A/N: Here is the rest of Confrontation of Enemies, finally delivered after a short slack. Happy Holidays!

Chapter Twelve

Skynet

It had been expected that Skynet would know how to put up a fight, after it had torn them apart not hours ago. John had been expecting something of a cross between Lector and Rambo, plus maybe a little of his Uncle Bob and Dick Cheney. What they had been not expecting was all of that above plus several T-888s at its side. The unknown factor had resulted in Skynet securely running amok inside a nuclear factory, likely attempting to blow up half of California, while they were stuck outside trading bullets and bursts with twelve Terminators. It was driving John mad.

The worst part of all of it, as he ducked down and reloaded his weapon, was that Skynet had used his own idea against him, placing monatomic metals as a barrier between them and the Triple Eights. With magnetic currents running between all of them, the Meissner field that had appeared was significant enough to prevent Cameron from leaping over and taking out the Triple Eights by hand. Yet it was just weak enough that bullets could fight past the field. Skynet's intelligence was definitely far beyond theirs, giving it the edge in unconventional warfare. What John needed was to start thinking unconventionally as well.

Or maybe he didn't need to think unconventionally. Perhaps Skynet was depending on what it knew of John Connor to stop him; maybe it only expected him to think unconventionally and not realistically. So that changed his train of thought; he just had to think outside of what he normally. John's thoughts stopped as he stood up and delivered a heavy stream of bullets at a Triple Eight that was shooting at his mother. He was forced to duck again as it returned fire towards him. Jack drew it away before Cameron, not bothering for cover, fired at it. This game of tag had been going on too long; they needed another way to get to Skynet before it ever so happily disintegrated them.

John's eyes went to the three TechCom soldiers, who were trading between returning fire and digging themselves deeper into the ground. They were continually putting out a stream of bullets and making their improvised foxhole. In any other army they would have been the best with more kills than a squad of tanks. Here they were just more humans against the might and power of machines. Bullets sped past his head and John ducked down out of sight. Now's not the time to be staring at soldiers from the future. Or Cameron, for that matter. Think John. How do you usually take out machines?

Let's see…usually Cameron goes in guns blazing with us coming up behind and shooting anything she somehow manages not to. That means we have to go in silently without guns blazing. Well it's a little too late for that. But maybe instead of going directly for the target, we can go around it. Wait a minute, why didn't I think of this before?

An idea came into John's head as Cameron next to him covered him with herself to stop a burst from hitting him. "Jack! Mark! Fred!" John shouted. One of them turned towards him. "Keep them busy and take out what you can! I'm going around!" Mark looked absolutely perplexed, wondering how on earth he intended to get around them. But regardless he nodded and even gave him a salute. John glanced over at his mother, who was wondering what John was up to at the same time. John didn't say anything but checked his gun and grabbed a monatomic rod. Slowly she returned to taking out the Terminators.

"Cam! Come on!" John shouted, and broke cover. Cameron was in front of him the whole time, protecting him from any stray bullets while shooting at the Triple Eights all the same, one assault rifle for each hand. John kept low and running, sprinting back to the streets. Cameron's pace didn't seem to speed, but rather kept a brisk pace, put squarely between John and Triple Eights. Finally John reached what he was looking for. He put his rifle down and grasped for the manhole cover. It screeched open and he grabbed his gun before heading down. Cameron hesitated; last time John had gone off, he had gotten captured. The consequences of such a similar idea might be more deadly. Her processes computed that she would be there, and John was thinking rationally. At least she believed he was. Cameron jumped down after him.

John knew when Cameron had gotten down when the ground shuddered and cracked behind him. He stepped around trying to keep his balance. Then he glanced back at her. Cameron was staring back at him, waiting for him to take lead. She knows what I'm thinking, but is letting me lead. This is a change. John proceeded at a regular pace down the sewer tunnel, making sure he stayed on the side ledge while sewage flowed by. His nose reminded him how dangerously terrible it smelled down there suddenly. John gagged at the smell as he turned a corner. He could pass out from this smell.

I wonder if Cameron can smell this or not; she did say she has use of her senses. It doesn't look like it's affecting her. I wonder if she's made the connection between preferences and senses yet. I mean, she has an obvious preference for me: she loves me. But does she have favorite smells or tastes? She does have a fashion sense that I have no clue about. John's foot slipped as his thoughts distracted him. Focus on the ledge; you don't want to smell. Really bad.

But he couldn't evade his thoughts long enough to avoid asking something. "Cam, do you smell that?"

"I have turned my nasal sensors off."

Lucky. "Do you have preferences to what you see and smell and that?"

"You."

"I mean…never mind. Let's just go kill Skynet."

"I asked your mother for your hand."

"What does that have to do with WHAT?" John spun around faster and had his gun pointing past Cameron, perhaps to ward off the thought of his mother killing in some degree. Cameron thought his panic was only 30% deserved. "Why would you do that? Mom is going to kill me! Derek is going to kill me! Derek's going to kill you!"

"Derek does not yet know."

"He will!"

"Your mother has already stated she will not damage you."

John's facial expression changed to surprise and then obvious relief. Processing………John is in state of concern and worry; unsuitable emotion for destroying Skynet………Recommended course of action……… "Cam, why did you tell her?"

"It is standard for parents to give consent for marriages."

John groaned silently. This isn't what he needed to be thinking about. "Cam, a marriage between us wouldn't be exactly standard."

"It is morally good to follow the standards for a marriage ceremony." She has me there. Before John could speak, Cameron cut him off. "I apologize; I have distracted you. We will discuss it later?"

"Yeah. Later," John agreed. They continued through the sewers. It confused John when Cameron handed him one of her assault rifles. Did she need to tie her shoe or something? He couldn't fire two at once, at least not accurately. One of her hands reached for his shoulder and began to work magic. He sighed in content as she massaged his shoulder. The smell of the sewer wasn't so bad at the moment.

They found the manhole that led inside a nuclear power plant. It was locked and bolted. Cameron climbed up and ripped it off. It was bolted into cement. They climbed up, Cameron first with two rifles. John came up afterward, checking around him with his gun like Sarah had taught. The room was relatively empty, and it didn't appear to be anymore than a hall between other rooms. Silent red sirens were going off throughout the plant. Skynet maybe be a smarter AI, but it wasn't overly subtle about its plans.

They moved quickly and silently into the next room. It was the reactor control room. Several buttons and levers were moved in directions John couldn't describe. They could be regular or ready to blow for all he knew. Cameron however moved straight towards the controls and began operating something. A number of rods lowered into the reactor, and it stopped glowing. John took that as a good sign. Soon the reactor shut off altogether, and the plant began to shut down.

Gunfire tore into Cameron and she was knocked off her feet. Skynet walked into the room with a shotgun and aimed it at John. John brought his gun to bear and fired first. The T-888 frame jerked with the impact but otherwise didn't stop reloading. Then Cameron jumped in front of John and raised both weapons. She fired at its head and gun, attempting to disarm it. Skynet fired. John felt Cameron's weight press into him and knock him back, and he stumbled further before continuing fire. Cameron's guns never stopped, pouring lead directly at the shotgun now.

Suddenly Skynet threw the gun at Cameron, who jerked with the hit. Dropping both rifles she lunged for Skynet as it lunged for her. John could only watch as both machines went head-to-head. It was something of an art to watch Cameron lithely flow around as Skynet did the same, moving around each other in what might be a dance except John knew each contact they made was an attempted strike at the other's defenses. His question as to how Cameron was able to fight much better than John Henry was answered when he remembered TOK-175s were faster than T-888s. Cameron had an edge in speed.

Their circle of no holds barred fighting continued, creation of humans against creation of machines; Dr. Frankenstein against the monster; champion against champion. John kept trying to get a shot in, but they moved too quickly for him to get a solid bead on Skynet. And he would never let himself shoot Cameron by accident. There had to be some way to end this stalemate so he and Cameron could take down Skynet. Unfortunately, Skynet had one.

"Virus activate," it ordered. Cameron's movements froze as she flinched, before standing perfectly straight and still. Her eyes flashed blue. No. "Status report," Skynet demanded.

"All systems full," Cameron replied monotonously. John panicked, dropping the gun. Cameron, please, no, don't do this to me. Cam, please.

"Incapacitate John," Skynet ordered. Turning in an exact ninety degrees, Cameron faced John and began to walk in a steady, machine like way. John tried to form a fist around the monatomic rod he had and couldn't do much more than weakly hold it. Tears were starting to well. Cam, please…

"Cam," John muttered softly. "Cam, please, stop." Cameron didn't but instead gripped John by the shirt. He didn't fight back; there was no way he could. His Cameron was dead, replaced by Skynet's sinister virus, and there was nothing he could do to convince himself to strike what remained of who he loved. Cameron braced herself and then shoved John back. He slid across the floor, the rod falling out of his hands.

"Cam, please don't do this, please Cam. Cam, I love you; please…" Full tears were coming down his face as Cameron caught him by the shirt and slid him back towards Skynet. She picked up the fallen monatomic rod and approached him again. "Cam, I love you." She stopped in front of him.

"Halt," Skynet ordered. Cameron did so, both machines staring down at him. John had most of his attention on the girl, the machine he had loved. Derek had been right after all, but it hadn't been why he thought. "Your human mind, while unfathomable, is still inefficient, John Connor. It is time for termination." It raised a fist, intent on smashing him to death. Likely it would only take one hit.

Cameron stopped Skynet, a surprise. John's hope faded when she raised the monatomic rod. "John is mine," she stated, eyes flashing blue. Skynet arrived at the same conclusion.

"Override protocol. New order: standby," Skynet stated. Cameron flinched a second.

"I said John is mine," she hissed vehemently, and bent Skynet's arm backwards before picking it up and throwing it aside. John was openly shocked at the suddenly display of emotion. Cameron looked down at him, monatomic rod still in hand. For a moment John thought he was going to die by Cameron's hand rather than Skynet's, not much of a change in fate. Then Cameron gave him a true, genuine, apologetic smile.

John didn't move, and then shouted, "Cameron, you damn mischievous naughty wonderful person, I love you!" Cameron only smiled and offered him her hand. John took her on that offer and got to his feet. I have never seen so trickery or so beautifully amazing at the same time. They turned towards Skynet, which was attempting to calculate what had happened while moving towards them. Cameron gave the rod to John, and they moved for Skynet.

Skynet swung for John, and Cameron caught his arm first. It swung the broken arm at her to retaliate, and John responded by cracking it in the head with the monatomic rod. Cameron picked up Skynet and threw it into the wall. John slammed it again with the rod. Cameron kicked it in the head. With sudden movement Skynet caught John's next strike and slammed him in the head with the rod John was still holding onto. It broke skin and possibly cracked his skull, causing blood to come out. Dazed a little, John watched Cameron furiously stomp down on Skynet's arm, breaking that one as well.

John assured his grip on the rod and gave it back to Cam. Cameron jammed it into Skynet's chest. "You know what your problem is?" John slurred, seeing red out of the corner of his eye. He searched in his pocket for the electromagnet and took a couple steps back. Cameron joined him. Skynet started to move. "You don't think enough like a human." John flipped it on full power. Cameron covered John with her body as Skynet exploded with the force of the Meissner field.

He thought possibly that one piece of the former machine hit Cameron, but she didn't budge, keeping John safe from any harm. When the rending of metal was complete, she let go of him, and he looked over his shoulder to see what remained. All that remained was leg, the rest ripped apart and shredded. Skynet was finally dead.

"You scared me for a moment," John mumbled.

"I am sorry for hurting you," Cameron whispered, holding onto him.

"That's…that's fine, Cam. You didn't…hurt…me…" Blood loss and a strong hit to the head were taking their toll. John's last thought was why on earth did every adventure end with him unconscious before zoning out.