Chapter 28

Help Me

In the days that followed, Cameron intensified her quest to strike out at Skynet and future Grays. She concentrated on the targets from the information John Henry gathered in both the future and the present. There was a long list. The more research they did, only seemed to add to the list. It got longer no matter how many people were terminated. There always seemed to be more and more targets. There were more and more people to terminate. They were all future Grays or collaborators. She was busy both day and night.

The justice dealt out for the future, came with a price for Cameron. She was constantly shot or damaged. Her sheath took a real beating. Vanna was busy almost every night. There were wounds over still healing wounds to repair on Cameron. It seemed to be a never ending process. The more the same areas were damaged, the longer they took to heal.

Allison assisted Vanna in the repairs. By this point in time, Allison, like Vanna, was used to the damage. It still made her feel sick. It was always horrific.

Cameron was on the hunt for targets out of the area in another city. She was to be away for another day so. Allison went to her room to wait for Vanna. She stripped off her clothes and took a shower. It was very refreshing and pleasant for her. Hot water and clean water were some of the things she liked about the past. Neither of those basic staples existed in the future. She spent hours in the shower letting the warm water run over her body.

Allison looked forward to spending some quality 'alone time' with Vanna. Almost every night they were together, they were interrupted with Cameron returning for repairs. She understood the importance and need to help Cameron. They both did it without protest or even a second thought. Cameron came first to both of them.

After her shower, Allison waited naked in bed for Vanna. Vanna was late in arriving. She was about to 'warm herself up'. It was something she often did before she was with Vanna. It always put her in a much higher state of arousal. She'd waited for Vanna to come to their room, but it took too long. She pleasured herself instead. First it was once, and then three more times. She didn't think it ever hurt anything. She fell asleep after she 'finished'.

It was late. Allison received a call. The tone of the call was very disturbing. There seemed to be an extreme sense of urgency.

"Allison, I need you in the lab." Vanna said. "Come quickly."

Fear gripped Allison. She knew something was wrong. It must be Cameron. A million thoughts began to flood her mind as to what may have happened.

Allison grabbed a shirt and pants. She pulled the pants on as she ran topless to the lab. Her shirt was still in her hand. It was inside out. She tried to turn it the proper way as she ran. She slipped it on as she entered the lab. She saw Vanna and looked around for Cameron.

"What's wrong?" Allison asked worriedly. "Where's Cameron?"

Vanna was very direct. She laid it out for Allison. She didn't want her to worry needlessly.

"She's severely damaged cosmetically." Vanna said. "There's no chassis damage this time."

Allison swallowed hard. The normal damage was horrific enough. Things sounded worse. She really didn't know what to expect after some of the damage she'd already witnessed. How could it be worse?

"Where is she?" Allison asked. "I need to see her."

There was some movement alongside a cabinet.

"I'm here." Cameron said. "Please help me."

Cameron moved into view.

Allison sucked in her breath as she looked at Cameron in horror.

Cameron noticed Allison's uneasiness and tried to explain herself.

"I ran into some trouble a few hours ago." Cameron said.

Cameron held her hand to her right cheek. Allison could see metal on her forehead and on her hand holding her cheek. She thought she could see some teeth under her hand. Her clothing was torn and bloody.

Cameron was very worried about her appearance. She needed to hide her current damage from John. She wanted to 'cover up' what actually occurred. It would require Allison to deceive John to do it.

There was a very strained look on what Allison could see of Cameron's face. Cameron still covered one side of her face.

"John can't see me like this, Allison. I need you to pose as me and tell John you'll be gone for four days. Make it as brief as possible so he won't know we're deceiving him. I know it's wrong, but I'm ashamed of how I look right now." Cameron said. "It will create a big problem if he sees me like this. He'll demand to enter combat. I can't allow it."

Cameron was worried about her appearance no matter what anyone told her. She had eyes and a mirror. It was her job to protect John and serve the Resistance. She didn't want anyone else to be damaged in the same way she'd been. She knew John could be very stubborn. For him to actively become involved in combat, could soon prove fatal to him.

Since she'd left the future, Allison was all healed up now. Only a few minor scars existed here and there. She was very conscious of the fact Cameron was much more beautiful than she was. It was evident to everyone. They may look the same, but they didn't 'look' the same. Cameron's appearance was much more highly refined than hers was.

"I don't think I can fool him." Allison said. "You always look better than me, way better."

Cameron was very worried about it. They at least needed to attempt it. She couldn't have John become insistent on taking the fight to the enemy. She still believed it was her function to do so. It was one of the reasons why she was in the past to begin with. She was also worried about perception. Sometimes when an event happened, it was ingrained in someone's mind. It usually wasn't for the better either. It was just the way things worked.

"We need to try." Cameron said. "He'll endanger himself if he knows I'm damaged. If he sees me like this he'll be angry. Please, Allison, help me. John can never see me like this. I don't want him to think of me like this every time he sees me. I don't want this image in his head."

Cameron knew the image was forever in her mind now since she'd observed it. She knew what she was. It didn't matter. She needed to live up to an image in John's mind. She remembered how John turned to another before. She usually wasn't damaged then. She didn't think it would take too much effort for him to turn to another now, when she was damaged.

Allison could see, and feel, the anguish and torment which gripped Cameron right now. She wasn't sure it was the right move. It was clearly what Cameron wanted. She was there to help her friend. Cameron was more than a 'friend' to her. There were a few things she was going to need assistance with.

"I'll try, Cameron. I need you and Vanna to help me look Tight. I can never seem to do it on my own." Allison said. "I'll do my best for you, Cameron. I'll help you in any way I can."

A visible wave of relief flowed over Cameron.

"Thank you." Cameron said.

Cameron knew there would be some other 'issues' to bring up. She wasn't ready to bring them up yet. They were of a more personal nature as her relationship with John 'expanded'. They did more than kiss now.

She went on to describe the operation which went bad as the three of them started to transform Allison into 'Cameron'. She covered the side of her face with gauze. She didn't want Allison to see the full extent of her damage. She saw what it did to Vanna.

"There was a Terminator waiting for me. He tried to ambush me. I spotted the setup at the last second. I think he would have been able to deactivate me if I hadn't spotted the trap. I would be terminated right now. Even worse, I could have been captured and reprogrammed."

Cameron's mind drifted some. She was aware of what some in the Resistance did with captured female Terminators. They would be reprogrammed to be 'Metal Whores'. The anti-Metal faction of the Resistance was a threat to John, and a threat to her. The same fate may have awaited her, with the Grays the Terminator was associated with.

It was also possible they would be able to access the information on her chip. Everything she knew and experienced about John and the Resistance, would be available for someone to review. She could endanger the entire operation, as well as the others. It wasn't something she really wanted to think about. She needed to refocus.

"We fought for a while over an extended time, at several different locations." Cameron said. "I was able to terminate my primary target. It was a future Gray leader. I was able to pull the Terminator's chip after I incapacitated him. I put the deactivated Terminator in the storage area with the others."

Cameron's statement and revelation caught Allison off guard.

"What do you mean by 'the others'?" Allison asked. "What others?"

Cameron decided she needed to do more than destroy a Skynet Terminator when she encountered one. It was a more risky procedure, but one she felt needed to be dealt with.

"I've acquired a few Terminators in my nightly forays." Cameron said. "I have Vanna and John Henry working to reprogram their chips. I need more bodyguards than reprogrammed Bob, and reprogrammed Jim, to look after the people I care about. I'm doing all I can. I can't allow those I care about to be injured or…."

Cameron didn't even want to say it. Destruction and death were part of her daily ritual. It was something she hoped to keep away from the Resistance.

She would like to have a Terminator guardian for each of the members of the Resistance in their group. She tried to accompany any of them when they needed to go out. Sometimes she was busy. There was a war to fight.

Allison was upset Cameron tried to fight the 'silent war' on her own. It was almost like a private war. It wasn't how the fight against Skynet was. It would require a joint effort. She tried to accompany Cameron whenever she was aware there would be some enemy to deal with. She also believed it was her responsibility.

"Cameron, you need to share the burden. This isn't something you can, or need to do, on your own." Allison said. "It's wrong. It has to change. Please let us assist you more. I want to help you. I'll help you. You know I go, whenever I know you're going."

Cameron didn't like to endanger others. Her face looked pained again. At least the part of it that was visible did. She couldn't help but say what she believed.

"I can't accept damage to the ones I lov… care about. I can't." Cameron said. "I CAN NOT!"

Allison felt frustrated. Cameron was being too protective. She understood Cameron's position. It was an unsustainable one. There needed to be additional help in most instances. Clearly, some additional help would have prevented some of the damage Cameron now displayed.

"Cameron, we will all help. Tell us what to do to help you." Allison said. "Please let me help you."

"Allison…." Cameron said.

Cameron looked into her face.

"Vanna…." Cameron said.

Cameron looked into her face as well.

Allison and Vanna could feel the tension in the air. Even though it wasn't visible to the eye, it could clearly be felt.

Cameron returned her gaze back to Allison. She was about to subject her to something no one should be subjected to, unless it was what they wanted to do. She didn't want to demean anyone. She felt she was going to need to make things clear. It was a little hard to spell them out.

"John may…." Cameron paused. "John may 'touch' you."

It caught Allison by surprise. She wasn't exactly clear on what Cameron indicated. She hoped there would be a better explanation.

"Touch me?" Allison asked.

Cameron looked very uncomfortable.

"Touch - You." Cameron said.

Allison felt a little confused. She could only figure it meant one thing. She wanted to be clear.

"Like…?" Allison asked. "My - private parts…?"

Cameron looked down.

"Yes." Cameron paused. "You don't need to do this."

Vanna grabbed Allison's hand and gave it a squeeze.

She wanted to show her support. She wanted to show her support to Allison and Cameron.

Vanna and Allison exchanged glances. Vanna reached out and took Cameron's hand and gave it a squeeze.

Cameron reached out and took Allison's hand, she gave both of them a squeeze.

The emotional damage Cameron was inflecting on herself was unimaginable.

The three women held a silent embrace of sad and understanding looks.

Cameron might be able to turn off her physical pain. She couldn't turn off her emotional pain.

Allison wanted to support Cameron in every way possible. She also needed to consider how things would affect Vanna.

"If Vanna consents, I'll do what's necessary." Allison said. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Allison wasn't quite sure what she was signing on for. Cameron asked her for her help. She would do whatever she needed to do. She wasn't sure what it was. It was never the way she thought it would be, to be with John. This was a job, not pleasure. She really wondered how far things would go.

Vanna wanted to lend her support to both Cameron and Allison. She looked at the long term implication outside of her future.

"Sometimes we all need to sacrifice." Vanna said. "We must protect and look after each other. We're all tied together in the present, and in your future, Cameron. Anything that happens is supposed to happen, or already has happened in the future's past."

Allison wanted to lend some more support.

"We all love each other in our own ways, or the ways we can." Allison added.

Cameron didn't appear as depressed now. She wasn't sure she was going to receive the level of support which was just given. It meant a lot to her to see how far the girls were willing to go for her.

"Thank you, Allison. Thank you, Vanna. We all sacrifice for John Connor." Cameron said. "Everyone sacrifices for John Connor."

Allison questioned her talent to look and act like Cameron. She was a Resistance fighter, not an actress.

"Do you really think I can pull this off?" Allison asked.

Allison doubted her ability, but it was 'Game On', one way or the other. She knew she needed to try for Cameron. She didn't think Cameron meant making love to John. She was afraid to ask. She knew everyone was different in bed. She was sure John would know she wasn't Cameron, if it's where they ended up at. She would do what she needed to do to protect Cameron.

It was time to get started.

Cameron is very pleased everyone was on board.

Vanna kept more than clothes in the lab for Cameron. She also kept makeup so Cameron could camouflage bruises and other small damage to her sheath. She watched as Cameron went to work on Allison. It was really something special for her to watch happen.

Cameron finished the makeover. It didn't take long before Allison looked Tight.

Allison looked at herself in the mirror. She thought she looked good.

"I do look Tight." Allison said. "Thank you. I look better than I thought possible."

Allison was aware she never looked this good in her life, ever.

Cameron took her purple coat out and helped Allison slip into it. She removed the gauze from her face.

Allison winced in shock at what she saw.

Cameron quickly recovered her face.

"Thank you, Allison." Cameron said. "Thank you so very, very much."

Allison knew the pain Cameron must be feeling.

"I'll do anything for you, Cameron." Allison said. "I'll help you any way possible."

Cameron nodded.

"It MUST be so." Cameron said. "Thank you, Allison."

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Help Me

There may be times
When we think we are strong
To be sung our own song
Will show we thought wrong

We may be bold
We can roar like thunder
But when we blunder
It exposes us to plunder

When we grow closer
We still keep a distance
We fear to lose our resistance
Which may threaten our existence

Life itself has many pieces
It can be a confusing puzzle
If we try to nuzzle
We may soon get a muzzle

Love is more than
A matter of degree
Hear my story heed my plea
I ask that you please help me

Nobody