Chapter 450

Temporal Trauma

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Cameron's Base Current Timeline:

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The arcing and flashing started.

The energy bubble appeared.

Holly was in it.

The arcing and flashing ended.

Ginger and Bob were in the TDE room.

Bob stood there and looked at Holly. He didn't remember why he was waiting there, only that he was there.

Holly was surprised to see Bob and Ginger.

"You're back too? What happened?" Holly asked Bob. "The 'Cameron' inside me told me to enter the time bubble."

Bob seemed to have a few blank spots. He did know that everything was OK and everyone was back.

"There was a failed Skynet attempt on the Connor base. Cameron pulled us out and neutralized the threat. I was returned a short time ago." Bob said. "Savannah is back now also, as is Cammy. Ginger and Cammy are back in their own chassis and sheaths."

Holly was pleased to hear that. She didn't hear Bob mention anything about Cameron.

"Is Cameron back?" Holly asked.

Bob tilted his head slightly. He wondered why there were some blank spots.

"I haven't seen her." Bob said. "I don't think so."

Holly looked at Ginger to see if she knew.

Ginger didn't remember much either about what happened recently. She only remembered swapping chassis back with Cammy. Now she was here at the TDE controls. She wasn't sure how she knew what the settings were. It still seemed like she needed to do something as soon as Holly left the TDE room. She looked over at the storage room door.

"Cameron wasn't back earlier." Ginger said. "I don't think she was anyway."

Holly wondered why they both seemed a little off. She felt fine. She caught her reflection on the metal of the TDE console. She was glad she missed the battle and wasn't damaged. She was glad to be back. She finished dressing.

Both Bob and Ginger took in her beauty. They didn't remember that it was ever destroyed. It was still unspoiled and perfect. Neither one of them remembered the 'damaged Holly' that was about to be 'Temporally Terminated'.

Holly wanted to catch up with everyone.

"I want to see Allison." Holly said. "I haven't seen her for a few months. It's been that long for me anyway."

Bob took her from the TDE room and said Allison was in Savannah's room. Ginger remained behind.

Holly left to find the woman she loved. The woman who looked like the machine she loved. Now Holly loved them both even more.

Bob remained outside the TDE room and heard it functioning again.

Ginger came out of the TDE room a minute later. She looked at Bob.

"Holly came back." Ginger said.

Bob nodded.

"I saw her." Bob said.

Sheila came running when she heard the TDE operating. She wanted to see who was operating it and why. She put her pants on as she arrived.

She slipped her top on as she faced Ginger and Bob.

"What's happening, love?" Sheila asked.

Ginger really liked those nipple rings that Sheila exhibited and flashed around. They gave her a bold distinctiveness. She pictured them on her pink nipples…. She would ask Sheila to get a set for her before she returned to her future if time allowed. She would have a few things to show and teach Sandy when she returned. She liked it here better. She would try to stay as long as possible.

Bob replayed the file of Sheila arriving and dressing.

"Holly came back." Bob said.

Sheila wondered what was wrong with Bob and Ginger. They looked lost.

"I heard the TDE run several times." Sheila said. "It sent an energy bubble and retrieved it and then ran again."

Ginger only remembered Holly's arrival.

"It did?" Ginger asked.

Sheila looked a little upset.

"Yes." Sheila said. "I heard it."

Bob thought they did something else. He wondered what it was.

"We must have tested it first." Bob said.

Ginger and Bob only remembered Holly coming back. They were glad to see her. It seemed to have been awhile…. Both Ginger and Bob purged their memories as per Cameron's request. All either of them remembered was Holly came back.

The only one that would ever know what happened to Holly was Cameron. She would use the files of how she'd 'destroyed Holly' to 'punish' herself along with everything else she 'punished' herself with. She knew if she could feel pain that she was still alive….

Cameron always knew she was – alive.

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Cameron and Duplicate Cameron went through the chip of the Terminator. She didn't find what she wanted with the information from him.

Her next junket was to see where the HK drone went and vanished at. She set off alone to do that. She kept all the Resistance drone flights out of the area. She didn't want to tip her hand. It was an area she approached at night. Her vision capabilities were somewhat diminished at night but not by much. There were several vision spectrums available to her.

Cameron's main goal was to see if there was a hidden Skynet facility. It appeared that all the recent Skynet related activity came from hidden and concealed facilities. She wasn't sure where the four transports were hidden at. That would take a large underground facility to hide those. Maybe they weren't underground. They could have an area that was under some camouflage netting or something. That still needed to be determined. The control data from all four of the transports was unrecoverable.

She still wasn't convinced that Skynet set up the HK drone and Terminator to see if she specifically came to investigate. She'd made a direct challenge to Skynet and it seemed that Skynet accepted the 'offer'. If she was the only one to come this was probably a probe. As to why Skynet didn't act further was a mystery. That was unless it couldn't. The attacks that Duplicate Cameron and Future John led earlier severely disabled it for months. Maybe it used the last of its reserves for the attack that was thwarted.

Cameron was at the area now where the trace ended. They'd lost the tracker where she was at now. It was a very small lake. It would not be the first time an HK drone hid in water. She'd seen that same thing before in the high desert when they investigated Desert Heating And Air. It was a front for Skynet.

She'd studied past satellite images of the location. There was no body of water here in the past. Someone created an earth filled dam to create it. She would need to leave her weapons behind to enter the water. They would not function under the water. She stowed her gear and made sure she wasn't being watched.

Cameron walked into the water. In seconds it was over her head. The sides of the banks were very steep once she was under the water. They appeared to be created that way. Someone wanted this body of water to be small and deep.

The water itself was very polluted. That was how the water was in the other small lake where she'd encountered an HK drone under the water. The cattle in the area were all dead. Maybe this was another way Skynet sought to kill humans. It was most likely that any human who drank the water here would die from it.

She walked across the bottom. There was no HK drone under the water. She wondered if this was the trap. If the water were to be energized she would most likely become incapacitated. She hurried to get out. She was displeased her hair was messed up now. It was the hardest thing to get right.

She looked around the area. She found a three inch diameter piece of wood from a tree branch. It was about five feet long and bleached to a bone white color. She selected the lowest spot in the earth filled bank and went to work. She carved out an area deeper than the bottom first before she brought the trench to the waters edge. She scraped out a trench that the water began to flow out of. As the water flowed faster it helped make the opening deeper and wider. It was soon two feet wide as the water rushed out. She waited until most of the water was out. There was nothing in the bottom. She looked around the area one more time before she left.

It made her wonder about the nature of the water. Was it something designed to 'dip' an HK drone in to short out any tracker? Was it all part of a ploy to get her here? She was here and nothing happened. She collected her gear and returned to the Connor camp. There were other things she wanted to check on. They were things she planned to use.

Future John worked Cameron with to determine where the parent Skynet really was. They both figured it was down deep and bunker buster proof.

Cameron left for several days and checked on her Nike nuclear warheads. There were two of them she could get to easily. She was actually happy to find they were still there and unused in her future timeline. She didn't look for the other two yet. She hoped they were still there. The two she checked on were still stable and transportable. There was no radiation leakage. She knew one day she would use them against Skynet again as she'd done in the past. She never dreamt it would be in her future.

The fact that two were still there meant she must not have gone to any extreme measures to use them and eradicate another Skynet in her past. Then again, she only looked for the first two. Now she was unsure she wanted to look for the other two. If one was missing, that meant she might have used it with the same results as the first one she'd used. It didn't matter that it was actually Duplicate Cameron and not her. It was still 'her'. She decided to look for them another time. She possessed what she would need for now. She was ready for Skynet when they found it.

After the failed Skynet attack, Skynet went back into hiding. Cameron communicated with it on the battlefield to let it know she was coming for it. She made sure the camera on the downed HK drone delivered her message. She'd personally terminated several Skynets. It always seemed to know somehow. She wanted it to know. It was personal now. For what was done to Holly, she would find Skynet. To protect Future John, the girls and HER babies, she would find Skynet. She would personally terminate it. Maybe Skynet was her father. It didn't matter. Skynet was the enemy. She always feared she would become Skynet herself. It made her want to destroy it even more now.

Cameron wanted a fighting force ready. She already gone on her own junket to find where the HK drone went and where the Terminator she'd captured came from. She'd hoped to find a female chassis for Holly. Maybe it didn't matter. Bob should have fixed the problem that she'd created, at least some version of 'her' created.

Future John massed his forces. He listened to Cameron this time. It was to be an all Metal show with the human Resistance as a back up and a defensive force. Cameron insisted Metal take the damage and losses, not people.

He was glad they hadn't lost more in the ill-fated attack that Cameron's operatives thwarted.

Future John looked at Cameron as they prepared the troops.

"You're - different." Future John said.

Cameron tilted her head slightly. That statement was illogical.

"I'm identical to the 'Cameron' you share your bed and females with." Cameron said.

Future John understood the principal they were both the same and there was another one too in a further future now. They may have started as the same at the time of the 'TDE Incident' but they were not the same now.

"My Cameron is similar to you but you're - different." Future John said.

Cameron was aware how Future John looked at her. She didn't like what his look indicated. She looked coldly at him. She belonged to John, not him. Not anymore anyway.

"It's not going to happen." Cameron said.

Future John continued his lewd stare at her.

"Hasn't it already?" Future John asked.

'Did Future John violate me?' Cameron wondered.

She was sure a lot happened before she was sent away. Maybe he was going to come clean and admit his assault on her.

"You tell me." Cameron said.

Future John didn't like games. He was forced to stay away from Savannah and Claire when they were here. He did try to be with both of then several times. Previously the future offered a lot and he tried to take advantage of it. It seemed those days were over.

"I'm John Connor." Future John said. "The man you're married to."

Cameron felt some anger stir in her. She felt defiant and combative right now. She never wanted John to be Future John.

"No, MY John will be a better man than you when he's ready to take his place." Cameron said. "THAT is what you wanted. I want it as well. I'm going make it happen. He will NEVER be YOU."

Future John thought of Savannah again. She was so young and sweet. Her body was pristine. He's watched her nurse the babies. He'd spied on her whenever he could. There was never a sore or scab on her. That was his Savannah. He should have been the one to 'break her in'. Now he wondered about Young Allison. Did it get any sweeter than that?

"What of Past Savannah and Past Allison?" Future John asked.

Cameron didn't like the questions. She was in charge of the past, not Future John.

"It will all still happen." Cameron said. "It's the 'Natural Order' of time."

Future John could see jealousy in Cameron now. Her emotions were well developed and greatly expanded. She was more of a stone cold killer robot for most of the time she was with him. She was obedient and did what he told her do….

"You don't want it to be." Future John said. "I can tell."

Cameron was selfish but she loved Savannah as much as John if not more. She needed to keep herself in check and focus on John. She was afraid she would take Savannah and Young Allison and run off with them. She would make sure they were both pregnant before they left. The three of them could have a family together in the past. they could get away from it all…. She needed to refocus.

"No, I don't want it to be but I love Savannah and Allison. You saw her, John. Savannah is the 'Chosen One'. She's provided a child for you in this timeline and she will in her timeline as well. I will yield to her and I will share with her when I have to. I want to." Cameron said. "I will share with both Savannah and Allison."

Future John wondered how successful Cameron would be in the past. So far she'd prevented Judgment Day. That was an accomplishment. She might even stop Skynet altogether.

"What happens if you prevent Skynet from taking over?" Future John asked. "Then what will happen?"

Cameron always felt 'happy' when she thought about Savannah. Savannah was always there for her and never gave up on her. She knew true love when she saw it.

"I owe Savannah everything. If she wants My John still, I will share with her. I want her to be his wife." Cameron said. "I want him to have the best.

Future John couldn't believe his ears. He knew Cameron from before. That wasn't what she would ever agree to.

"No you don't." Future John said. "I know you."

Cameron looked at her left hand, there was no glitch. It was what she wanted. She smiled. She knew what she wanted – for herself.

"Apparently not…." Cameron said and walked away.

Future John watched her go. He wanted her….

A figure emerged from the shadows.

"If you touch her, I will terminate you myself." Duplicate Cameron said.

Future John saw the 'old Cameron' before him now in Duplicate Cameron. They would probably both terminate him.

"I think she would beat you to it." Future John said. "She's unique in every way."

Duplicate Cameron felt offended. It looked like Future John was in for a dry spell. She would have a talk with the girls. None of them would 'put out'. It didn't matter that much to them, they could share each other.

"I'm her Duplicate." Duplicate Cameron said. "We're identical in every way."

Future John knew they no longer were. He'd better tread lightly. He didn't want to have to break 'Rosie' out again. That was a total drag with three smoking hot females sharing in the next room so he could hear them. He'd better throw out a 'carrot' or he was going to get the 'stick' used on him.

"Sure you are, Cameron." Future John said. "Let's go see how our children are doing."

Future John KNEW Cameron Prime was special and there was no other like her. He also knew his younger self was a lucky man. He knew Cameron would only ever love one man – John Connor and two women - Savannah Weaver and Allison Young.

He was determined to 'have' Cameron before she left. He always loved her. He wondered if she knew the truth of their previous 'involvement'. It didn't seem like it. He'd personally erased those files twice. His Cameron asked him about it before and he lied. He knew she scanned him too whenever she'd ask about it. Nobody could ever know the truth….

He still remembered the hurt in Cameron's eyes when he told her of the temporal mission he planned for her. He could see she felt she was being 'punished' by being 'sent away'. She thought he'd rejected her. He needed to send her away or the anti-Metal faction would destroy her. They would terminate her because they hated her and all Metal. He knew they were going to kill him too. He would never allow her to die because of him. He would rather die for her….

Future John only wished Cameron knew how much it hurt him to send her away because he loved her. She saved his life again when she came back. She returned his Allison to him as well as his Savannah. Cameron provided 'HERSELF' to him with the Duplicate version of herself. Now she'd brought Allison's mother with Allison's baby in her, HIS baby and the young Savannah Weaver from that timeline, with HIS child in her. Cameron gave him everything he wanted. She was the most caring and loving individual he'd ever known. She was the most special person ever.

Duplicate Cameron could see Future John was a million miles away. He was lost in thought and drifting. It was clear he loved another. Maybe she better not hold out. That would only make him want her more.

"You can pretend I'm her later on…." Duplicate Cameron said as she looked at him. "I really am anyway…."

Trauma

Some seem to think
Without any pain
Things don't move forward
There is no gain

Pain comes in many forms
Physical pain will come and go
The pain in the heart and mind
Lingers and lessens very slow

Should each step forward
Result in two steps back
It seems like any advance
Is viewed as an attack

Only those that are loved
Are ever able to truly hurt one
They can make one feel defeat
When everything has been won

There appears to be no escape
From life's daily drama
To share joy, happiness and love
One must experience great trauma

Nobody