Chapter 98

Insanity

Luckily John Henry gave Cameron an 'out' by agreeing to erase her chip. Now Allison gave her an even better one. It was to prevent her construction in the first place.

Cameron sat on the work bench as she thought about what Allison said. It would create a new timeline but she would not be in it. It was what she wanted. What she wanted was never to have been built. If Future Allison were never captured in the first place, there would never be a 'Cameron'. She felt elated that her one wish could be granted, even if it was in a new timeline. She didn't care. She would not be in it.

She saw the loyalty and devotion of the three girls. She saw they were all willing to die with her if they could not prevent her from using the Thermite grenade. She'd looked into Allison's eyes as she started to release the spoon on the Thermite grenade. Allison never blinked. It made her feel good inside that they supported her that much but she was worried about their safety and their future. What about John then? If the girls were all dead who would take care of him and comfort him? She'd given Savannah her wedding dress. She'd conditioned Savannah as to her role in the future. It looked like Savannah might need to 'step up' a few years early.

Cameron got up. She would not be terminated today. She was going to preemptively terminate herself in her future by preventing her construction.

She looked at the tears on the faces of Vanna, Allison and Jesse. The girls appeared to be as devoted as they said they were. They were devoted to her. She really could not understand why. What was so great about her? She wanted them, at least one of them for John. When they had the opportunity to leave as she was about to burn, none of them caved. They stood with her.

"We support you, Cameron." Allison said. "I will go with you into your future."

Vanna moved up and took Allison's hand.

"I will follow both of you." Vanna said. "We will all be together."

Jesse managed a slight smile.

"Lead the way, love." Jesse said. "You have a posse."

Cameron could see they were as determined to go with her as they were to die with her. She would give them the option to stay. This journey was going to be a death sentence. She knew she would not return. They most likely would not either.

"You are all willing to give up everything to go with me?" Cameron asked. "It will be into the unknown. We don't know what we will face. The hardships of the future are immense."

Jesse, Allison and Vanna all took a step forward.

"Yes." All three women replied.

Jesse pointed out the obvious.

"We are all from the future too, Cameron. We would all be going 'home'." Jesse said.

Cameron knew that was true but they were from a different future. Not everything would be the same for them.

"My future is different than your future." Cameron said.

Allison shrugged her shoulders.

"Does it make a difference in which future we die?" Allison asked.

Vanna put her are around Allison. She was not leaving her side again, ever.

"As long as we die together, that is all that matters." Vanna said.

Jesse didn't have a problem with it. There were a couple of people she would like to 'meet' in Cameron's future.

"We all die." Jesse said. "Everyone dies at some point. It might as well count."

There was still one worry for Cameron.

"Who will look after John?" Cameron asked.

Cameron was pleased to hear Vanna was on the same page as her.

"Savannah and Young Allison will grow. There is no reason things can't be sped up. It will be the correct timeline for all of them…." Vanna said. "They are the true 'Natural Order' of time that you speak of, Cameron. It is THEM not us that belong to John. We are all aberrations to this timeline. We all KNOW how you feel."

It all seemed logical to Allison.

"Don't you see, Cameron? That will restore this timeline without you or us in it any longer." Allison said. "It will once again be as it was in your future. It will be as time was meant to be. It really will be the 'Natural Order' then."

There didn't seem to be a downside to this train of thought.

"Everything will be the same as your timeline was then. That is the way it is supposed to be." Jesse added.

Cameron knew there was still one issue that needed to be addressed if they pulled this off. It was actually the most important part.

"After we prevent Future Allison from being captured you must allow me to be reprogrammed or terminated." Cameron said. "I must cease to exist. It is what I want."

Allison was in no hurry to see that carried out. They still needed to get there to Cameron's future and then see what developed.

"We can cross that bridge when we come to it." Allison said.

The three women exchanged knowing glances. They were all on the same page. No words needed to be spoken.

'Like that is going to happen.' All three of them thought.

Cameron could see they were hesitant to agree to her termination.

"It is my wish. I will expect you to honor it." Cameron said.

Jesse didn't want Cameron make them promise to terminate her. She threw out a few thoughts.

"Don't worry, love, we will do what is necessary." Jesse said. "All of us will do what we need to do when it needs to be done."

Cameron looked at the three women. They were right. They were all out of their timelines. This would restore the 'Natural Order' of time. She really wondered why she hadn't thought of this before. This was the way to 'fix' everything.

There was really nothing left to discuss or think about. It was time to act. The sooner they were gone the better.

Cameron made up her mind in a millisecond.

"Let's roll." Cameron said.

That caught Vanna a little off guard.

"Right now?" Vanna asked.

Cameron could see no reason to delay the inevitable.

"Why not?" Cameron asked.

Cameron knew the others at the base were all tied up. That would prevent a lot of hassle and useless protests.

"There is no one to get in our way or stop us if we go now." Cameron said.

Cameron looked at John Henry. He could still present a problem.

"There is nothing to stop us, is there, John Henry?" Cameron asked.

John Henry knew it was more than a question. It was a demand.

"No." John Henry replied somewhat defeated.

John Henry realized this new 'insanity' was better than termination by Thermite or reprogramming for now. He did not think the girls would allow Cameron to terminate herself if they prevented Future Allison from being captured. He was sure Cameron would look after the girls as best as possible. That would prevent her from terminating too soon. He knew each of the girls would choose Cameron as their 'mate' if they could convince her to not terminate. They could go into the past or a further future and live their lives out there. They should be able to find peace and tranquility. There must be serenity for Cameron somewhere.

Allison thought some goodbyes were in order.

"Don't you want to say goodbye to John?" Allison asked.

That was the last thing she wanted. She did not want to see and feel the hurt in him.

"NO!" Cameron said.

Vanna thought it should happen anyway.

"This will really be hard on him." Vanna said.

Cameron frowned a little. Savannah needed a few more years before the others would accept her as John's mate. John should have some comfort and companionship until then.

"One of you can 'stay' for him." Cameron said. "I would really appreciate 'that'."

Cameron looked at Jesse.

"I created the opportunity for you to achieve what you wanted…." Cameron whispered in her ear.

Jesse hung her head.

"I know. Thank you." Jesse said as the tears streamed down her face. "I love you, Cameron. I can't leave you. If you order me to stay I will but I want to go with you. I want to die alongside of you. I don't want to live without you."

Allison took Jesse's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I do too, Cameron." Allison said. "I will never leave your side even if I have to fight a Terminator with a steel rod or my bare hands."

Cameron froze, that was one of her nightmares.

It gave Cameron a very uneasy feeling to know that.

The bravery and determination of that act caused Cameron to cry in her dream. The memory of that act made her cry now. How could this sweet girl advance to fight a battle she knew she could never win to try to protect her - Nobody.

Vanna wondered what happened now.

"Cameron, what's wrong?" Vanna asked.

Cameron did not want to say.

For the first time ever John Henry cried. It was not just a tear. He cried. That was one of the nightmares of Cameron's that he kept. He could feel the emotion that Cameron felt as she viewed that. It affected him just as it had her. The image of Allison engaging a Terminator to protect someone she loved instead of running to save herself was too powerful. It was bravery, not programming for her. It was love. John Henry understood now love was something that you would die for. Those who loved the most were willing to sacrifice the most. Love really was about sacrifice.

All four women stared at John Henry.

"I must go too." John Henry sobbed as he looked at Allison.

Cameron did not think this was John Henry's fight.

"It is a one way ticket, John Henry." Cameron said. "There will be no return. You were created in this timeline. This is where you belong."

Sarah walked into the lab. She could tell there was a major issue developing. She doubted she would be told the truth if she asked.

"Do I even want to know what 'happened' here?" Sarah asked.

"NO!" five voices spoke as one.

Sarah turned around and left. She needed to find John fast. There was something going down and she was sure only he could stop it.

John and Kyle still spent some time together after Sarah left. She wanted to give them some 'father to son' time together. It would at least be some 'man to man' time alone together. They were really more like peers than anything else at this point. Maybe John would feel more comfortable if a female was not present, especially his mother.

"John, I am no expert on relationships, few lasted in my future. There was so much death and destruction. There were so many people out to hurt each other." Kyle said. "It was an ugly hopeless place until you arrived with Mrs. Weaver. Then when Cameron was able to join us everything changed. You two made a difference there. You two have made a difference here now too. We have passed Judgment Day twice, Cameron's and mine. That has to count for something."

John knew that was true but he was caught up in his dilemma.

"Do you think it is our fate not to be together?" John asked.

Kyle thought everyone felt like that at times. There was no real answer.

"I don't know, John." Kyle said honestly.

John went over in his mind what Cameron already accomplished and what was to be.

"Cameron restored her future's timeline with Future Allison, Future Savannah and me - Future John." John said. "That is Savannah and Young Allison - now. Maybe that is what is it supposed to be five or ten years from now."

"Who knows for sure? Based on the lives we lead it seems that time is 'fluid'." Kyle said. "We know things can change. We know things have changed. It is a safe bet that things will continue to change."

John was not sure if there was a beginning or an end to anything at this point. It seemed that everything just was.

"If we stop Judgment Day altogether none it will probably ever be." John said. "Everyone may seek a different path. Everything will develop differently."

Kyle knew John was older than the two girls. The circumstances could change too without Judgment Day. Lives would not be thrown or forced together.

"It may not be the same because of the age difference." Kyle said.

John didn't think age matter with love.

"You're with Sarah now." John said.

Kyle smiled a little and nodded.

"You got me on that one." Kyle said. "I guess if it is love it does not matter."

Sarah went in search of John. Whatever was happening in the lab she did not like it.

She found Kyle and John.

"I think you better go to the lab, John." Sarah said. "You need to go right now."

John was just coming to terms with a future of uncertainty. Now there was this.

"Why?" John asked.

John could see the serious and stressed look on Sarah's face.

"I don't think it is anything good." Sarah said. "You need to hurry."

Insanity

What happens inside one's head
Takes place within their brain
How do they ever know for sure
If those thoughts are really sane

When people think and dream
It all happens in their mind
If they look closer and deeper
What is it that they will find

There is right and there is wrong
Who decides and becomes the judge
Ideas or 'facts' based on opinion
Are often very hard to budge

People who do things unconventional
May be viewed as being warped or lazy
Others may see it differently
They may think they are really crazy

Rants laced with profanity
May offend some parts of humanity
Don't ever get lost in vanity
Is not life actually barely controlled insanity

Nobody