Author's note: I'm glad you all enjoyed Sarah's point of view from the last chapter. As I promised, there's more Jameron in this chapter. :)

mshig11 - There are a total of twenty chapters. Well, nineteen and an epilogue.

Chapter Eleven:

To Trust or Not to Trust

Sarah Connor stood quietly in the kitchen, barely paying attention to the potatoes she was peeling. She hadn't seen Cameron all morning, though she wasn't surprised. After what Sarah had said to her earlier, she highly doubted Cameron was in the mood to help with lunch preparations.

She heard the door creak open and looked up to see John enter the kitchen. His brow was furrowed in confusion, like he had an important question to ask her, something that was puzzling him beyond belief.

"Have you seen Cameron?" he asked.

Sarah's fingers tightened around the potato peeler. "No, why?"

"I can't find her anywhere."

Sarah heard the confusion in John's voice, but also the suspicion. Before she could reply, Derek chose that time to enter the room, smirking at his nephew.

"John," he said by way of greeting. "How's the metal?"

"I don't know," John replied, an accusatory edge to his voice. "I can't find her."

Derek frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, she's missing."

Derek glanced over at Sarah, eyes questioning. Did he believe she had done something to Cameron? He must have seen something akin to guilt behind her eyes because he smiled slowly. "Must be my lucky day."

John was less than thrilled. "Did you say anything to her?" he accused.

Derek shrugged. "Nothing more than usual. I've already made my feelings pretty clear."

"I don't understand," John mumbled to himself. "She normally doesn't take your words to heart."

"That's cuz she doesn't have one," Derek replied coolly.

John wasn't listening to him anymore. His eyes were still confused, but Sarah could see the wheels turning in his mind. John wasn't stupid. He knew when things were off-kilter. "She wouldn't have just left without a reason," he said to himself. "If Derek didn't say anything…" Sarah could almost literally see the pieces click together in John's mind. His eyes snapped up to meet hers, his piercing gaze shocked and accusatory. "Mom? You did this?"

Sarah hesitated. There was no good way to confess to him. She was going to seem like the bad guy any way she explained. That hurt her more than anything. Because if Cameron really had left as Sarah had cruelly suggested, John would never look at her the same again. He'd never forgive her, she knew that. Why did I say that to Cameron?

"We had a… discussion this morning," she said in a low voice.

John pressed his lips together tightly and she saw his fists clench at his side. But she also saw fear in his eyes. "What did you say to her?"

There was no getting around it now. He needed to know the truth. No watering down the hateful words that had struck home with Cameron. There was no turning back. "I reminded her that she was a threat to you. I told her that Future You sent her back and asked her to think about why he wanted to get rid of her."

John just stared at her in hurt disbelief. And that was the look that Sarah never wanted to see on her son's face, especially not directed at her. That disappointment, anguish she had caused him.

"Why would you do that?" he whispered.

Sarah bit her lip. It seemed stupid now, her spiteful words, just like Kyle had told her. "Because I thought it was the right thing to do."

"I need her!" John shouted, voice rising in righteous anger. "We've got two Triple 8's coming for me and you make her leave!"

"I'm sorry, John."

John shook his head, denying her words with conviction, and it broke her heart. "I wish I could believe that."

He held her gaze and Sarah wanted to look away, but found herself unable to. She could see a dozen different emotions reflected in John's eyes. Pain, resentment, astonishment, fear, loss, and grief. And there was nothing Sarah could do to make that better.

It was her fault John was hurting. Her fault her son would never forgive her. It didn't make a difference that Cameron had simply left; Sarah hadn't used the sniper rifle, but what she'd told Cameron still rang true. She'd already lost John; lost the fragile trust they had together.

The door opened again and John whipped his head around at the sound. His whole body relaxed and he closed his eyes in instant relief. "Cameron…"

Cameron stood in the doorway, holding something small in her hand. Her eyes met Sarah's briefly, then settled on John.

"I need to talk to John," she announced. "Alone."

John glared back at his mother before walking quickly over to join Cameron.

*******

John couldn't begin to describe the incredible relief he'd felt when he'd seen her come through that door. As he sent a fierce glare back toward his mother, he wondered what she was thinking. Was she regretting that Cameron didn't stay away?

He couldn't believe she had done that. He didn't think she was capable of such cruelty. Derek, yes, but her? He shook his head. She could have killed me. My own mother could have caused my death. What would have happened if Cromartie had shown up because Sarah had chased Cameron away? The Triple 8 would have had no resistance at all. Granted, his mother probably hadn't been thinking about that, but still…if her hatred for Cameron ran so deep that logical behavior was tossed out the window, then there was no hope for her coming around to his point of view. There was no way she would ever truly trust him again.

He glanced over at Cameron, trying to still his racing pulse. "What have you been doing all morning?"

Cameron glanced down, uncurling her fist to reveal something gold and shiny in her palm. "Making something. For you."

John raised an eyebrow curiously. "For me? Why?"

"Because Sarah Connor is right. I am a threat to your safety. Because you refused when I said you must destroy my chip if Cromartie got a hold of it."

John's smile faded. "What are you talking about?" Cameron held out a gold chain necklace with what appeared to be a pocket watch on the end. He took it, turning it over with confusion. "What is this?"

"It's my life in your hands," she replied. John opened the watch and saw that the inner workings were completely removed, revealing only a small red button. "I've planted an explosive inside my skull, near my chip. It's not much, but it's enough. All you have to do is push the button."

Enough? John stared at her in stunned outrage. "Do you have a death wish or something?"

"No."

"This is nuts!" he exploded. "It's insane. You know what would happen if Derek or my mother got hold of this? They'd kill you. On the spot."

"That's why I've given it to you," she replied calmly. "If you're ever in a position where I'm out of commission and someone is trying to get to my chip, you have to push it."

"Why would I do that?" John breathed.

"Because your mother is right. I know things, things that you told me when you shouldn't have. Things that could kill you if the enemy found out."

John had thought they'd settled this question that night on the dock when he'd sworn with conviction that he would never kill her. Cameron had backed down when he started to get worked up. He should have seen this coming. He should have known she wouldn't give up.

John slammed his fist down on the table. "Stop…just stop! Stop trying to protect me! Would you want me to kill you?"

"My mission…"

John took an aggressive step forward, grasping her arms and pushing her up against the wall. She didn't react, didn't try to resist, though he knew she was perfectly capable. "Forget about the mission for once!" he ordered, his voice almost pleading. "Think about you! What do you want? Would you want me to kill you? Would you want to die?"

He saw her hesitate. "...no."

He released her, taking a small step back and holding out the necklace to her. "Then I won't do it. Take it out, now."

She refused to take the necklace from him, her eyes never leaving his, searching his face. "I can't do that, John. You may have to use it someday."

"No," he growled. "You better just put an explosive in my head too, because if this button ever gets pushed…" He shook his head, his voice softening. "I'd die along with you anyway. Take it out."

"You have to do this, John," Cameron replied. "If you don't take it, I'll have to give it to Sarah or Derek."

John's hand closed around the watch again, feeling the panic rise. If the watch was in Derek's possession and knew what it did, or if Cameron's life was in his mother's hands… she wouldn't last a day. They already hated her, mistrusted both her and him. That much had been made clear that morning.

Cameron seemed adamant right now, but he could make her take out the explosive later. He would order her to take it out, or else he'd do it himself. Right now, he had to placate her, keep her life in his hands and his hands only. It was only then that the implications of her action hit him.

She was essentially giving her life to him. Her life, her all, her everything. All to him. If there wasn't a bomb in her head, he would have been touched by the gesture.

He swallowed hard before he put the necklace over his head and tucked it under his shirt.

********

"Hey, Baum!" Counselor Dave ran up to Derek, waving to get his attention. "Listen, we've got a problem."

"I've got to supervise the canoe race," Derek replied.

"Actually, we need someone to stay here in the main hall," Dave replied. He sighed. "Turns out we had a bit of a problem last night. Cameron Phillips attacked Jason Reynolds out in the game room. We're suspending her from the first activities. I need someone to stay here in the main hall to make sure she doesn't try to sneak out or anything."

Derek's eyes widened as the implications of that set in. No. They cannot be asking me to do this. "You're making me baby sit?"

Dave raised an eyebrow. Derek knew he probably sounded like an idiot but there was no way he was staying in the same room with that bucket of bolts.

"Baum, it's only for a couple of hours."

"But…I don't want to stay here with it!" Derek blurted angrily. I am a soldier, not a terminator babysitter.

A confused look crossed Dave's face, and Derek winced, finally realizing his slip of tongue. "It?"

"I was trying to say, 'It's not fair!'" Derek corrected.

"Come on, Baum, what are you, a two-year-old? No complaining. She's your niece, isn't she?"

Derek's face darkened. He didn't even care if that was his cover story. After what she'd been doing to his nephew, he wasn't going to be associated with that machine in any way. "She is nothing to me."

Dave looked positively appalled at his harsh tone. "Gosh, Baum, have a heart."

As the counselor turned and walked away, Derek scowled and muttered to himself. "Why? She doesn't."

************

"Wait, you're grounded?" John protested. "For what?"

Cameron shot a glance over at Jason, who was just exiting the main room with the other campers, all heading for the canoe race.

"When I was looking for you last night, I injured Jason Reynolds," Cameron explained. "He wouldn't tell me where you were and tried to make me play a game with him."

"A game?" John prodded.

"Spin the bottle."

John scowled, his eyes narrowing in anger. How dare Jason try something with Cameron. "I'll kill him."

"I deserve this," Cameron stated. "I disobeyed your order not to harm anyone."

John felt flustered. "Yeah, but he shouldn't have been playing that. Why didn't you tell the counselor that?"

"Do you remember when I told you no one likes a nag?"

"Yeah, but what does that---."

"No one likes a tattletale either."

John sighed, shaking his head. "Cameron…"

"Besides, he would not have believed me," she pointed out. "You told him I had brain issues and all the witnesses would side with Jason."

John shuffled his feet, casting his eyes toward the throng of campers heading towards the canoes. "It won't be any fun without you."

Cameron offered him a small smile. "Maybe you'll win without me as your competition."

"Hey!" John cried, with a grin of his own. "Cocky much?"

"Besides, it's possible I may have sunk the boat."

His smile faded. He hadn't considered that. Cameron's eyes flicked up toward the door again.

"You should go. They're getting ready to start."

John hesitated, not wanting to leave her behind, but she smiled reassuringly and he nodded. "I'll be back."

As he walked outside the main hall, he saw his mother approaching and he quickly glanced back at the building entrance, where Cameron was trapped for the duration of the canoe race.

Sarah must have read something in his eyes because she was instantly guarded. "John," she stated, her tone almost warning. "Remember what she is."

That he could answer definitely. "I am," he replied simply. He knew exactly what she was. Yes, she was a machine, but she was also so much more. She cared, she felt, she laughed…she loved. He looked up at his mother. He hadn't spoken to her since Cameron's reappearance. Maybe now was his chance to make her see his side of things. Maybe she had acknowledged her mistake and was trying to make it up to him.

"She's different," he said.

Sarah pursed her lips. "How do you know?"

"She told me."

"Just like she told you she loved you?"

John's eyes snapped up. How dare she bring that up! She didn't know anything! Anything!

He pressed his lips together tightly, trying to keep from shouting at her. Why was he even bothering trying to convince her? His mother didn't believe him, didn't trust him. She would do anything to get Cameron out of the way.

After this morning, John was beginning to realize that there was no hope. Sarah was just incapable of trusting Cameron.

And so she was incapable of trusting John too.

**********

John ended up being stuck with Riley for the canoe race since he was the last to arrive at the dock and everyone else had picked partners already. The flag dropped and the canoes lurched forward, starting the race.

John knew his heart wasn't in it, but he continued to paddle nonetheless. He couldn't come to appreciate Riley's all too happy 'carrots and apples' attitude.

"Come on, John, pedal to the metal!" she cried excitedly.

John frowned. "Um, Riley, we're in a boat."

Riley rolled her eyes. "Sor-ry! Gosh, you're such a stickler! Paddle to the water then! Let's go!"

It was only logical to try to win this canoe race, he thought to himself. He figured the faster they were done, the faster he could get back to Cameron. They started making good time, until Jason Reynolds rammed into them from behind, shoving John's canoe up into the shoreline where it stuck fast in the mud. Jason chuckled as his boat floated past and John flung his paddle down into the middle of the canoe.

Riley kept her eyes down at the ground. "I'm sorry, John."

He shook his head, sighing. "It's not your fault."

"No, not this," Riley corrected. "For everything that's happened this week."

John stared at her, puzzled, but listening intently. "What do you mean?"

Riley's happiness seemed to fade entirely, leaving only pain and sorrow. "I wanted to be your friend, but…I think I'm going about it the wrong way. I'm really sorry for trying to get at Cameron during dinner the other day. I know you care about her and I guess I was just a little jealous. I mean, we used to hang out and have fun together too. I guess I'm just saying I miss that."

She seemed sincere, and he slowly nodded, trying to give her a reassuring smile. Riley looked relieved, obviously liking the fact that the relationship between them was no longer hostile.

But as they started walking the shore towards the finish line, John couldn't get the nagging feeling out of his head, the feeling that something still wasn't right. That Riley was still hiding something from him. Like she had a secret agenda of some kind that he didn't know about. He wasn't sure what to think anymore. Everyone around him seemed to be hiding something. Like no one was who they claimed to be. Cameron was right.

Fair is foul.

Nothing is as it seems.