They say the age of eighteen is important for all humans because at that age everyone attains their adulthood. A different kind of freedom which I've never experienced before. It was a totally different experience for me.
It's not that I was running away from something and waiting for my adulthood to catch up. No. I had a loving mother who took care of me alone since I was three years old. My dad had passed away during that time. My mother was broken after my dad passed away. That's what she told me. But I knew better. My father walked away from us. For that reason I had never gone looking for him. But I knew my mom, she loved dad dearly. Then my total responsibility fell on her shoulders. She was alone. She had no one to help her. She was a housewife. But then, she needed a job desperately. She needed money for me. For us. I know how much she struggled. But she never backed down. She fought for me.
It was difficult for her to work so hard alone and I couldn't do anything to help her. Once I insisted on helping her but she scolded me and requested that I concentrate on my studies. And I did. I listened to her. I had completed my school. But I was also eager to help her. I was eighteen then. I had grown up. I got admitted to West Los Angeles Junior College. I knew my mom was struggling with all the expenses. I had to do something to help her. So I was looking for work, any kind of work.
My best friend, Ginger Ventura knew about my family. She helped me to get a job in a restaurant as a waitress. I was happy. I was attending my colleges, I had friends, I had my mom and most of all I was so satisfied that finally I was doing something to help my mom.
But then my world turned upside down. I lost my mom. I lost my friend Ginger. All of them were murdered brutally by a serial killer. The killer had found me. I was an inch away from death but he had saved me that day. Kyle Reese. The man I fell in love with.
I was so confused and scared. I didn't understand why someone would try to kill me. But then Kyle told me everything. The future war, machines, time travel. And the killer who was after me, was not a man, but a machine. A cyborg. Cybernetic Organism. A Terminator. Living tissues over metal endoskeleton made to pass as a human. Made for one purpose in automated factories - kill humans. In the future the world had been nuked by an A.I. named Skynet and declared war against the survivors.
The war between man and machines.
I thought Kyle was some kind of nut job and was kidnapping me. But his intense gaze, the haunted looks in his eyes and the way he talked somehow made me believe him. For I had seen the man who was trying to kill me got up and chased me after getting shot from point blank rage. No human could survive that even if they were wearing body armor and I had seen him bleeding from gunshot wounds. But he did not even flinch once. I could still remember Kyle's words:
"Listen, and understand!" That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with! It can't be reasoned with! It doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear. And it absolutely will not stop….ever, until you are dead!"
Even his revelation was overwhelming for me, I didn't understand why the Terminator was trying to kill me. But then Kyle told me things about a man. The way Kyle spoke about him, I had no doubts that Kyle had infinite respect for him. The man who turned the tide of the war, who taught the survivors how to fight the machines, how to destroy them and turn them into junks. The leader of the human resistance.
John Connor.
My son.
Kyle had brought a message from my son from the future:
"Your son gave me a message to give to you. Made me memorize it. Thank you, Sarah, for your courage through the dark years. I can't help you with what you must soon face, except to say that the future is not set. You must be stronger than you imagine you can be. You must survive or I will never exist. That's all."
It didn't take long enough for me to fall for Kyle. His eyes, his kindness, his honesty and his love for me took my heart away. But a happy ending was not for us. Kyle died protecting me. He had completed his mission but he never got to know that if I am the mother of the future then he was the father of the future. Without him there would be no war. But the brief moments we shared, we loved a lifetime's worth. We had laughed, we had listened to each other, we shared things and we loved each other. But I had questions. I wanted to know about my future son. What is he like, how does he look, who was there to look after him, etc. Kyle didn't answer in much detail because he confessed that he himself didn't know much about John Connor's personal life. John Connor was always secretive.
After making love, we were lying, naked, side by side on the bed, inside the room of the motel. I traced circles on his bare chest with my fingers while he played with my hair. I reached up to his face and gave him a kiss and he smiled at me. I smiled back and laid my head on his shoulder.
"Tell me about my son, Kyle." I murmured.
"What do you want to know?" He whispered back.
"What is he like?" I asked, looking into his eyes.
He stared back for a moment. "He has your eyes, Sarah. The same ones I am looking into now." I didn't interrupt him. "He is a great leader. The best we could have. Without him we were lost. He led us. He united us. He taught us not only to fight but to trust each other and watch each other's backs in the battle. He said it was the only way we could win. He didn't show much emotion to people. Everyone thought him to be a hard ass leader who only cared about one thing - destroying Skynet, and was ready to do anything to achieve that. But I knew him better."
"How?" I had to ask.
"One day John Connor appeared out of nowhere among us. He was nothing back then, not even Skynet knew about him. The humans were losing and no one was fighting back. We were only trying to survive. We had given him shelter. He didn't talk much to anybody. He always had a haunted look on his face, a feeling of overwhelming loss. One day he was sent on a mission and went missing. We never saw him again and was declared MIA. But as the days passed, we began to hear about a resistance group who were rebelling against Skynet's reign and giving it hell. Then words passed from mouth to mouth. There was only one name - John Connor. " Kyle stopped, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. I noticed that he didn't elaborate how exactly he knew John better than others.
"The fate of the world was on his shoulder, must have been a heavy burden for him alone?" I whispered, feeling bad for my unborn son.
"True. But he was not alone. Not really. He used to talk to us about you. You were his greatest inspiration, Sarah. You gave him courage and the will to fight. He had your memories and he had her." Kyle replied, looking into my eyes.
I was really glad that my son held my memories so strongly. That he loved me. But I was also confused. "Who is 'her'?"
"His wife. Or so I heard." Kyle said.
"What do you mean?" I asked, scrunching my eyebrows.
"His wife was a mystery. More so than him. There were only a handful of people who had only seen her. They said she was not much of a socialized person. No one even knew for sure whether they were even married or not. But during those dark times she was the only one who kept him human. Still made him feel. Made him believe that although he had lost a lot in his life there were still a few good things left. There are people who cared for him. A shoulder to lean on and a shoulder to cry on. No one was allowed to see Connor without her permission. She was extremely protective of him." Kyle paused and looked at me. "Trust me, Sarah. There was no one who cared for John Connor more than her."
I was glad that my son would not be alone in the future. He would have someone with him. But something was bothering me. "Why are you referring to 'her' as 'was' as if she is no more?"
Kyle sighed sadly. "You are right, Sarah. She died, just three months before the war ended and I have never seen John Connor so broken. So sad, so utterly broken. It was as if someone had torn the heart away from his chest. Everyone was scared for him. Some people who were very close to him feared that he may kill himself anytime. But he didn't. He was still John Connor. He led us to victory, but the human 'John' inside him was gone. Only a feelingless shell remained."
I had tears welling in my eyes. By that time I didn't know that hours later I would meet the same fate as my son. Losing the person you love most. With glassy eyes, I stared into Kyle's kind blue eyes. "Was she beautiful?"
He knew about whom I asked. He looked away from me. "I don't know. I had never seen her. Nor do I know her name."
Now I am walking down the corridor of a nursing home. Judgment Day never happened. We had stopped it. It had been more than ten years since then. As I was passing by, my gaze fell on a glass. I stopped and looked at myself. I mostly still looked the same except for I have a few gray hairs now. If I would tell John, he would just smile and tell me that I am still beautiful. I felt proud for my son, for the man he has become.
I was happy for him. The dark future that awaited him was no longer there. He finally got the peaceful quiet life he wanted. Yes, we have left our old life behind. The war, the machines, we have left them behind. They are only in memories now. I still had nightmares but nowadays they are less frequent and I am glad that I could sleep well.
I shook my head and tried to push all those memories at the back of my mind. I had promised John that I would not dwell on those memories again and I am now in a nursing home for a reason.
John was out and I was at home, taking a day time nap. I had no idea for how long I was sleeping. I was woken up by the ringtone of my phone. It was John. He didn't talk much or give me any details over the phone except the address of the nursing home and told me that it was urgent. And he sounded panicked.
Now as I am walking down the corridor I still have no idea what happened to my son. Why is he here? Is he alright? I was concerned because I still have no idea what happened. It didn't take me long to find the specific room no. John mentioned over the phone, once I had reached the nursing home. I entered hurriedly calling my son's name. I immediately saw him once I was inside the room. He stood beside the bed with a large smile on his face and staring towards the woman sitting on the bed. Once I was inside he immediately spotted him.
"John, are you okay?" I asked, looking him up and down. I found no scratches or wounds on him. He looked visibly fine and healthy and he still wore that huge smile on his face. He laughed soundly at my question. "Mom, I am perfectly fine." He assured me. Now I was a bit angry and confused. "Why did you call me here then?"
Even at my little harsh tone, his smile did not vanish. He took my hand and dragged me towards the bed. "Mom, look." He softly said, indicating towards the bed. His eyes and voice revealed excitement and utter delight.
I was so concerned about my son that I didn't even notice the person on the bed. But now I looked. It was a young woman, just about John's age. She had large doe-like brown eyes, a small nose, red lips and silky brown hairs which cascaded past her shoulders. She was wearing a light blue gown worn by the patients of the hospitals. Her red lips were formed into a large smile like my son's. My eyes widened because I knew who it was.
Cameron.
But how is she still alive? We had destroyed and burnt down everything related to machines after we stopped Skynet. Including her. Just to be sure. And why was she in a fucking hospital bed? She was not a human. She was a fricking machine. A terminator. I didn't have to ask, I got the answer when my gaze fell downwards towards her chest. In her arms she held two small bundles, lovingly.
I couldn't believe my eyes. They were two babies. Twins.
My gaze shifted from the babies towards my son in horror. He smiled at me again. "Meet your grandson and granddaughter, mom." He said happily.
I almost felt my heart stop at the news. I recoiled and fell down on the floor with horror.
And then I woke up.
It was a nightmare. I tiredly pushed my hairs away from my face and tied them into a ponytail before getting up from my bed. I looked at the clock and saw that I was a little late today. It was already past eight in the morning on the clock. I have to prepare breakfast for John. I quickly freshened up in the bathroom and hurried towards the kitchen. But I had to stop on my way to the kitchen.
In the dining room area, John was there, sitting on a chair with a plate full of pancakes in front of him. Apparently his right arm was still in the sling so he was having difficulty managing his fork. Cameron came beside him and gently took the fork from his hand. She then used the fork to pick a piece of pancake with it and held it in front of John's mouth for him to take a bite. I saw my son just smiled lovingly at her and took a bite.
"Mmm. This is good, Cameron." He appreciated the taste of the pancake.
"I added a teaspoon of vanilla in it." Cameron replied, smiling.
"Where did you learn to cook? And why?" John questioned, still oblivious of my presence.
"For you, John. I saw it on T.V." Cameron said.
"Thanks." John said. His eyes shining with gratitude.
Then I quickly realized that Cameron had cooked pancakes for my son and he seems to be enjoying it, rather well. He never reacts this way when I cook for him. I felt so angry and jealous at that moment. I felt as if Cameron was taking over my place in John's life. I saw the look in John's eyes. I knew it all too well. I could tell it has already started. When the big T-800 came to protect John, he was so close to it and it was not even that much sociable. It only spoke when it was necessary or had a few questions after John resetted its CPU. But Cameron, she is so different. So advanced and looked just like a teenage girl. I have to admit that she was beautiful. I also couldn't deny that in her own cyborg kind of way she cared for my son. I have seen it. It's only natural that my son would fall for her. If seeing Cameron with two babies in her arms in my dreams is my worst nightmare then this scene right in front of me is my close second.
I still remembered Kyle's words about terminators. But all those things do not apply to Tin Miss. She feels remorse, I have seen that, she can be reasoned with, John did it several times. But like other terminators, she was relentless. When it comes to protecting John, she would absolutely not stop until the threat was eliminated. I had no idea what to make of this.
"John, where's Derek?" I asked, getting his attention.
He finally realized that I was there. "Oh. Hey mom." He greeted me cheerfully. "Derek is out. He seemed rather pissed off."
I glared at Cameron which she ignored and kept on feeding pancakes to John. "I can't imagine why."
"Huh!?" John asked absent mindedly.
"Nothing." I covered up quickly. I didn't want to argue with my son right in the morning. I would talk with him later about…. All these.
"Cameron cooked pancakes for all of us." John said cheerfully.
"Did she now?" I said sarcastically, while folding my hands over my chest.
"Come on, mom. You should taste it." John insisted.
With no intention to disappoint my son, I reluctantly sat down on another chair. I took one pancake from the plate and put it in my mouth. I was immediately surprised at the taste. It was really good. I looked at John and saw that he was looking at me expectantly. From the corner of my eyes I also noticed that Tin Miss was also staring at me the same way as John.
"It's really good." I said, not looking at Cameron.
"Told you." John said, looking at me with a smile. I also noticed a small smile forming on Tin Miss' lips at my appreciation. It did really surprise me. She had no reason to act pleased in front of me and I could tell it was no act, it was a genuine reaction.
At that very moment the front door opened and Derek came in. A disgusted look formed on his face as he took a look towards Tin Miss. His eyes then fell on my plate. He then looked at me with a disbelieving look on his face.
"Sarah, you are eating those things? Are you crazy?" He asked, outraged.
I rolled my eyes. "These are quite good. So, why not?"
"She may have poisoned them. Who knows?" He accused while glaring towards Cameron.
I saw John's face turn red in anger. "If she had wanted me or mom dead, she didn't have to poison us. Stop being paranoid, Derek. Get over your hate towards her." John protested immediately.
Derek ignored John. He looked at me. "You see Sarah? See what she is doing?"
I had enough.
I stood up from my chair and dragged Derek away from there.
"What's your problem?" I asked angrily.
"My problem is the machine. You know that." He replied hotly.
I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "She is not a threat to John. We've seen that."
"Don't you see what's happening, Sarah? They are not made to have feelings or understand emotions or… or care for someone. Dirty work is all they're good for! Don't let yourself think that you can train them like a pet. Because it'll be the last thing that you will do." He almost yelled at my face.
"John knows that." I told him calmly.
He looked at me frustratingly. "John doesn't know everything." He then marched away from there angrily.
I sighed. I know what is happening. But I still trust John and hope that he will come to his realization very soon that Cameron would never be able to return his feelings. Or love him back the way he wants. Cameron may be an advanced terminator created to mimic every human emotions, but to actually feel them or express them such as something deep as love, is impossible. I know that.
John will also see that sooner or later. I would just pray that the realization does not break his heart.
JOHN'S POV
John saw his mother dragging Derek away. He couldn't help but feel a bit satisfied, because Derek was really getting on his nerves by constantly berating Cameron. He knew that his mother also didn't like that Cameron had cooked for him or she was feeding him. She doesn't know. But one day she will see what he sees now whenever he looks at Cameron. A person, not a machine.
When John got out of his thoughts he realized that Cameron was again holding a piece of pancake in front of his mouth, waiting for him to take a bite. But he was done for the moment. His stomach was full.
He patted his stomach and looked at Cameron with a small smile. She understood immediately and put the fork down on the plate along with the piece of pancake.
"I should call Ellison." John muttered.
"There's a sixty percent chance that he would fail in his mission." Cameron added robotically.
"Maybe. But still there's a forty percent chance of success." John replied. Cameron remained silent for she would never question John's judgment. "That means something. At least."
"I do not trust him." Cameron said out of nowhere. Her face was dead serious. John looked at her surprised. But a small smile formed on her face when she looked at him. "But I trust you."
That was good enough for John. He was about to call Ellison but at that moment Cameron shushed him. She had heard something near the gates.
"Four humans. Three males. One female. Unarmed." Cameron informed John. "Go upstairs, John."
"But…" John tried to argue.
At his hesitance Cameron stared back at him in such a way that he couldn't help but do as she said. "Go! Now!" She insisted. She was not taking any chances when it came to John's safety. She almost lost him a few days ago. The emotions she experienced were overwhelming causing almost her systems to shut down. She was not interested in going through that again. So she was not going to risk anything again.
John nodded and headed upstairs. Sarah and Derek also came immediately with guns in their hands.
"How many?" Sarah asked.
"Four." Cameron replied, not looking at her.
She opened the door and headed outside with her gun raised. As soon as the four humans spotted her they immediately raised their hands over their heads in surrender. She recognized the three males immediately. They were Greene, Devis and Wiggs. Future John's soldiers. She scanned the woman to realize she was none other than Blaire Williams. She was a pilot, one of the best.
"Easy." Devin said. "You know us."
But Cameron didn't lower her gun. Her gaze was fixed on Blaire Williams. "Why are you here?" She asked.
Blaire doesn't seem afraid of Cameron. "I could ask the same question to you." She said calmly. "But to answer your question, Connor had sent me. There are others. To help you stop Judgment Day."
Cameron lowered her gun. She knew Blaire was no threat to John.
"Follow me." Cameron led the four of them inside.
Derek and Sarah were waiting inside with their guns, ready to defend John. But they needn't. They lowered their guns once they saw their visitors.
"Greene, Wiggs, Devin. What the hell happened to you?" Derek asked, looking at their bruises and battered state.
"Long story." Devin murmured.
At that time, Blaire stepped inside the house. Immediately Sarah tensed and raised her gun. But Derek had recognized her.
"Blaire?" Derek asked in surprise.
"Hey, Derek." Blaire greeted.
Sarah looked at Derek, a little surprised. "You know her?"
Derek rolled his eyes. "Of course I know her. That's Blaire Williams, one of John's best pilots."
After Derek's reassurance Sarah lowered her gun too. "Why are you here?" She asked Blaire directly. Then indicated to her to sit down.
Blaire sat down on the sofa before starting. "I was sent by Connor. Not just me. There are more. To help you stop Judgment Day."
"And?" Sarah sensed there were more.
"Connor is in far more danger than you realize. The Grays that were sent back by Skynet are involved with an organization - Kaliba. This organization is not only funding the Skynet project but they are also providing resources and men to create hybrids." Blaire explained.
"Hybrids?" Sarah asked.
"Yes. Humans. Modified with cybernetics and controlled by a powerful microprocessor." Blaire replied.
"Like the machines?" Derek asked, his eyes lingered on Cameron for a moment, who was standing blocking the stairs.
"No. They are different." Blaire denied.
"How do you come to know about them?" Sarah questioned again.
"In the future Connor hands fell on some data in the Skynet central core which indicated that Skynet had plans to create human hybrids. He knew the Grays who were sent in this timeline would try to execute that plan. So, he told us to keep an eye out. After…." Blaire had to stop as she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw him.
John Connor.
He looked no older than sixteen or seventeen but still he had a commanding presence. She saw that his right arm was in a sling. His green eyes were fixed on her intently. Silently, he came near her and sat down beside his mother. The machine came too, almost attached to his hip and stood beside him protectively. Blaire knew if she even tried to make a false move she would be dead in an instance.
"Please continue." John requested.
"After we came here, we searched for leads. For signs of Kaliba. We found one warehouse full of titanium alloy and a number of dead bodies. Someone already got to them. There was one missing person. We tracked him down too and we found him dead too inside a cellar of an abandoned house." Blaire revealed.
John looked at Cameron and she nodded in confirmation. He looked back at Blaire. "That would be her. " He said, pointing towards Cameron.
Blaire glared at Cameron for a moment before averting her gaze back on John. "Anyways, as I was saying. One day two hybrids somehow found us and…." She then proceeded to tell everything that she had told Greene, Devin and Wiggs. The three of them also told their side of the story, how they were attacked, how Blaire and her team had saved them from imminent capture.
Once they were done, Sarah leaned back on the sofa concerned. "So according to you there's no way for us to detect them?"
"No." Blaire confirmed.
"Then we are at a great disadvantage here. If the two of them can take out five of you, we barely stand a chance. And Skynet is making more hybrids by the time we speak." Sarah said in a defeated tone.
"No." John disagreed.
Everyone looked at him surprised.
"No?" Sarah asked. "John on the basis of what you are saying 'no'?"
He looked at everyone in the room before speaking. "You are forgetting one thing." He stood up on his feet and placed his uninjured arm on Cameron's shoulder. "We have her."
No one spoke a word. Not even his mother. He knew no one believed him. But he has faith in Cameron. With her at his side he knew they could still win even when the odds were against them.
A FEW MINUTES LATER
John knew that although he told everyone that they still had a chance in stopping Skynet, he knew he was scared himself. He trusted Cameron implicitly, but even she had her limits. What if she gets overwhelmed by their superior numbers?
He knew losing Cameron would break him forever. He looked at her as she stepped outside probably to check the perimeter and realized that he wouldn't be able to live without her. He was not as strong as his mother.
His thoughts were disrupted by someone clearing their throat. He looked up surprised and saw that it was Blaire Williams.
"May I speak to you alone?" She requested.
"Of course." He said.
"I have a message from your future self. For your ears only. He made me memorize it." She said, looking into John's eyes.
John instructed her to go ahead and give him the message. She cleared her throat before speaking.
"Trust in yourself, John. I know the burden you carry. But even then cherish what you have in your life. Make the most of it and you will realize that even in the darkened days there's still light in there. And John, never give up on her or let her go. You will regret it if you do and the future will be lost. Because she is the hope not just for the world, but for you too. Hold on to her with everything you have."
John was not overwhelmed at the message. He felt his courage rising after hearing his future self's words. Because he understood perfectly what his future self meant and who he meant. John realized he was right about her.
He would never stop fighting.
And he would never let her go.
Never.
A/N: Well, what do you think?
