Chapter 417

Rings

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Summer's Timeline:

Cameron Prime's Current Timeline:

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John returned to his room. He looked around. All of Cameron's things were still there. It was a busy day and he was tired. When he spotted Cam earlier he'd thought it was Cameron. Cameron made her point many times about how her chip or program was her versus the chassis.

He knew Cam was 'Cameron' but only a copy. She was a clone. He really wondered if everything would be the same or different. He was ready to find out. Cameron left him lonely too many times. What could it hurt? No, really, what could it hurt? What was the big deal?

He lay on his bed. He looked over at Cameron's side, there was nobody there. He'd already decided that there was going to be…. Why should he need to be the one that was all alone?

Maybe he would try it with the girls first once he got lonely. Wait, he was already lonely. He knew any of the Metal girls he asked would respond immediately. Cameron told him if he asked them specifically they literally couldn't say 'no'. They would comply with his desires and wishes. Maybe he could have two or three of them in here at once. He could have Cam, Cammy and Ally all here at the same time….

He wanted Allison but knew it would probably be Jesse or Vanna first. Cameron wanted it to be the girls who were with him instead of the Metal girls. They'd all been very close so many times. It should have happened long ago. The shame and guilt he felt about what he'd done to Cameron with Riley always seemed to get in the way. He couldn't blame Cameron for her 'feelings'. He could still see the look of HURT on Cameron's face the morning she'd caught him sneaking in after he'd spent the night with Riley. She confronted him and he smirked at her as he went up the stairs and rubbed it in her face.

John really wondered why Cameron didn't kill Riley. He knew she wanted to. That was his fault more than it was Riley's fault. His mother warned him he was 'playing' with Riley's life but he disregarded her and scoffed at her. He wanted to have some 'fun' and he didn't care how it was done or who would actually pay the price.

He was aware right now that he'd let the little head do the thinking for the big head back then. Maybe that was who was doing to thinking now. Maybe he'd just knock one off with 'Rosie'. He decided he would read Cameron's poem book again and remind himself about what a fool he'd been. It would remind him how he'd hurt Cameron so badly that she could never get over it. It haunted her unmercifully. It stalked her without end. That was just the thing too, it was impossible for her to ever get over it. That sad fact was because every time she thought about it, it was like it just happened to her again.

John opened the drawer and took the poem book out.

MY POEMS

(Art Of The Mind)

By

NOBODY

Something seemed off but he couldn't place it. He just knew something wasn't quite right.

He opened the poem book and read the first poem - 'Outsider'.

Outsider

When I look in the mirror
I do not like what I see
When I look inside of myself
I do not like what I can not be

I hate what I am
I hate what I am not
I hate everything about myself
I guess that covers a lot

I feel so small
It is like I do not exist
Useless and worthless
Nothing on which to subsist

I am an outsider
Always on the outside looking in
There is so much inside of me
To want to exist is not a sin

From this eternal torment, there is no escape
My mind, heart and soul are shredded and torn
If I had only one wish it would be
Never to have been born

Nobody

He remembered the first version of the poem and that she'd signed it with her name 'Cameron' at the end. After she redid it she signed it 'Nobody'. That name 'Nobody' in itself said a lot and none of it was good. He was the one that did that to her. Well, he did have help from his mother and Future Derek.

Wait.

Bam!

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

John suddenly sat up and then rushed back to the drawer.

Where were Cameron's rings?

He'd put them there himself.

John frantically looked around the drawer. They weren't there. The only person that would dare touch them was Cameron. He checked again and still couldn't find them.

There was a knock at the door.

John was angry right now. He didn't want to speak to anyone. Whatever else it was it could wait.

"Go away." John said.

The knock came again. It was louder this time. It was clear they weren't about to go away.

Maybe there was something wrong. Now what? It was probably some mess that Cameron created or was at least associated with.

"What?" John asked as he opened the door.

He took a step back. It was Cameron or at least a 'Cameron.' He was glad he hadn't knocked one off yet with "Rosie'.

"Well?" Cameron asked.

John was a little confused. What was this about?

"Cameron?" John asked. "I thought you were gone."

'Cameron' looked at him with her big brown eyes wide open.

"Well?" Cameron asked again as she moved her left hand in front of her.

John noticed she wore her rings. He was a little miffed that one of the clones might have taken them to wear. It made him wonder why Summer wasn't the one standing there. He thought that was supposed to be her 'job' to provide him with sexual comfort. He needed to refocus.

"You said you only had made love to your wife." Cameron said. "She's here now."

John took another step back and off to the side. There was room for her to pass.

Cameron remained standing outside.

"Well?" Cameron asked again.

John quickly realized what she wanted. Was it Cameron or did one of her clones want the same thing?

"Is it our wedding night again?" John asked.

Cameron looked a little indignant at the delay.

"Your wife is here." Cameron said.

John looked around. He looked out into the hall some. He really wondered about this.

"You're not someone else or a clone are you?" John asked.

He really didn't care at this point. He was aroused and 'Little Willie' was hungry.

Cameron didn't care for the question. She wondered exactly who he thought she was? Maybe there'd been more going on that she didn't know about, yet.

"Would anyone else dare to wear these?" Cameron asked as she showed her rings. "I love you, John, and you love me."

John scooped Cameron up in his arms and carried her into the room. That was good enough for him.

Cameron pushed the door closed as they entered.

He set her down. They stood and faced each other.

"All my programming is off, John. This is just you and me now."

John swallowed hard.

"Cameron, I've waited so long for this moment."

"As have I, John."

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

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

They kissed.

Cameron removed his shirt and pants.

John helped Cameron out of her top and pants.

Each removed the others underwear.

"I am ready, John, make me a woman - AGAIN."

They embraced and slowly headed for the bed….

John pinched himself on the way to the bed to make sure this wasn't a dream. This was going to be way better than 'Rosie' and a lot less messy for him.

Back at Cameron's base they waited.

Cammy was ready to get the show on the road. She didn't like the delay.

"Everything is ready." Cammy said. "I will go in Cameron's place. At least we will have someone competent there."

River didn't want Cammy to jump the gun.

"We need to give her a little more time." River said. "She needed to do something."

Cammy made a face.

"I can guess." Cammy said.

Summer didn't see the delay as a problem.

"We don't have to guess. We would all do the same thing." Summer said. "We are all 'her'."

Cammy did understand the purpose. The Duplicate girls weren't going to return at this time.

"I guess we do owe it to the Duplicate girls, they have to 'try'." Cammy said.

Sheila displayed a big grin on her face but remained silent.

River looked away and felt a little uncomfortable.

Cameron came in the door.

Cammy took a little 'jab' at Cameron.

"Did you get everything you 'needed'?" Cammy asked.

Cameron looked a little irritated. She glanced at River. She knew River was aware what she wanted to do and why.

River didn't 'spill the beans'. She didn't want to let Cameron think she'd 'sold her out'.

"I didn't say a word." River said. "They ARE all 'you'."

Cameron looked at Cammy and Summer. They were 'her'.

"Yes." Cameron said. "I did."

Cammy wanted to get Savannah back. She was tired of the delays and waiting.

"Let's just get this over with." Cammy said.

Cameron started for the TDE pad but suddenly stopped.

The arcing and flashing started.

Cameron took a step back.

"What's happening?" Sheila asked. "I haven't touched anything."

River knew it was for her. It was her recall home. She hadn't returned in the previously scheduled time frame. Either she needed to return or someone else needed to go back in her place for now and explain the situation.

"It's my time bubble." River said. "Someone needs to go."

Cameron saw this as an opportunity. She hadn't planned on this but what she planned to do for the girls 'in some future' she could do right now for the girls in River's future.

"Let me go. I can be there for your girls." Cameron said. "I should be right back."

Cameron looked at River and placed something in her hand.

River understood what Cameron wanted to do.

"OK." River said.

Cameron stepped into the time bubble just as it fully formed.

"I'll be back." Cameron said.

The arcing and flashing ended.

Cameron was gone.

River picked Cameron's clothes up.

Less than a minute passed.

The arcing and flashing started.

The time bubble appeared. Cameron's naked form was in it.

Cameron stood and looked around. She smiled at River. That was how the time transfers were supposed to work. It was clear that River's future resources were still superior.

"It's done. Your brother has 'everything'. To them, you just left. I was there for five hours. Allison and her baby are fine."

For the girls in River's future it was still the same week for them since the 'Day Of Loss'. The years that passed for Cameron hadn't for them even though they were five hundred years in the future.

Sheila marveled at how well River's TDE worked. She thought the improvements to their TDE were good. River's TDE was clearly superior still.

"How does River's TDE work so well?" Sheila asked.

River didn't want to get into the details. There were advancements in technology and superior elements located on other worlds.

"It's a half millennium in the future." River said. "Things have advanced beyond Skynet's technology."

Cameron briefly considered visiting John again. She didn't think she needed to.

"I'm ready." Cameron said.

Summer didn't know the details.

"Do you still have 'enough'?" Summer asked.

River's brother was able to collect a very small sample. That was all that was required with the advanced technology.

"Yes, John hadn't seen me for awhile; he made up for it…." Cameron said. "I made sure."

The girls all giggled.

"This may not be so quick." Cameron said. "I want to be there when the baby is born. That was four more months from when I left and I want to give Savannah a month to recover. I want Vanna to take over the feeding of the baby if possible. If she can't take over, Savannah will need to stay longer."

Cammy wanted results. She wanted to be with Savannah if nothing else.

"I want to go with Cameron to get Savannah back or at least be with her." Cammy said.

Cameron was still worried about unforeseen difficulties or a temporal error. Cammy was needed to prevent the whole thing from ever happening if her mission failed and she didn't return with Savannah.

"No." Cameron said. "If we don't return, you will go back in time and prevent Savannah from leaving with me."

River saw the true implication of that. Too much would have happened for that future not to have been altered.

"That would create a new timeline." River said.

Cameron was sure she'd created a few of those herself even if she didn't have the specifics. The future where Savannah was currently may have been one of them. It didn't matter. Savannah wasn't going to pay for her 'sins'.

"I don't care. Savannah will not perish because of me." Cameron said. "Let's do this."

Cammy wanted to go but if Cameron didn't come back with Savannah soon she was going back in time. She was done waiting. That would be better for Savannah anyway. She wouldn't have been exposed to the future and all it toxins. Cameron even told her to do this. Wait. She wondered if it was a warning about something. She didn't hear River say anything against it either other than a new timeline would be created. Maybe something already happened to Savannah or the baby. She knew she was going to start to glitch if she kept thinking this way.

River sensed Cammy's distress.

"Cammy, it will be OK." River said. "One way or the other it is going to work out."

Cammy nodded but said nothing. She trusted River even if she didn't trust Cameron.

River already made the calculations.

River looked at Cameron and felt something.

"I'm sorry." River said.

Cameron nodded slightly.

"She may change her mind." Cameron said.

Cammy could see some unspoken conversation just occurred. That was just like Cameron.

"What's happening?" Cammy asked.

River was ready to send Cameron. The time for everything else was over.

"I will explain it after Cameron leaves." River said. "The time bubble for you to return should appear exactly five months after you go back to the future from now."

Cameron planned to make that rendezvous. If she didn't, it was up to Cammy.

"We'll be ready." Cameron said.

The time transfer should be much like it was for when Cameron just went to her future.

"I'll see all of you back here soon." River said.

Cameron was still naked. She stepped onto the TDE pad.

"Do it." Cameron said. "I'll be back."

The arcing and flashing started.

The time bubble formed.

The arcing and flashing ended. Cameron was gone.

Summer thought that the 'lifeboat' would be sent back for Cameron and the others now.

"How long will it be until you send the lifeboat again?" Summer asked.

River wanted to give everything some time. They may need more power if more people were in the 'lifeboat'.

"A little bit." River said.

Cammy sensed a further difficulty.

"Spill it." Cammy said. "What's she up to?"

River was aware that Cameron wasn't quite forthcoming with Savannah's plans. That 'oversight' was mainly to keep Cammy from making an issue of things. It appeared that was about to happen anyway.

"Savannah is going to give the baby to Duplicate Vanna." River said.

Cammy didn't want that even if she understood the reasoning.

"That's OUR baby." Cammy said. "She can't do that."

River knew it was more complicated than even Cameron told her. She understood the real story.

"Mrs. Weaver doesn't want to let Savannah leave. To have a grandchild and Duplicate Vanna stay with Mrs. Weaver will allow Savannah to return." River said. "The time transfer would be hard on the baby anyway. I honestly can't recommend that. It was hard on me and I recovered before all the girls did."

Summer was confused as to who would return at this point.

"So who is coming back then?" Summer asked.

River was sure it was only three of them. Her calculations were based on that.

"It should be Savannah, Duplicate Cameron and Cameron." River said.

Sheila was there the whole time. She'd never heard any of these plans or changes.

"Cameron said all that?" Sheila asked.

River knew all of this since Cameron first arrived. It seemed it took Cameron some time to face the facts and accept everything herself.

"No, she thought it." River said.

River looked at Sheila.

Sheila looked embarrassed.

"Sorry, love, it's just that you're a real looker." Sheila said. "You're so 'different'."

River looked at Cammy and Summer.

"Don't feel bad, they're all thinking it too." River said.

Summer and Cammy looked away.

River picked up that vibe a lot. It wasn't just in the past either.

"I've grown used to it." River said. "I filter it out. I don't mind."

"I'm curious about something, will Duplicate Cameron - your Cameron, once you start your relationship share with the girls too?" Sheila asked.

River knew it was something they all thought about a lot. She did now as well.

"I don't know." River said. "Anything is possible."

Sheila saw a big opportunity here.

"Would you consider any 'volunteers'?" Sheila asked. "Some extra 'protection' might be good in your future."

River didn't know for sure what Her Cameron would do but she was fixated solely on Her Cameron. She understood the true nature of Sheila's offer.

"Sorry but I'll only be for Cameron - MY Cameron." River said.

Sheila tried to save the conversation. A foothold in the door could lead to other things over time. Her power cell lasted a long time too….

"I meant for the girls." Sheila said. "So they all could have 'someone'."

River knew the girls already had each other.

"Do you mean as Metal girlfriends?" River asked.

"Yes." Sheila said.

Summer thought THAT would be a choice assignment as did Sheila.

"We can talk about it when Cameron gets back." River said.

Cammy was done with this nonsense. She wanted Savannah back.

"It's time." Cammy said.

River was satisfied they were good and there was plenty of power available if they needed more.

"I'm sending the lifeboat now." River said.

The arcing and flashing started. The time bubble formed and disappeared.

Almost as soon as it was gone the arcing and flashing started again.

"Get ready." Summer said as her and Cammy readied their weapons.

Sheila was aware anything could come back.

"River, go out." Sheila said.

River wanted to be sure who it actually was. She was attuned to what should be Cameron.

"No. Not yet." River said. "I feel something…."

Rings

Is not what binds
Really in the mind
When the mind's door is opened
What will one actually find

Words are just words
Actions speak much louder
Good results from those
Will make one much prouder

What is the tie that binds
Is there really such a thing
It is more than a fling
To what one must cling

When two set out to share
What do they really seek
The spoils go to those who take
Nothing goes to the meek

Some seek ownership
Through various strings
Most often or not
It's through a set of rings

Nobody

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Events continue in Chapter 421

Summer's Timeline:

Cameron's Base:

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