Chapter 1003

Her Wish

Cammy could tell that Savannah felt pain and hurt inside her. She knew it was related to her two daughters. That was all in the future still, even if it already happened.

"Tell me." Cammy said. "Talk with me."

Savannah didn't want to talk about it. That only seemed to make it worse when she felt like this. It was best to let it slide. She wanted it to feel like 'nothing'. She was sure if it felt like 'nothing' that there wouldn't be any pain. She realized it was all about control. There was no actual pain. The only pain was in the brain. The mind could be mastered. It could be controlled. It sounded good anyway.

"No, really it's nothing." Savannah said. "It's in the past now, it's done. Life needs to move forward. We can't get stuck in reverse. That's the worst thing that can happen."

Savannah walked over to a movie theater entrance.

Cammy read the sign that posted the hours of operation. They were way too early for the first performance.

"It's not open until after noon." Cammy said.

Savannah was just curious. She really didn't care for the crowded atmosphere of a movie theater. Nor did she want to hear the reactions of a bunch of strangers who saw the movie. She just wanted to watch the movie and not be subjected to some social experiment.

"I wanted to see if there was anything good playing." Savannah said. "I can ask John Henry to send it to my room."

Cammy knew Savannah really wanted to hide the tears in her eyes and the tears in her heart. She wanted to give her some options and other things to think about.

"There's a car show in the parking lot tonight." Cammy said as she looked at a poster on the wall. "We can come back."

Savannah didn't know what to do sometimes. This was one of the moments when it all weighed on her.

"I don't know." Savannah said. "I still need to see CamNet. There are a few other things I need to check on as well."

Cammy tilted her head slightly.

"Do you mean at Cameron's base?" Cammy asked.

Savannah referred to her 'Metal Parents'. Cammy didn't know about them specifically. She didn't know 'who' was under the other sheets either.

"Yes." Savannah said. "I'm torn over what to do."

Cammy didn't think Savannah should have any trouble making a decision.

"How so?" Cammy asked.

Savannah wanted to see her 'parents' again and talk to them. She wanted her mother to hug her and hold her again.

"There's something I want very much but I know it's not 'real'." Savannah said.

Savannah still wanted it anyway.

Cammy looked a little worried.

"Am I 'real'?" Cammy asked.

Savannah could see she seemed to cause Cammy even more worry than she already felt. She didn't want to do that. She felt she'd traumatized Cammy on several occasions during this entire endeavor. It started from the moment they parked in the parking lot. She wanted to give Cammy some positive reinforcement.

"Yes. You're real." Savannah said. "You're beautiful too."

Savannah smiled at Cammy and took her hand again as they started to walk.

Cammy saw a large paperclip on the ground and picked it up. She wasn't sure why. She put it in her pocket.

Savannah was worried she'd slacked off on her exercise. That was something that was important right now. She needed to make sure her body was in top shape for her pregnancy.

"I need to jog around the mail but I just don't feel like it." Savannah said.

Cammy felt very concerned.

"Is everything alright?" Cammy asked.

Cammy resisted the urge to scan Savannah. She'd learned through experience that when Savannah was upset, it wasn't a good time to do that. It only seemed to upset her more.

Savannah had been on a lot of operations recently. She was usually tired once they concluded. Sometimes one ran over into the next one. There was little 'down time'.

"I think so." Savannah said. "I've been a little too lax in my training the last month."

Cammy thought the Resistance team did quite well in its encounters with any Skynet forces.

"It's been a very busy month." Cammy said. "We've hurt Skynet greatly over the last few months actually."

Cammy was aware Savannah was close to death more than once in the last few months.

Savannah was aware of it too.

They walked hand in hand. It gave Savannah some time to think about what she really felt and worried about. It wasn't a pleasant or reassuring thought. It was a thought that seemed to grow and grow within her mind. It was the feeling of doom and finality.

Savannah spoke again after a long time.

"I don't think I'm going to make it." Savannah said.

That statement took Cammy by surprise. A glitch impulse shot through her left hand.

"What?" Cammy asked and stopped.

Savannah could see she'd 'hurt' Cammy by her statement. She wasn't sure if that was the third or fourth time that she'd hurt Cammy since they'd arrived at the mall. She didn't know if the number mattered.

"It's nothing." Savannah said quickly. "Forget I said anything."

Cammy couldn't 'forget' anything. She went back and checked over the last five scans she'd done on Savannah. She wondered if she'd missed something. Maybe she'd been too concerned about her own status instead of what was actually her responsibility. Savannah was her responsibility.

"Is something else wrong?" Cammy asked.

Savannah felt that life weighed heavily on her at times. She certainly didn't have any answers. She didn't even know what the questions were.

"I don't know, Cammy." Savannah said. "I really don't."

Cammy was ready to ask what else was troubling Savannah.

Savannah collected herself. She was supposed to be strong and help others, not dwell on her own suffering or misfortunes. Who did she think she was anyway? She was just a cog in the wheel of time. She let out a long breath and stood up straight. She pulled her top tight and smoothed it out. She wanted to look presentable.

"I need to go back to the jewelry store." Savannah said with a big smile. "Everything is fine, Cammy. I think I sort of get 'lost' sometimes."

Cammy believed Cameron was responsible for that.

"You have a lot to deal with." Cammy said.

Savannah thought it sounded ridiculous even if it was true.

"It's just the future of the world and mankind." Savannah said.

Cammy tilted her head slightly. It was all Cameron's fault.

"I guess it is at that." Cammy said.

They neared the pet store again.

Cammy wanted to hold a puppy or a kitten. She looked over at the bin that was in front of the pet store. When they passed by earlier, there was a puppy and a kitten in it.

"Can I hold one?" Cammy asked.

Cammy looked at Savannah with her big brown doe eyes.

Savannah wasn't sure how this would play out or end. She felt she needed to give Cammy an additional warning about the small animals.

"You need to remember and respect that they're living creatures like me." Savannah reminded her.

Cammy frowned and withdrew her hand.

"Maybe I better not." Cammy said. "I don't want to damage them."

Cammy passed the pet store and looked back several times.

Savannah noticed and could see Cammy really wanted to be closer to the pets.

Cammy moved on and looked at the fountain. There was a little more money in it than there was the last time she looked in it. It was only a few coins more. She really didn't understand why people would throw good money away.

"Why do people put money in here?" Cammy asked. "It doesn't actually do anything."

Savannah wasn't sure how to explain something that wasn't 'real' to Cammy. It was something that was symbolic and a tradition more than anything.

"They make a wish for something they want." Savannah said. "Some do it for good luck."

Cammy didn't think anybody really wanted what they wished for since they didn't pay very much for it.

"I haven't seen anything but small change." Cammy said. "There are one hundred and six pennies, seven nickels, twelve dimes, sixteen quarters, two baby teeth and one wad of chewed gum."

Savannah felt for many people it was about hope.

"Those all represent people's dreams and wishes." Savannah said. "Except the gum."

Cammy knew the value of money. The coins in the fountain didn't amount to much in dollar value.

"They don't seem to invest very much in them." Cammy said. "Where does the money really go?"

Savannah wasn't sure how much money was pilfered by the homeless or gang members but some of it would actually make its way to a good cause.

"I think they clean it out once a year at Thanksgiving time to buy food for the less fortunate." Savannah said. "Here look, there's a sign there."

Cammy was actually surprised to see the sign. She wondered why she'd missed it previously. It was right there in plain sight.

"I didn't see that before." Cammy said.

Savannah remembered she walked right up to Cammy a short time ago as she sat there by the fountain and looked into it. Cammy didn't appear to have any awareness that she was there before she spoke. She knew that she must have been elsewhere in her mind. Her experience with Cameron was that it wasn't an uncommon event.

"You were deep in thought." Savannah said.

Cammy thought maybe she was. She felt she was going to delay Savannah from completing her mission in the jewelry store.

"I don't remember…." Cammy said. "Go check on what you need to check on. I'll wait here."

Savannah thought Cammy seemed to be a little better. She didn't mean to cause her all of that stress that she'd done inadvertently.

"Thanks, Cammy." Savannah said.

Cammy watched Savannah enter the jewelry store. She took out a hundred dollar bill and folded it as small as she could. She took the large paper clip out of her pocket that she'd found earlier and secured the money with it. She looked around and carefully placed it in the bottom of the fountain. She put a penny on top of it to hide it. She made a 'wish'.

She also took out the wad of chewed gum and set it on the ground next to the fountain. She hoped the person who put it there ended up with 'bad luck'.

Cammy went back towards the pet store. Maybe she would try to hold a puppy or kitten anyway. She remembered Savannah told her not to kill it if it bit her. She'd never touched anything that was alive other than a human.

The puppy and kitten were both being held by a small boy and small girl. She saw how happy they looked. Their mother watched them, she looked less than thrilled.

"Those aren't free like the ones at the supermarket." The mother said. "We'd need to feed them too."

The small girl looked at her mother with wide eyes.

"But they like us." The small girl said.

The mother looked a little uncomfortable as she looked at the two small children.

"I need to pay for them here." The mother said."I don't have any extra money, honey."

The two children looked heartbroken.

Cammy could see the children wanted to hold the puppy and kitten as much as she did. They looked so 'happy'. She wanted to be 'happy' to.

She wanted to do something. She wanted to help. Earlier she'd watched Savannah buy new clothing for everyone at the homeless shelter. They'd taken Susan to rehab to get better. They were going to help her rebuild her life if they could. They even would have a plastic surgeon take a look at her to see what he could do to help her. She didn't see this as anything different than what they'd done earlier. It was time to act.

"I do. I have some money. They'll be free for your children." Cammy blurted out.

The two children and the mother looked at her.

"I'll pay for them for the children." Cammy said.

The mother looked as nervous as she did embarrassed. She wasn't used to charity.

"I don't think…." The mother started to say.

The children knew a good deal when they heard it. They wanted the small animals. They were very cute.

"Please, Mommy." The children both said. "PLEASE."

Cammy spoke with the mother and told her she would pay for the pet food too. Cammy reached in her pocket and handed the mother the entire stack of folded money she carried.

The mother looked at the large sum of cash.

"There are thousands of dollars here." The mother said. "I can't accept something like this."

Cammy was insistent. She gently closed the mother's hand around the money. She looked at the mother and children with all sincerity.

"I want to help someone." Cammy said. "I want the children to be happy. I always wanted to be one. It looks like 'fun'."

The mother was a little confused by the wording.

"Do you mean you wanted to have a puppy or kitten when you were a child?" The mother asked.

Cammy tilted her head slightly. She looked at the mother and spoke with total honesty.

"No, I wanted to be a child." Cammy said.

The mother looked perplexed.

Savannah exited the jewelry store. She didn't see Cammy by the fountain. That worried her a little bit. She looked towards the food court and Cammy wasn't there. She turned in the other direction towards the pet store. She didn't like what she saw. Cammy stood next to two small children and their mother. The mother looked very uneasy. She was worried that Cammy may have gotten into some type of confrontation.

She quickly headed in that direction. She was even more disturbed once she heard Cammy speak with the mother as she approached them.

Savannah quickly walked up. She didn't want this to get off on the wrong foot. She needed to put a lid on things quickly.

"She meant she wanted to have a pet when she was growing up." Savannah said.

The two small children each held one of the animals. They looked extremely happy.

"Thank you." The children said. "This is the best day ever."

The mother looked nervously at Savannah. She looked at the large sum of cash in her hand.

"I can't take all this money." The mother said.

Cammy didn't see what good it did to put money into a fountain. She could actually help somebody right now, directly.

"It's a gift." Cammy said. "I want to help someone."

Savannah quickly explained Cammy was a wealthy socialite and helped put a homeless woman into rehab earlier in the day with all expenses paid. She whispered to the mother that Cammy was a little 'eccentric'. She also said Cammy liked to help people out. She explained it was part of Cammy's 'therapy'.

The mother finally relented and agreed to accept the cash and the pets. The children were absolutely thrilled. The mother still looked a little nervous.

Savannah was glad it wasn't a male Terminator who'd done what Cammy did. She was sure that the mother would have thought she was being propositioned.

The puppy and the kitten were paid for.

The mother and children thanked Cammy again.

Savannah wasn't sure how everything would play out. She was happy that Cammy looked happy.

Cammy felt very pleased. All of her troubles from earlier were forgotten.

"Sometimes it's nice to have help." Cammy said.

Savannah didn't care for some of the looks from some of the bystanders.

"We need to go." Savannah said.

Cammy watched the mother and children depart. She looks back at the pet store and then at Savannah.

"I wanted to help…." Cammy said.

Savannah took Cammy by the arm and led her away.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Savannah asked.

Cammy looked back in the direction of the pet store.

"I'm fine." Cammy said.

Savannah reached over and took the keys away from Cammy.

"I'm driving." Savannah said.

Cammy wondered where else Savannah was going to go.

"Where are we going?" Cammy asked.

Savannah wanted to take Cammy back to a more secure environment.

"We're going back to the Resistance base." Savannah said.

Cammy tilted her head slightly. That wasn't the original plan.

"I thought you wanted to see CamNet." Cammy said.

Savannah knew there were other factors in play. She'd intended to bypass them earlier. Maybe it was best if she didn't.

"I do." Savannah said. "Cameron wants to see her as well."

The smile on Cammy's face faded somewhat.

"Oh." Cammy said.

Savannah wanted to do a few other things now that she'd been to the jewelry store. It wasn't part of the original plan. The plan changed.

"I need to get a few things organized." Savannah said.

Cammy's phone buzzed.

It was Sheila. She wanted to know if she would be free later on.

"Sheila wants to 'see' me." Cammy said.

Savannah didn't have a problem with that. They loved each other but they could both be with anyone they wanted to. Love was something beautiful. It was to be shared.

"We're free to see who we want." Savannah said. "We can all share when we want. It's beautiful."

Savannah wondered about what all was involved in Cammy's and Sheila's eight year relationship in the past. She never really asked and Cammy never really said. She was aware that Cammy's and Sheila's relationship was a much longer relationship than what she'd shared with Cammy, so far.

Cammy thought about all the girls she'd shared with, both human and Metal. It was all a very positive and beautiful experience.

"I guess we do." Cammy said.

They drove in silence most of the way back. Each was lost in the past. They both thought of things that were and could have been. They were back at the base soon enough. The place looked deserted. There was no one in any of the halls anywhere.

"Where is everyone?" Savannah asked.

Cammy used her Terminator hearing to listen to what she could. She wasn't surprised with what she found out. It had been a successful mission on every level and no one was damaged. She thought that was a legitimate time for a celebration.

"They're all getting 'caught up'." Cammy said. "I can hear them."

Savannah didn't want Cammy to eavesdrop.

"Turn it down, your hearing I mean." Savannah said. "I know that you and all of the Terminators know what everyone is doing and when."

Cammy smiled at Savannah.

"Yes." Cammy said. "And with who or if they're solo."

That was something that Savannah learned and enjoyed doing. She felt that she had total control over her body and her mind at the same time. There wasn't any place that she couldn't go or anyone that she could be with when she was alone with herself.

"TMI." Savannah said. "I've done plenty of that."

Cammy didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

"Everyone has." Cammy said. "I do too sometimes."

Savannah didn't need to know about what other people did or how they did it.

"That's way TMI." Savannah said. "Maybe I need to issue an order to have all of the Terminators tune that out from now on."

Cammy wanted to set the record straight. She didn't want Savannah to think the wrong thing.

"Cameron already told us not to do it a while back." Cammy said. "It's not something we dwell on because we all do it. It's no big deal really. I just checked to see where everyone was because we didn't see anyone."

Savannah was satisfied with that explanation. She needed to get things organized.

"Can you go to the lab and bring me the box I made?" Savannah asked.

Cammy knew exactly where it was. She'd examined it several times and wondered what it was for when she first saw it. She knew now.

"Sure." Cammy said.

Cammy turned to walk away.

Savannah remembered one more thing that she wanted.

"I need a scalpel too." Savannah added.

Cammy wasn't sure what that was for. It made her think about Sheila.

"I'm not going to let Sheila do that again." Cammy said. "I don't care if women pay good money to have that done or not."

Cammy told Savannah what Sheila did to her before.

"TMI." Savannah said. "They grew back. Everything looks the same. You're fine."

Cammy headed off and Savannah went to work.

Savannah hurried to get everything just the way she wanted it. She'd thought about this project for awhile and everything was ready except for what she'd picked up today. Now she was ready for the first part.

Cammy took the opportunity to get the four chips that Savannah asked her to obtain. They were all erased and blank. She returned to Savannah a few minutes later.

"Here's your box, it looks beautiful." Cammy said.

Cammy handed it to her.

"Thank you." Savannah said.

Cammy felt some reservation about the next part. She did it anyway because Savannah asked her to do it.

"Here are the four chips you requested." Cammy said. "I personally made sure that everything was erased and they were scrubbed several times."

Savannah smiled and opened the wooden box.

"Thank you." Savannah said.

Savannah carefully placed them inside the wooden box.

It was clear to Cammy what Savannah intended to do with the box and chips. She wanted to offer a warning.

"There is a better than even chance THAT version of Cameron, CamNet, will become Skynet." Cammy said.

Savannah didn't know what would happen going forward. She always knew it was a possibility that Cameron and then later on CamNet, might become some version of Skynet

"I'm aware of that." Savannah said.

Cammy didn't think Savannah seemed too worried about it. Savannah didn't look troubled in the slightest.

"You're not afraid." Cammy said.

Savannah didn't believe there was anything that she needed to be afraid of.

"No, I'm not." Savannah said. "I will deal with it personally when I have to."

Savannah closed the wooden box with the four chips in it.

Cammy still held the scalpel. She thought it was supposed to go with the chips.

"You forgot to put the scalpel inside the box." Cammy said.

Savannah took the scalpel from her. That wasn't part of the plan.

"It's not going in there yet." Savannah said. "I'll need to use it in a few minutes."

Cammy looked worried. Maybe Savannah was going to 'modify' her. She was going to ask if she could turn off her pain receptors this time. Sheila made her leave them on when she 'sculpted'. She decided not to say anything. She would do what Savannah wanted.

Cammy went to take off her pants. She wanted to get it over with. It didn't take more than a few seconds for each side.

"OK." Cammy said. "I want to please you."

Savannah was confused.

"What are you doing?" Savannah asked.

Cammy explained she thought that she was going to do what Sheila did to her before.

Savannah's face drained of all color. She was more than a little shocked at what Cammy just indicated. She wasn't about to hurt Cammy or anyone else.

"No, I'm not going to do what Sheila did to you." Savannah said.

Savannah wondered if she needed to issue an order about that. She knew that Sheila hadn't forced anyone to do that. It was normally how one of the female Terminators got her chassis back when they switched with Sheila. It sounded a little different in Cammy's case and that she was a willing participant even if she was unwilling about what happened.

Cammy looked relieved.

"I knew I was alive as she worked on me." Cammy said. "The pain was intense."

Savannah moved over to Cammy and gave her a long hug and a deep kiss as she removed Cammy's top.

Cammy thought they were about to make love. She started to remove Savannah's top.

"Not yet." Savannah whispered.

Savannah removed Cammy's bra.

Cammy could tell that Savannah was in a high state of arousal.

It always excited Savannah to undress a female. She looked at Cammy's topless figure.

"You look beautiful." Savannah said.

Savannah turned and reached for something behind her.

"Do you know what day this is?" Savannah asked.

Cammy tilted her head slightly.

"Yes." Cammy said.

Savannah wanted to offer Cammy several options.

"Do you want a box of chocolates or red roses?" Savannah asked.

Cammy looked down through the valley of her breasts at her flat stomach.

"No." Cammy said. "I don't want to get fat."

Savannah looked at Cammy with love in her eyes.

"This is for you, Cammy." Savannah said. "I love you."

Savannah handed Cammy a heart shaped gold locket.

Cammy's mouth dropped open slightly. She couldn't believe this was for real. It took her a few moments to be able to speak.

"You got this for me?" Cammy asked. "A heart…."

Savannah looked intently into Cammy's eyes.

"It's just for you." Savannah said. "It's engraved too."

Cammy opened it and saw HER picture and Savannah's picture.

She hugged Savannah and started to cry.

Cammy felt this was the most special moment in her existence, her life.

"Happy Valentine's Day." Savannah said.

Cammy was thrilled. She understood now why Savannah hadn't put the scalpel in the box with the chips.

"Will you put MY heart in for me?" Cammy asked as her tears subsided.

Savannah held the scalpel in her hand.

"Yes." Savannah said.

It was clear that both girls were elated. The atmosphere in the room was of total love.

"Will you be my Valentine, Cammy?" Savannah asked.

Cammy felt an electric type 'shock' shoot through her entire body for a fraction of a second.

"Yes." Cammy said. "Will you be mine?"

Savannah was very pleased with everything. She hoped Cammy understood now why she'd asked to go into the jewelry store alone. She wanted it to be a surprise.

"Yes." Savannah said. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Cammy was rewarded with her 'wish'. She wondered if the hundred dollar bill carried more weight than the coins did. It certainly appeared that way.

Her Wish

What do others want
The question may arise
How that is answered
May be foolish or wise

The initial goal seems to be
What's at hand
Maybe that determines
How the flames are fanned

At that point in time
There's no long term goal
It's all about now
The quest for the hole

Blinded by lust
Driven by greed
Nature takes over
To deliver the seed

Maybe think twice
Don't be so selfish
Others matter as well
What's her wish

Nobody