NOTES: Takes place during "Mr. Ferguson Is Ill Today", though diverges somewhat from the aired version. It could be considered a sequel to my previous story "The Uncanny Valley", but it is not necessary to have read it.

SUMMARY: Cameron decides to intervene before John makes a terrible mistake with Riley.

DISCLAIMER: All characters herein are the property of someone other than me. No profit has been earned.

"Only Lonely"
Chapter 2
T.R. Samuels

John Connor drifted up from the depths of unconsciousness, the world a blur as it slid into focus. What time was it? How much time had passed? Was it minutes or hours? He glanced over to the digital clock on his nightstand.

0:53

Only a few hours since falling asleep. The first time he ever remembered sleeping so well. The first time, after their first time.

John smiled as he looked down at the sleeping form of his lover as she curled up against him. Soft brown hair strewn across his chest, their legs entangled, her hand resting on his shoulder in possession.

Whatever he had expected, whatever he could have possibly imagined, paled against the spectacular reality; knowing now beyond any doubt that there was no greater sight in the universe than Cameron Phillips in the final throws of passion before she came crashing back down to Earth, straight into his arms where she blasted away the dull grey years with her kiss.

She was asleep now, or whatever version of sleep she experienced; a voluntary state she could attain that, when he'd asked her to describe it, sounded tantamount to a siesta. Asleep enough to seem that way, but always at the edge of consciousness, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Some men would kill for a girlfriend with standby.

His mind skipped back through what had happened between them. The anger, the tears, the surrender. The things they had done together afterward, making up for anything that had gone before. Their bodies reassuring their souls exactly how forgiven both of them were.

It was quite an experience – one's first time. Such a monumental moment in one's life. John had always longed for and dreaded it. What to do? What to say? Why wasn't any music playing? Too fast. Too slow. Sex-ed only covered so much. His only advisors since being a cleverly renamed mpeg of some guy with a dodgy moustache and a woman whose name, he suspected, was not really Kandi.

Reality had been so much better. It hadn't been difficult at all. It had just gotten better and better, each time learning something new about the other. He knew exactly how to kiss her neck and move across her collar so that she had no choice but to bite down on her lip, making that beautiful sigh that promised to repay his every ministration in kind.

Despite evidence to the contrary, his body had taken a toll. Such exertion had a price, his mouth dryer than he ever remembered. He could feel the soreness of his shoulders and in his legs where the bruising had yet to burst out. Cameron had forgotten her strength in their more passionate moments.

He tried to extract himself from beneath her as quietly as he could, but in seconds she was awake.

"John?" Her voice pulled him back as she lifted her head, wonderfully dishevelled.

"Hey," He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Don't worry, I'm not sneaking off. I just need some water. Do you want everything?"

She seemed to think it over for a moment. "No." She replied, watching him pull on his shirt and boxers. "Drink at least two glasses."

John frowned, amusement colouring his expression as he tried to decipher her meaning. "Why two?"

"If you have become dehydrated, water will replenish your electrolytes," She explained, as though it had been obvious, before fixing him with an unmistakeable gaze. "For sex."

He tried very hard to keep the smirk from his face. Maybe Skynet had given up on trying to kill him and sent a terminator to sex him to death.

"Right."

####

Moments later, John quietly descended the stairs as he headed for the kitchen. Water was one thing, but if there was anything snack-worthy in the refrigerator then he wanted that too. Especially if Cameron intended to get her way when he got back.

As he reached the bottom step he noticed the light on in the kitchen and skidded to a halt in the middle of the lounge, ice filling his veins.

Mom. Oh no…

He could not believe her had forgotten she was here. She had spent most of the day either out or in the garage and he had hardly seen her. Now she was here, sitting at the kitchen table in the middle of the night, looking not at all pleased. A glass of whiskey, plus its bottle, sat in front of her as a shotgun lay propped against the rim of the table. He made his way inside and set about getting the water he no longer wanted. Maybe if he got a move on she wouldn't say anything and this could all wait until morning.

"Good night?" Sarah asked, fixing him with ominous eyes that betrayed just a hint of inebriation.

John swallowed as much fear as he could. "Uh… yeah." He braced for the retort; if she'd had a drink then she wouldn't hold back.

"Cameron around?"

"I think so."

"She having a good night?"

"Um… you'd have to ask her."

"I don't have to," She smiled. "I heard her from the garage."

Dread descended through him as Sarah stared him down, angrier than he had ever seen her. He was certain that his face was as red as it felt. Playing dumb had never worked on her; she knew him too well.

"We need to talk, John."

"We do. But not tonight."

"Yes tonight," She tried her best to sound calm and reasonable. "I always knew there was something between you two, but I can not believe it would go this far. Not what she is. Not after what she did."

He shook his head. "Y'know when people are cruel, it's because they're cruel. When she did what she did, it was because of a car bomb. We all have lousy days."

"She nearly killed you John!"

"But she didn't."

"What about Riley? How do you think she's going to feel when she finds out?"

Fury burst through John.

"You hypocrite!"

Sarah slammed her glass down on the table, making an impressive thud as she turned in her chair, never more ready to fight with him.

"You couldn't object fast enough to Riley, now you're worried about how she'll feel now I'm with Cameron!"

"With Cameron!" She yelled, utterly outraged. "One night with a pretty girl doesn't amount to anything, John!"

"So then what was it between you and dad?!"

Sarah froze, fury boiling through her veins. "What did you say?!"

"You told me that one night with dad and you loved enough for a lifetime!" He had had enough with her feelings on Cameron. "Is there anything you told me that isn't bullshit!"

"Watch your mouth, John!"

He paused, trying to get his anger under control. He didn't want a fight. Not with his mom. Not now of all times.

"I want that thing out of my house and in the incinerator, John. When Derek gets back that's exactly what's going to happen!"

His blood rocketed back to boiling. "Over his dead body!"

"He's your uncle John and he wants what's best for you! So do I!"

"What makes you think Cameron isn't what's best for me?"

"Because she's a thing, John! A machine!!"

The glass he had been holding launched out of his hand, smashing impressively into a thousand pieces against the wall.

"I DON'T CARE!!"

Sarah burst out of her chair in reaction to the noise, fixing him with eyes as wide as saucers. She had never seen John so angry, and the more he'd spoke, the less she recognised him. Now he'd made his position clear. If Kyle were here she wouldn't know what he'd say.

Would he blame her for not being harder on him? For not making him the man he needed to be, rather than the soft fool he was.

"Go to bed," She instructed, dark and dangerous. "We'll deal with this tomorrow."

John felt the anger drain out of him, being violent had been the last thing he wanted, but that didn't make it any less justified.

Without another word he turned his back on her and headed up the stairs.

Sarah watched him go, her anger fuming. John was the most wilful and obstinate person she had ever known, never giving even an inch of ground when it was something dear to him.

She loved the bones of him for it.

She had used to feel that way about things, before life and the future had crushed it from her. But whenever John did things like this it never reminded her of herself; only his father. Every good thing inside John was his father fighting to get out. Every weak thing was her and what she had become, dragging him downward.

Grief flooded through her. Despair was useless, but she'd dropped her guard and now it was in, rooted until it exhausted itself. She downed the last of the whiskey, feeling the burn as tears began welling in her eyes.

Did he think that she didn't know? Didn't understand? How she would give anything to feel Kyle take her in his arms again and fill her heart with warmth. Make life worth living. Banish her every fear and loneliness to the ends of the Earth? That if he were to walk through the door this second, tell her he was a machine and always had been; that it wouldn't have made the slightest difference.

She sobbed out her heart as her back slid down the kitchen wall to the floor.

####

John opened the door to his bedroom, yearning the haven within, finding Cameron sitting up in his bed, the sheets wrapped around her body. It took everything he had not to strip away what little clothes he had and push her back down into the warmth of the mattress. But now wasn't the time.

"Are you alright, John?"

He nodded, slumping down next to her. "I'm fine."

"I heard you arguing with your mother," She moved behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Was it about what's happened between us?"

"Yeah," He gave her a wry smile. "I'm surprised you didn't burst into the kitchen with your rifle."

"Unnecessary. Your mother would never harm you, John."

"Well she harmed me tonight. She said she wants you gone."

Cameron remained quiet, her fears confirmed. She had none of Sarah or Derek; neither could match her in a fight. But the pain of such a schism would be too much for John. Too much for someone who already carried enough.

Warm fingers captured his cheek again, turning him toward her and gave him a gentle kiss, filling his heart with the resolution he needed.

"Cam, be as quiet as you can and pack some things," He reached for the rucksack beneath his bed, already filled with clothes and supplies.

"What for?"

He checked the bags' contents, making sure his passport was inside.

"We're leaving…"

To be continued. Hope you liked it.