Chapter 172

Property

Cameron thought she was 'Allison' and that Allison was 'River'. She tried to kiss 'River'.

Allison backed out of the kiss Cameron tried to give her. She took it on her cheek instead. She held Cameron's shoulders in her hands. She wanted that kiss but not like this, not as 'someone else'. If Cameron kissed her, she wanted it to be as her - 'Allison Young' because she was Allison Young.

She looked into Cameron's eyes. She begged with her eyes for Cameron to get better soon. She was going to stick with Cameron as long as it took to get through this current mess. She decided that if Cameron tried to kiss her again that she would let her. There was no need to cause Cameron further distress and make her feel unwanted or rejected.

Allison wanted to try and get a few things straightened out her way. She looked into Cameron's eyes as she spoke.

"I want to call you 'Cameron'. That is the name you usually use. It would make me happy if you use that name." Allison said. "I'm accustomed to it."

Cameron frowned a little and then smiled at Allison.

"OK, I like it too but I like Allison better. It feels more 'natural' to me." Cameron said.

Allison thought that was a first step. Maybe if Cameron heard her name enough, some things would start to click.

"Thank you." Allison said.

Cameron touched her wrist and looked around.

"I lost my bracelet." Cameron said. "Someone may have taken it from me."

John knew that story. It made him worry about Allison even more now. That was the point Future Cameron went to kill Future Allison for lying to her.

Now John worried Cameron might think she was Future Allison and Allison was Future Cameron during her interrogation. It could still produce a 'Terminator response' in a reverse way.

"I want you to always use the name 'Cameron'." Allison said. "We don't need the bracelets anymore."

Cameron looked at her wrist one last time and then lowered it.

"OK. We don't need the bracelets any longer. For you I will use the name 'Cameron'. Are you ready?" Cameron asked.

Allison wondered if she'd missed something.

"Am I ready for what?" Allison asked.

The blank look returned to Cameron's face.

"To go, we need to leave." Cameron said. "I'm ready to go."

Allison started to get worried.

"You're ready to go where?" Allison asked.

Cameron looked impatient. She thought everything was clear to everyone.

"Back to the future." Cameron said.

Allison looked at John who shook his head from side to side briefly and then she looked back at Cameron.

"That's not going to happen." Allison said.

Cameron became agitated again. Everyone tensed up. The Terminators were getting ready to grab Cameron if she became violent or tried to attack Allison.

Allison ignored the danger to herself. She was worried about Cameron.

Allison moved up closer to Cameron. She flashed a big smile on her face. She wanted to try to calm and reassure Cameron. She did not know if her presence was enough to do that. It was time to up the game. She kissed Cameron on the cheek.

Cameron smiled and relaxed. So did everyone else. That was close….

"When can we go then?" Cameron asked. "I hope it is soon."

Allison needed to think fast.

"I have some things I need to do here. That is why I am here in this time period." Allison said. "Do you want to go into the future without me or stay here with me until I finish everything? I'm not ready to go yet. I would like you to stay and wait for me."

Cameron wanted to remain with 'River'. She did not want to get separated again.

"I want to stay with you." Cameron said. "I am glad you wore your dress. I remember you wore it when you left. I remember how beautiful you looked when you took it off…."

Allison wondered if Cameron was going to ask her to take it off now. She hoped not but she would. Maybe Cameron would see she was not as beautiful as River was.

"Yes, this is the same dress. I'm pleased that you kept it for me." Allison said. "Thank You. We need to go back to the base."

Allison was glad she grabbed it on the way out. She changed in the SUV on the way over. She noticed Gail stare at her as she changed without actually staring. She didn't mind really. She was used to others seeing her naked. It was no big deal really.

She understood what was really happening. She knew that Gail saw her as 'Cameron', not as 'Allison Young'. Everyone did it when they saw her naked, even Vanna. It was no big deal really. They shared the same DNA.

Gail did take in the unclad figure of Allison. She was aware that it was exactly the same as Cameron's figure. She replayed those files several times already. Allison was beautiful in every way, just like Cameron was….

Gail wondered if maybe she should have 'waited' for Allison instead of seeking Jesse again. Gail knew relationships were fluid. There was still a chance things could evolve.

Cameron looked at the Terminators that were still around her with a lot of apprehension. The blank look was back. It was very unnerving to see.

Allison noticed the tension return. She took Cameron's hand.

"Will you ride with me?" Allison asked.

Cameron turned away from the Terminators.

"OK." Cameron said. "I'd like that. I will drive."

That sounded like a bad idea to Allison.

"I'd like to drive." Allison said. "Where I'm from I didn't get to do much driving."

Cameron smiled.

"Sure you can." Cameron said. "I don't want anyone else to come with us."

Allison wanted some backup.

"Holly has been teaching me how to drive." Allison said. "May I bring her with us? I would feel more confidant when I drive."

Cameron looked over at Holly and Holly smiled at her. She thought Holly was beautiful.

"Of course." Cameron said. "We don't want any accidents."

Everyone gathered there was relieved to hear that.

John was still displeased with everything. He really didn't like Cameron to see him as Future John.

"Can I come too?" John asked.

Cameron frowned.

"I think you have done enough of that already for my taste." Cameron said.

Allison and John were both unsure what that answer meant.

Bob did not want things escalated.

"John, you can ride back with me." Bob said.

They all got into the two SUVs that were parked there.

When Allison pulled out she clipped the bumper on the other SUV. There was a loud 'screech' sound and a minor impact was felt.

Cameron wondered if maybe Holly or her should drive. Highways were very unsafe places to travel.

John went to talk to John Henry as soon as they were back at the base.

"We need to shut Cameron down and pull her chip." John said.

That seemed a little extreme to John Henry.

"I don't want to do that." John Henry said. "We need her permission first."

John wanted to get Cameron 'fixed' as soon as possible.

"She is - MY WIFE." John said. "I'm giving it to you."

John Henry was surprised with John's answer.

"She may be your wife but she is not your 'property'." John Henry said.

John realized what he sounded like. It wasn't good.

"I want to help her." John said in resignation. "I'm sorry."

John Henry now felt a little selfish himself.

"Have Allison bring her to the lab and we will try to interface with her through the server. If necessary I can interface with the server to communicate with her." John Henry said.

John Henry was excited at the prospect of 'sharing' with Cameron again. It was an experience he craved and longed to share again. Their thoughts could touch and mix as they shared….

After they arrived back at the base, Allison took Cameron to the lab. Vanna was waiting there for her.

Vanna was very apprehensive about what was 'wrong' with Cameron. Her fears were about to get fueled.

"Hello, Savannah." Cameron said as she gave Vanna a kiss on the cheek.

Vanna and Allison exchanged glances of worry. They both caught the Savannah, not Vanna, reference.

Cameron thought she was Future Allison and Vanna was Future Savannah.

Jesse came into the lab.

Cameron looked at her. She did not like what she saw. There was something about this woman….

"Hello, love, I hear you are not well." Jesse said very worried.

Jesse came up to hug Cameron.

Cameron stood before Jesse. She tried to remember something. She could not quite place it. This woman was supposed to do something for her…. It was something important. Something she could not do herself….

Cameron reached up for Jesse's neck.

Gail started to move forward, Holly stopped her.

Cameron touched Jesse's neck and scanned her.

A bigger frown came across Cameron's face. She remembered something now.

"You're not pregnant yet." Cameron said.

Gail shot Jesse a stern glance.

Jesse looked at Gail and John. She then looked back to Cameron.

"Maybe we can talk about that another time." Jesse said nervously and left.

Gail quickly followed her out.

Before the door closed someone rushed in.

"Cammy." Savannah said as she ran up toward Cameron. "I missed you."

John and Vanna both tried to grab her but Savannah dodged both of them without even slowing. Cameron's training lessons proved to have taught Savannah well on how to move to avoid capture.

Savannah went right up to Cameron and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She'd listened outside to the exchange between Cameron and Jesse. That was when she decided to make her play. She whispered something in Cameron's ear. Cameron's eyes widened.

Cameron looked at Savannah and Vanna, then at Allison. She then looked back to Savannah and Vanna, then back to Allison. Cameron looked defeated.

Cameron's entire body slacked. She looked like she might collapse. Her hand started to glitch.

Cameron hung her head and then slowly lifted it. She looked at Allison.

"You're Allison, not River." Cameron said.

Allison was a little defensive. She did wear River's dress and never identified herself as 'Allison'.

"I never said I was River." Allison said.

It was when Cameron saw Savannah that everything 'clicked'. It was what Savannah did and said that hit home for her. It all started to come back now.

Cameron and Savannah looked at each other for a short while.

"Thank you, Savannah." Cameron said as she smiled at her.

Cameron felt she was 'touched' by the 'Chosen One'.

Now there was a bigger problem to worry about.

"How long have I been 'gone' and what have I done?" Cameron asked. "Did I kill or hurt anyone?"

John gave Cameron a hug and a kiss.

"Just my feelings." John said.

The glitch in Cameron's hand increased.

Savannah moved up and took Cameron's hand. The glitch immediately stopped.

Everyone noticed.

Savannah always seemed to be able to calm Cameron instantly.

Cameron again felt she was 'touched' by the 'Chosen One'.

Everything looked like it was in order here.

The three remaining Terminators left.

Gail followed Jesse out of the lab and tracked her down.

She stopped Jesse and faced her.

Jesse knew there was no use lying about it. She went right to the heart of the matter.

"I told you what Cameron wants me to do." Jesse said.

Gail knew what it was. It was not what she wanted to happen.

"Have you?" Gail asked.

Gail was worried she would lose Jesse to John if they 'mated'.

"Not yet." Jesse said. "But I will if the opportunity comes up. I promised Cameron, Gail. I have already told you this. This was prior to our involvement."

Gail did not want to be cast out.

"What about me?" Gail asked. "What about us?"

Jesse was willing to have more than one child.

"I still love you, Gail. We are both female and only I can have a child. If you want to have a family, this is one way for us to do it."

Gail worried about the methods used to 'lean' on Jesse.

"Would you do it because Cameron 'told' you to do it?" Gail asked.

Jesse wanted to reaffirm her position.

"I would do it because I wanted too for us now." Jesse said. "I would have done it before just for Cameron. You know I love Cameron. I will do anything for her, even die…."

It was a stab to Gail's 'heart' which was really her mind but she did know. Everyone loved Cameron, even if they did not WANT to. Jesse did tell her everything…. Both Jesse's did and they both said the same exact things. They even used the same exact words.

Gail came and hugged Jesse as she looked into her eyes.

"You're mine and belong to me forever." Gail said.

Gail hoped she did not make Jesse sound like property.

Jesse thought for now she was but if she could ever get to Cameron….

"Sure, love, we belong to each other." Jesse said.

"Prove it." Gail said

"Anytime." Jesse said as she led her into the bedroom.

Both women began to slowly remove the clothing from the other one.

'Taking Care Of Business' by 'Bachman Turner Overdrive', played as the women stripped each other.

Property

Look around and what do you see
Open your imagination and curiosity
Are you one of many in the majority
Or merely nothing more than an oddity

We have been led to believe
Life offers us some type of lottery
That is simply a perpetual fallacy
Truth dictates it's a mockery

We think we are learned and smart
Hopefully viewed as being scholarly
Maybe it is only veiled snobbery
Fueled and propagated by our audacity

Aren't the lies we hear daily
Nothing more than a robbery
As our trust is stolen improperly
When we can recognize debauchery

Where does it start or end
There seems to be no equality
An emotional void is true poverty
That is not limited to a minority

Loneliness and emptiness breed
Contempt, anger and animosity
Which some see as a monstrosity
Perhaps leading to a vile atrocity

Can one break their shackles
Or are we already in a monopoly
Passed around like a commodity
Regulated to being someone's property

Nobody