Thanks so much to those who had read and also those who had reviewed!!!
Vfergus: Thanks! I'm glad I'm back too! Well, Cameron's just a small child and she wouldn't even choke if John told her he is her father! Well, I don't want to disappoint you but John meant it when he said 'We're leaving." Hey! I love 'whatever it takes' as well! I actually thought of making this story be based on that song but I chose 'Come For you' over that….Thanks, I love your reviews!
Dim Raven: Yup, that's so right. Humans are all the same kind, they never know it till it's gone…I made you cry?! Wow! Thanks for that! (Sorry if this sound sadistic but it meant you really got it and I successfully made you feel how the characters felt) And don't be too sad…*Pats back
Jeff - Starman800: Yup, it's actually quite sad that John would have to leave his mom but just think how Derek would win the 'killing Cameron' debate if he knew she lost her memory and didn't have a mission. I don't know I should make John tell her, honestly. Thanks so much for reviewing!
zahnfan23: Thank you so much!
gul rahn: Thanks so much! I had to make John dump Riley in a happy mood of his own, lols.
Sigma: Thanks and lolls. Everyone loves it when Riley is dumped. Don't worry, Jameron action starts now…
TSCC FAN: thank you so much!
cptlatnok: I'm so glad you are. I promise, no matter how late you have to wait, it would be revealed in this story. I'll untie the knots, after the current situations are out of the way.
Dc: Thanks so much!
Pointzip73: John didn't want to cut her open as I've mentioned in double Metal. Future John hated to cut Cameron open or sews her back in so this John shouldn't be any different. Considering the fact now she'll bleed, John's not going to make Cameron bleed unnecessarily, especially not just to fix a 'problem'. Wow, everyone loves Riley being dumped. Definitely no love for her there. _ don't' worry, I'll clear the mess about Riley, later. Thanks so much!
TK-MR: Thanks. Alright, I admit, that was very disturbing…sorry about that. Well, your deduction didn't spoil the story much, so don't worry about it. Sorry but I'd rather not say but English isn't my primary language. I came here to write story and to improve on my English.
Well, I'm glad most of you liked John dumping Riley. At least no one's grieving yet…
Chapter 2: Away
"Why?" Cameron asked, almost with indignant.
John breathed deeply before saying, "We have to leave, Cameron. For us to be together. All this is for us,"
"But isn't this our home?"
Home…John wished he could call this home too…but too many things is getting in the way of that and he'd rather sacrifice this 'home' than Cameron. He sighed before replying, "If we stay here I can't be with you," John tried to explain.
"Why?" Cameron asked shakily, frightened by the very thought of being away from the only one she trusted or rather the only person she known in this world.
"We just can't," John said patiently, "We have to go," He paused and bit his lips before saying, "you don't want to go with me?" He asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
"No, of course I want to go with you! " Cameron literally jumped up but John settled her by putting his hands on her shoulder.
"Good," John smiled, "Wait here, I'll go down to get something before we go alright?"
Cameron looked reluctant to even let John out of her sight but she knew she had no choice, "Alright. Come back quickly and be safe," She blurted quickly.
John nodded, trying to be casual and he walked away from her to the wardrobe, picking up an empty bag before leaving the room. He shut the door with Cameron looking at him, frightened and lonely. I heard that. Be safe? Why would she be afraid of my safety? Maybe she's still part of my Cameron? He thought hopefully. With that new hope, John felt confidence swell in his chest, telling him how right this is, what he is doing.
He bit his lips as he descended the stairs, hoping his footsteps would be covered by Derek's snores. But it didn't succeed, when he reached the bottom, Derek's snoring ceased as he sat up in his couch, looking around in the darkness.
"Who's there?" Derek growled. John can make out the mild shape of his uncle leaving his couch and pointing his gun at him. John immediately hid the bag behind him.
"It's me," John decided to improvise; after all, he had the rights to be here.
"Oh, John," Derek lowered his gun, "Sorry for pulling the gun on you, I thought it was metal," Derek said. John can barely make out the shape of him sitting back down.
He gulped on Derek's mention of Cameron.
"You down for? It's late," Derek spoke.
"Thirsty and kind of hungry. And I feel like stocking up on the guns in my room, I can't sleep," John said, walking to the kitchen, not bothering to keep quiet.
"Stocking guns cause you can't sleep," Derek mumbled, "Yeah, sounds about right for a soldier who is uncomfortable with a metal in the house," He nodded to John before lying back down and sleeping.
John shook his head in disapproval at his uncle, when would he learn to accept Cameron?
But he didn't have time for that now. John scooped a bunch of junk food from the shelves and threw them into the bag as quietly as possible. He later decided to switch on the tap to cover all the noise and it worked. Derek didn't suspect a thing.
Then John went to raid the fridge, throwing cans of soda in the bag. He turned off the tap to indicate his work complete. After accomplishing that, he went upstairs to Cameron, collecting the keys to the jeep conveniently from the counter.
"We can eat these on the way to…" John paused, realizing he didn't know where they'll go. Cameron looked at him expectantly, "Wherever," John finished. Cameron frowned at his awkward speech but she may not remember nor know anything but she knew she trusted this boy before and she can trust him now.
"Alright," Cameron nodded. John smiled at her, walking her to the window.
"Can you climb down?" John asked as he opened the window. Cameron looked down from the window, nodding confidently, "You sure? You're limping," He commented, intending for it to be a reminder.
"Yes, I'm sure," Cameron smiled before sitting on the window rail with a little boost of height from her own hands on the panel, propping her up before swinging her legs over deftly.
"Cameron, maybe I should go first," John mumbled nervously as he watched Cameron swing her legs onto the other side of the window.
"I'm fine, throw me the bags when I reach the bottom," Cameron assured him, altering her posture a little as she began to climb down with the help of the tree in their yard. John sucked in a nervous breath as Cameron overestimated her injured thigh thus she jumped down when she was two meters above ground, hanging from the tree.
She fell when pain laced up her leg, knees buckling under the intense pain. Cameron gasped as she fell on the grass.
John felt his heart throbbed painfully along with Cameron as he watched. Hastily, he threw all the bags containing clothes and an empty one down, remembering to keep his bag to himself because of his laptop. John swung both the tidbits bag and his laptop bag over his shoulder, started climbing down.
He took a risk and leaped off the tree when he was a distance from the ground. John rolled on the grass to absorb the impact. He practically scrambled on the grass to Cameron. He dropped both bags, kneeling in the grass beside her.
"Are you alright?" He touched her injured thigh gently. He rolled her jeans up and examined her bare thigh, blushing slightly at her exposed skin but John had more things to worry about, "Does it hurt?" He asked anxiously, relieved no blood had seep through the bandage yet.
Cameron watched intently as John examined her wound like it was his own, with gentleness and also anxious. He looked at Cameron, realizing she was gazing at him, smiling subconsciously, "What?" John whispered.
"I love you," Cameron blurted with a sudden realization. When she caught herself, Cameron started blushing furiously. John wasn't blushing nor looking down awkwardly, he dived forward, hugging her fiercely with tears in his eyes.
"I love you too," John mumbled into her ear. Cameron's blush deepened. He pulled away from her, holding her burning cheeks in his hands, kissing her on her cheek, "Seriously now, does it hurt?" John let go of her cheek and look at her wound.
"Not so much now," Cameron said softly.
"Thank god," John mumbled, unrolling her jeans back to place before helping her up. He slipped his hand into hers, picking up his bag and Cameron's bag, "Can you carry the lighter one?" John gestured at the tidbit bag. Cameron smiled, nodding, picking it up. He collected the empty one as well, walking hand in hand with Cameron to the jeep, "Wait in the jeep," John smiled at her.
Cameron was more cooperative this time, nodding and helping John load the bags into the jeep and riding shotgun while he picked out plastiques and guns and stowed them into the empty bag. At the same time, John opened the safe in the floor of the garage which, Sarah didn't know about it. Because Derek set it up 'for John and himself'.
But when John opened the safe, expecting to find thermite rounds, made by Derek, to empty into any metal they meet; instead he found small bags of diamonds. At least 10 bags of them, chalked up with diamonds filled to the brim and would have overflowed if not for the string that tied the neck of the pouches.
John gaped as he picked one up and weigh it on his palm, opening it to confirm its content. Damn, where'd Derek get so many of these? It's definitely not what we got. John thought but then, oh well, I'll just take 9 of the 10 bags since there are still some with mom. Derek is the one being stupid enough to tell someone as sly as John that secret. John gloated about stealing from his uncle. He was happy he finally had a chance to get back at Derek for shouting abuses at Cameron for so long.
John swept the safe clean of thermite rounds, knowing Derek and mom would have so much time to make some more; he on the other hand can't tell Cameron he is making these bullets to rid any metal monster they meet when she catch him making them. He stowed them into the empty bag, diamonds in the smaller and guns, ammunition in the bigger. Before he went back to the car, John picked up some flare and board the jeep.
Cameron was playing with the radio, changing radio channels constantly. She stopped fiddling with it when John board. She grinned at him like a small child. John reached to the back seats of the jeep where all their bags are and came back with the tidbits bag.
"Here, you can eat and drink these when you're hungry or thirsty," John passed her the bag. Cameron took it, placing it slowly on her lap and raiding through it while John sped off into the darkness, taking in a deep breath.
"John? Where are we going?" Cameron asked, picking out a bag of Cheetos.
"I think for the time being, we can't be around here but not too far. Just far enough for us to come out as much as we want without getting seen, perhaps another city," John replied, softly. He heard her tear open the bag of their 'dinner'.
John felt guilty. First day of his responsibility and he let her eat junk for dinner and soda as beverages? He glanced at her, surprised to see Cameron eating at the bag of Cheetos savagely but still, with dignity.
She looked so hungry; John can't believe he'd forgotten if she would be. He continued stealing glances at her as she ate, feeling his stomach growl softly. He ignored it, driving slowly in the darkness with only their headlamps of the jeep as he didn't want the neighbours looking out for the sound.
Suddenly, he jumped as a piece of chip darted to the side of his mouth. He looked at Cameron curiously who watched him with nervous eyes. John smiled appreciatively at her, gently taking the chip in his mouth, chewing on it, savoring the first chip fed to him by Cameron; whom he'd love with his heart and soul from now on.
It wasn't long before the second chip sought it's way to the side of his mouth again and the third and fourth, coming in not one at a time but at least two at a time between the pinch of Cameron's index and thumb.
John realized she know he was hungry, as hungry as she was. Cameron would never forget about him and only think about herself. The fifth was sent to him but instead of chip, it was an opened can of Dr Pepper.
John glanced at her, risking it while he's driving, a mild surprised look spreading across his face. Cameron anxiously prodded his closed lips with the mouth of the can silently. He instantly parted them, taking a sip as Cameron tilted it just right for him to take a huge mouthful after mouthful and when he was taking the third mouthful of it, Cameron pulled it away.
She dumped the empty bag of their shared chip into a plastic bag that she searched and found from the drawer in the jeep. Soon, Cameron opened the second and this time, feeding all to John, slowly but at the right pace.
"Aren't you hungry?" John asked between crunches.
"You are," Cameron stated playfully, cocking her head, as if teasing him.
"I just have a bigger diet than you do!" John protested, trying hard to keep his eyes on the road and 'attack' Cameron for 'insulting' him.
"You ate 1 and a half packets of mega sized Cheetos!" Cameron countered, gently but tentatively pinching his cheek. John also realized the difference in her speech. In the past, he was almost positive she'll say something about 'volume' of the packet of chip.
"Hey! Stop that!" John snapped playfully, not unkindly. Cameron laughed; which sounded like wind chime jingling in the wind, like his dream. John looked at her dreamily, slowing down the speed of the jeep to look at her. But before he knew it, he felt her warm hand on his cheek, pushing them back to facing the front.
"Don't drive us into the back of a car," Cameron said. John grinned to himself foolishly. Not only her but John realized, they never fail to bring smile to each other's face. John was glad he won't regret what he decided to do. It's only a few minutes since they left and he already loves every second of it.
"Yes ma'am," John said, deliberately dragging his words. He expected Cameron to start countering and continue this silly but sweet bickering between them; instead, he felt her soft lips against his cheek. John froze for a while before smiling to himself.
Cameron shrunk into the corner of her seat, grinning at him. The slow but fun journey continued until John felt an involuntary droop in his eyelids. He blinked, straining all his muscles but it never works. He felt the pressure on the pedal lighten as his tired legs became soft.
"We should stop," Cameron touched his arm gently; sending his skin tingling by the contact.
"No, at this speed we're going we-"
"We're stopping, please," Cameron said, "You need it," She stated. John hated to admit it but she's right.
"Alright," He sighed, giving in, "The map's in the pouch behind your chair,"
Cameron reached for it with ease due to her flexibility, flipping it open but to John's surprise, she didn't look at the map but at him. He cast a short questioning look to her stare at him.
"At least tell me you have a torch? How am I supposed to see?" Cameron said matter-of-factly.
"Oh, right," He shifted, digging into shirt and pulling the birthday device out. John had to suppress the urge to tell her to use her night vision. Cameron helped him remove it, setting the screen to go to the brightest it could, shining on the map with their pathetic light.
"There's a motel nearby. Up ahead," Cameron informed, "Left, turn out of the road," She said. John obliged, struggling to keep his eyes open.
He parked into an empty lot, pulling up the brakes. Suddenly, Cameron reached over with her left hand to touch his left cheek, pulling him to face her. She kissed him between his brows gently, muttering soft thanks and let him go, alighting.
John was surprised at how much kisses he got from her! Maybe losing her memory is a good thing? He thought, alighting and get the bags, handing her own bag to her; walking hand in hand with her to the motel.
John glanced at Cameron. She was looking innocent, curious, beautiful and of all, unhurt. His heart soared to see her like this and he was quite determined to preserve this for as long as he lived.
Come to think of all that's happened, maybe it's a good thing she's forgotten everything, even the fact she's a robot…
"Sir, we'll like a room," John said to the man behind the counter.
"Sure, a room?" He asked, glancing with that sly look between Cameron and John, who nodded, only the latter blushing furiously, "A bed? Or two?"
"One," John replied again, flushing a deeper red.
"Here's your room keys and have fun," He grinned to them. Cameron cocked her head curiously, a habit a Cameron with or without her possession of her memories. He grabbed her hand and walked to the lobby with her, heading to the third storey.
"We're going to sleep aren't we?" Cameron asked which John replied with a nod distractedly, looking around while waiting for the lift, looking for threats now that his protector isn't really doing her job well, "Why would we have fun?" She probed. John's jaw dropped. Despite her memory lost, she's still so curious; a quality he hoped she had lost as well.
"He didn't mean anything, Cam," John dismissed her question embarrassingly.
"But-"
To be continued…