Thank you for all reviews. I'm definitely thrilled to see that you like the fluff I'm writing as a counter balance to all darker stories here. LOL Not exactly serious …
Another experience awaits our heroes. In this chapter there are some hints as of what is probably going to happen in next chapters. The story slowly but inevitably nears its end. However, there are still few more chapters before it definitely ends (probably four more).
Chapter 28 – Magical Sledding
The walk to the cabin lift, where they would rent the sleighs took them about fifteen minutes. Cameron walked a good part of the way with closed eyes, even ignoring the data that her sensors served her and relying completely on John's guidance. Ho noticed her closed eyes and her firm clutching to him and realized what she was doing. He wanted to ask her why, but noticed her content smile and realized that it would only spoil the magic of the moment, should he ask her. So he just drew her even closer to him and guided her, avoiding any possible obstacle that might cause her to stumble upon.
Upon arriving to the lift, they saw that it was already in operation and few other people carried the sleighs to the lift to ascend the mountain. They quickly found the shop where they could rent the sleighs and this time John and Cameron decided that it would be them, with help of Tim, who would arrange everything. The memory of Sarah's organizing of the snowboard course was still too fresh in John's memory to allow his mother to take initiative again. He was reasonably sure she wouldn't try anything similar, but still rather opted for the safest solution.
After few minutes they came out of the shop with three rented sleighs, each big enough for two persons and made their way over to Andrea, Sarah and Derek, who already waited for them at the lift station.
Sarah eyed the sleigh that John pushed towards her with slight suspicion clearly written in her eyes and then turned to John: "Is this thing strong enough for the two of us?" She gestured towards Derek, who was also scrutinizing the sleigh thoroughly, but kept silent.
John gave her a one-sided grin: "I guess it should be. At least I asked the guy in there if it's strong enough for two heavy persons and he confirmed that it most definitely is."
Sarah furrowed her eyebrows: "I'm not that heavy!"
John's grin widened: "Oh yes you are mom. Not heavy as 'heavy', but sometimes you can be very heavy like 'difficult'." His eyes turned to Derek: "Not to speak about your designed sleigh mate at all."
Derek finally looked into his eyes and as he saw John's grinning face, he grinned back: "OK, John, I'll pretend not to have heard the last remark. You most definitely should learn how to show some respect to older, more experienced people."
Sarah already opened her mouth to express her indignation upon Derek's remark at her son and her son's opinion of her 'heaviness', but Derek grabbed her arm and stopped her: "Let him enjoy his little rant, Sarah."
She turned to the resistance fighter and looked at him irritated, but her bad mood quickly vanished and she smirked: "Yeah, you're right. I'll find a way to get even." She turned to John: "When you expect it the least…"
John laughed upon her threat and looked at Cameron. He saw her dark look, directed at his mother: "Ease up, Cam. She's just making fun of me. It's nothing to be worried about."
Cameron didn't completely agree with him. If someone was even remotely threatening or making fun of her John, it was her duty and deepest wish to protect him. So she turned to look at him, seeing gentle eyes, pleading with her not to spoil the moment. Reluctantly, she suppressed her protective instinct and smiled a little strained: "OK John."
Andrea and Tim meanwhile already left the group and went to the entrance area, where they waited for the rest of them so they missed the little exchange of opinions between the Connors. After few seconds they were joined by them.
After arriving at the lift's mountain station, they quickly found the start of the track and gathered there. Derek pulled the sleigh behind him and looked a little off to find himself in such a role. But, on the other hand, he was slightly excited to see how it would be to speed down the hill on the sled. Tim and John, on the other hand, didn't look as much off the role as the hardened resistance fighter.
Andrea was probably the most anxious to finally get on the sleigh of them all and she didn't stop talking all the way from the lift to the start ramp. Tim looked into John's direction with resignation and cast him a pleading look: "Is anyone able to stop this babbler? If she doesn't stop talking for at least five seconds, I'll deny her being related to me!"
Sarah and John grinned at his helplessness while Cameron gently squeezed John's hand. After he turned to her, she whispered: "Why would he want to deny being related to Andrea? We all know that he is." She looked at him confused.
John smiled: "He didn't mean it literally. It's just a saying that we use. He wants to tell her to stop babbling; otherwise he would be ashamed of her."
John's explanation didn't make any special sense to Cameron, but she understood now that Tim's words weren't meant as they sounded. She looked at John and smiled slightly: "Thank you."
John waited for the second part of her line and as it didn't come, he looked at her again. He knew definitely that she didn't exactly and completely understand his explanation: "I guess my explanation wasn't that helpful, right?"
Cameron looked a bit ashamed and after a second she shook her head: "No, not exactly." Then her face brightened: "But it doesn't matter. I know that he didn't mean it literally."
They turned to Derek, who surprised everyone by taking the initiative: "We should decide the departure order."
"Why would that be so important that we should decide about it? I thought it was like: take the sleigh, whizz down the hill and after a while, try not to crash at the bottom." Sarah asked slightly confused. "What's the big deal about the starting order?"
Derek smirked at her: "Well, for one: the first one could get in the way of the next ones. If you topple or fall, there's always a chance that the next one hits you. And if the second one is much heavier …" He let Sarah and the others fill in the blanks by themselves.
Andrea pictured herself being hit by a much heavier Derek and shuddered: "I guess I wouldn't like you crashing into me with full speed." Then she grinned: "But there's a simple solution: you go before me!" She looked at Derek challenging and grinned wide.
Derek grinned back and nodded: "Exactly what I was trying to say. If a sparrow like you crashes into me, I won't even feel it, but vice versa... it wouldn't be very nice."
John decided that it took them definitely too long to decide upon such a simple matter. Man, if I'm going to have such problems making the decisions in the future, Skynet will die of laughter before we even start a single attack against it! He raised his hand: "ENOUGH!" Everyone stopped talking and looked at him slightly confused. He grinned: "Good! I've heard enough of your babbling. Mom; you and Derek go first, Andrea and Tim second and Cameron and I will be the last. Now stop whining and GO!" He emphasized his last word and leaned a bit forward to underline his determination while also stretching his arm towards the track. He didn't miss Cameron's admiring look that she gave him.
Cameron was happy that John took the initiative to resolve the situation and that he did it with such authority. He's developing really fast! He's definitely ahead of the schedule. She couldn't and wouldn't hide how proud she was of him. It was just a small and simple matter, but the way how everyone acknowledged his authority was the most important aspect. Even Andrea and Tim, hard headed as they were, obeyed him without a second of hesitation or arguing.
Sarah shared Cameron's feelings and looked at John proudly. Then she sat on their sleigh and turned to Derek: "OK. I'm steering and you're responsible for braking. Now SIT DOWN."
Derek tried to protest, but saw the determination on Sarah's face and took his place behind her, grumbling something about bickering and commanding women. He pressed himself to her back and suddenly felt warmer than the low temperatures would normally allow him to.
Sarah felt his body and his warmth on her back and asked herself if it was a good idea to let him sit behind her. Or, if accepting John's suggestion to go sledding was right decision at all. But she cast her reservations aside: "Ready, Reese?"
He grunted something unintelligible in response but she interpreted it as his consent and started to push the sleigh with her legs. After just two pushes, the sleigh began to move down the track and in a matter of seconds they turned around the first curve and vanished from sight.
Immediately after they disappeared, Andrea and Tim started their sleigh too and followed the elder ones down the track.
Cameron and John were now left alone and looked at each other. Cameron was wondering why she felt something like anticipation, while John knew why he felt it. She looked at John: "Who's going to steer? You or me?"
John grinned at her: "I'll take the responsibility to bring us in one piece down the hill. I'm the man and it's a man's thing to steer." Excellent speech, Johnny! That's exactly the right way to talk to her! You're an idiot and nothing can change that. Sometime soon you'll have to learn how to control your tongue and not blurt out the first stupid thought that crosses your mind. But the words were out and he was almost wincing in anticipation of Cameron's answer, knowing that he'd have to find a way to minimize the impact.
Cameron's head tilted dangerously while she looked at him with indignation, although she kept her facial expression blank: "I can't believe that you really said that! Are you really trying to impress me with such macho nonsense?"
John suddenly felt even more stupid. He looked at the ground for a second, coughed and finally lifted his look to gaze into Cameron's inquiring and slightly angry eyes: "Sorry, Cam. I didn't mean it the way it came out."
Cameron's fake anger vanished and she smiled at him: "Don't forget that I'm physically much stronger than you."
John felt off the hook and smiled relieved at his lover: "Yeah, I know. But you're still a girl and I feel that I have to protect you."
Cameron was taken aback at his sudden revelation: "John. I don't need protecting. You should never, understand this, never, try to protect me. It's my job to protect you and not the other way around."
John grinned: "I know. And yet I'll always protect you." Then he sat on their sleigh and motioned to her: "Will you now finally get your cute butt down here and wrap your arms around me?"
Cameron sighed and rolled her eyes in fake irritation, but a smile immediately appeared on her lips as she straddled the sleigh and sat on it behind John. She pressed herself tight to him and snaked her arms around his torso. "As you say, John."
Feeling her body, pressed to his and her arms, squeezing his torso, John smiled and turned his head to look at her: "Are you ready honey?"
Her lips gently touched his cheek and after they retreated, she breathed in his ear: "Yes, I'm ready John."
They started the descent and John decided not to take it too fast. He enjoyed feeling Cameron so close, he cherished her arms, wrapped around him; he longed for the touch of her cheek against his neck. Cameron enjoyed it as much as John. She suddenly realized that her words, she would be ready, meant much more than just the fact that she was ready to start down the hill. She suddenly understood that she was also ready to deepen her relationship with John. She was ready to be his girlfriend in each and every way possible. At sudden recognition she smiled into John's nape and kissed it gently.
John involuntarily shuddered at the touch of Cameron's lips and he had to struggle with the sleigh to keep control. They were gliding in a peaceful manner, just fast enough to enjoy the cold wind, blowing Cameron's hair back, but not too fast to miss the beautiful night scenery around them. The spruce trees and firs stood proud on each side of the track, covered with snow and glowing dimly in the starlight and moonlight, shining from the clear sky. Soft crunching of the sled against the snow was actually the only sound they could hear and John felt how his heart almost sang in joy. He was here, gliding through the magical night in absolute serenity, while the person, who meant everything to him, sat behind him and hugged him tight. The world simply couldn't get any better at the moment! The unexpected touch of Cameron's lips on his nape sent shivers down his spine. "Cam? Do you want us to have an accident?"
"Why would I want that, John?" Cameron's voice was slightly perplexed. She didn't understand why John would think something like that.
"By disturbing me with kisses." John's complaint was not exactly meant seriously and he mastered the next curve perfectly. "I cannot fully concentrate on steering when you turn me on like that."
Now Cameron understood what John meant and she smiled into his nape again. "Am I turning you on John? I only gave you a kiss." Her voice was far too innocent not to be teasing him.
John grinned at her words and prepared for the next curve. She knows perfectly well that she's turning me on and she wants to do it. Maybe … maybe we're ready … He chased the thought away, feeling how his cheeks got warmer. But the impact of such thoughts influenced his concentration again and they took a bumpy ride around the next curve.
"John? Why are you steering so hectically?" Cameron now understood and enjoyed the impact of her deeds and words on John and she teased him with innocent voice.
"Oh Cam, you know perfectly well why." John sighed exasperatedly. Before he could say anything else, Cameron interrupted him.
"Shhhh!" Cameron suddenly hissed and John's ears perked up. He knew that Cameron always had a good reason when she told him to be quiet. "I'm hearing voices ahead." She paused. "Derek, Andrea and Tim. But I don't hear Sarah. They've stopped."
"Do you think that something's wrong, Cameron?" John suddenly worried that something might have happened.
"I don't know. I hear them, but they're still too far to understand the words. We will have to come closer to them." Cameron explained while she tried to adjust her hearing so that she'd understand the words. Unfortunately the ever so soft crunching of the sleigh interfered too much and made it impossible even for her to understand what was being said. She sighed slightly irritated and unsatisfied with her own abilities.
John felt how her body tensed against his. He knew that her hearing was much better than human; he still didn't hear anything.
After few moments, they turned the next curve and in that moment John already saw the others. They were standing in the middle of the track, all, minus his mother, gathered on one place. Suddenly he began to worry and the last part of the way to reach them seemed unbelievably long.
As soon as they reached the trio, they stopped abruptly and jumped from the sled. "Where's mom?" John almost yelled at them.
Derek turned to him and shrugged: "I have no idea. We toppled and I was thrown in the middle of the track, quite few yards down it. As I looked around, she was gone." His eyes looked at his nephew worriedly.
"How you mean gone? She can't be gone! You just toppled and she can't be far away." John was growling at his uncle. In an instant he forgot that he had some serious issues with his mother in the last days. In this moment she was only his mother, someone whom he loved dearly.
Cameron's hand found its way on his shoulder: "Don't get upset John. We'll find her. She can't be far away." She tried to calm him down, but John was too upset to listen to her so he shrugged her hand off of his shoulder.
"It's easy for you to talk! She's not your mother!" He snarled at her and completely missed the hurt expression, appearing on her face after his vigorous action. He didn't even look at her while growling at the others: "OK, let's find her. She's not on the track, meaning she must be somewhere beside it. Start from the point where they toppled and search the forest. Derek, Andrea and Tim, you take the right side, Cameron and I will search on the left."
Everyone apart from Cameron nodded and they took off to find the missing Sarah. Cameron felt uneasy. She just tried to comfort John, but failed miserably. She understood that he was upset, but obviously underestimated his attachment to Sarah. She thought of trying again, but decided that at the moment she should leave him and try to comfort him later, after Sarah would be found. So she quietly turned to the left side of the track and started her search.
John saw how Cameron wordlessly turned and started towards the edge of the track and suddenly felt like the biggest jerk. She was just trying to comfort me and I spit in her face. He opened his mouth to call after her, but she already vanished into the forest. For a second he hung his head and shook it in dismay over his own stupidity. I'll have to make it up to her as soon as we find mom. Then he pushed these thoughts aside and started his search too. Finding Sarah was the most important thing right now.
While the search went on, occasional calling out of Sarah's name could be heard from different directions except from Cameron's. She remained silent, but tried different specters of her vision and decided that IR vision was probably the best solution. It was bitter cold and Sarah's body temperature would be in a stark contrast to her environment, making her clearly visible for Cameron. After just few seconds, she noticed that only few yards from her, someone was sitting on the lowest branch of a tree. Her head snapped upwards to check with her normal vision and she saw Sarah, sitting on a branch, about five feet above the ground, grinning from ear to ear. Cameron tilted her head curiously and asked perplexed: "Why are you sitting on the tree, Sarah?"
Sarah had been sitting on the branch for a while now and waited for someone to come around. After they toppled and the sled with Derek continued down the track for few more yards, she had been thrown in the deep snow at the side of the track. After she could dig herself out, she saw Derek, sitting in the middle of the track, looking around completely confused and in that moment a plan formed in her head. She'd tease them all and pretend to disappear, just to see their reactions. Yes, it was childish, but this whole day had been childish and it couldn't hurt if she'd pretend a little bit longer. However, the wait extended for a longer time period than she anticipated and she was already feeling the cold and from time to time shivered involuntarily. But she wouldn't reveal herself yet and as she finally saw Cameron coming towards her and heard her curious voice, asking her such naïve question, she momentarily forgot that she was in fact cold, snorted and exploded into laughter.
Cameron was completely baffled upon Sarah's reaction and her head tilted even more. But only a second later she remembered that she should inform the others that she found Sarah. "I've found her!" She yelled while her eyes remained glued to wildly laughing Sarah.
After few seconds Sarah finally managed to get her laugh attack under control and jumped off the branch. "What do you think I have been doing up on the branch?"
"I don't know." Cameron thought for a moment and after she found no logical explanation, she repeated: "What were you doing up on the branch?"
Sarah grinned even wider and fought hard not to explode into laughter again: "Why, I was hiding, Cameron! H.I.D.I.N.G."
"But …" Cameron was now even more curious: "Why were you hiding? I don't understand."
In the meanwhile everyone else arrived at their location too, the last being John, for he was probably the most eager and covered the most area since they began their search, distancing himself the farthest from Sarah's actual position. After he saw his mother grinning like an idiot and Cameron's baffled look, he sighed. He was relieved that his mother was OK, but confused as to what had happened. "What the hell happened to you mom?"
Sarah turned to him and after she suppressed the urge to laugh, she began explaining her story. After she finished, there was a smile on every face, with exception of Cameron and Derek. Derek looked insulted into Sarah's eyes: "Well, Sarah, that was definitely not funny. I thought something happened to you."
Sarah stepped to him and put her hand on his shoulder: "I'm sorry Derek, but after I saw you, how lost you looked in the middle of the track, sitting there like a heap of misery, I couldn't help but tease you."
Derek looked into her eyes and finally smiled: "I guess I really looked stupid, didn't I?"
Sarah just nodded and grinned at him.
John, relieved that it was just a prank, finally turned to look at Cameron, who was standing few steps from him and looked a little dejected. His grin vanished and he stepped to her. Her eyes remained glued to the ground and she rejected to look into his eyes at first.
"Cam?" He asked gently, knowing that she was probably still confused and hurt due to his reaction on her attempt of comforting him before.
Her head finally snapped up and she looked at him. The look in her eyes shook John deeply. The fear, confusion and anticipation in her eyes showed him clearly how his reaction hurt her.
He sighed and grabbed her hands, which hung loosely at her sides. "I'm so sorry Cam. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I know that you were just trying to help. I was so worried about mom that I couldn't see it. Forgive me?" Her head was again tilted downwards and he had to bow to one side a little and tilt his head upwards to look into her downcast eyes. After he finally caught a look at her face, he saw her grinning and her eyes flickered towards his. "Fooled you again!"
He sighed happily that she obviously forgave him and straightened up. Cameron mirrored his movement and now he could see her smiling face with shining eyes, looking at him mischievously. He grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her. "You are getting far too good at teasing me, Cam."
Then he turned back to the others and noticed that they all looked at them curiously: "What? Can't I even kiss my girlfriend without being scrutinized by everyone present?" He mocked at them.
Sarah shook her head: "John, you are definitely my son. You've got my temper. I'm just not sure if it's a good thing good or a bad one." Sarah finally grinned at her son, just like Andrea and Time, who were having hard time not to burst out in laughter.
John grinned back, took Cameron's hand and went towards the track to continue their descent. After they reached the sleds, Cameron immediately took her place and looked at John expectantly.
"I think that I've had enough for today." It was Derek, who mouthed his opinion. He really didn't want to try it one more time. Sarah looked at her son and nodded. "Me too."
Andrea already wanted to express her protest, but was cut off by Tim, who looked at Cameron and saw a little pout appearing on her lips after Derek announced he would return to the hotel. She probably enjoys the evening and thinks that we would now all want to return to our hotels. He beat Andrea to talking: "We'll go back to hotel too." Then he turned to John: "But you should stay here if you like it." He looked at Cameron and smiled: "I believe that I'm not wrong if I say Cameron probably wants to give it another try."
Cameron's eyes flickered to look at him in barely hidden astonishment. How could he know what I was thinking?
Upon hearing Tim's words, John turned to Cameron and saw her astonished look, directed to Tim. He also noticed her still slightly pouting lips and it didn't take him long to see that Tim obviously correctly interpreted Cameron's expression. Interesting! Few days ago I was the only one who could read her and now she's acting that much human that even someone, who knows her for only few days, can see how she feels! He stepped to her, took her hand into his and smiled at her: "I think that she's not the only one. I'd like to repeat this too." Then he looked at Sarah: "Without the hide and seek interruption!" His eyes turned back to Cameron's.
Cameron's brown eyes gazed at him intently, trying to see if he really meant it. She could see nothing but honesty in his eyes so she smiled at him brightly: "I'd really love that John."
Sarah rolled her eyes, knowing that they actually enjoyed their decision, which would give them the opportunity to be alone. "Right, John. You two enjoy yourselves but don't stay here too late. One of you might catch a cold."
"Actually, we can't stay too long mom. In one hour they'll stop the lift and we'll have to return to the hotel." John grinned and turned to Derek: "You should be careful for the rest of the way down. Don't fly out of the curve or topple in the middle of the track."
Derek grimaced: "Very funny! It wasn't my fault actually. Sarah was steering and made the mistake. Ouch! Stop that, Sarah!" He jumped as Sarah's fist made contact with his shoulder.
"I didn't cause it! You were braking at the incorrect point, overestimating your capabilities and caused everything." She snarled at him but smirked nonetheless.
John turned to Cameron with a grin and shook his head: "And they say I was the teenager…"
Meanwhile Tim managed to persuade Andrea not to protest his decision to return to hotel with clear depiction that Cameron and John wanted to be alone. Slightly reluctantly she turned to John and Cameron: "OK, we'll see us tomorrow, right?"
John nodded and sat on his place in front of Cameron. She hugged him and put her chin on his shoulder, smiling contently. "Yeah, we'll see us tomorrow. Come by the same time as today." He turned to Sarah: "Bye, see you later … or tomorrow." He didn't wait for the others to get ready and started down the track.
The rest of the descent was uneventful, but still retained it flair of magic. They were finally alone and no one disturbed them. Every second was a pure bliss to John and he felt happier than any other time that he could remember. As they arrived at the lift they saw that there were no other people and entered the cabin immediately, not waiting for the others to come down too.
In the cabin, Cameron took off her gloves and her cap, shaking her hair loose, so that it flew freely over her shoulders. John looked at her and noticed how a halo of light formed around her head, for exactly behind her back, a floodlight of the track illuminated the area.
"You look like an angel, Cam." He pressed through his constricted throat.
She smiled at him gently, but then got serious again: "John, there's something I have to tell you."
"Yes, Cameron? I hope it's nothing bad."
She shook her head: "I think not." She paused and looked directly into his eyes: "As I switched off on the slope earlier, I couldn't remember the exact time marks." She looked at him expectantly.
John just nodded and slightly lifted his eyebrows to tell her to continue.
Cameron inhaled deeply. Funny! I don't have to breathe and yet I do it, just like I were a human. "I now know why…."
Before she could continue, John interrupted her enthusiastically: "Really? That's awesome, Cam!" Then he saw a slight annoyance in Cameron's face: "OK, I'll keep my mouth shut." He grinned at her sheepishly.
She smiled and continued: "I made a deep scan of my chip and found some damaged sectors. They've probably been caused by the car explosion. But my systems didn't recognize them as such and continue to store data on the whole chip. The information of exact switch off and on times has been stored there. So I can't remember it."
John's face scrunched in sudden worry: "Does that mean that it can happen to you that you won't remember certain things? That they'll be written on these, damaged sectors?" He couldn't imagine that Cameron could simply forget some things. Then another thought struck him: "How is it possible that you didn't found the damage to your chip sooner?"
Cameron smiled at him and shook her head: "I just told you that my system didn't recognize the damaged sectors and only a deep scan revealed them. And no, it can't happen that I'd not remember some things from now on. I already adjusted my systems so that the damaged sectors are partitioned off and blocked from writing on them. I can still access them for reading the data, but I can't write anything new on them."
John's face lightened up like a Christmas tree. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. Suddenly he straightened up and looked at her inquisitively. "Cam? Is it possible that you are remembering things from the future now because they are stored on these sectors?"
Cameron tilted her head and her eyes got that faraway look that signaled her processing of something very difficult. After a second, she straightened her head and looked into John's eyes: "Yes, they are all written on the damaged sectors."
"That would explain why you're having these flashbacks. You didn't know about the data on the damaged sectors and an involuntary action or processing of a random code probably revealed them to you." John looked lost in his thoughts and after few seconds he concentrated on her eyes again: "But now that you know it, you could probably try to get all possible information from these sectors."
Cameron nodded, but her face looked strangely strained: "I probably could." She paused and looked at John like a lost child: "But I don't know if I want it."
John nodded in sudden realization of what she was trying to tell him. There was a possibility that she would remember more of the gruesome things she had done before she had been reprogrammed and before she began to value human life. His hands shot out and took hold of hers with a reassuring squeeze: "You're probably right Cam." His thumbs began to stroke the backs of her hands gently and after a moment of silence he began in a quiet voice: "There's something I have to tell you too, Cam."
She tilted her head curiously and looked at him with her huge eyes.
"You remember when you explained to me that you had an order to surrender your chip if someone would ask you the correct question?"
Cameron nodded and waited for him to continue.
John sighed and continued, while looking her straight in the eyes: "I asked you to promise me not to surrender your chip without my approval." He stopped, swallowed and continued after few seconds; "I've been thinking about my request and realized that I could never allow you to do something like that. I can't do anything of this without you Cameron. I need you, not to be my protector, I need you. So I'm revising my request. I don't want you to ever, EVER, even consider such an action."
Cameron looked at him slightly confused: "But, John, we've already discussed this question and agreed that I would do it only if you'd agree to do it."
"Yeah, we did. But I realized that it would be completely unacceptable to even consider a possibility to lose you. I can't …" His voice broke and he hugged her fiercely.
Cameron was taken aback and she needed a second before she hugged him back, gently caressing his back. He's distressed. I can't allow him to be distressed. "It's OK John, I promised and I intend to keep my promise. I wouldn't want to exist without you either."
"Live!"
Cameron was perplexed and didn't understand John's interjection. "I don't understand."
"Live, Cameron! You don't exist, you live!" This time John made it clearer to her.
Cameron smiled silently and nodded into his neck. He values me so much that he says I live and not exist.
But before they could continue their conversation, the cabin stopped at the mountain station and they had to get out. They both were still under impression of the talk they just had and went to the starting point in silence, their arms wrapped around each other and clutching to each other as if they wouldn't want to ever lose the close body contact again.
They enjoyed the descent and after they returned the sleigh, they walked towards the hotel, still wrapped in silence and love. As they approached the hotel, John suddenly stopped and caused Cameron to look at him questioningly. He gazed into her eyes intently: "I don't want to go to sleep yet Cam. We could go to the bar. There's live music and we could sit there, dance, whatever you want."
For a second Cameron considered reminding John that it was already late and he should get enough sleep but as she looked into his shining expectant eyes, she decided that he wouldn't take it too well. So she smiled at him: "If you want, I'd be glad to."
John grinned widely: "OK, let's go to our room and dress something nice. I want you to look like my princess."
Cameron just smiled back. She already knew what she would wear to impress him.
TBC