Chapter 542

Wake Up Call

John and Cameron were side by side on the bed.

He wondered if Cameron would stay the entire night as he fell asleep.

For some reason he couldn't really explain, he was afraid she may have 'terminated' during the night.

John slowly turned his head.

Cameron stared at the ceiling, unblinking.

She DID terminate….

"Cameron?" John asked.

He was afraid she wouldn't respond.

She didn't.

John shook her. Cameron's head tilted off to the side at an angle and remained like that. It didn't move. Her eyes were blank.

"Cameron!" John screamed.

It was more than John could bear.

"No - NO - N O - N O…." John said.

Cameron quickly jumped out of bed. The sudden movement pulled the sheet with her. She looked around ready for combat. Her Glock searched for a target.

"John, what's wrong?" Cameron asked.

There didn't appear to be an immediate threat in the room. She was sure she would have detected it earlier. She was still ready to engage one.

John blinked his eyes. Cameron was there! He didn't know what to think right now. He wasn't sure what was real at this point. The Glock in her hand seemed real enough. He was just glad it wasn't pointed at him. He could see Cameron was ready to defend him against any threat.

"Cameron?" John asked.

He still felt confused. He wasn't sure about what happened earlier. What he experienced now seemed real.

Cameron didn't see a target. She didn't like the way John looked right now.

"You look ill." Cameron said.

She immediately began to scan him.

John saw she held her Glock in her other hand. She still covered the door. He didn't want the current situation to turn into a big deal. Maybe some of it was a dream in a dream. Maybe it all was. He was actually glad Cameron scanned him. It proved she was real and the dream, or nightmare, was over, at least for now.

"I think I experienced a nightmare." John said.

Cameron felt a glitch impulse with his revelation. Her past thoughts of her 'nightmares' caused her great apprehension.

"They can be awful…." Cameron said.

Cameron wanted to decrease the tension level in the room. Her Glock quickly disappeared from view.

John wanted to try and sort out what was real and what wasn't. There were some parts of his dreams he hoped were real but he knew they weren't. He really looked forward to the day when they would be real. He hoped to find out more about what happened during his uneasy slumber.

"Were you here all night?" John asked.

Cameron tilted her head slightly. Where else would she have been? She was clear with what she wanted earlier.

"Yes, I told you, I just wanted to be with you, next to you." Cameron said. "I didn't want to be alone again. Not last night anyway."

John couldn't shake the image of her 'terminated' in his bed. The blank lifeless eyes still haunted him. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say.

"I thought - I thought…." John started.

Cameron heard a few other names while she was next to him during his restless slumber. Most of them weren't her name either.

"Did you think I was somebody else?" Cameron asked.

John took the 'easy out'. Someone else's name wasn't as bad as the finality of death.

"Yeah, that's it." John lied.

John didn't want to tell her he thought she terminated and died. She might think it was what he wanted since he dreamt it.

Cameron heard more than a few names. She wanted to see if he would come clean. She noticed 'Little Willie' was up more than a few times during John's slumber.

"Who was it?" Cameron asked. "I heard some mumbling…."

John knew any name was going to cause a problem of some kind. He remembered everything. It all seemed so real. He decided to not be specific.

"I forgot already." John lied again.

John thought it was a nightmare in a nightmare, all wrapped in a nightmare.

Cameron was worried about John. He was clearly in a high state of distress when he woke up. It was a good thing she was there to help calm him. Even though there was no one else in the room, it still seemed like some type of actual encounter based upon his reactions. She needed to do things, run down leads and fight Skynet. She couldn't be there all the time.

"I don't want you to sleep alone." Cameron said. "I'll assign a Terminator to watch over you at night."

John was worried about it. Sometimes Cameron was gone for days at a time. He often took 'matters' into his own hands at night. He didn't want to hear Cameron mention he knew where Savannah's, Vanna's, and Jesse's rooms were at. He did know where they were at. He specifically didn't go there because of the negative effect it was sure to have on Cameron. He needed to think about what Cameron just indicated.

"Do you mean a Terminator would just stand there and look at me?" John asked.

She thought about John's question for a moment. She wondered how he would like it if Bob, Jim, or John Henry stood at the foot of his bed and watched him as he slept. She knew he often partook in other nocturnal activities for a few minutes when she wasn't around the base. There were other options open to her as well. She wasn't sure if she wanted to use them. She knew it was a Pandora's Box waiting to be opened. It wasn't what she wanted to happen, but it wasn't about her. It was about John. She needed to think of his well being and comfort. She figured if it was a female Terminator, she could 'accommodate' John at night. It would only be for a few minutes a couple of times a night. He didn't last very long most of the time. She decided to mess with him instead.

"I could have them face the door." Cameron said. "Unless you want them to watch you 'spill your seed'."

John felt a shocked look develop on his face. He quickly looked over at the box of tissues next to the bed. A box didn't last long.

Cameron started to laugh when John looked at the tissues, and then John laughed too. They both knew it was natural human behavior.

The joint act made both of them laugh harder.

"You know, sometimes you're a real…." John started.

He stopped short of saying it.

Cameron didn't think he was too far from the truth. It was something she heard plenty of times in the past, the future. She really didn't know why some people felt justified running her down. She saw it as no different than another form of prejudice. They were against her based upon the nature of her construction. It was something she didn't have any say in. Maybe it was because many of them didn't like the way she did things.

"I'm a real Bitch?" Cameron asked. "I'm a real 'Metal Bitch'? It seems to be the consensus."

The thought worried John a little. It should only have been in Cameron's future. He understood things were different there because of the nature of the way of life and the living conditions. Everything was based upon the wreckage Skynet left behind and forced upon them for decades. There shouldn't be anyone in the past, the present, who would treat her in such a vile and disrespectful manner. If there was, he wanted to know. He figured it would only be someone in a personal relationship who would resort to such foul language during a heated lover's quarrel. He knew sometimes they got away from the people involved and became very nasty.

"Has anyone here called you that name?" John asked.

Cameron looked over at John. Their eyes locked for a moment before they both looked away.

"Maybe…." Cameron said. "I have good hearing…."

John wasn't exactly sure what she just indicated. Somehow it seemed to be directed at him. He wondered if he used the term during a lover's quarrel. He wanted to change the subject.

"I need to take a shower." John said.

Cameron glanced down at her sheath. It was almost healed but not quite. She didn't want to share it with him, yet. She was sure if their naked bodies were in close proximity to each other, as in the confines of the shower, it would lead to further activity. It was hard not to touch what was right in front of someone based upon those circumstances. Maybe hard wasn't the best term to use. Two naked bodies pressed together usually produced further action.

"I won't take one with you today." Cameron said. "Thank you for allowing me to spend the night with you."

John was as upset as he was confused about her statement. He didn't think it was a good time to point out they were married. He knew Cameron wished she wasn't. He wondered if he should get an 'official' divorce with Cameron to free her up. It would allow her to continue to grow as an individual. She would still be able to be with him, if she wanted. He thought she would. Maybe she wouldn't. With an official divorce, there would be no obligation for her to perform her 'wifely duties'.

The girls would all be with him once Cameron was 'free' and they were both 'single' again. Now he thought about Savannah. He really wanted her virginity. He wanted to claim it before someone else did. He wouldn't put it past Cameron to borrow a male chassis and claim it for herself. He wondered if she would then visit him in the male chassis. She always told him she would like to give him a taste of what it was like to be with a male. She also indicated she would like to do some of the things to him, he did to her, especially where there were no pleasure receptors. He tried to push the thoughts from his mind. He wanted to be around Cameron, even if nothing happened.

"I know the feeling and need to just be around people sometimes." John said.

It made him think of the night he spent with Vanna and Allison. It was just to sleep so he didn't need to be alone. It was the night he was sure he was abused by the Liquid Metal 'almost Cameron' thing. Previously they allowed him to watch them 'share' a few times. It was hoped he would join in with them. He really wanted to, but he didn't want to offend Cameron back then. He was sure once he started in with the human girls, Cameron would never return. Even Savannah was there to offer him 'comfort' back then. Everyone wanted to 'comfort' him to ease his pain. It would have been to ease their pain too.

John saw Cameron's hand start to glitch again. He wondered if it was because of what he said. Maybe it was because of something he did, or didn't do. He wasn't really sure. Wait. The fact she was there in the first place indicated something must be wrong. it wasn't something she would normally do, even if he wanted her to. she seldom ever spent the entire night with him, even when they shared. It seemed as if there was a deeper issue involved.

"Is something else wrong?" John asked. "We can talk about it."

Cameron looked at the bed and then at John.

"I don't know…." Cameron said.

John became instantly alert.

"What is it, Cameron?" John asked. "Tell me."

Cameron stood there for a long moment. She remained silent and turned to leave.

"Cameron, talk to me." John pleaded.

Cameron felt very discouraged.

"I have, you won't listen to me…." Cameron muttered softly.

John heard her.

"What?" John asked.

Cameron kept walking.

"It's nothing. I need to go hunt down those who tried to hurt us yesterday. They almost hurt Savannah. I'm going to terminate them all." Cameron said and left.

She never looked back.

John stared at the closed door. He saw it as the closed door to Cameron's heart….

Savannah woke up. She was in pain. She didn't want to move. She started to get up. It hurt everywhere. She plopped back down in bed. It felt like she was in a boxing ring with a half dozen boxers all pummeling her at once. Jesse warned her it was going to feel like this. She just didn't imagine it would be this bad. It really made her wonder about what Jesse must have suffered. No wonder Jesse developed a cruel and mean streak. It must have been the only way for her to cope with what was done to her.

She could picture being held down and abused. She could picture a gun to the side of her head, or a knife to her throat. Vanna told her how all those things were. Vanna was beaten too. It seemed some males, and even a few females, enjoyed doing it as much as they did using their bodies for their sexual pleasure.

She just couldn't understand the purpose of beating someone, just to beat them. Why? Did one individual really need to beat on another one? She could understand the threat and force to obtain compliance, but why continue the beating even after the abuse?

She opened her night shirt and exposed her breasts and mid section. There were three very swollen black and blue welts on her torso. She knew if the bullets actually would have gone into her body, and probably through her, she would be dead. She killed others the same way. She wore body armor and the Grays didn't. It made a difference. It certainly made a difference in her situation. The bullets could have found other parts of her body. They could have hit her legs. They could have hit her head. She couldn't help but swallow hard to think she could be dead. She wouldn't even know it. Everything would be over.

The whole episode yesterday seemed like a dream or nightmare. She could almost imagine it never happened. The evidence it did currently sent waves of pain through her right now. One thing was for sure, she KNEW she was still alive. The pain confirmed it. She really needed to convince the Metal girls pleasure was a better way to do the same thing.

Savannah knew she needed to push through the pain. She sat up on the side of the bed. She wished Cammy was there. She wasn't. She was worried Cammy was out on some operation and didn't want to worry her. She would check into it later.

'It doesn't get done thinking about it'. Was the statement which crossed her mind.

Savannah got up wearing only her panties. She tossed her top over toward the dresser. It fell short. She would pick it up later. She made it to the bathroom. She took care of her personal business and she brushed her teeth. It was very uncomfortable to do those routine things.

She went to her dresser to pick out some clothes. She reached down to pick her night shirt up. It felt like a horse kicked her.

There was a knock at the door. She hoped it was Cameron or Vanna. Cammy would have come in since Cammy would have known she was alone. She thought about it a little more. Cammy would have come in anyway, even if she was busy.

"Come in." Savannah said.

The door opened and Jesse walked in.

Savannah watched Jesse's eyes widen at the sight of her nearly nude figure.

Jesse swallowed hard as she took in the view. It wasn't what she expected to see. She wasn't there to compromise anyone. She decided to come back later.

"Sorry, love." Jesse said as she turned to leave. "I didn't know you weren't decent."

Savannah only wore her underwear. She wanted to bypass some of the pain. She needed Jesse to stay.

"Wait." Savannah said. "I could really use your help."

Savannah could see Jesse was unsure what she should do.

"Are you sure, love?" Jesse asked. "I'm not your Jesse…."

Savannah was 'dressed' like she was right now in the shower last night.

"You helped me yesterday." Savannah said. "I was dressed like this. We have no secrets here…."

She didn't think it was a big deal. It was nothing new. The circumstances were the only difference.

Jesse watched Savannah age over the years. She knew Savannah was going to look exactly like Vanna since they were the same person, but it excited her to watch it happen. It did happen in every detail. She always made sure she went swimming with Savannah. It was a way for everyone to look, even if they didn't touch. She also knew to NEVER touch the 'forbidden fruit'. If anything, she was overprotective of Savannah around others. She would have killed anyone herself who touched Savannah. She would have killed anyone who looked too long at Savannah. In fact she wore her loosest tops when she was out with Savannah. It was so all the 'wandering eyes' were on her, and not Savannah. Her nipple rings made sure the 'wandering eyes' stayed on her. Everyone looked at them.

Vanna told Jesse that Allison indicated Savannah was with John a dozen times and Cameron knew. It was a surprise to her. Vanna still didn't know the error in her thinking.

Jesse was glad Savannah was able to have a choice for her first 'experience' with both a male and a female…. She didn't have a choice with either. She was even happier Savannah's first experience was with HER, well, Young Jesse anyway.

She remembered the first time a Scavenger female was with her. Half a dozen male Scavengers were with her the night before two or three times each. She needed to do everything they told her. She did what they demanded. The female Scavenger told her to lay back and relax and she was going to show and teach her how to please a female. It was the first time she didn't hate her female body parts when things started. It was also her first climax from another person.

She then needed to do the same things to the Scavenger female. She threatened to 'carve her up' if she didn't. She told her where she would start when she did. She didn't doubt her for a moment. The Scavenger female was old and ugly, but she didn't look at her face. She concentrated on what she was instructed to do. She did it almost every day for the Scavenger female for three months.

Once every other week the Scavenger woman did it to her. It was usually followed by half a dozen brutal male Scavengers. They'd slap her around if she was too slow. She knew what they wanted and did it for them. She knew she needed to be alive and uninjured to escape and get away for good. She needed to refocus right now. Yesterday she was certain she knew how Savannah would feel in the morning. She was correct.

"Sure, love." Jesse said. "Tell me what you need. I'll help you out or do it for you. It's why I stopped by. Sometimes it's nice to have help."

Jesse didn't think now was a good time to tell Savannah how Cameron asked her to get 'closer' to her. Cameron told her Savannah needed to feel the love of real people, not only machines. Cameron reminded her Allison wasn't close and Young Jesse was even farther. Cameron assured her both Savannah and John were fair game and not to be 'afraid' of her. There would be no terminations…. Even if she wanted to share with John, which she did, she didn't think it would be right for Cameron. Savannah was a different story. Savannah was first with 'her' through Young Jesse. It was only natural what would follow later on with Savannah and her. Young Jesse and her were the same person, even if they weren't the same individual.

She knew what Cameron really 'asked' her to do. She actually did some of it already. She could clearly see now was NOT the time for anything sexual. Savannah was hurt and in pain.

Savannah would have struggled on her own to get ready. She didn't like to show weakness or ask for assistance with anything. It was how she was raised. She also knew what needed to be done, when it needed to be done.

"Thank you." Savannah said. "I would never ask if you weren't already here."

Jesse knew Savannah wouldn't ask. She would drive through the pain and say nothing. Savannah tried to be as tough as a Metal girl. Maybe they all did. None of them wanted to be seen as weak. Bad things happened to weak females.

"I saw Cammy and Cameron go out earlier and we both know Vanna isn't up yet." Jesse said.

Savannah felt a sense of alarm. It wasn't what she wanted to hear about Cammy and Cameron. It was her initial fear when she woke up.

"Where did Cameron and Cammy go?" Savannah asked.

Cammy should have stayed with her. It was another 'alarm bell'. They must be up to something big for both of them to be out.

Jesse didn't have a clue. They went out all the time. She didn't think it would be too hard to find out where they went and what they were up to.

"I don't know, but once we get you cleaned up and dressed I'll go with you to see John Henry." Jesse said. "We should be able to find out what they're up to."

Savannah wondered how things were on the home front for Jesse.

"Is everything OK with Gail…?" Savannah asked.

Jesse was with Gail all night. She actually got a few hours of sleep in too.

"Carrots and Apples, love." Jesse said with a big smile. "She's very accommodating and understanding…."

It wasn't so much Gail was 'accommodating and understanding', as it was she was worried Jesse might reject her and push her away. She knew Jesse was always 'hungry'. Cameron also spoke with her and reminded her of the things she did for her and both versions of Jesse. She could 'share' Jesse a little more. She knew Cameron would eventually take Savannah for herself and the problem would be solved. Jesse would still be hers at the end of the day. She hoped Cameron would bring Young Jesse there for Savannah as well. Jesse wasn't the only one hungry…. Gail felt all versions of Jesse 'belonged' to her.

Jesse helped Savannah get dressed. Her hands lingered slightly longer in certain spots. The invitation was sent…. Savannah pursued her before but she was afraid of Cameron and Vanna at the time. Vanna told her flat out if she ever touched Savannah she would kill her. She was serious. It was when Savannah was younger. Savannah was a teenager now. It was very difficult for her to avoid Savannah's advances at the time, but she always did. She never wanted Savannah to feel she was 'taken advantage of'. Later Savannah expanded the relationship on her own.

Savannah was glad for the assistance. Since she started to move, she was able to work through some of the pain a little better. She could move a little more freely now. It was really tough when she first woke up. She knew childbirth was worse.

"Thanks, Jesse." Savannah said.

She still stared at the nipple ring on the breast which popped out of Jesse's loose fitting top earlier. Jesse made no attempt to return it back inside her shirt. She liked to see the ring swing freely as Jesse bent down or stood up. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. It was so enticing and beautiful. Right now in her current condition she knew it wasn't the thing to do. She needed to find out what Cameron and Cammy were up to.

Jesse held the door for Savannah and they headed off to see John Henry. She remembered what Cameron asked her to 'do'. She reached down and took Savannah's hand as they walked.

Savannah knew it was the exact same thing Young Jesse did with her. It felt exactly the same too. Even the gentle little squeezes…. It was the same person, even if she was a little more 'experienced'. Well, Jesse was a lot more experienced than all of the females, the human ones anyway.

Jesse released Savannah's hand as they heard someone approach. She didn't want any trouble.

Savannah reached out and took Jesse hand back in her hand. She was very comfortable and pleased by it. She was afraid of no one…. She knew every Jesse was the same Jesse, even if there were some 'differences'.

It was Bob and Mel who came around the corner. They said 'hello' and moved on.

Mel looked back once they were around the next corner.

"Do we need to notify Cameron of this?" Mel asked.

Bob was aware Cameron wanted to offer Savannah 'more'.

"No, Cameron has 'approved' this already." Bob said. "It's nothing new, even if it was a little more public on this occasion."

Mel knew Cameron liked to have control.

"Does Cameron still make the decisions for everyone's 'partners'?" Mel asked.

Bob nodded. He was aware Cameron knew what was best for everyone. She told all of the Terminators she was, including him. They all heard the same thing.

"Yes. Cameron controls all of their lives." Bob said. "It's very 'Skynet' of her…."

Mel wasn't usually at the Resistance base.

"I'm normally on the Reese protection Detail." Mel said. "I don't get out much."

Bob thought there was more 'drama' than there needed to be at times. There was also something special he wanted Mel to see.

"You're lucky." Bob said. "There's a lot of pain around here as well. Follow me. I have some video footage for you to view. I believe you'll find it very enlightening. I've played it over and over dozens of times. I bet you will too."

Events seldom impressed Mel. He felt he saw it all at some point.

"We're Terminators." Mel said "It takes a lot to impress us."

Bob knew it was different. It was something special no matter who viewed it.

"Be prepared to be impressed." Bob said. "I'm more so every time I view it…."

Mel tilted his head slightly. He knew Bob was as hard and tough as a Terminator could be. If something impressed Bob, it must be impressive.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Wake Up Call

Things start out smooth
Everyone acts suave and cool
One can throw away the rocks
They think they've found a real jewel

Maybe it's really only
A diamond in the rough
It needs a lot of fine work
Some edges aren't smooth enough

Perhaps it turns into
A ragged ton of bricks
They're full of dirty tricks
It seems impossible to fix

One tries to ponder
Where it all went wrong
They begin to reminisce and long
For when things were once strong

The rush to the top
Ends with a painful fall
When one forgets how it works
They receive a rude wake up call

Nobody