Still at home, but preparing to leave for a long wanted and deserved vacation. John has some troubles. Which? Read and find out!

Thanks for friendly reviews. I didn't know I could write something people would actually like ...

Chapter 3 – Off We Go

"Damn!" John jumped out of the bed and frantically searched for a clock. He was sure he'd overslept the departure and the others were already gone without him. Not that it could be true, but his mind was still in a half dream state and working at about 10% of its full capacity. As he finally found the clock and wiped his eyes to see the display, he sighed relieved: "Thanks God, it's still early." He fell back to the bed and contemplated his options. He could try to sleep for another thirty minutes or he could get up early and try to find something to eat. After few seconds he decided for the latter. He was too excited to be able to go back to sleep and maybe he could scavenge something edible in the kitchen.

After a yawn, a stretch and a deep sigh, he searched for his jeans and found it under the table. While pulling it on he jumped on one leg and, not being fully awake, with his balance being seriously diminished, it was absolutely no wonder that he managed to fall over like a log, being lucky not to hit anything with his head. Damn again! I need a mug of coffee. No, not a mug, a bucket of nice, fresh, hot coffee!

After a short intermezzo of cursing in the horizontal position, sprawled over the floor, he set on to get up and finally managed to put on his clothes. Walking sleepily over to the door, he tried to grab the door handle, missed it two times, and managed to hit it in his third try. He opened the door and padded across the landing towards the stairs. He couldn't hear anything and he thought that he just might be the first one to wake up. Wait! I can't be the first one. Cameron doesn't sleep, so she should be awake. He dreamily thought about Cameron, sitting at the kitchen table and longingly looking at him with her big warm brown eyes. He shuddered. Wake up man! She's not there … probably.

He finally managed to get Cameron's picture out of his mind and quietly descended the stairs into the kitchen. There was no one there and he felt just a little disappointed that Cameron really wasn't there. Well, she's probably out, making her rounds or in her room, packing her things and getting ready for the vacation. He went over to the counter to the coffee machine and prepared everything for a big mug of coffee. While the water began to boil and the coffee began to fill the jar, he looked at the machine sleepily and tried to figure out what would they do first after arriving to their destination. The gurgling sound of the machine, finished with filling of the jar, woke him out of his reveries and he reached for the biggest mug he could find. After he filled it with as much coffee as it could hold, he began to fill the sugar in it. One spoon, two spoons, three spoons … "John, you know it's not healthy to put so much sugar in your coffee."

He almost jumped out of his skin as he heard Cameron's voice from behind. "Jeez, Cameron, don't do it again, please! You scared me to death!" He balanced the mug in his hand, barely escaping spilling its contents over himself.

"If I really intended to scare you to death, you'd be dead by now." Cameron smirked at his horrified face and walked up to him, until she was only inches away from him. "But so much sugar still doesn't do anything good to you. I suggest you spill this coffee away and fill your mug with fresh coffee and no sugar."

John looked at her with open mouth: "Are you saying … are you going to kill me by scaring me? And no, I won't throw good coffee away just because you say so."

Cameron smiled: "John, I would never do anything to harm you in any way, you know that. That's why I suggested a new mug of coffee. But I wouldn't force you …"

John smiled back: "Right!" He took a sip of his coffee and made a face. "It's too sweet!"

Cameron grinned at him: "I told you so, but you wouldn't listen to me. Now you should bear the consequences of your mistrust."

John grinned back in realization, how right she was … again. He went over to the kitchen table and sat down while motioning Cameron to join him. She followed his invitation and sat down next to him, maybe just a little bit closer than normally. It didn't escape him and he grinned inwardly at it. He also didn't miss her looking at him longingly and it really made his heart skip a beat. She's looking at me just as I imagined she would. No, just as I wanted her to.

"So, what are we going to do when we come to the hotel? I'd like to go out right away." He asked her while sipping at his too sweet coffee and making distasteful faces at each sip. It was really awfully sweet, but he wouldn't throw it away and admit that Cameron was right all the time.

"I guess we'll see when we get there. You shouldn't forget that we will need a whole day to get there and we'll be arriving very late." Cameron answered while looking at her hands, laid on the table. Then she lifted her head and looked into his eyes: "I still have to tell Derek about the rooms."

John twisted his face at the thought that they would have to face his uncle with the news. "I know." Then he smiled at her: "But I'll be with you, promise."

Cameron smiled at him thankfully and gently laid her hand on his: "Thank you John. I really appreciate your care."

John suddenly found himself blushing furiously. Her hand on his felt like fire on ice and he gulped: "Don't mention it Cameron. I'll always be there to help you."

Cameron was flabbergasted at this exclamation and she slightly opened her mouth. She definitely wasn't prepared for John being so caring towards her. She felt warm inside to be so important to him.

Before she could answer him, they heard clomping of the boots from the living room and their eyes met. They both nodded in unison, knowing that it was Derek, coming into the kitchen.

Few moments later they were proved right. Derek entered the kitchen yawning but as soon as he saw Cameron sitting at John's side he stopped in the middle of a yawn and shuddered: "What is the metal doing here? I won't even be able to take my well deserved breakfast with it in the room."

Suddenly John felt how his temper rose exponentially and he growled at his uncle: "It has a name and the name is Cameron. So, please, be so kind to make use of this information in the future. By the way, Cameron has something to tell you." He nudged her gently in the ribs and smiled at her.

Cameron smiled back and turned to Derek, showing him a pure terminator face. John suddenly asked himself how she could change her expression in a split second. Whenever she looked at him, she was animated, alive, but the second she turned to Derek, she was a pure machine, with no emotions visible.

Cameron looked at Derek with cold eyes: "That's right. Sarah gave me an assignment to find us accommodations. Unfortunately no cabins were free, so we had to book two double rooms. Due to the fact, that I have to protect John, you are forced to share your room with Sarah. Do you have any objections?"

Derek listened to her explanation with open mouth and after she finished he definitely couldn't sort out his thoughts, so he just shook his head, not really understanding what Cameron just told him.

Before he could really dwell on her words, Cameron lifted her chin and confirmed: "OK, that's settled then." She turned to John and her expression instantly turned into warm one: "Would you please help me with packing John? I have no idea what to take with. I've never seen snow before and I would really need your help." Her eyes looked at John so pleadingly, that his heart skipped a beat again. If this is going to continue, I'll get a heart attack before we even leave!

"Ahem … sure … I'd be glad to help you!" He jumped and instantly forgot his coffee, his uncle and everything he could see was Cameron, smiling shyly at him and stretching her hand to take his. Without really considering his actions he took her hand and let himself be lead by her to the stairs.

Derek stood like a statue and only after few seconds he thawed and his brain began to work again. Did the metal really just told me it would stay together with John in one room? Did it say that I'll have to share a room with Sarah freaking Connor? Did I really saw it lead John out of the room by holding his hand? He shuddered and decided that it was too early in the morning to believe anything he just saw. He pointed himself towards the coffee machine to make himself a big cup of coffee.

Meanwhile Cameron and John already reached the landing. "Gee, Cameron, you did this excellently. Derek didn't even react." John grinned at his protector, who still held his hand and lead him towards her room.

"He'll understand what I told him later. We should prepare ourselves for a storm." Cameron knew Derek very well and she didn't fool herself for a second that the story was over. She knew that Derek would react as she expected him to, just a little bit later.

"Really? Are you sure?" John's face fell.

"Yes, John, I'm sure. But let's not think of him right now. I still need your help by packing." She smiled at him mischievously and reached for the door of her room.

John felt like in a dream and had absolutely no will to resist her so he willingly followed her like a puppy follows its master. They entered her room and Cameron closed the door behind them.

Sarah awoke with a start and glanced over to the clock. As she saw what time it was, she sighed relieved and slowly got up. She dressed herself and dreamed of a hot coffee cup. Few minutes after getting up she was already on her way to the kitchen to make herself nice mug of coffee. Entering the kitchen she saw Derek, sitting at the table, holding a large cup in his hands and staring blankly into nothing. "Hey, Reese, what's up? You look a little lost."

Derek slowly lifted his head to look at her: "Yeah, I feel like being in a wrong movie. The metal just told me it would stay in one room with John and I'm supposed to share a room with you." His voice was flat, without any emotion.

Sarah grinned. So, they did tell him. "Sure, she told you the truth. John's safety is of highest priority and she can do it best if they're together."

"And you agreed to such nonsense? Sarah, how many times do I have to tell you that it can't be trusted. It'll kill him!" Derek's voice began to gain on the volume.

"Look, Reese. It's so and you can either accept it or whine about injustice and I don't know what problems you might have more. Not that I'd approve of them, staying in one room. For the time being, it's the best solution, so you're stuck with me. And I most definitely don't look forward for a week with a snoring champion in my room …" Sarah grinned evilly at Derek.

"What? I do not snore! No way!" Derek protested vigorously. "And I'm definitely not OK with it in John's room."

Sarah sighed: "Too bad for you, because that's the way it's going to be. For the time being …"

Derek mumbled something incomprehensible in his kin and decided not to comment for now. There will be enough time to persuade Sarah later during the journey or even after they've arrived to their destination. It was obvious, that she wasn't completely awake yet and he believed to have heard her annoyance with the room arrangement as well.

Sarah pointed herself towards the coffee machine to finally get the so desired coffee and stopped at it. She froze for a second and turned slowly towards Derek: "Who was the last to use this machine?"

"I was the one. I needed a large mug of coffee after the metal told me the news."

"Next time make sure to clean it after you use it. Or you can expect that this thing will suddenly become airborne and hit your thick skull." Sarah fumed. "Now get over here and make me some coffee!"

"Whatever her majesty requests." Derek's voice was full of mock as he slowly rose to clean the machine and make some more coffee for Sarah. "Just for the record: the machine wasn't clean as I came into the kitchen. I guess the metal made coffee for John and didn't see it necessary to clean the machine."

Sarah laughed: "Derek, you're so bad at making believable excuses. Cameron would never leave the machine dirty. John – sure; Cameron – no way. Don't babble, just make me some coffee … and make it strong!" She sat on the chair, laid her elbows on the table and supported her kin with her hands while watching Derek at the coffee machine and waiting for her mug of invigorating concoction.

Meanwhile in Cameron's room John's face went through all colors of the rainbow and some more. While she was ransacking her closet to find appropriate clothing, she asked him this and that, inquired what she should wear, how cold it would be. He couldn't believe that this was the same Cameron as the one from only few days ago. She sounded and looked so alive, so human, so real that he would never believe her being a machine hadn't he known it. There must be much more than just programming in this chip of hers. No matter how sophisticated, I don't believe any program could make her act so human. But his biggest problem arose when she went over to collect the necessary underwear. As his eyes fell on those tiny, flimsy, lacy things in purple, pink and black, he suddenly felt like he'd be encapsulated in the Turkish sauna pot and without really thinking he began to stretch the collar of his T-shirt with the forefinger to get some more air into his lungs and to cool his, suddenly very hot, neck. Not that he hadn't have seen such things before, but when he did, they were usually on the pictures or on the store window dolls. But now they were very real in the hands of a very beautiful girl and he couldn't get the picture of Cameron, wearing them, out of his head. No matter how hard he tried, he began to breathe heavily at the mental picture of her, wearing nothing but Victoria's Secret best underwear. He shook his head vigorously and tried to look away, but nothing worked. She was still parading right there in the middle of his daydreams.

Of course Cameron noticed John's problems and decided to tease him a little more. She held a hanger with pink lace bra and matching panties in her outstretched left arm and a hanger with purple version in her right one and looked from one hand to another as if she couldn't make up her mind. "What do you think John, which one would be better: the pink or the purple one?" She cast him an innocent questioning look while grinning inwardly at his embarrassment. "I can't decide. Human girls are supposed to love pink, but I prefer purple or black. So, which one do you prefer?"

"On you everything … khm … sorry." John coughed trying to hide his extreme embarrassment because of having almost voiced his improper thoughts. On you I prefer everything. It doesn't matter the color or shape as long as it's you who wears it. "I guess they are both nice and you'd make the best decision to take them both." He tried to get out of the affair with flying colors, but he knew that this attempt was a little too lame for that.

Cameron took her time to mull over his words, made an indecisive face, pouted a little and looked at John thoughtfully. "I guess you're right. I'll take them both." She put the objects of John's embarrassment in her bag and smiled at him relieved: "Thank you for helping me John. I appreciate your help very much."

"Of course. I told you I'd always be there to help you, even if it means assisting you at choosing your underwear." John gradually managed to get rid of his unusual facial color and embarrassment and grinned at her. "Have you packed everything? Are we ready to go?"

"I hope I have everything I need. But … what about the clothes for snowboarding? We don't have any." Retorted Cameron thoughtfully, while scanning the contents of her bag and in her mind checking the list of items she put in there. After she checked the list and found it to be complete, she looked at John with big puppy dog eyes and waited for his answer.

"We'll get some when we get there. I don't have any suitable either. But … maybe we can make such vacation each winter and we could buy us some nice, cozy clothes to wear them every year. You could get some nice purple things." John was fighting the urge to hug her at seeing her big brown eyes gazing at him longingly. "Well," he coughed again, "If you're ready, we should go downstairs and put our bags in the car."

Cameron tilted her head: "Have you already packed your bag? I didn't see you doing it." She almost sounded disappointed that she wouldn't get the chance to help him pack his bag.

John grinned, missing her disappointment totally: "I packed everything yesterday." At seeing her slight frown, he quickly added: "I couldn't sleep, so I simply packed my things."

Cameron just nodded and grabbed her bag, just to get it torn from her hand the next second. She frowned at John, who grinned at her while holding her bag: "What are you doing John?"

"Ladies aren't supposed to carry heavy bags. It's the task for cavaliers." John grinned at her gently.

Slowly Cameron's frown disappeared and she looked completely astonished at his kindness: "John … I … thank you, but I'm much stronger than you are." Quite uncharacteristically for her she stuttered before regaining control of her speech and smiled thankfully at him, with just a small hint of mischievousness in her sparkling eyes. I must be dreaming. That's it! I woke up in a parallel world where John values me and helps me. I hope I'll stay in this world. It's much better than the one I was in before, where John yelled at me and ran away from me.

John just smiled at her and went for the door to carry her bag downstairs. Cameron followed immediately, still wondering about how much John had changed in only one day. The inner warmth was becoming almost constant state of her feelings in the last days when she was around John.

Sarah and Derek finished their morning coffee a while ago and have already brought their bags and deposited them at the entrance door. Sarah was just about to yell for John, when she suddenly noticed, that his bag was already there. She frowned: "I didn't see him bringing it. When did he do it?"

Derek shrugged: "I have no idea. Probably earlier this morning." Before he could continue, they heard steps on the landing and laughter. They both looked up in surprise and their eyes widened as they saw John, carrying a bag and Cameron beside him, carrying nothing but laughing like a human girl, walking so close to him that they were almost touching. Upon seeing it Derek shook his head. There are too much unbelievable things happening today. I must be still sleeping or I woke up in another timeline.

Sarah's eyes darted from the bag in John's hand to the bag, lying on the floor at the entrance door. "John! Are you taking two bags with you?"

"No mum. This one is Cameron's. I've already brought mine … see, there it is, right at the door." Answered John calmly.

"Why are you carrying her bag? Is she damaged and can't carry it herself?" Sarah's voice was full of venom.

"No, I wanted to carry it. It's a thing a gentleman should do for a lady." John knew exactly what his mother was trying to say and decided he wouldn't let himself be scared by her.

"I see. We'll talk about it later. Now get your bags in the car. We're leaving now. It's a long way to Lake Tahoe." Sarah spat the words out.

"Whatever." John shrugged nonchalantly, not quite believing that he really countered his mother so defiantly.

Sarah opened her mouth to say something poisonously but decided differently, shook her head and turned to the door.

TBC