1

Where the hell am I? I move to sit up as the sound of gravel scraping echoes in the dark dusty space. The familiar coppery taste of blood enters my consciousness about the same time I feel a painful throbbing behind my eyes.

I seem to be having trouble recollecting recent events. The details seem sketchy in my mind. I was searching for something. What was I looking for? I frantically search my memory for something tangible, something I can hold onto. I remember fighting, alot of fighting. Am I a soldier? I cradle my head in my hands as I lean against the concrete wall. I think I'm underground.

It's strange I'm not more distressed by the situation itself. I narrow my eyes in thought. I'm pretty sure most women in this situation, alone, lost, and hurt, would be frantic right now. But I almost feel at home in this situation, like this kind of thing happens all the time. I must have an interesting life. I feel this pull. I have to get out of here. There are people counting on me, looking for me, people I have to get back to, I think.

I stand up slowly, using the wall to stay steady as my head spins. Great now I'm nauseous as well. I look around see that there are pieces of scrap wood and metal all over the concrete floor. The one shaft of light entering the room is from above as I walk to the center of the debris and look up.

I wonder if I fell through that hole. It's plausible I suppose. I immediately go for the door on the other side of the room. I have to use all my strength to push it open. That's some heavy duty door. Outside the room there are dark corridors. It smells damp and musty. All I hear are echoing drops of water coming from far off in the distance.

The pain behind in my head intensifies for a moment and I have to sit down. Faces flash through my memory. I am supposed to know those people. One face stands out more than the others. A boy. He's my son. How do I know that? It must be a mothers' intuition.

The pain dulls again somewhat as I make my way through the corridors looking for a way out. A dark figure steps around the far corner at the end of the hallway. It looks like a man. Something inside of me is telling me to run. I turn in the opposite direction and start to run as I hear the booted feet behind me pounding on the floor. He's chasing me. My adrenaline spikes and somehow I know if he catches me I won't be seeing my son, or anyone else for that matter, ever again.

I turn another corner and a girl is there. I know her. I remember her face, her presence. Before I have a chance to speak the man that has been chasing me has reached us. Luckily this girl has a gun. She hands it to me and advances on the large man without it. At this point I'm thinking this delicate girl must be insane if she thinks she can take on this huge guy, but as I watch she not only holds her own but eventually rips him apart. I start having this sense of deja vu almost immediately. I know now that there is no way either of them are human. Something's nagging at my subconscious. I should know what they are, but I don't remember.

She is walking back towards me now and I am unafraid, even though I just watched her decimate that, thing. For some reason I feel safe as I look into her big brown eyes. A sharp stabbing pain is the last thing I feel before the blackness overtakes me.

I can feel consciousness slowly creeping back. The first thing I realize is I am being carried. I squeeze my eyes open carefully and look up to see the young women who saved my ass earlier. So far this has been a shitty day. I have a feeling I should be used to that.

"Stop." I croak out. Her gate stops abruptly as she looks down at me.

"You're awake. Good. Can you walk?" she asks.

"Yes." I reply as she slowly lowers me till I'm standing in her embrace.

"We need to get out of here. You have a concussion and John will be worried by now."

John, that name strikes a cord deep within me. My son's name is John. I smile.

"Then I will come back alone to get the body." She says unemotionally.

"The body? Why?" I ask. She looks at me and cocks her head. I think I was supposed to know why.

"It must be destroyed Sarah." She states solemnly.

"Oh, right." I nod. She looks at me a moment longer and then continues walking. I follow behind her. She seems to know where she's going.

As we walk I rack my brain trying to remember how I know this young woman. What was her name? She isn't my daughter. I want to just ask her but then she will know about my memory loss and I don't want to seem weak so I say nothing.

"When was John expecting us to be back?" I ask.

"There was no set time however we have been gone for four hours and thirteen minutes without any correspondence therefore he will be worried." She responds without looking at me or slowing her pace.

"Cameron." I said, the name just popping out of my mouth.

"Yes?" She replies casually.

"Oh, nothing, never mind. Let's just get out of here. My head hurts like a bitch."

We navigate our way through and find our way out. It's night time and the streets and buildings surrounding us do not seem familiar to me at all. I continue to follow Cameron's lead as I feel for some reason I can trust her though I do not know how she fits into my life as of yet. I follow Cameron as she walks over to a black Subaru parked on the side of the road. She breaks the window and as the alarm begins to blare she rips it out and crushes it with her bare hands. Jesus.

"I take it this isn't our car?" I ask sarcastically.

"No, get in." she orders as she gets into the drivers side.

"Okay." I mutter under my breath as I hop into the passenger side.

We drive in silence for a few minutes. I am worried that I still can't remember things. I realize it won't take long for my son and whoever else that's around to figure out what's going on and I don't wish to worry them.

"Cameron." I break the silence.

"Yes." she replies, eyes on the road.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Home." she replies. Well that answers one question, we do live together.

"And who is at home?"

"John and Derek most likely, unless they have gone out in search of you."

"Of me? Don't you mean of us?" I ask. She only shrugs slightly.

"Cameron I am having some problems with my memory right now." I confess. She looks at me shrewdly then.

"I think it would be best if we don't go directly home." I say.

"Why?" She asks.

"I don't want John and Derek to know about my memory lapse. It would only worry them." Who the hell is Derek? Husband, I highly doubt it. Maybe a brother? Not remembering is frustrating. I sigh.

"Where would you like to go?" she asks.

"Somewhere with a phone. We should at least call them to let them know that we're alright." I am pretty sure I am used to people following my orders because I like how she automatically acceded to my request. Cameron pulls into the parking lot at a Denny's restaurant.

We walk in and one of the waitresses eyes us warily. I bet we look a sight. Battered and bloody. Before I can say anything Cameron sidles up to the waitress.

"My mother and I were mugged." She lies smoothly explaining how we'd already called the cops and we were waiting for them to show up. I made a B-line for the bathroom trusting Cameron to take care of the explanations. I wash the crusted blood off my face and hands doing the best I can to make myself look somewhat respectable. She enters the bathroom as I'm finishing up.

"Your mother?" I ask raising my eyebrow.

"Our cover." she replies.

"I didn't think you were my daughter." I said smiling at her.

"I'm not anyone's daughter." She states, an aura of danger surrounds her as her eyes meet mine. I don't know what to say so I say nothing.

"I should call John."

"I called him already." Cameron said.

"Thanks. Well I need a coffee, and a cigarette." I said as I rubbed my forehead trying to ease my tension.

"You don't smoke."

"I don't?" I really want a smoke.

"No."

"Fine, a coffee then. I do drink coffee?" I ask sarcastically, getting frustrated.

"Yes you do drink coffee."

"Good. Let's get two coffee's and then you're going to fill me in on a few things."

I walk out of the bathroom knowing she will follow me. I grab a booth for us and order two coffees. We sit.

"So?" I prompt.

"You are Sarah Connor." She says as if that explains everything. I wait for more information. None is forthcoming.

"Yeah, good to know. What else? How do I know you? What are you? And who is Derek?" I ask fervently.

"The gaps in your memory are extensive." she states.

"You like to state the obvious alot don't you?" I reply scathingly.

"I am a cybernetic organism sent from the future to protect John and assist in you're mission to stop Judgment Day from arriving. Derek Reece is John's uncle."

"Okay." Some of the pieces in my mind begin to fall together. This sounds insane. Memories of being in an asylum flash through my mind.

"Am I crazy?" I ask curiously.

"No, you are not crazy." She answers.

"Do we have days like today often?" It feels like we do.

"Days like today?" she asks. God do I have to clarify everything?

"Fighting machines, getting hurt, stealing cars?"

"Yes."

"Great." I am starting to realize how messed up my life is as the coffee arrives. I take a sip and smile in spite of the situation.

I drink my coffee while Cameron explains the basics of my life to me. My life sounds like a laugh a minute. I'm pretty sure normal isn't a word in my vocabulary by the time we leave the diner. As we walk out my mind suddenly begins to race. Pictures flash through my minds eye so quickly that the shock of it forces me to my knees. Then I feel Cameron's hand grasping my forearm. It causes me to remember the many times Cameron has touched me. What really scares me is my reaction to her touch. Heat.

I laugh, though it comes out sounding more like a groan. As she helps me off of my knees all I can think about is how I want to push her up against that convenient car right there and kiss the daylights out of her.

Now that my memories are back I realize how insane that thought really is. It's odd. I remember everything but the emotions tied to those memories seem disconnected. A strange weariness settles over me then.

"I need to sleep." I say quietly.

"I will take you home Sarah." Cameron said. It's the last thing I remember. After that I must have passed out because when I woke up I was in my bed and the sun was out.