Chapter 51

Future's Gift

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Cameron started to cry.

It surprised and saddened Future Allison to see the pain Cameron was in. She'd been so strong for her, and both of them, the last few months.

Future Allison tried to comfort Cameron. She'd slowly become very dependent on Cameron. It was evident both of them were very attached to each other. In fact, both of them slowly fell in love with each other. Being so close to someone for so long, it was bound to happen. Their attachment was now to each other.

Cameron 'felt' everything Future Allison did. She needed to often remind herself of her mission. It worked most of the time. She knew Future Allison wanted more than she could give, at least at this time. It was a physical experience she'd wanted to share with Vanna and later Allison. Now it was with Future Allison as well. They were very attached to each other. She didn't want to 'return' Future Allison back to Future John. She wanted to bring Future Allison back with her, for John and her. Staying focused on her mission was very difficult.

She wasn't really sure Future John deserved to have Future Allison for himself. She was sure if she gave Future Allison a choice to stay in the future, or return with her to the past, Future Allison would go with her. The goal of her mission was to return Future Allison to Future John. It was something she continuously needed to remind herself of.

Future Allison wanted to express her thanks and gratitude to Cameron for all she'd done for her. The bond she felt with Cameron was like no other. She needed to say it to Cameron. It was something she felt was very important. Cameron had continuously reminded her Future John needed her. He wouldn't be able to carry on without her.

"Cameron, you've been a mentor and teacher to me." Future Allison said. "You've taught me history, science, math, English, and survival skills. You've allowed me, and helped me, to draw and create. I like to draw. You've made me a better person than I was. You showed me how to express myself through poems and writing. You've allowed me to have dignity during this 'process'. I believe you, Cameron, about everything. I've come to respect you like no other. Cameron, I love you."

Cameron stopped crying. Future Allison's words touched her deeply. It wasn't very often when she received praise or appreciation from someone.

Future Allison wiped away Cameron's tears. It was a loving gesture.

Cameron felt very appreciative. It made her feel good about herself. It made her feel good about her efforts.

"Thank you, Allison." Cameron said. "I think I needed to hear how you truly felt. It means a great deal to me."

Cameron wanted to hear those words. It was what she felt too.

Future Allison knew Cameron was deeply conflicted about what to do. She knew Cameron needed to complete what she saw as her function or mission.

"You love him too, don't you, both of them, both Johns?" Future Allison asked.

Cameron hadn't told Future Allison everything. There were many things she didn't know. This seemed like the time to tell the story since they would part soon. Their separation would most likely be forever.

"Yes. Past John is my husband." Cameron said and explained the story.

Future Allison was awed by the story. It was a love story in reality.

"Is that why you did all this?" Future Allison asked. "You sacrificed yourself for love?"

Cameron was aware her presence disrupted everything for John, both of them.

"Allison, you and Savannah belong to John, not me. I'm an interloper, a machine. I'm nothing. I'm NOBODY." Cameron said.

Future Allison saw something different. She was sure Cameron was the most dynamic individual she'd ever known. No. She wasn't sure, she was positive.

"I don't know what to say, but you're not 'Nobody'. You're the most caring, unselfish person I've ever known." Future Allison said. "I really mean it, Cameron."

Cameron appreciated everything Future Allison said. It didn't change her perception of herself, or her actions, both past and present. Everything was about Future Allison now, and her homecoming. It was about redemption and salvation. It was about starting over. It was something she would like to do herself. There was no way to do it. What she'd done for future Allison, was as close as it was ever going to get for her.

She wanted to make sure Future Allison was rested for their journey tomorrow. It was the journey into Future Allison's future.

"Get some sleep." Cameron said.

Cameron touched Future Allison's cheek. Their faces lingered inches from each other. Both of them wanted to kiss the other one. They were both aware if it happened, all bets were off. Their faces moved ever closer.

Future Allison was a little surprised at the kiss she ended up with. It was only on her cheek. There wouldn't be a 'new future' for them, at least not at this time.

"I'll take you home tomorrow." Cameron said as she gave Future Allison a peck on the cheek.

Cameron hoped tomorrow would be the first day of Future Allison's new life, for the rest of her life. She hoped it would be long and prosperous.

None of it seemed good enough at this point to Future Allison. There was a brighter future for both of them. Instead they were both going back to what once was. They were going back to 'yesterday's news'. Life was supposed to move forward not backwards. It was about to take a step backwards for both of them.

"And you?" Future Allison asked. "What about you?"

Cameron suppressed a glitch impulse in her left hand. She didn't want to answer the question which was actually asked. She tried to brush it off.

"I don't sleep." Cameron said.

Cameron knew what Future Allison meant about her being able to get back home. She knew she was probably never going to get back home. What mattered now, was to have Future Allison and Future John reunited. It was the purpose of the whole endeavor. She was about to fix her what she'd done wrong. She was about to change the future.

It made her wonder. Was she about to change the future? What she was actually doing, was changing the past. Future Allison died on the aircraft carrier. Now she wasn't dead. Cameron changed what once was, to what now is. It was technically a new beginning in every sense of the concept. Lives would be able to resume where they've been interrupted before.

Cameron knew it was her life which was going nowhere. Tomorrow she was about to lose the one thing which kept her going all of this time.

Future Allison, Cameron, Unit Two, and Unit Three moved out. They'd eradicated all traces of their camp wherever they'd been before, as they did now at the bunker they were about to leave. It was as if they'd never been there. Unit Two and Unit Three took turns carrying Future Allison over the rough terrain to speed their progress. They also brought along all the things Future Allison made, and the things Cameron made for her.

Future Allison thought it was fun to be carried a few times. It was the first thing she remembered about Cameron. It was regaining consciousness in her arms as she carried her. She hoped Cameron would have carried her instead of the two Terminators. They'd always been kind to her and looked after her. They'd never been forceful when they'd brought her back all of the times she'd tried to run away in the beginning. They seldom spoke.

Cameron told her they weren't actually Terminators. They were constructed the same way, but they'd never been under the control of Skynet. She'd noticed how they would look at both Cameron and her when they interacted with each other. It didn't take her long to realize Cameron came 'alive' when they did things together. There were times when they would laugh together. There were times when they would cry together. It was hard for her to understand Cameron contained some of her memories and experiences.

"These guys never say much." Future Allison said.

Cameron was very pleased with the performance and loyalty of Unit Two and Unit Three. Maybe she still didn't fully trust them, but she did respect them. It would have been extremely difficult to carry out the current mission without their assistance. She wanted to remind Future Allison what everything was about. It was about her.

"It's not their function. Their function is your survival. They'll perform their task until they're terminated, as will I." Cameron replied. "Your survival, Allison, is the only thing which matters."

Future Allison knew how much she meant to Cameron. She understood what Cameron wanted for Future John, Future Savannah and her. Sje wished she could share it all with Cameron too. It could be the four of them. Cameron often talked about the 'Natural Order' of time. She believed it was the four of them, not the three of them. If Future John needed her as much as Cameron said, she was sure Future John needed Cameron as well.

Cameron moved up and took the Connor compound under observation. She felt very uneasy with what she viewed. She watched Future John and Future Cameron leave the Resistance base. There was a glitch impulse which shot through her left hand.

It stabbed her heart to know Future John was about to send her away. It hurt just as much to relive it again. How could he do that to her? They loved each other. Now, he had no one. He'd pushed Future Savannah away. He pushed everyone away. It was all because she'd killed Future Allison. It was all her fault. It had bothered her for years. Now she was going to fix it. She headed for his bunker to wait. She thought she knew what would happen next. If anyone spotted her, they would think she was 'Future Cameron' and hadn't left. She didn't anticipate any trouble.

To see her naked, seemed to make it worse to send her away for Future John. Cameron remembered Future John's tear filled eyes as the time bubble formed and his last words as she departed.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor, even John Connor." Future John said.

She wanted Future John to know how she felt.

"I love you, John, and you love me." Cameron replied. "I'll be back."

Then she was gone.

Cameron never contemplated then how much more she could be 'hurt', as her 'feelings and emotions' evolved. Life was much simpler for her back then. There was no way for her to know it at the time. She was much more now than she was then. She knew she wasn't done evolving yet either. Sometimes she wasn't so sure if it was a good thing or not. It was what it was.

Future John stared at the empty pad in the TDE room. He questioned his decision. He started to walk away from the empty pad. Cameron's words echoed in his head. He paused and turned. He'd wanted to say the words to her before they parted, but didn't. If he would have said the words, he couldn't have sent her on her mission. He wouldn't have been able to let her go.

"I love you, Cameron, and you love me." Future John said softly.

He returned to his bunker. He sat in his room alone. Always alone, now forever alone he thought. The women he loved were all gone, or driven away to protect them. He couldn't have anyone close to him he cared about. Something terrible would always happen to them. It would leave him with a lifetime of nothingness. It would be a future of more emptiness and loneliness.

'This is living?' Future John thought.

Future John looked around the empty room. He look at the belongings of the women he loved. The only things which remained were material things and memories. The people were all gone.

Future John pulled his Government Model 1911-A1 from his holster. In one quick motion he racked the slide and chambered a round. He raised the weapon to the side of his head and pulled the trigger.

The pistol was yanked from his hand before it fired. The web of Cameron's hand, between her thumb and index finger, blocked the drop of the hammer.

"I love you, John, and you love me." Cameron said.

Future John spun around.

Cameron stood before him.

It made no sense. He'd watched the energy bubble carry her away. He knew it carried her away forever. Forever was a long time.

"What? How?" Future John asked. "I just sent you away."

Cameron reminded him of her last words to him.

"I'm back." Cameron said. "I told you I'd be back."

Future John wondered how the TDE malfunctioned.

"You just left a short time ago." Future John said. "What went wrong?"

Cameron looked into his eyes.

"You sent me away." Cameron said. "That's what went wrong."

It still made no sense to him.

"How are you here?" Future John asked.

Cameron looked around the room. She remembered when she'd looked around the room before she left to go into the past. Everything was exactly like she remembered it.

"This is where I live. Don't you remember?" Cameron asked.

Cameron pointed to some items.

"LOOK, those are my things next to Allison's things, and Savannah's things." Cameron said. "I had some personal items as well. I couldn't take them with me. I hoped you would remember me, and think of me, when you saw them. I guess not."

Cameron looked at the slight damage to her hand where the hammer pinched her sheath when she'd blocked the Government Model from firing.

Future John looked around. He was still confused about what actually must have occurred.

Cameron felt a million emotions inside of her. Something bothered her greatly.

"How could you send me away if you loved me?" Cameron asked. "How could you do that to me, and make me suffer for years?"

Future John realized it really was Cameron who'd returned from the past. It wasn't who he'd just sent away a short time ago. He could tell she was 'different'. He wanted her to understand why he needed to send her away. He needed to protect her.

"It's because I loved you, I sent you away." Future John said. "They were going to kill you. They were going to terminate you, and then assassinate me."

Cameron was aware sacrifice was the true test of love.

They embraced.

Future John moved to kiss her.

Cameron dodged the kiss.

It confused Future John.

Cameron needed to remind herself, none of this was about her. She was there for a very specific reason. She needed to make Future John understand.

"John, STOP. Listen." Cameron said. "I need you to listen to me first."

Cameron stood directly in front of him and faced him.

"I've brought you something I took from you, John." Cameron said. "Something you tried to replace with - me."

Future John could tell Cameron was a 'different' cyborg than the one he'd just sent away. She'd clearly evolved. Now he began to regret erasing some of her files. He didn't believe she would have left if he hadn't erased them. He wasn't really sure he liked her words, about using her to 'replace' someone.

"What? I don't know what you mean." Future John said. "You're different now."

There was a 'sad' look on Cameron's face as she spoke.

"I've grown these last few years." Cameron said. "I'm more than I was, but not yet all I will be."

He still couldn't get over the fact it was only a short time ago he'd sent her away.

"Years? You've been gone less than a few hours." Future John said.

The sad look on Cameron's face seemed to deepen.

"It's been years for me." Cameron said. "YEARS, John, it has been years without you."

Guilt and remorse flooded Future John. What had he done? She was right. What was he thinking? They should have fought their enemies, not run from them. He knew it was what she'd wanted to do. He should have listened to her. He valued and trusted her advice on everything. He should have listened to her then. He shouldn't have erased her personal files. He knew she would have been terminated protecting him. He couldn't watch her 'die' for him. His life wasn't worth her existence.

"I'm sorry." Future John said.

Cameron's look of sadness turned to a look of anger.

"Isn't everyone?" Cameron asked. "I need you to follow me."

Cameron wanted to stop dwelling on past events. They were done. They were over. Life moved forward, not backwards. She was there to make sure it happened. She was there to represent the future, not the past.

Future John followed her to the abandoned bunker where Cameron had moved Future Allison to.

They passed some guards on the way. No one raised an eyebrow. She recognized an older man. He was one of the few old timers to survive. She saw the old battered Model 1928 Thompson, with a horizontal fore-grip, he always carried. She thought some things never changed.

Cameron needed to lay down a few rules. She was going to be very adamant about them.

"John, I want you to restart your life. I want you to bring Savannah back. I want you to keep the women safe." Cameron said. "No more patrols for either of them, EVER."

He wondered about the plural form of her words. Maybe she was there to stay. He hadn't had time to ask her about her mission in the past.

"What women?" Future John asked.

Cameron didn't want questions. She wanted promises.

"PROMISE ME." Cameron said sternly.

He wanted to see what she meant exactly. The wording was confusing.

"I promise, Cameron. Savannah and who else are you talking about?" Future John asked.

He still hoped Cameron would stay. It would be beneficial to both Savannah and him.

Cameron rounded the corner.

Future John saw the two Terminators and started to stop.

Cameron noticed his apprehension. She didn't want him to worry.

"They're with me." Cameron said.

Future John relaxed a little. He was still a little wary. Unit Two and Unit Three looked very intimidating to him.

Cameron wanted Future John to understand exactly what was happening.

"I'm talking about the one woman you truly love, the mother of YOUR future children." Cameron said.

It didn't make any sense to Future John. Maybe Cameron was about to malfunction.

"What are you talking ab…?" Future John started to ask.

Cameron cut him off.

"John, I give you back your future. I give you back your life. I give you purpose and a reason to live. I give you the one you want the most." Cameron said. "I've given you back everything I disrupted."

Future John felt very confused and uneasy. He looked at the two big Terminators again and then at Cameron.

"I don't under…?" Future John started to say.

There was some movement off to the side.

"Hello, John." Future Allison said.

Future Allison stepped out of the shadows.

Future John just stood there. His mouth dropped open. Future Allison looked perfect. He'd never seen anyone look as good since before Judgment Day.

Future Allison could see her appearance had the effect Cameron told her it would have on him.

"Do you like me to look - Tight?" Future Allison asked.

Future Allison ran into his arms.

Future John turned around to say his thanks to Cameron.

There was - Nobody.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Future's Gift

We have what we have
It's never enough
The smoother it goes
The more it becomes rough

Without a crystal ball
We can't see through life's wall
Even when we give our all
We're left feeling very small

How do we know anything
When nothing seems real
Constant pain in a heart
Will slowly make it anneal

There's no freedom
There's no escape
We get mired in the past
As if bound with tape

Lost love in the past
Creates quite a rift
To find that love again
May be the future's gift

Nobody