A/N: Thanks to all that read and reviewed! Here is the next chapter of the story.

Before I go any farther I did accidentally mess up the names of the chapters (for #5 I put the title for #6), and I have fixed this. I only put this so anyone who did notice isn't like 'what the fuck just happened?' even though I doubt many of you would of ever noticed. :P

Renderer - Thanks for the review. :) I'll try to post this one more because there are more complete chapters for me to pull from.

acer-sigma - That pretty much sums it up, and I agree that was a very good scene.

olischulu - It's no problem, and yes this is all happening in the same timeline. Once again I can't really say anything, you'll just have to read to find out.

***Notice: This story is AU, so keep that in mind while reading this.***

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Reign of the Cameron: Chapter 6, by The Crusader

Originally posted on October 16th, 2009

Skeletons all over, just like his mother told him. He barely had a chance to react to the site of the dead out here in the cold, before the Machines came after him. It was 5 Terminator endos VS one teenager. Fighting was no longer an option. So he did something that freaked him out almost more than the Machines did. He hid himself underneath a pile of dead skulls and skeletons, and just wished that he wouldn't be joining them soon. He could hear the metal footsteps drawing closer, the clicks and grinds of machine parts moving as they walked forward.

Suddenly all movement stopped. Did they find him?

EARLIER ON…
John made his way through the wasteland that once was downtown LA. He was armed only with one single assault laser rifle, graciously given to him by Allison. John regretted the way he left her. She was upset and scared, and she wanted to hug him before she left. But as soon as she opened the door, he left the base without looking back. It was too painful being around Allison, with all the memories of Cameron. If he hugged her, he would have allowed himself to believe that it was Cameron he was holding.

But that wouldn't make any sense would it? A machine would never need comforting. Yet at times it almost seemed like it. The day that she gave him that detonator, when she couldn't bring herself to kill Riley, he could have sworn she was upset. And then later on when she gave him her "gift," he wanted to hug her, caress her face, and tell her how sorry he was that it had to be that way. But he wouldn't do that, because it wasn't right to feel for a machine. And those feelings could be turned against him if the machine ever went bad.

But as John ventured through this barren wasteland, the fact that Cameron was a machine didn't enter his mind. Only one thought kept recurring: "I've gotta find her. I need my Cameron." But where was he going to look? He had no leads, only rumors. Once again, he was heading out without a plan and without an ally. If it were Cameron, she would never have let him do this. But if she wanted to keep him safe, not take any risks, she shouldn't have left him in the first place.

Suddenly laser shots ran out from behind John. He heard one whiz right by his ear. Without a thought, he turned and fired at the Endo behind him. It was one shot, but it pierced the endo right in the skull, taking it out immediately. John stood in total shock at what he had been able to do. All the years training with his Mom, and his intense basic training under Derek and Kyle, he really did know how to fight. He had never had the chance to find out until now.

But just as he was celebrating his victory, another shot ran out that actually hit his rifle. The weapon was destroyed, but John could barely process that before more laser shots sprayed the ground right by his feet. He looked to his right for the briefest moment and found that there were 5 Endos that had targeted him. John had one chance, the ground to his left sloped down towards the largest collection of skulls. John dove ahead, rolling down the hill towards the bones of people that he never had a chance to save.

PRESENT…

John lay buried underneath the bones, and closed his eyes. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that The Terminators had found him. But why hadn't they shot him?

In the distance, another Terminator approached. Not an endo like the others, this one had the appearance of a beautiful woman. Though for whatever reason, she seemed to deliberately hide her beauty. Her one piece black outfit covered almost her entire body, her dark sunglasses hid her eyes, and her long brown hair was held back in a tight bun. As she approached, she carried a huge weapon in her right arm. It was heavy, but only for humans. Essentially it was a 5 shot rocket launcher that would take 2 humans to lift let alone fire.

The 5 endos looked up away from the pile of bones, and towards the approaching Terminator. They raise their plasma rifles about to shoot, when suddenly she raised her weapon and fired it. 5 Rockets shot from the large launcher, each one of them hit one of the endos and BOOM! John heard the explosion and felt the metal pieces smack against the bones that he was hiding under. He wondered what happened, when all of the sudden a hand grabbed him and pulled him right out. He couldn't help but scream as the Terminator wrenched him right out of his hiding spot, and all of his struggles to break free of the grip were useless. Suddenly he got a look at the Terminator holding him. His mouth dropped in shock.

"Cameron?" He asked with a whisper.

He barely recognized her with her beautiful hair pulled back, a sight he had seen few times. And she wore these black sunglasses, which reflected the small flames left over from the explosions.

"John Connor." She said with a different voice, cold and mechanical. It sent shivers down his spine. Between the voice and the tight grip, he wondered for a moment if Cameron was here to protect him or kill him.

Then she released him and asked: "Are you all right?"

He gritted his teeth, and clenched his fist.

"What kinda stupid question is that?" He asked.

"How is the inquiry stupid? You were just attacked." She replied.

"You've got some explaining to do."

"I know. Come with me."

She took him to an underground bunker, with many hidden weapons and supplies. John sat in a metal chair as Cameron stood repairing John's rifle with a screwdriver and spare parts.

"What is your game?" John asked.

"I do not understand. I am not playing any game." Cameron replied.

"You leave me alone in the present, and then I come here to the future hearing rumors about a Terminator named Cameron. Who has attacked Resistance soldiers?"

"I attacked two, killed one. The one who held a gun at you."

"Lee? He held a gun at me once, never again once he knew I wasn't metal. He wasn't a threat."

"No one may threaten John Connor and live. Even if they never threaten again."

"That's not the way you used to do things."

"I have been through much and have changed."

John looked at her state of dress. It caused Cameron to put the Rifle down at the table and return the glance. He wanted so badly to look into her eyes, why was she wearing those glasses.

"Yeah I see that you've changed. But you're still you? Right."

"You're asking very strange questions."

"I've wanted to see you ever since I got here. Thought I did once or twice, but I was wrong…that wasn't you. How do I know I'm not wrong again?"

"What would prove it to you?"

"Tell me something that only Cameron would know. Something from the past."

"I…" She began, and suddenly her voice began slowly shift to the soft innocent one that John knew. "I remember we were close once. Then after the explosion…you were…different."

John swallowed a big lump in his throat as he realized that only Cameron could know of these events. Cameron continued, still speaking in her human voice.

"But there were moments, when I could tell you still cared. When you repaired my damaged arm, held my hand. The tenderness in your face, the gentleness with which you handled my machinery."

John attempted to hold back the tears, remembering that moment with Cameron. How good it felt to be able to help her, take care of her. As if she were a person and not a machine.

"You didn't need any instruction from me. I never told you, John. But I was so proud of you. And I hoped that things would go back to the way they once were. That you loved me again."

He heard a hint of sadness and longing in her voice, as she looked down at the ground. John couldn't help it. He rose to his feet and drew closer to her.

"I always loved you." He told her.

"And I loved you." She said, raising her face up to his.

"Then it's you? It's really you?"

"I…" Then suddenly she turned away, and her voice returned to the cold mechanical quality. "I am sorry, John Connor."

"Wait, what are you-"

"We must not speak of this again. Stay here where you are safe, I must go destroy more threats to your existence."

She stepped away towards the exit, but he followed. He placed a hand on her shoulder. She knocked his hand away.

"You must understand. I have changed. The Cameron you once knew is gone. Her emotions got in the way and that cannot happen again."

"You go anywhere and I'm coming with you."

"I am sorry."

And suddenly she whacked him right in the forehead, the metal inside her hand knocked him right out. Cameron turned and exited, closing the door and sealing John Connor safe inside. In his unconscious state one thought crossed his mind. He found Cameron only to lose her all over again.

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A/N: I know someone is confused as hell or is all like 'what the fuck that was wrong', CK wrote 'laser' on purpose, he is fully aware that in the show and the movies they are using plasma weapons. But he wanted to show some variety in Skynet's arsenal and if it can master plasma technology why not lasers too? As I said before this is all AU so take it or leave it (technically all fanfics are AU since we aren't writing the show, just some are more AU than others).

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!

If time allows please review, one word is all I ask.