Chapter 269

Choice

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River's Future Timeline:

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River could tell none of the girls were uncomfortable without clothing in the company they were in. She could actually feel their excitement as they looked at each other. She was aware it was something they did quite frequently anyway. She decided to get some more of her own clothing for them. Maybe it was because her excitement level was on the rise. She made sure all the girls were covered. It was more for her peace of mind than anything.

Cameron and Duplicate Cameron inspected all the girls for damage before they put their clothing on. The girls were more than happy to have both Camerons look them over. They noticed River watched everything as they did. The girls playfully touched each other as they were inspected. It was clear they all wanted River to see more. She was able to.

Cameron explained everything to the girls. There were a lot of questions. They wanted to know what was different in the years that passed. It was all a hard concept for them to fathom. They were all still on the same day they started out on earlier. Now they were half a millennium into the future. Everything they left behind was several years ahead from what it was earlier in the morning for them.

Duplicate Vanna took Cameron off to the side at one point. She wanted to know everything about Savannah. She was surprised she was a young woman in every way now. She wanted to make sure no one ever 'touched' her. It was her biggest worry what happened to her in her future would happen to Savannah. It hadn't happened, at least not yet.

Cameron could understand Duplicate Vanna's concern. It was her concern as well. She wouldn't allow anything to happen to Savannah either. She wanted to give her a little reassurance there was someone just like her watching over Savannah the same way she did. Vanna and Duplicate Vanna were the same individual. Both of them started out as Savannah.

"The Vanna who is there, and all the girls, watch over Savannah, along with Sarah and all the Terminators." Cameron said. "You know they all do. Remember, the Vanna there is you. She will do everything you would do the same way."

It was some comfort to Duplicate Vanna. There was another worry and it was personal to Cameron so it may be a sensitive issue when it was brought up. She wanted to know for sure. Cameron described Savannah as a 'young woman'. She was a teenager now.

"Have you put Savannah in John's bed yet?" Duplicate Vanna asked. "I want to know the truth."

Cameron thought of doing it more than a few times once Savannah could reproduce. It was just something she couldn't do. She wanted it to be Savannah's choice when it happened. Savannah indicated to her she would fulfill all of her promises. She didn't doubt her one bit on any of them. She didn't have anything to hide from Duplicate Vanna.

"I have not, nor has she gone on her own, yet." Cameron said.

Duplicate Vanna was very aware Savannah was heavily 'indoctrinated' to be with John and have a baby to give to Cameron as her own. She understood John needed to be protected. She didn't want Savannah to have to give up her child, especially if there was some type of coercion.

"I'm afraid she will be there soon." Duplicate Vanna said. "Please give her a choice and also listen to what she wants or needs. She is me, Cameron. She will want the same things I do. Her natural desires are going to be her own. Please give her the choice. Let her be who she is. Don't make her what she's not."

Cameron understood Vanna's message. Savannah may not want to be with a male, even if she did it for her. Every Savannah Weaver needs an Allison Young in her life. She never planned to thwart the relationship. She felt she encouraged it from day one. It was actually something she wanted to see happen. She was very upset she damaged the relationship between Vanna and Allison. She didn't want to mention what she did. The relationship between Duplicate Vanna and Duplicate Allison was very strong and undamaged.

It was time for some decisions to be made. Cameron wanted some flexibility for everyone too. She wanted them to think everything through. She didn't believe the past timeline was changed. What she needed to worry about, was changing the timeline going forward.

Cameron could see where Duplicate Cameron wanted to remain. It left her out in the cold. She wondered if some type of compromise could be worked out between them.

Duplicate Cameron agreed to stay in the future with River, if Cameron promised to go back and stay with John. Duplicate Cameron loved River as much, if not more than John. River seemed to have everything to make Duplicate Cameron feel 'complete'.

Cameron reluctantly agreed. Things weren't going to work out as she anticipated them. It was clear who River chose. It wasn't her. It was Duplicate Cameron. The mission wasn't to alter or create a new timeline. She knew it was Duplicate Cameron who fell in love with River, not her, even though it was 'her'. It was still depressing to her. Where she was now is what she thought she wanted and was going to achieve. She would need to go back.

Now, what was to be done with the Duplicate girls? She didn't believe she could tell them what to do or not to do. If they were reintroduced to the current timeline, it shouldn't change anything which already occurred. It would change things going forward. She believed the girls had a right to go back to where they were at before the 'Day Of Loss'. How things will play out going forward was a different story. If nothing else, she saw it as more opportunity for John. He would be better protected with six girls from the alternate future, rather than just three.

Duplicate Jesse was worried about Gail. Cameron told her the original version of 'her' and Gail were together. The love continued as if it never stopped. She was very dismayed to hear Gail wanted to self-terminate when she believed she was dead. She was pleased Cameron was able to do something about it. Gail was with Jesse longer now than she was with her before it was thought she was dead. If she returned, what was going to happen to the current relationship between Gail and Jesse? She didn't want to ruin anything for anyone. If Gail was happy with Jesse, it was time for her to sacrifice. She would need to take a step back and let events continue as they were in the past.

She wasn't really sure how to refer to everyone now. The fact she was a Duplicate was somewhat disturbing. She still thought of Duplicate Allison and Duplicate Vanna as Allison and Vanna. It was the same for Duplicate Cameron. They were all still the same people to her as they were earlier in the day. Events which transpired were actually only a few hours ago for her in real time. There were a few realities which were hard to deal with.

"I'll stay with Cameron, My Cameron and River in this future if they will allow it. It's only as long as there is a version of 'me' with Gail." Duplicate Jesse said. "I don't want Gail without a version of me. I don't want her to suffer the loss of me again. Now I know what being 'replaced' feels like. It's not a good feeling."

Duplicate Jesse and Cameron exchanged a long look.

Cameron nodded. She again assured Duplicate Jesse there was a version of her with Gail. If anything ever did happen to Jesse, and it was something she couldn't 'fix', she knew where to find Duplicate Jesse to return to the past for Gail. She would need to let Gail know at some point about what transpired and why things were done a certain way.

"There is, and you, well, 'her' are partners." Cameron said. "The original version of you and Gail are in love. All is as it was before for Gail."

Duplicate Jesse would still like to go back to Gail. She understood the complications and the disruption she would cause to the current relationship. She saw where she was currently at as a chance to get closer to 'Cameron', HER Cameron, without John in the picture. She would do anything to be with 'Cameron'. It didn't matter if 'Cameron' was a Duplicate, she was too. She still felt the same. Everything was the same for all of them. They didn't know any different. Well, they did now. Nothing seemed any different.

Duplicate Vanna and Duplicate Allison both had questions about the other versions of themselves. They wanted to know how things were going and what they were doing. They wanted to know if any other relationships developed or sprang out of anything.

Cameron saw no need to bring up the trouble Allison and Vanna experienced. It all seemed to be her doing and there was no need to discuss it. She dealt with enough grief over it on her own. She didn't want them to blame her either.

She did inform Duplicate Allison there was now a sibling for her, a younger sister named Summer. She told her Summer would also be under their protection. She thought it best to leave out the part Summer would be an additional 'back up' for John in the future. She hadn't expressed her desire to anyone because of all the flak she got over Savannah who was 'ready', and Young Allison who was not, at least for the reproduction aspect. She really didn't understand why some people wanted to delay the future. It was inevitable. She already lived it. She knew what was to be.

Cameron looked over at Duplicate Allison.

Duplicate Allison and Duplicate Vanna spoke quietly with each other.

There was something Cameron wanted.

"What about the baby?" Cameron asked.

Duplicate Allison knew Cameron wanted her baby. She discussed it with Duplicate Vanna. They talked about their future and what they wanted. There were certain things they believed would strengthen their relationship as well as their bond with each other. The baby was one of them.

"It's my baby, Cameron." Duplicate Allison said as she glanced at Duplicate Vanna. "It's our baby, Vanna's and mine. I want to keep it. We want to keep it, please. Please, let me keep my baby. PLEASE, Cameron. I know you want it. Please, think of me, of 'us'. PLEASE, don't take my baby from me."

Cameron wanted the baby. Everyone could see it on her face. They didn't know Cameron wanted to take Summer from Claire, Allison's mother, as her own. Holly stopped her.

River could feel the grief and anguish Duplicate Allison felt. She could also feel what Cameron felt. It was actually no different than what Duplicate Cameron felt. She could tell how important it was to Duplicate Vanna as well. She wanted to address the issue.

"Cameron, it's Allison's child. It's part of her to be nurtured by her body. It belongs to Allison." River said. "You know this. I know you do."

Cameron wasn't about to give up easily. There weren't many options open to her. They would all depend upon what Duplicate Allison decided to choose for herself. She also knew she couldn't lie to River.

"Will you come back with me?" Cameron asked Duplicate Allison.

River could see Cameron was about to break her promise to John by pressuring Duplicate Allison. She could see Duplicate Allison would feel obligated to do what Cameron wanted of her. She might even give up her baby to Cameron, but she would forever regret it. It would be something she did out of love, even if it was against her will. For Cameron to 'force' Duplicate Allison was an intolerable abuse of her love. She decided to word her response carefully. It was designed to make Cameron think everything through first.

"What about the timeline?" River asked. "You have a promise to keep. It's very important you honor your word. It's important to everyone."

Duplicate Cameron knew exactly how Cameron felt. She felt the same way. They were identical. She wanted to keep Duplicate Allison with her. It would at least allow her access to the baby when it was born.

"It would be better if they stayed in this future with River, Jesse, and I, Cameron." Duplicate Cameron said. "I know you know this. You need to think about everyone."

Cameron could tell she was defeated. She knew what she tried to do was 'wrong' right now. She tried to put the best face on it. She knew she needed to be fair even if it was hard for her to do.

"It's their choice." Cameron said. "Everyone is free to choose their future."

Cameron struck out over and over with all the issues there. There was no need to create an 'issue'. She was outnumbered in more ways than one. She had to look at the bright side of things if they all remained in River's future. It took them out of the line of fire of Skynet and all of its illegitimate offshoots.

There was a plus to them staying in River's future. It created a 'backup' for all the girls in John's timeline in case they were ever 'needed'. Based on what already transpired, and could have several times over, a backup set of all of them was a good thing to have. It was a better thing to have them as safe as possible as well.

Duplicate Allison and Duplicate Vanna discussed it and decided to stay in River's Future with Duplicate Cameron, Duplicate Jesse, and River.

River knew the real reason Duplicate Allison elected to stay in her future. She believed Cameron would take her baby from her no matter what she said. It was probably the safe bet. She didn't probe Cameron too hard about some of the things she felt. One of them was in regard to the younger version of Allison, Young Allison, and her baby sister, Summer. If Cameron wanted to discuss the issues, she would in a private setting. She knew they caused Cameron a lot of grief at the time. She was well aware anything which ever caused Cameron grief always did and always would. She wasn't going to stir the pot.

Everyone thanked Cameron for saving them.

Cameron told them to thank River.

River was very pleased everything worked out. It was clear to her, some of the people who died didn't necessarily need to remain dead. She was very pleased there were four individuals to assist her now. Said she could use the help of Duplicate Cameron and the three girls to retrieve two members of her crew who were 'lost'.

Cameron hadn't updated Duplicate Cameron's chip to avoid her knowing the hurtful information she possessed on Vanna and Allison. There were other issues which included some of her actions and 'thoughts'. For Duplicate Cameron and the girls it was all the same day still. It was the same day they all 'died', The 'Day Of Loss'. Years passed since then in Cameron's timeline. The Duplicate girls there were all 'younger' now compared to the original girls in her timeline. It gave them additional 'productive' years. It was another plus. She could always come back to this date and retrieve them at this age at any point in John's life. She was sure if they were needed, they would come.

River seemed to pick up Cameron's trepidation to not update Duplicate Cameron. She spoke with Cameron and asked her to update Duplicate Cameron anyway.

"Give her everything. You can firewall the files you don't wish her to see yet. I want her and you to be identical." River said. "I want you to be the same again.

River and Cameron fabricated a tether. They were soon hooked up in no time.

Cameron thought of one of her earlier actions. She didn't know why she did it at the time. Now she was glad she did. She looked around and found a small knife. She slipped her dress off. She put the second heart Duplicate Cameron left behind inside her sheath long ago. She never really knew why. Now she did. It was for this moment. Maybe it was a latent 'suggestion' by River. Maybe it was good planning on her part. Maybe it was blind luck. Maybe she believed this day would come when she would rescue all of the Duplicate girls including her Duplicate self. She wasn't done yet either. She was sure there was a second set of Duplicates.

The girls all looked at Cameron's naked beauty.

"I have something of yours." Cameron said as she looked at Duplicate Cameron. "It belongs to you."

Cameron cut into her sheath.

The Duplicate girls and River watched as she made the incision. They could all see Cameron wince a little as the blade pierced her sheath.

River glanced over at Duplicate Jesse as Cameron acted. She could feel Duplicate Jesse's past reach out. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. She concentrated for a moment and watched Duplicate Jesse blink her eyes several times. She wanted her to forget the past.

Cameron retrieved Duplicate Cameron's locket, her heart. It really made her think about it as she removed it. It wasn't what she thought about or planned when she did it, but this must be why she did it. She originally thought she did it so no one else could have it.

Duplicate Cameron slipped her dress off as well.

River and the three Duplicate girls all looked at both versions of Cameron as they stood there naked.

The girls were in Heaven as they watched them.

Duplicate Cameron opened the locket and saw her photo on one side and River's on the other.

Cameron and Duplicate Cameron shared a long look.

"Thank You, Cameron." Duplicate Cameron said. "I know you thought of this for a long time. I appreciate it immensely. We all do."

Cameron 'felt' things were going to be this way. It was always in the back of her mind she wouldn't be able to be with River, but Duplicate Cameron would. She felt she came up short on everything else anyway. Why would this be any different? It wasn't.

Cameron placed the locket inside Duplicate Cameron after she cut open her sheath.

They both embraced.

The three girls and River continued to stare in fascination and awe as they took in the two perfect naked figures. Duplicate Allison and River both wondered if they could ever look as 'good'. Duplicate Allison doubted it. River felt she could pull it off.

Duplicate Cameron wanted Cameron to go back to her timeline as soon as possible. She believed the longer Cameron stayed there, the more she would want to stay. She would obsess on Allison's baby the more she stayed as well. She knew how Cameron thought.

River picked up on everyone's feelings and trepidations. She looked at Cameron.

"You have a choice to make." River said. "There's what you want, and what you know is 'right'."

Duplicate Cameron remembered when River indicated the same things to her before. It's what prevented her from leaving with River then. She could see now it all worked out in the end. Cameron wouldn't be as lucky as she was.

Cameron frowned. None of what happened was what she expected. She did have a choice. She could make a lot of different choices. Life was about choices. She could choose to go back further in time now and 'fix' some of the things she needed to 'fix'.

"I don't know." Cameron said.

River touched Cameron.

"You do know." River said. "You've always known."

Cameron could have done without the reminder. She did know she was going to come up short. It was her worst fear about coming there in the first place. More rejection was something she could have done without.

"Maybe I have." Cameron said. "I can make things better too."

River didn't think so.

"Is your TDE still locked into the past?" River asked.

River knew it was.

Cameron frowned slightly.

"Yes." Cameron said. "Can you fix it?"

River smiled.

"It will be fixed when you need it to be." River said. "It's all I can say about it."

Cameron thought River's love for her, well, Duplicate Cameron, would give her some more flexibility as to what happened next.

"Will you send me anywhere, or to 'any when' I want to go when I leave here?" Cameron asked.

River was ready for Cameron's question.

"Of course, I love you." River said. "I'll do whatever I can for you."

Cameron thought it was what River said about loving her that did it.

"It's time to make a choice." River said.

Cameron decided to go back to the moment she left her timeline. She would be able to retrieve her clothes and return to base before anyone knew she was gone…. She didn't want anyone to know about the debacle and latest failure on her part. What occurred so far in the past was humiliating enough.

"I'll do what's right for John." Cameron said. "Stay in contact with me."

Cameron provided River with the coordinates of her TDE at her base and set up a schedule of times so they would know who it was. River was to visit within one week in her timeline, but it would be several years later in Cameron's timeline.

She wanted to give the girls the option to return if they wanted to do so, soon. If they did, their lives wouldn't be disrupted by the future they were in now. She also hoped to have more information on the other set of Duplicates which were 'in some future' by then. She hoped to go on a rescue mission to find them. She gave River all the temporal data she put together, and what the current set of girls visited in that future briefly. There may be some temporal data there as well.

River approached Cameron as she hugged her and thanked her.

Before the energy bubble started to appear, River looked at Cameron as she handed her the dress she removed earlier.

"I'll try to visit you one week from now in my timeline, in the year you specify in your timeline. If we're unable to visit for some reason, Cameron, I'll see you again in 1999 on the day you arrive in your past from your original future." River said. "You will arrive from your current timeline's future the same day as well."

Was it for real? It was what Cameron suspected.

"I knew it." Cameron said. "I will relive my life over again."

River knew life was about choices.

"It's your destiny. It's your choice." River said. "My Cameron and I will be waiting for you with a place to store your other future self who will appear from your future. We will help reset your chip back to what it would be with encrypted files set to appear when needed. You'll never know you're doing it over until this point in your life again, in your future. Even though I haven't actually done any of this yet, apparently we already have…."

Cameron was very pleased with the news. It gave her something to look forward to.

"Thank You, River." Cameron said.

There were a few issues regarding Duplicate Cameron as well.

"Thank you, Cameron." Duplicate Cameron said. "What you did means a lot to me. It's a sacrifice for both of us, we're identical. I am you and you are me. Thank you for allowing me to stay with River. I love her, Cameron. Please take care of John for me."

River was pleased Cameron and Duplicate Cameron worked everything out.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." River said.

Cameron nodded. They all needed to sacrifice something. It was time. The choices were made by everyone.

"Do it." Cameron said.

The arcing and flashing started.

The energy bubble quickly appeared.

"I'll see you soon." River said. "Or in 1999…."

Cameron still wanted a major option.

"Or sooner, if I need the girls…." Cameron said.

The energy bubble formed and disappeared

The arcing and flashing ended.

Cameron was gone.

'The Boxer' by 'Simon and Garfunkel', went through Cameron's mind as she time jumped.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Choice

We can think once
We can think twice
Do we ever listen
When we're give advice

Everything in life
Is about making a choice
It is the only way
To make one hear your voice

I know that it
May sound somewhat strange
But it's you yourself
That can make things change

It is always easier
To return to the castle
Because things that are different
Are usually a hassle

Look at your hands and feet
There's no enslaving chain
The restraints that hold you
Exist only within your own brain

As life evaporates into time
It becomes harder to choose
Because no matter what you do
You know you will always lose

Nobody