Chapter 27

Repairs

Vanna was worried stiff as she waited up for Allison. She was deeply concerned about Allison being out in the field with Cameron. Vanna knew what Cameron looked like sometimes when she returned. It was - terrible.

She'd seen Allison get ready before she left with Cameron. They talked about it.

"You know you don't need to do this or at least do it this way." Vanna said.

Allison wanted to improve herself and get to know Cameron better. She understood Vanna's fascination with Cameron better as time went on. Cameron was unlike any other individual, human or otherwise. Her abilities and beauty were unmatched. She knew that Cameron and her looked the 'same' but she did not see it that way. She felt she looked nothing at all like Cameron. Cameron was stunning and she was beautiful. She never thought she could be either of those things.

"I feel the need to do this, Vanna." Allison said. "I will be as careful as I can be."

Allison went to leave.

Vanna stopped her and kissed her. She then gave her a long close hug. She wanted to convey her love and concern to Allison.

Allison smiled at Vanna and gently touched her cheek as she left.

Tears filled Vanna's eyes. She could see that Allison felt the same way about Cameron as she did. She knew Allison was in love with Cameron too.

Vanna went to the lab to work. She wanted to think about something else other than Allison being out.

Once she was there it bothered her even more. This is where she needed to repair Cameron after many of her missions. She left and went back to her room. At least she could cry in there and no one would see her.

Vanna waited up for Allison.

A few hours later she heard her room door open. It was Allison.

She ran to Allison when she entered their room and gave her another big hug.

She physically checked Allison over for any injuries.

That caused Allison some confusion and irritation.

"What are you doing?" Allison asked.

Vanna went straight to the point.

"I'm making sure you are not wounded anywhere." Vanna said. "You know infections can be deadly."

Allison frowned.

"I'm fine." Allison said.

Vanna wanted to explain her actions since she could see Allison was irritated.

"About twice a week I help Cameron repair bullet wounds or other damage." Vanna said. "It is very troubling."

That was a surprise to Allison. She never saw damage to Cameron.

"I never knew she was damaged so often." Allison said.

Vanna often helped Cameron cover up the true extent of her damages.

"She hides it. She does not want John or Sarah to know." Vanna said. "That is why you may not see her for a few days at a time every now and then. She can hide the damage pretty well everywhere but on her face. It bothers her greatly when her face is damaged."

Allison felt a little jealous that Vanna was able to see or be with Cameron naked. She did not understand how much Cameron was damaged for that event to occur.

"So you get to see and touch Cameron's naked body once or twice a week?" Allison asked. "That must be a thrill for you. You can touch or see me anytime, even if I don't measure up to be as beautiful as she is. I know it's a hard act to follow."

Allison knew Vanna loved Cameron. She was a little jealous. No, she was a lot jealous. Even speaking about it made her more jealous. She'd developed feelings she could not control for Cameron as well.

Vanna knew where Allison was going with the statement. Vanna wanted to make sure Allison understood the severity of the events. There was nothing sexual about it. It actually made her physically sick at times before she started to assist Cameron in her repairs and often afterwards too.

"Allison, it makes me sick. I used to throw up afterwards sometimes. I don't anymore it happens so often. Next time I will ask Cameron to let you to observe her repairs. It is never anything pretty to see, Allison. It makes me worry to think something like that could happen to you. You have no idea how hard it is pulling bullets out of her and - seeing you."

Allison could see Vanna was serious. No wonder she checked her over when she came back. Maybe she was jealous for the wrong thing to be jealous about.

"I'm sorry, Vanna." Allison said. "I wasn't thinking. I was jealous. I apologize."

Vanna's phone buzzed.

The sick feeling instantly flooded Vanna. She looked at Allison.

It was Cameron. It meant she was going to be damaged.

"Vanna, I can use your assistance." Cameron said.

Vanna wanted Allison to be a part of this process. It would be one more person to help her and someone Cameron could trust.

"I will be there." Vanna said. "May I bring along Allison to observe the work?"

Cameron was greatly bothered about her recent damage.

"No! I don't want her to see me damaged." Cameron said. "It is very - disturbing this time. Something is - missing. It was blown off."

"It is nice to have help sometimes." Vanna said. "She wants to learn and help. I want her to understand. I would like her assistance. It will help me too."

There was a pause.

"OK, if she tells no one." Cameron said.

Both girls knew that meant not telling John or Sarah.

Vanna looked at Allison.

"I think this is going to be bad." Vanna said. "I need your strength."

Allison was not sure what she was getting herself into at this point. She felt bad about being jealous of Vanna earlier.

"I will do my best." Allison said. "Let's go."

They left her room.

Vanna took Allison's hand as they walked.

Allison was now afraid of what she was going to see. Vanna was never like this. Vanna was always the strong one.

Cameron waited in the lab for them.

She'd already stripped off her top.

Vanna and Allison entered the lab.

Cameron's back was to them.

Allison let out a gasp. She felt bad for accusing Vanna of seeing Cameron 'naked' when she saw the damage and how bad it looked. She could see several bullet holes in Cameron's back. She moved around to face Cameron to ask her if she was alright. She stopped dead in her tracks. There were a dozen holes in Cameron's front torso. That was the 'bad news'. It got worse from there. One breast was half blown apart. It looked like a large chunk out of the front of it was - gone.

Allison was almost physically sick but she held it together. This was worse than she ever imagined. She only ever saw dead people with this extent of damage. She saw a lot of dead people in her future.

Allison knew if she looked like that, she would be dead.

"Cameron you are hurt. Can you feel the pain?" Allison asked.

Allison was very worried.

"Yes, I can. I have currently shut down those receptors." Cameron said. "I feel nothing now. It was very traumatic when it happened."

Vanna looked at Allison.

Allison's face was ashen. She felt ashamed for what she'd said to Vanna earlier.

Cameron wanted to explain herself some to Allison.

"I can make self repairs but it goes quicker when I have help. John or Sarah used to help me." Cameron said. "I no longer ask them. It now causes a problem. I don't like problems or upsetting people, especially those I care about."

Allison knew Cameron went in the building alone. She knew there was an ambush set up.

"Why are you doing this, Cameron?" Allison asked.

Cameron felt the need to protect the others. She cared about them.

"It needs to be done. Every bullet I take is one less for John, Sarah or you, Allison. I can not allow those I care about to be put at risk. I will not do it. I can not let John see me like this." Cameron said. "John will endanger himself to keep me out of harms way. It is my function to protect John."

Allison knew John wanted 'more' from Cameron.

"Is that why you keep some distance between you two?" Allison asked.

Cameron felt it was necessary to keep some space. She was ready to do more with John but not if she looked like this all the time. She feared she would be rejected again.

"Maybe." Cameron said. "He will put himself in harms way to protect me. I can not allow that. I am dispensable, John is not."

Cameron also knew part of the 'distance' was because she was not - REAL but did not bring it up again. It made her feel inadequate.

Vanna looked the wounds over. She wondered if it was repairable back to how it was. There was a lot of sheath material missing from the breast.

"No one is dispensable. You need to stop taking such big risks. You may be durable but you are not indestructible." Vanna said. "This damage is very bad."

Cameron saw it as her function. She put that before her personal desires.

"I must protect John." Cameron said. "I must defeat Skynet."

Allison touched Cameron's shoulder.

"I want to help you fight. I want to help repair you, Cameron." Allison said. "I can not accept this. This is not a one woman war."

Cameron wanted to tell Allison she was a machine and not a woman but Allison already knew that.

Allison gave Cameron a hug. She held the hug; Cameron slowly reached up and hugged her back. Tears were in her eyes. Allison, Vanna and Cameron all sobbed.

Allison felt determination now instead of sickness.

"Tell me and show me what to do." Allison said. "I need to learn more."

Vanna showed Allison all the necessary steps to repair the damage. They removed the bullets, sutured the wounds and covered them. This sped up the healing process Vanna explained.

"How long will this take to heal?" Allison asked. "Your one breast is terribly - damaged."

The damage was so massive that about a third of the front of the breast was - missing. The remains were stitched together.

"In three days most this damage should no longer be visible." Cameron said. "The nipple will take a little longer. It is completely gone this time. I have experienced damage in that location before. It took weeks to regenerate properly. It never got back up to its original size, even if it appeared so to the human eye. This time it may not fully regenerate…. The sheath can only take so much repeated damage in the same area."

Allison was a little queasy to look at the stitched up - mess. The thought of a much smaller breast without a nipple added to the sick feeling.

"Here are some fresh clothes." Vanna said.

She always kept some ready for Cameron.

"I am afraid I will no longer look Tight for John one day." Cameron said.

Vanna felt John's love was a little deeper than that.

"John loves you for more than just your looks, Cameron." Vanna said.

Cameron knew that wasn't true. John already rejected and replaced her once.

Vanna knew she loved Cameron for who she was, not how she looked. Vanna wanted to tell Cameron she would love and accept her no matter how her sheath looked or was damaged. If Allison was not standing right there she would have.

Cameron faced Vanna and Allison.

"I do not think I am going to survive this war. Vanna, Allison, I am asking you as my only friends to help 'take care' of John. He will need - companionship or he will grow cold, bitter and alone." Cameron said. "That is what happened in My Future."

Vanna and Allison knew what Cameron just 'asked' them to do.

"Allison, Future John loved 'you' in My Future and 'you' loved him. There was a love triangle that developed. After Future Allison was - gone he pushed everyone away but me. He said 'anyone he loves dies'." Cameron said sadly. "This created a lot of animosity in the Resistance. I was John's only contact with the outside world."

Allison wanted to know more about the love triangle.

"Who was the third person?" Allison asked.

"Savannah." Cameron said as she looked at Vanna. "Future Savannah."

Vanna and Allison looked at each other.

"Cameron, don't worry. Nothing is going to happen to you." Allison said.

There was a strained look on Cameron's face.

"Promise me you two will look after him when or if I do not survive. You both have something to offer him I can not." Cameron said.

Vanna took Allison's hand, Allison nodded.

"We will be there for him, Cameron - in whatever way he needs or wants." Allison said.

"Promise me." Cameron demanded.

"I promise." Allison said.

"I promise too, Cameron." Vanna said.

"Thank you. Thank you both so much. Thank You." Cameron said.

All three of them cried together.

Cameron looked at what was left of her damaged breast and cried some more.

Repairs

It will often take
More than a bandage
To covered up
Or repair my damage

When the damage is physical
And by all can be seen
I can not fix it
No matter how much I preen

At that point the real damage
Is now in my mind
It tries to escape
I can't keep it confined

Perhaps if I fail
At my own repairs
It is time for others
To share a few affairs

I ask my true friends
To stand tall when I fall
Please share everything
Please share it all

Nobody