Chapter 421

It Can't Be You

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Events continue from Chapter 417

Summer's Timeline:

Cameron Prime Returns:

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John decided to go out on a mission since Cameron seemed she would be away for a few days. She visited him earlier and they shared a good time together. She was gone as quickly as she arrived. She usually disappeared for a few days after such an encounter. It was her usual method of operation. He didn't like the flak he received when she was around. He went out with Bob, Jim, and Derek.

John Henry provided them with some leads to follow up on. From the surface it didn't look like much. Skynet and its illegitimate offshoots seemed to hide deeper and deeper. They still needed to run down all the leads. It was the only way to make sure.

John was happy Cameron was 'with' him earlier. He was even happier to see after she left her rings weren't back in the drawer on top of her poem book.

He thought she was wearing them. It was a good sign in itself. She didn't wear them when she knew she was going to be in combat. He wanted to help share the load. It's why there was a team out right now without her in it.

It was always a 'problem' when he went out in the field. He felt he needed to do his share. There was no reason Cameron needed to do it all. He hoped she would spend more time with him later on.

He was still a little unsure what all the hoopla was about when Cameron tried to push Summer on him. Summer sure was Hot though. He did need to admit it. He'd really like to do a three way with Cameron and her. He thought he'd like to start out on his back. Summer and Cameron could face each other on top of him. He didn't really care which one would be where to start out. No, he knew where he wanted Summer. She would be….

"…John…?" Derek asked.

John looked around. It seemed he lost focus. It wasn't the thing to do on a combat situation. He was glad Cameron wasn't along with them. She probably would have made a big deal about it.

"What is it?" John asked somewhat embarrassed.

Bob and Jim looked at each other but said nothing. Derek's question was clear and concise. It only required a simple answer. It was evident John wasn't in the proper combat mode right now. They didn't know what he was thinking about.

Derek didn't think it was too big of a deal. They were still in the reconnaissance part of the operation. He just hoped things were a little better than they appeared a couple of days ago. There was a lot of tension in the air.

"I asked how things were going between Cameron and you." Derek said. "I know you were having some rough spots. I have to say, we all do at times. I know."

Derek knew all too well the struggles of married life. Sometimes he thought the screwing you get wasn't worth the screwing you took. Some moments were very tense. His prior 'association' with Jesse was a further reminder of it. Maybe the trouble with it was they were never on the same page. At least at the same time they weren't. The future was always between them, even if it's what bound them. He didn't want to fault Jesse for her problems related to it. He knew she experienced a much rougher time than he ever did. All of the females did. It was one of the reasons why he wanted to stop Skynet from ever doing it again.

John could only base his answer on what he observed. He didn't know the true extent of Cameron's adventure or the actual amount of time she was in 'a future'. He didn't have a clue as to what really happened with Cameron and Savannah.

"Things seem good right now." John said. "Cameron's been around more lately. I was afraid she was off to some other future or past, but she's still here."

John thought how Cameron was recently all over him non stop. It was almost as if she couldn't get enough of him. It was the way it seemed. She wasn't with him for weeks at a time, but when she was, it was out of this world. He wasn't sure what really happened when she didn't come around. Maybe he did know and no one wanted to address the issue.

He thought about it some more. It was the part when she didn't come around which worried him. He knew she was probably shot up most of those times. She didn't like him to see her damaged. He could never make her understand he wouldn't love her less if she was damaged. Cameron still tried to fight most of the battles alone. It meant she suffered alone too. Wait. There was always someone who could reach her. They could reach out to her and 'touch' her. It was Savannah. Savannah was the only one who never gave up on Cameron when things looked bleak and final. He thought Savannah and Cameron were out now. Maybe it was a training exercise.

He could tell whenever Cameron was around Savannah she was much more relaxed. It seemed all the tension faded away. She was very 'human like' in all respects. He was sure she was 'happy' when she was with Savannah. He was glad for the time all of the girls spent with her. It always seemed to bring her back from the edge. He was pretty sure he put her on the edge when he didn't try to. He could see Derek wanted to talk about it a little more.

Derek hoped for the best with Cameron and John. He was very grateful for what Cameron did for his family. He wanted to let John know how he felt about everything. It wasn't something he would normally discuss because it was of a personal nature. He was very pleased with how things turned out.

"You know, Cameron did Riley and me a real 'solid'." Derek said. "She's found the best people around to help Riley. The pregnancy wouldn't have happened without her. I really owe her one. No, I owe her a lot. She's done so much for me, for all of us. I really love her, John. Everyone does. You're a lucky man."

'It doesn't feel like it sometimes….' John thought.

John didn't think it was the place to dwell right now. He needed to stay alert, not slip into the past and its pain. There was plenty of it there. It seemed there was always more to be added on top of the pile.

"Cameron does have a way to make everyone love her, even love - love her." John said.

Derek knew it was true. He saw the way everyone looked at Cameron. He saw how they all acted around her. Whenever Cameron was near, everyone changed somewhat, it was like an invisible force. A 'presence' seemed to radiate off of her. He wondered if anyone didn't actually love Cameron. He could only think of one possible candidate. It might be debatable at this point in time.

"I think Sarah is the only female who doesn't love - love her. Maybe she does. Nobody could blame her." Derek said. "I know Riley does as well as the rest of the girls. It was why Jesse left me. It was for Cameron. She wanted to be closer to Cameron and it didn't include me being with her."

John thought it was a significant revelation on Derek's part. He wasn't sure it was actually what occurred. He believed there was some other manipulation involved. Maybe there wasn't and it was just the perception on his part. He wanted to find out.

"Did Jesse actually say it?" John asked.

Derek saw it for what it was.

"No, but it was obvious. Cameron is a 'Chick Magnet'." Derek said. "Everyone loves Cameron."

'Everyone except Cameron loves Cameron.' John thought.

He was painfully aware it was his actions which were behind most of Cameron's problems. It wasn't something he was proud of. He felt he needed to address it.

"I made her hate herself. I made her feel 'not good enough'. She's unable to forget it and let it go. I think it's why she tries so hard to give everyone what they want."

John knew it was more than just a figure of speech when he said Cameron was unable to forget it and let it go. She never forgot anything. When she thought about it, it was like it just happened again for her. Time couldn't dull her pain or the incident.

Derek thought there was a lot of positive out of the negative if it was the case.

"She does, John." Derek said. "I think it helps give her self worth and helps her with all the not so nice things she's needed to do as a Terminator. She tries to do 'good' to counteract the 'bad'. I think it's more than most people do."

John knew Cameron always seemed to have a lot on her plate. It often seemed most of it was 'leftovers'. They weren't better the second time around, or the hundredth.

Bob listened to the conversation between John and Derek. He remained alert as he drove. He constantly checked their surroundings. He spotted something behind them a short time ago. He looked in the rear view mirror. It was still there, even after two turns.

"We have a tail." Bob said.

John didn't want to get into a scrape before they reached the objective.

"Great." John said.

John quickly contacted John Henry. Maybe he picked the wrong day to go on an operation. It was what it it was. He was there.

"There is a drone on the way." John Henry said. "I'm checking to see whoever else is near you. I can set something up. We can lead the people behind you into an ambush."

John Henry sent out the alert. He didn't think the operation was going to take such an ominous turn before it even got started. Maybe he should have put the drone in the air earlier.

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Events continue from Chapter 420

Cameron's Base:

Cameron Prime Returns:

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Sheila and River stood ready at the controls of the TDE

River made a few last second adjustments. They would send the energy bubble five months further ahead in the time period Cameron was at 'in some future'.

Cameron was only gone a short time from there.

Cammy and Summer stood by with weapons still.

"Let's do it." River said.

Sheila pushed the start button.

The arcing and flashing started.

The energy bubble formed and left. A few seconds later it returned.

"It's them." River said. "I can feel it."

There were three nude figures in it.

The arcing and flashing ended.

Cameron, Duplicate Cameron, and Savannah were on the TDE pad.

They were only gone less than two days from Cameron's base in this timeline, from when Savannah went after Cameron. They were in the other future for nearly ten months. Well, Savannah was. Cameron returned on a short 'field trip' halfway through. Duplicate Cameron was there for much longer.

Cammy rushed up to Savannah and gave her a big hug.

"Cammy!" Savannah said.

Duplicate Cameron knew there was another Cam and Cammy in the current time period. Something else caught her attention. She looked at River. She just saw the girl she now loved for the first time. It was because of the files from the other Duplicate Cameron. They were transferred to her through Cameron before they left. She could feel a very powerful presence.

River handed Cameron and Savannah their clothes. She didn't give any to Duplicate Cameron. She already knew what Cameron was going to do with Duplicate Cameron.

Greetings were exchanged and everyone was happy, except Savannah.

River went to Savannah to comfort her. She doubted it would be enough. She could feel the overwhelming sense of grief and loss Savannah felt. There was also a strong feeling of guilt and abandonment.

"It was a hard choice you needed to make, Savannah. I don't know if I could have made it myself." River said. "You gave Vanna what she could never have. You gave Hope to 'yourself'."

Duplicate Cameron realized River just said everything on her own, without anyone else saying a word about it. She appeared to know all the facts and even the name of the infant 'in some future'. She was clearly as amazing as they said she was. Someone else caught her eye. She looked at Summer. It was the first time she saw her too.

Summer wasn't sure she liked the way Duplicate Cameron looked at her. She wanted to set things straight from the beginning.

"I'm Summer. I'm your sister." Summer said.

Duplicate Cameron now possessed the files from Cameron of both River and Summer. To see them in person was different. She already knew everything. It was just different to actually experience it in person.

"I'm pleased to meet you." Duplicate Cameron said.

Sheila came around the control panel and looked at Savannah once Cammy released her.

"Wow! You have a full blown set of knockers now, love." Sheila said. "Look at those things."

Cammy, Summer, and River all thought the same thing.

Savannah looked down at her full breasts. She would have preferred if everything was like it used to be. It wasn't. It was going to take some time to normalize.

"I need to hide them." Savannah said somewhat embarrassed.

River didn't think so. She could feel Savannah's worry and apprehension. Savannah hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, she did something very noble and selfless. She wanted to remind Savannah of her true nature.

"No, you don't." River said. "You never need to hide who you are, especially when your heart is pure and true."

Savannah looked away from River to Cameron. Her concern wasn't about herself as much as it was about someone else.

"I don't want to cause Cameron any problems." Savannah said.

River knew Cameron would need to atone at some point. Not everything was Cameron's doing. She didn't need to take the blame for everything, only what she was responsible for.

"Cameron needs to face her 'actions'. She believes in what she's doing." River said and glanced back at Savannah. "Has done…."

River walked up to Cameron. There was some unfinished business between them.

"Open your hand." River said.

Cameron did. River gently set Cameron's two rings back in her hand. In reality, she only held them in her hand for a few minutes, even if it was five months for Cameron 'in some future'. She knew Cameron gave them to her because she didn't think she would return.

Cameron looked at them. She was back. Maybe she wasn't done. There were still some options she might want to explore.

"It was in case I didn't make it back." Cameron said.

River knew Cameron silently asked her to be with John if she didn't make it. The rings could have also gone to Savannah if she returned alone without Cameron. It was a clear indication Cameron wanted River to follow up on whatever would bear fruit.

"I know what you wanted." River said.

Cameron knew it was decision time. Cameron wanted to be magnanimous. She wanted to make things fair in front of everyone, well, everyone there. She faced Duplicate Cameron and held the rings out to her.

Duplicate Cameron needed to make a choice. She could cling to the past or take a bold step forward. She wasn't sure if the bold step forward wasn't actually a bold step backward. She didn't want to create any trouble.

"I want to but I can't." Duplicate Cameron said. "You know we will fight over him if I do."

Duplicate Cameron knew John was her husband too. She was 'Cameron'.

Cameron's magnanimity wasn't lost on anyone. She just offered to do the 'right' thing at her own expense. There was no coercion or manipulation involved.

"Thank you." Cameron said as she gave Duplicate Cameron a big hug.

Duplicate Cameron wanted to leave now before she changed her mind. Her journey wasn't complete. The longer she stayed in the past, the more she would want to see John. Quite some time passed since she last saw him. She last saw him outside of the TDE room pounding on the glass, as Riley appeared alongside of him. It was the only reminder she needed to remember she was done with the past.

"Can you send me back to the future?" Duplicate Cameron asked. "I mean back to My future - Our future. I would really like to go now. I need to go now."

Cameron knew how Duplicate Cameron felt right now. She didn't want any problems to develop either with any further delays.

"River, my Duplicate doesn't want to remain here any longer than necessary or she's afraid she won't want to leave." Cameron said. "We need to get her 'home'.

Every second Duplicate Cameron was there in the past, the more she wanted to stay and claim what was hers. Having Savannah and River there right in front of her didn't help any. It made her want to stay even more.

River made sure things were ready based on Cameron's previous discussion.

"We've done all the calculations." River said. "We don't know if it will work, or even if it is where she will end up for sure. We have all the temporal data."

Cameron knew their transfer was accurate to the second.

"You got our transfer right on." Cameron said.

River knew there was a 'beacon' for the energy bubble to lock onto. There was nothing active in Cameron's future.

"We did have a helpful factor." River said.

Duplicate Cameron just wanted to leave now.

"Please send me." Duplicate Cameron said. "I want to go 'home'."

Summer could see the concern. It was time to test it first. She figured she was expendable. She felt like she was after everything which happened earlier. It was clear everyone wanted to terminate her when she told them they couldn't go after Savannah. It wasn't the way she wanted things to happen. If the transfer would have occurred as intended there wouldn't have been a problem. They specifically tried to deceive River to mask what they actually attempted to do. Everything backfired when the truth was revealed.

"I can go to test it." Summer said.

Summer started to remove her clothing.

Sheila could see everyone was apprehensive. It was time for her to step up.

"I'll go, love." Sheila said. "I'm less critical to every timeline."

Duplicate Cameron felt responsible. It was what any Cameron would feel. The concept she was a Duplicate was still a little hard to fathom.

"No. I'm going alone." Duplicate Cameron said. "I created the whole mess."

Cameron felt it all landed back on her doorstep.

"Actually, I did. Everything which has happened was all my doing." Cameron said. "I'll go."

Duplicate Cameron was ready for things to end one way or another.

"We're not doing this again." Duplicate Cameron said. "I'm going alone."

Duplicate Cameron was naked the whole time. She moved over and stood back on the TDE pad.

Cameron and everyone else took in her perfect figure.

Duplicate Cameron's eyes were transfixed on River. She wanted her too now. River was worth staying for and fighting for. No. She needed to go.

"Please, just do it." Duplicate Cameron said.

If she continued to look at River and thought about Past John for ten more seconds, she would get off the TDE pad. She wanted BOTH of them….

River and Sheila started the TDE.

The arcing and flashing started.

The energy bubble formed.

The arcing and flashing ended.

Duplicate Cameron was gone.

Cameron looked at the empty pad and put her rings on. She was afraid the story wasn't over yet.

"How soon until you leave?" Cameron asked River.

River and Cameron shared a long glance.

"It will be soon." River said. "Cameron…."

Everyone left the room. They could see River needed to speak with Cameron privately.

"Cameron, I don't know how to ask this…." River said.

She quickly explained to Cameron what she wanted.

Cameron wanted it for herself…. It was tempting.

"I'll ask for a volunteer." Cameron said. "It's a choice assignment."

River thought it would be. She would give it some time in her timeline first. The girls and Duplicate Cameron had been there less than a week so far. Things still needed to get adjusted.

"If it's what is needed, I'll send a time bubble in exactly one week from the time it is now." River said. "It will give you some time to make sure everything is straightened out here and the way you want it. I'm going to let a few months go by in my timeline…."

Cameron didn't plan to let River down.

"One week from now if the time bubble appears, someone will enter it." Cameron said.

River didn't want Cameron to get sidetracked again.

"It can't be you." River said. "Keep in mind three of us look almost the same already."

Cameron nodded. She left the room and sent Savannah in.

River felt she possessed some insight Savannah needed to know going forward. It would be hard on her. She reached out and touched Savannah's belly.

"Savannah, you may need to do the same thing more than once." River said. "I know you already know this."

Savannah already figured as much. The future would be hard on every 'Savannah Weaver' who was in one already.

"I do." Savannah said. "I'll come to your future if needed…."

They held a long embrace.

River didn't think it would be her future.

"It may be elsewhere." River said. "You don't need to rush things. You're still a girl, like me."

Savannah looked down at her body. There were some changes she hoped would go away. She wasn't sure if they all would or not.

"After having a baby, I sure don't feel like one." Savannah said.

Savannah noticed River look at her bulging breasts.

"I can see it." River said with a smile. "It's actually quite impressive."

River went out to where everyone waited and said her 'goodbyes'. She didn't want anyone else to enter the TDE room before she left other than the operator. She returned with Sheila.

River checked the controls. She slipped her dress off and set it off to the side. She stood on the TDE pad.

Sheila started the TDE. Her eyes were transfixed on River's perfect form.

River gave Sheila a wink.

"Do it." River said.

Sheila pushed the button.

The arcing and flashing started.

The energy bubble formed.

The arcing and flashing ended.

River was gone.

Sheila left the TDE room once everything was powered off.

"I'll take care of everything here." Sheila said.

Cameron left with Cammy and Savannah. They all had tears in their eyes. There was a profound sense of loss and sacrifice they all felt. It involved three different futures.

They silently headed for the carpool.

The girls all felt sad about River leaving.

They headed out and grabbed an SUV. Cameron would take them back to the Resistance base. They talked as they went and were halfway there. Cammy wanted to know more about the future where Savannah was.

Savannah tried not to talk about, or dwell on, the baby. There were still issues related to it which needed to be addressed. She looked down at her bulging breasts.

"How long will it take for my body to return to 'normal'?" Savannah asked. "I think some things are permanently 'changed'."

Cameron knew there were a number of factors involved.

"It depends on…." Cameron started then received the alert from John Henry. "There's trouble. John, Jim, and Bob are out. They just picked up a tail."

Cameron told John Henry she would respond. She didn't mention Savannah and Cammy were with her.

Savannah reached in the back of the SUV and started to pull out combat gear and body armor for the three of them.

Cameron didn't want to put Savannah right back in harm's way. Things were worrisome enough in the future they just left.

"No, Savannah. I'll have Cammy drive you away and commandeer another vehicle for myself." Cameron said.

Savannah was ready for more. She fully understood her role in the future. Now wasn't the time to shy away from it. Certain things were more important than others. John was one of them.

"Cameron, John may need our help. We ALL are going to help." Savannah said. "Don't argue. It's happening, we'll follow you anyway. We all have a job here too."

Cameron turned and looked at Savannah and then to Cammy.

Cameron was concerned for Savannah's safety but proud of her for who she developed into and for what she did. She understood the importance of John's safety going forward. She liked how there was no hesitation for Savannah to step up and do what was required. Savannah was truly the 'Chosen One'.

"As soon as Cammy is armored up we'll switch." Cameron said. "We're all a team. We fight together."

Closing monologue by Cameron:

It Can't Be You

Does one ever really choose
Or are they the one chosen
It seems when it's time to ask
They often choke and become frozen

When one feels the love grow
Why are they gripped with fear
They want to be closer
To the one they hold dear

Perhaps everyone knows the feeling
It's the fear of outright rejection
From the pain from being cast aside
There's no form of protection

It seems the very world around one
All collapses in on itself again
Leaving one with nothing
But to pick up paper and pen

Maybe words from the heart
Can reach out and break through
Until the one realizes who they're from
Then says, it can't be you.

Nobody