Chapter 13: Arrival
The sun was already setting behind the Sierra Nevada mountain range when the convoy finally pulled up to its destination, Crystal Peak.
John called out over the radio for everyone to ensure all supplies were unloaded off the vehicles, entered into inventory logs and properly stored. He also added that any new people from either Hammerhead or Santa Clarita, were to gather at the main entrance to military bunker.
Curious lookers had gathered outside of the bunker entrance from the civilian camp and from inside Crystal Peak. Word had spread like wildfire throughout the resistance that Connor had arrived with supplies, recruits and rescued prisoners.
Among the people in the crowd was an impatient Kate Connor, eager to see her husband back safe and sound from his mission. She always hated it when John went off on a raid or supply run, it worried her to no end when he put himself into danger. Kayla was not with her, it was late and she was already soundly sleeping in their quarters with a babysitter close by so Kate could come out and greet her husband.
It had only been a few days, but it seemed like an eternity since she had been with John. She knew the importance of John's leadership, but it frustrated her to no end to have him leave her so often. Sometimes she wished they had just remained by themselves, off in some remote cabin, away from any person or machine. Sure it was selfish of her to think that way, but after all the years of fighting Skynet, the pressure of leadership was beginning to strain their relationship. Not only was she worried about John, but also Kayla.
Kate had seen too many single parents and orphaned children to not be affected by them. So much loss, pain and suffering had been endured by people, it was time to rebuild. She hoped that Skynet had been dealt the death blow when John and Marcus blew up Skynet Central in San Francisco, but she had a nagging feeling that John's nemesis had survived.
She stood on tippy toes and craned her neck to try and catch a glimpse of her husband in the convoy. Usually he was at or near the front, but most vehicles had emptied out before she made her way to the front of the crown gathered. Frustrated at not seeing him, she cursed at not being informed about the convoy arrival at an earlier time.
Barnes sauntered up beside Kate.
"Kate...any sign of Conner yet?"
"No" Kate snapped back, her frustration barely veiled as she scoured the crowds.
"Well he did bark some orders over the radio, so he must be nearby. You know how Connor likes to get everything settled in before he takes a break."
Kate looked up to Barnes and gave him a smirk. "Yeah... I know he likes to make sure everything goes smoothly and he always has to be in the thick of things..." She paused for a moment, her face sinking into a mask of thought, then she continued. "I just miss him and want to make sure he is okay."
Barnes looks down at Kate, puts his arm around her shoulder and gives her a brotherly squeeze. "He'll be looking for you shortly...he always does Kate."
...
Allison awoke with a start and sat up to look at her surroundings. The convoy was now stopped on a makeshift dirt parking lot beside a looming mountainside, a crowd of people were gathering around the vehicles. To her left was a huge entranceway with thick doors swung open, it was big enough to have any one of the large trucks drive in with ease and room to spare. To her right was the edge of the parking lot with a gradual slope down to the valley floor about three hundred meters below. It was steep enough to make it awkward to climb, but not impossible.
Allison snapped her head forwards as John called out orders over the radio.
"Are we here now?" Allison quietly asked.
Melissa looked back and smiled. "Why yes we are Allison...finally!"
"Thank God..." Allison sighed, then looked over to a still sleeping Kyle and Amanda, her head still resting on his shoulder. Allison gazed at the peaceful looking couple and smirked. Feeling a bit mischievous, She decided to wake both up. "HEY...lovebirds! We're here now."
The sleepy couple woke up with a start, Amanda's face turning a shade of red when she realized she had been resting her noggin on Kyle's shoulder. Kyle blinked, looked around, then smiled when he remembered who he was sandwiched between.
"Ladies" Kyle lazily drawled.
Allison rolled her eyes. "Please Kyle...don't be such a dork."
Amanda giggled
Kyle yawned, smiled, stretched his arms above his head and attempted to nonchalantly wrap them behind each of the girls' shoulders.
"If you want to keep your arm, I suggest you keep it to yourself Kyle." Allison quipped.
"Gee... can't a brother give his sister a hug?" Kyle responded with a sheepish grin.
"Not just me, but maybe Amanda would prefer you kept your paws off of her too." Allison lifted her brow.
"Ohhh...no, I got no problem Allie." Amanda blushed. "He makes a good pillow."
Kyle's smile grew and it seemed to Allison that his chest might have puffed out a bit further, upon hearing Amanda's comment.
"Yeah...well he is soft and good to toss around in a fight." Allison added with a sheepish grin.
"Hey..."
"Hey nuthin...it's the truth." Allison playfully punched Kyle on the shoulder.
Amanda giggled, but quickly looked away when Kyle's eyes met hers.
Rubbing his newly injured shoulder, Kyle glared back at Allison. "Hey smartass...how's about getting out so I can get some fresh air...It's gettin' stuffy in here."
John and Melissa had been busy going over some paperwork and giving out orders over the radio, but the conversation behind them did manage to catch their attention. Both of them stopped for a moment to listen in on the teen drama unfolding in the back seat.
"Awww...poor baby, you wanna run away from us bad girls? Yer panties in a knot?"
"Shut up Allie..."
"Make me."
"Allie...don't be so mean to your brother."
Melissa looked over to John and burst out laughing.
The three in the back seat momentarily stopped their bickering and glanced frontwards.
Kyle spoke up first.
"What's so funny ?"
Melissa turned around to face the three in the back seat. She looked directly at Allison first, then spoke.
"Allison...Kyle...Amanda! You three need to tone things down. Get out of the truck and gather up the cargo in the back. Once it's outside, we'll decide what you will be doing next."
Melissa's orders were met with mumbled words of outrage and finger pointing, to which Melissa calmly reminded them to do what they were told or face a wrath worse than death.
Melissa turned back to face forwards, just in time to catch a grinning John.
"What?"
"I think I'll start calling you Lord Vader." John chuckled.
"What's a Lord Vader?" A female voice called out form the back seat.
Melissa tilted her head upwards in mock frustration. "Never mind...get cracking at unloading, before I start cracking skulls." Then she looked back at a smiling John. "Lord Vader huh..."
"I couldn't resist it Webster, you can be quite bossy sometimes..."
"But Lord Vader? Why not something like Zena or Wonder Woman?" Melissa barely contained her sheepish grin.
"I know who Wonder Woman is..." Kyle responded, but was quickly cut off by Melissa.
"I am Wonder Woman to you and if you don't want o feel my wrath, I suggest you get cracking at unloading the truck."
Kyle said nothing back, but instead sat back and sulked for a moment, before getting out of the vehicle with the girls.
Both Allison and Amanda puzzled over the new names Melissa had come up with, as they made ready to leave the vehicle.
"How does she get these names?"
"Hell if I know...it's kinda freaky."
John responded to a few more radio transmissions before switching off the ignition and turning to Melissa.
"You rule with the iron fist...wrapped in velvet gloves my dear."
Melissa smiled crookedly at John before responding. "And you Connor, you lead with a passion that comes deep from your heart. Without you, we would have never made it this far."
"There are days when I wonder how I manage to do it Webster." John sighed.
Melissa looked over into the crowd, smiled, then spoke. "I can see one of the reasons behind your success."
"Huh?"
"Look over towards the front of the crowd."
John squinted, at first not seeing what Melissa was talking about, then his face softened. "Kate" He whispered quietly.
"Get going Connor, I can handle the clean up here." Melissa nudged John.
John winked at Melissa. "Thanks Webster... Just don't be too hard on the newbies, especially the girls."
Melissa smirked and gave John a shove towards the door. "Never mind me, you go to your woman...You've been neglecting her too long."
John slammed the door shut, shouldered his rifle and made his way towards an unaware Kate. She was busy looking further down the line of vehicles and failed to notice her husband slowly making his way to her.
Barnes saw John right away, waved and touched Kate's shoulder, pointing her puzzled gaze in the right direction.
Kate's face instantly lit up with joy and relief. "John" She mouthed as a tear slowly slipped down her cheek.
John smiled back and quickened his pace.
Kate burst into a full run towards John, eager to wrap her arms around her love.
John dropped his gear just in time to wrap his arms around Kate and spin her around as they both locked lips in a deep passionate kiss. He finally put her down, but kept his mouth pressed to hers. Reluctantly they finally broke their embrace.
"You look like crap John." Kate noticed the bruising and scratches on John's face, not to mention the stress etched into his features. She brought her hand up to his face and gently stroked his cheek.
John smiled. "I feel like crap, but we did good Kate... we managed to gather more supplies, recruits and survivors." His eyes sparkled as he looked deep into Kate's eyes.
"That's good news John. Any casualties?"
John sighed. "There always are... Blair was hit in the shoulder, but she got quick medical attention and seems to be mending okay, no infection as far as I know."
Kate pressed her lips in worry. "I should go check on her..."
"No need sweetheart, she is fine. Derek is taking care of her"
"Derek?"
"I'll explain later hun, when we have some alone time." John slid his hand along Kate's cheek.
"Well I'll still want to take a look at her in a bit." Kate whispered as she nuzzled closer to John.
John smirked. "What about me? Am I chopped liver now?"
Kate stood back and slapped John's shoulder. "Don't be such a baby, you got scratches and she got shot."
"Maybe so, but I am suffering."
"Suffering?"
"Yeah... I need lots of TLC."
"I'll give you more TLC than you can handle...later...after I see Blair."
With her last comment, Kate gave John an impish grin, pushed past him and headed off towards where he had come from to find Blair.
Barnes chuckled. "Connor... looks like yer woman has her own priorities."
"Tell me about it." John grinned. "You know she always has to check on the sick and wounded."
John slapped Barnes on the shoulder. "C'mon...let's go grab a drink...a strong one."
Barnes lifted an eyebrow. "Strong?... I think we got us some vintage home brew stashed away."
"Vintage?" John lifted an eyebrow as he gathered his items from the ground.
"Yeah...two weeks!"
Both men laughed out loud as they slipped through the crown and headed for the bunker.
...
Allison had been helping Kyle lift out some heavy boxes, when she noticed John walking towards a stunning looking woman with fiery red hair. The slender woman had just seen John and immediately rushed into his arms.
"Who's the girl with John?" Allison poked Kyle as she asked.
Kyle looked over towards where she was looking, immediately he noticed Connor and his wife Kate locked in a loving embrace, then he replied in a matter of fact manner. "That's Connors wife...Kate."
Allison bit the bottom of her lip and sighed. "She's pretty."
"Pretty?...she's hot and is smart too..."
"Really?" Allison cut in, curiosity cutting in after her initial shock of seeing John with the redheaded beauty.
"Yeah, she is also a medic... well...a doctor really."
"Wow" Allison paused to gaze at the couple, her eyes welled up a bit with moisture, a hint of jealousy began to course through her veins. She really liked John, he had saved her life and managed to reunite her with both Derek and Kyle.
Kyle noticed something was up with Allison. "What's with you Allie."
"Nuthin" Allison snapped.
At that moment Amanda returned from dropping off items in one of the storage units. Seeing the look on Allison's face and glancing over to what she was looking at, it wasn't hard for Amanda to put two and two together.
"Allison likes John."
"Mandy!" Allison gave Amanda a dirty look.
"Well I like John too...he's a good guy." Kyle added.
Both girls glared at Kyle.
"Not that kind of 'like'... stupid." Amanda stepped closer to Kyle, a tiny smile formed on her lips as she came uncomfortably close to Kyle.
"Ohhh... that kind of 'like'." Kyle swallowed nervously and pretended to get busy with reaching for a bag of clothes.
"Maybe we can go for a walk later and you can show me the camp Kyle." Amanda cooed as she leaned even closer and batted her baby blues.
"No time for tours tonight ladies." A familiar female voice called out form a short distance.
Melissa had been watching the three teens the past couple of minutes. She had immediately noticed Allison's infatuation with John from the first time she had met Allison, she chalked it up to a schoolgirl type of crush and gave it no further thought beyond getting Allie's mind off of John and back to clearing away the supplies.
"Chop Chop...Let's snap to it, I don't want to be up all night making sure you guys get things put away!" Melissa clapped her hands to get her point across.
Her orders were met with silent grumblings from the three teens, but they did step up their pace.
Melissa leaned back against the truck, hoping the work would be done soon and she could get the girls settled into Crystal Peak. She glanced around and noticed Kate walking up towards her spot.
"Hi Mel" Kate cheerfully chirped.
"Hi yourself Kate!" Melissa called back. "You're in a good mood."
"Yep... got my sweetheart back safe and sound...well except for a few scratches."
Melissa got serious. "We did some good this time around Kate. We managed to save a lot of people from misery and gained some new allies..." Melissa swept her hand towards Allison and Amanda...and some new recruits."
Kate looked over at the two girls. "They look like they went through hell Mel."
"I'll fill you in on the details tomorrow, but for now I'm glad we got to them in time."
"Slave trading?"
"Yep...and they saw a lot of friends die, all due to some asshole raiders attacking their camp."
"That's a shame...Just because Skynet is not showing its ugly face, people gotta go and pick on the weaker ones...and all for personal gain. It sickens me Mel."
Melissa paused for a second, her mind wandering to the time she had been caught and held captive by a group of marauders. Flashes of violence and suffering momentarily threatened to cause her to break down, but she kept a brave face. "I know how they must have felt Kate." She whispered.
Melissa lowered her head.
Kate placed her hand onto Melissa's shoulder to comfort her. "They're in a safer place now Mel...we'll take good care of them."
Melissa smiled weakly. "Well there is some more good news."
"Ohh?"
"Kyle knows Allison from before he joined us with Star. She is like his sister or something like that, and we also found his brother Derek too."
"Wow, that's wonderful news Mel..."
"No...that's not all..."
"Ohh do tell!" Kate eagerly settled in beside Melissa to hear about the discovery of Derek near Hammerhead, the hunt for Allison and the others, the raid on the slave camp and finally the battle on the way home.
"Holy crap Mel, you guys really had quite the adventure out there." Kate was visibly blown away by Melissa's story.
"That's not all Kate." Melissa beamed as she leaned in closer to explain.
"What is it?" Kate whispered back, a smile growing from ear to ear.
"Derek and Blair kinda hooked up..." Melissa looked around so as to make sure no one else was listening, then whispered some more. "...They kissed too."
Kate's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "No way Mel.."
"Yesss...it's all true...He's the one that patched her up again when we got raided on the road..." Melissa paused to check for eavesdroppers, then continued. "He rode with her the rest of the way back to here."
"Ohh my God...I never thought I'd see the day she let the ice melt from around her heart."
Melissa rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it."
"About what?" A young female voice called out.
Melissa turned to see Allison walking up with Kyle and Amanda in tow.
Quick to change the subject, Melissa spoke up. "Ahh ladies... I have someone you need to meet."
Kate quickly stepped forward and spoke up. "Hi...My name is Kate Connor, John's wife."
Both girls responded with shy smiles and muted greetings.
Melissa, sensing a bit of awkwardness, cut in. "Kate...the girl with the blond hair is Amanda and her friend beside her is Allison."
Kate held out her hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you two."
Both girls took turns shaking Kate's outstretched palm and quietly responded in kind. The slender brunette, Allison, looked up into Kate's eyes as she took hold of her hand in greeting. It was as if she was trying to read the older woman's mind, by either touch or through her intense stare.
"You look really pretty Mrs Connor..." Allison paused for a second to draw in a breath, her eyes widening as she seemed to sense something about Kate. "...And you smell really nice too!"
Kate laughed and leaned in to place her hands on the girl's slim shoulders. "It's probably the shampoo I used...we came across a supply of it a while back."
Allison frowned. "Been a while since we had shampoo or good smelling soap."
"Well then, we have a treat for you ladies then..."
"A treat?" Both girls developed a lost look at Kate's statement.
Kate glanced over at Melissa. "You didn't tell them about the showers?"
Feeling left out of the loop, Kyle spoke up. "We've been too busy to talk about silly things!"
His comment remained ignored by the girls.
"Never crossed my mind. We've been caught up in so much crap these past few days." Melissa had completely forgotten to tell the girls about the creature comforts at the base, one of them being running water, both hot and cold. Running water was something extremely rare, if not impossible to find in the post Judgement Day world, never mind hot running water!
Melissa and Kate went on to explain to the girls about the showers and how they would be able to use them, once everything was settled in. Melissa also added that the girls would be bunking with her and Blair, seeing as the older women had volunteered to take both girls under their care. The girls, visibly excited, were eager to finish off their duties and rush off to experience a thorough cleansing in a real shower. Neither girl remembered what it was like to have a normal bath or shower, for they were too young to recall those times. To them, this would be something new and exhilarating, they were eager to experience having a shower right away.
Kyle stood dumbfounded. He had been totally left out of the conversation, almost like he didn't even exist. "Am I invisible?" He wondered out loud.
Amanda winked at Kyle and whispered. "You're cute when you get frustrated." Then she turned eagerly towards Allison. "Let's hurry up and finish Allie!"
Both girls bolted back to the vehicles.
Kyle smiled shyly, turned a few shades of red and walked back at a slower pace towards the trucks to finish shuffling supplies inside the bunker.
As the two girls rushed off to finish helping, Kate leaned back against the truck and smiled. "I'm glad you and Blair are helping with the Amanda and Allison, they seem like really good girls..."
"They are Kate..." Melissa cut in. "Allison has excellent skills and aim, when it comes to rifles. Her friend Amanda is almost as capable, and with a little training, both can become really good fighters in the resistance."
Kate sighed. "They are so young though."
"Yeah...most are Kate, but we need all the help we can get."
"I know, but still..."
"They should be worried about boys and about girl stuff, not war?" Melissa tilted her head.
"Yeah...girl stuff..." Kate smiled dreamily as she thought back to simpler times.
Melissa sighed in agreement.
Just at that moment, Blair and Derek strolled up from further back in the line of vehicles. Melissa noticed the couple first.
"Hey you two...we were getting ready to send out a search party for you."
Blair called back with a sharp response. "Yeah well nurse Derek here was pressing me to get takin' in on a stretcher... Naturally I refused."
"I'll be wanting to take a close look at you shortly Ms Williams." Kate shot back with her most professional sounding voice.
Blair waver her hand in a dismissive manor. "Yeah yeah...I know. I'll meet you in the med room shortly hun. But first I want you to meet my saviour, Derek."
Derek turned a couple of shades red and shot Blair a puzzled look.
Kate smiled, glanced over to Melissa and whispered under her breath. "Wow...he's cute!"
"I know" Melissa answered with a knowing grin.
"The names Derek...Reese." Derek nervously cleared his throat as he introduced himself.
"Reese? As in Kyle's brother?" Kate inquired.
Derek grinned as he held his hand out to shake Kate's. "Yep...Kyle's big brother...and you are?"
"Kate...Connor...John's wife." Kate smiled sweetly as she grasped Derek's hand and shook it.
"Pleased to meet you Kate..."
"The pleasure is all mine, especially when you took such good care of Blair." Kate locked her eyes with Derek's, then nodded towards Blair.
Kate noticed right away how much Derek looked like family, well John's side of the family. Piercing eyes, with a hard, but kind face, just like Kyle and John. She also noticed how Blair kept looking at Derek, It reminded her of how a schoolgirl would look at her first crush. Kate couldn't help but smile at the good fortune of the mission saving people and finding another member of John Connor's family. She was also happy to see Blair finally opening up and letting someone past her walled up emotions.
I must ask Melissa how Blair managed to fall so fast for Derek.
Kate made a mental note to swing by to see Melissa and get the details about Blair and Derek.
Blair decided to break the awkward silence. "So...do I get to sleep in my own room or do I have to go to the infirmary?"
"Depends on how the shoulder feels my dear." Kate cut in while moving in close to inspect Blair's bandages. "No bleeding? No sharp pain?"
Blair flinched in pain as Kate prodded with her fingers. "No" she hissed "Only sharp pain is the one standing beside me."
"Hey" Derek gave Blair a hurt look.
Blair winked at Derek. "Only teasing you Reese...keepin' ya on yer toes."
Derek sighed, then spoke up. "Look...I'm going to get mine and your stuff Blair. I'll need someone to let me know where everything goes."
"No problem Reese, I'll get your little bro to help you get settled in and show you where to put Blair's stuff." Melissa added.
Melissa and Derek said their goodbyes and strode off to meet up with Kyle and the others.
Kate eyed Blair closely, as she tried to figure out just how and why she had changed to drastically in the past few days.
"Soooo...Blair... What's up with you and big brother Reese?" Kate teased.
"I dunno..." Blair responded dreamily. "...He's so sweet. You know he's been taking care of Allison and even her friend Amanda, both are not even related to him."
"I met the girls, they seemed nice."
"They are Kate, but they have been through some bad shit..."
"Yeah...Mel hinted at that. We'll need to talk about things later, after you guys are settled back into camp." Kate put her arm around Blair's waist and helped he walk back towards the main entrance to the base.
"I rested in the truck, but it'll be nice to get into a real bed. I'm really wiped out Kate." Blair leaned into Kate for support and Kate gave Blair an extra squeeze.
"I'll get you mended in no time...then you can pounce on that cutie Derek."
Both women laughed out loud at Kate's comment.
Blair gave Kate a devilish grin. "Oh I've got plans for him."
"Mmmm...I bet you do!" Kate shot back.
Both women nodded to the security at the entrance, as they approached the doorway. Dogs were also stationed to help in screening out any potential Terminators that may still be lurking. John had been adamant about ensuring canines were used at all entrances and throughout the camp. It was one of many precautions he used to ensure the safety of everyone at Crystal Peak. No matter who it was, they had to be cleared before entering any sensitive area of the camp.
A wagging tail and lick on the hand ensured the girls were good to go. Both Kate and Blair gave the animals a pat on the head and words of praise, they nodded to the guards, then proceeded to head towards the infirmary.
...
The warm water rained down on her face as she leaned in with closed eyes and felt its gentle warm caress. Allison was too young to remember how it felt to have a warm shower, in fact, she had never had a shower before. It was soothing to feel the gently sprinkle of droplets fall onto naked body, seemingly washing away not only the dirt and grime, but most of the worries that had played about in Allison's mind. In a matter of days, her life had been turned around to the point of her not knowing where up and down was. She had been kidnapped, almost raped, rescued, re-united with family and met knew friends. Now she was enrolled in the Resistance, lead by John Connor.
A smile came across her face as she remembered the moment John had burst into the room and rescued her from Blaine, the grotesque leader of the raiders. Her face quickly blushed when she remembered how embarrassed she was when she found out she had been topless, but John had been a gentleman, had given his jacket for her to wear and spared her even more embarrassment.
"Allie...you gonna just stand there all night? Two more minutes to go!" Melissa barked out from a couple of stalls over.
Allison snapped out of her daydream. "I'm almost done Mel."
"I'm not...I never want to leave." Amanda replied from the next shower stall. Her eyes were closed , but she had a huge smile on her face as she remained under the warm sprinkle of water.
"Just as long as you two made sure to scrub off all the grime and used shampoo in your hair like I showed you, I'll be happy." Melissa called out cheerfully. She knew the girls were in their glory right now, especially since the girls had probably not had a warm shower or bath, since before Judgement Day.
It had been after Melissa had settled both Amanda and Allison into the girls' dorm, she had led them off to the girls showers to wash the weeks of filth off their bodies. Being clean was actually part of the girls' training, in Melissa's eyes the girls needed to be trained in all aspects, including proper hygiene. Besides, deep down, Melissa knew it would help boost the girls' confidence in feeling safe at the camp and looking presentable. She felt that every bit of normalcy and comfort went a long way towards helping both girls heal form all the painful things they had experienced.
"Time's up ladies!" Melissa called out.
Her words were met with groans of protest and outright begging for 'just one more minute'. Melissa smiled, but held her ground.
"You two need a good night's sleep...I have a big day planned tomorrow."
"Big Day?" Amanda questioned as she stepped out of the stall and wrapped a towel around herself.
"We begin your training for the resistance."
"I'm ready to start now...I feel like that shower gave me some sort of magical energy." Allison added with gusto and a bright smile.
"Hold that thought Allie, and save all that new 'energy' for tomorrow." Melissa tossed her towel in her bag and finished dressing. "Now hurry up you two, we need to get back to the dorm before lights out"
"Lights out?"
"Ummm...yeah...we power down the camp to save energy." Melissa added. " Ohhh...and when we get back to the room, make sure to hang the towels to dry ladies."
Melissa saw a renewed eagerness and happiness in the girls' attitude towards their new surroundings, it brought a smile to her face and a sense of relief that she had been part of the rescue. Humanity was too important to have it destroyed by Skynet or by others that sought to take advantage of the weak and young. Thoughts of her past always seemed to surface, whenever she saw any young girl in either the camp or anywhere else. She knew how hard life could be and she remembered how she had suffered at the hands of people she wished she had never met, never mind Skynet.
The two teens hurried up to dry off and get dressed. Both girls were chatting up a storm as they slipped on their fresh change of clothes, donated by Blair and Melissa.
"You smell good Mandy!"
"Well so do you Allie...like those strawberries we had at Hammerhead!"
"Mmmmm...yeah..." Allison went off into a trance. "They were wonderful..."
"Melt in your mouth and so good..." Amanda added.
Melissa cut in. "Hold on...you two are makin' me hungry now."
"Ooops...sorry Mel, but they were really good..." Amanda cut in with a smirk.
"Yeah...they were, weren't they girls." Melissa grinned and winked. "But this talkin' is not getting us back to the room!"
Both girls agreed, finished dressing and packed up their gear to go back to the dorm.
...
John and Barnes had been sitting in the cafeteria area, enjoying the home brew, when Kate and Blair walked by the entrance and noticed the two men.
"Hey!" Kate called out.
"Hey yourself." John answered back, with a slight slur. The potent alcohol was beginning to dull his senses, but John welcomed the moment of relaxation and bliss, especially after the past few days he had experienced.
Kate narrowed her look. "Barnes?... Are you getting my boy drunk?"
"Maybe I am." Barnes smiled.
"Well you take it easy on him, he has some ...ummm...work to do before bed." Kate added with a wink.
"Don't you worry miss...I'll get him back to your room safe and sound." Barnes saluted Kate and then took another rather large gulp of the strong brew.
Blair shook her head and grinned. "Huh...boys will be boys..."
They always are, that's why I'm glad I had a girl." Kate's eyes shone as she spoke up.
Blair noticed her expression, smiled and leaned in a bit more on Kate's shoulder as they made their way down the hallway towards the infirmary. She knew how much John meant to Kate and to Kayla, she just wished she could have something close to what the Connors had. Her thoughts changed from happiness to that of melancholy as they went deeper into wishing for a loving family of her own. Maybe Derek could be the one to change things.
Barnes nudged John on the shoulder. "You know you should be heading to bed...and I don't mean to sleep either."
As soon as John looked up, Barnes winked and tilted his head towards the exit. "We can catch up on what went on tomorrow Connor."
John smiled sheepishly. "She was pretty direct about me getting to bed, wasn't she."
"Hell ya" Barnes slapped John on the shoulder, got up from his chair to stretch, then continued. "I need to get some sleep and you need to tend to her needs."
John tilted his cup all the way back as he finished off the last of his drink, wiped his chin and got up to leave. "Night Barnes...duty calls."
"Connor"
"What?"
"Hit the showers first, you really stink!"
John sniffed his armpit, looked over to Barnes and nodded in agreement. "I'll take your advice in confidence sir."
...
Melissa lead the girls back to their dorm room, all three would share the room, but have separate beds. This came as a pleasant surprise to the girls, as they had been used to sharing beds, tents and virtually everything else with others. Originally the room had been designed to have maybe one or two occupants, so it was a bit crowded, but cosy with having the two bunk beds set up on either side of the room. Being a girls' room, decorations were on the feminine side. A stack of old romance novels, some old and faded fashion magazines, a gas lamp, along with a beat up military laptop from before Judgement day were piled on a desk in the middle of the far wall separating the two beds. A tall dresser and a trunk sat just inside of the doorway, along with a vanity mirror secured to the wall above the trunk. Piles of clothes were placed in various parts of the room in a haphazard fashion, along with some personal items.
A makeshift clothes line was off to the back half of the room, laden with various articles of clothing that had been left to dry just before Melissa and Blair had left for the rescue mission. Empty spots on the line were quickly filled by the girls' damp towels as they prepared for bed.
Melissa lit the lamp and turned off the main light switch in anticipation of lights out.
"Don't you guys use the lights all the time?" Amanda inquired.
"Most of the complex goes dark to save on fuel. We do use solar, but still need fuel to run the generators." Melissa replied nonchalantly as she stored some of her gear.
Allison quickly dropped her stuff and scrambled to the top bunk. "I call this one!"
"Good...you'll fall farther." Amanda added with a grin, while she crawled into her bed.
Allison smiled to herself as she snuggled under the blanket. The soft mattress and warm sheets were inviting to her tired body.
"Tomorrow we will get you girls some more clothes to wear. Most likely it will be military issue and won't fit well, but Blair and I can show you two how to do alterations to garments."
"I'm just glad we got here in one piece." Allison wiggled under the sheets as she struggled to find the most comfortable position to fall asleep in.
"Yeah me too Allie." Amanda rested her head on the pillow and slowly closed her eyes.
"Just make sure you two get some rest, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Melissa paused for an answer, but all she heard was steady breathing. Both girls had immediately fallen asleep. "Good night ladies" She whispered.
Melissa finished putting away some miscellaneous items, then she too slipped under the covers on her bed. Before drifting off to sleep, Melissa leaned over and turned down the lamp. She figured a little light in a strange room would be better than having the girls awaken in pitch black and possibly freaking out. The fuel was hard to come by, but worth the peace of mind. Feeling content with a successful mission and the safe arrival home, she lay back, closed her eyes and let herself drift into slumber.
...
Kyle had finally finished putting away the new supplies into storage containers, he was dead tired and eager to crash in his own bunk bed. He was pretty sure Star would be sleeping by now as it was way past sunset by now and also past her bed time.
He slowly made his way back to the main entrance, let the dogs sniff him, nodded to the two guards and proceeded towards the men's' dorm. Star was bunked with other young girls in another room, but since his route to his room passed hers, he figured he might be able to stop in and say hello. That is if she was awake.
The hallways were dimly lit, only basic lighting was left on overnight as a skeleton crew manned the radios and surveillance cameras. Kyle was use to the darker conditions, if need be he probably could navigate the whole complex in pitch black, after being at the camp for about two years, he had grown to know Crystal Peak like the back of his hand.
Kyle walked up to Star's dorm, slowly opened the door and crept in. He looked around and instantly saw that she was indeed sleeping.
Figuring that it would be wiser to just come by in the morning, Kyle chose to exit the room quietly, so as to not disturb Star or the other girls that were sleeping.
As soon as he turned to leave, Star sat bolt upright.
Startled by her sudden move, Kyle stopped in his tracks. Star lifted her arms up for a hug from Kyle, he obliged by quietly tip toeing up to her bed and pull her into a big bear hug.
"You go back to sleep now...I'll see you in the morning...okay?" Kyle whispered into Star's ear.
Star nodded and broke the embrace, she lay back down and gave Kyle a big smile.
Kyle grinned back at her and crept backwards to the door so as to not disturb the others in the room.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Kyle slipped down the hallway towards his room.
Inside the girls' dorm, Star remained in her bed. She knew Kyle was home now just by the way his footsteps fell onto the tiled floor, before he had opened the door. As soon as he left the room, she snuggled her head into the pillow and closed her eyes, a small smile formed on her lips once she closed her eyes.
Kyle made his way as quickly and quietly down the hallway as he possibly could, he was in a hurry to get to his bed and catch up on some sleep. The ride in the truck had been long and he didn't rest well during the last leg of travel back to the base. Just to be safe, he glanced down intersecting hallways as he passed them, a force of habit based on the time he had lived out amongst the rubble of Los Angeles. Back then it was prudent to keep a sharp eye and ear for terminators or other people out to steal what you had, now it was just second nature for him to be always aware of his surroundings.
Finally he made it to his room. It was a room he shared with about 5 other males in the resistance, but as long as there was a bed to lay upon, Kyle was happy. He was greeted by a chorus of snores and grumbling as he stumbled about in the room. Being a typical room dominated by males, it was not the cleanest room, but it was sanitary. The resistance may have had a military structure, but most of the rules had been relaxed to accommodate the everyday person that had joined up to fight Skynet.
The dim light from the hallway did little to help Kyle find his bunk, but his eyes soon grew accustomed to its inky blackness and he managed to climb into his bed with little effort. As soon as his head hit the pillow, Kyle closed his eyes and instantly let his mind drift off towards a certain blond haired girl that seemed to enjoy bugging him, along with the help of his adopted sister Allison.
...
Derek was dead tired, but eager to check up on Blair, he fumbled his way through the hallways, finally finding a person to help direct him to the infirmary. From the directions that had been explained, he was able to locate Blair's stall. Quietly and slowly he edged his way into the large room, divided up by rails and curtains. He passed the abandoned nursing station and made his way along the aisle way until he finally located Blair resting in a bed.
Seeing that Blair was still wide awake, Derek sucked in a deep breath and stepped into her cubicle.
"Hey you...how are you doing?" Derek softly asked.
Blair flashed Derek a winning smile and patted a spot beside her on the bed. "I'm fine...come here for a second."
"I just came by to say goodnight..."
"There's room for two here." Blair cut in.
Derek blushed slightly then quickly sat down beside Blair. "I don't want to impose on your rest..."
Blair narrowed her gaze. "Derek Reese...shut up and get closer..."
"But..."
"No buts...just stay with me..okay?" Blair had a slight pout and batted her eyelashes at Derek.
Caught up in his infatuation with Blair and the new found joy in meeting someone he had a genuine attraction to, Derek caved in and stretched out beside Blair.
Blair smiled and lifted herself up so as to let Derek place his arm securely around her.
"I'm glad you stopped by Derek."
"Well I had a hell of a time finding this place...probably would have never found my room either."
Blair rolled her eyes at Derek then burst out in laughter. "Yeah...you'd probably end up getting thrown in a cell...or worse...shot!"
"Gee...nice place you have here then..."
"Please...you'd do the same if some strange guy was wondering around in the hallways." Blair smiled sweetly at Derek, she was glad he had come by to visit her.
"So...I guess I need to stay here with you...so you can protect me?"
"Mmmm...yep...that's it Reese." Blair snuggled closer to Derek.
Derek responded by tightening his hold on Blair by placing his other arm around her and pulling her closer. "In that case I think I'll stay the night."
Blair's face went serious for a second before she spoke. "Reese..."
"Yeah William's?"
"I'm glad everything worked out...I mean with your family and friends."
Derek smiled back at Blair. "So am I Blair...I'm glad too for...well...meeting you."
"Hmm...you might regret saying that later Reese." Blair narrowed her gaze but Derek could tell she was teasing him again.
"I doubt it Williams."
Succumbing to exhaustion and feeling somewhat secure in their surroundings, both Derek and Blair slowly drifted off to sleep.
...
Feeling refreshed from the shower, John eagerly made his way back to his room. He knew Kate would be waiting up for him, she always wanted to know what had gone on during any trips and she enjoyed the time alone with him, just as much as he did with her. Night time, just before bed, was the only real time they had to be one on one as a couple. The day was usually so busy, they hardly got to stop to say hi or even meet for lunch. John knew it was important to keep Crystal Peak running, but so was his marriage. The stresses of keeping the resistance going, helping out with refugees and trying to keep tabs on Skynet, took its toll on everyone, especially John. Kate knew and understood, but deep down he knew, she wished they didn't have to deal with so much on a daily basis.
John sighed in relief as he came upon a familiar door. He quickly stepped in and tossed his gear off to the side, laid his weapon against the dresser beside the bed and began to strip down to his underwear. Kate came from behind the curtain dividing their bed from Kayla's bed. She was wearing an old t-shirt of his and as far as he could tell, and nothing else, but a smile. Her hair had grown much longer, crimson curls cascaded down her back and over her shoulders. Her face was pale but for the few freckles that were sprinkled across her nose and cheeks. Despite having Kayla, Kate had managed to retain her slender form, partly to do with a vigorous work schedule and also the fact that food was still in short supply. She was a vision of natural beauty and grace in John's eyes.
"Hi sweetheart!"
"Hi yourself" John smirked as his eyes followed the curves of her body from her toes up to the slender curve of her neck.
Kate placed her hands on her side, in mock expression of being slightly irritated. "Are you undressing me with your eyes?"
"Maybe..." John chuckled. "...but I am feeling dead tired." He faked yawning and stretched his arms above his head.
Kate smiled impishly and wagged her index finger at John. "Ohhhh no, don't try playing that game with me John Connor, I have plans for you!"
"Oh?"
"Get to bed soldier...that's an order!" Kate's face was serious, but her eyes betrayed the mischief she was up to.
John crossed his arms. "Maybe I don't want to!"
Kate stepped closer, grabbed John's shirt with both hands and planted a warm kiss on his lips. After closing her eyes and savouring the moment of bliss, Kate broke away.
"Does that change your mind?"
John grinned sheepishly and pushed the game further. "No" he responded nonchalantly.
Kate huffed in mock anger and used both her hands to push John off balance. Shocked by her sudden move he fell backwards onto the bed, but made no effort to get up.
"Giving up so soon?" Kate curled her lip up in triumph.
John slid further back onto the bed and placed his hands behind his neck.
"No"
Seeing she had to switch her plan of attack, Kate grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head in one flowing movement. Her hair fell back down on her shoulders, but failed to hide the fact that she stood before her husband totally naked.
"How about now?" Kate asked as she casually let the shirt slip from her fingertips and onto the floor.
John blushed and gulped a breath of air as his eyes drank in her beauty.
"Maybe" he squeaked. Even after all the time they had spent together, John was still easily embarrassed by her forwardness.
"Maybe huh..." Kate bit the bottom of her lip, smiled and climbed onto the bed. She slipped one of her legs over John's midsection so she could straddle him. She leaned in close to his face and let her hair fall around their faces, cocooning them from any visual distractions. She tenderly placed little baby kisses up and down his neck. "...have you changed your mind yet?" she whispered huskily between her kisses she tenderly placed on his skin.
John smiled and gently flipped her off of him and rolled Kate onto her back. He returned her kisses with soft ones of his own. "Does this answer your question?" John murmured in her ear.
Kate giggled as John's lips brushed by her ear. "Just shut up and get naked so I can really wear you out."
"Hmmm...we'll see who gets tired first" John breathed as he grazed his lips across hers.
"Mmmm...no more talking, just keep kissing me." Kate groaned as she wrapped her arms around John and puller him into a deep passionate kiss.
...
The machine had kept marching all day and into the evening, at a pace that would have worn out a normal man hours ago. Keeping away from open areas and making sure its sensors were kept on high alert, the terminator made sure it was not spotted. Even if it had been seen from a distance, the machine knew resistance soldiers or groups of marauders would surely move in to investigate a lone person wandering in the desert. If a firefight broke out, chances are the machine would have no problem dealing with any humans, but its mission was to remain hidden and observe. Killing anyone would draw attention and expose Skynet to be active. The element of surprise was needed to ensure Skynet would be successful in crushing the resistance at this base and in other locations.
The machine had kept near to the main route used by the convoy, ensuring it would not lose the trail. Climbing up a steep hillside, it popped its head over the top to perform a search for any signs of a resistance camp. Off in the distance, barely in sight, a glimmer of light twinkled. The machine zoomed in its optics and observed headlights from vehicles and the base itself, revealing it to be a hive of activity.
By its calculations, Terminator unit 800-4239 was now within 5 miles of Crystal Peak, close enough to attempt contact with the infiltrator unit. Cloud cover was low and would help aid in transmission of the machines signal. Immediately it switched on the transmitter and began to send out a coded message to Skynet, pinpointing the resistance camps location. Upon receiving confirmation from Skynet that the message had been received, the terminator turned its efforts towards contacting the infiltrator.
Using a different coded message and frequency, unit 800-4239 began to attempt contact with the infiltrator unit. Seconds later a confirmation message was sent back to the machine.
Contact had been made with the infiltration unit.
...
Star had been resting peacefully, when she again sat bolt upright in her bed. This time something different has roused her, a weak message was being received from outside of the camp. A hint of a smile played upon her lips as she sent confirmation back to the unit that had contacted her.
Message received...will begin transmission of intel gathered from within Crystal Peak tomorrow at sunset from southeast corner of camp to ensure all data is received.
Confirmation was sent back to Star and then the signal was cut. She turned her head to scan the room, making sure no one had seen her awake. Secrecy was of upmost importance to ensure victory.
Satisfied she had not been discovered, Star smiled, a bright unnatural flash flickered from behind her eyes, temporarily casting a red glow in the room. Slowly the infiltrator laid back onto its pillow, setting its internal clock to awaken from standby at precisely six in the morning.
Tomorrow would be a new beginning for Skynet's battle to dominate humanity and eventuality the annihilation of everyone on the planet.