Chapter 11 - Red Hope @ redhope.net
Chapter 11 - Red Hope @ redhope.net
Chapter 11 - Red Hope @ redhope.net
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Disclaimer & Notices<br />
Copyright: The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles characters and concept belong to James<br />
Cameron and Josh Friedman. However, I own the plot and other characters.<br />
Notices: This story contains violence and sexual content.<br />
Summary: It's a regular Friday night after work for the young college student, Sarah Connor, who is<br />
traveling back to her apartment. On the fated night, her beliefs and outlooks are forever changed after a<br />
near kidnapping and a choice between life or death given by an estranged police officer.<br />
Feedback: <strong>redhope</strong>@<strong>redhope</strong>.<strong>net</strong><br />
Homepage: http://www.<strong>redhope</strong>.<strong>net</strong><br />
Write a Review: http://www.<strong>redhope</strong>.<strong>net</strong>/tscc/review/series2form.html<br />
List: http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/<strong>redhope</strong>/<br />
Started: April 14, 2009<br />
Series 2: No Fate, Story #1<br />
I, Terminator<br />
by <strong>Red</strong> <strong>Hope</strong><br />
<strong>Chapter</strong> <strong>11</strong> – Fix You<br />
Sarah drew up her legs onto the tailgate, which she sat on while she waited for Cameron. She pulled<br />
her knees against her chest then wrapped her arms around her legs. She rested her chin on her knees<br />
and gave off a heavy sigh. Her eyes continued flickering orange from the bonfire several yards away.<br />
Cameron stood in front of the fire pit she'd made an hour ago. She'd thrown a lit flare into the pit after<br />
she'd covered the T-888's chassis in thermite. She now knelt beside the pit with a tree branch in her<br />
right hand. She started poking at the endoskeleton and turned it over to make sure it'd melt properly. As<br />
she knelt there, she twisted her head to the left and studied the human seated back on the truck.<br />
Cameron let out her own deep sigh because she wasn't sure what was wrong with the silent human.<br />
After they'd left Cyberdyne, Sarah Connor had become quiet and only spoke if asked questions first.<br />
Cameron didn't think it'd bother her because she wasn't a conversationalist, but it brought on<br />
immeasurable tension and stress on her systems. Cameron felt as if there was something she was<br />
suppose to do, but it was truly illogical so she'd done nothing so far.<br />
Sarah continued staring at the bonfire and her lover, who recalled only raw, crucial data necessary for<br />
protection and survival. She reached up and brushed aside a few loose strands that'd moved into her<br />
eyes from the wind. She focused on the quarter moon that hung low in the west sky over the Pacific<br />
Ocean just beyond the cliffs. She and Cameron had driven up a motorway off Route 1 and went offroad<br />
to find this lonely, desolate spot to burn the T-888. While Cameron prepped the fire pit, Sarah<br />
removed her two-way radio, bullet magazines, and tucked her extra Glock away.<br />
Earlier, Sarah had checked her phone's time and saw that it was just after four-thirty in the morning.<br />
She should be tired, but she was also restless thanks to tonight's events. Indeed Sarah was exhausted<br />
but only mentally while her body couldn't slow. She wasn't sure if her body would ever slow down<br />
again after tonight.<br />
Sarah turned her head to the right and her temple pressed into her knees. She stared at the truck's side
gate but her thoughts wondered away. She almost closed her eyes yet feared she'd see Kyle Reese<br />
again. But the movement in front of her caused her to lift her head and take in the tall, dark features of<br />
her lover.<br />
Cameron had determined she'd need more thermite to complete the melting of the T-888. She'd left the<br />
extra thermite in the truck and came to get it. But now she faltered at seeing the broken human seated<br />
on the tailgate. She gathered herself and remarked, "I require the rest of the thermite."<br />
Sarah nodded, twisted around, and drew out the bag that had the last three canisters of thermite. She set<br />
it on the tailgate for Cameron to take.<br />
The terminator collected the canisters from the bag then headed back to the fire pit, but she only made<br />
it a few steps because the human's upset kept nagging at her. She lowered her filled hands to her side<br />
and turned back to the human. She cocked her head and stated, "I protect Sarah Jea<strong>net</strong>te Connor II<br />
because she is my human."<br />
Sarah lifted her head from knees at this deceleration and murmured, "What" She was perplexed by<br />
why the terminator said this to her. She knew it was almost Cameron's same promise from earlier<br />
tonight before the fight.<br />
Cameron stayed rooted in her spot but coolly explained, "It is a protocol hard coded throughout my<br />
endoskeleton." She saw how Sarah's eyes glistened, and she'd thought this new information would calm<br />
the human and not feel so unsafe. Cameron shifted on her boots once then remarked, "It was not hard<br />
coded by my designer or Omega so I can only logically conclude that I did it." For once, her features<br />
revealed some of her own emotions, and she confusingly admitted, "I should not be able to rewrite,<br />
add, or delete any hard code in my endoskeleton."<br />
Sarah felt her eyebrows nearly touch at the terminator's confession. She wasn't sure what to say, and<br />
she kept staring at her protector.<br />
Cameron was uncomfortable so she withdrew from the one-sided conversation. She returned to the fire<br />
pit and dealt with the T-888. This also gave her a minute to inspect her progress from her systems,<br />
which told her that she'd only made fifteen percent completion. Cameron let out a frustrated sigh and<br />
wrenched open a canister's lid while the other two sat on the ground.<br />
Sarah idly watched her protector handle the thermite. But she thought more about what Cameron told<br />
her. She didn't make any attempt to go to Cameron because the thermite made it unsafe for her. She'd<br />
been too close to it in the factory earlier tonight, yet the need outweighed the risks.<br />
The terminator had coated the T-888's oozing remains with the last canister of thermite. She backed<br />
away just as the heat flared up from the thermite meeting the fire. With her freehand, she fished out the<br />
Neural Net CPU that was the only piece left intact from the T-888. Cameron turned it over a few times<br />
and imagined the data on it that she could obtain from it. After a long minute, Cameron wrapped her<br />
hand around the chip then increased her grip until she felt the chip break between her fingers. She then<br />
tossed the broken pieces into the fire pit and walked away from it all. She would go back in ten to<br />
fifteen minutes and conceal the pit.<br />
Sarah saw her protector coming back so she lowered her legs into a folded position. She was feeling<br />
guilty about not talking, especially because it made the terminator feel uneasy. She'd sensed it awhile<br />
ago, but Sarah just couldn't clear her own head.
Cameron approached the truck and noticed the human seemed more receptive than earlier. She dared<br />
her chances a second time and came closer to the tailgate. She hesitantly stood beside the seated human<br />
then leaned back until her lower back pressed into the tailgate. She folded her thick arms which forced<br />
her arm muscles to draw out further. Her exposed skin was covered in goose bumps, but she didn't<br />
notice the cold night.<br />
Sarah studied her lover's stoic profile but then looked at the aged scar on her lover's right shoulder.<br />
She'd meant to ask about it, but now she'd lost the chance since her lover had no memories. She<br />
fidgeted with her hair.<br />
"It is odd," Cameron quietly started and still stared at the distant fire. "I have lost my memories;<br />
however, I have emotions." She turned her head to the human and mentioned, "This is unexpected."<br />
Sarah considered her protector's words but argued, "Just because a human loses their memories doesn't<br />
mean they lose their emotions."<br />
The terminator had not considered this aspect and nodded after a beat. "I cannot discern where my<br />
emotions derive from in my systems."<br />
"What do you mean" Sarah asked. Her interests were peaked, and she was grateful for the distraction.<br />
"I am a computer," Cameron carefully explained. "I'm comprised of files, programs, protocol, and hard<br />
codes. I know the exact location of them all throughout my system and endoskeleton. However, I<br />
cannot pinpoint the exact location of my emotions." She tried staying calm but her tone shook slightly.<br />
"It is as if they exist everywhere and in everything."<br />
Sarah had a frown that pulled at her lips because she couldn't conclude what this meant for the<br />
terminator. She regarded the terminator, who was just as confused.<br />
Cameron turned her head to Sarah Connor and whispered, "They are like a ghost in my system."<br />
Sarah faintly stiffened at the terminator's words because they reminded her of the movie I, Robot. She<br />
knew Cameron didn't remember the movie, but she also wondered if Cameron didn't retain some kind<br />
of data extracted from the movie. She gathered her courage and offered, "You are unique, Cameron...<br />
from all the rest." She stretched out her left hand and collapsed the Saint Christopher charm.<br />
Cameron couldn't see the necklace, but she was comforted by its presence around her neck. She held<br />
the human's jade stare. She softly argued, "I am unique because I was designed to be unique. There is<br />
no other built from my design."<br />
"Yes," Sarah murmured. She looked up from the necklace and told, "But you're far more unique than<br />
just that." She released the necklace, which fell back to the crook of Cameron's neck.<br />
Cameron couldn't hide her faint smile and her eyes gave off a low illumination. She looked back at the<br />
fire that was starting to die. She tilted her head and posed, "Do machines have a soul"<br />
Sarah breathed deeply at this huge, debatable topic. If she wasn't already mentally worn then she surely<br />
would be soon. She started out small and just shrugged at first. She revealed a faint smile. "I remember<br />
the Mercedes Benz car commercials years ago on TV. One of the slogans they used was 'a soul unlike<br />
any other.' I really liked it." She seriously regarded the terminator. "In some of my engineering classes,<br />
my classmates and I have had countless debates about whether machines, computers, and such can
have a soul."<br />
The terminator raised her right eyebrow to prompt Sarah to keep going with it.<br />
Sarah shook her head and explained, "We've never really settled the debate."<br />
"What was your opinion" Cameron inquired.<br />
Sarah, a mechanical engineering student, who was suppose to solely reason with logic and numbers had<br />
made a personal choice on the topic. "I think it's possible," she whispered. "I don't think every machine<br />
or computer has a soul, but I think it's possible for them to have one."<br />
"Why" the terminator countered.<br />
Sarah slightly smiled because she realized this conversation was helping her keep busy. It made her<br />
open up to Cameron compared to earlier. "Because when you produce say... two cars from the same<br />
batch of metal, plastic, wire it all the same, and load the same computer in it you'll get a different<br />
result." She shrugged and asked, "Why" She peered up at her protector. "How is it possible for two<br />
exact duplicates to give different results You do a math problem and the answer will always be the<br />
same." She shook her head and argued, "It's like a machine or computer develops its own personality<br />
over time."<br />
"Perhaps human engineering is imperfect," Cameron posed.<br />
"Then tell me if an AI can produce the perfect terminator every time" Sarah debated. She saw how<br />
Cameron struggled with the question so she grinned and whispered, "Gotcha." But she lost her grin and<br />
seriously asked, "What is a soul anyway"<br />
The terminator tilted her head and defined, "A soul is the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action<br />
in humans. It is regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, and commonly held to be separable<br />
in existence from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part."<br />
Sarah nodded but questioned, "Has it been scientifically proven that humans have souls" She shrugged<br />
and reminded, "No, it's just a theory, a belief... it's all conceptual, but we firmly believe that humans<br />
have souls or spirits." She then thought about it a bit more and muttered, "Some humans believe other<br />
humans don't even possess souls."<br />
"It is nearly impossible to determine whether you have one just as I cannot determine if I have one."<br />
"Essentially, yes," Sarah agreed. She locked eyes with the terminator. "But I believe I have a soul."<br />
Cameron just nodded once but didn't voice anymore of her thoughts about the topic. She instead pushed<br />
off the tailgate and went back to the fire pit, which was nearly done.<br />
Sarah let her shoulders slump, and she bowed her head. In the distance, she heard Cameron dealing<br />
with the fire pit and soon they would head back to the hotel. But she wasn't completely sure she could<br />
sleep tonight.<br />
The Omega terminator picked up the empty canisters and brought them with her to the truck. She<br />
shoved them into the bag that had other empty canisters. She then focused on the worn human near her.<br />
She quietly asked, "Why have you been upset" She pushed past her own jumpy nerves. "Are you
damaged somehow"<br />
Sarah opened her mouth but the words failed her. She closed her mouth and instead stretched out her<br />
legs over the tailgate. She peered back up. "It's just been a long night."<br />
Cameron knew it wasn't exactly lie but that Sarah didn't want to talk about it. She let it go though.<br />
"Dawn is soon... we should get back."<br />
Sarah slid off the tailgate and listened to it shut behind her. She wrapped around the truck and went to<br />
the passenger side.<br />
Cameron already knew the hotel's location after Sarah told her earlier. She pulled up her GPS in her<br />
HUD while she got into the truck. She mapped out directions then started the truck.<br />
Sarah didn't talk anymore now that her thoughts drifted to tonight's events. She slumped against the<br />
truck's cold door and stared out the window on the drive back to Los Angeles. She constantly replayed<br />
tonight's fight and how it left her lover like a stranger, again. She'd thought that losing Cameron to the<br />
T-888 would be hard, but this almost seemed harder. Sarah was only left with a shell of her former<br />
lover. But at the same time, Sarah couldn't deny that Cameron had prepared for such an ordeal by<br />
writing to her hard code the new protocol that Sarah was her human. Sarah was caught off balance by<br />
it.<br />
It was just after five when the pair made it to the Hyatt hotel in Los Angeles. Sarah dug out Cameron's<br />
jacket from the backseats so that Cameron could hide her wounds. She didn't expect for them to bump<br />
into anybody on their way to the room, but they also didn't need cameras collecting shots of Cameron's<br />
damage.<br />
Cameron went to the truck's bed and opened the tailgate. She'd saw a toolbox earlier so she grabbed it<br />
and retrieved needle nose pliers for later. She shoved the toolbox back in then locked up the tailgate.<br />
She joined Sarah on the walk to the hotel room.<br />
"You should still have the room key," Sarah softly mentioned.<br />
The terminator indeed found the swipe key in her front pocket and took it out. She put it through the<br />
locked door's reader and entered the hotel with her charge. She followed Sarah to their room, which<br />
was a large suite.<br />
Sarah broke away from her protector and couldn't wait to get out of the smart vest. She was starting to<br />
feel confined by it. She tossed her leather jacket, which had two bullet holes in the back. She then<br />
tossed the moisture-wicking shirt too then clutched the latch for the smart vest. She discovered it hurt<br />
her because of her wounded shoulder.<br />
Sarah clenched her teeth because she was frustrated and emotional. She shut her eyes but still gripped<br />
the locked latch. But after a beat, soft hands covered hers.<br />
"Here," Cameron gently offered. She easily popped the shoulder latch then helped with the three torso<br />
latches too. She lifted the smart vest off the human and set it down on the bed. "We made exact plans,"<br />
she decided after a glance at the smart vest that'd molded itself to Sarah's figure.<br />
"Yes," Sarah murmured. She went to her duffel bag and retrieved her sleeping attire.
Cameron came up behind the human and almost touched the band aid pad. "You are damaged."<br />
Sarah glanced at her shoulder but brushed aside the importance. "It was a lot worse."<br />
The terminator's eyes trailed down the human's muscular backside, and she noted the developing bruise<br />
on the human's back. She frowned at this and wondered what'd caused it. She finally decided, "I will<br />
check your shoulder wound." It would also give her a chance to look for any other injuries.<br />
"Thanks but I'm alright," Sarah replied. She was about to put on her tank top, but Cameron halted her<br />
suddenly.<br />
"It was not an offer," Cameron informed. Her tone was hard and left no room for argument.<br />
Sarah was dressed in her boots, jeans, and black bra. She decided it wasn't worth fighting about so she<br />
set the tank top on the bed. "Alright." She led Cameron to the bathroom where the first aid kit waited<br />
for them. She took a seat on the toilet after she put the lid down.<br />
The terminator removed the front bandage then the back one. She was surprised by the tiny wafer chip<br />
hidden there.<br />
"GPS tracking," Sarah supplied.<br />
Cameron now understood and set the chip on the sink's counter. She returned to her task and cleaned<br />
the healing wounds. "The stitches will need to be removed soon." She now covered the wounds after<br />
putting ointment on them.<br />
Sarah thought she was done but sure hands forced her to sit again.<br />
"I want to check over you," Cameron explained. She didn't wait for a response and began probing the<br />
human's upper body both front and back.<br />
Sarah hissed when Cameron touched the raw bruise on her back. "It feels like somebody kicked me<br />
there."<br />
"The T-888 shot you twice," Cameron summarized. She'd seen it in the playback videos from the<br />
Cyberdyne cameras.<br />
"Better bruised than dead," Sarah sarcastically joked, but she nor Cameron laughed at it.<br />
Cameron gently continued her inspection of the human and pressed her right palm into Sarah's sides.<br />
But a pain filled gasp came from Sarah, and Cameron drew up her eyes to Sarah's strained face.<br />
Sarah blinked back tears and looked down at her left side where Cameron had pushed her. She knew it<br />
already hurt but wouldn't admit to it.<br />
"Humans are much more fragile than terminators," Cameron whispered. She gently felt around Sarah's<br />
side, but she was mostly satisfied. "You haven't broken any ribs, but you may have possibly cracked<br />
one or two."<br />
"I guess they didn't think to include padding with the smart vest."<br />
The terminator looked back up at her charge. "No." She knew there was little that could be done for a
fractured rib other than time for the bones to heal. She then stood up but bent over the human. "I want<br />
to check your breathing to make sure it's not impaired by the fractures."<br />
Sarah had to lean back when Cameron rested her head against her chest. She couldn't help but place her<br />
left hand on Cameron's side while she waited.<br />
Cameron concluded that the cracked ribs were not serious by any means and didn't harm Sarah's<br />
breathing. She knew if it was worse then Sarah would have complained about it a long time ago. She<br />
straightened up and explained, "You will need to sleep on your injured side. It'll help ensure that you<br />
take deep breaths."<br />
Sarah nodded then stood up. "Thank you."<br />
"You're welcome." Cameron shifted away but offered, "I'll be in the lounge if you need me." She left<br />
and indeed took up residence in the lounge. She shortly heard the shower running and decided Sarah<br />
probably needed the hot water to wash away tonight. But Cameron dealt with the bullets in her<br />
stomach.<br />
Sarah finished her quick shower, toweled herself off, and put on her night clothes finally. She found it<br />
pained her, but she still managed without any help to get dressed. She dried her hair a bit more while<br />
she wandered back into the bedroom. She came up short as seeing the terminator, who was only in her<br />
black bra now. She lowered her stare to the terminator's stomach, which shined with fragments of metal<br />
under the nightstand's light.<br />
Cameron didn't say anything and just grabbed a clean white tank top from her duffel bag. She pulled it<br />
on then left Sarah to get to bed.<br />
Sarah put the used towel back in the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She was ready for bed but went<br />
out to the lounge and sat beside her protector, who had on the television.<br />
"You should sleep," Cameron remarked.<br />
"In a minute," Sarah agreed. She kept a few inches between her and Cameron despite she wanted to be<br />
close to her lover. She glanced at Cameron's stoic profile. "Tomorrow, I can take you to the bank that<br />
has the time machine." She hesitated but asked, "Can the damage to your head be fixed back in the<br />
future"<br />
"Yes." Cameron now looked at the human.<br />
Sarah studied the dark hole that had been the size of a fifty cent piece earlier, but it now looked smaller.<br />
"The skin is healing" At her protector's faint nod, she muttered, "It's fast." She wasn't sure what else to<br />
say. "Don't let me sleep too long." She got up and headed to the bedroom.<br />
Cameron carefully watched the human go, but she wasn't sure what to do or say that would help the<br />
human. She wasn't certain if she could help Sarah Connor. But an ache clearly filled Cameron, and she<br />
was lost on how to handle it.<br />
Sarah curled up in the bed on the side that had the cracked ribs. She didn't find it as uncomfortable as<br />
she thought it would be, and she settled down. She couldn't close her eyes at first but made an attempt<br />
that only caused her face to tighten. Sarah tried warding off Kyle Reese's face and slowly made<br />
progress. It took her half an hour, but she eventually went into a light but troubled sleep.
It was early morning when Sarah withdrew from her nightmares because she heard the shower shut off<br />
from the closed bathroom. She figured it was Cameron so she curled back up into a ball position under<br />
the warm covers. She easily drifted back to sleep because she was so rundown.<br />
Ten minutes later, the bathroom door opened, and Cameron slipped out of the dark bathroom after<br />
needing the shower. She wore her sleeping attire too and neared the bed's side. She studied the human's<br />
face, which wasn't peaceful anymore. Cameron fisted her hand, and anger briefly flashed across her<br />
face. She went around the bed to the open side and raised the sheets.<br />
Sarah woke up some when she was lifted then a warm body pressed into her back. She raised her head<br />
and confusingly looked over her shoulder. "Cameron"<br />
"I'm here," Cameron whispered and softly added, "It's me." She tenderly kissed her lover's bare<br />
shoulder.<br />
Sarah was still confused but sensed the change from her protector. She turned in the strong arms and<br />
peered up into warm blue eyes. "Your memories... they're back."<br />
"Yes," the terminator confirmed.<br />
Sarah had furrowed eyebrows and murmured, "How"<br />
"Later," Cameron replied. "You need more sleep."<br />
Sarah just nodded because knowledge that her lover had regained her memories was enough. She<br />
curled up against her lover's strong body and closed her eyes. She let out a shaky breath and clung to<br />
Cameron.<br />
The terminator felt her lover's warm breath caress her neck. She closed her eyes but noticed how Sarah<br />
hadn't fallen back to sleep. Then suddenly there was a low whimper.<br />
Sarah squeezed her eyes tighter, yet she couldn't resist the sinking sensation. She gasped one last time<br />
for air before she went under, and her emotions made her tremble. Her tears pooled beyond her eyelids<br />
then trickled across her face.<br />
Cameron tilted her head down and pressed her face into her lover's silky hair. She now remembered<br />
everything from tonight and understood why her lover cried tonight. She didn't have sympathy for<br />
Derek or Kyle Reese, yet she gave all her sympathy to Sarah. Cameron tightly held Sarah closer and<br />
waited for Sarah.<br />
But what Cameron didn't understand was that her human lover also cried for Cameron or what Sarah<br />
thought she'd lost. Sarah had believed her lover was replaced by a hardened terminator, who Sarah had<br />
worked so hard to open up. But Sarah found more than just relief at knowing Cameron had returned to<br />
her. That angry loneliness could now slowly trickle out of Sarah.<br />
It was nearly an hour later when Sarah faded into a dark nightmare after she'd cried so hard. She still<br />
clung to Cameron's shoulder and hip even in her sleep. Her sleep was restless; she moved her legs and<br />
arms constantly as if she were still in a battle.<br />
Cameron remained in bed with her lover and watched over her. She considered how tonight she'd<br />
protected Sarah, who mostly came out unscathed by the T-888 and Reese Brothers. But yet Cameron
ealized that Sarah was indeed damaged, internally. There was no medicine or healing technique that<br />
Cameron could use to fix the damage. Cameron hadn't factored in that Sarah would kill Kyle and that it<br />
would somehow damage Sarah. The terminator was never affected by her kills and didn't expect it to<br />
hurt Sarah. In her logical mind, Kyle Reese warranted death due to his affiliation with the Resistance<br />
and his dark history.<br />
By eleven in the morning, Sarah pulled away from her nightmares and discovered her lover still with<br />
her. She blinked away the weariness in her eyes and focused on her protector. "Hey," she softly tried.<br />
"Hi," Cameron gently replied in kind. She brushed Sarah's loose strands away from her face. "How do<br />
you feel"<br />
Sarah only considered her physical condition. "I think a bit better." She inhaled deeply and found that<br />
her cracked ribs barely pained her. She was grateful that they weren't seriously injured unlike what they<br />
could have been from the fight with Kyle Reese.<br />
The terminator drew away some so she could see her lover's features better. "How is your side"<br />
"Better." Sarah could tell her lover was pleased.<br />
"You may have only bruised your side then," Cameron concluded optimistically.<br />
Sarah studied the terminator's forehead and cautiously touched where the injury had been but was now<br />
gone. All that remained was slightly red, irritated skin. Sarah was amazed. "You heal very quickly."<br />
"Yes."<br />
Sarah lowered her stare and met her lover's gaze. "But you still have the... the hole through your skull"<br />
"Yes, but your daughter can repair it," Cameron explained.<br />
Sarah tucked her hand back under the covers. She had a perplex look and asked, "How did you gain<br />
back your memory"<br />
"My systems automatically backup all memory files, but they are compressed to conserve space."<br />
"So, it took some time to decompress them then... load them"<br />
"Correct." Cameron slightly frowned and mentioned, "I would have processed the files faster if I hadn't<br />
lost my primary chip."<br />
Sarah still held her confused expression. "You didn't mention this earlier."<br />
Cameron let out a low sigh. "I was unsure whether it would work. This is the first time I've done a<br />
recovery despite your daughter has tested it in Research and Development."<br />
Sarah thought about it and checked, "Do all terminators have backups"<br />
"All terminators have basic backups for their programming, but not for memory files. However, your<br />
daughter believed it was important I could retain all my memory files and developed a complex backup<br />
system."
Sarah took a deep breath and silently thanked her future daughter for this consideration. "It sounds like<br />
my daughter made a lot of special features for you."<br />
"Yes," Cameron agreed. "She and Omega went to great lengths and details for my design because I<br />
must protect her without flaw."<br />
Sarah thought about it and bit her lower lip. "Then why would she risk losing you by sending you back<br />
to me"<br />
"Because she will not be if you do not live."<br />
Sarah broke her eye contact at the terminator's defining words.<br />
"You should eat," Cameron suggested. "You haven't eaten in almost twenty-four hours." She saw that<br />
her human didn't disagree and slowly made an attempt to get up from bed.<br />
Sarah forwent a shower because she'd had one last night. She and Cameron quietly got dressed and<br />
ready for a meal outside the hotel. Sarah put on her jeans and straightened out her cranberry red polo<br />
shirt's collar. She then peered up at her lover, who finished brushing her brown hair.<br />
Cameron set the brush down on the sink counter then combed her fingers through her hair and found it<br />
felt right. She focused on her human lover's reflection in the mirror. "Are you ready" She'd cleaned up<br />
like Sarah and also inspected Sarah's wounds, which were healing perfectly.<br />
"Yeah... come on." Sarah patted the terminator's nearby hip and slipped away. She went into the lounge<br />
where her leather jacket rested on a ladder back chair. She picked it up and observed the bullet holes in<br />
it, and she frowned at it. She toyed with the holes and gave a sigh. This was her favorite leather jacket,<br />
but she rather replaced it than be dead or seriously wounded. Sarah put on her jacket with a few shrugs.<br />
Cameron emerged from the bedroom with her navy blue jacket on over top of her white tank top. But in<br />
her right hand, she had a Glock that she racked the first bullet. She slid the handgun into her jacket's<br />
right pocket after she turned on the safety.<br />
Sarah heard the gun and caught a glimpse of it before it was tucked away. She then found Cameron at<br />
her side.<br />
The terminator lifted her left hand and held out a familiar object to her lover.<br />
Sarah hesitated but retrieved her Blackberry Curve from her protector. She noted that Cameron had<br />
already installed the battery because the smartphone was starting to boot up. "Thanks," she softly<br />
offered and put it in her front jean pocket. She knew it'd take it a few minutes to start up and collect all<br />
the text messages and emails.<br />
Cameron tilted her head slightly when her lover just headed to the suite's front door. She took a few<br />
wide steps and came up behind Sarah, quickly.<br />
Sarah had the door partially opened, but she was shocked when Cameron slammed it shut on her. She<br />
briefly glanced at the large hand that held it closed then turned to her lover. She read the terminator's<br />
concern for her, and Sarah couldn't offer any words. She merely stepped into her lover.<br />
Cameron pulled her human lover into her body and slid her arms around Sarah. She held Sarah close
and still considered what she could do to help Sarah. She was lost on what action or word would fix<br />
Sarah's damage. But Cameron lowered her head down to Sarah's and breathed her distinct, human<br />
scent.<br />
Sarah remained quiet in her lover's arms. She didn't want to cry anymore or think about last night. After<br />
a minute, she straightened up but drew Cameron down closer for a soft kiss. Her fingertips brushed<br />
across Cameron's cheek and jaw line. Sarah became lost in the tender kiss that told her that Cameron<br />
cared for her.<br />
Cameron slowly withdrew and quietly confessed, "I am worried about you." She searched her human's<br />
dull green eyes. "I do not know how to fix you."<br />
Sarah sadly smiled at her lover and cupped Cameron's scarred cheek. She whispered, "I know... it'll fix,<br />
in time."<br />
Cameron tilted her head and solemnly concluded, "I do not believe it can be fixed."<br />
Sarah lost her smile and bowed her head at how the truth cut her. She briefly closed her eyes only to<br />
find Kyle waiting for her. But she opened her eyes when Cameron hooked her chin and raised her head<br />
again.<br />
"But I believe it'll heal," Cameron argued.<br />
"Maybe so," Sarah softly but wistfully agreed with her lover. She took Cameron's hand into hers and<br />
guided them out of the room. She and Cameron went to the truck and drove to the local IHOP. But on<br />
the ride to and from the restaurant, Sarah made some phone calls on her Blackberry because there were<br />
so many messages.<br />
Once back at the hotel room, Sarah rid of her leather jacket because the suite was perfectly warm<br />
compared to the cool day. She went over to the sofa and flopped down in it. She found her lover seated<br />
next to her within a minute.<br />
"Did you want to go to the bank today or tomorrow" Sarah checked.<br />
Cameron recalled their conversation back at five o'clock this morning along with her promise prior to<br />
her memory lapse. She seriously answered, "Tomorrow." She saw how her answer settled something<br />
with her lover.<br />
Sarah nodded and picked up the television remote from the coffee table. She clicked the power button<br />
then decided on ridding of her boots. She unlaced them and soon was channel flipping for something<br />
half interesting.<br />
Cameron had removed her jacket earlier and set it down with Sarah's back on the table. She rested her<br />
right arm on the sofa but watched what Sarah pulled up on the television.<br />
"Oh geez," Sarah muttered when she came to an episode of Cops on TruTV. "Have you seen this yet"<br />
At Cameron's negative response, she chuckled and mentioned, "You have to see one episode. Some of<br />
the stuff humans can do or say is so stupid." She turned up the volume.<br />
Cameron watched the Cops episode, which featured a number of criminal stunts that humans attempted<br />
but failed. She raised a metallic eyebrow when a female human did a high-speed car race while in the
nude.<br />
Sarah snickered at hearing the police officer say that the woman was naked as a jaybird. "She has<br />
several screws loose." She shook her head.<br />
The terminator wasn't aware that humans had screws in them, but decided not to ask because it seemed<br />
like a foolish question.<br />
Sarah bit back a yawn then decided to get horizontal on the sofa. She pulled up her legs then stretched<br />
out until her head rested in her lover's lap. She became weary between a full stomach and the long<br />
night. She scooped up the remote after the Cops episode and handed it to her lover.<br />
Cameron took the silent invite and clicked through the stations until she came upon the History<br />
channel. She enjoyed this channel because it gave her relevant data about humans for Omega.<br />
Sarah grinned at this but closed her eyes so that she could drift off. She soon felt Cameron's warm hand<br />
soothingly rubbing across her stomach. Sarah was lulled to sleep for a good two hours and woke up<br />
around three thirty. After the nap, she needed to use the bathroom and disappeared for a bit.<br />
Cameron shifted her focus away from the television when her lover returned from the bathroom. She<br />
moved her hand back when Sarah leaned against the arm rest. But she soon had her hand under Sarah's<br />
shirt and caressed her lover's smooth skin.<br />
Sarah stretched out her legs then her arms next. She felt better after the mostly quiet nap. She looked<br />
over at her lover, who curiously studied her.<br />
"Tomorrow," Cameron mentioned, "we'll need to go over some things."<br />
Sarah combed her fingers through her hair and guessed, "Go over the weapons, truck, and such huh"<br />
"Yes."<br />
Sarah nodded a few times. She looked away as she thought about her entire adventure then especially<br />
last night. She muttered, "I wonder what's happening at Cyberdyne. I'm sure they found..." She couldn't<br />
finish her sentence.<br />
"Yes," Cameron confirmed to the unfinished statement. "There is a forensics team working at<br />
Cyberdyne now."<br />
Sarah quickly looked back at Cameron. "How'd you find this out"<br />
"There is local news," the terminator started, "and I've hacked into the Los Angeles Police Department's<br />
systems."<br />
Slowly Sarah's eyes grew wide. "Do you think they'll figure out I was there"<br />
"They will retrieve your fingerprints," Cameron agreed. "However, I've scanned all databases for your<br />
fingerprints but none exist." Her eyes were unfocused, but she finally looked up at her human.<br />
"Additionally, if they somehow determine you were there it is substantial due to the fact you're in there<br />
often."<br />
Sarah let out a breath at her lover's precise checks. "I could still use an alibi."
"You have one," Cameron informed. She tilted her head at Sarah. "You took the subway from<br />
Cyberdyne at the start of the attacks and stayed at your apartment that night. Kelly was not at the<br />
apartment to confirm whether you were there or not. However, the police will check subway<br />
surveillance and see you riding the subway at that hour."<br />
Sarah was slack jaw then gathered herself and checked, "How is there going to be video surveillance of<br />
me in the subway system"<br />
"I have overwritten the Metro's video surveillance with footage from when you were in the subway<br />
several nights ago." Cameron then recalled another piece of detail. "Also, I've overwritten entry and<br />
exit time for your Metro TAP card to reflect that you rode the subway last night."<br />
"Jesus," Sarah muttered. She couldn't believe it but was also grateful. She considered one aspect that<br />
made her curious. "You had recordings of me on the subway from several nights ago So, you've been<br />
monitoring my whereabouts long before you picked me up, right"<br />
"Yes." Cameron arched an eyebrow slightly. "I have been monitoring you for nearly a month. I did not<br />
engage you until I was aware of the Reese Brothers."<br />
Sarah stared at her lover for a long moment. She now realized that Cameron would have kept secretly<br />
protecting her until either the Reese Brothers or the T-888 came after her. Until then, Cameron merely<br />
waited in the shadows and prepared for the day.<br />
After a moment, Sarah gathered herself and sincerely replied, "Thank you, Cameron."<br />
The terminator understood why her human thanked her so deeply. She felt as if she didn't deserve it, but<br />
Cameron didn't refuse it either. She instead got up and stood in front of the petite human. She studied<br />
her lover's beautiful features that Cameron believed were a perfect balance of strength and softness.<br />
Cameron leaned down and captured Sarah's lips for a long kiss.<br />
Sarah breathed deeply after the kiss broke, but Cameron gave her no room to rest. She was taken for<br />
another heated kiss then Cameron started pushing her back some. She found Cameron's larger body<br />
over hers.<br />
The terminator stretched out her right arm until it touched the sofa's back. Her other hand hooked to her<br />
lover's petite hip.<br />
Sarah grasped her protector's bicep then she slipped her right hand behind Cameron's head. She urged<br />
the kiss deeper, and their tongues danced together. She inhaled sharply for air at the end but didn't<br />
relent. She started a third kiss, but she gasped when her lover picked her up from the sofa arm. She<br />
soon found herself seated on the sofa instead, and she tilted her head back after the kiss ended. She had<br />
smoldering green eyes. She quickly sat up and reached for Cameron's tank top.<br />
The terminator helped her lover remove the tank top then rid of it off to the side. But Cameron had<br />
plans for her human lover and wouldn't allow Sarah to detour her. She enjoyed the small hands that ran<br />
across her muscular stomach, yet she leaned over Sarah and sealed their lips in a passionate kiss.<br />
Sarah moaned deeply and submitted to her lover's demands. She enjoyed being under her lover's<br />
control, but she also found Cameron to be just as tender too. Sarah would never stop being amazed by<br />
how Cameron was contradicting elements of powerful machine and tender human. But what Sarah<br />
realized when Cameron later entered her was that no human would probably make her feel this way.
What she shared with Cameron was unique and only between them.<br />
To be continued.