Thanks to those who reviewed. All of them were greatly appreciated and of course to all other readers too!

mshig11: Don't worry. Better late than never. I'm really glad someone noticed that then baby had brought the couple closer and that you are able to accept the new dynamic I'm setting up in Cameron and John. Thanks for your comments on the chapter! For the last sentence in the 2 paragraph of your review, I think it'll be proven in this chapter. ^_^ about your question: For my first story (Double metal) I actually let the story unfold itself out as I wrote so it went kind of overboard with 33 chapters. I think letting the story unfold itself is kinda cool but its scary how your chapters would shoot up before you know it. For the second story: Falling in the black, I did a little planning at the ending as it kind of complicated and for this, I did all of the planning! It was difficult but that was the point. This story has a lot of twist and turns so it'll be complicated. And Yes! Of course I decided on a name! I actually already wrote the story out in my thumb drive. (Yes, I was excited too). Actually, I completed already 2/3 of my story in my thumb drive but only posted about a little less than 1/3 so far…Thanks and lols. My reply was even longer than your 'long' review! But don't worry about being OT. I don't mind it in the least. In fact it's kind of fun!

Nomad79: Hi! Thanks so much for that and the review!

TK-MR: Thanks so much!

j3aless: YES! That was supposed to be an imitation of Sarah! That's not all I'm going for but a small portion, yes. I figured that John would need someone who is paranoid and a little like Sarah but not replacing her completely, near to him all the time. So I figure Cameron would make a good imitation as she know Sarah and is bound to learn from the mother of destiny. (A little secret but I considered making John's neighbor an imitation of Sarah. See how that worked out! Lols!) And about Cameron's maternal instincts, yes, I'll definitely let Cameron develop those but not too much at John. Thanks!

kaotic2: Thanks so much for the review!

This is a busy week for me and made a lot of modification from the original rough draft I had out. It is past midnight and almost 4am. So…bear with me if the grammars are exceptionally bad and if the typos are all over the place. I hope you'll enjoy my work that I completely in a semi conscious state! Enjoy!

Chapter 21: To choose

Cameron pressed her hand against her belly protectively, feeling her back against the steady wall. Her hand, filled with dried blood, felt the small bulge in her belly gently, the only comfort she had. She was panting and tears were flowing down her cheek uncontrollably. Her thigh hurts so much, considering the fact she had a huge wooden splinter through it, this doesn't felt much. Plus, the area where her ribs are throbbed whenever she took in a breath. Might be bullet interfering with the expanding and contracting of my lungs…but I'm a machine…

She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her head back on the rough brick wall behind her. Her heart hurts way too much for her head to think. John…was all she could think of. She rested there for a while, missing the weight of the 9mm on her band of her jeans. Sniffing, Cameron took a deep breath and calmed down. When her breathing evened out, lessening the pain in her ribs, she slipped her head out the corner and scanned the area. Nothing…good…but John…

Cameron pinched her lips together, bending over to accommodate to the throb in her ribs. She placed her arm over the area just below her breast, holding her ribs and trying to stop the bleeding. She practically ran in a limp to the SUV parked along the pavement. The streets were empty.

Cameron leaned over, wincing as she reached the SUV. More blood poured out on her arm, soaking her sleeve. Ignoring the pain and forcing herself forward, she drew back her fist and broke the glass window, trying to be as quiet as possible.

She let herself in after putting her arm through the broken glass and opening the door from the inside. Once settled in the leather seat of the SUV, she got to work. Finding the wires behind her teary eyes proved difficult but Cameron managed, striking the copper wires together in a shaky attempt to ignite the engine.

Soon, the SUV burst into life in the quiet neighborhood and Cameron struggled to sit back upright. When she did, her unhurt leg pressed on the accelerator and she drove off home. She needed back-up…

* (About 20 minutes ago)

"You okay?" John asked her, touching her hand gently. They finished their hotdogs a while ago. He had suggested for them to stay at the park longer but Cameron was persistent in getting back to keep watch.

"I'm good." Cameron smiled.

"That's what you say when you aren't," John mumbled, his index finger drawing circles on the back of her hand.

"But I'm fine." Cameron assured, turning to observe Bedell's house, "Promise." She added.

John shot her a doubtful look, accompanied by a smile. She has been unnaturally still since they returned from the park. He had to touch her to realize she's actually there. She worried him more than ever now that he know what's up about her. John felt unnecessary paranoia arise every time. Danger seems every where now that he knew about the baby and how the life could be lost if not taken care of carefully.

Cameron stiffened as a big bald man walked on the pavement, marching towards his house, "John." She called him thickly.

"Yeah?" He turned to her with a slight smile. He stiffened too when his eyes saw the man she saw, "figure it's them?"

"Him," Cameron corrected.

"Or it." John added, earning an annoyed look from her, which he found terribly new and amusing.

"Come on," Cameron mumbled, stepping out of the car. John nodded, reaching to the back of the car and pulled out the shotgun from under their seat.

"Got a plan?" He stowed the shotgun under his jacket as they walked to Bedell's house.

"Yeah. I'll face him, you take Bedell and run." Cameron muttered as she looked across the road at their suspect.

John's eyes widened in fear and shock. He grabbed at Cameron's shoulder harshly, turning her to face him, "No! Cam, I'm not leaving you! Not after what we did, what I did to keep us together, not when you're preg-"

Cameron slapped her hand over John's mouth, "John, it's a plan." She forced a smile, "And we follow it or we're all dead." She gently released her cover over his mouth and kissed him lightly before crossing the road to the man who is now at Bedell's gate.

John gritted his teeth together, looking around the empty neighborhood before pulling out his shotgun, "Like Connors ever follow plans." He mumbled bitterly, following after Cameron.

His heart hammered his chest as Cameron pulled the man away from the fence and kneed him in the stomach. Judging by his stoic look even after getting kneed by her, John concluded sourly that he is a terminator and that Cameron had a disadvantage. He jogged across the road and took aim at the terminator but the fight was too quick and he was unable to get a clear shot at the terminator.

"John, get Bedell!" Cameron shouted, ducking as the terminator thrust out a strong punch. John hesitated, feeling his heart ache as the terminator threw his love into the house throw the wall.

"CAMERON!" John screamed out, helplessly. He pinched his lips together in fury and fired his shotgun at the terminator. It recoiled at ever shot from John, trying it's hardest to advance on him. He watched as the thermite rounds did their job. The slugs drilled into the terminator's coltan chest easily.

From the corner of his eye, John saw Cameron got up, dazed. He took the chance of the terminator flinching to dash to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her while firing on the approaching terminator.

"Cam, are you okay?" John asked thickly above the explosive firing of the shotgun.

"I'm fine. Get Bedell!" Cameron snapped, pushing John away from her and towards the stairs. He staggered a little to regain his balance, shooting her an unbelievable expression, "Go! I'll be alright!" She jabbed her finger to the stairs just as the terminator grabbed Cameron by the cuff of her neck with his arm and slammed her down on the coffee table.

He squeezed his eyes shut in pure hate for himself before turning his back and running up the stairs to where Bedell would be, preferably.

Cameron reached for and pulled out her Glock but before she could aim it at the terminator, it kicked the gun out of her hand.

The terminator pressed her down with his knees, punching her in the face. She flinched uncontrollably, feeling the impact each time. Her sensations haven't hit her so hard since John made love to her. Bracing herself, Cameron reached out and caught the next punch, pushing the terminator back with all the strength she had, noticing the unnatural weight of this one.

The terminator stumbled back only to pull out his pistol and shot it at Cameron. She cried out in pain, feeling the bullet embed itself deep into her ribs. She stepped back from the impact, crashing into the shelves. Worry grew in Cameron's chest for their baby but she didn't have the time to run scans or feel around for it before the terminator grabbed her and threw her across the room.

She crashed into the wall by the stairs, her head ringing as she fell to the floor, absorbing the impact with her hands. Her HUB was in a total mess, ringing out with warnings and damages, making it impossible for her to see as the terminator loomed over her, grabbing her shirt and lifted her into the air.

Cameron cried out the second time as she slammed through the wall behind her, destroying the storeroom beneath the stairs. She felt a sharp pain in her thigh but she didn't have time to explore it either before the terminator shot at her again. She managed to avoid being shot by rolling on her side.

She could barely make out the shape of the terminator as it walked to her. Cameron blinked and heard a loud sound of John's shotgun going off. The terminator stumbled and fell back, a hole through its arm. Then Cameron felt a soft touch cupping her face before she was scooped up into someone's arms, John, she knew. She recognized his touch after so long; she could hear his thumping heartbeat and his panting.

She felt cool air brushing through her hair.

"Bedell! Go, go! There, the alley!" John's voice made her relax in his arms, leaning her head on his firm arm.

Cameron felt herself being placed down on the hard floor and John cupped her face again, pressing his forehead against hers, "Cam, talk to me." He mumbled pleadingly.

"John," Cameron whimpered after finding her voice.

"Are you okay?" John's voice sounded shaky and she knew he was scared, "would you answer me? Please…"

"M'okay." Cameron mumbled her slurred speech.

"Cam you-"

"That man! Who the hell is he?! He-" An unfamiliar voice rang in Cameron's ears, whom she assumed to be Martin Bedell. A small smile of pride graced her torn lips, John managed to save him.

"SHUT UP!" John growled dangerously.

"But he-"

"If you say another word, I'll kill you myself." John snapped and Bedell was silent. John kissed Cameron on the lips gently, tasting raw blood on his lips from hers. It broke his heart to taste the blood.

"John, run." Cameron muttered blearily.

"No." John shook his head and she felt his hand on her belly, examining her. Then his gentle touch went to her thigh around her wound.

"The-"

"It doesn't know we're here." John interrupted, touching her ribs gently. Cameron winced, jolting up from her place, "Sorry."

"It knows, John. They always know. Run. Take Bedell." Cameron panted, feeling more blood pouring out from her bullet wound as John touched it gently.

"No. It can kill me if that's the price I have to pay to stay here." John replied simply, touching her hand.

"Don't be stupid John!" Cameron said forcefully with all the strength she had.

"I am. So be it."

"He's coming this way!" Bedell screamed. John dove to him, cupping his mouth shut.

"Idiot! Your voice would bring it to us!" John hissed. Too late…He knew. The terminator is already marching their way.

"We're dead to stay here!" Bedell whispered nervously. John contemplated as to what to do before an idea struck him. He turned to Cameron, wide eyed as to whether his idea would work but it definitely beat sitting here to wait. He moved silently to Cameron, cupping her cheek and kissing her on the forehead.

"I love you Cam." John mumbled before picking up his shotgun and grabbing Bedell's upper arm. Cameron stared weakly at them, afraid as to what John would do.

"We'll run out. You run the opposite direction as me. I'll distract him. Run don't look back, Bedell," John mumbled to him. Cameron frowned weakly in worry and disapproval to John's stupid plan. He'll get himself killed.

"John…" Cameron breathed out; she started to move from her cold and hard spot. Her arms slowly went out to gain balance on the floor as she attempted to crawl.

He turned around to face her, lunging forward and pressed his lips against hers gently before she could move an inch, "I love you." He mumbled before pulling away and running out into the open with Bedell running in the opposite direction.

Cameron attempted to cry out to him but she couldn't, her throat refuses to. All she could do was shift to the edge of the wall and peek out slightly with the energy she had left. Her power cell was doing it's best to charge up power from her secondary power cell but that take a while and time was something she doesn't have. Her muscles were weak and she couldn't move but only to watch.

She saw Bedell running in the direction John told him to. The terminator turned to Bedell and raised its pistol but was his aim went wrong and shot into a bush instead when John fired a slug into its back.

Cameron held in a nervous breath as the terminator turned and faced John. The terminator fired at John but he ducked behind their jeep. The terminator shot the engine and killed it.

John ran out from behind the jeep as the terminator reloaded its pistol. It attempted to raise its gun but John shot at it, disarming the terminator. Seeing there is no other alternative, the terminator decided to go after this threat before terminating Martin Bedell.

It ran to John, who grinned in triumph before turning on his heels and ran. Cameron watched in worry as the terminator started to gain ground on him. Just as he wanted to turn the corner, the terminator grabbed the back of his jacket and threw him to the ground. John cried out in pain and dropped his shotgun.

He struggled to get up and picked up his shotgun before running as according to plan. Cameron noticed he was limping, probably a leg sprain or worst, a spine injury. She watched worriedly as John fired at the terminator, taking the chance of it flinching to run away around the corner.

And he was gone, so was the terminator.

*

Cameron stopped the SUV in front of their house, stopping the engine and sitting there, observing any movement in the house. She quietly opened the door and attempted to step out with her injured leg and instead, she fell out of the SUV and onto the pavement unceremoniously.

The image of John all alone and hurt bought her to her feet and she limped to the house, unarmed.

Cautiously, she stepped up to the door and fished out the keys, inserting it blearily into the key hole. The sky is dark and Cameron was too dazed from the warnings flashing away. Finally, the door opened to her and she staggered inside, collapsing on what she knew was the couch, by instinct.

Cameron rested on the couch, placing a hand on her belly, feeling a new wave of pain strike her thigh and rib wound. Her breathing increased as the pain intensifies.

"Have to find John." Cameron mumbled to herself, forcing herself off the couch and to fetch the medical box in the shelf opposite. She fumbled with the hatch, her fingers dripping with blood.

She slowly reached up and removed her jacket gingerly, tearing away her bloody shirt and dumping it on the floor. Cameron glanced at the light switch, finally deciding she'll never survive the short walk there to switch on the lights so she reached into the medical box and took out a torch.

Placing it on the table with the strong light shining on her, she got to work. Gingerly examining her own bullet hole in her ribs, she reached for the scalpel. Her eyes lingered on the bulge just below her wound, staring at its prominent existence. It has grown since a few weeks ago. She couldn't help but smile.

Bringing her attention back to her wound, Cameron knew there is no way she could put on anaesthesia to do this or she wouldn't be able to pull out the bullet. She had to do this without it. Scanning her own body, Cameron located a small extra metal piece on the inner of her body that wasn't supposed to be there according to her memory of her own endo skeleton, assuming that is the bullet. It seemed to have not touched her lungs but it as lodged between two rib bones.

Only thing Cameron knew about that: It's going to hurt.

Taking in a deep breath, she embedded the scalpel deep into her bullet hole. She gasped in pained but gritted her teeth, careful not to cry out in case she attract attention. Cameron threw her head back in pain. She deftly drove the scalpel through her wound, enough for her to reach the small tweezers in to pull the bullet out.

Cameron squeezed her eyes shut, feeling warm blood seep out on her arm. Throwing the bloodied scalpel on the table, she reached out and picked her the tweezers. Looking gingerly at her wound, she carefully reached the tweezers in and felt around, wincing as metal touched her flesh.

Cameron frowned, prompting her hands to work faster as she calculated the rate of her blood loss and compared it with the rate she is working. If her calculations were correct, including the blood loss from her thigh, her body would be empty of blood before she could even find the bullet. Then John would go without backup. He'll die, the baby would die. Her death was the last thing she'll worry about.

Cameron knows, she's a machine but she also know her baby needs blood if it were to survive. The last thing she wanted was a baby who would turn out to be like her, a metal. She didn't want John to hate it. She didn't want people to hate it, despise it. Cameron hurt just knowing that her baby might go through what she had in the future.

What if she gave birth to a metal just like herself? What if it had some problems? What if John hated it?

She jumped as a soft clink was heard. Cameron turned to the source of the noise, spotting the bloodied bullet sitting on the table with her hand holding the tweezers by its side. She smiled gladly, that multitasking wasn't something she lost, and leaned forward to get the bandage. She winced slightly, feeling her wound piercing up her body.

Later, she worked on her thigh, pulling out small splinters from her wound and wrapping it up. Limping on one leg, Cameron walked to their stock of guns and ammunition.

She grabbed a shotgun and loaded it quickly with bullets filled with thermite, made by Derek Reese. They seemed to be useful so far. After making sure the shotgun was ready and loaded, she took two pistols in a bag and threw in a can of thermite and flare.

Cameron wondered where John is, where she'll go looking for him, she didn't even know if John's still alive. She didn't have the time to keep thinking about the baby and herself. She has made a tactical error in leaving John there. She could've strained her power cells more. Then she'll be with John. He'll be safe and that's the last thing he is now.

Cameron had always been an efficient protector to John; to Future John no less and that made her think why she was so valuable to both of them. And that she was always driven to destroy and kill anything that stands in her path to protect John, he was her priority and always will be. This situation was no less different from the rest she's been through.

Someday, she would find a way to make herself a true machine again. She'll go to Catherine Weaver if she had to because John needed a terminator protector and not someone who would be too hurt to protect him at times. Someday, she might have to kill their baby to save John. She wasn't sure if she could do that before but now, when the situation was in her face, Cameron would never hesitate if she had to choose between the baby, herself and John.

She'd always choose him.

Cameron cocked the shotgun smoothly.

I'm coming John…

To be continued…

NEXT CHAPTER: Cameron struggles to find John with her injuries while John fight for his life while being hunted by the terminator. In all this, John Connor found a new reason to fight for humanity.