DISCLAIMER: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and its characters are the propert of James Cameron and Fox. No infringement intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a sequel to my first ever story "Beyond All Reason" and although it's not really necessary to read that to understand this one there are minor references to past events from the other story. This is written purely for my own enjoyment and if anybody else happens to enjoy it as much as I did writing it then...yay! Any mistakes that exist are all mine...and I will selfishly keep them :p This story is dedicated to the love of my life, Gayle.
SPOILERS: Mostly AU but has some references to events in Season 1.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To jojovee[at]gmail.com
Against All Odds
By JGirl
PART FIVE
"Cameron please, I don't know what you want me to do. We keep on having the same old argument." Leaning against the bedroom door wearily Sarah crossed her arms over her chest in impatience. "You cannot protect me all the time. I can't be wrapped in cotton wool just so you won't be worried about keeping me safe."
"But it isn't necessary for you to do this Sarah; I can lure the terminator out not you." Staring at Sarah in determination Cameron wasn't willing to back down.
Sarah sighed and walked over towards Cameron standing beside the bed, placing a hand onto the girls arm and stroking her cheek softly with her other hand.
"I don't want to fight or argue with you Cameron I really don't. You know who I am, you know what our mission is, why do you always want to stop me from doing what I have to do?"
Sarah knew as soon as she had outlined her plan to everyone assembled in the living room that Cameron was not going to like it, was going to argue with her each step of the way. Waiting until Derek had left with the other Sarah to do as told and leaving John to wait patiently until she could talk to Cameron alone, Sarah had dragged her into her bedroom, needing some privacy to persuade Cameron into listening to her. She really was trying to understand Cameron's desire to keep her safe but by the very nature of what they had to do; Cameron had to know that that was impossible.
"I don't want to see you hurt…or…killed Sarah." Cameron's expression was one of distaste as the words came out of her mouth. Placing her arms around Sarah's waist to pull her closer Cameron's grip was desperate in her need to make Sarah understand.
"Well yeah, that's a given Cameron but you can't protect me all the time. I don't want to see you hurt either but we can't stop doing what we do just because it's dangerous." Staring into the brown eyes in front of her Sarah's heart stopped briefly at the thought of not being able to have Cameron standing by her side. "Please Cameron, you don't like it when I try to bully you into doing what I want you to do and I don't like it either so I'm asking you. I'm asking you to just let me do what I need to do."
Cameron remained silent at the words, her face pensive and focussed as she gazed into Sarah's emerald green eyes weighing the words in her pleading tone. Finally with a slight tilt of her head Cameron placed her hand over Sarah's hand still stroking her cheek gently and gripped it firmly in her grip. "Do you swear Sarah not to do anything foolish or reckless?"
Sighing in relief at the question, Sarah released her hand from Cameron's grip and wrapped her arms around her neck, tilting her head up at the slight height difference. "I swear I will try not to do anything that will endanger my life Cameron but you have to realise I will do everything necessary to stop that terminator."
"Sarah…" Before Cameron could protest further at her partial compromise to the promise Cameron wanted to extract from her, Sarah leant forward and placed her lips firmly onto Cameron's to silence her words. Feeling Cameron resist at the obvious ploy to distract her, Sarah pressed her lips more insistently against Cameron's not giving the girl a chance to pull away.
As Cameron's resistance wavered and her body relaxed into her embrace, Sarah wound her arms tighter around Cameron's neck, pulling her closer against the full length of her body. Opening her lips to taste Cameron fully Sarah could only groan as Cameron acquiesced and returned her kiss forcefully, Cameron's tongue winding its way into her mouth to intertwine lightly with her own.
Feeling the overwhelming need of arousal rush through her body like a bush fire Sarah broke away, knowing this was not the time to assuage her hunger. John was waiting after all. Resting her head lightly against Cameron's chest Sarah wanted to savour this feeling, of being safe and loved in Cameron's arms.
Cameron pulled away slightly to look down into eyes that she adored, the love and warmth she could see shining back at her making her want to pull Sarah closer and to never let go. Cupping Sarah's chin softly, Cameron placed a lingering kiss onto reddened lips and then pulled back to stare intently into the virile green in front of her.
"I love you Sarah, I will always love you. You are my heart and without you, I'm just another machine. Please swear that you'll look after my heart."
Hearing the softly spoken whisper, Sarah's eyes suddenly pooled and spilt over onto her cheeks, the silent tears falling for a girl that she now knew she could never live without. Clearing a suddenly croaky throat hoarse with overwhelming emotions, Sarah wiped the tears off her cheeks and wound her fingers through Cameron's, gripping them firmly in her grasp as her other hand reached into her jeans pocket.
Releasing Cameron's fingers, Sarah tilted her hand palm upward and placed the chain that she now held into Cameron's hand, the light reflecting and bouncing off the diamond at the end of the chain held by a silver clasp.
"I was waiting for the right time to give you this…and after those words…I'm guessing the right time is now."
Staring up into eyes suddenly wide with surprise, Sarah smiled softly as Cameron gently held the chain in her hand, letting the diamond dangle freely at the end as she looked towards Sarah and then the gift in wonder. Taking the chain from Cameron's fingers, Sarah opened the clasp and wound her arms around Cameron's neck as the girl bent her head to allow Sarah to put the chain on her.
"I love you Cameron…and although I might fight and argue with you from time to time, just know that I'll always love you too. You told me once that a diamond is a girl's best friend and asked if I wanted one. Well you see, I don't need one, won't ever need one…because…I have you."
Cameron's expression changed to one of awe at Sarah's softly spoken words, her systems going crazy at the significance and the meaning behind Sarah's gift.
"Sarah…"
Clearing her throat again at the barely whispered reverence in her name, Sarah gripped Cameron's fingers again in a tight grasp, needing to clear her head of her rising emotions. They had a job to do after all and getting all teary eyed was not going to get them closer to finishing it.
"Come on girlie, we'll talk more later. Right now, let's go get this over with because after that, it's my turn to show you how much I really love you."
Looking over towards John who was standing beside her, Cameron couldn't help but feel uneasy. Since having watched Sarah drive off on the stolen motorbike earlier, Cameron had been filled with a sense of dread as she stood staring at Sarah's retreating figure in the alleyway, watching until Sarah turned a corner and rode out of sight.
"It's ok Cameron, this is what we do, you know that. We kill the terminator and then go home for dinner, it's just another night." Turning a weak smile onto Cameron's rigid form, John hoped his words sounded believable enough, they were less than convincing even to his own ears.
Looking up towards the roof, Cameron spotted Derek lying low on the scaffolding above, shotgun in hand as he stared intently towards the entrance doors to the steel factory. Spanning her gaze wider, Cameron caught the huge metal beams that housed the conveyor belt and the yawning pit of molten fire at one end.
Running through Sarah's plan in her head again Cameron could feel her systems flare suddenly at all the contingencies that they hadn't planned for. It was a weak plan at best and one that could put everyone in danger, especially Sarah.
"What kind of a plan is 'lure the terminator out by letting him chase me and then you clobber him'?
John snickered involuntarily at Cameron's perfect imitation of his mother's voice as her features twisted into a displeased frown.
"The only one we've got Cameron." Turning serious eyes onto Cameron and then over to Derek, John sighed, "At least the other Sarah's safe now. She should be with the FBI as we speak since Derek dropped her off at the police station earlier, well, as close as he could get to the police station being as he's a wanted fugitive and all."
"Yes, the terminator will not worry about the other Sarah Connor now that he knows she is not the Sarah he is after."
"Do you really think that Cameron? How can you be sure that the terminator won't just go after her again?" John had to be sure; he didn't need another innocent death on his hands, or his mother's.
"Yes I am sure. There is no point. His mission is to find the real Sarah Connor; once he finds her the other one is inconsequential."
John sighed at Cameron's words, the relief evident in his features as he stared out at the cavernous factory in front of him, machinery and steel filling the room to capacity. Shuddering at the molten pit slightly to his left in front of him, John couldn't help but remember the last terminator that had met his death in the same manner. Turning to Cameron and grasping her arm tightly, John waited until Cameron's gaze fell on his.
"Be careful okay Cameron? I don't want to lose any more family."
Cameron's stern features softened at John's words as she reached unconsciously to touch her chest lightly, feeling the comfortable solidity of Sarah's diamond underneath her shirt.
"I will be careful John." Hearing the ringing of her phone from her jacket pocket, Cameron grasped John's hand and squeezed it lightly, "You need to go up to where Derek is now. You will be safer up there."
Giving Cameron one last glance, John turned and walked away, only to pause as Cameron called out softly. Turning to face the girl standing silhouetted against the dim light of the factory, John could see Cameron's posture was now straight and rigid, her features as smooth as marble with a focussed determination.
"It's going to be okay John; I will do everything to protect my family."
Turning the corner onto the other Sarah Connor's street, Sarah could feel the raw power of the Yamaha YZF-R6 between her legs, the purring monotone somehow a soothing sound to her tense nerve-endings. Feeling a slight guilt at leaving the owner stranded on the streets of LA in the middle of the night, Sarah pushed it away as quickly as it entered. She had a job to do and a world to save; there was no time for guilt in her life.
Easing the motorbike back even more as the house came into view, Sarah glanced around quickly, trying to spot the terminator she knew was hiding around the area somewhere. When she had discussed this part of the plan with Cameron, Cameron had assured her that the terminator would be hiding somewhere knowing that either the real Sarah would show up again or the other Sarah returning home. Whichever one showed up the terminator would be able to get what he wanted. Idling the motorbike at the curb, Sarah's gaze drifted to the darkened house in front of her.
Reaching into her jacket pocket Sarah placed her hands around the cell phone and pressed the speed dial buttons, letting it ring for a while before hanging up as she mumbled softly to herself, "Come on you bastard, come and get me."
"Ellison." Agent Ellison fell silent as he listened intently to the voice on the other end, "Ok, follow her and don't lose her. Get everyone mobile and ready to move at my mark."
Mumbling a quick goodbye Agent Ellison placed the receiver back into the cradle as he grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and made his way to the office door.
He had a fugitive to catch.
Gunning the Yahama and kicking it into gear, Sarah took off with a roar as the terminator came running out of the next door neighbour's house. Glancing in the handlebars rear-view mirror, Sarah could see the terminator giving chase with a bland expression on his face.
Feeling another inexplicable wave of sorrow at whoever had lived in that house, knowing that the terminator would have killed them already, Sarah gritted her teeth in determined anger. More innocent lives lost in their fight against Skynet.
Weaving through darkened alleyways and side streets to minimise public disturbance, Sarah throttled it enough just so she could be clear of the terminators reach but slow enough so he wouldn't lose her. Hoping like all hell he didn't have a gun on him, Sarah zigged and zagged from side to side just to make sure she wasn't an easy target.
Seeing the steel factory up ahead, Sarah gunned the motorbike to a full out throttle as she headed towards the entrance. Streaking through the doors Sarah slowed the bike to a halt and quickly turned the engine off as she jumped off and put the bike on to its stand.
Seeing Cameron stand behind the entrance doors with a steel pipe in her hands, Sarah nodded her head minutely in acknowledgement as she grabbed the guns from behind her back and waited. Seeing the terminators running form materialise through the darkened night outside, Sarah fired repeatedly, aiming for his chest. As the bullets hit their mark, Sarah slowly eased her way over to the side watching as Cameron swung the steel pipe at the terminator staggering past her through the doors.
Watching him suddenly fly through the air to land with a heavy thump a few metres away, Sarah ran towards the entrance door and slid them closed, leaving no way for the terminator to escape.
Running towards the terminator now slowly clambering to his feet Cameron swung the pipe down onto his back again, making him stumble to the floor once more. Raising her arms, Cameron swung the pipe towards the terminators head only to have the momentum stop abruptly as the terminator's hand suddenly shot out and held the pipe firmly in his grasp before it could connect. Cameron could feel the reverberations of the pipe against her chest as the machine shoved the pipe hard towards her knocking her off her feet to land on the concrete floor with a loud thump.
Hearing the clattering of the steel pipe rolling away from her, Cameron stumbled to her feet as she glanced over towards the terminator to see him suddenly jerk back as bullets landed heavily into his shoulders and chest. Looking up towards Derek and John's location, Cameron gave Derek a grateful look before turning around wildly to gauge where Sarah had disappeared to.
Seeing Sarah standing behind the terminator at the entrance doors, Cameron breathed out a quick sigh of relief and focussed her attention onto the still advancing terminator. Blocking the arm swinging out towards her, Cameron punched out with her left, connecting solidly with the machine's chin as his head flung backwards on impact.
"Derek, John, get out of here now! Cameron and I will meet up with you at the new location!" Glancing up to see if they had obeyed her shouted command, Sarah saw John hesitate briefly before Derek grabbed his arm and pulled the reluctant boy along behind him. Relieved that John was out of their current danger, Sarah advanced towards the fighting terminator's cautiously, her hands still gripped around the comforting solidity of her guns.
Looking around wildly for something to help Cameron with, Sarah ran over towards a pile of steel pipes stacked on the floor. Stuffing her guns quickly behind her back into the band of her jeans Sarah bent over to pick up a pipe randomly. Hefting it onto her shoulders at the weight of it, Sarah moved closer towards Cameron, keeping an eye out for an opportunity to throw the pipe towards Cameron, not wanting to distract her from the fight with the machine.
Side stepping the right hook coming towards her face, Cameron swung out her legs to sweep the terminator off his feet. Kneeling down as quick as she could, Cameron raised her fists and repeatedly swung down, connecting with the terminators cheek again and again.
"Cameron, catch!"
Looking up towards the shouted command, Cameron raised her arm and caught the steel pipe flying through the air towards her effortlessly. Gripping it firmly in her hands Cameron swung down and hit the terminator squarely on the forehead, the impact making his head bounce back onto the concrete floor. Placing the pipe against the machine's throat, Cameron bent the steel with her bare hands to wrap it around his neck, keeping up the pressure as the terminators body jerked and kicked under her.
Running towards Cameron now pinning the terminator down onto the concrete floor, Sarah grabbed a gun from behind her again and placed the tip against the terminators forehead. Seeing the malevolent red eyes staring up at her, Sarah shivered slightly as she gripped the butt of her gun with both hands. Squeezing the trigger, Sarah fired repeatedly until it clicked uselessly in her hands, staring with hatred into glowing red eyes.
The terminator's body jumped and flinched at the bullets impacting through his metal skull as his grasp slackened from around the pipe wound tightly around his throat, the redness in his eyes blinking off and on, then fading away to a dull black as he went offline.
Breathing in a big sigh of relief at the dead terminator, Sarah placed a hand onto Cameron's shoulder, "Come on girlie, lets…"
"Sarah Connor, this is the FBI, you are surrounded. Come out with your hands up!"
Hearing the sudden voice ringing clearly through the empty factory, Sarah froze and glanced towards Cameron in resignation as the girl slowly rose to her feet her features a mask of icy coldness at hearing the shouted words from outside the factory.
The FBI had finally caught up with Sarah.