Sarah Connor stared at the spot her son was standing in only moments before. It wasn't a surprise, really, that he chose to go. She saw the look on his face, and heard the catch in his voice. "He has her chip. He has her."

She wasn't sure how she felt. On one hand, her son had risked his life, risked the future of humanity, and ditched his own mother to save… her.

Sarah acknowledged that Cameron wasn't an "it", and hadn't been for… well, she couldn't remember a time when she had ever called her "it" before. Even when trying to convince John that Cameron was just a machine – a piece of metal – she always referred to Cameron as "she".

Sarah slowly turned her eyes to the deactivated terminator in the chair. Irony, thy name is Cameron. On the other hand… her son had risked his life for something he believed in; for something he… loved. Humanity couldn't ask for a better savior.

"My mother? You know my mother?" John was incredulous. How could Allison know his mother? It's been almost 20 years, surely she… John swallowed hard.

"I knew your mother well, John. Sarah Connor saved my life."

John's heart was beating out of his chest. He didn't miss the emphasis on "knew", which meant his mother was now dead. But if she lived long enough to save Allison, who would only have been a toddler when he jumped, then perhaps…

"How?"

"I was 5 years old when Judgment Day arrived. I don't remember anything. I don't know how I survived, or how I ended up where I was. I don't remember what happened to my parents. All I remember is that when Sarah found me, I was living in a tunnel alone, eating garbage and bugs. I remember the moment I first saw her. She looked at me for a long moment, then smiled as if she knew me all my life. She held out her hand and said "come with me if you want to live." I didn't know who she was, but it didn't matter. She was the first person who offered to help me.

"She took me to an underground compound of sorts. Mostly old subway tunnels. There were soldiers there. and lots of other people. Everyone knew who she was. Well, at least who she said she was.

"Everyone knew her as Sarah Taylor. She was the leader of the group. She knew all about the machines, how to kill them, and how to hide from them. She taught us all everything she could. Especially the two of us."

John, who had been listening attentively to her story, had finally cut in. "The two of you?"

"Yes, Savannah and I."

"Savannah? Savannah Weaver? She's alive?"

"Of course she's alive. That's her pallet over there." She pointed to a sleeping mat not far from her own.

John's mind raced as he tried to keep up with all the information. It seems his mother survived to see Judgment Day after all. Perhaps she wasn't sick when he left her. And little Savannah Weaver survived as well. Sarah and Ellison must have taken care of her when he and Catherine jumped.

"Ellison… James Ellison. Do you know him?"

Allison thought for a moment. "No, I'm sorry. I don't remember any Ellison."

So Ellison didn't make it, or at least, Allison never met him to know if he ever did. John took a few moments to think.

"If everyone knew my mother by Sarah Taylor, how do you know her real name?"

"Well, Savannah knew of course. It wasn't long until I found out. But I never told anyone. It was a secret between the three of us. She didn't need Skynet hearing that she was alive, and running the resistance." Allison grinned wryly at this statement. She took a deep breath and continued.

"She used to tell us stories about you, when you were growing up. She also told us who you were meant to be. What you were meant to do. Savanna remembered you of course, but I had never met you." At this, Allison grinned evilly. "I think she had a crush on you."

John blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't really know what to say. It was kind of embarrassing that his mom had talked about him so much.

Allison knew she was at a touchy point in the story. This was where it all mattered.

"On the day she died, she called me over to her. She had been sick for a long while, and there was nothing the doctors that were around could do for her. She knew she didn't have much longer. She told me a secret that she never told anyone else. She told me that her son, John, would come back some day."

John was intently watching Allison now, as she told him her story. She was staring at the floor in front of her, playing with a piece of string that was tied around her wrist.

"She told me that I was special, that I had a special role to play in the future. She said that when you'd come, nobody would trust you. Nobody would know who you were. But I would know, because she told me. And you would trust me, because I reminded you of someone you trust the most. I don't really know what she meant by that, but I promised I would help you when you came. I didn't know when you'd come, but I knew you would. Sarah never lied to us."

John felt exhausted. His mother had been sick. He felt guilty having left her in such a condition to lead the resistance alone. He wondered how she had survived so long. She must have been miserable. But knowing mom, she'd have made sure nobody noticed.

Moreover, his mother knew Allison. She knew who Allison was, or rather, whom Allison became a template for. She took care of her anyway, and trained her personally. All of this, knowing that some day, Skynet would kidnap her. They would model Cameron after her. Cameron, the terminator his mother so fervently wished she could destroy. It was as if his mother was ensuring that it happened. Ensuring that Cameron was created.

John looked at Allison. He wondered if his mother realized she'd also have to die.

"She gave me a message for you."

John's eyebrows hiked up comically, and Allison giggled. "She gave you a message… to give to me, when you found me?"

"Yes."

John took a deep breath, and nodded his consent for her to continue.

"She said…," Allison paused for emphasis. "Come back."