John reached down and rubbed his left leg. The bones had healed and the flesh had healed nicely, but the pain was still present. It was quite minor compared to when the wound was fresh but the pain was still there. Having improved the level of pain with the quick massage, John lifted his rifle and waited.

The T-888 was standing near the warehouse. It hadn't moved since John and Alison had moved into position almost an hour ago. It simple kept watch. The plan that John, Alison and Cameron had decided upon was a simple one. As soon as the appointed time came, John and Alison would fire down at the terminator and distract it long enough for Cameron to flank it and take it by surprise.

In the month that had passed since reactivating Cameron, the little cyborg had done a great deal of healing. Almost all of the flesh had grown back and she had spent many hours—with the help of Catherine and John Henry—repairing her exoskeleton. She wasn't at a hundred percent but she was doing much better. She still had the tremor in her left hand.

"Are you alright, John?" Alison asked.

"Yeah." John looked at her and smiled.

"Are you in pain?"

"I'm fine."

"That isn't what I asked." Alison said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sir…John…There is something that I want to ask you."

John looked at her.

"John, what is Cameron to you? "

"She is my friend." John said. "She is my protector. She is my confidant."

"Is she more?"

"Why do you ask this?" John looked away from her and looked towards the T-888. "Are you asking me about how I feel towards her? If she and I are lovers?"

"Yes."

"I don't know what I feel, Alison." John gave a deep sigh. "There is a lot that I don't know. Alison, I care deeply for you, but I also care deeply for Cameron. If we survive this war, I will have much to figure out. We don't have time, today for me to sort everything out."

"John, I—"

"Cameron is in position." John said, interrupting Alison. "And it is time. Are you ready?"

Alison nodded and picked up her rifle. The two of them took aim and fired. Burst after burst of bullets rained down on the triple-eight. The barrage was having the desired effect. The terminator had turned on them and failed to notice Cameron walking up behind it. John watched as her hands grabbed either side of the Machine's head and crushed it. As the gunfire ceased, the headless terminator dropped to the ground.

John and Alison quickly picked up their equipment and made it down to Cameron. John had to take it slower then Alison just do to the limp he had. By the time John had made it down to them, Cameron had already hidden the body and the crushed head.

"John." Cameron said. "You are hurt."

"No. I'm still recovering from before."

Alison gave John a hand as he slipped towards the ground. He wanted to just sit for a second. Cameron knelt down next to him and examined his foot and leg as best as she could.

"Nothing seem out of place." Cameron said.

John shook his head. "Just in pain. It will be alright. Give me a second and I'll be good as new. Alison, call Command for me."

"Command," Alison said as she pushed the button for her mic. "This is Charlie Team. The terminator is down, repeat, the terminator is down. We are ready to breach upon your mark."

"Roger that." Lauren's voice said. "John Henry is beginning his attack on Skynet. All teams we are T minus five minutes from breach."

Cameron's foot knocked the door clean off its hinges. As John entered the building, he quickly swept the room with his weapon. The flashlight mounted on the rifle illuminated the empty corners of the warehouse. Cameron moved by John before he had complete his sweep. John looked up at Alison who was standing above him to make her own sweep. She shrugged.

"Cameron?" John said as he stood up and moved into the room.

"There was no one in here." She looked over her should at John as she grasped the back of the old chair and pulled it straight up, bringing a section of the floor with it.

"Yeah." John said as he looked down the hole that was uncovered. "Looks like it is time."

"Yes." Cameron said. "I'll go first."

John watched as Cameron started down the ladder. He licked his lips as he pushed the button on his mic. "This is Connor. All teams, be advised, friendlies are now entering the compound."

Each of the team leaders acknowledged John words.

"It is still eerie." Alison said. "I mean her looking like me."

"You'll get use to her." John glanced over at her. She was still scanning the room to make sure it was clear of enemies. "Hell, I'm just starting to get use to the idea of you."

"Oh?" Alison said with a slight smile. "So now I'm the creepy one?

John smiled. "It is just hard to imagine that I would every meet the woman that Cameron was designed from. She would never talk about you. I think she is ashamed of killing you. Fearful of what I would do to her because of it."

"I must have been important."

"Yes, you must have. I don't know for sure. Maybe Derek knows something. I don't think we are going to get anything out of Cameron." John shook his head slightly. "Ever since the explosion, she has been different. More capable of making decisions on her own, outside of her programming."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It can be."

To what extent he wasn't sure, but John knew Cameron was evolving. Her behavior was moving beyond what Future John had programed. He knew that her chip had been wiped clean multiple times of memories and programs that were not necessary for her mission at the time. Yet, she was able to remember more and more from her past. Her episode as Alison was simply one example. Whatever the explosion had done to her chip, it had allowed her to access memories and files that should be been blocked or wiped.

Taking another look at Alison, John swung his rifle on his shoulder and then began the descent into Skynet's lair. It became quite dark quickly. He guessed that he was only around half way down when his leg began hurting again. He took a deep breath and moaned slightly. Above him, John could hear Alison descending the ladder. He couldn't stop here to give his let a rest. He had to reach the bottom.

As soon as his feet touched the bottom, John felt his leg give way under his weight. He stumbled and tripped until his was able to reach out and catch himself on the concrete wall. John slid down the wall and stretched his leg out in front of him.

"You are in pain."

John jumped slightly and turned his rifle towards the voice. The light rested upon Cameron. Stood there looking at him, her face was blank of all emotion. Finally she moved to kneel next to him.

"You are hurt."

"I'm fine." John lied.

"Your leg is bring you pain. You shouldn't continue on."

"I'm fine." John gritted his teeth as he forced himself to his feet. Leaning against the wall, John looked at her. "I'm fine. I'm going to continue with the mission, and you are not going to mention this again or mention my pain to anyone else. Ok?"

"We really should tell—"

"Cameron, Please!" John said with a hiss. "I am asking you as a friend. Please. Just let me see this through. Don't tell anyone, please."

She stood there without saying a word. John wasn't sure what she was going to do. A noise from above cause both John and Cameron to look up. Alison had reached the bottom of the ladder and was looking at both of them.

"What's going on?" She asked as she turned the light on her rifle back on.

"Nothing." Cameron said. "The tunnel goes that way. We need to move."

John nodded his head and pushed off the wall. Limping forward, he moved passed both women and took the lead. He had to see this through. He couldn't let Cameron or Alison see his hesitation or his weakness. John knew well enough that both of them would not hesitate to pull him out of this facility.