Chapter 69

Cameron

Vanna and Allison were done arguing. It didn't do anything but make them angrier at each other. Neither one of them wanted a fight, especially not tonight. Tonight their lives were about to change. Their future was going to change. It was a big step forward from which there was no return. It was something that they both wanted. It was something that they both needed. It was also what Cameron asked of them and made them promise to do. That promise meant something to them too.

Vanna knew it was best for Allison to 'go first' because of her 'condition'. She was in the window for conception. Vanna was not sure if either of them could actually produce offspring or bring a pregnancy to term. Neither of them was ever pregnant before that they knew of and chances were pretty good that both of them should have been at some point. Vanna knew she should have been because of some of the things that were done to her. They were things she never even told Allison about. Maybe one day she could tell her everything. It still hurt too much to think of what they'd done to her and how it was done.

She was painfully aware that with all the radiation, chemical and biological warfare exposure they'd experienced that all of those were probably part of the problem. There were very few baby's born in her future and most did not survive. A woman that could give birth was a female to fight over. A man who could successfully father a child always seemed to have plenty of females 'waiting in line' for his seed. Now it was their turn in the past. There was only one way to find out. Allison was about to put it to the test.

Vanna wondered how she would do as a mother, even if it was as 'a mother' to Allison's child. It would still be THEIR child. Maybe that was one of the reasons she tried so hard to stay with Allison. It might be her only hope and chance to be a 'mother' that way. She really hoped one of them would be able to get pregnant one day. They weren't getting any younger either.

Allison won the second coin toss.

There were a million thoughts that passed through her head in that instant. It was more that what was about to happen in the next few minutes. It was also about her future and what it would yield. If she could get pregnant, she really wanted Vanna at her side to help her. She did not think she would make a very good mother on her own. Vanna always did better around small children than she did. Vanna's maternal instincts were much greater than hers were.

It was time to stop thinking about it and go do it. She hadn't been with a male in a long time. She'd been assaulted a few times and tried to get pregnant a few times later on. None of those encounters lasted more than two minutes. They were just about having the genetic material deposited inside her body. She was on her knees. It was not 'love making' in any way. It was the way animals reproduced. Maybe that is what Skynet eventually reduced them to. Scavengers were another cruel example of that.

Allison left Vanna to go to John's room.

She felt guilty because Vanna actually won the first coin toss.

Allison walked out the door at ten minutes to eight.

She took ten steps and stopped.

Allison turned around and went back to her room. Her true love was Vanna. She could not do this to her this way. She did not have any right to take what was not hers.

Vanna was surprised to see Allison walk back into their room. She wiped the tears from her face when she saw Allison return. The 'crack' in her heart stopped 'bleeding' when her beloved returned. She was afraid she'd just 'lost' Allison to John.

Allison's words to her meant so much.

"I can't do this to you, Vanna." Allison said. "I can't do this to you. I love you too much."

Vanna tried to 'tough it out' so she would not start to cry again.

"It is you who won the coin toss." Vanna said.

Allison knew that was not entirely correct. A sense of guilt already haunted her.

"You won the first time, Vanna." Allison confessed. "I stole that from you."

Vanna believed that love could be expressed with 'loss' or sacrifice. She also knew life needed to move forward.

"I know." Vanna said. "I love you, Allison. I will sacrifice for you."

Allison knew that sacrifice was the true test of love. It made her feel even guiltier. She would rather face the future with Vanna at her side.

"I want to wait here with you. At that point whatever happens - happens." Allison said. "I can't do this to you. I won't."

The two girls embraced in a long tearful hug. They loved each other and if they shared, they both wanted to share together. That was how their life was. That is how they wanted their life to be….

"Thank you, Allison." Vanna said. "It proves we love each other."

Vanna was never 'taken' by another man once Allison rescued her. She didn't have a desire for ANY man to ever touch her again. Men always abused her since she was a girl - A GIRL. She didn't hate all men. She saw Derek and Kyle always respected her and never tried to take advantage of her. They also made sure no one else tried either. She was pretty sure that Derek may have killed some men who 'wanted' her and Allison. Some of those men who stalked her and Allison 'disappeared'. She never asked and he never said.

Vanna was aware Allison was with a few men after they were 'together' but never asked her about it. She'd seen Allison sneak away for several hours a few times. She did not want to know. If Allison wanted a 'traditional relationship' that was her choice. She was happy with Allison but she knew Allison felt different desires and 'needs' than she did.

John was the first man Vanna would be with by choice. She knew there would be no violence or beating to go along with it or a group to follow as they held her down and laughed, over and over. There would be no threat of parts of her body being cut off and kept as trophies. She'd seen that with her own eyes. She'd been with females who'd survived that and were never able to 'finish' again, she tried to help them. She could not.

The time went past eight o'clock.

Then it went past nine o'clock.

The girls waited and waited. John never arrived.

It was almost ten o'clock.

The girls were worried.

"Something must be wrong or something happened." Vanna said.

Allison started to listen for a gunshot after the first hour passed. She was on edge every second after that waiting to hear it.

"I will go look. I promise not to do anything." Allison said.

She looked back at Vanna.

Vanna looked a little apprehensive.

"I promise, Vanna." Allison said as she left.

Allison walked down the hall. She stopped at John door. She thought she heard talking. There was no one else here but John, Vanna and her.

She quickly went to the lab and the Metal 'Bitch Whore' was still there. She hurried to tell Vanna.

"There is some female in the room with John." Allison said. "It's not the new Metal 'Bitch Whore' either, I checked."

Vanna knew the options were limited.

"I hope it is not Sarah." Vanna joked.

"Or Savannah." Allison joked back.

Vanna knew of the burden Cameron placed on Savannah's back. Savannah talked of being 'married' to John and having children for Cameron and him. She was dead serious and believed what she said.

Vanna knew it would happen soon enough.

"That is not funny, Allison." Vanna said.

"That is not funny, Allison." John said.

Cameron could tell John thought she was Allison.

"John, I am Cameron." Cameron said. "I am your wife."

John did not like this 'game'. He felt it was cruel. How could Allison do that to him after what they'd just done?

"Stop it, Allison." John said.

Cameron tried to get it across to John that she was his wife. She tried a new tactic.

"I love you, John, and you love me." Cameron said.

Those words echoed in John's mind. Was this for real?

"Cameron?" John asked somewhat bewildered.

"YES!" Cameron said. "I'm Cameron, your wife."

John grabbed her.

"Cameron, I can't believe you're back." John said. "I've missed you so much."

Cameron deduced John really thought she was Allison. It made her wonder what else 'happened' in her absence.

"Apparently not." Cameron said.

John caught her drift right away.

"No, nothing ever happened." John said.

Cameron saw it for what it was. It all made sense now.

"It felt like it did. You thought I was Allison." Cameron said. "You just made love to 'Allison', not me."

John tried to justify himself.

"I'm sorry, Cameron. I did think you were Allison but I was thinking of - you. I ONLY saw you in my mind." John said. "It was always 'YOU' to me."

John tried to explain everything to her.

Cameron did hear John say her name when she came into the room. He actually said her name twice as they made love, even if he didn't know it. She didn't think he did. It was clear he did think about her as they made love.

She decided to cut him some slack. This was all on her and she did ask everyone to move on without her. She even made them all promise to do it.

"I understand, John." Cameron said. "I actually find it hard to believe you waited this long to try."

John always believed that once he was with Vanna or Allison that it would signify the 'death' of Cameron and that she would never return, that was why he waited. He waited until they'd exhausted every possible way to 'find' her and get her back.

"I did wait, Cameron. I did wait for you and it was - YOU." John said. "It was what I hoped and wished for. It came true."

The girls were unsure what to do. What if there was another Liquid Metal Terminator after John?

"I need to go check on him, Vanna." Allison said.

Vanna thought they better find out together.

"I will come too." Vanna said.

The two girls went to John's room.

Allison knocked.

"John, are you in there?" Allison asked. "Is everything OK?"

There was a long pause.

"Yes, come in. I have a surprise for you." John said.

Allison tried to make light of it.

"That is what I was hoping for two hours ago." Allison said.

The girls walked in. They saw John only in his underwear and the bed was a mess.

"Was there someone in here with you?" Vanna asked.

John smiled at them.

"Actually there was and is." John said.

There was a figure in the darkness behind them.

"Hello, Allison." Cameron said. "Hello, Vanna."

Both women looked on in amazement as Cameron stepped out of the shadows; her naked form was clearly visible. She looked stunning. Allison wondered why she never looked that good.

"Cameron?" They both asked in unison.

"Yes." Cameron said.

The girls all hugged each other.

Cameron stiffened a little as she touched Allison.

She realized that Allison was ready for conception. Any anger Cameron felt instantly evaporated. A sick feeling overtook her as she realized that she just prevented John from possibly having a descendant. She wanted this to happen and now it looked like she'd 'ruined' it. Her failure would come back to haunt her endlessly.

Cameron sat on the bed. She put on one of John's shirts and told her story. It was midnight before she finished.

Allison and Vanna went to leave.

Cameron knew life was about choices. She made one.

"Allison, I would like you to stay." Cameron said.

Vanna left.

"Yes, Cameron?" Allison asked.

Cameron knew that sacrifice was the true test of love.

"I am going to Vanna's room." Cameron said. "I want you to stay here with John."

Allison understood that for what it meant. Cameron wanted her to be with John.

"I can't do that, Cameron, not NOW." Allison said.

Cameron wanted John to have a child.

"I insist." Cameron said.

Allison felt like an intruder at this point.

"Cameron, you need to be with John now. I know you scanned me. I know you know what could have happened." Allison said. "It can wait months or years even. I can't do this to you. I won't."

Cameron saw that as an act of love for her on Allison's part.

"Thank you, Allison." Cameron said.

Cameron gave Allison a long hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Allison left.

"Now, where were we?" Cameron asked.

John remembered right where they were at.

"You were about to…." John started.

What chapter was this again?

You And I Talk About It A Lot

As through each day we struggle
Our paths can become confused
Needless blows to each other
Leaving each other bruised

So we play the game
Around each other we dance
What are we waiting for
It is time to take a chance

I know in my mind
When I see you I cringe
For it is my very heart
That you burn and singe

It is time to face the music
You already know my tune
The moment is now soon
As we make each other swoon

We already both know
What it is we have got
It's right in front of you
You and I talk about it a lot

Nobody