Chapter 66
Tonight Is The Night
John Henry monitored the interactions of John, Allison and Vanna. He could see things were coming to a head. It was what Cameron said she wanted upon her demise. He felt John was reluctant to move on and accept his new future. That appeared to have changed. He understood the union of John with Allison and Vanna. They would share as one. It would be a strong relationship as Vanna's and Allison's love for each other would help hold the three of them together. It was a better support system than a tradition two person relationship. He was a little disturbed by Savannah staking her claim on the three of them. He was aware that Savannah was viewed as a 'backup' for John.
The future could be hard on the human body. Skynet used chemical and biological weapons along with nuclear weapons. There was extreme contamination and pollution that could cause diseases and illness as slow killers. The effects may not be felt for years, even if some perished in days.
He believed that Cameron covered this eventuality. He did not think Savannah and Young Allison were the 'backups'. They were what Cameron wanted for John as it was in her future. It was Allison and Vanna that were out of their timeline. They were the 'stand ins' until the younger females matured. It was an effective strategy to give John the comfort he needed now to move forward with his life and if Allison and Vanna could not reproduce, their younger selves would be able too soon enough. Cameron covered all the bases.
John Henry decided to review every possibility and eventuality there could be to check one last time on what the fate of Cameron was. He'd gone over everything with John dozens of times and nothing ever changed. Everyone lost hope one by one until only Savannah remained. She would never let go. Not only did she love Cameron, she believed in her. She believed that Cameron was invincible and that Cameron was eternal. She could 'see' something they could not. Maybe it was an aftereffect of Cameron's 'conditioning' that she'd done on Savannah at night as she slept.
John Henry went to work.
John sat alone in his room. A million thoughts collided inside his mind. John slowly came to accept that Cameron was never going to return. He waited months for her to come home. John Henry told him repeatedly that if Cameron was successful and not terminated she would be back seconds after she left. It didn't happen. If she was anywhere with a functioning TDE it would have been the same. She would have returned seconds after she left. Nothing ever happened. None of the three Terminators ever returned. They tried everything to get her back and nothing ever happened. He could only hope that Cameron was trapped in another timeline, alive and not - terminated.
Even that prospect looked grim. Cameron should have been able to construct a TDE unless there was a temporal error and she was too far back in time to build one. That could be terminal to her as her power cell exhausted itself. Maybe she was trapped in another future or past. Maybe she was - terminated.
John thought what a waste this all was. Maybe it was all for nothing. No one would ever know what happened or if Cameron was successful. John Henry warned her what the most likely outcome would be. He was unsure if Cameron was doing this for Future John or herself by trying to save Future Allison. Maybe Cameron stayed in the future with Future John. Maybe she infiltrated as Future Allison again if she failed to save her. She could have sacrificed herself to make Future John think his Allison was back. Maybe she stayed as herself. Maybe she loved Future John more than him. Maybe she loved Future Allison. Maybe she didn't love anyone….
There was another fear that gripped John. What if Skynet captured her? She possessed so much information now. What would Skynet do with that knowledge? Skynet could obliterate all of them in the past. Maybe Skynet used the information and the past was no longer the same. Maybe they were in an alternate timeline now. Maybe they were all dead. Maybe they reprogrammed Cameron to go back in time and terminate every one of them.
How do you know? How do you find out?
There were so many unknowns with no answers. There was no way to get the answers even. Maybe there were no answers and only questions.
He needed to live his life to be a leader. He thought of Allison and Vanna. They were both smoking hot beauties and they all felt the same way. They'd all waited for months. There was no need to wait years. Nothing was going to change.
John knew tonight was the night. He needed to move his life forward and go on. He knew either you move forward or you end it. If he ended it himself then Skynet won. Cameron's original mission would be completed and he would have been the one to complete it. How ironic was that? He decided Allison and Vanna were worth trying to move forward with. It was time. It was past time.
The three of them could all find comfort in each other. He felt his was all Cameron's fault. She did this to herself. He knew she did this to - HIM. Maybe this was her way to 'punish' him for being in love and having sex with Riley. No they didn't have sex. John made love to Riley. He knew Riley loved him back regardless of her ill fated 'mission'. Maybe this was how Cameron paid him back.
He was angry now. Payback was a Bitch and so was Cameron for doing this to him. He needed to calm himself. He didn't mean that. He loved Cameron. He needed to reach out and 'touch' Cameron one last time. He knew how to do that.
John took out Cameron's poem book and held it.
MY POEMS
(Art Of The Mind)
By
NOBODY
John believed that he actually held Cameron's thoughts, emotions and feelings. It was the very essence of her mind. She may have destroyed any version of her being recreated but she left 'herself' behind. She left behind what mattered to her.
He'd read every poem over and over. He could picture Cameron writing them down. It stabbed his heart to feel her pain and anguish. She never gave up even when she thought of termination, she pushed on through. She truly loved him even after the way they'd all treated her. She still loved him even after the way he'd treated her. He was aware what HE did to her. He rejecting her and then pursued Riley who he'd replaced Cameron with.
John hated himself for that. He was angry at Cameron a few minutes ago but he knew he was really angry at himself.
He carefully wrapped the poem book up and placed it in the drawer. He removed his Wedding ring from the packet with Cameron's Wedding and Engagement rings. He wrapped hers back up and placed them on the poem book.
John held his ring as he looked at it. He understood its meaning and purpose. He slid it on his ring finger. It was now a symbol of something else to him. It was a symbol of honor and memory.
"Cameron, I am going to do something that I know would have hurt you. I am going to do it with you as part of me. I know it is what you chose for me and them. I will always wear my ring when I am with them. I know you are 'there' with me, with us. I will know." John said softly.
John turned on some music and looked at the clock. It was seven. He wondered which one of them would show up. He felt one of them would so it would not make their 'first time' together more awkward by deciding 'who goes first'. He believed it would actually be Vanna and not Allison. The reason for that would be to help him accept the 'change'. Vanna would do that so he didn't see Allison as 'Cameron'. Either way he was ready.
John lay on his bed. Music softly played in the background. He looked at the clock, it was seven thirty. He began to doze on and of as he waited. The last song he remembered hearing was: 'All I Have To Do Is Dream', by the 'Everly Brothers'.
The lyrics echoed through his mind.
Allison and Vanna were in their room. They both knew tonight was the night. Both of their lives would change 'forever' one way or another, for better or worse.
Vanna asked John Henry to make sure everyone was out or away tonight. John Henry said that he understood why. It was to be a special 'private moment' for John, Vanna and Allison. There were to be no interruptions. John Henry said he would make it so. He would take Savannah himself to see a movie she wanted to see. Sarah and Kyle decided to go away for a few days. Jim would shadow them for protection. The other Terminators could either go into standby or out on a mission. Bob chose to remain on standby at the base just in case John needed assistance or if anything went wrong.
Allison wanted to be with John for months now. She'd begun to closely monitor her reproductive cycle. She wanted to have a child with John. She felt it would be an act of love and serve as an additional 'anchor' to help 'keep' him in this world as a lover and a father.
Allison put the thermometer down. She looked at the calendar. She felt a wave of anticipation and hope flood over her.
"Vanna, there is a good chance I could become pregnant tonight." Allison said.
Vanna watched Allison 'check' herself.
"Really? That is wonderful news." Vanna said.
Allison felt some trepidation creep in. There was some doubt now too.
"Are any of us ready for this?" Allison asked.
Vanna felt this would be a special event for Allison and her as well.
"I think so, Allison. We have always talked of having a child together." Vanna said.
Allison remembered what John asked of her and about the time to go to his room.
"John wanted one of us to go to his room first if 'one' of us wanted to." Allison said.
Vanna hoped to have that 'honor' but to have a child was more important.
"I think it should be you if you think you can get pregnant." Vanna said.
There was another issue that Allison was worried about.
"I want that, Vanna, but I think it should be you 'first'." Allison said.
That puzzled Vanna some. she did not think Allison would yield.
"Why?" Vanna asked.
Allison felt a little embarrassed to 'say' it.
"I don't want John to see me as 'Cameron'." Allison said.
Vanna thought about that herself but thought John was deeper than that.
"He won't." Vanna said.
It still bothered Allison. She wanted John to see her as herself and not as someone else, even if it was 'Cameron'.
"I think he will, Vanna. I don't want to hurt him." Allison said. "It would be better if you go to him first and then later I can go there."
Vanna thought more about the 'future' than 'tonight'.
"I am sure he will be able to climax several times, Allison, if only one of us is in there alone with him. He has a lot of built up 'stress' to release. It should be you to increase your chance of conceiving." Vanna said.
"I don't know, Vanna." Allison said.
"We have the rest of our lives to do this anyway, Allison." Vanna said.
Allison wanted there to be some way that was fair to both of them so it would not be an issue later on at some point.
"OK, we can toss a coin. How does that sound?" Allison asked.
That seemed to resolve the issue for Vanna as well.
"Alright, I'm heads you're tails." Vanna said.
Vanna took a quarter from her purse.
Both women looked at each other as the coin flipped. Each one hoped they won the toss.
The coin landed on the floor, spun around several times and fell over.
It was….
Tonight Is The Night
When two want to share as one
The future looks warm and bright
They can feel each other's heart beat
As they hold each other tight
As the love grows within them
They become a Princess and a Knight
They are ready to face tomorrow
As their own future they write
There may be some
Who exhibit anger and despite
They don't want to accept them
They are resentful and contrite
Not everything is traditional
Which may create malice and slight
For their true love
They are willing to fight
Nothing can stop them
Love's fame will ignite
They are showered with moonlight
Tonight is the night
Nobody