"I need you to stay here and babysit" Sarah announced, as Kat looked up from where she was lying down on the couch.
"John's not here. Who am I supposed to be babysitting?" Kat frowned.
"Derek. Cameron and I are going to Serrano Point to see if we can find this Greenway. Derek needs to stay here" Sarah explained, taking a handgun out of the waistband of her jeans and handing it to Kat.
"What, am I supposed to shoot him if he tries to leave?" Kat joked as Sarah rolled her eyes at the comment.
"Can't exactly take a loaded weapon to a nuclear powerplant" Sarah pointed out, as Cameron entered the room, going to stand near the front door silently.
"What happens if you run into trouble? Which let's face it, you probably will" Kat stated, not liking the idea of Sarah being defenceless.
"Why'd you think I'm bringing her?" Sarah replied, ushering over to Cameron.
"Well, be careful. It could be a trap" Kat exclaimed, pushing herself into a sitting position.
"You're not going to complain about not coming along?" Sarah asked, surprised by Kat's behaviour.
"I can barely walk. I'd just get in the way" Kat shrugged, looking down at her aching leg.
"Make sure Derek canvases the route to the school today, the last thing we need-" Sarah began, but Kat cut her off quickly.
"Is any nasty surprises, I know. Don't worry, I'm sure we can handle picking up a teenager from school" Kat smirked, as Sarah nodded with a small smile.
Kat called out for Cameron just as Sarah was leaving the room and ushered her to come over. She surprised herself with how comfortable she found being around Cameron once again, considering her injuries were due to the machine in front of her.
"Look out for her. Keep her safe" Kat told her, as Cameron tilted her head, a thought coming to the forefront of her mind.
"Why are you so concerned about Sarah Connor's safety? She has shown she doesn't harbour the same fears for you" Cameron pointed out, as Kat's forehead wrinkled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kat inquired, sitting up a little straighter.
"She left you to die. Has this not affected your relationship?" Cameron went on, clearly confused.
"She had to protect John. It was the right thing to do" Kat explained, not meeting Cameron's gaze.
"You would have done the same? If your positions were reversed, you would have left her to die?" Cameron tried to clarify, as Kat mulled over the comment.
"…No. Probably not" Kat admitted.
Sarah was like a mother to her. She would have wanted to leave, but if push came to shove, she would have stayed with the older woman. If anything happened to John or Sarah, she didn't know what she'd do. They were the only family she had.
"That would have been a tactical error" Cameron stated, as Kat chuckled lightly.
"Maybe. Doesn't mean it would have been the wrong choice" Kat replied, as she could practically see the cogs turning in Cameron's head.
"Why all the questions?" Kat couldn't help but ask, finding it strange.
"I wanted to evaluate what I should do in that situation" Cameron informed her.
"You would have gone after John…I mean he's your priority, right? The rest of us…we're just collateral damage" Kat pointed out, as Cameron seemed to think about that for a few seconds.
Before she could respond, a loud beeping could be heard from outside the house, as Kat guessed it was Sarah getting inpatient from the car. Derek quickly came into the room, wondering if something was wrong. When he saw Cameron looming over Kat, he instantly tensed, marching forward to stand beside the machine. Cameron turned to him in confusion, taking in his crossed arms and scowl on his face. He looked all but ready to throw Cameron through the nearby window when another round of angry beeps came from outside. Cameron turned on her heel quickly and walked towards the door without another word.
"We were just talking" Kat rolled her eyes.
"Since when does that thing have conversations?" Derek scoffed, still glaring at the door.
"Who knows, maybe another one of her screws has come loose" Kat shrugged, seeing from Derek's expression that he was taking her statement seriously.
"I'm joking, Derek! C'mon, you seriously need to relax" Kat complained.
"We're in a new house, in a new area, with no idea how many available exits we have, or the dangers that could-" Derek began, but was cut off as Kat threw a cushion at his face.
She was worried for a moment she might have pissed him off but instead watched as his lips twitched into a smile.
"Come sit down before I throw my crutch at you next" Kat threatened, patting the couch beside her.
"Yes Ma'am" Derek mocked, as he did as he was told, an amused grin on his face.
"What's up?" Kat questioned, seeing how tense his shoulders still were, as he rested his chin on his hands.
"Sarah thinks I'm a loose cannon. She doesn't trust me" Derek sighed.
"The thing is…you're not from our time. Sarah and I, we haven't seen the things that you have. We can imagine them but it's not the same. You'd do anything to complete your mission…we wouldn't. Sarah's not sure what to expect from you, but she does trust you. She wouldn't let you anywhere near John otherwise" Kat explained, as Derek turned to look at her.
"Even if I am his Uncle?" Derek pointed out, making Kat's eyes widened.
"You know?!" Kat gaped, as Derek chuckled lightly at her reaction.
"I figured it out pretty early on. John…he looks like my brother" Derek admitted, as Kat's eyes softened.
"You never really talk about Kyle much…" Kat trailed off, wondering if she was crossing a line.
"What's there to talk about? He's gone. The machine's killed him. Just like they've killed everyone that I care about" Derek mumbled, looking down at his fidgeting hands.
"Maybe it's a consolation prize but…I'm still here," Kat told him, watching a pained expression spread over his face.
"But for how long? What if you're still gonna' die? What if I haven't changed anything?" Derek replied, his eyes snapping up to hers.
"Trust me, Derek. You've definitely changed some things…you've changed me" Kat insisted, reaching out and placing her hand over his own larger one.
Derek's eyes trailed down to where their hands were connected, a conflicted look on his face. He flipped his hand over so that they were palm to palm, as his thumb began to stroke the back of her hand lightly. Kat caught his gaze a moment later, as he opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it again.
"I…I should sweep the perimeter" Derek announced, standing up quickly, his hand dropping away from her own.
"I'll stay here and keep the couch safe" Kat replied, watching a grin spread across Derek's lips.
"Sarah's gonna' be pissed when we tell her John left school early" Kat stated, as they stepped out of the jeep.
The pair arrived at the school, only to find out John had skipped his last period. Kat had asked around and supposedly he had been seen leaving with a blonde, which she guessed was his crush, Cheri. She had texted John quickly and received an immediate reply stating that he was fine but needed some space. Kat knew better than to pester him. Sarah had texted them an address an hour later, stating that Greenway was at a bar and it would be the perfect time for them to search his car, while Sarah distracted him. They got to work quickly with surveying the car park for the vehicle that Sarah had described.
"John's sixteen years old. He shouldn't need a fulltime babysitter anyway" Derek pointed out, as he pulled out a flashlight.
"It's not a babysitter he needs, it's a bodyguard" Kat mumbled, lagging behind him due to the crutch she was still needing to use.
"Hey, he'll be fine. If he wasn't, he'd let you know" Derek insisted, seeing the worry on Kat's face.
"…Greenway's car could use a paint job" Kat stated, changing the subject, as she pointed to a nearby car that fit Sarah's description perfectly.
"Keep watch" Derek replied, as he pulled a crowbar out of his jacket.
Soon they were able to enter the car, as Derek started to search underneath the dashboard, finding Greenway's driving license. There were empty fast food packets all over the backseat, making Kat grimace, as she wondered what threat the man could realistically pose.
"Shit" Kat mumbled, as she saw a car approaching them, headlights illuminating her body.
She quickly jumped into the front seat beside Derek, slamming the door shut and hoping that no one had seen her, her crutch dropping to the floor outside. They heard the car stop just behind Greenway's, as Derek wrapped his arm around Kat's waist and pulled her to lay down beside him. She let out an indignant cry, as Derek placed a finger against his lips, as they heard someone stepping on the gravel beside the car. Kat flinched as the back windshield suddenly shattered, glass spilling into the vehicle. Derek rolled them over so that he was hunched over her protectively, covering her head with his hands. The assault was over soon, as Derek turned to see a man scurrying away with a crowbar in his hands. Someone was clearly pissed with Greenway.
"You okay?" Derek queried, looking down at Kat, while his arm was still wrapped around her waist.
Once Kat nodded, Derek helped to pull her up into a sitting position, watching as she grimaced, her body still broken and bruised. Kat's eyes trailed down to where his hands were still touching her waist, as he quickly pulled them away, averting his eyes from her questioning gaze.
"Somebody just smashed Greenway's windshield. Big guy with a crew cut" Derek announced as they approached the bar table Sarah and Cameron were standing by.
"Well, Greenway's got a lot of enemies. He stopped the last reactor test because of safety concerns. If he stops the test tomorrow, people are afraid the plant will get shut down and they'll lose their jobs. He's concerned about one of the sensor boards in the control room" Sarah explained.
"It's showing slight irregularities in the coolant pumps…I hacked into the computer and read his notes" Cameron clarified when she saw the strange looks she was getting.
"What's with all the cash?" Kat frowned, seeing the notes Cameron had splayed over the table.
"I've been playing pool" Cameron smiled, counting the notes.
"Why?" Kat asked, curiously.
"We need money" Cameron shrugged, making Kat's frown deepen at her odd behaviour.
"Anyway, his boss is pressuring him to ignore it, says it's nothing major. But if Greenway's, right, and there was a problem-" Sarah was cut off by Cameron.
"The reactor could meltdown. Half the state would be contaminated" Cameron stated.
"Skynet wins" Derek mumbled.
"Not to mention thousands of people die" Kat added, raising an eyebrow at him.
"But if Greenway stops the test and they close down the plant…" Sarah trailed off, realisation hitting her.
"Then the resistance can't use it in the future" Derek sighed.
"Skynet wins" Cameron finished for him, as Kat lowered her head to rest on her hands.
"That's not our only problem…John's been playing hooky" Kat admitted, watching Sarah's eyes widen.
"What? Where is he?!" Sarah insisted as Derek held up his hands in the hope to calm her down.
"He's fine, Sarah. He texted Kat, said he'd be home by eight-" Derek began, as Sarah cut him off angrily.
"And you didn't even try to find him? What if something happened to him?" Sarah exclaimed, turning her gaze to Kat as if she should have known better.
"He's had a tough week. The last thing he needs is us suffocating him" Kat pointed out, as Sarah shook her head vehemently.
"We're leaving. Now" Sarah announced, standing up from the table and storming towards the door.
"Well…that could have gone a lot worse" Kat mumbled, sharing an amused look with Derek.
"I will pay for our drinks" Cameron told them, as she walked towards the bar.
"Alright, she's starting to freak me out a little" Kat frowned, watching as Cameron handed a wad of cash to the bartender, a sweet smile on her face.
"She's been different since John reinserted her chip" Derek stated, as Kat couldn't help but agree.
"Maybe it's…" Kat trailed off, as she watched a man come to stand beside Cameron, placing his arm over her shoulder.
"Now what's a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?" The man slurred, as Cameron looked at him in confusion.
"Hey mate! Get your hands off her" Kat called out, marching forward as she saw how the man was pulling the machine closer.
"Looks like it's my lucky night…two for the price of one" The man grinned, drunkenly at Kat.
She simply scoffed at the older man, grabbed onto Cameron's arm and dragged her away from him. It concerned her a little that Cameron didn't seem to understand what the man's intentions were. Since when did she feel actual concern for Cameron anyways?
"Goddamn tease" The man drawled, as he lunged forward to grab Kat's ass as she walked away.
Kat came to a halt instantly when she felt his hand on her backside, turning around slowly with a dark look in her eyes. Before anyone could say anything, her fist was colliding with his face, making him stumble back a few steps. Not letting up for a second, Kat then grabbed the man by the back of his head, and slammed his face into the bar, as blood began to pour from his nose. She lowered her hand to wrap around his neck, as he tried to fight against her, his fingers clawing at her wrist, but she only gripped tighter.
"Kat!" A voice boomed from behind her, pulling her out of her violent trance.
She instantly dropped her hand from the man's throat, as he flopped to the ground, barely conscious. The bar was silent as everyone's eyes were on hers, as she saw the bartender was edging towards the phone, probably about to call the police. What the hell had she done?
"C'mon, we need to go" Derek insisted, picking up her crutch which had fallen to the floor, as he started dragging her away.
"What the hell was that?!" Sarah exclaimed as they pulled up to the drive of their new house.
"I don't know…" Kat trailed off, looking out of the window.
"What happened to keeping a low profile? That guy was going to call the cops! They might have seen us talking together in the bar-" Sarah started, but Kat quickly cut her off.
"I know, okay?! Just drop it!" Kat shouted as Sarah flinched slightly, not expecting the outburst.
Sarah opened the door and left the car without another word, quickly followed by Cameron when she saw the lights were on inside the house. Derek turned to look at Kat from where he was sitting in the front seat, with an expression that she couldn't put her finger on.
"Hey, that guy was a dick. I would have done the same" Derek pointed out.
"I don't think you were his type, Derek" Kat chuckled lightly, still looking out the window.
"I meant…if someone touches you, I'd leave them with a lot more than a broken nose and some bruises" Derek exclaimed.
"Sarah's right though. I shouldn't have done that. I just saw red…hell, I'm not sure how I even managed it. I've barely been able to open a jam jar the last few days" Kat explained, making Derek frown.
"Must have been the adrenaline" He shrugged, as Kat seemed less than convinced.
"We better go in. I want to see Sarah tear John a new one too" Kat suggested, with a small smile.
Kat was surprised to see a pretty blonde standing beside John when they entered the kitchen. From the expression on Sarah's face, she was glad she wasn't in his shoes.
"Who's this?" Sarah questioned, glaring at the younger girl.
"This is Riley. From school" John replied, trying to appear confident.
"Hi mom" Riley smiled, as Kat couldn't stop herself from cringing.
"Let's talk…you and I" Sarah announced, as she all but dragged John out of the room.
"I can see what's kept John so busy this afternoon now" Kat whispered to Derek, who gave an amused scoff.
"Uh…hi?" Riley mumbled, when Cameron came to stand a few inches away from her, not saying a word.
"Hey Cam, you should probably head upstairs. You've got that thing to do, remember?" Kat called over to her.
"What thing?" Cameron questioned, not taking her eyes off Riley, clearly trying to evaluate whether she was a threat.
"You know, that thing" Kat insisted, ushering for her to leave the room.
"Are you referring to faking ID badges?" Cameron suggested as Kat had to physically restrain herself from facepalming.
"What, why would you say that?! Go!" Kat mouthed, behind Riley's back, as Cameron finally seemed to get the message.
"Sorry about her…she got dropped on the head as a baby" Kat offered, coming to stand beside Riley.
"Right…" Riley trailed off, looking at Kat up and down.
"What?" Kat frowned, as Riley seemed to more or less be checking her out.
"You're younger than I thought you'd be" Riley muttered, as Kat's frown deepened.
"Oh…uh, when John said he had an older sister I just imagined you'd be...you know...old" Riley exclaimed, a second later, as she quickly began to edge towards the door.
"She seems weird. No wonder John likes her" Kat joked, turning back to Derek.
"You called her Cam" Derek stated, as Kat looked at him with confusion.
"Cameron. You called her Cam" Derek clarified, with a questioning look.
"Oh, just slipped out, I guess…What? Do you want a nickname too?" Kat teased, as Derek shook his head fondly.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm back after all these months, and I couldn't be more excited to write this story. Things are going to get a lot more interesting from here on and out as we learn more about what's going on with Kat and Cameron. Please leave a review:)
Gally: No time machine needed, haha. I hope you liked this chapter, lots of good things to come, I promise!