to scan her. She was not going to take chances. She could have Cameron Two tap into any medical data base for assistance.

'Ill', Vanna thought to herself. She does not know the depth of my 'illness' and I can't even tell her. There was no way that Vanna could think of to tell Cameron that she loved her.

Cameron felt the tension. Vanna was even more troubled now than before. Maybe this illness was both physical and emotional.

"I am unwell too." Cameron said. "I understand more than you think."

Vanna looked at Cameron.

She seemed so vulnerable right now.

This was all happening inside of Vanna.

Cameron was aware of things. She also had feelings and desires. Maybe it was time to address them.

"In nature it is natural for species of the same sex to congregate together." Cameron said. "It is not natural for them to attempt to mate. It is also unnatural for a - machine and a human to attempt to mate. There is no biological purpose. That is the soul function of mating in the first place."

Vanna felt sick again. It seemed that she was just punched in the gut. She knew the feeling of that from the future. She'd been beaten plenty. She looked around for the trash can. She did not think she her body would process too many calories today. Her lunch was about to come up. She tried to hold it together.

Cameron saw Vanna's trepidation and uneasiness. Vanna looked even more physically ill than earlier. She was not blind and she was experience more that previously on emotional matters. It was time to act.

"We can change the rules." Cameron said.

Cameron gave Vanna a big smile.

Vanna thought that seemed to say a lot without actually saying anything. She wanted some better clarification. This was all very mind boggling to her.

"What?" Vanna asked very confused.

Cameron wanted to reassure Vanna. She remembered John did not always leave her with a positive feeling.

"I said, we can change the rules. We can create our own realities and pursue whatever dreams we may wish. No pain – No gain. I think everyone has experienced enough pain. I know I have." Cameron said. "I am running on feeling and emotion alone. I am not using any of my programming now. I am just 'Cameron' at this moment and not a very scary robot from the future."

Vanna could see Cameron was about to open the door, the door to her heart. This was what she wanted more than anything but she needed to think of Cameron and John.

"Wait!" Vanna said.

That was not what Cameron expected to hear.

"Wait?" Cameron asked very confused.

Vanna felt a sense of guilt. She did not want to rob Cameron of her innocence for her own selfish desires. There was a bigger picture here even if it was not actually there. It could be.

"I am trying to take something that is not mine to take." Vanna said. "You belong to another. I belong to another."

Cameron remembered John's past actions. He did not seem to have those same restrictions. She felt more independent now. John was not the only one to be able to have feelings for another.

"I belong to no one and neither do you." Cameron said. "I am not property and you are not either. We are not belongings. We do not need to answer to anyone. We are individuals and have freedom of choice. Life is about choices. I am ready to make one."

Vanna found a lump near Cameron's breast during her rebuilding. She cut her open to see what it was. She was astounded when she saw it was a heart.

"I saw your heart." Vanna said.

Cameron watched her find it.

"I know." Cameron said.

Vanna understood the implications.

"I know how special that must be to you." Vanna said.

"It is." Cameron said.

"I understand what it means to you." Vanna said.

Cameron wanted to hear more.

"Do you mean a 'Heart Of Gold'?" Cameron asked.

Vanna saw a poem about it earlier in the day when she looked at them again.

"Yes, I read all your references to it in your poems." Vanna said. "I do understand."

Cameron was ready to make this decision days ago when Vanna became her friend. It was not long after that, that she realized Vanna was now more than a friend to her. She set things in motion and waited for the right time. Now was the time.

"Did you ever get the small photo of yourself that I asked you to get several weeks ago?" Cameron asked.

Vanna was perplexed at the time Cameron asked her to get her the photo.

"Yes I did." Vanna said. "I did not know why you needed it or what for."

It never crossed Vanna's mind at the time. Now it appeared that Cameron was ahead of her all along.

"Then you understand what it is for now and where it is to go." Cameron said.

This revelation was astounding to Vanna.

"I do now." Vanna said. "You knew several weeks ago? That is amazing…."

Cameron laid a scalpel on the desk and smiled at Vanna. She went to remove her top.

Vanna watched as Cameron unbuttoned her top and took it off. She then fixed her hair quickly. Next she removed her bra. Vanna's heart was pounding. Cameron was so - beautiful.

Vanna went to her desk and quickly retrieved the small photo of herself. She hurried back and gave it to Cameron.

Cameron and Vanna stared at each other with locked eyes as they both held the tiny photo between them. What it represented both physically and emotionally linked them together.

Cameron looked so hot standing there topless and perfect, so Tight, so tempting to Vanna.

Cameron was about to add Vanna into her heart. It was the most special moment in Vanna's life. It was the moment you could see yourself enter another's heart.

In reality Vanna was already there.

Jim sat as he watched everything happening around him. He monitored the internet and every computer system he could unlock which was all of them given the time. Jim experienced something he'd never experienced before. It was a strange and different 'problem'. As John Henry in his previous chassis this 'problem' was impossible to experience. His new 'fully equipped' body now reacted in a way he was not sure how to process. To watch Cameron and Vanna interacting in the lab was fascinating. They were able communicate on a level he could not achieve - yet. So much was being 'said' without the need for it to be spoken.

Cameron Two was in the background of his system. She told him to 'take a cold shower' and leave those two alone. She reminded him that Cameron Prime purposely left the monitors on for him AND her to observe. What they were able to see and witness was not by accident or a mistake. It was Cameron asserting herself. Who was the 'Predator' again?

All Jim knew was that he would request bigger pants in the future as these seemed to rapidly shrink on him in the groin area. He was very confused at his feelings and - reactions. They were disturbingly pleasant.

Heart Of Gold

There is an endless search
For a true heart of gold
Something so very precious
It can never be bought or sold

Contained within my heart
My sweet heart of gold
Is the one I love
The one that I behold

They can make my heart bleed
Even a pure heart of gold
It seems to matter not much
For they have been told

It rips me sadly apart
Tarnishing my heart of gold
The hurt, rage and anguish
My demeanor barley controlled

It can honestly be said
My lonely heart of gold
Will never beat for another
It is only for my love to mold

Nobody