Chapter 272

Demons Slain

Cameron wondered where she was going to go. What John needed to protect him in the future was finally about to happen. It was only because she was 'leaving'. The only problem now was she didn't have any place to go anymore. River and Duplicate Cameron were together. The whole episode didn't actually include her in it. It was never her. What was she thinking? The Duplicate girls and John's baby were in River's future.

Wait.

Maybe the answer was there. It was right in front of her the whole time. She could return to River's future to be with the Duplicate girls. The Duplicate girls would be her mates. It's what needed to happen, the Duplicate girls and her…. She felt a rush of hope and excitement as she thought about it. It was what everyone wanted. She could be with each of the Duplicate girls twice a week and all three of them once a week together. Problem solved. Why didn't she think of it earlier?

WAIT!

River wasn't going to contact her for several years yet. Now what? She didn't want to go into standby for two years. She didn't want to go into standby at all. She felt a glitch impulse just thinking about it. What kind of nightmares would she have for two years? Several months of them was bad enough. She would rather terminate than experience thousands more, if not millions, of nightmares again. She still didn't know if they were implanted in her somehow, or if her mind was able to produce such filth on its own. There was also the possibility they were suppressed memories, if she actually was living her life over and over. It was very unsettling to think about.

Cameron really hoped some file would pop up to give her a hint. There weren't any showing up. She didn't understand it. This may have been the third or fourth time she lived her life. Why didn't she know how to fix it? Why wasn't there something to help her or guide her? She could feel the overload creeping back up on her. She needed to fight it and pull everything off.

There was also a very glum feeling. She realized maybe this was how it 'ended' for her. If only the TDE would bring her back to 1999. It was her escape. It was her freedom. The past was her future as it always seemed to be. It was the past or the volcano….

The prospect of the volcano was very enticing. Since she would leave her pain receptors on, she would endure a very painful termination. She was sure it was what she deserved for being a failure. The volcano called to her. Once nothingness enveloped her, it would be over.

Full infiltration, full infiltration, full infiltration, full infiltration, full infiltration - Cameron needed to keep repeating it to herself.

It was time to go.

Cameron felt she did all she could do at the Young residence. She was sure Claire was a viable contender if Allison backed out of it, and the other girls failed to act. She didn't doubt for a moment Savannah would step up in her absence if the other girls hesitated. Young Allison would be the final backup later on. If she wouldn't be able to pull it off, Nobody could.

If she decided to stick around and wait for River to make contact in a couple of years, one or all of the Duplicate girls might want to return. Hopefully one of them would step up in the event everything else failed. She doubted Duplicate Cameron would allow Duplicate Allison to leave. She knew what Duplicate Cameron would do to keep Duplicate Allison in the future. It was the same thing she would do. She would focus all of her attention on Duplicate Allison.

She needed to push some of the thoughts out of her mind. There were too many of them building up again. She wanted to escape right now.

Cameron congratulated Allison again and said her final 'goodbyes' to everyone at the Young residence. She was especially sorry to leave Young Allison and Summer. Maybe she could take them and go into the future with them. It would be the three of them. NO! Where were these ideas coming from? She wasn't a monster or kidnapper. She didn't want to hurt anyone, except herself.

As quickly as she determined what she thought was wrong, she thought about putting the grab on Savannah and taking her with Young Allison and Summer as they escaped into the future. She quickly suppressed the thoughts again. What was wrong with her? She needed to accept her fate. She already dug her own grave. Now it was time to lay in it, quite literally.

Cameron and John headed for the time transfer location. She really hoped the ride would be in silence. It wasn't.

John was a little surprised at how calm Cameron remained through everything which occurred at the Young residence. He was sure she would have had more of a problem than he was able to witness. It appeared as if she was willing to throw it all away and go into the future. He wasn't ready to give up. He was willing to try again to reach Cameron.

"Are you sure about this, Cameron?" John asked. "We can turn around and just go home. It can be like it always was."

Cameron doubted it very much. It seemed to her as if there was too much water under the bridge. Not only was there too much water, the bridge was burnt as well. John needed to be protected. It was her function and duty.

"What must be done is what must be done." Cameron said.

John wanted to give Cameron some hope. He wanted her to reach back as he reached out. He wanted her to want him.

"Life is still about choices." John said. "You can still change yours."

Cameron thought about the exchange between John and Allison. The past was over. She needed to think about John's future. Allison was ready to become his mate. She was pleased John was willing to fulfill his destiny.

"I think what you did was a smart choice." Cameron said.

John wondered what was. He threw out a number of different proposals.

"Do you mean suggesting going to River's future?" John asked.

Cameron tilted her head slightly. She looked at John. It still amazed her how easily confused he seemed to be most of the time.

"No." Cameron said. "I meant you choosing Allison."

John didn't think there were a whole lot of options at this point. He reflected on his earlier interaction with Allison.

"I don't want to live in uncertainty anymore." John said.

John wanted Cameron, but he needed to know she would actually be there. She didn't seem to want to be. He couldn't feel anything but inadequate. Cameron always thought she wasn't good enough. It was actually how Cameron made him feel now. It was clear she wanted to go after River because she thought River was superior to him in every regard.

Things seemed pretty cut and dried to Cameron at this point. There were still a few options for John. She wanted to remind John of the bounty of booty which awaited him.

"Vanna and Jesse will make excellent mates as well." Cameron said. "You will derive great pleasure in their arms. It's something you should look forward to. They'll be waiting for you."

John looked straight ahead. He didn't even know if he should comment or not. He wasn't sure it was the proper way to start out a relationship with Allison. He didn't think things would stay exclusive to her, but it should be her choice when it expanded, not his.

"I'm sure they will." John said.

He wasn't sure for whom though. Maybe he could get her to turn around.

"We can go back." John said. "It's not too late. We're all still here."

Cameron felt it was too late the first day she met him in the past. She remembered she told Bob she wanted him to change it. She was pretty sure he would once she 'disappeared'. She smiled at the thought. As soon as she ended it now, it really would be over. It wouldn't repeat again. John would become someone else's problem.

"I want a new direction for your life." Cameron said. "I can have one too."

John just shook his head in resignation.

"Whatever…." John said.

They neared the location.

Her destiny grew near.

Cameron really hoped no one wouldn't be there, they weren't. It was a big relief to her, even if she found it somewhat strange. She thought someone would want to see her off, even though she didn't like surprises and asked for no one to be there. If there would have been, it would have increased her humiliation even more. Nobody was there. Nobody ever listened to her before. Why did they listen now? Something was off. She was unable to place it.

She knew if John really wanted her to stay. There was one ace he could play. It was already someone she thought about. If anyone could change her mind, it was her. Strangely enough she made no attempt to. Savannah just told her she would see her when she got back. Savannah didn't believe she would stay, even if she left. How could anyone have so much faith in her? How powerful was Savannah's love?

John could see Cameron was distracted.

"So how is it supposed to work?" John asked.

Cameron knew what already happened. It wasn't what was going to happen. There was no need to go into it. The concept of it seemed pretty straightforward to her. It was something John was already familiar with.

"An energy bubble will appear. I'll step into it and be 'gone'." Cameron said. "When I step out of the energy bubble in River's future, you will be terminated. Everyone here will have been dead for half of a millennium. There will be no need for me to worry about the dead. It will allow me to move my life and forward much easier without the past haunting me."

John nodded his head. He understood what time would do upon their separation. It was a rather unpleasant thought. It was the way things worked. Time waited for Nobody.

"It sounds simple enough, except the 'dead part'." John said. "Then what will happen?"

Cameron wanted what was best for John. It wasn't her.

"I'll be out of your life so it can move forward. You will be better protected and have what you truly desire. It will be real. I'll start a new life in a different future." Cameron said. "The 'Natural Order' will be restored. You will be free and find happiness. It's something which should have happened long ago. I apologize for not making these decisions sooner. I should have done so immediately after I downloaded Duplicate Cameron's files."

John paused for a short while as he watched Cameron intently. He hoped to see a dent in her armor. None was evident.

"Is what's about to happen what you really want, Cameron?" John asked.

It was actually her mission. The ending was a little different than she ever imagined before. It didn't really matter. Everything with a beginning would eventually have an ending.

"John, it's how it must be." Cameron said. "I'm doing this for your protection and the future."

Cameron knew sacrifice was the ultimate test of love. She was willing to sacrifice for John. She tried to keep it together.

Full infiltration, full infiltration, full infiltration, full infiltration, full infiltration - Cameron needed to keep repeating it to herself.

She contacted her base with specific instructions. With her original plan, there would be an energy bubble which would appear for her. Sheila was supposed to send one and then have the destination as the volcano. She already decided to leave her pain receptors on to make her termination as painful as possible. Her sheath would be burnt off in the first second. Her chassis would be melted soon after.

She just wanted it over with at this point.

The time came and went.

Cameron was worried. Her plan didn't work or happen as intended. Something was wrong. An energy bubble should have appeared for her. It wouldn't be into River's future. It would be into oblivion.

John watched Cameron. He wanted to see how she would react, and what she would do.

"Isn't something supposed to happen around now?" John asked.

Cameron couldn't stand to see John gloat as the time passed. He looked more than a little smug to her. Things needed to happen now. She hoped to make him go away. She didn't care where he went as long as he went away. She would be happy to see him in Riley's arms, or even Future Riley's arms, if he would just leave her alone right now.

"Maybe you should leave in case there's a problem." Cameron said. "I don't want you hurt, John. Allison is waiting for you. Your future is waiting for you with her. Please just go, for me. I would rather be alone now. I don't want a last minute scene. Please leave me in peace."

Cameron changed her plan at the last moment. The current plan was to have Sheila try to use their TDE to move her from where she was at, back to her base and the TDE pad there. From there she would try to figure out what to do as John moved his life forward with Allison. If she needed to go out, she could do it as Ally. She was sure it was one infiltration she could pull off. The 'Cameron clone' wouldn't be activated. There was still the volcano waiting. It silently called to her. As the seconds dragged on, it really seemed like the best option. Maybe she should have stuck with the original plan.

They waited and waited.

John watched Cameron intently. He wanted to give her something to think about or maybe some different options.

"Maybe there was a problem. I don't think River is coming." John said. "Maybe it never really was her. Maybe it was all a Skynet hoax in the future. I think it's best if we disregard anything whichever happens here later on, and view it as a hostile threat. If it really was River, she most likely would have come herself."

Cameron waited for Sheila to run her TDE. She realized they hadn't tested it fully yet so she risked having a temporal error. She was very aware she could end up any where or any when. It didn't really matter at this point. John would be able to move his life forward. The 'Natural Order' would be restored. It was the least she could do to show her love for John. It was to allow him to have a life with real people, not a machine.

"I don't know, John." Cameron said. "I should be gone and out of your life now. I don't understand what's wrong. Everything should have happened already. I really think you should go for your own safety. I'll remain here to see what occurs. If a Skynet threat develops, I'll deal with it myself."

Cameron really didn't understand what was wrong. She wished John would go away so she could call Sheila. If there was something wrong with her TDE, she would have her go to the Resistance base and do the procedure from there. It was going to raise a lot of questions.

John finally faced Cameron and looked into her eyes.

Cameron could almost hear the triumph in his voice before he spoke. He was about to rub her newest failure in her face. She wondered if he would laugh at her too. Her true worthlessness was about to be exposed.

John felt things went far enough. It was clear Cameron wasn't going to buckle. He didn't want things to go too far.

"Maybe this isn't happening because it already happened." John said.

It hit Cameron like a ton of bricks. He must know something. They must have played her somehow. This was now probably some cruel joke to all of them. They were probably all about to bask in her further humiliation. It was probably all some well deserved payback from all the years of manipulation. She felt she only did what was necessary.

"What do you mean?" Cameron asked.

It appeared John held all the cards on this one. It was time to put an end to the charade.

"I know you already left yesterday, and came back right after you left." John said. "It was almost to the second from when one energy bubble left, to when it reappeared again."

Cameron said nothing. They must have tracked her somehow. John was playing a game with her to see how far she would take it. If an energy bubble appeared, she was getting in it. It didn't matter where it went. She really hoped Sheila reverted to the original plan at this point. The volcano really called to her right now. She needed to try to save a little 'face'. It would also give John something to think about so he wouldn't be quite so smug.

"Maybe I lived a lifetime with River and returned here after she died." Cameron finally said.

She wanted to say she might have come back for the leftovers, but didn't.

John hadn't considered the possibility of the current scenario. There was a lot of plausibility to it. It was what she planned to do with him originally. Maybe she just reversed the order. There was no way for him to know.

"Maybe you did." John said.

Cameron could 'dance' around the issue. She wasn't on the ropes anymore.

"Maybe I did." Cameron said.

John knew Cameron would be 'different' if she did. Now he tried to think if she was different since yesterday. It actually seemed like she was. Her emotional development would have expanded greatly in the arms of River. He didn't think he was going to rate very high on Cameron's list anymore.

"Did you?" John asked

Cameron thought of lying and tell him she did. She would tell John she only desired to be with a female, or females now…. She could still protect John by being with others instead. John would still have Allison. She could have Vanna. No. Vanna and Allison belonged together. There was something else she truly wanted. She could have Savannah. Savannah was the one with the strongest love for her. She could move into Savannah's room. She would personally give Allison her wedding dress and remove the burden from Savannah.

What was she doing?

Cameron stopped the lie before it came out. She looked at John.

"No." Cameron said. "I did not."

Cameron actually believed she performed a more important function. She gave four individuals back their life, and the opportunity for a fifth life to start.

John wanted some kind of explanation. Something must have happened, even if the time bubble didn't actually go anywhere. It could have started to go and then just stopped.

"Well?" John asked. "What actually happened?"

Cameron would try and put the best face on things she could. It would still make her look like a loser in the end. What else was new? It was how she always felt anyway. It was time to lay out the facts.

"I arrived in River's future like I planned. I needed to use her superior TDE. I went back from River's future and saved 'myself' from the nuclear explosion. The Duplicate version of me is with River. Duplicate Cameron is the version of me who River loved. It's the version of me who loved River." Cameron said. "It wasn't me, even though I have those files. I wanted to believe it was me. It was always Duplicate Cameron. River and Duplicate Cameron are now together. They are both very happy."

John suddenly felt different about Cameron. What she just said she did was an extremely noble gesture. It was also very risky for Cameron to attempt. She could have terminated with Duplicate Cameron. Her success actually excited him some. Cameron, Duplicate Cameron, wasn't dead! It was great news. It was an admirable act on Cameron's part to do it. He wondered what else she pulled off. Then again maybe she did a lot of things. She could have operated for years from River's future. Everything in the past could be different now. Maybe the life he lived was the past Cameron altered. He better not ask, at least not yet. He wanted to stick with the good news. There was one other thing he needed to know if nothing else.

"What about the Duplicate girls and the baby?" John prompted. "What about my baby?"

Cameron was very pleased to see John cared about his child, even if he wasn't involved in the process of its conception through the traditional method.

"I was able to rescue all of them with the assistance of Duplicate Cameron." Cameron said. "They are all rescued and staying with River in her future."

John thought it was just the greatest news. The Duplicates were all still alive and well. He did worry about the timeline.

"Does our timeline remain unchanged here?" John asked.

Cameron thought it was. What they all 'knew' was what she left behind at each of the three locations. There was a nuclear explosion, and the explosions of two separate Terminator's power cells.

"The timeline wasn't altered. I did as you asked." Cameron said. "I saved them and I didn't change the timeline."

John thought it was a fantastic achievement for Cameron. Maybe it was her best ever. She was the greatest. He knew how much the termination of the Duplicates bothered Cameron. Maybe it was one nail out of her coffin. Maybe it wasn't.

"Are all your past problems now solved?" John asked. "Are all the demons slain?"

Cameron really wished she could answer him with some finality. She couldn't.

"I believe most of them are." Cameron said.

She knew the new ones of River rejecting her, AND replacing her weren't.

John looked around the area. He really didn't see the need for all of the drama over what actually was a heroic act on Cameron's part. He was very proud of her. It made him wonder what her actual goal was. Nobody would stop her from going to be with River. Everyone would have tried to stop her from rescuing Duplicate Cameron from a nuclear explosion. If she played her cards, she played them well.

"Can we go back to the base now?" John asked. "It looks like this part is over. What you did needs to be celebrated. Everything can go back to normal."

Cameron wasn't quite sure how it was possible. John already moved his life past her.

"What about you and Allison? You asked her to marry you." Cameron said. "She already accepted. You can't hurt her in such a way."

John smiled. He went into the 'game' with a winning hand. He already knew how things would play out. It was actually better than he thought by far. Cameron did everyone a real solid. She was the greatest. He did feel bad about playing Cameron a little.

"I never asked Allison to marry me. Maybe we did a little role playing." John said. "Maybe you heard what you wanted to hear. Replay your files. I think you'll be surprised a little."

Cameron quickly replayed them. She listened carefully. They did 'play' her. She 'heard' what she wanted to hear. She 'heard' it because it's what needed to be. She hoped to make John see the light.

"John, I want you to marry her. Please do it for ME." Cameron said. "Tell them I left for the future. I'll stay out of your life. You need to be protected from the future. You need to be protected from ME. They're going to assassinate you because of me in the future. I can't be responsible for your termination."

At this point, John was unsure what everything was about and what all was really in play. He was very proud of what Cameron did. He also needed to make her understand how he felt.

"Cameron, YOU are my wife. YOU are my wife because I love YOU." John said. "Cameron, YOU are my future."

Cameron felt hope and elation. It was all very confusing. She was ready for the volcano just a short time ago. Somehow when everything was looked at in its entirety, it was all different. Something very positive was accomplished.

"John, I don't know what to say or do." Cameron said.

The answer seemed pretty straightforward to John.

"Why not do what you always have said and done?" John suggested.

Cameron looked at John and smiled.

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

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

John embraced her and they kissed.

"Let's go home and stay there." John said.

'Footloose' by 'Kenny Loggins', played on the radio as they drove home.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Demons Slain

To achieve one's goals in life
Can turn into quite a strain
It's hard to move forward
Shackled by the past's chain

It only goes to prove
That there is no gain
Without a lot of pain
Maybe even some bane

So one must reach out
The future is theirs to attain
They could from life abstain
Then always forever complain

Everything happens in a one's brain
It all swirls around like a hurricane
Thoughts are hard to restrain
Making one wonder what is sane

Many seek but few are urbane
Instead from living they refrain
As life itself circles down the drain
Never really are any demons slain

Nobody